Unexpected

chapter twenty-five: Generals

Fives wakes up the next morning to an empty room and sighs. He knew he was tired but he didn't know he was tired enough to sleep through the ruckus of his brothers getting ready in the morning. After changing into a new set of blacks—since they're only supposed to be sparring today—he makes his way to the mess hall for breakfast.

The doors slide open to reveal brothers from the 501st legion, but not his particular brothers. Despite how many times he looks around the large room, he can't find his squad.

Figuring that if Echo was awake he'd take the time to wake up Fives—no matter how heavy of a sleeper he is—he concludes that Echo must still be in the medbay. He abandons his tray of food and heads straight for the medbay, but he's certainly not prepared for the sight he walks in on.

Jesse is asleep on the floor with his back against the wall and a sleeping Tup on his shoulder. Dogma is straight up in a chair with his head hanging back and his mouth wide open. Echo is still in the chair beside the bed, his head hanging forward and his arms crossed over his chest. In the bed however, is Kix—clearly exhausted from his shift taking care of his wounded brothers. Last but certainly not least is Hardcase, whose upper body is slung across the bottom of the bed, over Kix's legs.

Fives gently nudges Echo awake before roughing the others up until they're all conscious. He looks around at them as if waiting for an explanation, but it never comes.

Echo is the first to speak as he glances over at the bed beside him. "Kix?"

Kix sits up, finally coming to his senses.

"Wait." Jesse pushes Tup off of him. "If Kix is in the bed, then.."

"Where's Ellie?" Hardcase asks.

"That seems to be the question of the hour." Fives crosses his arms. "You all were here, wouldn't you know if she just.. Got up and walked away?"

Kix stretches as he stands from the bed. "She's fine, Rex came by a little while ago to get her." He explains vaguely, which he knows isn't good enough for his brothers. "Said something about a meeting."

"A meeting? With who?" Echo rises from his seat.

Kix shrugs in response. "Cody was with 'em."

Dogma furrows his eyebrows. "Commander Cody? Of the 212th?"

"What other Cody do you know, di'kut?" Tup shoves him.

"I'm sure they'll be back soon, let's just get to training before we end up with another week of mess hall duty." Jesse speaks up, ushering his squad out of the medbay.

Meanwhile, Rex, Cody, and Elara are just arriving at the Jedi temple after stopping at her quarters so she could change into a dress that's much less... Tattered.

"Remind me why we're in the Jedi temple again?" Elara asks, walking between the soldiers with the help of Rex's arm around her waist.

"The Generals wanted to speak with you." Cody says.

Elara glances at Rex, who only chuckles in response. They reach a large door at the end of a hallway and pause as the door opens.

"Cody, Rex! Come in, we've been expecting you." Someone speaks from inside the room.

The three guests take their place in the middle of the room with the Generals seated around them. Elara looks around the room, at the members of the Jedi Council. Her eyes quickly find Anakin Skywalker, who she's seen plenty of being Padme's handmaiden. They land on another familiar Jedi next, Obi-Wan Kenobi—she's had the pleasure of working alongside him a few times as well. Then of course the famous Master Yoda, who in the galaxy doesn't know Yoda?