Cejanr (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

32

"Ahsoka?" Lotta's voice called from the doorway of the little paperwork office for the aids. Ahsoka looked up at her friend, smiled a little.

"Yes?" She asked, but Lotta's expression made her frown. "Is there something wrong? How can I help?"

"Well, uh... News of you working here has gotten around. We've had a couple people come asking for you already, probably some crazies or what not..." She sighed. Ahsoka immediately felt bad. They were having to deal with that sort of thing? Moreover, they were willing to do it for her? "Anyways, somebody's come in. This one is... different."

Ahsoka got to her feet quickly. "Who is it?" She asked, hoping it wasn't some messenger from Anakin bearing bad news.

"A Cathar woman. Insists it's urgent. She doesn't have the look that the others have about them." Lotta filled her in, seeing her anxiety well up. Ahsoka relaxed. Mostly.

"Ah." Was all she said as she followed the pantoran woman out to a room where the lady was. She was young. Not as young as Ahsoka, but definitely younger than Lotta.

Ahsoka entered, and glanced back over her shoulder at Lotta, nodding at her. Lotta left them alone. The Cathar breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the togruta, her pointed ears relaxing slightly.

"Are you Mrs. Tano?" She asked hesitantly. Ahsoka caught the 'Mrs' and her fear came back. She either was one of Padme's, one of Anakin's, or strongly connected to the GAR to know of that beforehand. Ahsoka nodded.

"I am. Can I help you Miss....?" She trailed off expectantly. The woman pressed her thin lips together.

"Khanar. Alinia Khanar." She supplied. Ahsoka cut to the chase.

"Have you been sent here by somebody?" She said, then winced at her bluntness. Alinia laughed a little.

"Not by anybody but myself. I came to you because my boyfriend said that there were rumors among the ranks of his battalion that you were married to the Captain of the 501st." She said. Ahsoka felt a shock run through her. Did she know about the failed reconditioning? "I'm sorry for your loss."

Ahsoka inwardly blew out a sigh of relief. She didn't. Ahsoke gave a rueful smile. "Thank you. Who is your boyfriend?"

"I... that's part of the reason I came to you. He's a clone of the 358th named Streak. He told me about the rapid aging, and I really, really need to know how it works." Alinia said desperately. Ahsoka's face saddened.

"I'm sorry, Alinia. I don't know anything about the rapid aging." Ahsoka looked at the ground.

"Surely you know somebody who does. Please, Mrs. Tano." She begged, grabbing Ahsoka's arm in a vise like grip, her claw like nails digging in to Ahsoka's skin. The war veteran forced flashbacks of Zygerria away, and the empress's awful talons that grabbed at her jaw.

"I know you care about your boyfriend, Ms. Khanar, but I don't know anything. Please unhand me." Ahsoka said, her voice a deadly calm. Alinia hastily complied, hugging herself.

"It's not for him." She whispered, sitting on the gurney behind her. Ahsoka frowned as the other woman rocked back and forth slightly, her ears twitching. She took a shaky breath. "Human-Cathar hybrids are rare, almost nonexistent. We wanted a child so bad, and when I found out I was expecting not long after he shipped out nearly four months ago..." She cut herself off, looking up at Ahsoka. Her cat like pupils were narrowed to slits with fear.

"Mrs. Tano, please. This child is our miracle upon miracles. I need to know if something from him would carry over like that." She pleaded, her voice breaking. Ahsoka sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulders. The cathar gave a shuddering whimper and nearly fell against the togruta. Ahsoka awkwardly wrapped an arm around the stranger, but she knew the feeling well. Sometimes you just needed a hug.

"I think I have a few contacts. I know what it's like when the person you're closest to is away. If you want, you can stay back here and rest for a bit. Leave your comm number at the front desk, alright? I'll get back to you as soon as I learn anything." Ahsoka said gently. Alinia ducked her head and pulled away from the togruta.

"Thank you." She whispered. Ahsoka nodded with a smile and left the room, setting a reminder on her datapad for when her shift was over. Lotta questioned her about the Cathar woman, but Ahsoka just winked and smiled.

"Patient confidentiality. I'll tell you later." She said. Lotta rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, smiling a little. The rest of the workday seemed to crawl by while simultaneously ending too fast. One last conversation with Lotta over taking some sheets and gowns to laundry, and she was off.

She walked familiar streets and catwalks, making a mental note to get a speeder when she had the credits to spare, and stopped for dinner at a seedy diner. She spotted a few clones, shiny by the looks of it at a table, and pressed her lips together. Making up her mind, she decided it was worth it and made her way over.

"Excuse me." She tried to be polite as she interrupted their conversation. One of the clones glared at her.

"Whaddaya want, tail head." He spat. Ahsoka's face hardened at the slur. So much for being polite.

"What I want is to know if Jedi Shak Ti is on Corascant or Kamino." She said icily. The clone sneered at her, squinting slightly at her face.

"Lady, I'm trying to eat after that crap they give us for rations. Do I look like an expert on general Ti?" He asked. The brother next to him slapped his arm.

"Jat, be nice." He said. Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're shinies, fresh from the tubes if I had to guess. Master Ti oversees the graduation ceremonies herself when she can. If she doesn't, she's usually off world. That's why I'm asking." She spat, slapping her hand down and leaning on the table, unintentionally flashing the bracer on the inside of her arm. The small group of clones all stared at her, shocked at both the plastoid and the military, specifically clone slang coming out of her mouth.

"You... she..." the grumpy clone, Jat, fumbled as he glared at her. Ahsoka sighed.

"This is a waste of time. Nevermind, go back to your meal, trooper." She sighed, stalking off. But not before her sensitive montrals picked up faint mutterings from the clone's table.

"Was that Tano?"

"No, probably some crazy twi who's seen clones before."

"Why would she ask for General Ti?"

"I dunno, why do twi's prefer us when we can't pay?"

"Don't you two chakk'ars start fighting again."

Ahsoka tuned them out, paying for her own meal before making the rest of the trip to a place she hoped to never see again.

She shivered with disgust as she climbed the steps of the jedi temple.