Star Wars One-Shots

Hunters of the Past

Author's Note: Well, I'm terrible at using the clones, so I wonder why I even bothered trying to write this in the first place. :D

~ Tirana Sorki

Also, thanks to @Athrex453 who suggested that we post all of our one-shots in the same thing. :)

~ Amina Gila

Before going on a mission with Ahsoka Tano for the Rebellion, Rex overhears her speaking to the memory of her presumably dead former master, Anakin Skywalker. The hologram of his General acutely reminds Rex of the questions about Anakin to which he'll never find an answer. Or, in which Rex reflects on his General.

Rex arrives at Ahsoka Tano's quarters to prepare for the mission earlier than he expected. And from the sound of it, it's earlier than she was expecting to. He hesitates in the room outside of where his former commander is, when he hears the sound of talking filtering through the open doorway. Is someone here to see her? He'll... wait until she's ready, he supposes.

Whatever she's doing, she's obviously pretty absorbed with it, since she doesn't seem to notice that he's there. Whatever it is, it's likely important, so he'll keep waiting for now. They still have some time until they have to leave anyway. Still, as Rex continues standing out there in the main room waiting, he can't help but make out some of the words that Ahsoka is saying.

"... I know you'd never forgive me for running and hiding when the galaxy is in a state like this. There's times I want to so much, but I can't," Ahsoka is saying, speaking quietly, almost as though to herself but at the same time she's obviously talking to someone. Rex suddenly feels like he's intruding on something extremely private that isn't meant for him to be hearing. He and Ahsoka might be close, but she obviously thinks that she's alone – or that she and whoever she's talking to are alone. But what can he do at this point? Other than try not to listen. Still, he can't help but keep overhearing when Ahsoka starts talking again. "I won't let you down again, Master, I promise."

The world seems to stop for a moment. Master. Ahsoka is talking to someone who she's calling Master. And there's only one person in the galaxy Ahsoka ever calls Master. But – that doesn't make sense because he's gone. Rex knows that. He doesn't even need a confirmation.

In spite of himself, he takes a few steps closer to the room Ahsoka is in, stopping in the doorway. The Togruta is sitting at in front of a table, a small, paused hologram in front of her. Rex was almost expecting it but – the sight of... him for the first time in so many years freezes him in place.

The same brown-blonde hair – it's short so this hologram is obviously before Ahsoka left the Order – the same blue eyes sparkling with life that he remembers so well even after all this time, and the same trademark smirk on his General's face when he was up to something. Generally some ridiculous plan that General Kenobi wouldn't stop complaining about.

Rex is hit with a sudden stabbing pang of grief so hard it nearly floors him. Ever since that day now over fifteen years ago, and even after all this time they'd been together, he and Ahsoka never really discussed General Skywalker or what likely happened to him.

They couldn't. They both knew; there wasn't anything to say. He was likely shot down by Rex's own brothers, his own men, like almost all the other Jedi were that day. Who fired that killing shot? He wondered for a fleeting moment. Was it Appo? Or one of the others? No, he doesn't want to know, in the end. Some things are better left unknown forever.

It's something that hurts far beyond words. How his brothers' free will was totally overridden, and they were forced to fire on their own General, who had spent the last three years devoting every moment he could to defend them. Were any of them able to resist it as long as Rex was? To give General Skywalker a warning like the one Rex was able to give Ahsoka? For that matter, would any of the others have even known to give him a warning?