fic: rain delay

[wrennette]

rain delay (640 words) by wrennette
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: CC-6454 | Ponds & Mace Windu
Characters: Mace Windu
Additional Tags: no plot just vibes, Planet Ryloth | Twi'lek, February Ficlet Challenge, Blanket Permission, do no copy or repost to other sites
Summary:

As he steps out of his tent, Mace draws up his hood. The rain isn't heavy, but he'd prefer not to be soaked before he's even had his caff.

for day one of february ficlet challenge on tumbls. prompt: rainy day

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Mace wakes to a quiet, steady pattering against the stiff, weather-proofed canvas of his tent. He glances blearily at his comm, and sees that he's anticipated his alarm by about five minutes. It's tempting to close his eyes, let those five minutes elapse in a doze. But he knows that the bleating of his alarm will only make him grumpy, so he sits up and turns the alarm off, then quickly belts on his clothing.

As he steps out of his tent, Mace draws up his hood. The rain isn't heavy, but he'd prefer not to be soaked before he's even had his caff. Hurrying along, he notes that already runoff is trickling over the ground. Ryloth is a fairly dry planet, and the rain has already tamped down all the dust and grit. The earth doesn't soak up the moisture, and it puddles in hollows and races in rivulets through rocky areas. Flooding, Mace anticipates, will be a danger. He'll have to speak with Ponds.

In the mess tent Mace dips his head in greeting to the troopers present and fetches himself a cup of caff and a ration bar. Neither is terribly appealing, but it's what they've been allotted and there's no point in complaining. Ponds catches his eye from a table surrounded by the other officers and stacked with precarious piles of datapads. Mace nods and picks his way over.

Ponds kicks out one of the seats. The folding chair wobbles precariously for a moment and Mace extends a tendril of the Force, righting the chair and settling it at a comfortable distance from the table. He drops into the seat and grunts his morning greetings at the other before taking a long sip of caff. It burns his tongue and scalds his throat, and Mace blinks hurriedly before tossing the rest back so swiftly he doesn't even taste it.

"Here, Sir," Ponds says, and pushes over a carafe. Mace smiles, knowing it looks more like a grimace, and helps himself to a second cup. The caff in the carafe is almost as hot as the fresh batch they're dispensing on the chow line, and Mace burns his tongue again on the first sip. Ponds politely stifles his chuckle as Mace curses, and Mace shoots him a glare that bounces right off. The Commander is well used to Mace's morning moods by now.

Mace drinks his caff in silence, and the officers quietly update one another. Beneath it, Mace can still hear the steady drumming of the rain. He reaches out in the Force. Even though the lands around their camp appear barren, life is curled in seeds and rhizomes beneath the sandy soil. Reptiles sleep in their dens and birds nest in the cracks of the cliffs. Mace breathes in the Force and lets it bring him to full awareness.

"We'll rest today," Mace declares, and the officers turn to look at him. "We have some spare time built into the campaign, and I don't think making the troops march in the rain will do much for morale. We rest today, and push on tomorrow for Lessu."

"Very good, Sir," Ponds says. "Give us a chance to catch up on some things."

Mace nods. He finishes his rations, then picks one of the datapads off the pile and begins to read. He and the officers exchange information quietly as they work their way through the backlog of reports and requests. Someone refills their carafe and Mace refills his mug. The camp is quiet outside the mess tent. The rain beats steadily down, its relentless cadence interrupted occasionally with the tramping of feet as patrols circle the camp. The soft white noise of it soothes Mace's tired mind, and by the time the noise level rises at mid day they've finished up a fair bit of work.