Here it is! As promised, a new, improved, and nicely polished rewrite of the first chapter. Well, not everything was changed and some is still left intact, but some stuff was added and others were changed around. I would suggest reading near the end, because that's where most of the changes were made, but the whole thing has been tweaked a bit here and there. Interactions have been kept, however, because I was quite fond of them. Just go through the whole thing again, will ya? It'll refresh your memory.
Now that that's over with, I have a lot planned for this and I'm excited to share it with you all. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated.
Outer Rim, 0900 Local Time.
The General had once told Rex of a Jedi who'd deserted the Order, and the consequences that befell him.
To this day, he hadn't the slightest idea what it meant- because it was a Jedi tale, and in Rex's experience, Jedi tales always had hidden meanings. He'd asked Ahsoka once, and she'd recognized it, but known no more than he did.
Rex huffed and blinked the sweat out of his eyes. The heat came in waves against his armor, warm grit had lodged itself into the crevices of his gauntlets, and he could have sworn his undersuit was melting into his skin. He soldiered on through the discomfort in stoic silence. Had to set an example to the shinies of the 501st somehow.
One hand moved to rub the tense muscles in the back of his neck, just underneath the lip of his helmet, and was preparing to catch up to the General when Kix jogged up beside him.
"You alright there, Captain?"
Rex rolled his shoulders. "Fine, Kix," he said. "But I, ah, could use a dip in the icebox when we get back."
"I wouldn't normally prescribe that," Kix said with a hint of humor, "but in this case? Go crazy, Captain."
Rex chuckled and patted his left shoulder with his right hand, a clone's nonverbal thank-you developed soon after Torrent Company's creation. He made sure to exaggerate the movement to add a sense of sarcasm that clearly wasn't lost on the medic. Kix responded in kind, but was quick to bring the captain's attention to the mission at hand.
"Did the General say what we would find?"
"It's a seppie lab." Rex frowned. "What would you expect?" he asked, his head turning toward the medic. "I was hoping for intel, myself. Something we can use."
"And if we find something dangerous?"
"I don't know, Kix. You're the medic- what do you think?"
Kix's helmet tilted in thought. "The Separatists are known for targeting dense population centers and important industrial sectors in the Republic." He breathed in audibly through his nose. "Biowarfare, chemical warfare… none of it would be beneath them."
Rex was inclined to believe that nothing was beneath the Separatists. Attacking harmless planets, coercing neutrals into unfavorable alliances. It seemed they'd made a habit of being belligerent simply to spite the Republic. It was a perfect contrast. The Republic standing with its valiant army between civilized society and the violent Separatist armadas…
Clones weren't supposed to fantasize, but it was a welcome distraction.
Rex's lips lifted in a faint smile beneath his helmet. "Then it's our job to stop 'em, Kix. If the General's plan works out, there won't be so much as a trace of ash to track back home."
Kix chuckled lowly. "Yeah…"
"Hey, Kix, don't worry. We've done this a million times."
"Yeah, yeah I know. Sorry for bothering you, Captain."
"Nah," Rex clapped a hand on Kix's shoulder. "Seppie labs are horrorshows, Kix- I've seen 'em before. Regardless, we've got to go in with clear heads. For our brothers, and for the 501st."
There was a long pause where Rex thought Kix had withdrawn, until he straightened his back and nodded. It wasn't a lazy nod, or a respectful one. It was one of assurance and determination, and it lit a faint spark of pride in Rex's chest.
"Thank you, Captain. I won't let you down."
The medic fell back into place among the rest of the unit, leaving Rex to stew in his own thoughts about the mission. My mission, he thought with a swell of pride. If the Separatists were cooking up something nasty in that lab, it was his job to eliminate it. For his brothers; his family.
Rex puffed out a hot breath and pushed onward. This was his family. Rex's family. He was proud to admit that that extended beyond just his brothers, and encapsulated both an energetic General and his equally exuberant apprentice. The two Jedi weren't far ahead and seemed to be conversing on their own. He pushed himself to catch up.
"Hey Rex!" Ahsoka greeted.
"Commander," Rex dipped his head. He turned to Anakin. "How much farther do you think, General?"
Anakin's brows furrowed thoughtfully. "We're coming up on it now, actually. Get the men ready, Ahsoka and I will run reconnaissance."
"Yes sir."
Rex turned back to the men and signaled them to follow the ridge of rock adjacent to the path the two Jedi took. It sloped steadily upward and came to a narrow, low cliff, which then descended into a steep slope all the way down into the ravine. He could see the General sneaking along the shadows on the other side.
Rex brought up his macrobinoculars. It was definitely an artificial structure, Separatist smooth. Like a flat orange pancake with evenly three spaced watchtowers along its circumference. From above, Rex figured he wouldn't have noticed it at all. He'd hand it to the Seppies; they were good at hiding. He turned the dial on his macrobinoculars and readjusted his footing.
"What do you see, Captain?" Beeped over his comm.
"Outer defenses are thin, General. Watchtowers, handful of battle droids by the doors." He lowered the binoculars. "Possibly a turret or two, but I don't think they've been in working order for some time. We shouldn't have too much trouble."
"Good to hear. Be down here in ten."
Rex secured the macrobinoculars to his belt and turned to the men. It was nearing dusk now, casting faint shadows across the rocks.
"We're repelling, men. Let's move!"
One by one, each trooper repelled down the rocky slope and into the ravine, where the General and Commander were waiting for them. They gathered in a semi-circle around the General, removing their helmets to wipe the sweat from their brows. Rex did th same. Heat wasn't the problem so much as the sweat it left behind.
"Listen up, men." The General took a knee and pulled up a hologram of the facility, rotating it. "Intel says the facility is mostly above ground, so we're relying on the cliff to provide cover. There are two entrances, one of which is entirely unguarded. That," he zoomed the hologram in to focus on a smaller entrance that didn't look like much of an entrance at all- "is because it's a window."
"Breaking in the old fashioned way," came the enthusiastic voice of Hardcase. "It's not my birthday, General."
"You don't even know your birthdate, Hardcase," quipped Jesse, who nudged his brother roughly in the shoulder with his elbow.
"Yeah? Well, I chose one."
"Without telling us? How do you expect us to know when to celebrate without telling us?"
"Hey!" Rex barked. The trooper's eye snapped back to the hologram. "Pay attention!"
The General quirked a brow in amusement. "As I was saying. Ahsoka, I'm going to need a diversion. Take Rex, Fives, and the new kids to the west entrance, show them how it's done. Jesse, Kix, and the rest will come with me. We'll secure the main entry points on the inside, open the door, and meet you there."
It was a simple plan, predictably relying heavily on Skywalker's involvement. But rarely did his plans fail.
Ahsoka was at Rex's side in the blink of an eye. She was practically vibrating with nervous energy and anticipation. He leaned in to whisper.
"Excited, Commander?"
Ahsoka grinned up at him, blue eyes twinkling with something he didn't recognize, but filled him with affection. A sliver of pride as well, because she'd learned as much from him as she had from the General.
"That's an understatement," she said wryly.
The General shut the hologram down. "Once inside, we'll push on to the labs. Don't be stingy with your charges- everything goes." Anakin took a breath, looking immensely pleased with himself. "Any questions?"
"One," Fives spoke, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "When my clanker count comes through, what do I win?"
"Aw shut it, Fives," Jesse said, his eyes full of mirth. "I could score more seppies in my sleep than you could out here."
"You wanna bet?"
"You're on-"
Rex cleared his throat loudly before the playful banter got out of control. "Control yourselves! We've got a job to do!" The two troopers dipped their heads apologetically, and Hardcase snickered. Rex scowled at the offending trooper in warning.
The General got back on his feet. "Evac is on standby. Once we're out, you're to make a run for the plateau a half-click east. If you get separated, head over that way and wait."
"Understood, sir. We'll see you on the other side." Rex slid his bucket back on and stepped back to await Ahsoka's orders.
"Good luck, Master," Ahsoka said.
"Don't you remember? Jedi don't believe in luck," Anakin cheerfully reminded them as he took off at a solid run toward the facility. His unit followed close behind, and soon, they disappeared from view.
Out of the corner of his visor, Rex saw Ahsoka roll her eyes. Rex let out a long-suffering sigh. "Orders, Commander?"
There was the slightest twitch of Ahsoka's fingers, dancing about the hilt of her lightsaber. "The largest gap in their defenses is between the towers. If we can get to the nearest tower, we should be able to use our new vantage point to flank the droids defending the doors."
"We'll have to go in quietly, then." He turned to Fives and appraised the shinies discreetly. "Fives and I can handle the tower while you and… What're your names, troopers?"
Both trooper stood at attention and held their fists tightly against their sides at perfect attention. "Lance, sir," the trooper on the right stated. "Uh, that's Throttle. Sir." The second trooper nodded minutely, but remained silent. Neither eased up.
Rex hands clasped behind his back. "Lance and Throttle can help you at the doors. They could use some practice alongside a jedi," he added.
"Right," she smiled, a little awkwardly. They'd break down soon enough. "We'll move along the cliff face and stick to the shadows as best we can."
Rex gripped Ahsoka's shoulder gently, chin dipping downward subtly in a smile that he knew Ahsoka would understand. She was the only one besides the General who knew most of their nonverbal indicators and methods of communication. It made things easier, more comfortable, and he was appreciative of her taking the time to learn. Her eyes sparkled with comprehension.
The Captain released her shoulder and together, they moved along the ridge as one cohesive unit, toward the nearest watchtower. Rex and Fives split from the main group when the cliff face cut off sharply and they watched as Ahsoka and the shinies approached the battle droids stationed at the doors.
"They'll learn," Fives drawled, referencing the shinies. "And if not from the Commander, then Jesse and Hardcase will straighten 'em out."
"I sure hope you're not considering anything," Rex grumbled.
"Nah. Well, actually... a bit of harmless hazing never hurt anyone-"
"No, Fives." It was all in jest, Rex knew, but just to be certain... "Commander's nearing the doors. Let's go."
"Right behind you, Captain."
Using the defunct turret as a support, Rex and Fives climbed the watchtower's supports and each put a clean shot into the heads of the droids manning it. Down below a scuffle had broken out, where Ahsoka, Lance, and Throttle were making short work of the rest of the clankers. Rex propelled himself off the tower and into the sand below, blowing the head off an unsuspecting droid. Fives jumped down behind him.
"Now we wait," Ahsoka said, and began to pace. She was rubbing her arms to keep warm, the temperature having dropped dramatically since they first arrived. Her clothes weren't exactly insulating, either.
Rex took a comfortable seat on a rock by the door and watched her with veiled amusement.
One of the shinies lingered near the Commander, looking conflicted. He eventually worked up his courage and approached the young Jedi. "Permission to speak freely, Commander?" Lance inquired politely, standing to attention in that shiny way of his.
Ahsoka stopped pacing. "Go ahead."
"Well, I'm a trained technician, and I could get that door open. I... I'm just wondering why I can't just open the door from the outside, right now, and why we have to wait for the General to open it for us."
Ahsoka looked perplexed, before she came to realize what the shiny was talking about. "Oh! I think my Master mentioned something about... alarms. No one can enter from outside without someone on the inside to issue the all clear. That's what he told me."
"Oh. Thank you, sir. That was all." Lance nodded, satisfied, and returned to his fellow shiny's side. Fives was currently showing them the proper way to aim down a blaster's sights, and smacking them hard on the back when they got it right.
Ahsoka hummed quietly and stopped her pacing to stand in front of Rex. There was a faint twitch in corners of her mouth, but she didn't smile. "Master's taking a long time."
Rex rested his chin in his hand and sounded more exhausted than he actually was when he spoke. "I wouldn't worry about the General, Commander. He probably got caught up in his own fun."
"I know." She bit her lip, eyes downcast.
"You're worried."
"A bit."
"Don't be." Rex reached out with one hand to take hers in a sign of friendship. "Trust the General to follow through. He usually does."
"Easy for you to say, Rex. He's not your Master."
"But he is my General." Rex stood and let her hand go. "I owe him my life. It's my duty to concern myself with his safety. But I also know when not to worry."
Ahsoka's brow markings furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I know General Skywalker. I've worked with him since the start of the war. The General has had some... questionable plans in the past, but he always makes them work. He always comes back." Rex stepped forward and took her shoulders gently. "If the plan makes sense, he'll be fine. If not, he'll come back scuffed, but still alive."
"Scuffed?"
"Yeah," Rex chuckled. "Scuffed. Burns, lacerations, bite marks- the works."
"Bite marks?" Ahsoka gasped. "Well, actually..." She was trying to hide a smile, Rex could tell, but failed spectacularly. "I can see Skyguy getting bitten by any number of critters."
"Yup. There was this one time-"
They both jumped when something heavy and metallic made impact with the doors from the other side, followed by more crashing and a very unsubtle whoop. There was clearly a bit of a scuffle, the hum of a lightsaber blade, and a long minute of continuous blaster fire. Definitely the General and his unit. Rex took a step to the side and unholstered his DC-17s, casting a quick glance in Ahsoka's direction.
Ahsoka rolled her eyes at his non-verbal I told you so.
"Get ready, shinies," Fives cackled, bringing up the rear right behind Rex while Lance and Throttle readied their blasters at Ahsoka's side.
A mechanism inside the walls whirred, and the double durasteel doors swished open to reveal absolute chaos.
Droid parts, collapsing inner walls, a few blaster scorches and lightsaber marks along every conceivable surface was the first thing to greet them. Rex heard one of the shinies whistle behind him. More droids were filing in from the hallway to the left. They didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon, and Rex wondered where the facility was keeping them all. This was cannon fodder, after all- why throw so many droids at them knowing full well that even a single Jedi could handle them all easily?
He couldn't waste his time thinking. "Let's move!" Rex bellowed, and he charged forward to join Hardcase, blasters hot and firing.
Hardcase had wisely taken shelter behind a fallen wall panel, while Jesse and Kix had crammed themselves behind one of the thin supports. The General seemed perfectly at ease, deflecting shots here and there, but once the door opened, he was back into the fight with Ahsoka by his side.
Two by two, Rex took his shots, determined to keep as many of the battle droids off his General and Commander's backs as he could. Beside him, Hardcase's insults were devolving into incoherent shouts and a few short bouts of laughter in between. Jesse and Kix seemed fine, and Lance and Throttle were holding their own surprisingly well for a pair of new troopers.
The durasteel paneling he hid was warping in the onslaught of blaster fire. Rex adjusted his position so that he was on his knees and peeked his head over the top, reaching both arms up and over to fire another barrage of shots into the writhing mass of droids and droid parts-
- something hot and heavy suddenly slammed hard into his chest, sending him reeling. He lost his grip on his blasters as the sensation flared into hot pain just below his collar bone, gasping in shock. Hardcase had stopped firing to call for Kix, his voice somewhere between frantic and agitated. All Rex could focus on was the boiling heat beneath his armor, and he scrabbled at the blaster hole as if doing so would lessen the pain.
"Captain's down!"
Kix was on his knees by Rex in a moment, prodding the seared edges of his armor with nimble fingers. Medic's fingers. Rex felt something cool against his charred skin, seeping in through the hole. Kix was applying bacta, without removing his armor, so it must not have been a terribly bad wound. He groaned and muttered a select few curses in discomfort.
"Sit tight, Captain. It's not deep, but we're not exactly in a good position to be removing your armor right now," Kix said, easing the irritated Captain into a sitting position behind the damaged durasteel panel.
"I'm fine. Thanks, Kix." His shoulder ached something horrible, much too close to the shot he'd taken when they first met up with Cut and his family. He rose to his feet and sent Kix back to support Jesse. His right arm had weakened from the shot, but he could still hold a blaster.
Ahead, the two jedi were starting to push forward, into the hallway. Rex pushed himself to his feet unsteadily, hands loose around his blasters, feet a little too wide apart. He bound after the jedi, ignoring the light sting in his shoulder, his brothers right behind him. It was a narrow hallway lined with leering security cams, and at the end was a main room connecting various hallways. Ahsoka and the General double-teamed to take them out, slicing each camera neatly in half with their 'sabers to cut off the feed to any potential spy.
Rex stood by and watched as his General barged through to the main room like a flying torpedo of force-propelled rage, Ahsoka hot on his heels... only to halt suddenly and peer around the room in utter bewilderment.
"Empty." Ahsoka peered around the room, looking every bit as confused as her master.
"The technicians? The scientists?" Rex stepped through the doorway to get a look for himself. Indeed, it was very empty of people. He hissed when he twisted too far and pulled on the wound.
"Maybe they ran off? Typical." Fives snorted derisively. "Don't expect a Separatist to put up a fight without their clankers around to hold their hands."
Jesse hovered over the carcass of a droid and nudged it with his foot. "Maybe they're hiding?"
"Ran off, more like. No transports from what I've seen," said Kix.
Jesse grumbled, "That's what I meant."
"None of that matters, now. Sweep the facility thoroughly," Anakin ordered. "Don't be stingy with charges, either- we're blowing this place sky-high."
A chorus of 'yes sirs' echoed in the empty chamber and the troopers split up, heading down each corridor in pairs. Rex and Ahsoka headed straight for what they assumed were living quarters, given the more aesthetically pleasing architecture and decoration. Double doors opened into a massive domed chamber filled with luxury items; comfortable single beds, two large kitchens on either side, and a small recreational center in the middle of it all.
It seemed out of place for a Separatist facility. He'd expected something darker, more... mechanical, to reflect the droids they used. Colder, perhaps. But this seemed like a very average fledgling colony, not an enemy lab. Rex's brow creased as he and Ahsoka drank it in, both equally surprised by the lived-in appearance of the place.
But where had everyone gone?
"I'll check those lockers, you check the terminals." Ahsoka headed toward the lockers situated against the far wall, between the bunks.
The terminals lacked any military-tier protection and were easy to break into. Personal logs, entertainment vids, and downloadable holonovels were all he found, alongside a disembodied diary entry complaining about bad caf. Rex sorted through each diligently just in case, but found little else.
Rex huffed in disappointment. "Find anything, Commander?" He looked over his shoulder at the padawan, who was busy sifting through lockers full of miscellany.
"Trinkets and clothes. Other than that, nothing." She stopped to admire a particularly shiny toy droid, then dropped it back into the locker. "Though it does seem like they left in a hurry. Have you noticed? Everything's where they left it. No one's been here in at least a day." She held out her arms, indicating the living quarters in their entirety.
Rex considered this for a moment. "Where would they go? We haven't any signs of ships leaving or entering orbit in the bast week."
Ahsoka shrugged. "Maybe they died?" Rex stared hard at her and folded his arms across his chest. She snickered as if she could see his pinched expression behind the helmet. "Kidding, Rexster. I'm not that morbid."
With one last sweep around the room, they turned to leave and meet up with the others, but halted when Rex's comm beeped. Kix's voice came through, sounding urgent and unsettled.
"Captain I have a bit of a problem down in medical. You'll want to see this, sir."
He made uneasy eye contact with Ahsoka through his visor. Kix sounded distressed, and that made Rex wonder what could unsettle the medic so thoroughly. They headed back down the hall toward the medical bay.
Kix was standing at the entrance when they arrived, shifting on his heels with his helmet clipped to his belt. He clutched his scanner to his chest and looked down at it periodically. "Captain, Commander. Good. You'll want to see this- follow me." He guided them to a trio of cells, and alarm bells were set off in Rex's head. Cells in a medbay? Even for Separatists, that seemed unusual. They were open and unshielded, so Rex could only assumed two things; either the inhabitants were dead, or they were empty. Kix would never show them an empty cell.
He and Ahsoka peered inside. Two clones, dead and unarmored, were splayed out on the floor of two of the cells. Their skin was unnaturally pale and covered in ugly black rot like a deadly rash, spreading along their necks and jaws and across their forearms. In some places, open lacerations were still oozing dark red blood. Their bones looked uneven and out of place as if their joints had been twisted past their breaking point, and one of them looked like he'd been violently sick at some point during his captivity.
A chill went down Rex's spine at the sight, and behind him, Ahsoka gagged. He slipped his helmet off to better see the extent of the wounds, his nose wrinkling at the stench.
Kix held out his scanner to show Rex the results. "They've been here a day at least, based on... how far along they are. I did a thorough scan of the bodies and each showed large-scale rapid decay, the likes of which I've never seen before." Kix's voice wavered and he continued. "I don't know what's worse; that they wasted away while they were still alive to feel it, or that they were all alone while it was happening."
"What could've done this?" Rex asked absently, his head lowered in respectful mourning. One did not have to know a brother personally to mourn him. And, since there were none of their fellow soldiers around to mourn them, Rex would do it for them.
"I don't know, sir," Kix shook his head fervently. "I scanned their IDs- 41st, veterans. Their bodies also show signs of various injection sites at every major joint and organ. I… Sir, I'd go so far as to say they played a pretty big part in whatever went on down here. What exactly, I'm still not certain, but… I'd like to request a quarantine crew to collect the bodies." Kix's face had gone hard and impassive. "So we can determine what was done," he amended when Rex visibly stiffened.
"I understand," Rex said eventually. The captain activated his comm to the General. "We have a... situation down in medical, General. Two dead- Kix thinks they were used in trials of some sort."
"Trials?"
"Yes, sir, but I'll let Kix explain. Requesting permission to call in a quarantine crew for transportation."
"Go ahead."
The comm clicked off. Rex looked back up at Kix. "Call it in, Kix."
Rex slipped his helmet back on and exited the lab, Ahsoka not one step behind him.
The LAAT/i pulled into the hangar of the Resolute. Rex was off first and made a beeline for his personal quarters, intent on getting to his private quarters as soon as possible. Being a Captain had its merits, a personal cabin being one of them. Sometimes he still sneaked into the barracks and snagged an empty bunk for himself, just to be in the company of his brothers.
But as of now, all he wanted was a bit of solace. Some time to unwind before he got to work writing his mission report and some peace before his brothers dragged him off for a spar or two.
"Rex?" The soft voice of Ahsoka drifted over his comm. Well, there went his solace.
"Need something, Commander?"
"Your help." He heard her laugh. "Think you'll be up for a trip to the mess in an hour? Jesse's teaching me sabacc."
"Is he now?" Rex quirked a brow and hummed in amusement. If Ahsoka wanted his company, then who was he to deny her? Besides, Jesse was a notorious cheater among with the shinies. No good Captain would let the same fate befall his Commander. "Alright, Commander. I'll see you there."
"Thanks, Rexster."
Rex relaxed back into his chair. "No problem, kid."
