Villain (Rex)

33

Tw: Suggestive themes, mentions of death.

"General Kenobi has arrived. He's taking General Skywalker to the Jedi healers and has given us time off until there's news on his condition," Fives reported.

Rex nodded, rubbing his face tiredly from behind his desk. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

Fives didn't move, remaining in the threshold of the office. "Sir, you need to sleep. It's been forty hours."

"I can't yet," Rex muttered. He stared at his datapad and filled out a report. "Commander Tano is busy with everything  and General Skywalker is incapacitated. Everything is falling on my shoulders."

"They say General Skywalker will be fine," Fives reminded him. "The Chancellor was gracious enough to pay for some very expensive doctors."

"I can't!" Rex's hands flew to his head and his nails dug into his skin. "This is too much and it's classified! I'm the only one who can handle this!"

Fives' lips thinned and he took a step closer to the desk. "We're here to help"

Rex sighed. "Thanks, Fives, but you should leave."

Fives walked out the door to where the others were all standing. He shook his head and them and they groaned.

"He hasn't taken a break in forever!" Hardcase slung an arm over Kara's shoulder. "He needs rest!"

Kara slipped out from under Hardcase. "I've got it."

Jesse rolled his eyes. "And what do you think you can do that we can't?"

Kara smirked, eyes glinting mischievously. "I-"

Kix covered her mouth with his hand. "Nope. I don't want to know. Just get in, get him to sleep, and get out."

Kara shrugged and strolled into Rex's office, plopping down on the chair across from him. He glanced up at her and put his datapad down.

"What?" Rex bluntly asked. "I'm a little busy."

"I know." Kara grinned cheerily. "I just thought I'd stop by and say hi."

"I don't believe you." Rex warily watched her. "What do you have planned?"

"Nothing." Kara innocently smiled. "Why would I ever plan something?"

"Spit it out," Rex ordered. 

"Okay I might've ripped your favourite blanket. The one that the child whose life you saved gave you," Kara lied.

"What?" Rex jumped to his feet. "How?"

"It's not my fault! Fives shouldn't have given me a knife!" Kara placed a hand on her chest.

Rex's hand was suddenly on her wrist with a vice-like grip. He dragged her out of the office, past Kix, Fives, and Jesse.

"Where are you going?" Kix called after them.

"None of your business!" Rex snapped. 

Kara winked at them.

Rex led her to the empty barracks and straight to his bunk, furrowing his brow when he released the blanket was intact and perfectly fine. "Wha-"

Kara shoved him into the bed, leaping on top of him. He shrieked as she pulled the pieces of armour off, fumbling with the clasps until he was in his blacks.

"What the kark are you doing?" Rex demanded. He struggled to get away but was weak from lack of sleep. 

"You need to rest!" Kara pushed his head into the pillows. "This is me helping!"

Rex slowly began to suffocate as she held him there, not realizing she was practically killing him. She released him with a string of apologies and stepped back.

Rex stared at her. "Fine. I'll sleep. But if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."

"What's that-" Kara was suddenly grabbed and yanked down onto the bunk. He lay on top of her, holding her in place. "Very funny. Now get off."

"I'm too tired to do anything," Rex smugly whispered, yawning.

Kara gritted her teeth. "Shut up and sleep."

Rex chuckled and pulled the blankets over them. "I could say the same to you."

Rex went to visit Anakin, while Kara went to check on her brother. They arrived at the temple together before splitting up, Kara heading to where the littlest of children were taught.

She saw Alex with the other kids, wearing a brown robe that was slightly too big for him. He perked up when he saw her and nearly ran over, only tripping a couple times.

"They been treating you good?" Kara asked, not expecting a response. She went on one knee to be roughly at eye level with him. "I assume you haven't bitten anyone?"

"He's been learning at an excellent pace. He cooperates well and has shown little sign of turning to the dark side." The Jedi Master teaching glided over to Kara, pride visible on his face.

"Wait, 'little sign'?" Kara echoed. "He's been showing some signs of turning to the dark side?"

He pursed his lips. "He's just a child. I'm sure it doesn't mean much..."

"Tell me," Kara demanded. She gazed at Alex, worry rising in her.

"He's been having nightmares," he told her. "We tapped into his emotions and... it's troubling."

"I thought you just said there was nothing to worry about?" Kara patted Alex's head as he sat next to her leg. "That sounds mildly alarming."

"It's not unusual for Force sensitive children to have visions," he assured her. "They're just not usually so vivid."

"What has he been seeing?" Kara continued stroking Alex's hair.

"Just death and distraction," the Jedi calmly said.

Kara squinted at him. "You say that like it's not a big deal! If these are visions, than he's predicting death!"

He shook his head. "I doubt it's actually visions. Clones don't have blonde hair."

Kara froze. "What?"

"Blonde hair," he repeated. "Clones don't have blonde hair, and he's been having dreams about a clone with blonde hair dying."

Kara's hands shook as she pulled them away from Alex. "How do you know that?"

"Jedi can kind of..." he struggled to find the right words, "tap into minds. It's not mind reading, but if the thoughts or dreams are loud enough, we can catch flashes of them. He's a child, so he hasn't learned how to deal with those strong emotions."

"You're sure the man dies?" Kara softly asked.

"Well, he faces a Sith. Who survives that? But there aren't Sith anymore, and there aren't blonde clones. It's probably not even going to happen." The Jedi got distracted by a child tripping and crying and hurried away to deal with it.

"Kara? Ready to go?" Rex gently said, spotting her with Alex.

"Y-yeah," Kara stuttered, eyes flicking over his face. 

"You alright?" Rex cocked his head as he surveyed her with sharp eyes.

"I'm fine." Kara turned to Alex. "I'll be back soon. Maybe by then you can talk properly and we can discuss how much our parents sucked."

"I don't think they learn to talk that quickly," Rex remarked.

"Your visit is over so soon?" Kara asked as they left the temple. 

"He wasn't there, and no one had seen him. Apparently he went to visit the Chancellor's doctors again and hadn't returned yet." Rex's words filled her with dread for some reason. "I'll visit again tomorrow."

They joined the bustling crowds of the Coruscant streets just as someone else arrived at the temple.

And a figure climbed up the steps, modulated breathing heavy his cape swished behind him.