Cuyanir (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

25

Come on Fives, where are ya. Rex ran underneath one of the spiderdroids. He thought he found a small weakness. These things tended to get tangled up with one another when they were forced close, and like the Octodroids, they couldn't shoot or see what was underneath them. He leveled a shot at the underbelly with the rocket launcher, but it did nil to zilch in terms of damage. 

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGG" Kix roared. Rex ran over to him.

"Bring it down Kix, your wasting heat." He said, then threw the both of them out of the way as the foot of one of the spiderdroids crashed down where they had just been standing. They were boxed in. Neon shot another rocket hitting the main gun of one of the tanks. It actually damaged the gun, but it made the driver of the tank mad. He shoved the tank forward, and the box closed in, cornering what was left of Rex's men. 

So this was it. This was the end. He heard the whine of the guns charging up, and the men were chattering their goodbyes over the various comm channels. He flicked through them, until he heard one voice that made a world of a difference. 

"Clear out captain. The big guns have arrived." Fives. Rex looked up through the blinding spotlights of the tanks to see two little green lights. Those little lights grew bigger and bigger, becoming two umbaran rockets that slammed into the tanks, exploding in a flash of green and orange fire.

He grinned in spite of himself. "You heard the ARC trooper. Clear out." He called though the comm channels. Fives and Hardcase careened into view, flying crazily as they made short work of the tanks. He made a dive as the tanks were engulfed in a giant fireball. He heard Fives and Hardcase laughing maniacally as they drifted over head. Climbing laboriously to his his feet, he joined in the shouting and cheering as the boys congratulated their heros. Watching his brothers 'fly', he smiled. They were no pilots. 

"All units, move out." Appo's voice came through the comm channel. The boys were now helping the wounded and clearing away the dead. The casualties were high, and the battle had lasted a long time. 

Rex walked back to the airbase, and helped clear out the umbaran insurgents within the perimeters. Once he was clear for break, he walked back to what krell had designated to be his quarters. They were a lot like the ones on the Resolute but smaller, more compact. His bunk was elevated, with a desk underneath. Right across from that was a door to the refresher and a small locker.

He approached his desk, and it lit up like a holotable. He couldn't read umbaran, but he found a button that put it all in basic and made it easy enough to read. Tired as he was, he didn't sleep. he pulled out a ration bar and munched on that as he went through the umbaran database. pulling aside articles for later. It was about nine standard hours, when he noticed something. 

He had access to off-world communications. 

He contemplated what to do first. He settled on the communications. Dialing a number, he was greeted by the familiar face of a certain togruta padawan that had been on his mind since he left for the umbaran campaign. 

"Rex?"

"Hey Cyare. Guess who'll be home soon?" He grinned.

"You captured the capitol?" She asked eagerly.

"No, but we've cut their ground supplies and captured an airbase." She beamed at him

"Rexie, that's wonderful! Are you hurt?" She asked anxiously, her eyes searching his.

"Nothing a couple hours with you couldn't fix." He admitted. "General Krell... He's something else. He refuses to use our names, only our numbers. He doesn't care for his men, and uses reckless and almost suicidal tactics. When I did something that turned the tides in our favor, he threatened to have me courtmarshaled and demoted." He said sullenly. 

"Oh Rexie." She whispered. "Don't worry. You'll capture Umbara, and come home, and never have to see him again."  Her form flickered. They were being jammed.

"They're trying to jam our comms. I probably won't get a chance to talk to you again until I get back. I love you, Ahsoka."

"I love you too Rexie." She said, flickering even more now. "I'll see you soo-" The signal went dead. Rex sighed, and leaned his head against the desk. What he would give for just one hour with her in person right now. There was a knock at his door.

"It's open." He called sullenly. Fives opened the door, with Hardcase right behind. 

"A few of us are going to go to the new mess. We found some alcohol in the Umbaran's stocks." He invited. "Wanna come?"

"I'll come, but I won't drink. Not until we free umbara." He said, standing. Fives chuckled. 

"Have it your way then." Rex gave a semblance of a smile before following them out the door. It was good to socialize with the men, drunk or sober. Besides Fives, Hardcase, and himself, there was also Jesse, Kix, Neon, Cavalry, and Whiteout, who had just come back from the medstation in orbit sporting a prosthetic arm. Scars covered his neck and jaw, but at least the feud between him and Cavalry seemed to be over. 

"Nevermind Hardcase's flying, I guess I owe you thanks for saving us." Neon said, shaking Hardcase and Fives's hands. 

"Awe, That wasn't so tough." Hardcase said, taking a swig from a silver canteen.

"You sure?" Jesse elbowed him. "You looked a little green when you crawled out of that fighter." They all chuckled. Cavalry reached for the flack, but Neon slapped her hand away. 

"Uh-uh. No liquor for you. You're too young." He admonished. Cavalry Glared at him indignantly. 

"Too young? I'm the oldest one here thank you very much." She scoffed, but she was smiling. 

"She's got a point." Whiteout smirked at her. She rolled her eyes. Their amusement was cut off as Krell marched into the mess. 

"Captain, Report." He growled, getting in Rex's face. He could feel spittle on his cheeks and smell the general's unpleasant breath. "What is our situation?"

"General, We have taken the base and cut off enemy supply lines from the capitol." He said, coming to attention. 

"Luck has smiled on you today captain. Consider yourself... Fortunate." He sneered. 

"It... Wasn't all luck sir. A lot of men died to take this base." Rex said somberly. Krell raised an eyebrow. 

"That is the price for such a victory." A hint of amusement crept into his voice."Perhaps one day you'll realize this."

Rage boiled through Rex, hot and fast. His hand clenched into a fist by his side. Krell scoffed and turned away with his signature 'Dismissed.'

Fives came up and put a hand on Rex's shoulder. "He's the one who will never realize." he said softly. Rex spared him a dispareing look. 

"I hope that's the only thing about him we have to deal with." He grumbled back. Fives grinned ruefully. 

"As do I, Ori'vod."

A/N ~ Inspiration has hit me I will write once more. Whoo. Ok. Now I can start on yet another chapter. Yeah, I'm a little bit of a workaholic, but I really need to keep busy during the quarantine. Beware the revenge of the fifth!