Sure Thing, Commander ✔︎

32

The clanging on the cell bars woke Ahsoka and Rex from their fairly light sleep. Ahsoka groaned and nudged her face deeper into Rex's chest. Without thinking Rex leaned over and kissed Ahsoka lightly on the head. She gave a soft hum and laughter erupted out of nowhere. Rex's eyes shot open, he recognized that laugh.

"Oh how cute" Hondo hissed, admiring the couple from afar.

Rex mumbled insults under his breath, careful Hondo couldn't hear him. Before Ahsoka knew it, Rex and her were being dragged off each other and towards the arena once more. Ahsoka's whole body ached. She groaned, clutching her bandaged thigh, which still stung. Her eyes fluttered open and the arena as well as her cage came into view.

Then she was thrown in, carelessly like an animal. She didn't even try to stop her fall, so she crashed into the side of the cell. She slowly pushed herself to her hands and knees and lay with her back to the bars. She squinted, her eyes adjusting to the light. Then she saw Rex.

Rex was in the middle of the arena, still looking half out of it. Meanwhile the crowd was going crazy, some of them shouting at Rex and throwing anything they could find at him. Other pirates shot him glances of sympathy, Ahsoka figured those were the pirates he saved from the prison.

"Hello everyone!" Hondo shouted, making the crowd roar in applause, "Today is the second challenge for Rex! And you all know what that means!"

The crowd burst into hoots and cheers, then the ground started to shake. A huge drawbridge slowly slid up, screeching and making the most horrible sound. The audience hissed, covering their ears with annoyed expressions.

Rex whirled around, suddenly not the slighted bit tired. He scrambled away from the sliding. humongous, door. He heard a low growl and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge, goosebumps covering his body. This wasn't gonna end well.

"THE RAQUOR'DAAN!" Hondo cried.

The crowd absolutely lost their mind.

"He won't last one minute!" Sorgon shouted, glancing nervously at the clone.

"Oh but he must!" Hondo inquired, "If he wants his girlfriend to stay"

"But-" Sorgon started.

"Sorgon," Hondo snapped, "I would advise you not to question my ways"

Sorgon bowed his head, a number of emotions crossing his face. Ahsoka could see the conflict, he didn't know what to do. Betray Hondo to rescue Rex, or remain loyal to the pirate leader. Ahsoka prayed to no one in particular, that he would make the right choice.

The large metal drawbridge finally opened to reveal the massive beast Rex was supposed to defeat. There was no way he was going to win. Not alone at least. The wolf-like creature, with it's barbed tail, stalked Rex. It ventured closer and closer, snarling and showing off its razor sharp teeth. Rex swallowed hard, slowly backing away from the creature. It gave a mighty roar, the sound echoing through the stands and hurting Rex's ears. Then it charged. For a moment Rex didn't process what was happening, then cogs turned in his mind. He jumped out of the way, right when the beast's tail slammed into the sand where he used to be.

What. The. Hell.

Ahsoka's eyes grew wide and she crawled closer to the edge of her cage to get a better look. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sorgon, Gersaka, and other pirates talking in a group. What were they up to? Rex, on the other hand, was dodging the scorpion, poisonous, tail. He was already getting tired, Ahsoka could tell.

"Come on Rex!" she faintly yelled, and he heard it.

He whipped around, eyes looking straight into hers. He gave a sad smile and Ahsoka's heart dropped.