Cejanr (A Rexsoka SWTCW Fanfic)

44

"Report, Captain." Anakin said. Rex could feel the anticipation radiating off of him in waves so strongly that it was a wonder Mundi didn't notice. 

"After the crash, we successfully infiltrated the cybercenter." Rex had hardly begun before Mundi broke him off. 

"Just the six of you? I find that unlikely without a jedi, advanced unit or not." He scoffed. Rex had to count backwards from ten to keep from losing it. 

"With six highly trained and specialized troops, sir, we took the center." Rex repeated himself in a monotone. "While my men held the entrance, Tech and I accessed the main computer. Tech broke the encryptions swiftly, and we located the sequences that made up the algorithm." Anakin caught the flat tone of his voice and his eyebrows drew together. 

"And? Are the separatists using the algorithm the old Captain drew up?" Anakin prompted. Rex hesitated. 

"I have reason to believe that they are using something far worse. The algorithm was not present-"

"So you failed." Mundi cut in. Anakin openly glared at the high general. 

"Sir, we did not fail. The algorithm was not present, but the unique sequences lined up with that of a live signal transponder. The person on the other end was human, and gave the alphanumeric designation of ARC trooper Echo. It was a clone's voice, but you knew him personally, general Skywalker." Anakin nodded. 

"I did."

"Can you confirm or deny that this is him?" Rex took out a data chip that Tech had given him and plugged it into the console in front of him. There was a crackle, then familiar waves appeared. 

"ARC/CT 26-1409... ARC/CT 26-1409... ARC/CT 26-1409... ARC/CT 26-1409... ARC/CT 26-1409..." The recording ended. 

"Surely you don't expect your general to recognize differences between the voices of identical-"

"That's Echo's voice, alright." Anakin cut Mundi off again. "Could you trace the signal?" He asked. Rex nodded. 

"Tech traced it to Skako Minor." 

Anakin hummed to himself, lost in his own head. "Dismissed, Captain." He said thoughtfully. Rex saluted him and marched out of the command center. He checked the time, then ducked into what was quickly becoming his favorite supply closet. He locked the door and sat on a crate, setting the holoprojector on the ground and dialing the only number it would receive. 

The form of his wife appeared, and she immediately brightened at seeing him. 

"Rex!" She breathed. Rex smiled.

"Was on assignment." He ducked his head at the feeble excuse for the week he had gone without calling. "Lost Hawk. Almost lost Cody."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "Hawk? He couldn't... He..."  She blew out a shaky breath. Hawk had been one of the survivors of her first command all those years ago. "Will Cody be alright?"

"He should be. I reminded him that the armor is supposed to go on the outside, not in. He's in bacta now" Rex smiled thinly. "Mundi is still as cold and abrasive as ever." She chuckled a little at that one. "How are you? Everything going alright with work? Fives hasn't gotten himself killed yet?"

"I haven't heard from Asajj or Fives in a couple weeks. Last I heard they had picked up another member to add to their party then nothing."Ahsoka's eyes lost focus. 

"I'm sure he's alright, Cyare. The only thing even remotely lethal he'll be around is that harpy." 

"Hmm? Oh. I suppose." She said softly. Rex frowned. 

"What's going on?" 

"Nothing out of the ordinary, really. Got some new neighbors, think I'm one of the Twi brothel slaves."  She said quietly. Rex's blood pressure skyrocketed.

"What?!" He demanded. Ahsoka winced. 

"They haven't tried anything, really. I can handle catcalls, love. One of them tried to get handsy and now he only has use of one of his hands. The other keeps offering me increasing amounts of spice or money to spend a couple nights with him." She huffed, leaving the view of the camera for a few seconds and returning with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Rex's blood was still boiling, but Ahsoka gave him a stern look. 

"Rex, don't you dare get yourself reconditioned again for assault of a civilian." She chided him. Rex gave a wry laugh. 

"How can I if I'm stuck halfway across the kriffing galaxy?!" He spat, then instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's alright, Rexie." She soothed. 

Rex grimaced."I wish it were. Between the situation with Echo, the campaign, and those stupid nightmares it's a wonder-"

"Have your nightmares gotten worse?" Ahsoka looked at him worriedly as Rex flushed, looking at the ground and rubbing at the back of his neck as he realized that he said to much. He nodded after a second. "Oh, Rex. Slag, I wish was was there with you." She whispered gently. "It's not your fault, Rex. None of it was."

"If I had resisted CG, or listened to Fives on Umbara. Or gone back for Echo-"

"You would be dead." She blew out a long sigh, and he closed his eyes against the flood of memories. "Rex, you're a good captain. You handled it all the best you could. You can't keep beating yourself up over it."

"It's more than that, Ahsoka. I keep seeing you. I keep..." He swallowed past a lump in his throat. His voice was high and strangled. "I keep killing you. I keep watching myself squeeze the trigger. seeing you fall and knowing I did it." He whispered. 

"Rex, you would never hurt me. I know that even if you were forced to, you would fight with every fiber of your being against it."  She murmured. Rex took a few deep breaths, lacing and unlacing his fingers in his lap. 

"c-Cavalry." He said, his voice squeaking a little . "She's being promoted to ARC. She'll be back on Kamino for awhile." Rex said listlessly in a blatant attempt to change the subject. 

"I always knew she would make ARC. She's smart, and more than makes up for what she lacks compared to you." Ahsoka noted. 

"You can say that again. I watched her beat Whiteout in a wrestling tournament once by simply evading his punches and smacking pressure points." He cracked  grin, a grin that turned into a yawn. Ahsoka noticed. 

"Go to sleep, Rexie. If you have bad dreams, call me. It's my day off anyways."  She said solemnly. Rex looked at the floor and nodded. 

"I love you."

Her face lit up as her hand hovered over her comm.

"I love you too, Captain Rex Tano."