We're Different Than the Rest

Chapter 13: Afraid, General?

21 BBY - 7 months after Geonosis
A Week on Coruscant Day Six

.oOo.

Finally, the day the 327th was most excited for, a trip to the fake lake on the far side of Coruscant.

Unlike the rest of the 327th, Aayla was terrified of lakes and had been since she had almost drowned. She would have been dead if not for Master Fisto, who had used his gills to help her breathe. She had agreed to go to the artificial lake, but she wouldn't swim.

Aayla was running out of excuses for reasons not to swim. Reno, with his overly high level of confidence, finally asked what everyone wanted to know.

"Afraid, General?"

Aayla paused before answering. "If you must know, yes. I am afraid of lakes."

"Care to say why?" Reno's confidence never failed him.

"I almost drowned once." She didn't see the point in lying. "I haven't been swimming ever since."

Bly walked up with his attendance clipboard, checking off the last names on his paper. "What are we talking about?"

"The General's afraid of lakes." Reno burst out.

"Really?" Bly asked.

"Yeah." Aayla said with a slightly embarrassed tone. Reno's face suddenly lit up and he whispered something to Bly, who nodded in response. "No no no no no no. I am not swimming."

"Why do you think that's what we're talking about?" Bly said, trying to make an innocent face to cover his evil smile.

"Because Reno has his signature 'I have an evil plan' face on."

"Do I?" Reno asked. He was much better at making an innocent face than Bly.

"We're not gonna force you to swim, Aay-General." Bly cleared his throat.

"Did you almost call her Aayla?"

Simultaneously, Bly responded 'no' while Aayla responded 'yes' for fun.

"Sid owes me. Gotta go find him." Reno ran away quickly while searching for Sid.

"I'm not swimming."

"What if Sid and I were next to you the entire time?"

"You know Sid isn't allowed off Reno's leash until he pays up, and I doubt he has any credits with him now."

"What if I was next to you the entire time?"

"Okay?" Aayla's tone made it more of a question than a statement.

"Okay." Bly dropped his clipboard onto Aayla's small beach blanket. "Do you have a swimsuit on under that or are you swimming in your clothes?"

"I'll swim in my clothes. I didn't think I would be swimming... so."

"No problem." Bly tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it off.

Holy kriff. I shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I am. Aayla forced herself to look away from Bly.

"Ready?"

Aayla jumped up. "Yep!" Snap out of it, Secura. She quickly took her boots off and headed closer to the water.

"Nervous?" Bly asked as they stood on the damp sand in front of the water.

"I am. But I shouldn't be."

"Everyone's afraid of something."

Aayla dipped her toes in the shallow water. You can do this. You're a Jedi. She took another step into the water.