Ep.1

Author Note:

I made a rough outline of where I want to go with this. It`s more of an intro than a full chapter. Constructive Criticism is always welcome. Dunno what else to say really… Enjoy! I guess.

(Sometime before the events of the citadel)

Anakin POV

„Maaaaaster!"

Ahsoka poked her head through the now open doors on the Twilight, her body slumping against the wall and her face making an expression between desperation and sleepy beyond belief. The blue tones of hyperspace shadowing and lighting her face, seemingly swimming across.

"What is it Ahsoka? This is the third time you come slouching into the cockpit looking like a Shaak, please tell me there is a reason beyond being bored of the task I gave you?"

Her face shifted to pouting.

"I`m not bored! I simply lack entertainment!"

"Pulling an Obi-Wan won`t help you this time. Go back to meditating and work on improving your mental shields. And NO! They are not sufficient! You`re simply lucky nobody was dedicated to breaking them yet!"

The pout changed into a scowl.

"But I can`t concentrate right now! And there`s really nothing else to really do right now. Artoo is recharging, Rex is being the soooo essential co-pilot…"

"Oh, I doubt General Skywalker would even hold out 1 standard hour without me here.", he noted from the co-pilot seat.

"Yeah right. But there`s nothing on the ship to mess around with.", she finished.

Anakin turned around in his seat to face Ahsoka, who still slumped in the door. In the back of his mind the mechanic in him reprimanded her for blocking the entrance, scattered thoughts about emergency scenarios and structural integrity went past, but he shoved them aside. This clearly wasn't the moment to bring it up. Instead he focused on not distorting his face into an annoyed scowl. Keeping an image of Obi-Wan in his head while talking.

"Sorry we didn't bring heavy ordinance onto a stealth mission, Snips. And besides you wouldn`t need distractions if you were just doing what you were supposed to and meditate. One day you`ll thank me for teaching you appropriate shielding so that I don`t sense your boredom across the entire ship."

"Like you`re one to talk!", she snapped back, clearly angry now. "The master of sitting still and doing what he`s told! You always act out the dying swan whenever we`re supposed to meditate with Master Obi-Wan!"

"AHSOKA!", he was standing before he knew it, but made himself take a deep breath as he saw his Padawan snap into a more defensive position, eyes widening, pushing the surfacing anger down, still maintaining that mental image of his master, he continued: "I will not discuss what orders I have given you! Look, I can sense how much is going on in your head right now, if you cannot work through those emotions right now, then take a rest. We have about seven hours of travel remaining and we will need you at full when we do this."

Ahsoka`s face and posture relaxed, though still at attention, even as Anakin sat down again. She was about to say something, when Rex finally looked up from the Pad he had on the console and turned around with his chair. Grinning at their conversation he said:

"Look kid, knowing how well our stealth missions usually go, you will need it. We`ll wake you when we land. One way… or the other."

Anakin rolled his eyes and she snickered.

"Fine, but Skyguy, you owe me one training session on my reverse grip, back on the Resolute."

"Sure, but wha…" –

"With you practicing in it as well."

"What!?" Anakins head snapped back in surprise. "That not going to be part of the deal. No way I`m going to do that! Especially not in front of Obi-Wan and Yularen!"

Rex coughed without looking up.

"…and the 501st."

He scowled inwardly, remembering that more likely than the former two, every trooper would see them when doing Katas and Duelling. He would have preferred the temple`s Dojo, but sadly it wasn't on the menu.

"Please…?" With a face that could melt the poles Hoth she pleaded to him. He wondered if this had been her plan all along. "I promise I`ll train with standard grip the next time, but I need someone else to go through some of the more advanced forms and my adjustments to them. I can`t really do that on my own.", she added.

He raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in attitude. Her presence in the force felt sincere, open, though still in turmoil. It wasn't like her to lower her shields that much, even though he could usually know what she was feeling even when not lowered, due to said incomplete shields. She`d missed to specify what standard galactic dates and for how long they`d, so he should have an edge on her proposal.

Grinning he said: "Deal. But no practicing Soresu blaster combat!"

Last time he agreed to something like this, it REALLY didn't turn out the way he wanted, so it didn't hurt being careful.

Whooping and laughing Ahsoka retreated from the cockpit and her force presence moved towards her bunk. The turmoil of emotions he just witnessed retreated from his mind, so did the anxiety in the back of his mind about the now closed door.

(A few minutes after Ahsoka left)

"Sir?"

"What is it Rex?"

"Do you want to go over our mission again?"

He was still thinking about Ahsoka`s erratic behaviour. Had something happened while he was gone during their time on Coruscant? He couldn't remember anything and was racking his head about it. Gesturing thanks to Rex and who knowingly smiled. Even though right now they were alone in the room, it had become a habit.

Their mission was a peculiar one. One of the planets aligned with the CIS had requested the Jedi directly to help in negotiating the liberation of their planet and their re-joining into the Republic with the Senate. They were supposed to return with a finished proposal which could be presented to the Chancellor and a secret hyperspace lane which granted access to their planet from Republic space. It was a plan proposed in the transmission they send, to quickly sweep away the separatist forces before they catch wind of anything.

Their Head of Parliament pleaded, saying that they were forced into joining, by a direct vote from the population. The planet held considerable industrial value in many economic sectors and apparently the public therefore swayed towards profits before loyalty, as propaganda from the Separatists convinced them against their better judgement. But now the Separatists now intended to repurpose their mineral wealth and industrial capacity towards war. The general opinion in the government and public was against this, as it would lead to catastrophic damage in the long run, but were silenced by increased Droid presence on the planet. Dooku instituted a shadow government to prevent any further complications and that ended it. Unsurprisingly, the entire planet wasn`t too pleased and despite the small population started organizing resistance.

Their story made sense so far, the problem lay with the secrecy of their current situation, the transmission could`ve been tracked or maybe someone had started talking. Normally that wouldn`t be a major concern if the order responded quickly enough, but seeing as the transmission had been send a month prior already, it wasn't far off. The pair of Jedi that was supposed to take this assigned were still suspended in bacta, one being presumably brain dead.

He clenched his hand as the image passed his mind. They were losing too many, too fast. Making them Generals wasn't their smartest idea and even so, they still lacked capable officers.

As he went through backup routes and a strategic map, approximating the Droid forces, his Padawan came to mind. She would need to make her way through all this in her current state, once more putting her life where numerous others already lost theirs, maybe she could stay on board this time… No, she`d never agree to it.

"General?"

His surprise visible, when shaken out of his thoughts. Anakin looked up to meet Rex`s eyes.

"Are you still thinking about the Commander?"

He grimaced. "Truth to be told. I don't know what to make of it. Nothing of note happened during our stay on Coruscant. What could`ve shaken her so badly?"

"Well on what other occasions did she behave abnormally?", gesturing towards the calendar on his pad.

"Usually just after intense battles, besides that when…"

"Whoah, whoah. I mean besides PTSD symptoms and stress."

Anakin´s face changed to thoughtful, but then simply confused.

Rex rolled his eyes, annoyed and amused at something, but Anakin couldn't figure out why, his Force signature also didn`t provide any useful hints. But he noted that Ahsoka was soundly sleeping now, which eased him a bit.

"Okay, so this is a linear timeline of this standard year. I`ve even marked the days for you." He handed it to Anakin. "There you go, Sir. That should hopefully answer your question."

Rex POV

His faced changed in a more than comical manner multiple times per second as the pieces in his mind fell together. Rex couldn't quite hold a chuckle at the display of his speechless General.

"No. NO! Rex! What… Why…? How do you even know of this?", he finally managed to get out, his posture now slightly slumped, pulling his normal hand through his hair, but it only added to the effect.

Laughing beneath his breath, in a poor attempt of masking it. Rex gestured to the General to give him a moment to recover, taking a deep breath before answering.

"First off, yes. It`s exactly what you think. Though it surprises me that it didn't cross your mind before. Secondly. The short answer is, Fives told me and Echo, after one of his 'Adventures' on leave. And lastly it`s part of the survival training for shinies in the 501st."

He clearly remembered dragging one just two months prior to Kix. He could still hear Kix`s voice say: 'At least he`s not a shiny anymore'.

Just remembering that line made him snort, before also calling to mind that his General was still freaking out about the facts at hand.

"I think you`ll want some time to yourself, General. I`ll try to get some shut-eye before we arrive as well."

After seeing him nod in his general direction, his eyes still staring somewhere else, he strode through the door still grinning.

Taking a small detour to the hangar, Rex unplugged R2 and turned him back on.

(Happy beeping)

"Hey there, little guy. I think the General needs you in the cockpit. Maybe also something he can tinker on."

(Questioning beeps)

"He`ll answer that for you if he wants. Just get him something to repair or similar, anything to get mind of things."

(More beeps)

As the droid start to sort through a crate of parts, Rex continues on his way.

Entering the quarters, he saw Ahsoka sleeping in her bunk below his. Taking his Armor off he moved towards his own, as she stirred in her sleep.

"Did we arrive already?", came the sleepy voice from the waking Togruta.

"No, kid. You still have time. But I told you, the General didn`t make the one-hour mark without me."

Raising one marking on her face, she gave him a questioning look, but then simply moved back to sleep, not waiting on an answer.

Climbing the last few rungs to his bunk, Rex moved into the most comfortable position he could find. Complaining to himself how one can call this slab of duracrete a bunk, before drifting off.