Chapter Text
Like every clone in the army, Rex had been trained since birth, with the objective of becoming the best soldier possible. His whole life had led up to his enlistment. His whole life was his enlistment.
Be it fate, or destiny, by some miracle, he was placed in the 501st. His legion was his home, as far as he was concerned. His General was kind, and brave. Exactly what was needed to lead his men.
It all changed after that one mission to Zygerria. After being freed, and sent back to Coruscant, Rex tried to inquire about General Skywalker, only to be shut down every time. Some small, aggressive part of Rex’s brain wasn’t surprised when they declared him dead. His heart broke, but he needed to be strong not only for himself, or Ahsoka, who’d just lost her master, but for his men. For the Republic.
His loyalty didn’t waver when his General died, it didn’t waver when his men were split up, effectively ending the 501st. He didn’t have any traitorous thoughts when being denied access to Ahsoka, who was grieving. He practically begged the Jedi council, asking to see her again. They all refused his request, even Master Kenobi himself, who should’ve understood.
He hasn’t seen the mini Jedi in quite some time, around two years. He’s been to many different units, and legions in that time. He even got promoted to Commander, something every clone wanted.
“Ay, Commander?” Fives asked. At least some of the 501st had been kept together. After the incident with General Krell, his men weren’t as receptive to any new command, as the Jedi would’ve preferred.
“The Admiral wants you on the bridge. Something about a transmission, or something.”
“Alright, I’ll be there in a second,” Rex responded.
“I’ll tell them,” Fives rubbed the back of his neck. An easy smile on his face, yet it didn’t reach his eyes.
Ever since that one mission...everyone changed. For better, or for worse, Rex didn’t want to know. He grabbed his helmet, and walked towards the bridge, not sure what to expect. His men had just finished their mission, they were originally supposed to head home to Coruscant, as a vacation of sorts.
“Admiral, what is it?”
“The war is over.” The officer answered. The man wasn’t one to play practical jokes on the men. Maybe he didn’t know how to? As far as Rex knew, this wasn’t very funny.
“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
“Temporarily, the Republic and the Confederacy called a truce. Both sides are to cease all attacks or missions.”
“Why?” Why did the Separatists suddenly just..stop? It made no sense, logically.
Rex had seen clones torn apart by those clankers, endless and needless bloodshed. If the separatists could just stop whenever, why didn’t they stop earlier? Rex wasn’t a political sort of guy, he stuck to the straightforward clear things in life, and the intricate lies woven by politicians were not included in that. He’d seen so much death in his life, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to live without the constant bloodshed. In some, the promise of a warrior’s death was comforting. Clones like him were bred to die, and that’s what they did.
The Separatists couldn’t just stop, not until they stopped them. Could they? Were they allowed to just stop, and cease fire? It didn’t seem real; Dooku wouldn’t just give up and surrender. There had to be something else happening behind the scenes to force his hand.
“Dooku called a truce?” Rex asked, astounded. The Count was a stiff, stubborn man, and set in his ways. Rex highly doubted this wasn’t an elaborate ruse. The Seppies would do something underhanded like this; Rex just knew it. They’d get the Republic to lower their guard, and then they’d strike. Rex wasn’t going to let that happen. He wasn’t going to let himself hope, only for his dreams to be crushed.
Not again.
“Not exactly,” The Admiral took a deep breath, and scanned the bridge, as if afraid to give the information to Rex. “Count Dooku was assassinated.”
“What?” That was impossible. It had to be. “How did that even happen, sir?”
“No one knows for sure. Some say he died of old age, choking on his own saliva in his sleep.” The officer paused. “Some say a Jedi murdered him while he slept, using their powers.”
“A Jedi wouldn’t do something like that, sir.” Rex answered, almost instinctively. “It goes against the code.”
“The evidence says otherwise, but I digress, Commander. You, better than anyone, know of the Jedi and their powers. Are you saying it’s impossible that one went rogue and slaughtered the man?”
“With all due respect sir,” Rex frowned, slightly uncomfortable with the drastic turn this conversation took. “A Jedi wouldn’t do that.”
“If you say so, Commander.” The man hummed, seemingly content with Rex’s answer, not that it mattered. “Go inform the men. We’re going on our next mission.”
“Next mission? I thought you said the fighting was over,” Rex repeated. The admiral contradicted himself, and it only confused Rex even more. “Sir?”
“Ah, yes. The fighting with the separatists is over. We’re heading to Zygerria.”
“Why are we going to that hell-hole?” Zygerria, probably Rex’s least favourite planet he’s ever visited. A disgusting planet filled with vile creatures. Those who went there almost never escaped. It was nothing short of a miracle that Rex was standing here right now. General Skywalker hadn’t even survived, and he was a Jedi. Rex was a clone, easily replaceable. It should’ve been him.
“Commander, surely you aren’t so far removed from the media? It’s been on the headlines of...well, everything.”
“I don’t check the news, sir. No need, nor time.”
“Ah, I guess that explains why you didn’t know about the ceasefire. Anyways, we’re on a reconnaissance mission, Commander. We’re heading to Zygerria to retrieve your old General.”
Rex’s heart stopped, and his mouth hung open. Not fit for a soldier, but he couldn’t help it. “They found his body?”
Rex had seen a lot of things over the course of the war—over the course of his whole life —he still had nightmares, seeing his brother’s dead bodies piled atop of each other. Some days, he couldn’t help but hate the Republic for using them as fodder, other days he was just thankful to be alive. His life was anything but natural.
“No, you misunderstand. He’s alive, Commander Rex.”
General Skywalker was alive? All this time, he’d thought his General dead, only to find he wasn’t. Relief shot through Rex like a bullet. Heavy, crushing guilt he didn’t know he had, was lifted off his shoulders. For two years, he’d believed he failed his General.
“He...he’s been alive the whole time?” Rex asked, his voice didn’t waver, but it was a damn near thing. “On Zygerria?”
“Yes,” The admiral answered swiftly, not missing a beat. “According to the information, anyway.”
The General was alive. It wasn’t completely settling in. Essentially, if Rex thought about this in the right way, he’s been living in the dark for two years.
Two years is a long time. For a clone, at least. It’s nothing short of a miracle, that he’s still here, breathing. Many of his brothers had died in a pointless war, and he hadn’t been able to stop it, and the exact same thing happened to his General.
Except, he could save his General.
“Shall I go inform the men?” Rex asked.
“Yes,” A pause. “We leave immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Time to inform the men.
“Fives, prepare the troops. We head out as soon as possible.”
“Commander?” Fives dropped his helmet, which he’d been admiring. “What did the admiral say?”
“We’re heading to Zygerria.” Rex slung his hand blaster to his side. “Immediately.”
“Zygerria, sir?” The other clone asked. “Why?”
“We have a general to save.”
“...What?”
Rex smiled, as he looked at his brother. “You heard me, soldier. Ready the troops.”
“I’m sorry sir, I don’t...understand?”
“Check the news, Fives.”
“But...how would you know, Commander? You don’t check the news, either.”
Rex fought the urge to wink. “Call it..intuition.”
“We have one mission today, men. And we will not fail. The Republic is counting on us.”
“Is it true the war is over?”
“Yes,” Rex answered. The many clones left of the 501st were mixed in with other small legions, and together, they formed a sort of makeshift team. “The clankers won’t be a problem for us anymore.”
“What will happen to us?” Jesse asked, voicing all of their thoughts aloud. What would happen to the clone army once the war was over? Unfortunately, they didn’t have to wait too long to find out.
Rex frowned. He didn’t know, and he had no desire to offer false platitudes. “I’m not entirely sure, soldier. It’s up to the senate, although I believe Senators like Amidala will try and help us.”
“If the war’s really over, why are we being deployed on another mission?”
“This mission has little to do with the Seppies. This is a reconnaissance mission. We’re saving a Jedi.”
“Which one? Vos?”
A deep breath. “Skywalker.”
“Skywalker?!”
“He’s dead, isn’t he?”
“The General’s still kicking? Hah, time to pay up-”
“Wonder if Kenobi knows..they were pretty close, if the tabloids were to be believed.”
"You saw how close they were first-hand? What do you mean 'tabloids?'"
“Is the Commander coming back? I mean, not you, Commander, but Commander Tano. Not that you’re a bad commander, Commander.”
“Alright, listen up.” Rex’s voice echoed, and carried over the other clones. They silenced themselves, eager to hear what Rex had to say. “This is a top secret mission. The press already knows about his survival, but we need to keep this under wraps. Not that any of you would compromise it, anyway, but this is just an added precaution. We can’t afford to waste any time. We leave….NOW. Go!”
The ship was on course for Zygerria. The plans were to meet up with a Jedi and Padawan team on the way, so they had more firepower. (Secretly, Rex hoped for Padawan Tano, and Master Kenobi, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up for the inevitable disappointment.) The added force users along with the extra men would only help their cause.
The goal today wasn’t only to rescue the General, but an invasion. With proof of the Zygerrian ruler holding a Republic citizen hostage, and no Seppies, the Republic had a whole army to use.
And they were going to.
“Rex!” In two years, Rex hadn’t ever thought he’d see the young Jedi ever again. Ahsoka Tano, like Anakin Skywalker, was a thing of his past. Even if he tried to get in contact with her, it wouldn’t matter; the Council would deny every request. Rex could understand, after all, he was just a disposable clone, and his inherent incompetence had cost them one of their own. He’d accepted his fate, accepted that he was never going to talk to his Commander again. It was what it was.
Even if he tried reaching out through Cody, it would end in failure. He’d been beyond pleasantly surprised when the Admiral revealed which legion would be joining them. It only made sense, if he thought about it. The 212th were not a force to be messed with.
“Commander Tano?” The togruta full on sprinted towards him, General Kenobi grumbling behind her.
“Rex.” She smiled. She’d grown quite a bit since he last saw her, when she was a small child. Now, she was a slightly larger child. She wrapped her arms around him. “It’s been so long.”
“That it has, Commander.”
“Aren’t you a Commander, too?” She poked his shoulder. “We’re the same rank. Although, I probably outrank you because of my sheer prowess and power or something.”
Rex laughed. “In my books, experience outranks everything.”
“Well, you’ve got the experience and rank to back you up this time,” Ahsoka smirked. “Next time? I’m going to be a General, just you watch.”
“I’m sure you will be.” He’s missed this, he realized. Just, talking with his friend. His brothers were always with him, but there was the need to be an individual. Over the past two years, he hadn’t really had time to think, and when he did, he’d rather not. Thinking never did him any wonders. Not when it was about something other than battle strategies. “I saw you on the holonews.” Partial truth, he did see her in some articles, but he made sure to avoid those ones. They always hurt the most.
“Hah. I hate those tabloids. You know, once, they said Skyguy and I were a thing? Disgusting. He’s my brother! And like...ancient. Besides, he had his whole thing with Senator Amidala, and I ain’t no homewrecker.”
“Ahsoka.” Rex could recognize a forced smile when he saw it. “Stop antagonizing the Commander.”
Ah, good ol’ General Kenobi. Always the voice of reason, in the chaos.
“‘ Stop antagonizing the Commander,’ do you know how condescending that sounds?”
“Even things spoken with condescension have a purpose.”
“The Jedi order already has enough weird old men. Don’t give into the pressure, Master Kenobi.”
Rex simply smiled, even if he felt slightly out of place. Maybe, Cody should be here instead.
“Anyways, this ship is already on course for the correct system, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent. Lead me to the Admiral, we’re going to get Anakin back, and we’re going to do it efficiently.”
“Of course, sir.”