The Rise of the Valkyrie *ON HIATUS*

Chapter Sixteen

"I found her!"

"Get a medic over here!"

"She's so cold."

"Close to death, she was. Found her in time, you did."

"Ashara, please wake up."

"Ashara!"

Ashara shot up, breathing heavily. She looked around wildly, trying to figure out where she was. There was no open sky overhead, and no tall grass around her. Instead she was in a cot, with bright lights surrounding her. The walls were a gunmetal gray, and there was no one else around. She went to move her legs and froze when something didn't feel right. She slowly looked at her legs, and noticed that the lower half of her left leg was gone. Instead a smooth silver one replaced the flesh. She swung her legs over the side of the cot and took a deep breath before standing up slowly, adjusting to her knee meeting metal, and not more flesh.

She realized as she was standing that she was wearing her underclothes, simple skin-tight shorts and a tank top. She quickly found her black leggings and her gray high low dress. She quickly pulled on her clothes, and quickly looked around for the last two things that went with her outfit. She found her cyan sash that went around her abdomen, and her belt. Her lightsabers were resting nearby. She hooked them onto her belt once she got it wrapped snugly around her hips.

Ashara walked over to the door, limping slightly. She figured the limp would go away with time. She figured now was as good as a time as any to get some answers about what happened to her. Last she saw she was in the tall grass on the lurmen's planet. 

She quickly realized that she was on the Resolute, and made her way to the bridge. The hallways were strangely empty of clones, and Ashara had no idea why. She closed her eyes for a breath moment, letting herself reconnect with the force. She opened her eyes as she turned around a corner, only to bump into the chestplate of a familiar clone. She was grateful she didn't fall back this time, but she quickly realized that the only reason why she hadn't fallen onto her butt was because Rex had wrapped an arm around her back and was holding her up.

"Ashara", Rex whispered, eyes widened as she regained her balance. She stepped away from him and smiled at him.

"Hey, Rex", she said. "I'm surprised you called me by my name; you're normally in the habit of calling me by my rank."

Rex didn't react, he just stared at her. He stepped closer to her, and gently rested a gloved hand against her cheek. He leaned closer to her, and Ashara's breath caught in her throat. She could feel her cheeks start to burn as he moved closer to her. The togruta could feel his breath brushing against her lips, and she automatically closed her eyes, waiting. 

She was surprised when he suddenly pulled away, and when she opened her eyes, and he had gotten all the way down the hallway. A wave of disappointment flashed through her, and she cast her eyes to the ground as she continued to walk toward the bridge. She tried to clear that moment from her head in the short time that she had to get to the bridge.

It didn't work.

The memory of Rex's gentle hand against her cheek, and the feeling of his warm breath tickling her lips was stuck at the forefront of her mind, even as she entered the bridge. She saw Anakin staring at something on the holotable, Ahsoka next to him. It was the padawan who noticed the Jedi Knight first, elbowing her master to get his attention. When he looked up, Ashara offered him a half-smile.

He was instantly by her side, moving so fast she thought he teleported. She wouldn't put it past him to have figured out a way to that.

"Ash", he breathed a sigh of relief. "You're awake."