The Sniper and Jedi

The letter

A few weeks later Carlina and Obi Wan were found sitting in the training room meditating. They had received word that General Greivous was on the planet Utipua a few days prier, Kenobi and Carlina both were prepping for the battle ahead. The squad was not pleased that she was leaving them to assist General Kenobi but they all knew it was going to take two jedi to bring down that droid monster. Crosshair watched as they two knelt side by side, her mask was over her face and his hood was pulled over his head. The air was electric with something that not even he could put a finger on, Carlina had talked about the force many times, explaining how it worked and how each person had a certain amount of it inside of themselves. Hence why she and other Jedi could read other people's force signature. But the mysteries of it all was still one that was hard to grasp, even Tech had a hard time understanding it sometimes. Sighing he turned away and walked back out to the main hanger, clones troopers were getting ready to ship out. The setting sun made the clouds burn in tones of red, orange and yellows. His heart ached at the thought of Carlina leaving, the past few days she had been acting strange like she knew something was about to happen and wasn't shareing. 

"Hello Cross!" He turned and saw Carlina walk towards him, he smiled and took her hand, "Carlina, we need to talk." She raised an eyebrow, "Alright?" He pulled her off to the side where Hunter, Echo, Tech and Wrecker were standing. She took off her mask and placed it down on one of the cargo crates, Hunter nodded to Wrecker who pulled out a case. "We wanted you to have this." He said sheepishly, opening it Carlina gasped. Inside the case laid the pieces of her old armor painted with blacks, whites and reds. Hunter pulled out another mask which had a big skull painted in white surrounded by black with a red line down the middle. "Oh my God, when did you guys have time to do this?" "Why do you think General Kenobi was here?" Wrecker asked grinning at her, "Oh so that's the real reason why he's here. To distract me while you guys painted my armor!" She looked at the pieces and wiped tears from her cheeks, the familair pain in her chest returned, "Thank you." She whispered, "I for one would like it if you tried it on to see if we got the pattern right." Tech stated holding out one of her head pieces. Carlina nodded and saw Kenobi standing off a few feet away, "Let me go tell the General to wait a few more minutes." she ran off  the squad watching as she smacked him upside the head, they shared a laugh then watched as she hurried back. Jumping she wrapped her arms around Wreckers neck, he let out a yelp before grabbing her leg. He swung her so she was hanging in the air, "Wrecker put her down before you hurt her." Crosshair snapped, "Oh come on she started it." He complained, "I don't care who started it, we need to get her ready to go." Hunter stated, Wrecker flipped her over placing her on her feet, they walked to her now empty room, shedding her robes so she was just in her blacks. Tech handed each person a section of armor, "I'll get the back, Wrecker you get her chest, Crosshair her legs, Hunter you get her arms." "What about me?" Echo asked, "You get the honor of placing her new mask over her face." Crosshair said patting his shoulder, "What's so important about a mask?" Carlina stepped forward, "The symbol of the mask is the Jedi's way to mask the pain and hurt the galaxy is in, it is our way of showing our strength in the darkest times. We are a beacon of hope. When a grey Jedi knight is gifted the mask the giver is the person who has the most respect with in someones ranks. You are that person who has shown the most growth and therefore get the honor of bestowing me your blessing to wear this armor and be officially be a part of your ranks. One of your own, not as your General but as a sister." Crosshair watched as tears streaked down Echo's hollowed cheeks. Carlina threw her arms around Echo's shoulders, after a few seconds she pulled back and watched as the men attach the armor, when it was all done she let her arms fall down to her sides, she slid on her robes. Turning to Echo she knelt in front of him, he slid the mask over her face and clipped it. She stood and looked at each member of her family, "You okay kid?" Hunter asked, she let out a small sob before she found herself in the arms of the boys. "We'll always be here for you kid." Wrecker said, "I really wish I didn't have to go, I have a bad feeling that this is going to be the last time we see each other." This made all the boys look at her in alarm, "What do you mean? This can't be the end, can it?" Echo asked, Crosshair shrugged his shoulders before cupping her face in his hands, "Can a soldier get one last kiss?" Carlina giggled, he unclipped her mask and took her lips in his with fire. Like it was the last thing he was going to feel. When they pulled apart he rested his forehead on her's. "I'll always be right next to you Mesh'la. Don't you ever forget that." "I won't Ramser." She whispered, getting up she placed the mask at her side, "Lets get a picture before we leave." Using Tech's data pad they took a quick picture, she slipped the mask over her face and took his hand, "I love you Crosshair, more than you realize and I don't know what I would do without you." He stopped, wrapping his arms around her shoulders once more, "Your talking as if this is the last time we'll ever see each other."