#ani5s

Thankfully the bay is empty, and so he grabs a box of tools and heads to the furthest fighter, noting the repairs that need to be made. The fighter looms, serious and silent, and Fives loses himself in the methodical repairs, the way things fit together like they’re supposed to, like they used to. The red wire connects to the blue wire, and Dogma doesn’t shoot Krell with Fives’ pistol. The carbon scoring on the side gets scrubbed off, and Fives and Jesse aren’t nearly murdered by their own brothers. The dents in the plating get hammered out, and Rex and Fives don’t fight. The console is rewired, and Hardcase makes it back with Fives and Jesse. The thruster on the back is fixed, and they don’t kriffing shoot brothers at all. The gun is reattached, and everyone makes it home, safe and sound. 

But they don’t. Dogma shot Krell and got taken into custody, Fives and Jesse face a firing squad, Rex and Fives argue, Hardcase sacrifices himself, they shot their own brothers for the sick satisfaction of some seppie traitor. Aruetii, he reminds himself. Aruetii, dar’jetii. Not a ‘general’. Not anymore. 

Familiar tears fill his eyes as he rolls under the ship, hiding his face. His boots are sticking out in the open, still covered in the mud of Umbara, still stained with the blood of his brothers. He pulls his head back under the ship and howls like he’s been injured (although, he supposes he has. The war doesn’t just leave physical scars, Kix told him), like he cried after the citadel when everything was falling apart in front of him in the form of a charred helmet. 

He hears tentative bootsteps near the fighter, and waits for whoever it is to notice that he’s having a moment here, trooper, move along, nothing to see here. Just a perfectly stable ARC with his head up the guts of a fighter, crying his eyes out. Perfectly normal, given the shitshow that they’ve just walked through.

Except the bootsteps don’t get further away, and they sound too familiar to be a trooper. Sure, he can tell his brother’s footsteps apart, but this is different. This has to be Anakin. 

Sure enough, familiar boots come around the side of the fighter and stop near the engine, and a familiar voice comes through the haze of tears and screaming that he can never quite manage to erase from his head. 

“Are you ok, Fives?”

Fives stays firmly put under the fighter, even though his cyare’s standing right there. 

“Fives, come on. Rex asked me to look for you, he was worried.”

Fives can’t face anyone like this. He’s an ARC, for kriffs sake! He’s supposed to be untouchable, godlike. The other troopers put him on a pedestal, tell each other we might be like Domino! Some of them made ARC! He can’t show emotions, can’t be an actual person. 

“Fives, it’s just me. I swear,” Anakin actually sounds worried, and Fives rolls out from under the ship just to prove that he’s still alive. There are still tears running down his face, and his vision’s still blurry. Anakin smiles down at him and kisses him gently on the forehead, kneeling down to Fives’ level. “You ok?”

Fives still can’t talk, but he’s safe and wrapped in his cyara’s arms, and everything feels like it might get a bit better eventually. He grabs onto Anakin’s shoulders and hangs on tight, like Anakin’s the only thing grounding him here. Eventually his tears calm down enough for him to talk, but he’s stumbling through just about every word. 

“Jesse and I - Krell was a traitor, Dogma shot him, Hardcase is gone, Jesse hates me, Kix is mad at everyone, we shot the 212th, they shot us, Rex and I fought, it all fell apart and Krell, he’s- he was a traitor, he betrayed us to the Umbarans.” 

He knows Anakin knows this already, but he has to get it out or he’ll go insane. 

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. You’re here, you’re safe, just about everyone else is home and safe. Jesse told me to tell you he forgives you, Rex wanted me to say that you were one of the bravest soldiers he’s ever seen out there. It’s ok, you’re alright, Love. I’ve got you.”

Fives is still shaky and teary, but he pulls back from the hug and gently kisses his lover. “Thank you, Cyara.”

The last thing ARC Trooper Fives could remember was Rex, leaning over him, holding him, begging him not to go.

His head was spinning as he tried to sit up, an excruciating pain rocketing through his chest.

“Easy, trooper.” A familiar voice soothed from above him, and a gloved hand settled on his shoulder. “Stay down, and don’t panic. Everything is going to be alright.”

Yeah. Right. He’d heard that line before. He tried to sit up again, and once more the gloved hand settled on his shoulder, a little more forcefully this time.

“Fives, listen to me.” The voice insisted, a little clearer than before as the haze over Fives’s brain began to lift. “You have to remain calm, don’t cause any trouble.” At last, Fives recognized the voice, and tried to speak, only to find a tube had been jammed halfway down his throat.

“Don’t try to speak, or you’ll choke.” Anakin Skywalker insisted quietly, keeping one hand on his shoulder. “Just let the tube breathe for you. Kix put it in a little bit ago, you’re going to be fine.”

Fives settled down, not necessarily fighting General Skywalker anymore but definitely not relaxed, settling back onto his – stretcher? Table? Medical bay bed? No, that couldn’t be right, he was moving – and tried to stay calm. He wanted to talk, wanted to ask questions, but the tube down his throat kept him from doing much.

Before long, Fives was wheeled into a dimly lit room, two more blurry figures standing over him. Both of them were in civilian clothing, but he’d recognized Rex and Kix anywhere. Relief surged through him at the familiar faces, and Kix leaned over him.

“Easy, vod.” He soothed, touching his face gently in a reassuring manner before shifting to the tube down his throat, carefully removing it. Fives heaved a heavy sigh once he felt the tube leave his throat, relieved that the obstruction was gone. He tried to speak again, but was once more hushed by Kix, who gestured for something from Rex, and the Captain tilted a thin bottle up to Fives’s lips. Water.

He accepted it gratefully, his ashy throat clearing at last as he was finally, finally, able to speak. “What happened?”

“Commander Fox shot you.” Rex answered, a curl of disdain coloring his voice as he spoke. “His guns weren’t sent to stun.”

“Captain.” Kix’s voice held a hint of warning to it, and Rex stood down. “After you told me to contact General Skywalker for you, I did some research of my own.” Kix explained to Fives. “Went straight back to the base and looked at our DNA, at old CAT scans, everything.” He nodded solemnly. “You’re right. There’s chips in all of us. Virtually undetectable, but there if you know what you’re looking for.”

“You did it, Fives.” Rex told his trooper gently. “You did it. We know about the chips.”

At first, Fives wasn’t even sure if he believed it. Had he really done it? He’d been shot, but he survived. He’d tried to warn his General, his Captain, and it worked.

“Fives…” Anakin murmured, bringing one gloved hand to his cheek. “I know this is a lot to take in, but we don’t have much time.” He looked back up to Kix and Rex. “We’ve arranged a ship for you. We’re going to help you escape.”

“As far as the Republic is concerned, ARC-5555 was terminated at the hands of the Coruscant Guard.” Rex explained, a serious look on his face. “We’re going to get you out of here, vod.”

“I can’t leave.” Fives protested. “I have – I need to stay. There’s so much still to be done, every single soldier in the GAR -.”

“We know, Fives.” Rex soothed. “But you’ve done enough. What’s important know is you escape, get to safety. I’ll join you as soon as I can. We all will.” Rex promised, moving a hand down to Fives’s wrist and squeezing it gently. “You’ve saved us all, Fives.”

Fives blinked up at his Captain, awestruck by the words. He’d done it. He’d really done it.

“Kix patched you up as best he could, but he needed more supplies to keep you alive.” Anakin continued, moving next to the medic. “You’re supposed to be dead, so we’re fixing you up here before we sneak you on board the shuttle.”

Fives nodded in understanding, and he felt Kix’s hands on his chest, peeling back a bacta patch Fives hadn’t originally realized was there.

“This was an even closer call than yours, back in the day.” Kix told Rex, smiling up at him slightly. Rex didn’t return the look, though his eyes clouded with worry as he studied Fives.

“Shouldn’t have left my blasters there.” He mumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Wasn’t your fault, Captain.” Fives replied quietly, wincing as Kix cleaned the wound before applying a fresh patch. “You did what you thought was right, sir.”

“Not sir, not anymore.” Rex told him firmly, squeezing his wrist again. He didn’t elaborate any more on it, and all four men were silent for a few beats as Rex quietly tended to the injured ARC Trooper.

“I have to get back.” Anakin spoke eventually. “There’s still some… damage control, back at the Temple. And I need to get the word out to Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi about the chips.” He bowed his head respectfully to Fives. “You’ve done us all a great service, Commander. Rest easy, now.” He told him, resting his hand on the ARC Trooper’s shoulder one last time before turning, and disappearing out of the dimly lit room.

Captain Rex almost seemed relieved, when the General left, and he scratched a hand across his scalp.

“I think he’s good to go, sir.” Kix told Rex, pulling back from Fives. “I’ve got some civvy clothes he can change into, along with a medical pack to take with him, in case he needs to change the patch.” He helped Fives sit up. “Any pain, brother?”

“Feels like I was shot in the chest.” Fives cracked, smiling tiredly at Kix. “Thank you, Kix. For everything.”

Kix nodded, squeezing Fives’s bicep lightly as he pulled back, and Rex helped Fives shakily to his feet. “Can you dress yourself?” Rex asked. Fives rolled his eyes.

“I’ve been through worse than a blaster shot to the chest, I think I can manage.” He replied, taking the clothes from Kix.

“I seriously doubt that.” Rex murmured under his breath, but didn’t protest as Fives took the civilian disguise and began to change.

~

Perhaps the worst part of the disguise was the hat. It was an odd, slouchy thing that covered part of his forehead, in order to hide his tattoo and keep him from being identified.

Rex was walking alongside Fives, dressed similarly, though he wore significantly less obnoxious headwear.

“Could’ve done without this, sir.” Fives told him, motioning vaguely to the hat.

“Watch it, trooper.” Rex replied, though his tone was light, lighter than Fives had heard it in years. He smiled.

“There it is.” Rex said suddenly, nodding to a large cargo ship preparing to leave the port. “It’s headed for Saleucami. I’ve contacted some… old friends of mine.” Rex explained quietly. “They’ll shelter you, and keep you safe until some more of us are able to escape the GAR.”

“Who are they?” Fives asked, hoisting his bag higher up on his shoulder.

“Cut and Suu Lawquane.” Rex replied, a small smile teasing his lips. “Cut will be a familiar face, I promise you that much.”

Fives chuckled, catching Rex’s implication. “Thank you, sir, for looking out for me.”

Rex nodded, then gestured towards the ship. “Better get going, vod. They’ll be departing soon.”

Fives nodded, nodding one last time at his Captain before turning towards the ship. He only made it three steps before he heard his Captain speak again.

“Fives, wait-.”

A hand around his wrist, holding him in place. Fives turned, meeting his Captain’s identical eyes. They held each other’s gaze for a moment, until Rex finally turned away, lowering his gaze and reaching inside his jacket. “Take this.”

Fives’s hand closed around a blaster pistol, one he knew all too well.

“One of yours?” He asked, turning it over carefully in his hand. Rex nodded.

“I’ve seen how you treat your gun, can’t trust you with that piece of osik.” Rex replied, a small smile flickering over his face, and Fives chuckled.

“Thank you, Rex.” He told him. “It’s… it’s been an honor, serving alongside you.”

“Likewise.” Rex nodded, holding out his hand. Fives took it, intending to shake, but Rex pulled him close, wrapping his other arm around the trooper’s shoulders. Fives didn’t hesitate, reaching around his Captain to hold the back of his head, pressing their foreheads together. They held the gesture for several long seconds, eyes closed, until Rex finally pulled away again.

“There’s a communicator, in your bag.” Rex added quietly, his voice a little scratchy. He sounded exhausted. “The line goes directly to me, no one else. Day or night, anytime, I’ll pick up for you.” He promised. Fives nodded, clearing his throat. Why was this so hard?

“Yes, sir.” He nodded again, head bobbing up and down stupidly until he stopped himself. Rex sighed softly, clearing his throat and folding his hands behind his back.

“Stay alive.” He commanded softly. Fives smiled, and gave Rex a small salute.

“Sir, yes sir.”

He turned to the ship, boarding the platform and pausing briefly among the crates.