AN: Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting! :D

The previous chapter was sort of a prologue to a story which will include action, romance and - hopefully - a bit of humor.
It starts a few months after Order 66 and will include flashbacks, characters from the Legends and lots and lots of AU stuff.

I'm trying to double-check my spelling, grammar and every fact in the SW universe, but if you notice something's amiss - please let me know.

I have the main plot outlined and I will try to post as often as I can, but I run my own business, so sometimes I can't find the time to get a decent night's sleep, and sometimes I'm moping around the house in my PJ's for a week...

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 1

When they'd met on Generis all those months ago he was a complete wreck - not only physically, but also mentally. He did not know was it Force at work or pure luck that brought them together, but he was sure that if she hadn't found him there in the grimiest part of planet's spaceport he'd be a dead man right now.

Before all Cornellian hells broke lose, he was almost getting used to the nightmares, even those concerning Umbara, but no amount of training or experience had ever prepared him for the total carnage his unit - his own Legion - inflicted on the Jedi Temple. He couldn't compare the nightmares after that to anything he'd dreamed about previously…
He shook his head. Now was not the time to wallow in self-pity.

Someday, he'd have to tell Ahsoka about that event and try to describe the unspeakable, but definitely not now. All she knew was that he had his chip removed and ran away from Coruscant in a stolen civvie shuttle they had since then retrofitted and renamed Spark, which was currently going through the docking procedures onboard Senator Organa's Tantive IV.
He glanced at the young Togruta in the pilot's seat. He knew she was eager to meet the Alderaanian. She kept in touch with all the Senators who were in the anti-war group in hopes of forming some kind of resistance against the new regime. Rex smirked in spite of the nervous knot in his stomach. Yep, he was definitely ready to stop moping around in the Outer Rim and start seeing some action.

Ashoka gave him a small smile.

„Here goes nothing, Rex." she sighed and pushed herself up from the pilot's seat. „Let's hope that Senator Organa needs our services…"

„He'd be a shabla fool not to use our skills. Or, at least, yours." the clone tried to make his tone reassuring, but he had a few doubts of his own. The messages they got from Organa were cryptic at best. They had no idea if he was even interested in fighting this new Empire. Rex and Ahsoka were outcasts and had nothing to lose, but the Senator on the other hand was responsible for his planet and there was word that his daughter was born not so long ago…

But they were already walking down the ramp and it was pointless to analyze such things.

„Ahsoka!" Bail Organa's voice was as pleasant as always. „I cannot express how happy I am to see you!" The Senator opened his arms in a gesture of welcome, but his eyes widened when he saw Rex, two steps behind his ex-Commander. The Alderaanian guards gripped their blasters tightly. Sloppy. If I was the enemy I would'a taken them out already. Rex thought with discontent.

„Senator, there is no cause for alarm. Captain Rex a friend." Ashoka raised her hands in a placating motion. „He didn't take part in Order 66." she added in a quiet tone.

Bail looked unsure for a brief moment, but then shook his head lightly as if to clear his mind.

„Well, it certainly is a surprise, but if the Captain is indeed our ally, I must say it is a pleasant one. Dependable, skilled being are hard to find these days. Now, would you like to refresh yourselves after your journey or shall we begin straight away?" he said smoothly.

„We'd like to start now if that's all right with you, Senator." Ashoka glanced at Rex behind her shoulder and they gave each other a reassuring nod.

„Please call me Bail. There is no need for formalities among friends… Follow me."

The Alderaanian led them to a small conference room in the representative part of the ship and dismissed his guards. Rex could practically feel Ahsoka's nervousness, which was quite surprising, because she was hiding it pretty well. He briefly wondered if it was his observation skills or the amount of time he'd spent with her that enabled him to read her so well.

When they sat down at a small simple wooden table the Senator looked at them, a frown marring his usually pleasant face.

„First of all, I would like to thank you for agreeing to this meeting. I realize how hard it is for you to come out of hiding…" he started, and Ahsoka gaped at him, surprised.

„Bail, it is us who should be thanking you for taking your time to meet with us. We are wanted fugitives, and you are a Senator and a model citizen. Associating with us could be fatal for you!"

„Plus, you may not like what we came here to talk about." added Rex in low tone.

„I can say the same." Bail leaned back in his chair and smirked at them. „I'm almost one hundred percent sure that what I am proposing is way more insane."

The trio fell silent after this declaration, no one willing to test Bail's statement just yet. After a few uncomfortable moments the Senator sighed and grew serious once again.

„I know - more or less - what you've been doing since you left the Order, Ahsoka, thanks to your messages to me and senators Mothma and Chuchi. I must admit, though, it is shocking to see you, Captain…" Organa nodded at Rex „… but it can certainly be used to our advantage."

„Our advantage?" Ashoka raised one marking above her eye questioningly.

„All of this is still in the planning phase, but we would like you to be involved from the beginning. We need your experience, skills and abilities to form an Alliance to Restore the Republic." Bail said and gazed at the other two occupants of the room steadily, gauging their reactions. Ahsoka's eyes widened slightly, but soon a slight smile broke out on her face. Rex's expression remained stoic, but he could feel his heart beat faster and blood roaring in his ears. They came here to ask for the sympathetic Senator's aid in forming a few simple rebel cells in the Outer Rim, and here he was, proposing a Galaxy-wide resistance. He was right, the idea was insane. Exactly the type of insane they needed right now. Rex couldn't contain his grin at the thought.

„I take it you are interested?" the Senator asked, a tiny bit of smugness detectable in his voice. Ahsoka and Rex glanced at each other and a sort of silent communication passed between them.

„Senator." the ex-Padawan looked Organa right in the eye. „We'd be happy to assist you."

ooo

„Commander, we have a lock on Tantive IV's hyperdrive signature. It appears they jumped to the Anoat system." a non-clone junior officer clicked his heels and snapped a salute.

„Very well, program our hyperdrive to come out behind Pujool's third moon. I do not want them noticing us too soon, is that clear, Sergeant?"

„Crystal clear, sir!"

Commander Cody looked at the tactical display of his brand new Arquitens-class light cruiser in deep thought. He never knew he would be given a mission to spy on Senate's members, but anything that posed a threat to the legitimate government he'd fought so hard to establish had to be destroyed. He clenched his gloved fists. Even former allies.