Unwritten Path [PAUSED]

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝑶𝒏𝒆

22 BBY, Month 8

Lexi watched as the three bodies disappeared from view, her gaze lingering on the door they had just passed through. She remained behind, ensuring that the clones were being properly tended to after the chaotic events that had occurred. Her eyes glanced at the medical droid, which was busy assessing injuries. The droid moved efficiently, its mechanical arms working swiftly. Lexi leaned against the wall, a small astromech droid by her side.

Sinker glanced up at her, curiously blinking his eyes. Lexi gave him a small wave, offering a slight smile in return.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the General?" Boost asked, wincing as the medical droid sprayed something on his side. His voice carried a note of curiosity, though it was laced with discomfort.

"I'll meet up with Skywalker in a minute," Lexi replied, her tone calm. "Just wanted to make sure you three are alright before I leave you with the droid."

Sinker chuckled softly, shaking his head as his back hit the exterior of the pod. Wolffe, who had been watching Lexi quietly, didn't say anything at first. She couldn't tell what was going through his mind. His gaze was steady, but there was something about his posture, the slight tension in his shoulders, that made her wonder if he found her presence unusual. She couldn't quite place it, but it was there.

"We're good, sir," Wolffe said after a moment, his tone a little colder than usual. "You can go meet with General Skywalker and General Plo if they need you."

Lexi's eyes flicked toward the commander. She could sense his discomfort—his words and the way he carried himself said it all. He wanted her to leave the area. Probably to join the others. She held back a sharp remark causing the silence to lengthen. After a few moments, she pushed herself away from the wall, her feet carrying her to the open doorway.

Her fingers brushed against the cool walls of the ship as she stalked through the interior. The once-bright lights of the vessel flickered and suddenly went dark. An eerie feeling crept around, the stillness of the cruiser caused her to take a sharp breath. The abrupt change in atmosphere made Lexi quicken her pace, heading toward the section of the ship where the others had gathered. The quiet felt wrong, unsettling in a sense.

As she approached the main control room, she saw a droid shut down and heard a low voice calling out from across the room. Her gaze shifted toward the viewport, and her eyes widened when she spotted a large ship looming just outside. Her feet moved instinctively toward her master's side, and she stood there beside him, staring at the massive cruiser drifting into view.

"Is that...?" Lexi began, but she trailed off as she saw the calm, knowing look in Plo Koon's eyes. He nodded, already aware of her unasked question.

"What do you think they're doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, however, no one responded. She could feel the tension building around her, a quiet undercurrent of unease as they all focused on the cruiser, its size dwarfing the ship they were on. It was a vessel brimming with firepower, danger signs all around it.