Unexpected

chapter twenty-six: relief

As soon as training commences for the day, Fives and Echo waste no time as they head for the hangar in search of a speeder. To their surprise, they're met by Captain Rex on his way inside.

"What're you two ARCs doing out here? Dinner in the mess hall ends at 1800 and you've got cleaning duty after that." Rex crosses his arms as he tries to maintain a tough front.

"We were just.." Fives trails as he looks for an excuse.

"We were going to check on Elara, sir." Echo admits. "Just want to make sure she's got everything she needs."

Rex swallows as his grip on his helmet tightens. "El's fine." He says, also trying to convince himself.

"Sir?" Echo furrows his brows as he notices the Captain's anxious behavior. "What's going on?"

Rex slightly shakes his head as he looks at the two brothers he's come to hold near to his heart.

"Rex." Fives speaks up, causing the Captain to meet his eyes. "Is Elara in danger?"

"It's out of my hands." Rex clenches his jaw as he looks down. "I told her not to go."

The two ARC Troopers glance at one another with wide eyes.

"Elara went to the frontlines?!" Echo panics.

"No!" Rex quickly relieves their biggest worry. "Just a relief mission. She's accompanying the most elite squadron of the 104th."

"The Wolfpack?" Echo asks, Rex nods. He suppresses a laugh as memories of Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase occasionally howling at the Wolfpack pass through his mind.

"Her first field mission is with Commander Wolffe?!" Fives worries.

Rex sighs. "I'm not thrilled about it either, but the Generals seemed to think it was a good idea."

"What's so bad about Commander Wolffe?" Echo furrows his eyebrows. "He's a good soldier."

Fives and Rex exchange a glance.

"He is a good soldier." Rex confirms. "He's a strong leader and a loyal man."

"But if it comes down to completing his mission or saving Elara..." Fives pauses. "Well, let's put it this way. To Wolffe, Elara's just a handmaiden on an adventure."

Echo's eyes widen.

"He didn't seem too thrilled to have her aboard." Rex admits.

Fives looks at the Captain. "Wait a minute... You saw her leave?" He asks. "You saw her board the gunship and just.. Let her?"

"What was I supposed to do? You both know how stubborn she is." Rex points.

"She's still healing!" Echo raises his voice. "She's not fit to be fighting clankers!"

"Well hopefully she won't have to." Rex says. "It's just a relief mission. She'll be fine."

*

"Listen up, shiny. I'm in charge around here, whatever I say goes." The man in the grey-painted armor states as the ship jumps to hyperspace. His helmet differs from the others' in that his visor is slimmer and he has a rangefinder attached to the right side. Other than that, he has vertical yellow lines painted on the temples of his helmet and a single, small, red arrow very similar to those on Fives's helmet pointing down on the forehead of the bucket.

Elara furrows her brows at the soldier. "I'm sorry, I thought this was a relief mission." She states.

"It is." The Commander confirms.