Afterglow | The Clone Wars

Guilt

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The elevator doors slid open at her approach, making way for her to step inside of the small space with her hands linked together tautly at her back. In passing, clones greeted her, all with a mix of relief and gratitude that she was there. There were far less soldiers than she anticipated, with those original numbers having lessened in the mere days that she'd been away.

Thanks to Krell.

She faced the opposite wall of the elevator where the door would ultimately open up into the control center at the top of the captured tower. Within the confines of the walls, she could feel the Jedi's presence. His firm, choking grip on the men and his barbaric strategies that nearly costed her Fives and Jesse.

Rex caught the door before it could close and entered in after her, falling into place at her side. The doors slid shut, cutting the pair off from the outside and leaving them isolated on the inside.

She crossed her arms, eyes searing into the durasteel of the wall. At her side, Rex gave a side-long glance at her profile, debating on if he should speak first. So much laid on the tip of his tongue.

"You were just going to let it happen." She stated simply, coldly. "You were going to let the be executed."

And just like that, he deflated. Like a pin popping a ballon.

"I..." He looked away, a prickle of shame rising in his chest. "I had faith the men would make the right choice."

"You should have refused the order. You have the authority." She said through gritted teeth.

Rex pivoted to face her. "It's not that simple. None of what we've done here on this planet has been simple. General Krell, he—"

"I don't care." She faced him now, their faces a foot away from one another. The heat of her icy stare alone could burn and freeze the waters of Kamino. "You are their Captain," She said as if he needed the reminder. Maybe he did. "And in our absence, their lives are on you."

In a confused mix, he found himself countering her. Something he'd never done in his entire life. "You don't—" He grimaced, working to choose his words carefully. "Dakota, you don't know what it's been like to be in this position."

"I know exactly what it's like." She jammed her finger into his chest plate, the words leaving much up to his imagination. "To have someone force your hand, to make you—" she closed her eyes, hardly able to finish. Flashes of her past, the servants lined up before her. The command to kill laid before her on a silver platter.