((DISCLAIMER: THIS IS THE RAW BOOKS, MOSTLY UNEDITED. THE CUYANIVERSE COLLECTION HAS THE BOOKS IN ORDER AND BETAREAD. I SUGGEST YOU START THERE))
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"It's done. Captain Rex is dead."
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A month and a half. They had a month and a half of happily be...
Rex pushed open the door to the barracks of Torrent Company, and Cody marched ahead of him.
"Attention, this is a surprise inspection from your Captain. Report to your squad berthings and hold to attention until you are dismissed." The commander yelled above the din. The room dropped to silence, the only sound being the scuffling of Troopers' feet as they moved to their berthings and snapped to attention.
If Rex was a nat leader, he would be pointing out minor infractions of the regs left and right as he walked down the aisles between the bunks. But each and every one of those infractions was approved of by the General or himself, so long as they didn't infringe on combat readiness.
Everything from small murals on the walls done in the paint they used for their armor to a few small, cheap mirrors that they had traded battle mementos for while planetside to the small personal belongings on top of the lockers given to a few of the clones as a thank you from the civvies. Things nats could have but the clones couldn't.
He passed them all, nodding and dismissing each after a cursory examination. He made it to the end of the aisle to where the ARCs bunked while with the Company. The new lieutenant stood there as well, spine at a stiff attention with his helmet tucked under his arm. His face was mostly neutral, but anyone who knew the loyal clone could see the thinly veiled contempt in the trooper's eyes.
His bunk was neater than most of the others, closer to the regs. True to his name, Dogma was still dogmatic about the rules. Rex turned his visor to meet his XO's eyes.
"Is there a problem, trooper?" He asked softly. Dogma shook his head, a negative.
"No, sir." His words were slightly more clipped than normal. Rex didn't need the force to sense the anger and regret pouring off of him. Rex tipped his head.
"Let me rephrase that. Tell me the problem, trooper. You are... disdainful, of me." Rex kept his voice soft so that Dogma was less likely to recognize it. Dogma gritted his teeth.
"Permission to speak freely, sir?" He asked. Rex smiled thinly.
"Granted."
Fire flashed behind Dogma's eyes. "Those markings on your helmet don't belong to you." He nearly spat the words out, trying to maintain some level of respect in his voice. "I thought that ARC trooper Fives was our Captain."
Rex couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed. This surprised Dogma, almost to the point of scaring him. Rex grinned behind his visor, wishing again for his phase I helmet. "ARC trooper Fives was demoted under... unusual circumstances." He reached up and broke the seals on his helmet, lifting it off his head to tuck in under his arm, mirroring Dogma's stance. Dogma's face had gone pale under the stylized V tattoo. "I can assure you, the Jaig Eyes do belong to me.'
"s-Sir? Rex?" He asked, his voice trembling. Rex grinned, putting a hand on his subordinate's shoulder.
"Who else?" He nodded at the pauldrons on Dogma's shoulder. "I had a feeling you'd make ARC one day. Recommended you after I read the reports from Duros. You did well, keeping your squad alive."
Dogma's jaw worked for a second, and Rex worried that he broke his friend. Eventually, Ne mumbled a modest answer that Rex didn't quite catch. He glanced over his shoulder to find the entire barracks staring at him with wide eyes. Rex rolled his eyes.
"What? You've all seen dead people before." He smiled a little. More silence. Whiteout spoke up after a second.
"Maybe, but they don't usually talk."
Rex shrugged. "Guess I'm special. I'll say this once. Just because my reconditioning didn't hold for long doesn't mean that will be true for all of you. My miracle was a one in five million chance." He began to walk back down the aisle, meeting the eyes of every trooper he passed. "Also, I'd appreciate it if none of you reported this to the long necks, because that would really be the end of the line for me then."
There was a round of nervous chuckles all around. Cavalry stepped forward. "If anyone did, they'd have me to answer too." She declared. Whiteout stepped up beside her.
"And me."
"Me too." Dogma.
"And me." Fives, who was leaning against the doors to the barracks. Rex hadn't seen him slip in.
"Me four." Cody.
"Me five." Tup.
"Don't forget me." Kix.
"And me."
"And me."
It went on and on, everyone in the barracks promising terrible death to anyone who tried to resentence their Captain.
"And me." General Skywalker walked into the barracks, being the last one to promise. His hand rested too comfortably on his lightsaber. "And don't condemn yourself again, Rex. One time was enough." Rex smiled, despite the confusion all around the barracks.
"Are you kidding me? You'd track me down again just to kill me, then ship what's left of my body to Commander Tano for her to finish off." Rex chuckled. Anakin smirked a little.
"Darn right I would."
There was more laughter from all around them. Anakin locked eyes with the resurrected captain and nodded at the hallway. Rex followed him out the doors and away from the barracks.
"Something wrong, Anakin?" He asked. Anakin shook his head.
"We'll be arriving at Ringo Vinda in thirteen hours. I wanted to know if you'll be battle ready." He said. Rex opened his mouth to say something, but the General beat him too it. "No, I am not asking Kix. He won't let you out of the medbay for another four weeks if given the choice. I'm asking you. Are you fit for command?" Rex laughed.
"I'm perfectly healthy. The only thing wrong with me is the backlash of force burn. I managed just well without it, I can continue to do well, I'm sure." He said confidently. Anakin nodded slowly.
"Not that I don't trust you, but can I have you do some tests with me first? You have a history of being too stubborn for your own good." Rex shook his head goodnaturedly.
"Like you're one to talk about stubborn, sir. Lead the way."
A/N - A pattern I've been noticing throughout my stories is I tend to swing back and forth between 'Following canon as strictly as possible' and 'Kriff it. My AU, my rules.' Also... I've been tagged. Again. Ooooohhhhhkay. Here we go.
1. Single or taken? - Again, it's complicated. 2. Favorite Color? - Cerulean Blue 3. Pets? - Yes, a dog and a cat, and four animalistic little siblings. 4. Dominant hand? - Dysgraphia makes my hands terrible, but at least being Ambidextrous makes them equally bad. 5. Ships? Oooohhh boy. Fandoms first, then the list.
Star Wars: Rexsoka, Anidala, Kanera, Hanleia, clones x happiness, Steelux. Percy Jackson: Percabeth, Frazel, Caleo, Reynico, (No Jiper. Cannot stand that one) VLD: Allurance. Harry Potter: ...Dramione. Merlin: Gwenarthur, Freylin AoS: Mayson, Fitzsimmons, Ward x many very, very sharp knives. (Haven't finished the show yet, so no spoilers!!)
There are probably more that I cannot remember at the moment.
6. Introvert or Extrovert? - Ambivert. I enjoy my alone time, but I also have a surprisingly big friend group. 7. Face reveal?! -....
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(Posted with parental approval, if you have met before on the "outernet" please refrain from using my actual name unless you're contacting me in private.)
8. Best Friend? - Confidential 9. First letter of first name? - A. 10. Tag 15 people? - Mmmmm..... how about no.
