Chapter 9

Of Resentment and Attachment


Their ship slipped smoothly through the amber haze of Mustafar's upper atmosphere. Like a ghost, it moved invisibly, letting what little light of the starscape that penetrated the planet's sky pass seemingly right through it.

Barriss's eyes watered from the light of the scanner's holoprojector. They had completed the orbital scan, and were now searching the immense data-store that had been collected. Ahsoka, Commander Gree, and Captain Rex had similar positions around the projector, all of them sifting the various readouts for clues, hints of something out of the ordinary. The unlit aft bay was illuminated only by the glow of the scanner's projector and diagnostic displays, casting an eery green tint over the four faces as they stared.

Normally intelligence like this would be processed in an automated intel unit, using sophisticated pattern matching to identify likely targets. Unfortunately, no such equipment had been available for this mission, so the most experienced officers were forced to search through the incoming data by eye.

"Southwest quadrant is clear as far as I can tell, Commander." Gree rubbed his eyes. "Just harvester facilities and refineries."

"Northwest looks pretty empty, too." Ahsoka announced.

"Hmm...," Rex was intently staring at a point on the Northeast quadrant. He pointed at a large, isolated facility. "No mining arms here, but no lifeform readings either. Looks like a giant, empty shell."

Ahsoka stood next to him, examining the strange complex. "Huh... but if nothing is there, why is it so well guarded? The droid markers are really dense there."

"Warehouse, maybe?" Gree offered. "Could be used off and on, or something like that."

"It's in close proximity to Fralideja, the main Mustafarian colony," Barriss noted. "That would make any reconnaissance very difficult."

"Could also mean it has higher importance," Rex pointed out.

"Mark it as a potential target," Barriss instructed. "Captain, could you look at this?"

Rex moved beside Barriss, with Ahsoka standing on his other side. Barriss pointed at another facility marker. "Do you recognize that pattern?"

Rex's brow furrowed as he stared intensely at the marker. "Concentrated lifeform readings in the south quarter, droid signals throughout..." he paused for a moment. His face became a severe glare. "Hostage situation," he announced, grimly. "Someone knows we're coming."

"And they expect us to find whatever we're looking for at this facility." Ahsoka added, her voice betraying unease.

Barriss stared blankly for moment. "This mission was completely classified outside the Jedi Council and the Republic High Command. How could the Separatists have gotten word?"

Rex thought a moment. "If they had time to set up a hostage situ, they must have had some prior warning. Which means they may not know of the details of the mission - they haven't just spotted us, I mean."

"We need to use what they expect us to do, against them. It's the one thing we know they're ready for," Gree shook his head. "Then again, what options do we have?"

"Not many," Barriss admitted. "At this point this facility appears to be the hub of suspicious activity. There appears to be little else to investigate."

"I don't like it," Gree continued. "We could be walking right into a trap."

"We are walking right into a trap, Commander," Rex corrected. "The only question is whether we can take whatever they have when it's sprung."

Gree frowned. "We're not equipped for a hostage situation. We don't even have a way to get anyone off-planet."

"If there's people down there, we can't just leave them behind!" Ahsoka insisted.

Barriss spoke slowly, "Gree is right, this is not a rescue mission." She sighed. "However if at all possible we should assist the hostages."

"There's a landing platform on the west quarter," Gree noted. "There may be transports we could commandeer."

She nodded. "Good call, Commander."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Rex cautioned. "We can't rescue anyone till we have a way of securing the facility."

"Got any ideas, Rex?" Ahsoka asked.

Rex rubbed his chin slowly for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I think I do." His eyes lit up. "Commander Offee, I know this isn't part of your profile, but would you consider altering your use of the jammer?"

Barriss looked puzzled. "What do you have in mind, Captain?"

Rex cocked his head thoughtfully. "We need to play this out so that when all the moves have been made, we're on top. The Seppies already have a trap ready for us. They presumably aren't aware of our jamming capabilities. So..." he fingered his chin. "My suggestion is to hold the jammer in reserve till after we've engaged them. Then count on the element of confusion caused by the jamming to turn the tide. They'll be hard pressed to counter if they're already occupied with our attack."

Gree frowned. "I see what you're getting at, but we aren't equipped for a frontal assault."

Rex nodded. "True..." His brow furrowed as he contemplated the situation. After a moment, he spoke again. "Ambush."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "What?"

"I'll lead one squad to the facility. That's enough for a believable recon team. The rest of the team will stay behind, out of sight. Once we draw the Seppies out into the open, we'll either engage them outright, or hear out any terns they have concerning the hostages. In either case, we have both an element of relative surprise with the ambush, and the jammer. With those two chips up our sleeve, I think we can handle this."

"And we'll have communication right up till we fire the jammer," Ahsoka mused.

Barriss thought hard, then frowned. "Your plan is very bold, Captain. But I fear the outcome for the lead squad could be disastrous."

"With all due respect, Commander, it has to be done. We need to be underestimated at all costs. It's the only way to throw off the enemy, now that we no longer have the element of surprise. Someone has to spring the trap, and we can't risk the entire team."

"I'm going with you," Ahsoka announced, determinedly.

Rex frowned at her. "Commander, this isn't an operation for you - we can't use Jedi as bait."

"I have to, Rex. Whoever told the Separatists we were coming has to know that the Jedi were leading the mission, " she spoke earnestly. "If there isn't a Jedi with the lead squad, they'll know we're baiting them." She leaned forward. "We have to make them think they have us, all of us."

Barriss froze as she listened to Ahsoka's words. She was absolutely correct. One of the Jedi had to trigger the trap. But not Ahsoka! She couldn't let her go. She was already all but sending one squad of her men to their deaths. She couldn't do that to her. "Ahsoka, you are right, but I can't let you do this. I'm more experienced, I shall go with the lead squad."

"No, Barriss. I'm sorry, but you're wrong this time." She shook her head. "You're the leader. These are your men. You're needed with them. My place in this mission has always been secondary." Ahsoka took a deep breath. "Rex is my man, and I'm going with him. It's the only way."

Rex felt his face redden slightly at Ahsoka's choice of words, although he knew what she meant. "Commander is right, I'm afraid. This is still your mission, Commander Offee. Your team needs their leader."

It was all true. Barriss knew it, but she couldn't shake the thought that she was sending Ahsoka to her death. She racked her brain for an alternative strategy. But she knew it was no use. They were out of options.

She sighed heavily. "Very well," she spoke quietly. "It is the only way."

Gree spoke up again. "Captain, which squad will you be taking?"

"112th, Commander." Rex didn't miss a beat. Gree nodded.


Deck had been sitting in the dim cargo bay for what seemed like days. It was amazing how slow time passed once Rex was called back to examine the scanning results. On the other hand, he appreciated the quiet time to mull over their last conversation. Rex's attitude towards the Jedi was unusual, at best. All clones respected the Jedi - they were their leaders, so of course they were to be respected. And some Jedi were decent people, as well. But as a whole, they were just another piece in the system that kept him and his brothers in harm's way, and that used them to accomplish its ends.

He never thought about it much, and it never really bothered him much, but somehow talking with Rex made the resentment stronger, even if that was obviously not his intention. After all, Rex was a clone, and a soldier in the GAR, just as he was. It wasn't like he had a significantly different situation.

But there was something different about Rex. He had something, or was something, different. Something Deck had never seen in a clone. He wondered if it had something to do with the Commander. Maybe, but he didn't think so - at least that's not how Rex acted like around her. At any rate, that difference made Deck aware of feelings he didn't know he had. He felt like somehow Rex had "gotten" something that he and his brothers could never have, and, for lack of any better scapegoat, he inwardly blamed the Jedi.

"Deck, get your squad back here. We've got some new devs."

Deck started at Rex's order, but he recovered quickly. "Yes sir." He stood and called out his 112th comrades. Their squad wasn't intact, as three of them had been left behind to leave room for the new crew. "Trio, Thud, Glen, Heat, Jym, we're heading to the back." The five troopers stood, tucked their helmets under their arms, and made their way to the rear bay, where their officers were discussing the new intel.


"You sure you won't reconsider this, Commander?"

Ahsoka shook her head, her amber face barely discernible in the dim light of the engine room where the two of them had slipped away for a moment. "No, Rex. I have to do this. The enemy has to think that they have our entire team, or the ambush will fail. And Barriss has to lead the rest of the mission. And I..." she trailed off, looking at the ground.

"Sir?"

Still looking at the ground, she answered determinedly, "I'm not letting you go without me, Rex."

Rex looked confused, but let her continue. "I brought you here, this was my idea, and I'm not going to just let you go out there and die." Her eyes narrowed. "Not without me."

"Sir, with all due respect, that's quite unnecessary. I'm just a clone."

"I'm not leaving this planet without you, Rex. Don't try to change my mind."

Rex stared at the floor as well, for moment. From her tone, he knew better than to argue. He knew that she was protective of him, as he was of her. But he didn't realize just how much. He was at a loss for a moment at how to respond. "Thank you, sir," he said, finally.

Ahsoka looked up at him, with a grim smile. "We'd better get back to the bay, to brief the squad."

"Yes sir."


Deck was angry.

He had never felt anger towards his superiors, let alone shown it. It wasn't his place to make judgments about his leaders' orders. He never had before. But somehow, the feelings stirred up by his conversations with Rex had awoken some well-hidden resentment, and he was angry.

Their squad was being used as bait - a piece of meat to draw out the monster. No one had asked them what they thought about it. It was all decided for him, as it was always, but now he was angry about it. The fact that Captain Rex was leading them was small comfort - Rex or no, most or all of his closest brothers would die today, so that the Jedi would be safe.

"Commander Tano will be accompanying us - the net result should be that the enemy believes that they have our entire team, and so underestimate our capabilities," Rex explained the new strategy.

Well, not all the Jedi. She's coming along just to make sure we don't run off, Deck told himself grimly.

"Sergeant, can your squad and Commander Gree program your comlinks?"

Clearing his mind, Deck answered Rex. "I think so, sir- we'll have to use a spare code, but I think we can link up. But I thought the jammer -"

"We are holding the jammer in reserve until we engage the enemy," Rex explained. "We can't have all our chips on the table at once. We need to keep them guessing."

Deck nodded. "Yes sir."

Barriss spoke up. "Troopers, meet me in the engine room for a moment, please? Captain, Ahsoka, you as well. I wish to speak with all of you."

"Yes sir," the men responded. Leaving Gree and the technicians in the bay, the group made their way to the engine compartment. The quiet hum of the thrusters at cruising speed reverberated through their boots. Deck shifted uncomfortably.

Barriss struggled to calm herself. She had hoped she could complete this mission with her team intact, that she could bring every man home. Now, she was forced to send six of them to what could very well be certain death, along with one of the best Captains in the GAR, and her best friend. It was hard, but it must be done. She was a Jedi, and she would have to let go.

The six men of 112th Squad stood side by side. Rex and Ahsoka stood off to their left, while Barriss stood next to the doorway, facing the group. "You are all aware of both the importance and extreme danger of this endeavor. I will not be deceptive with you; it is very probable that many of you will not return from this mission." She paused, wearily. "I truly wish it were different. You may not believe me, but it is the truth."

She walked along the row of men, meeting each trooper's eyes. Brave men. Her men. Going off to die, for her mission. She said each man's name, slowly. "Trio, Heat, Thud, Jym, Glen, Deck." She paused at the last man, their Sergeant. Resentment, anger, rolled off of him. Barriss looked him straight in the eye, then placed a hand on his shoulder. His face remained still, cold, his eyes hard. She continued to gaze at the young, angry man before her for a moment. I'm sorry. She could feel the tears building in her eyes, and she turned away.

She moved to Rex. "I'm sorry it has come to this, Captain."

"Don't be, sir. This is what we've been trained to do. We won't let you down."

"I know you won't." She turned slowly to Ahsoka. She drew her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka," she whispered.

Ahsoka waited a moment, then as they pulled away, she spoke. "This is my choice, Barriss. Don't be sorry. We're not dead yet." She gave Barriss a brave smile.

They gazed at each other for a moment. Then Barriss turned, and nodded to Rex. He stepped in front of the men. "Today we show the Separatists what separates man from machine. They may have greater numbers, they may have bigger guns, but nothing matches the power of a man's spirit." He looked down the row of troopers. "I have faith in you men - before we're through, I'll wager 'Dooku's Nightmare' will become very, very real." Rex crossed his arms. "So, you boys ready to show the 501st how it's done?", he asked with a smirk.

In unison, they saluted. "Sir! Yes sir!"

Rex nodded to Barriss, who stepped forward again, addressing the group. "On behalf of the Jedi Council and the citizens of the Republic, I thank each of you for your brave effort. I give you my word that we will honor any sacrifice you make today."

She sighed once more, then finished. "May the Force be with you."


Disclaimer: I own nothing, haven't ever, and will never. So stop asking!

Author's Note: This chapter will have to last my dear readers for a little longer - I need to write farther ahead of my posting. I promise, this is the last chapter before the real action starts. I'm so sorry for how slow this has gone. Things will move much quicker once boots are on the ground. But the development in this chapter is important, as is the new strategy.

Also, while Ahsoka is showing growing closeness to Rex here, this is not technically a romance. It's more of an attachment issue - Ahsoka feels responsible for bringing Rex here, and is determined not to lose him. It's meant to be a natural extension of the protectiveness each has shown throughout TCW - just more intense due to the dire situation.

Sharp eyed readers may notice that Deck is now being referred to as a Sergeant - I've gone back and updated a couple earlier chapters. Short story, yes, he is the 112th Sergeant.

Had doubts about Rex's pep talk - let me know what you think! Please review!