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“Do you think we should’ve invited Fox?” Wolffe asked, ordering another drink. This was one of the few times the 104th, 212th, and 501st were on leave at the same time, and they were taking advantage of it.
Rex scoffed from where he sat with his toxic-looking blue drink. “He would’ve just said no. Or even worse, said yes and dragged the whole night down.”
“Rex,” Cody admonished, “that’s not fair, and you know it.”
“It’s true, though,” the blond muttered into his drink.
“You’re just mad that you’ll probably have to drag half of your men out of the drunk tank in the morning.” Wolffe grinned as he watched his vod’ika blush up to his ears.
“I wouldn’t have to if the Corries weren’t such sticklers.”
“Weren’t Fives and Echo caught joining a fight club last time they were on Coruscant?” Cody asked, eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.
“Please don’t mention the fight club,” Rex groaned, rubbing his forehead. “I’m still getting comms from them trying to get me to sign up.”
Wolffe grinned ferally and went in for the kill. “Your fault for thinking your baby ARCs were getting attacked.”
Once the laughter died down, Cody scooted out of the booth. “I think it’s time we headed back. We all have strategy meetings tomorrow, and it would look bad for the GAR’s best and brightest to be nursing hangovers.”
“You’re no fun,” Wolffe said, even as he dragged himself towards the door.
The three brothers wandered into the Coruscant night, talking about their future assignments and the insane things their Jedi had done. Until they heard a groan from a nearby alley.
“Did you hear that?” Cody already had a hand on his blaster.
Rex tugged on his brother’s arm. “It’s not our problem, ori’vod. Probably just another drunk sleeping off a rough night.”
“I don’t think so.” Wolffe pointed towards a trail of blood that led directly to the alley. “Let’s check it out.”
The alley was dark, and they jumped at every sound. “Kark, I would kill to have my bucket right about now,” Rex grumbled after almost shooting a rat.
“Does this alley have another exit?”
Wolffe answered, “Don’t think so. If I was hurt, I’d want to get somewhere secure, that means one way in, one way out.”
“Great.” Rex rolled his eyes. “We have an injured guy who thinks like Wolffe. I’m probably going to get bit before the night’s over.”
“Stop griping, I think I see something.” Cody raised his blaster and crept closer.
There was a pile of white plastoid crumpled on the ground. Wait, that was a vod. “Kark,” Cody cursed as he ran towards the poor clone. But as he got closer, his heart began to sink. He’d know that design anywhere.
“Is that-”
“Fox.” The commander slid to his knees, yanking off his vod’ika’s helmet. His brother’s eyes were unfocused, and blood caked the side of his head. Cody turned to Wolffe. “Get me a medic. Now.”
He refocused on Fox. “Fox, can you hear me?”
Slowly, the commander’s head lolled towards Cody. “Thorn?”
“No, not Thorn. It’s me, Cody.”
Fox’s brows scrunched up, which would have been adorable if he probably wasn’t bleeding out. “Oh, Cody.” If anything, he sounded disappointed.
Then, as Fox turned to look beside the commander, his eyes lit up again. “There you are, vod’ika.”
“Uh, Codes,” Rex’s voice was bordering on panicked. “There’s no one there, right?”
Cody looked at the empty air next to him. “Nope.”
Fox chuckled, which turned into a coughing fit. “Can’t you see? Thorn’s right there.” He was quiet for a second, listening to someone only he could hear. “They didn’t invite me this time. It’s okay, though, I was busy with that smuggling ring on Level 34.” Fox nodded a little drunkenly. “Yeah, they are shebs.”
“Cody.” Wolffe appeared at his shoulder, a worried look on his face. “Thorn died on Scipio two weeks ago.”
“Kark. Where are the medics?”
“The closest ones are at 79’s. They’re two minutes out.” Wolffe knelt on Fox’s other side. “Vod’ika, you gotta hang on for me. Help’s on the way.”
Fox weakly turned his head towards his other brother. “Why do you care?” He closed his eyes, drawing in a ragged breath. “Haven’t answered my comms in months.” He snorted at an unheard joke. “Yeah, their Jedi have turned ‘em into big softies.”
By this time, Cody had found two stab wounds in Fox’s abdomen. Blood poured from them sluggishly. “Wolffe, help me put pressure on these. Rex, you go and flag those medics down.” He pushed down, ignoring Fox’s groan. “Stay with me Fox.”
“You’ll just forget about me,” his brother murmured, eyes fluttering closed. “Always do.”
“I’m sorry, vod’ika. I have, but I promise, I’ll never forget you again. I’ll answer all your comms, I’ll holo call you every night. I’ll even come by and help you with your datawork, just stay with me!” Was Cody rambling? Yes. Did he care? No. His little brother was bleeding out in front of him, thinking that his ori’vod didn’t care.
Fox groaned, his eyes opening and focusing on the ghost that was apparently in front of him. “Why?”
Wolffe glanced up. “Is he talking to us?”
“No.” Cody waited for a second before throwing all sense into the wind. “Thorn, I know that we haven’t been good brothers to Fox, but please, tell him to fight. We’re gonna make up for everything, but he needs to fight.”
“What do you think he’s trying to do?” Fox grumbled. “Being really ‘nnoying ‘bout it.”
Eyes wide, Wolffe looked to the air. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Commander. Keep him here.”
After another minute of waiting, Fox sighed. “Fine. You win, ya big baby. Can’t let a man die in peace, can you?”
Then the medics were pushing Cody and Wolffe away, loading Fox on a stretcher and whisking him away to who knows where. Cody looked down at the blood coating his hands. “Wolffe, what have we done?”
His vod’s eyes hadn’t left the end of the alley. “Something we’re going to spend the rest of our lives undoing.” He turned to where Fox had been staring. “We meant it, Commander. We’re going to fix our kark up, I promise you that.”
A voice echoed from the darkness. It was faint, but there was no mistaking who it belonged to. “You better.”