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@emarraharts

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:18:28

What’s Left Ch. 6 “What We Deserve”

Kix is left 50 years in the future struggling to move on. He stays with Sidon Ithanos and his crew because they need him to decode the memory core they stole from a Separatist ship, and he needs them to survive. But he wonders how long they will let him stay when that’s done. Before they are able to start decoding the memory core the lights go out and the memory core is gone. Stollen by a man wearing Rex’s old clone helmet. Now they have to find out who this man is and how to get the memory core back.

This chapter is longer and darker than others.

Warning: Gore and self harm warnings apply!!!!

Fighting in a city wasn’t anything new to Kix. The ugly truth of the Clone Wars was that most battles took place around someone’s home. If they were lucky, the person living there would be long gone, safe from all the destruction. Fighting around civilians was tricky. Made clones angry. Not necessarily because they didn’t want innocent lives to be lost, but because they would be blamed for every life taken. And they would blame themselves too. This was why they were made after all. So the innocents of the Republic could live and the clones could die.

Now, Kix felt less responsible when a bystander is shot in the arm by a stay blaster bolt. It had come from a stormtrooper advancing down the alley. It wasn’t Kix’s job to protect the lives of the innocent anymore. This left a sour taste in his mouth. It shouldbe a relief. They aren’t my problem anymore. That’s what he tells himself when three more stormtroopers enter the alleyway. But then there was the moral dilemma behind it all. Kix wasn’t a bad guy. Despite everything, he still wanted to help people. Images of the stormtrooper in the refresher flash behind his eyes. The face of the man is distorted in his mind, changing from a stranger’s face to that of a clone.

“Keep moving!” a hand grabs Kix’s shoulder when he hasn’t moved in a long time. His eyes were fixed on the man clutching his shoulder. Their eyes meet and Kix felt torn. Should he fight or try and help the man? Should he run or face this head on? For the first time in his life, he didn’t have to do any of it. This wasn’t a battle planned out by generals and captains. He was no longer bound to an oath to protect the lives of the Republic. His Republic didn’t exist anymore. This wasn’t over a battle between good and evil. This was because Kix killed a man in cold blood.

He feels himself turn away from the wounded man and the stormtroopers until he is running behind Azil. Caleb and Reveth keep firing, giving them a chance to get away. Sweat rolls down Kix’s temple as they run. When they exit through the end of the alley, Kix feels himself regain some form of control over his body. Enough to turn back towards the fighting and raise his blaster. He looks through his scope and fires. The stormtrooper closest to him falls. Headshot. He repositions aiming and then fires. Another headshot. The stormtrooper drops from sight. Two left. He takes a breath and fires. He exhales as another body falls. He tries to line up the last shot but is pulled towards the side. Kix yanks his arm away angry.

“What are you doing? I had him!” he’s now realizing how out of breath he is. Reveth still has a hand on his arm. She frowns, staring deep into his eyes. Her hold on his arm tightens.

“We need to move.” Is all she says. Kix turns and spits on the pavement when iron coats his tongue. He acknowledges the saliva mixed blood but keeps moving. Something is dripping down his side.

“Holy shit.” Caleb gasps next to him as they run. Kix gives him a look but keeps going. Breathing is becoming harder. Hands are pulling him along because he can no longer keep up. Finally, he looks down at his right side. He’d been shot and didn’t even know it. A ship appears at the end of the street where it drops off into a view of the city. It’s smaller than the Ghost and Kix doubts they’ll all fit but somehow, they manage to pile inside. The pain is now racking through Kix’s body. He struggles to get air in his lungs. There’s no room to treat him in this ship. Emmy sits behind the steering as she flies them to safety.

“Stupid… moron… idiot…” Reveth hisses under her breath as she presses a cloth to Kix’s wound. Kix can’t get enough air to comment. Azil keeps an arm under him to keep him from collapsing. It feels like an eternity before the ship lands and they’re back on the Ghost. Images blur together. Getting pulled out of the smaller ship and into the Ghost. The Ghost’s ceiling as he’s being carried away. Voices overhead that seems so distant that he can’t make out what they’re saying. Then the numbness taking over. He groans into a facemask placed over his nose and mouth. He wanted the pain back. Pain was better then feeling nothing. Even the anger was some form of release. Something he could get out. But the grey nothingness is back and he’s to weak to fight it. Emmy is leaning over him. he doesn’t know if she’s saying anything. she’s doing something to his abdomen, but he can’t turn his head to see. His head is swimming in the painkillers.

There’s blood on her gloved hands and rubber apron. When did she change? Reveth is beside him. He wants to laugh and tease her because her red face is starting to turn green. Everyone was a tough guy until they’re brought into an operating room. Then even the most stone-faced badass would faint and lose their lunch. Kix never felt like much of a tough guy. Especially when Jesse and Hardcase were always leading the charge next to Captain Rex. They never so much as flinched in the face of danger. Kix was resigned to the back so he could help the wounded who fell in the front. It wasn’t until he had to deal with exposed bone and spilling insides with a composed face did he feel like a cut above the rest. He suddenly feels talkative but his mouth wont work. While trying to find a way to tease Reveth he feels himself fall into unconsciousness.

When he comes to it feels like he’s been thrown off a mountain. Every movement sends a new ache coursing through his body. But its manageable. He turns his head, that now feels less clouded by medicine, towards Reveth and Pendewqell. They’re asleep on a bench with Pendewqell leaning against Reveth. Even in her sleep she frowns and tries to shove him away, but it just makes him lean more into her. Kix turns his head back towards the ship ceiling. He gives a soft chuckle and then winces at his side. Then he deliberately shifts, feeling the ripple of pain spread through his limbs and torso. Pain is better then nothing.

“Welcome back.” The voice at the door startles him. He savors the pain from the jolt he makes while turning towards Jacen. Jacen looks aged by the whole ordeal Kix has caused.

“I’m sorry.” Is all Kix’s dry throat can get out. Jacen shakes his head and holds a hand up to stop him.

“It’s fine. We’ll never complain about taking out a few bucketheads.” Jacen leans in the doorway. His voice is quiet so not to wake Reveth and Pendewqell. There’s a noise outside of the ship that seemed familiar to Kix.

“Where are we?” he has to clear his throat for the words to be coherent.

“Still on Coruscant but your captain managed to swipe us a hyperdrive. The Ghost is almost back together.” He shoves his hands into his pockets while staring at the ship floor. “It looks like you’re doing us more favors then vice versa.”

Kix begins to sit up causing Jacen to jump to his side. He tries to lay him back down on the bed, but Kix gently pushes him away. He didn’t feel like explaining how the pain sending his body into shakes actually felt good. Or maybe the word ‘good’ wasn’t right. It felt real. Jacen sits on the edge of the bed staring off.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve known that bringing you here would have stirred up the past. Even Rex had troubles coming back here.” Jacen’s voice is smaller than before. Silence falls between them until Kix can manage words.

“What was Rex like when you knew him?” The burning questions in the back of Kix’s mind starts to push forward. Jacen gives a sad smile and chuckles.

“He loved dad jokes. He also loved teaching. Everything became a lesson. It drove us kids crazy.” Jacen now wears a wide smile. “One time he was teaching us how to build smoke bombs while also teaching us the importance of keep a clean room.”

Jacen shakes his head with a laugh. Kix waits for him to continue.

“Rex lived on an old AT-TE with clone commanders Gregor and Wolffe on a planet called Seelos. Gregor died before any of us could meet him, but Uncle Wolffe was around almost as long as Uncle Rex was.” Jacen’s fingers lace together squeezing tightly. “When Jesse was born, his first kid, he and Aunt Ava moved into a house on Lothal near Caleb’s parents.”

“So, he had three kids?” Kix rubs a spot on his ribs above the tingly skin covered in bandages. Jacen nods. “And he named his first born Jesse?”

Kix feels his throat constrict. Jesse. All he could think about was hisJesse. The half smile he always wore. How he would complain about how things are but would do anything to cheer Kix up the second he started feeling down. He feels his hand press against the bandages, sucking in air at the sharpness in his side. His mind spun while taking in what he was hearing. He should ask more about how Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor survived order 66, but he’s too tired to delve to deep into it right now. Jacen gives a nod next to him.

“Jesse, Fives, and then Dogma.” Jacen says. Fives and Jesse seemed like no brainers as to why Rex felt the need to name his children after them. But Dogma? That was a question he would have to ask later. Jacen pauses before continuing. “Wolffe died shortly after Rex. Some people say it was his age acceleration but… I think it was from a broken heart.”

Kix presses his lips together. He knew exactly how Wolffe must have felt. At the time Commander Wolffe would have been one of the last living clones. Kix reaches over and grabs Jacen’s arm forcing Jacen to meet his eyes.

“How did Rex die?” he needed to know. For some reason he needed to know this more then he needed to know how they survived for so long and actually fought against the Empire. Jacen’s eyes fill with the same mixture of guilt and remorse that appears whenever the subject of Rex or Fives is brought up. Jacen looks away swallowing the knot in his throat.

“Kix, you’ve been through a lot. You should rest…”

“No!” his voice rings off the metal walls. Reveth and Pendewqell startle awake. Kix keeps his hold on Jacen’s arm. “I need to know.”

“Jacen,” Azil’s voice comes from the doorway. Kix doesn’t break eye contact with Jacen. He holds him in his spot demanding a response. “Dogma’s got a location on Fives. She says he’s not far. He’s still on Coruscant.”

Kix finally releases his hold on Jacen. He squeezes his eyes close and turns away. He feels Jacen leave his side on the bed and hears his footsteps lead out of the room.

“You okay?” Reveth asks to his side. He swallows the anger building in his throat. He wants to scream. He wants to let this thing that burns inside of him out. But he can’t. Not here and definitely not now. Now they had a job to do. He lets out a controlled breath and faces Reveth. Her eyes are searching his face.

He decides on saying, “Yeah, just sore and shakin’ up.”

Reveth stares at him a beat longer before nodding. He insists on joining everyone on the bridge. Despite the interruption he still wanted to know where Fives was. Reveth and Pendewqell help him limp out of the Ghost and towards the Shrike where the meeting is taking place. The Shrike had a large bridge then the Ghost making it easier to squeeze everyone into one room. At the center of the bridge stands Dogma. Her eyes are closed, and she doesn’t move until everyone is inside and settled. Kix glances at Sidon and wonders how he feels to have so many people aboard his ship.

“The good news is, he’s still here on Coruscant,” Dogma starts. Reveth eases Kix down into a seat. He winces but manages to keep quiet. Squeaky appears next to him and gives him a smile. Kix gives a polite nod as Dogma continues, “The bad news… he’s apparently attending a part hosted by some of the First Order higher ups. Security is tight.”

“First Order scum.” Azil spits off to the side. Jacen frowns as he thinks.

“What’s he doing there?” he looks to Dogma who shrugs appearing as unreadable as she was before.

“I have no idea, but I can’t imagine its for anything good.” She flips her hair over her shoulder.

“How did she find this out?” Kix whispers to Reveth. She just shrugs and shakes her head. Kix narrows his eyes at Dogma.

“What’s the plan then?” Reeg looks to their captain. This gives the Ghost crew pause.

“He’s no good to us if he gets captured by the First Order. We’ll intercept whatever he has planned. We’ll get what’s ours and you can take the kid.” Sidon’s voice carries a weight to it that forces everyone to listen. Jacen nods agreeing to the terms, not that he had much of a choice. Dogma walks over to the controls and pulls up a holomap of the building Fives has targeted. Kix sees Quiggold twitch and grumble under his breath at someone other then him messing with the Shrike.

“Every entry point will be swarmed with security. Whatever we do we’ll need to be careful.” Dogma leans against the control panel making Quiggold stiffen.

“Alright, everyone gear up.” After Jacen gives the command, the Ghost leaves to return to their ship. when its just the Corsair crew, Sidon steps forward.

“We’re here for the memory core. The second we have it, we’re gone.” The crew nods their head in understanding. Their captain had no intention of infiltrating the building. He wanted to go straight to their ship and take back what Fives had stolen. Of course, that’s only assuming that the memory core isn’t on Fives during… whatever he has planned. Kix wondered if Fives was planning on attacking the people at the party or if he was working with the First Order to begin with. Maz had said he was running spice before this. It wouldn’t be to far of a leap.

Kix manages to get to his feet. The bacta pad strapped under the bandages is working. It’ll still take time before he’ll be 100% again but he doesn’t want to scream with every step anymore. Reveth follows after him.

“You aren’t coming.” She hisses as they walk down the corridor.

“Yes I am.” Kix grunts. He can see his room at the end of the hall. Just a little further.

“You can barely make it down the corridor. What are you going to do if this ends in a fire fight?” She steps in front of him forcing him to stop. He lets out an annoyed breath.

“I guess I’ll just get shot.” He’s tired and doesn’t want to argue. He just wants to make it to his room and lie down for a moment. Be in a familiar space, one that no one is allowed in, and shut down for a while. She doesn’t look like she’s about to back down until Sidon steps into the corridor. he stares at Kix.

“Can you hold a blaster?” he asks with no emotion in his voice. Kix nods even though he isn’t completely sure if he can or not. “If you can walk and shoot then it’s your call.”

Reveth looks like she wants to scream but she holds in her anger as their captain walks away. She turns towards her room with nothing else to say. Kix is relieved when he makes it to his room. He lowers down onto his bed and starts to carefully peel the bandages back on his wound. Beneath the filthy bandages is a row of stitched up flesh. He looks away for a moment, taking deep breaths from the surges of pain, before slowly rewrapping his side. He lowers down flat and stares at the ceiling. Now alone with his thoughts, the events from the refresher at 79’s resurfaces. He forces the thoughts away by pressing against his wound. Get through the day. You’ll figure out tomorrow later. He repeats this in his head until he drifts off to sleep.

He wakes to the ship docking. He’s surprised at how fast the bacta pad is healing his wound when he sits up and barely winces. He slides off his bed and grabs his gear. When he steps into the corridor, he can hear the crew making their way towards the ramp. He follows after them noticing the lack of attention Reveth gives him when he descends down the ramp and the over attention Jacen gives. Jacen is as his side frowning.

“I’ve already gotten the lecture. I’m coming.” Kix says before Jacen can get a word out. Jacen gives a reluctant nod and turns back towards the others. They can see the top of the building they’re targeting towering over the one they’ve docked their ships behind. They’re standing in a circle trying to come up with a game plan of how they want to proceed. Kix is barely listening. The pain he had foolishly thought was subsiding has come back with a vengeance. He’s fighting the urge to throw up and trying find a way to discreetly wipe the beads of sweat away from his face. Reveth doesn’t look at him but her frown is deepening and she’s doing that foot tapping thing that she does when she overly annoyed. Kix tries to look away from her in fear that his staring would provoke her wrath. His eyes land on Dogma who is frowning towards the tall building they were about to infiltrate.

“Somethings wrong.” She says cutting through the planning of Jacen and Quiggold. Everyone stops and stares at her. she doesn’t look away from the building. She says again. “Somethings wrong.”

Now she’s walking towards the building. Jacen and his crew run after her. The Corsair crew waits until the captain starts slowly after her as well. They come around the corner to peer at the building entrance. There’s nothing. No security guards, no random people mulling around smoking cigarettes, no one. Kix tightens his grip on his blaster. Dogma is crossing over to the doors leading into the building showing no hesitation. Her face is turned away from Kix, but he can feel the fear radiating off of her.

Before Kix can enter the building, he hears Dogma scream. Now they’re running inside. The room opens up into a spacious ballroom. The thing to hit Kix first is the smell. He hates that he recognizes it. Burnt flesh. Bodies scatter around the room. Their chard flesh is melted down, so they only appear as black scorched skeletons. Some of their mouths are permanently stuck open from screaming. There is a small pile of bodies near the doors where they tried desperately to escape with no avail. Everyone covers their nose and fights the urge to vomit. Kix steps closer to one of the bodies. The person is like all the others. Burned down to almost nothing. But what Kix can’t understand is how the persons clothes are untouched. At most they are dirty from the charcoal flesh underneath. He glances over at the dried wilted flowers. The vase is fine. There’s even some water left inside but the flowers were burnt up like the bodies. The room is dark but he’s still able to see. Kix continues to survey the room until he spots Dogma standing at the center with her hands covering her mouth. Tears pouring from her eyes. Kix follows her gaze up. He feels his stomach do a summersault. Hanging from the ceiling is a man. His body seems to be spared of any charring unlike everyone else who attended this party. The sides of his mouth were sliced so his jaw hangs open. The worst was where the eyes had been gauged out leaving nothing but bleeding holes. And just above his missing eyes, carved into his flesh was a large bleeding 5. But what brings Dogma to her knees and makes Kix drop his blaster is the two figures painted on the wall behind the hanging man. One is a pantoran woman with a mouth torn in the way the man’s mouth had been cut. And the one painted next to her, still in his armor…

Kix feels the tears blurring his vision before feeling them spill over and saying a quivering breath, “… Rex?”

***

Dr. Floiser downs his second drink of the night. This was supposed to be hisnight. These pointless peacocking parties were allsupposed to be his nights. That’s how he saw them. That’s how it should be. But its not. He slams his glass down on the wooden bar towards the back. He watches them congregating. The fake flashing smiles. The over exaggerated laughs. The slight ticks here and there of the truth bleeding through showing how much they hate everyone here. This award ceremony was put on by the First Order every year. No one cares about anyone’s achievements but their own. And yet, here they are. Corralled into a lavish room, dressed in their most expensive suits and dresses, swallowing pride and utter disgust just so someone besides them could receive honor and glory.

“Another!” he says to the bartender. The man behind the bar doesn’t hesitate to produce another drink.

“Rough night?” the man speaks but Dr. Floiser is still eyeing Dr. Veers who is surrounded by a group of adoring peers and colleges. The successful one. The one who took over his experiments after he failed to produce results. He takes the drink in front of him and begins gulping it down like it could undo his unjust past.

“Why is it…” he slurs when the glass is left with nothing but ice. The bartender refills the glass without having to be told. He likes that in a bartender. “… that the ones who put in the hard work… put his reputation and name on the line… why are they the ones to never get recognized?”

The bartender pauses from his drink making to think on this. “Oh I don’t know. I think if you’ve done something big enough, you’ll be remembered by all the right people.”

This makes Dr. Floiser snort. He lifts his fourth drink to his lips mumbling, “One stupid mistake… one mistake and it’s all gone…”

He takes another drink but decides to try and make this one last. He leaves the bartender so he can go and mingle amongst his peers. He passes by generals and scientist of the First Order. There are some well known names peppered in here and there and then there were others like him. the ones who have either never done anything worth noting or their chance was stolen out from under them. He’s becoming aware that no one is approaching him. it’s like a ray shield surrounds him keeping everyone an arm’s length away. This makes him finish off his drink. When a pink Mikkian walks by with a tray of champagne, he places his glass on top causing the woman to nearly drop her tray. She’s surprisingly agile and prevents the spill from happening. this only angers Dr. Floiser more.

“Watch where you’re going!” he shouts a little to loudly. The woman doesn’t seem put off by this only causing his anger to boil over

“Forgive me.” She says the words but there’s defiance in her eyes. He wants to shout some more but he can feel the eyes of the others on him. He can hear their whispering. What a disgrace. Who’s that anyway? Isn’t that the one who… he couldn’t take it anymore. He starts for the door. A hand is placed on his shoulder stopping him. he turns to see a torguta smiling at him. he pulls his shoulder free and frowns.

“Sir, please, you must stay until the winner is announced.”

Dr. Floiser eyes the boy up and down. He wears a suit, but the bowtie is askew, and his shoes are scuffed. The jacket it a size to large and it was clear the boy was forcing his professionalism. He wants to say that it doesn’t matter. It’s not like he’s actually in the running to win the award for the greatest scientific accomplishment this year. Or anyyear for that matter. Instead, he says, “Why?”

The boy straightens up, swallowing, obviously nervous, “Well… Sir, you see if your name were to be called out and you were not here…”

The boy looks flustered. Dr. Floiser’s eyes widen. Was this boy telling him that he had been chosen this year? He thinks back to the past few months. He had been glued to his lab trying to right the wrongs all those years ago. He hadn’t actually produced anything worth bringing forward but perhaps it had led to some other discovery. That seemed possible. Didn’t it?

Eventually he straightens his dress coat and nods, “Very well.”

The boy nods and thanks him before scurrying off. Dr. Floiser takes a glass of champagne when the drink girl walks past again and downs it in a second. He runs a hand through his hair, trying to smooth any stray strands that may have slipped away. The more he thought about the more he convinced himself why he deserved to win. He deservedthis. He shoots a look towards Dr. Veers. He deserved a lot more then a fucking trophy.

There’s a clinking of a glass towards the stage where the host stands. Dr. Telanci stands beside the crystal trophy that sits on a stand draped in black cloth. Dr. Floiser wants another glass of champagne while waiting for the winner to be announced but he’s become aware of the lack of servants in the room. He looks back at the bar, but the bartender is gone. He curses under his breath but manages to keep his composure.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it has reached the point of the night where it is time to announce this year’s winner!”

There’s a short round of claps. Dr. Floiser feels himself growing antsy. The torguta boy from before carries the envelope with the winner to Dr. Telanci. Dr. Telanci frowns at the boy who only gives a grin and saunters off stage. The Doctor frowns only for a moment before a smile has reappeared on his face. He opens the envelope and pauses for dramatic effect before pulling the slip of paper out.

“This winner of this year’s scientific achievement in honor of the First Order is…” he stares down his glasses on the card and pauses. His face twists in confusion before he stammers out, “Dr. Hanimen… Floiser?”

The room is silent, but Dr. Floiser doesn’t hesitate for a second. He strides to the front and up the stage. Their host is still shocked, but Dr. Floiser doesn’t care. It was about damn time.

“Thank you! This is truly a great honor!” his voice is louder than it needs to be. The crowd stares up at him. Their eyes growing wider. Almost with fear. Eat it up you bastards. “It is always a good day when you finally get what you deserve!”

Then the lights go out.

Dr. Floiser freezes with his mouth open. He had been ready to spout more shit out about being cheated and what he really thought of everyone here, but now no sound comes out. An arm with a blaster in hand stretches past his left ear.

A voice laced with poison whispers, “Couldn’t agree more.”

When the blaster fires half of Dr. Telanic’s face is gone. His body falls off the stage at the feet of the now screaming crowd. Neon smoke erupts throughout the room. Dr. Floiser falls to the stage floor, covering his head. People are frantic, screaming, clawing their way for the exits that don’t open. Boots click against the stage floor through the smoke coming right for Dr. Floiser. He frantically tries to claw away until a helmet appears through the green smoke.

“No…” he breathes shakily. He rubs his eyes, but the clone trooper helmet is still there. The body steps through the smoke standing at his feet. A hand lifts to the helmet and pulls it off. Dr. Floiser’s eyes grow wide. “You!”

The pantoran boy. The one that ruined everything. The son of that damn clone. The boy’s eyes stare at him through the dark room with their unnatural glow. Their once gold shine is now a mixture of green, orange, and yellow. A side effect from the chemicals the Doctor exposed to him. The left side of his face is a scarred mess from one experiment gone awry. Dr. Floiser tried to piece his face back together but by then he knew his mistake. That the boy was wrong. The information given to him was incorrect. He had grabbed the wrong child.

“You remember me?” his expression is first soft, almost appearing innocent, then it twists into a sinister grin. He crawls forward, putting his face inches from the Doctor’s. “Good.”

He reaches and grabs Dr. Floiser by his thinning hair and forces him to look at the back wall. He winces and blinks before realizing what has been painted on the back wall. It hadn’t been visible in the light.

“You recognize them?” the boy’s lips are right by his ear. He does. The pantoran woman that decimated his platoon of troopers they had brought that day. He can still see her surrounded by fire and defeated stormtroopers. Then he stares at the clone. Thatclone that was so old he shouldn’t have been able to hold a blaster let alone cause as much damage that he had. Images of that clone’s face as he tore through his troops. The furry in his eyes. A shiver runs down the Doctor’s spine. This makes the boy laugh. One of those dark laughs meant to unsettle everyone who hears it. Dr. Floiser is shoved to the stage floor. The bartender enters the stage. He walks past them towards the front and grabs the black fabric over the stand that still holds the crystal trophy. He yanks the cloth away revealing a metal cylinder. The crystal trophy crashes to the floor shattering.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention,” the boy drags Dr. Floiser towards the front of the stage next to the bartender and cylinder. “I want to thank each and every one of you for contributing to the destruction and mutilation that the First Order causes.”

A woman screams in the crowd, they are pressed to the doors with those still pounding desperately to escape. Dr. Floiser notices a mangled up form at the feet of the people trying to exit through the set of the doors to the right of the room. They’ve trampled someone in their desperation. The boy goes on.

“And as a thank you from one of the innocent citizens to experience first hand at just how destructive and malicious your work can be,” he gestures to the bartender who twists the top of the cylinder. Red lights begin flickering around the top. “I would like to introduce one of my scientific achievements.”

Dr. Floiser struggles underneath the boy’s grasp. This makes the boy shove his face hard against the stage floor. Blood erupts from his nose and pain ripples through his face.

“Now, this isn’t originally mine. I took the designs from scientists back in the Clone Wars. But I’m sure you’ll see I’ve quite perfected it.” The boy wears a proud smile. The crowd continues to claw at the doors. Some of the braver ones of the group are choosing to try and fight their captors. They break off legs of tables to use as weapons, but they’re shot down before they can ever reach the stage. The bartender presses something causing a white smoke to emit from the top. the boy now drags the Doctor away from the cylinder that leaks suspicious gas. He straddles the Doctor’s chest.

“Do you remember what you told me the first day in your lab?” he asks with glowing eyes staring down at him. Dr. Floiser begins to sob helplessly underneath the boy. No matter how hard he fights he can’t seem to free himself. The boy pulls out a blade. This causes the Doctor to fight and struggle frantically. “You said to me, while holding a needle… Don’t worry. You’ll only feel a little pinch.”

“Please… I’m sorry… I was just…”

The boy places the blade in Dr. Floiser’s mouth. The boy smiles wider.

“But let’s be honest now… this is going to hurt like a bitch!”

And then he slices the blade through his cheek.

Read full story HERE on AO3!!!

#whats left #reveth #pendewqell #sidon ithanos #quiggold #reeg brosna #squeaky #what we deserve #jacen syndulla #children from past characters #dark chapter #self harm #star wars #star wars sequals #star wars fanfiction #fanfic #fives oc

@greaterawarness

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 21:06:19

What’s Left Ch. 5 “Fragments”

(Fives(child or rex) begins decoding the memory core and Kix returns to a familiar place.

ALSO! I’ve just now realized that I’ve been writing Fives nickname as Fifi as in Feefee BUT I really mean for it to be read as Fye Fee. If that makes any form of sense. Don’t write at 1 in the morning kids. The brain does weird things. Also, I’m too lazy to change it now unless someone can give a better way to spell it because my brain is tapped out at the moment :))

Qell

The ice in his drink clinks as he shifts in his chair and exhales a cloud of smoke through his nostrils. The image of Jacen approaching Dee’s concert plays across 6 different screens hanging on the wall above his desk. He takes another drag of the spice stick and leans back in his chair. His eyes stare at the dark ships ceiling. This could be bad. The spice stick is stolen from his lips before Calli sits on his desk with one leg crossed over the other. She takes a hit, winks, and exhales a stream of smoke.

“Boy Scout got you down?” she lightly bounces her foot that is crossed over the other and offers him his stick back. He takes it and lifts it to his lips.

“If Dee gets involved…” he shakes his head. Calli shrugs her shoulders.

“She’s better then Jess.” Calli steals Qell’s drink and takes a sip. Her nose wrinkles slightly so she sets it back down.

“Jess is smart, but she can be predictable. Dee’s…”

“Like Fievel?” she finishes for him. He breathes out another cloud of smoke and nods. When the doors behind them part, he turns his chair to face Gigi and Suzu who are rushing out of the garage towards the spare parts bin. They rummage through the junk before Suzu pulls out a coil. Gigi tries to fight her for it, but they end up both grasping hold of it and running back into the garage. Calli and Qell exchange a look before they get to their feet to go see how much progress has been made.

The garage is dark besides a few lamps peering down at the blackboard where Chop is scribbling something below a mess of different equations. He’s muttering to himself as he writes, completely oblivious to everything around him. Fifi is hunched over a cylinder on the other side of the room. Power tools and spare parts surround him like some kind of nest. He sits in a chair that swivels around the cylinder. His welding mask is pulled over his face despite how dark it is in his area. Neon glow in the dark pain appears on the walls, floors, and ceilings of the garage. Gigi and Suzu rush over to Fifi and hand him the coil. He pats their heads and goes back to working on the cylinder.

“How’s it going?” Qell asks. Chop doesn’t even react to his voice. He wipes away something he wrote that leaves a smudge of chalk before trying to write over it. Fifi lifts a hand up in acknowledgment but goes back to his work. Calli makes a clicking sound with her teeth while carefully maneuvering around the junk on the floor to get a closer look at Chops work. Chop might be a little scatter brained, but he knew what he was doing. Qell found his way to Fifi, who still doesn’t stop working. Behind Fifi, on a workbench, is the memory core. Fifi decoded it while they were asleep. He came out of his funk and went straight to work. Qell wasn’t thrilled about the fact that he chose work oversleep but he knew he had to pick and choose his battles. This wasn’t going to be one. Qell scans over the seemingly endless information sprayed into the air from the memory core. There was so much they could use, but they were only after one thing.

“Got it!” Chop shoots up, nearly hitting Calli who was leaning over him to get a better look at the board. Fifi finally tears his eyes away from the cylinder and looks towards Chop. Chop moves so his work can be seen more clearly. Qell arched a brow. To him, it looked like a jumbled up mess of a mad man. But Fives could see it. Fives slides out of his chair and approaches the blackboard. He places a hand on Chop’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

“It’s perfect.” He says behind the mask. Qell leaned against the workbench and crosses his arms. Calli moves over to stand next to him as Fives and Chop go deeper into their own little nerd world. Gigi and Suzu stand at their feet as if they understood what was happening, but really, they were just waiting for the okay to start dismantling things again.

Calli nudges Qell’s side, “I don’t think we’ll need to worry about Dee.”

“You think?” Qell chuckles when Chop and Fives start arguing over some part of the problem.

“I think by the time the Princess finds us; it’ll already be too late.”

Kix

Part of him probably shouldn’t have been surprised that Rex had more than one kid. Most people had at least two. The thing that set Kix’s mind reeling was the fact that no one had bothered to tell him. Though, when he really thought about it, they probably don’t really trust him yet and… that’s fair. Dogma sets her glass down and crosses her arms, never breaking eye contact with Jacen.

“We’re trying to get him out of trouble.” Jacen’s eyes try to tell more than his words, but Dogma’s face never changes. Reveth steps forward, her hands clenched into fists.

“He fucked with the Crimson Corsair and we’re getting tired of all this running around trying to find him. We made a deal with Maz that we would bring him in alive. You can help us now and save everyone some heartache or… step aside and I tell my captain you left us no choice.” Reveth has reached the end of her rope. Kix couldn’t blame her. She’s been remarkably tame during this whole ordeal. Now, even Kix was growing tired of it all. They needed real answers. Dogma’s eyes cast down to the floor and back up to meet Reveth’s.

“Fine,” she says finally. Her words are short and laced with venom. “Because Maz still has hope for him.”

She pushes herself away from the table and strides to the closet disappearing inside leaving the room heavy with tension. Jacen glances at Reveth but she doesn’t show any signs of bluffing. Pendewqell stands next to her, forming a united front in this decision forcing Kix to reluctantly fall in behind them. These were the people that saved him. He owed them this. The room is unbearably silent while they wait for Dogma to reemerge from her closet. When she does, Kix is a little shocked. Not because she is dressed in a bright frilly dress that Kix was expecting, but because she wears sensible clothes with neutral colors. She pulls her hair back up into a tight ponytail and pulls on her single bag that drapes over her shoulders.

“I’ve got to clear some things up with my manager and then I’ll meet you at the Ghost.” She says when she’s situated. Jacen gives her the Ghosts coordinates and leads them to the lift and out of the building.

Outside, its eerily dark and quiet compared to the bright chaotic lights and music that had surrounded them when they first arrived. The theater is almost completely empty now with only a few workers dotting the stadium cleaning up trash. When they are back on the ordinary streets, Kix feels himself give a sigh of relief. He hadn’t noticed before, but he had been tensed from the second they stepped into that building. They barely talk while maneuvering through the late night crowds of Coruscant. Most people at this hour were drunk and trying to find their way home while others were trying to keep the party going. At some point, things were looking more and more familiar. Kix stops, causing Pendewqell to walk into his back.

“What’s wrong?” Reveth turns back when she realizes he’s not directly behind her.

“I… I just…” he starts to explain but the words disappear and he’s walking down a different street. The light fixture that has the large dent… the statue of some wealthy patron that was rammed by a speeder all those years ago… the shops that may have changed their names and what they sell, but the store fronts are almost the same. He knew where he was. His feet move faster down the sidewalk.

“What’s he doing?” Azil’s voice comes from behind him, but he doesn’t stop moving. His feet carry him all the way to the end of the street where the platform drops off into a gorgeous view of the city. He feels his heart pounding in his chest. He could hardly believe it. It’s still called 79’s.

“Kix, we don’t have time for detours.” This is from Reveth. Her voice is low and softer than what most would think possible for her. But Kix just waves her away. Something compelled him to enter the bar. The bar he and Jesse would go to after every mission. The bar they used to go to with Hardcase. He forces the knot in his throat down and steps inside.

Kix stops dead in his tracks. Not because the bar was almost completely the same, minus the different furniture and modern music, but because of the sea of white armor scattered throughout the bar. He rubs his face trying to fix his vision, but when he looks, they’re still there. With tears blurring his eyes he opens his mouth to call out to them… until one speaks.

“Just gonna stand there or come on in?” a voice drunkenly laughs to his side. His delusion shatters. The faces his mind so desperately wanted to see shift into strangers. These aren’t clones. They’re stormtroopers.

Kix knew he should leave. Do the smart thing and walk away. The others didn’t even dare to come in. They probably saw the stormtroopers and fell back unable to convince Kix not to go in. He should turn back. But he couldn’t. He hesitantly moves along the back wall, steering as clear of the stormtroopers as possible, and heads for the refresher. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to return here. To the last place he saw him. The last time he felt like an ordinary soldier fighting for the right cause.

The refresher is unchanged. There’s more graffiti but it doesn’t appear the owner ever bothered to paint over the drawings they made back in the Clone Wars. He walks over to the sink closest to the back wall where he can still make out a large 501stwritten in red paint underneath layers of others scribbles. Kix catches his breath when he makes out the 5’s sister written on the wall. The animal they had drawn has been covered up by layers of writing. Kix leans against the sink feeling sick. He can feel the tears stinging his eyes but no matter how much he wanted them to come, they never did. Despite the pain and aching in his chest, the loneliness that ways him down every night when he’s alone in his room, or the wounds from the past that never seemed to heal, the thing that consumed him whole was the numbness of being left behind. All of this was history. He could stand here all night and Fives, his Fives, would never walk back through those doors. He could go back out, but Jesse wouldn’t be waiting there ready to order another round. There wasn’t a barracks to return to that is filled with brothers who felt exactly the way he felt because they were all going through the same shit. He slams his fists down on the counter and lets out a primal scream. When he finally manages to lift his eyes, he jumps back at the stranger standing right in front of him. Except, he had been leaning over the sink, and it wasn’t a stranger but his reflection.

His chest heaves with every breath. He didn’t even recognize himself. Rage spreads through his veins. He slams a fist in the mirror, watching the glass crack across his reflection and shatter around him. He falls to the floor breathless. Lifting a hand to his head he squeezes his temple trying to contain what little sanity he had left. Everything felt like it was pouring out. The anger, the pain, the overwhelming sadness. He had been doing so good to hide it. He stares at the glass scattered around him with fragments of himself staring back. Not anymore.

“Ohshit,” a voice slurs from the door to the refresher. Kix drops his head refusing to meet the stormtroopers eyes. The man stumbles further inside. “You have a lit’le too much to drink?”

The man lets out a loud laugh like this was the most hysterical thing he’s ever seen. Kix feels that rage bubbling up again. He doesn’t move, just keeps his head down.

“Hey, you gonna answer me?” the man is closer now. “Helloo?”

“Stay away from me.” Kix’s voice is barely audible. He swallows the knot in his throat.

“Hey, you know who I am? I can do whateverthefuck I want,” the man is crouching down so he can shout in Kix’s ears. Kix fixates on a spot on the floor, feeling heat spreading across his face. His fingers fumble with something on the floor next to him. “I’m a soldier! You should be respecting me! You have any idea what I gotta go through? What have you ever done to…”

Kix is staring into the man’s eyes. He doesn’t remember moving. He doesn’t fully understand what happened. The man’s eyes are wide, he’s making a choking noise. Something warm is dripping down Kix’s hand. Finally, Kix breaks eye contact and sees a glass shard plunged into the man’s neck. Kix’s hand grasps so tightly to the shard that it cuts through his palm. Kix gasps and releases the shard and pushes away from the man. The man chokes while fumbling with the piece of broken mirror stuck into his neck.

“It was… accident… it was…” Kix can’t breathe. He shakily gets to his feet while watching the man. The man pulls the shard out causing blood to pour down the left side of his body. The man reaches a hand towards Kix, but he’s pushed himself against the refresher stalls trying to get away from him. when the man falls to the floor, unmoving, silent, Kix turns and vomits.

He shoves through two stormtroopers who are walking towards the refresher. They frown at Kix but don’t seem to notice the blood staining his hands and jeans. Kix blinks struggling to remember where the exit is. When he finds it, he falls to his knees on the concrete outside with sweat pouring down his face. He’s gasping, desperate to get air in his lungs. There’s shouting coming from inside the bar. When the doors to the bar open, he can hear the feet approaching. He squeezes his eyes shut. Get-a-grip-get-a-grip! His body doesn’t listen. He’s frozen. He glances back at five stormtroopers shouting down at him. He can’t make out what their saying over the blood rushing in his ears. They raise their blasters at him. Kix closes his eyes and waits.

When a blaster fires and Kix is still alive, he opens his eyes. Reveth is standing over him with her blasters aimed at the stormtroopers.

“MoveKix!” she yells, still firing on approaching stormtroopers. This breaks Kix out of his trance. He’s running for the alleys. He’s alive. For whatever reason for him to still be here, he’s alive.

Read full story HERE on AO3!!!

#whats left #fragments #kix faces his past #mentions of jesse #mentions of hardcase #mentions of fives #reveth #pendewqell #jacen syndulla #oc character #star wars #star wars prequals #the clone wars #star wars sequals #star wars rebels #star wars fanfiction #fanfiction #ao3 fic

@greaterawarness

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:58:29

MOST THINGS KENOBI THE PODCAST - EPISODE 48: IN APPRECIATION OF ADAM DRIVER - THE INCREDIBLE ACTOR BEHIND KYLO REN/BEN SOLO

Adam Driver has more range in his acting abilities than we have minutes to cover, but we do our damndest in this episode! We share our appreciation and awe-inspired takes on Adam’s acting, commenting heavily on his character within the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, in addition to several other of his other roles in film and television. From his humble background to his military experience to his degree from The Juilliard School, Adam Driver’s talents know no bounds. We wanted to celebrate each one, and to thank him for bringing the character of Ben Solo/Kylo Ren to life.