Chapter Fourteen
Ahsoka woke up to Padmé bustling around getting ready for their day and Ahsoka couldn't help but ask if she was supposed to be more dressed to which Padmé shook her head,
"You're not, you're my… well Jensaarai escort, you're supposed to look imposing not in yards of flowy fabrics and lace." She said and continued her somewhat scattered running around with the servants as Ahsoka contently sat on the bed in the woman's room eating a light breakfast and watching the scene before her before going and getting dressed herself. Ahsoka met Padmé out front who was looking senatorial as ever and they got into the speeder that took them to the palace. Ahsoka couldn't actually make herself focus too much on the meeting as they strolled through the park but rather she focused on the palace the nature around them, the general calm feeling.
"What about you Knight Tano?" the queen asked and Ahsoka snapped back into focus, "What do you think of this war and its clones?"
"I hope this war ends soon, I've seen so much…" she trailed off "for lack of a better term, darkness, it seems to taint everything it touches." She sighed "So it's refreshing to be here, Naboo seems relatively untouched."
"What do you mean?" she asked and Ahsoka came to stand beside her
"The people may be worried, but the planet isn't, it seems happy… I can feel the calmness through the force, it's not something you realize you feel until you go someplace you don't." she paused "When I went to Shili during my sabbatical, the planet felt calm, untouched, untainted." She noted "Naboo feels the same, it just goes to show you that the Force is in every living thing and they react to war just as sentient beings do."
"Such wisdom in one so young." The queen mused
"Ahsoka's wiser than a lot of us, she's seen, done, and been through so much, she's spent the last few months pouring over archive texts just absorbing anything that she can." Padmé praised
"Knight Tano, you are close with the clones, my staff and I are making a motion to ensure they won't be… forgotten or decommissioned."
"Is that really going to happen…" she didn't hide the panic from her voice
"No, Ahsoka it's not but we're making sure it won't…" Padmé assured her
"Well, they're men, they're each different," she almost scoffed "They call themselves clones, but they're hardly copies of some bounty hunter, they each talk a little different, each walk a little different, they each have a different scent, a different face. I can tell each and every one of them apart from the one beside them based on their face, their voice, their walk, their scent. I only need one and I know who it is…" they continued walking "Kix, is one of our medics he walked with a certain urgency in his step, he's always ready to run and change directions to find the one who needs the most help. Jesse, he sinks in his steps walks like he's all that and then some." She smiled "Echo walks with a… almost a panic in his step, like he's unsure of himself…" her voice fell. "Rex walks with this gait that seems stiff, but it's more than that it's a demand of respect, it's changed since I first met him, it's gotten a little stiffer…" she noted and Padmé smiled
"Knight Tano, thank you, you have just given me the opening for this bill."
"Promise me you won't let the Kaminoans do anything to them."
"We won't the bill outlines support and a pension after the war is over, with medical care, we really don't know the life span of them." she admitted and Ahsoka tried not to think about that too much.
"They're not disposable, please make that clear."
"We will." She assured the younger and the rest of the meeting was pretty easy, when they left Ahsoka and Padmé went to some furniture stores where the woman picked out a crib, simple light colored wood with intricate carvings along its bars, she also picked out a matching rocking chair, changing table, and drawer set to go in the room.
"I'm almost a little sad Anakin won't be here."
"Just don't have it assembled and make him do it…" Ahsoka commented, Padmé laughed but agreed nonetheless.
"Well let's be getting back to the house, we have a lot of packing to do."
"Oh god I forgot about that…" Ahsoka groaned they made their way back and spent the evening packing, the night outside on the patio eating, talking, and relaxing, and then turned in.
'Hey, I'm going to sleep, love you'
'We're on our way back, we'll probably land before you I'm sure Skywalker will break away for a bit and I'll try too as well, love you too.'
'Perfect, I can't wait to see you.'
Ahsoka smiled and went to sleep, sooner she was asleep, sooner she'd wake, sooner she'd be back… sooner she'd see Rex.
The next morning was a general sense of hustle and bustle, in addition furniture, still in boxes, was delivered for a future set up. It didn't seem to take long before the ship was loaded and they were setting off back to Coruscant which didn't happen to be too long of a trip. It seemed before it was even midafternoon they were landing at Padmé's apartment and unpacking yet again.
"Rex, if the new troops are settled in till we ship out in a few come on, Senator Amidala landed, Ahsoka will be there." Anakin stated coming up to his captain who nodded and turned to Jesse who only laughed and agreed to take over.
"Good see your woman Captain."
"She's not my…" he sighed "Never mind." He groaned following the general into the speeder.
When the pair arrived Ahsoka wasn't on the landing platform and Rex soon saw why, she was in the living room dictating where bags and cases were supposed to go. Rex laughed lightly watching as Anakin darted off to find the senator. He couldn't help himself as she was leaning over to look into a container he snaked his arms around her waist holding her close in her gasp as she turned in his arms.
"You scared me." She said a gentle swing of the hand closing the container she was looking in as her arms came to wrap around his neck. "How are the shinnies?"
"Annoying, loud, overzealous…" he punctuated each word with a kiss against her lips. "You'll be at their briefing with Skywalker won't you?" he asked her forehead pressing against his and he could feel the one remaining Akul tooth of her headdress against his skin.
"Yeah I'll be there, we ship out in a few days right?" she asked to which he nodded and she smiled "Too many shinnies to bunk with me I bet?" her voice was hopeful and slightly devious, and he pulled her closer
"I'll be there when I can… or just force lock all of the doors." He whispered against her lips before kissing her again
"Oh really, and why my darling Captain will we need to force lock doors?" she asked with a purr and he could feel her nails gently scratching against his scalp.
"I bet we could get creative." He smirked and soon she was separating from him with such a speed and grace he didn't realize what had happened until the door to the apartment hissed open to reveal Senator Organa. Rex cracked a smile, force sensing could actually be useful… he noticed Anakin walked out of the Senator's rooms not a second later.
"Hello, Bail," Ahsoka greeted easily as if she hadn't just been wrapped up in Rex's arms pressed so tight against his Plastoid chest plate with her nails scratching against his scalp and instead had been going through these boxes the whole time. "I'll go let Padmé know you're here." She added lifting a box
"Alright snips what else needs to go where?" Anakin asked and Rex blinked, he hadn't helped with a thing… that was… a little strange.
"The grey garment bag…" he raised a brow and Ahsoka pointed at it "That thing, needs to go in my room."
"Oh are these your formal dresses?" Anakin asked lifting it up
"Yes and no peeking it's a surprise to put it in my room and leave it Skyguy." She said with a pointed glare before leaving the main room again.
"Captain Rex, good to see you again." Bail greeted
"You as well Senator Organa." He replied and soon Padmé was out and Rex made himself useful by helping Ahsoka carry various items where they needed to go. Soon he was in her room as Bail and Padmé talked about senate stuff in the living room and Anakin was in Padmé's rooms.
"So what'd you end up getting?" he asked with a pointed smirk and she rolled her eyes.
"You're just going to have to wait and see." She told him with a purr in her voice as she all but sauntered the short steps towards him. "Was that picture not enough?" she asked standing close enough to almost touch him but didn't, tease.
"I mean I still have it… in person's always better."
"Then you best try real hard to bunk with me when we ship out." She taunted and darted away from him again. Tease.
Soon they left, and soon they were getting prepped for their next mission before this Gala thing, that Rex was now forced to go to, and Ahsoka seemed just as generally irritated about it as he did. Didn't stop her from making sure his dress uniform was cleaned, pressed, and stored safely in her closet at Padmé's though.
Even sooner it seemed Ahsoka and Anakin were standing on the gangplank of the ship watching the new batch walk onto the ship, armor clean, white, no blue. Shinnies… yeah it fit.
"What do you think about this batch?" Ahsoka asked him as they watched them walk up and into the ship in a neat formation each with a small pack of whatever personal effects they'd be stashing in their bunks compartment.
"They seem enthused, what about you?"
"I've not heard the best." She laughed "But I think they may have a slightly harsh dose of reality coming for them."
"Oh so you'll take point on their introduction briefing?"
"Not on your life." she replied and soon they followed the last of the troops into the ship.
As they started their take off towards their next destination of this hopefully brief mission, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex gathered the new batch into one of the hangers, the annual introduction briefing.
It started off normally enough, Rex started talking, then Anakin started and she just stood there, arms crossed loosely at her back as she listened to the speech she's heard hundreds of times. The speech seemed awfully similar to every time before that. Welcome to the 501st, you're the best of the best, you will be tested, and you will be tried. But there were some differences from before.
"We are fortunate enough to have two generals, your other general is Ahsoka Tano Jensaarai knight and my former Padawan." His com beeped after that. "Sorry I'm late for a meeting, Ahsoka will answer any questions you any of you have if you have none you're dismissed." He noted and took his leave Ahsoka smiling gently coming to stand next to Rex watching as a good chunk of the clones dismantled.
"So tell me something Commander Tano." One started and Ahsoka instantly raised a brow. "Aren't you a little young to be a knight."
"Its general baby face and I'm older than you." She crossed her arms, oh boy Rex was right they would be trouble makers. It caused a few of the others to chuckle.
"Oh feisty," he smirked and she only glanced at Rex. "Tell me, how does one get to be a Jedi Knight."
"I'm no Jedi." She replied easily her arms still crossed and Rex could see her agitation, these were the button pushers that were for sure, he made a mental note to bar them from his list for Mandalore.
"If you ask me we don't need no damn Jetii leading us in this war we can take care of the clankers on our own." Another started and Ahsoka scoffed
"Well then hatchling, it's a good thing I'm no Jetii." She spat the word back at him. Rex could see it, the way she stood, the way her Lekku colored she was getting irritated and beyond that was coming soon, either they backed off or she'd explode it'd be one of the two and he didn't dare interfere with either side.
"Alright if you're so damn special Akul Bait why don't you wear any armor?" another asked and Rex heard the growl in her throat.
"Look you little mismatched FNG." She started stalking up to him almost eye level. "I don't need armor cause I'm your fucking first line of defense to make sure you and your other squad of jesters don't get sent back to Kamino in fucking pieces got it." Her voice was low, dangerous, venom, and she all but relished in the way he looked a little scared "So if you and the rest of test tube squad here wanna go a couple rounds, I'm open to sparring and then you'll see why I don't need no damn Plastoid armor." She glared.
"Uh oh, someone pissed off the Kid better put her down for a nap." Another started and Rex sighed pinching the bridge of his nose watching as Ahsoka rounded on and had the offending clone pined against the durasteel floor, a saber positioned against his skull so he could feel the cool metal against his temple. She effectively had his entire body pinned. One leg was across his hip where most of her weight was, the other up and extended to pin his arm to the floor, his other arm trapped under him and she looked dangerous, Ahsoka's other hand was Resting on his neck, nails biting into skin in a grip that threatened danger.
"If you ever call me that again, if you or any of your squad of half-assed bottom of the DNA scraps question my resolve, my leadership, my abilities again, you will be sent back to Kamino with a lobotomy, you'll be stuck on cleaning crew for the rest of your life. I've been fighting in this war long before you're sorry ass could probably walk and I will not be questioned now. Am. I. Clear." Her voice was venom and he shook his head. "You're a big boy use your words…" she commanded
"Yes you're clear General Tano." He said his voice strained and soon she was off of him again. Saber clipped and turned on her heel and walked off, everything about her said 'stay away' and those that knew her did just that, some looking at the clone now sitting up on the ground and wondering what the hell he'd done to deserve her wraith.
"You went too far, you all did. I've been fighting alongside General Tano since she was a good head shorter. She's earned her rank and her titles, don't make her your enemy…" he started controlling himself as best he could. "Our last battle she almost got herself killed pushing our squad away from a blast, she lived, got herself stuck in bacta for a few rotations but she lived. We wouldn't have. None of us would have unless she had done that." He crossed his arms "Her heart stopped while we were getting her back on the flagship. So if you have any issues with her leading us, check and leave them here, this shit ends now." He said and left without another word.
Rex walked through the ship making his way towards the sparring area and Jesse met him at the door.
"Who do we have to punch?" he asked and Rex groaned
"New squad of shinnies pissed her off… please tell me she's not accidently killing anyone…" he asked at they walked further in. She was in fact sparring, hard, no sabers, no boots, no gloves, clones she was going against didn't have any armor but several already looked a little sore.
"Not yet, but you may want to calm her down."
"Oh hell no, I'm not talking to her right now, they called her Commander, Akul bait, and kid… all in one meeting… she needs to blow off some steam."
"I'm sure you can come up with another way for her to blow off steam." Jesse commented with and eyebrow wiggle
"Shut it." He replied and walked closer to the ring. She was still going, her breaths labored pants, her fighting different than normal but coming on top in every round. Of course, Cole was one to go at her with, Rex had to give the kid credit he had balls. Rex watched her for a while longer before sighing and stripping off his armor, he knew how she fought, he'd been part of those that taught her in the first place, yes the temple did some, but he and some of the boys did the rest. Rex waiting for a few others to get their asses flipped onto the mats and check out before making sure no one had serious injuries, pinging Kix to come down just in case anyhow before he stepped into the ring that'd formed.
"I'm next." He commented and noticed her, really took the moment to look at her. Her eyes were wide but not in terror in anger, in rage, they looked wild but also predatory, he half wondered if she would look similar on Shili when hunting. He remembered the story about having to prove herself in her tribe to hunt and couldn't help but think this probably brought that back.
"You're not going to win." She taunted at him her eyes still the same her stripes a brighter blue almost. He readied himself and she took a fairly relaxed stance, they circled one another for a while before she finally took a lunge towards him which he blocked and deflected. Their sparring continued with every attack he blocked, every one he did at her she also blocked, countered, or just out skirted him. It went on far longer than any of the others and their audience hadn't diminished in fact it may have grown. This went on for several minutes when each had the other seemingly pinned somehow they wormed out. And rex wasn't going to lie, he'd be sore, she was fighting without withholding her punches that was for sure, a few jabs to his kidneys didn't feel like sunshine and rainbows. He didn't want to harm her yet from remembering the days of teaching her she 'wasn't made of kriffing glass' and he didn't intend to let that come up as a fighting word so he didn't withhold, too much, either.
Soon though Rex had one hand at her collar and the other on her wrist using the force of his body to bring her crashing to the mat her face laying on it with a resounding thud, he quickly grabbed her other arm and pinned them against the small of her back with one of his hands plus a fair bit of weight effectively trapping her watching as her hands tried to claw at his own for purchase. His legs effectively straddled her waist as he watched her chest heave against the mat. The other arm put a fair bit of pressure against her shoulder keeping her torso pinned as well. His legs rested on either side of her hips and with enough force there kept them from coming up and trying to kick him in the head. Rex panted, sweaty and a little worn out, as he bent down to press his mouth effectively against the side of her Montrals,
"Do you yield?" he asked and got a growl with a sputtering of Togruti in response. He chuckled and felt the slight shudder in her body under his weight. "I ask again. Do you yield?" he said just as close and she growled again though her struggles got softer.
"I yield…" she finally stated heaving against the mat and Rex smirked letting off his weight easily before finding himself against the mats staring up at the lights above. Soon her face popped over his own blocking out the bulk of the lighting, how had she… and he was pinned… his arms trapped just above his head with her own hands.
"You underestimated your opponent, such a pity." She all but purred at him now and bent towards his ear. "My quarters… hopefully soon…" she added before letting up and giving him a hand, oh that was a trap… he knew it was… but he didn't go for it… didn't bring her down again.
He watched as she replaced her boots and gloves and sabers before walking out and chuckled briefly sticking around for a bit to chat before kitting back up and heading out. He stopped at the bridge and unsurprisingly she wasn't there.
"Uh, are you alright?" Anakin started "I heard Ahsoka was sparring a bit ago."
"Shinnies pissed her off, she told them, then blew off some steam I'm gonna go try and find her make sure she's calmed down and isn't actually sore." He noted and was dismissed soon after.