We're Different Than the Rest

Chapter Six: Aftermath of the Zillo

21 BBY - 6 Months After Geonosis

The attack of the Zillo Beast on Coruscant had sent a few select Jedi into 'battle'. The beast itself felt impossible to sedate, even with Dr. Boll's gas. Although the Zillo beast had not killed or severely injured anyone trying to sedate it, the attack had left much of the senate district of Coruscant in distress and in need of repair. 

To General Secura, the 'battle' with the Zillo Beast was a new experience. She certainly preferred it to the battles against the Separatists. She was glad that only the Jedi had been called in to deal with the Zillo,  because there was no possibility of losing any of her battalion in this situation. Aayla had come to the realization during her first battle, losing her men would be the hardest part of the war. She hated seeing how losing brothers hurt the clones. She could feel their grief in their Force presence. Aayla decided that she would do anything to try and save as many of her men as possible. 

To Commander Bly, the exclusion of the clones during the attack of the Zillo Beast was irritating. Usually calm and collected, Bly's restlessness, pacing, and recklessness was noticed by his brothers. It started when Aayla received the call in the barracks to immediately go to the Senate Building. Bly had assumed that this was some typical Jedi inspection of the Senate building. Yet, when Reno came to Bly talking about the 'giant lizard monster at the Senate Building', Bly started making calls. Fox, Thorn, and Thire didn't answer. Cody didn't either. Finally after a few hours, Captain Rex of the 501st answered Bly's call; explaining that he had helped Generals Secura, Windu, and Skywalker sedate a thought-to-be extinct beast that had been a great threat to Coruscant. Bly was only a tiny bit enraged that Rex had been there to protect his General. Yet, Bly had not been called with Aayla to protect her, even though he knew that she didn't need protecting. 

It had been two days since the 327th Star Corps had left Coruscant. Three days since Aayla helped Master Yoda defeat the Zillo Beast. It had been three days since Bly had talked to Aayla, which was unusual since they had been in hyperspace for two whole days.

.oOo.

Bly walked past a group of shinies in the mess hall and sat down next to Caro. On a typical day, Bly and Caro would talk about everything, but Bly hadn't said a word since they left Coruscant.
"You okay, vod?"

Bly looked up at Caro. "Fine." He shoved a protein cube in his mouth.

Caro laughed. "Yeah right. You haven't talked to anyone since we left Coruscant. Everyone, even the shinies, have noticed it." Bly kept staring at his plate of protein cubes. "Can I give you some advice, vod? Not as your brother, or even as a soldier, but as your best friend? Good. Go talk to her, vod. You're making yourself, and quite honestly, all of us angry." Bly said nothing. "If it helps, Reno and Sid made a bet on who will talk first. Reno has his credits on the General. Do us all a favor and make Reno lose a bet for once, okay?" Caro stood up and left, leaving Bly to think.

.oOo.

Aayla and Bly hadn't talked in five days. At the most, Bly had said three words to anyone. Any time Aayla would walk in a room, Bly would walk out.

What did I do?

Aayla needed a plan.

Bly goes to the training room every night, maybe I could ambush him there? No...  Maybe... Definitely.

Just like every other day of the war, Bly went to the training room at 11:00, even if he technically wasn't allowed to be there so late. He had the perks of being a commander. Bly walked in and the lights were still on. Stupid shinies. Per-usual, Bly started with the treadmill. He had just finished .6 of a mile in a minute and a half when he saw a certain Twi'lek Jedi standing directly behind him. Bly got off the treadmill and started to walk away, but the door to the training room locked.