BATTLE SCARS [✓]

× Chapter Eight: Forgotten Past ×

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"So, I hear you're General Plo's Padawan?" Rex asked while handing Maleshei a wrench. "Yes. I am. I'm actually glad I am, too. I don't think I would have better luck with anyone else. Well, maybe Master Kenobi, but nobody else."

"That I believe. So, what's your story? How'd you end up becoming a Padawan?" Rex asked, causing Maleshei to pause mid work. She wanted to tell him how she got to become a Padawan. But that also meant talking about her past, which she never liked talking about.

"Um..I don't like talking about my past. It was...rough. But I was 7 when they brought me to the temple. Obi-Wan had found me back on Tattooine. That was also the same day I had fixed the speeder Ahsoka was talking about. Anyway, I trained up until two weeks ago when I completed my Padawan training and well, here I am." Maleshei explained before going back to the hyperdrive.

"Does your past have to do with why you wear the mask?" He asked, Maleshei stopping her work once again and sat up from inside the bomber to look up at Rex, who sat in the gunner seat.

"Captain Rex, I appreciate that you're trying to be respectful, and I don't mean to sound rude, but can we please stop talking about my past? I don't like to talk about it." Maleshei snapped, her voice cracked as she did. She had went back to working on the hyperdrive again, not wanting Rex to see the tears running down her face.

Bad enough, she had shed tears in front of Wolffe, she didn't want to look weak in front of the other clones.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to.." Rex began as Maleshei sighed, feeling a little bad for snapping at him. Not a great impression for her first day.

"No, you didn't know, Captain Rex. I'm sorry for snapping. It's just..I don't like talking about my past because it gives me nightmares. Nightmares that no child should ever have." Maleshei said, sitting up again as she did. "Okay, we're done here. How many more do we have to do?"

"Well, that was just the first one. We've got 11 more to go."

"11?! Master Skywalker's taking 12 bombers?!" Maleshei exclaimed while her eye began to twitch slightly. "Just because I fixed a speeder.."

"Well, I'll get started with some on the right, you start the ones on the left." Rex suggested while grabbing a wrench. "Okay. But just so you know, I'm getting Master Skywalker back for this. Kriffing man didn't even tell me how many bombers I needed to do!"

"Heh. Well, let's get busy." Rex said with a smirk before Maleshei sent him a lazy salute. "Aye, aye, Captain."

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"Okay, I need a bath or a shower or something." Maleshei said while wiping the grease off her face. She stared up at the bomber she just worked on before she looked over at Rex, who was struggling to climb from under the control panel in the bomber.

"Need help?" She asked while approaching him. "N-No! I think I'm good! Woah!"

Just as Rex got himself free, he almost fell out of the bomber, but Maleshei acted quickly and rose her arms, red flares flying from her hands and surrounding itself around Rex. Rex looked down to see he was floating mid air. He was confused at first until he saw Maleshei with her arms risen.

Her hair was flowing upwards and her eyes were as red as blood. She lowered her arms, at the same time, Rex was lowered to the ground before Maleshei walked up to him.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. What-What was that?" Rex asked in shock as Maleshei looked down at the ground, rubbing her arm. "It's a gift of mine. Though, I can't explain it farther because I'll start talking about my past." Maleshei explained, looking back up at Rex as she did.

"I understand." He said with a nod as Maleshei looked at the bomber Rex had fell out of. "Well, since we're done, we'd better go talk to Master Skywalker and Master Plo."

"I agree. Oh and, you're not going to tell anybody about that, are you?" Rex said nervously as Maleshei shook her head. "My lips are sealed, Captain Rex."

"Please, just call me Rex, kid." He said with a small smile as Maleshei nodded. "Okay then, Rex, I'm giving you permission to call me Mal."

"Okay, Mal..we better hurry if we're going to catch up with the Generals." Rex stated as Maleshei and himself walked away from the bombers.