Jedi and Clone

Changing Tides

Geonosis: 20 BBY
Gehenbar Hive
Irel Kirsi

"Hang on," Axe set her down gently and darted back into the tunnel. Irel peered around the corner. Ventress hadn't made her way back up, yet. The droids and Geonosians were still in bound. Axe ducked behind a column, taking cover.

He aimed his blasters at the roof of the tunnel and fired. Bits of the ceiling broke, but not enough. Axe continued to fire. More beams and rocks fell. He hissed in annoyance as the droids drew closer. Axe tore his helmet off and flung it at the ceiling. The rocks were knocked loose and collapsed, filling in the tunnel.

Irel moved back as he returned. He began scanning the sky for the gunships. She turned her attention back to her arm and wrapped it tightly. She turned to her leg. Panic wedged its way into her mind. Irel tried to move her leg, but couldn't. She moved the other with ease.

Axe turned back and spotted the panic filled look in her eyes. Irel met his gaze, not bothering to hide her increasing panic. She looked at her leg again. Axe dropped down to inspect the injury.

"I can't feel my leg," she whispered, hardly audible.

"Does it hurt?"

"I can't feel it at all," she couldn't draw her attention away from the injury. Panic welled up and spilled out. "I can't feel my leg. I can't move it." Her breath quickened and tears stung her eyes. "Axe, I can't..."

He hooked a finger under her chin and turned her face towards him. "Don't look at it." Her gaze slipped and he redirected it again. "Irel." The word was a command. She met his gaze, eyes full of fear. "Don't look at it. Don't think about it. Focus on me." He put his arms around her and scanned the sky again.

The collapsed rocks in the tunnel shifted. The droids were trying to get through. Irel's shaking eased a tiny bit, but the panic rose again as she looked at her leg. "It..."

Axe turned her face away again. "Irel, don't think about it. Think about something else, anything else." Her gaze softened a bit and her breathing slowed from the rapid ones she had been taking.

A thought nudged at the back of her mind. She pulled it up, forcing the fear down a little more. "You came back for me."

"You've done the same for me." Something in his eyes changed. She couldn't place what.

Irel looked back at her leg and Axe turned her face away again. "Don't think about it," he said again. "Just...I don't know...think about me."

Saji's words again rang in her ears. "You're all I think about," she murmured, half hoping he wouldn't hear. He paused and an almost shocked look appeared on his face.

Axe tilted her face up, meeting her eyes. A question hung in his gaze. Irel swallowed and nodded. He brought his face closer to hers, but hesitated. Irel closed the distance, pressing her lips against his.

She drew back after a few moments. Axe's eyes were wide. She'd never seen him look so unsettled before. Axe blinked the look from his eyes and grinned at her. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

    Irel laughed a bit. "Probably as long as I have."

    Axe leaned down, kissing her again. The roaring of a gunship broke them apart. Irel glanced around and spotted it approaching in the distance. The droids were still trying to break through the rocks.

The gunship soared towards them and hovered beside the ledge. "Took you long enough!" Axe shouted. "Patch, be ready. The general is injured."

"Um, how are you getting me across that?" Irel motioned to the gap between the ledge and the gunship.