Cody strides through the makeshift refugee camp with a purpose.
The usual flurry of activity of arrival has only been made worse by the fact that their intel apparently somehow forgot to inform them that the best location for large-scale troop landings on this planet is also great for panicking civilians.
Every moment they stay only increases the risks for everyone involved.
They’re trying their best to move out but the chaos is making it difficult.
Which is why he’s marching between tents and shelters looking for his General.
They can’t stay long and unfortunately some of the requisition forms they desperately need filed and turned in before they head out won’t accept Cody’s approval.
Apparently they need a higher rank.
He stops and sighs upon finding his General.
He’s crouching in the middle of a group of grubby, chattering younglings. He’s holding the smallest of their number snugly to his chest and smiling fondly at their excited expressions. Cody thinks it's the most at peace he’s ever seen the man.
There’s no tightness to his expression or tenseness in his posture. He hates to interrupt him and drag his mind back to the war but… it really is urgent.
He clears his throat lightly to draw his attention and grimaces slightly from behind his bucket as Kenobi sobers and looks up.
“Ah, I don’t suppose you’re here to tell me about my new vacation days?” He smiles wryly.
“Afraid not sir. There’s some requisition forms that need your attention.”
Cody watches as Kenobi says goodbye to the children, made significantly more skittish by Cody’s presence, and stands with a soft sigh.
Kenobi sways slowly back and forth with the child in thought for a moment, grimacing down at the muddy ground before holding a hand out for the datapad.
“I’ll trade you.”
Cody tilts his head at the little one. He's… never held a baby before.
They stare at him with dark curious eyes.
He sighs and nods, taking his bucket off after a moment of consideration.
The General holds the squirming little thing out and Cody grabs them under their arms. They wriggle and kick in his hold, burbling nonsense.
He starts slightly as Kenobi moves to help him maneuver the baby into a more secure and comfortable position. Cody isn’t sure any position with that much plastoid in the way would be comfortable but he acquiesces to experience.
He feels terribly awkward shifting so the tiny thing is securely held to his chest, one arm under to support their weight and one splayed across their back so the flailing doesn’t end in catastrophe.
“She’s old enough to hold her head up,” Kenobi explains with a fond expression, “but not quite old enough to be very good at balancing.”
Cody nods and makes sure to keep her close to his chest even as she tries to tip back to get a better look at the world.
She's warm in his hands, small and alive.
“You’ll be walking soon won’t you, little one?” Kenobi asks and lets her grab at his finger. She misses by a wide margin and he smiles at her, so terribly genuine.
Cody feels horribly uncomfortable. He knows he won’t drop her, she certainly isn’t the heaviest thing he’s carried today but… she’s so small and squishy and apparently determined to fall over in an attempt to catch a glimpse at some shiny piece of metal.
He doesn’t know if he’s doing this right. Yes, the General helped him but what if there’s something even he doesn’t know?
She slaps his chest plate with both hands and giggles. Her hands are tiny and chubby, darker than his brothers’ hands must have been at that age. She gurgles and looks up at him with dark brown eyes too big for her head.
He smiles just a little at her and she squeals, delighted.
He takes a moment to just breathe, his face warmed by the afternoon sun.
The requisition forms are finished quickly, and for the first time in his life Cody catches himself thinking finished a little too quickly.
“I can take her back now, if you’d like?” His eyes are twinkling with bemusement.
“I’m alright, thank you sir.”
His smile broadens.
“If you’re certain.”
Cody just nods decisively and adjusts her to a more comfortable position.
They move back towards their temporary headquarters in silence, it’s a pleasant silence in Cody’s opinion.
“She have a name?”
“None that we know of, her mother has been in emergency surgery for some time now. I was hoping to locate some other relatives but…” He gestures a little helplessly.
“No luck.” Cody concludes.
“Unfortunately, we can only hope someone comes forward soon or her mother wakes up.”
Cody nods, glancing at the now much calmer baby. She’s drooling and blowing bubbles of spit now, from what little he knows of nat-born babies she’s probably due for a nap or something soon.
Halfway to their destination Kenobi’s comm lights up and they both pause as he checks it.
“Wonderful news Commander, our little one’s mother is awake and anxious to see her daughter.”
Cody considers their location and nods, the makeshift medical tent set up is on their way.
They make it back in record time. He passes the now sleeping baby back to her exhausted mother and awkwardly accepts her thanks.
Before he leaves he has one last question.
“Oh! Her name is Sena!”
“Thank you.” He nods and rejoins his General outside.
Kenobi offers him a small smile and opens his mouth to say something only to be interrupted when both their comms start chirping loudly to indicate an emergency.
“Well, Commander, I suppose war waits for no one.” He says with a dry smile.
Cody sighs and leads his General in a quick walk to their temporary base of operations.
They move out as soon as they can, leaving little Sena and her people behind.
Cody hopes she makes it, he hopes Sena grows up and never remembers a time her planet wasn't free.
He turns his mind from hopes and sets his attention to making them a reality.
There's plenty of work to be done.