Darth Vader stomped down the crowded streets of the lower levels growling to himself. He had been sent to track down the saboteurs that had destroyed three of their weapons factories and stolen five shipments of medical supplies. He had been furious about being sent to do what he considered grunt work, but the saboteurs had earned his grudging respect. He couldn't find a trace of them. So here he was striding down a rundown street emitting enough murderous intent to have even the seediest of people giving him a wide birth.
Then he came to a sudden stop. On the other side of the busy street was a violinist playing a song he could only faintly hear over the noise. The performer's hair was a golden blond falling just below his ears, a sad smile on his worn face as he sang, a face shared by thousands. A clone. A clone he knew all too well, a clone he had fought beside, laughed beside, a clone he had thought dead. But there was no mistaking that force signature that danced like music in the air. Rex.
Through the crowed their eyes met and time slowed. Looking straight at him, Vader could make out the words that his former captain was singing.
"Tell me, underneath my armor am I loyal, brave, and true? Am I loyal, brave, and true?"
Pain and sorrow throbbed in his chest while a chilling numbness creeped down his spine. He stood there frozen as the clone he had once considered a friend finished his song and bowed to his audience.
Vader tried to force himself to move, to do something, anything to reach Rex, to force his metal limbs forward until he could grab the soldier, until he could have answers to the questions he couldn't even form yet. But a crowd of people walked past him, breaking his line of sight. By the time the crowed had moved the clone captain was gone.
Darth Vader stayed there for a long time staring at the spot Rex had once stood. If tears were streaming down his face, well no one but him would ever know.