Reunion (#3 Post-Order 66 Series)

Reunion - Part 7

Rex couldn't help but grin as Echo threw his arms around him in a hug. "Rex! It's been a while! I'm glad you're safe." Echo stepped back from him, looking him up and down before his gaze turned to Senna. Rex couldn't help but notice that something was wrong. Senna was clearly happy to see them, but her teeth were gouging into her lip. Echo didn't appear to notice as he moved over to hug her.

"It's good to see you again!" Echo said smiling.

Rex stared at the interaction warily, something like a warning bell beginning to sound in the back of his mind. He's behaving as if they just saw each other.

Tech stepped forward, gripping Senna's arm in greeting. "Good to see you again, Senna, although I didn't anticipate it being so soon. You'll be interested to know I've made several adjustments in Echo's hand since we last saw you that I think we can..."

Rex didn't hear the rest of what was being said due to the blood rushing in his ears. Senna whirled to look at him as he came to the realization. She's seen them. It wasn't from a distance. And they didn't tell me. They knew where she was.

Without a word, he turned on his heel, stalking away from the reunion, all of the anger that he'd set aside rushing back to the forefront. I can't be around them right now.

Tech paused in his ramblings to watch the captain retreat. "Is he alright?"

Echo turned to look at Senna. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

Senna stared guiltily at the floor. "No. I hadn't found the right time to. I figured this would be the reaction and was trying to come up with a way to soften the blow, but I'm afraid it's too late for that now." Her teeth dug into her bottom lip and Echo grimaced.

"You'd better go talk to him."

The Jedi nodded. "I'll catch up with you guys in a bit, alright?" With that, she quickly walked off in the direction Rex had gone. It took a bit, but she found him outside the base on the tarmac near his ship, his back to her with his eyes staring out over the forest. She quietly approached, coming to stand next to him. He felt himself pulling away from her, sliding back down the slope to where his anger and grief festered and flourished, blossoming once more in his chest as questions crashed around in his mind. How long ago did she see them? Has it been since the last time I spoke with them? Did they know where she was? How long was she with them?

They stood for a few moments before he broke the silence. "Did everyone know where you were? Was it just me that you hid from?" he asked, his voice low and venomous. The anger that had dissipated in the time since he'd picked her up on Takodana had come surging back with a vengeance, consuming him to the point where he almost couldn't recognize the man he had been just minutes earlier.

"Rex," her voice was barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to run into them. It was by accident."

He whirled on her. "But they knew where you were, and I know Echo. The only reason he wouldn't have told me that he saw you was because you asked him not to, right?" His golden irises burned into her, and her expression was confirmation enough for him. He scoffed. "Unbelievable." He turned his back to her, the anger and hurt radiating off of him once more. "You let me run around the galaxy like a love-sick pup, turning over every rock trying to find you, all while you watched at a distance, letting me struggle. You watched while I suffered, and then you brought my own brothers into your sick game."

"Is that really what you think?" she snapped, a hint of anger finally dancing at the edge of her voice. "That I did all this to hurt you?" She stormed around in front of him, daring him to ignore her, but this time, his eyes locked on hers, amber coals smoldering against blue flames.