Captain Rex was a clone's clone, a fearless fighter, and a highly decorated soldier. He wore his faded blue-striped armor proudly, as nothing, he felt, was a better job than serving in the 501st. His pauldron and kama demanded respect from all of his brothers, even those of higher rank. The Jaig eyes that donned his helmet showed even the toughest assassins that he was not to be taken lightly. There was one decoration, however, that set Rex completely apart from all other clones. A decoration no one but he knew about.
On the inside of his armor, just above the heart, was a crudely scribbled tribal marking, orange in color. From a casual glance, it looked like a sport of dirt or a hint or rust. Upon closer inspection, however, the scribble bore a striking resemblance to a certain Togruta Padawan's facial markings.
Rex had always admired the young Jedi. She was smart, talented, and sassy like her master, but unlike Anakin, was driven with a gentle compassion that shined through all of her fighting. The people always came before the mission for her. Do not risk one thousand lives to save one, her superiors would tell her. Ahsoka would try to save one thousand and one. Rex had a deep-rooted respect for the Padawan, but soon enough, this respect and admiration turned into something much deeper.
Perhaps it was from the many times she had saved his life, whether from a lightsaber attack from Grievous, a battle droid he had failed to hit with his blaster, or a surprise ambush from Ventress. Maybe it was from the time he was certain to die, without a blaster, pinned to the ground by a spider droid, only to return to see her relieved face that he was alright. It could have even been the time he thought she was going to die, as she laid helpless in his arms, succumbing to the blue shadow virus. Whatever the reason, Rex soon realized that he was not only fighting this war for the Republic. He was fighting it for her.
Rex knew that even if she was not on the same battlefield, Ahsoka was still close to his heart.