Part the Tide | Captain Rex (BOOK 2 of the CHANGING WAVES series)

49 | In Memoriam

20 BBY, Month 01

Rain was absent during the funeral. That made Crosshair angry. The day that needed to feel sad and gloomy was a bright and sunny day on Kamino. Zeta deserved better. Or maybe this is what Zeta always wanted. He always loved the sun.

A hand looped through his arm. He flinched at the touch before relaxing. It was just his wife. Rylann leaned against his shoulder, not a sound coming from her except for her deep breaths. Cross knew Zeta's death was hitting her hard. She had told him the night before that she blamed herself for not finding a cure fast enough. It obviously wasn't her fault. If it was anyone's fault, it was Joseta's since he died during her surgery. But then again Zeta had told her to do it, so really it was Zeta's own fault, right?

Crosshair sighed, shaking the thoughts from his head. He was tired of thinking of who was at fault. Someone died and it wasn't going to help anyone to cast blame around. It had happened and he had to move on from it.

He zoned out during the Proto-Clones' speeches unable to focus on a word. They had all been close. Zeta had been closest to Delta and so when Delta rolled his wheelchair over to the urn, Crosshair shoved the moment out of his attention. If only Delta could have loved him as much as he loved Zeta.

Movement caught Crosshair's eye as he watched Joseta slide onto the deck. Cross wasn't sure what to think. At first, anger filled his gut at the girl, but then when he saw the pained and grieving look on her face he paused. She was hurting almost as much as he was and also had to bear the guilt of it all.

Omicron cleared his throat, directing his attention back to the funeral. "Boys, want to say something?" Omicron asked, scratching his rough stubble.

Wrecker stood up to say his goodbyes to Zeta. "Zeta was the best brother anyone could have," Wrecker said. "He really was like our dad. Like you all are. Besides Sil. You're like a mom. Cuz you're not a dad, ya know?"

Wrecker sniffled, stepping down. Hunter patted him on the back. Stepping forward. "Zeta was always there to encourage us or subject us to his newest mad scientist project." A few chuckled. "He was the confidante and provider of wisdom and advice. And I'll really miss him."

Hunter looked at Crosshair to signal it was his turn. Cross eyed Tech noting he was still typing furiously on the tablet. Sighing, Crosshair stepped away from his wife. "The universe just lost a good one." His throat tightened as he froze under the eyes of many. Taking a shaky breath, Crosshair looked to his wife for support and stepped off. He didn't have any other words, afraid that if he said much more it would cause the words he said to lose the weight of them.

Tech took his place, holding his tablet in hand. Clearing his throat, Tech shuffled nervously. "Zeta was a ..." He paused, throat clenching. He shut his tablet, sliding it under his arm. "Zeta was top notch. Skilled in so many ways. But first and foremost, he was a team player. He was the glue to the Proto-Clones as well as Clone Force 99. He was smart, kind, and ..." Tech's throat bobbed. "Irreplaceable."

He stepped away, as Sil walked forward. She took the urn in her hands. Tears shone in her eyes as she removed the lid. "Goodbye, brother." And she cast the ashes off into the oceans of Kamino as the sun set so beautifully on the horizon.

Crosshair peered back at the door to the city, noting Joseta had slid back indoors. He clenched his jaw, trying to push down the anger. He would try not to hold it against her. For Rylann's sake.

【 '۷' 】

Shaak Ti sat on the edge of her bed, sweat pouring down her face. She had yet another nightmare about Maul hurting Marssa. She couldn't bear it so she wouldn't sleep. Marssa and Shaak Ti had grown to be like sisters when they were on Stewjon. Those days were simple as they talked and laughed together while waiting for Kenobi to get back from Mandalore. But he didn't. He had to protect Satine and go into hiding.

Her thoughts had often resorted to those days, wondering what had happened between Satine and Kenobi on Mandalore, but her curiosity stopped in her late twenties. She had become successful in the Jedi Order and had to think of better things—higher things.

Her heart sank to her gut. But what is higher than love? Or what she thought was love. Kenobi was her only male friend in her childhood years, so it would be a given fact that she would gain feelings for him. None of that mattered now, though.

Sliding from her bed, Shaak paced the room, hand resting on her chin in thought. She had to focus on the nightmare from her dreams, not the nightmare of her broken heart. Shaak recalled Marssa and Maul arguing about something. Something about plans, but it was never clear in her dreams. She had remembered Wynn was mentioned, but that was it.

If Marssa knew about Wynn, then was it possible that the girl's other cloning donor knew? Her thoughts drifted to Wynn on Mandalore. She and Kenobi were there to figure out this Death Watch problem. Shaak Ti furrowed her brows. Death Watch was run by Pre Vizsla. He knew. Wynn was right within the grasp of Death Watch.

But how was Marssa and Death Watch connected if they both knew? Death Watch had been causing a nuisance on Mandalore, not dealing with Jedi or Sith. Unless ...

Maul.

Shaak Ti stopped pacing. That would explain why Rylann ran into him when they had assumed it would be Death Watch. Why they were working with a Sith, Shaak Ti didn't know. But now she had a lead.

She'd leave for Mandalore in the morning.