The Youngling
The emerald buildings of Christophsis loomed out before Captain Rex as he took in the battlefield from on high. The city could have been, had been beautiful once he supposed but it was now just another place littered with bodies, clankers and brothers alike with the burns of blaster bolts scattering throughout its streets. He saw the scout on the building across from him give the all clear signal at the same time he heard the irritated voice of his General coming from behind him.
The General was almost always irritated so it wasn't a big deal what was new was the young and clearly female voice that came floating towards him also. Rex turned around to face Anakin.
"What's the status, Rex?" Anakin asked Rex impatiently
"Quiet for now sir, they're gearing up for another assault." Rex looked behind Skywalker, his gaze falling on the alien girl with a grin on her face that spelled the word trouble in several different languages. "Who's the youngling?"
The girl jumped out from behind Anakin and introduced her self "I'm master Skywalker's padawan. The names Ahsoka Tano."
Rex looked from the girl to his irritated General and back to the girl. "Sir, I thought you said you'd never have a padawan." Anakin sighed in response to Rex's question and everything went downhill after that.
Rex was many things. A soldier, (a damned good one too), a clone, the Captain of the 501st battalion, and personal friends with his General. It was that friendship he was cursing in his mind at the moment. For out of all things Rex was he most definitely wasn't a babysitter. He had no clue what to do with the youngling that Skywalker through at him after stalking away in anger. The girl, Ahsoka, Rex had barely known her less than a minute and she had spun his world into chaos.
"...padawan." She hissed under breath as they walked away from the lookout tower. She had spunk, Rex would grant her that. Seriously what the ever living fekking hell was he supposed to do with a child?
"So you might be assigned to General Skywalker as his new padawan?" Rex asked reluctantly. He would rather deal with an awkward conversation than awkward silence.
"Not might. I was assigned to him." She stated firmly before whimpering slightly. Rex panicked. The only thing worse than taking care of a youngling was taking care of a crying youngling. She looked up at him with watery eyes "Do you think he'll send me back? I don't want to go back to the temple. I was so happy when Master Yoda told me I was going to be Master Skywalker's padawan."
Rex mentally smacked himself. He should have asked her about something else, or just stayed silent. "The General is just stressed about the battle. I'm sure he doesn't mean what he said." Rex tried to be reassuring. Was he reassuring? The youngling...padawan, girl his mind settled on looked up at him and smiled brightly at his answer. She looked...hopeful.
"Really! You think he'll want me?"
"I'm just a soldier I don't know how things work for you Jedi, I only follow orders," Rex answered carefully not wanting to give her false hope. The girl quieted down at that statement, her white eye markings pushed together in a frown.
What was she? Rex took the time to study her, she certainly wasn't twi'lek. Her blue and white lekku reminded him of Master Shaak Ti from Kamino. That's what she was. She was Torgrutan, her montrals just hadn't started growing that much yet. The rest of the walk down to the front lines was filled with myriads of questions from the young Torgrutan. Her eyes getting bigger and bigger with curiosity as Rex tried to answer them all. Rex didn't know if he should be annoyed or amused at some of the questions she asked.
"You've really never been on a battlefield before have you lil'un," Rex stated after she asked some wild and outlandish question about always having the high ground. He started to chuckle as he watched her bright orange skin darken in what he figured was a blush.
"Ever since the war started younglings have not been permitted to leave the temple for safety reasons. This is my second time off the planet since making my lightsaber." Ahsoka admitted sadly before glaring at Rex taking him by surprise. "I'm not a youngling anymore."
Rex held up his hands in surrender "Calm down, I called you lil'un because of how tiny you are not because of your age."
"I'm not that tiny!" She screeched making Rex laugh. The General was right when he called her snips. Rex was about to reply but her demeanor changed as they started walking along the front lines. "Have you thought about moving that line back Captain? The men would get more cover that way."
Rex sighed but this time in irritation. "Thanks for the suggestion but General Skywalker thinks they're fine where they are." Even though she had the same thought he did about the line he wasn't going to tell her that. Respecting the chain of command was the first rule in being a good soldier. He watched as the gears turned in her head as she processed his statement. She was greener than brothers just coming out their vats, not knowing some of the more basic things when it came to be a soldier.
"So...if your a Captain and I'm a Jedi than technically I outrank you right?"
"In my book experience outranks everything," Rex answered sternly. To many vod had died under the command of inexperienced officers. Her enthusiastic answer of needing to get experience concerned Rex slightly. He was about to retort but then she pointed out the ray shield and the conversation was all but forgotten as they rushed towards the holo table where General Kenobi was with Skywalker.
Rex watched with concern as The General and Ahsoka walked away from group arguing. Their bantering was amusing yet at the same time, he was worried. About his men and the mission.
"They make quite a pair don't they sir." Rex watched as Obi-Wan looked at the two in amusement. "Do you think they have a chance?"
Obi-Wan turned to face him. "They better," he said gravely "If they can't turn off that shield generator before it reaches the heavy cannons there will be no escape for any of us." Obi-Wan turned back to the holo table studying it once more. Rex walked away and started to put the men in position. Then it was just a game of patience. That's all war was in the end. Hurry up and wait with bursts of action in the middle. He checked his blasters making sure they had enough charge and bolts in them. The waiting was always the hardest part. Adrenaline spiked through his body and made him restless, but he had learned how to deal with it and was able to bundle up the excess energy saving it for later. He was going to need it against the ever-growing swarm of clankers.
As everyone waited for the battle to begin the men started talking.
"Who was the girl with the General?"
"I heard she was his new padawan learner."
"Ha! Get real the General would never take on a padawan learner."
"I was there when she introduced herself. It's true, apparently, Master Yoda assigned her to Skywalker."
"No, it gets even better vod. I was up on the lookout post, she was able to backtalk the General and get away with it. She even called him Skyguy."
"Oh, I bet he didn't like that."
"He didn't. Instead of taking her lip he passed her on to Rex here so she 'could learn respect'."
Rex rolled his eyes. Of course, the youngling would cause the men to start gossiping at a time like this and throw him into the conversation too. "Men, focus, you can gossip about the youngling later." Rex barked through the comms and was answered with a chorus of 'yes sirs'. The men soon quieted down and there was silence once again as they all waited for the battle to start.
As the clankers came closer Rex gripped his blasters tighter, his muscles clenched and he forced himself to relax. Soon enough Obi-Wan gave the signal and the battle started.
It was close but Skywalker was able to save the day once again. "Great job General Skywalker," Rex said as the two Jedi climbed on board. He looked at the tired Torgrutan standing by the General "You to kid." She smiled brightly at Rex before turning to look at the General.
Rex watched the mischievous grins between Skywalker and Ahsoka and felt a pounding headache come over him. His mind groaned in agony as it was filled with all the possibilities of the mischief the two could get into.
Rex found himself organizing troops when Ahsoka ran up to him with a giant grin on her face.
"Skyguy officially made me his padawan!" She shrieked with excitement. Rex's headache flared into a migraine.
"Calm down snips." Anakin gently chastised, walking up behind the overly excited youngling...wait, not a youngling. Padawan; and Rex realized suddenly. His new Commanding officer. Force help him and the battalion.
