Life Of War

Chapter 48

"General Jayko!" Fives called through the empty halls of the ship. A pounding on my door with more shouts of my name called me to get out of bed and see what the problem was.

"Fives? Jesse? What's going on?" I asked the two troopers, rubbing my eyes to wake up more after the exhaustion of the mission hit me like a speeder.

"It's Rex" Jesse spoke and I was awake within seconds. Before I could even process what I was doing my body was pulling me down the hall towards the clones barracks on the cruiser.

"Clear out of the way" Fives ordered his brothers who had gathered around the captains bunk. I pushed through with the two men behind me keeping their distance as I closed in on a restless Rex and a worried Kix.

"What's wrong with him?" I panicked at the sight of a sweaty Rex tossing and turning, mumbling to himself with a frown on his lips.

"I told you to get General Skywalker" Kix scolded his brothers.

"But Jayko will be more help to calm him down" Fives reminded as I was still watching the Captain with worry and confusion.

"Kix, what's wrong with Rex?" I pressed again.

"I can only assume he is having a nightmare, nothing too bad—"

"Nothing too bad!" I snapped. "Look at him! Everyone clear out!" I shouted the orders and without a second thought all of the troopers piled out of their barracks and into the halls of the ship at night.

"General, I'm sure he's fine" Kix reassured with a hand to my shoulder.

"And I'll be sure to figure that out for myself, Kix" I gave him a forced smiled before he took that as his cue to leave us alone. I knelt beside Rex's bunk and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. "Rex?"

He shot awake with a start and gasped, moving back from me with shock and fear. He let out a few rigid breaths until his mind focused and he saw that I was kneeling beside him.

"Uh, General?" The clone Captain blinked in confusion at the sight of me. I was still wearing my night robes and my hair was still tied back in a messy ponytail from the previous battle. A worried look was painted across my face as I watched him carefully.

"Sorry to startle you" I started calmly, standing properly. "The boys rushed to get me and said you were having a nightmare" I paused for him to explain.

"Yeah" he let out another shaken breath. "Sorry to wake you" Rex looked up at me again and his body relaxed. Moving over slightly he patted a spot on his bed for me to sit down.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Remember Umbara?" The blond looked at me and I nodded in reply, holding back a comment about how we had just left the planet, knowing now was not the right time for any of us. "Well, my nightmare was about that, loosing Hardcase, Dogma betraying us, Krell betraying and killing my brothers." He trailed in deep thought.

"There was something else?" I prompted him to continue with gentle eyes watching him take in a deep breath.

"There was something different in my nightmare. Krell had killed you in front of me and there was nothing I could have done to save you or stop him" Rex grew stiff again at the thought and I pulled him in for a much needed hug. The clone was shocked at first but relaxed moments later in my arms. We both relished in the silence until I heard grumbling from outside of the door and I pulled back slightly.

"What are you all doing out here?" Anakin questioned the group of clones who had earned a noise complaint for being in the hallways past lights out. He had been woken from his slumber by a transmission from Admiral Yularen.