Sympathy

After freeing a colony on one of Naboo's moons, clones are going around helping the survivors. This is Rex's first time to be in direct contact with the locals. This is his encounter.</tt>
      
      Rex knew how much pain and despair the locals must be in. Reports of starved children, smoking remains, even suicides had be reported in by others squads. It was Rex's shift now. His job was to find survivors and help them. Easier said than done, apparently to Five's squad.
      
      "Watch out, people seem to think we are droids. Yez over there got cut up pretty bad by a older man." Fives jerked his head over to a limping trooper who was cradling a blood soaked arm.
      
      Rex nodded, "Carry on."
      
      Fives saluted and turned away. Rex watched him leave then turned his sights back on his party of four.
      
      "Listen up. We are searching for survivors and burying the dead. If someone wants water or food, give them water and food. There are starving women and children out there, young and old dieing out there. Move out."
      
      Rex took lead and marched out of camp and into the heavily forested area.
      
      "What do we do if we find.. orphans?" one of the group murmured.
      
      "We can't bring in locals into camp Randy." another sighed.
      
      "Why not? They don't have anywhere else to go-"
      
      "Quiet rookie." Rex growled.
      
      Randy fell silent and the squad continued on.
      
      It wasn't long before they came upon a women sleeping against a fallen house. She opened her eyes and looked up at them slowly.
      
      Rex could see her eyes flicking over their helmet. She must have been trying to see the faces behind them.
      
      "Do you need food or water ma'am?" he gently asked.
      
      She flinched at his voice, but then nodded. Rex took a canteen and ration bar from Henk and handed the bundle to her. She accepted and devoured the food and drained the water. Rex took back the canteen and signaled to move on.
      
      It wasn't long before the stench hit them. The smell of flesh, charred or rotting, Rex didn't know, flowed into their helmets. Rex heard one of his men retch.
      
      "Find the dead, bury them. We can't let a disease spread." Rex managed to choke out.
      
      Rex glanced ahead and saw torn down huts. The village, he presumed.
      
      "Randy, Jek, come on." he signaled toward the broken down village.
      
      Rex rummaged through the fallen houses. Jek picked up a torn doll by it's arm. Rex heard his brother's noisy swallow before he set the doll down again.
      
      "Monsters. Killing innocents like this." the clone muttered.
      
      Rex resisted the urge to pat the soldiers back," Keep searching, there might be survivors the other squad missed."

Rex sifted through the rubble, wincing at the smell of burnt flesh. A small cry made him freeze. Rex pushed away a fallen wall and crouched over a small form.

"Naa!" the child cried, shrinking away from Rex's touch.

"Shh, it'll be okay littl'un" Rex soothed reaching for a ration bar in his belt.

"You ok sir?" Rex heard Randy call from behind him.

"Yeah, found a kid, keep looking for more survivors." Rex smiled as the little boy snatched the food and gnawed away at it.

The captain removed his helmet and ruffled the boys hair.

"Can't believe the first squad didn't find you first." the boy cocked his head up at Rex before shakily standing.

"Steady there." Rex held the boy still.

When the boy was steady Rex stood from his crouch and replaced his helmet.

"Time to get you back to-"

"YAAAAA SI LUK AH!" Rex turned with blaster raised toward the forest behind him.

A women in rags glared at him with a ferocious look. She was holding a dagger.

"Lady I'm here to help." he put away his blaster and held his hands palms up," I won't hurt you," Rex looked down at the kid,",or your kid."

What happened next made Rex rethink his promise.

With a cry the women sprinted at him. Rex dodged neatly but the dagger snagged his arm.

Clutching his shoulder, Rex looked at his hand now dotted with red blood.

"Oh don't do this." he grunted.

"Sir!" Rex flicked his eyes to Randy and Jek, who had their blasters raised.

"Stand down!" Rex growled.

The woman's crazed eyes flicked to them then back to Rex.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE MY CHILD!" her scream pierced the air.

That's when Rex realized the boy's firm grip on his right leg, head buried into his kama.

"No, ma'am we're not-"

Rex was surprised how strong she was. And fast. He had barely blinked and she was on him.

"Get oof!" he grunted as she gripped his back.

How did she get on my back? Rex thought exasperated.  

She was trying to drive her knife into his neck, but he wasn't going to allow that.

"I-said- OFF!" he snapped throwing himself forward, knocking her off.

She was still. Rex hadn't thought he had thrown her that hard.

He walked over to her, the boy following warily. He crouched over her and then she opened her eyes.

BOOM

Rex was on the ground blocking punches.

"Shoot..her...shoot..her-SHOOT HER!" he yelled.

There was a pause and then he heard the familiar sizzle of blaster to flesh. The women went limp, Rex pushed her off. Jek rushed over and helped him up.

"You ok sir?" he asked nervously.

Rex touched the slash on his arm again, it came away red.

"Yeah, sure. Damn.. I can't believe she didn't realize we were helping her." he sighed looking down at her crumpled body.

The crying of the child is what tore his stare away from the woman. The boy was sniffling and staring at his dead mother. Rex's heart fell. The boy must have been shocked already, but now he had seen his so called rescuers kill his mother. What a image.

"Hey, hey." he whispered crouching by the boy.

The child flinched but stay put.

Rex rubbed away the flowing tear falling from the boys cheek gently," It's gonna be ok, your gonna be ok."

The boy stared into Rex's visor, a face not quite of understanding, but it wasn't confusion either.

"Sir, we need to get back to camp, it's almost nightfall." Rex sighed at Randy's call.

Rex picked the boy up and put him on his shoulder "Come on little one, let's get you.. home."