Rex nearly growled in frustration as he paced back and forth in his quarters, resisting the urge to check his gear for the fourth time. Ever since he heard about their next campaign he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Something was going to go wrong, he could feel it! The worst thing was that there was nothing he could do about it! It's not like the Republic would stop the campaign just because a clone had a bad feeling about it.
All he could do was make sure the 501st was as prepared as it could be, not that it did anything to lessen the dread that had firmly logged itself in his gut.
This time he really did growl as he checked over his gear again.
He needed to calm down, he was no good to anyone like this. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Rex sat down on his berth and picked up his violin. He had no song in mind, just letting his hands pull the bow back and forth. He closed his eyes and let the noise wash over him.
Taking another deep breath, his shoulders finally relaxed and his mind cleared enough for him to pinpoint what was troubling him the most. He could feel the air vibrating around him, through him, and every vibration said the same thing: brace yourself.
He could do nothing to change what was about to happen.
Rex sighed as the last note rang out before putting his violin away. Taking one last deep breath Rex pulled himself together, putting back on the mask of the confident captain of the 501st as he fortified his mind, patching up the cracks that formed with each lost brother.
Grabbing his helmet, Rex stood up and marched to the door. He had stalled long enough, Umbara was waiting.
...
Pong Krell.
The moment he stepped off the transport Rex knew that he was going to be the cause of all the trouble to come. Rex wanted to beg his General to stay, to not leave them with this storm petrel, but he knew he could not. Anakin Skywalker may love his troops, but the Chancellor will always come first in his mind. If the Chancellor calls, General Skywalker will rush to his side, no matter the reason.
So Rex watch, resigned, as General Skywalker walked onto the transport and left.
...
Rex marched on.
Pong Krell refused to stop, not caring that they had already been tired from the previous fights, not caring about the wounded that hastily stifled their cries of pain when they tripped over the uneven ground that they could barely see, not caring that their feet started to bleed and knees started to shake from the grueling pace, not caring that so many of them were about to die because of him.
Rex wasn't above begging to get his men even just a few minutes to rest, but looking into Krell's eyes, Rex knew that it didn't matter what he said or did, they would keep marching.
He knew, because he'd seen that look before. He'd seen it in the eyes of the Kaminoans when a brother was labeled defective, the senators who saw them as property to be used and abused, the civilians who thought them nothing more then flesh droids. Those were the eyes of someone that did not care if they died, who might even prefer it.
So, Rex marched on, knowing exactly how little power he had.
...
Rex's face was like stone as he marched to the prison cells, Fives and Jesse in tow. He was barely keeping his rage contained as he tried to push back the faces of the men that had died by the hand of their own brothers, all because of one person.
"Why General? Why kill your own men?" Rex asked as he recorded everything.
"Because I can," Krell spat. "Because you fell for it. Because you're inferior."
He could feel Fives and Jesse tense in anger behind him, but Rex wasn't surprised by the answer. Personally Rex wanted to just shoot him and be done with it, but he needed evidence that Krell was a traitor, or else there whole battalion would be sent for reconditioning. So Rex continued.
"But you're a Jedi. How could you?"
"A Jedi? I'm no longer naïve enough to be a Jedi. A new power is rising, I've for seen it. The Jedi are going to lose this war, and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside. In its place is going to rise a new order and I will rule as part of it."
Rex wasn't expecting that. He wanted to deny it, to say they were going to win this war, but he couldn't. There was something telling him to listen, that there was something to what he was saying.
"You're a Sepratist!" Rex accused.
"I serve no one side, only my own, and soon my new masters," Krell gloated.
"You're an agent of Dooku."
"Not yet, but when I get out of here I will be. After I've succeeded in driving the Republic from Umbara, the Count will reward my efforts and make me his new apprentice."
"How could you do this," Dogma bursted out. "You has my trust. My loyalty. I followed all of your orders, and you made me kill my brothers."
Krell laughed.
"That's because you're the biggest fool of them all Dogma. I counted on blind loyalty like yours to make my plan succeed!"
"That will never happen," Rex growled.
They would take Umbara purely to spite Krell, so that all his work would go to waste.
"You're a traitor General, and you will be dealt with as one," Rex growled, relishing the fact that the man responsible for the death of so many of his brothers will die.
"You never learn Captain. The Umbarans are going to retake this base and when they do I will be free," Krell said confidently.
Rex barely stopped himself from baring his teeth in a parody of a smile. Krell still didn't get what was going to happen. He did not understand that Rex would never let such a big threat to his brothers live, not when he wasn't sure he could keep them confined.
Rex will let Krell think he had won for the moment, though. He had to make sure that the recording got saved first. After he was positive his battalion was safe from the repercussions, then he will watch Krell die.
...
They returned to the cells, recording safe and duplicated just in case. Fives went and opened Dogma's cell as Rex walked to Krell's.
"Turn around," Rex ordered as drew his gun. "Step toward the wall."
Krell complied without a word.
"On your knees," Rex continued.
"You're in a position of power now. How does it feel?" Krell asked as Jesse lowered the shield.
"I said on. Your. Knees."
"It feels good doesn't it," Krell purred as he knelt. "But I can sense your fear. Your shaking."
Rex was surprised to find that he actually was shaking. He had been told all his life that he was made for the Jedi, to kill one didn't feel right. He felt so certain Pong Krell needs to die, he still feels certain. So why is he reluctant to pull the trigger?
He shook his head and went to pull the trigger only to freeze when four words started echoing through his head.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Where did that come from?
Good soldiers follow orders.
As the words repeated a fog seemed to fall over his mind. His world narrowed.
Good soldiers follow orders.
His finger started to inch back on the trigger without his input.
Kill the Jedi!
Bang!
The shot shook him out of the daze he had fallen into. He looked at his gun in confusion. He hadn't pulled the trigger.
"I- I had to. He betrayed us," a voice said from behind him.
Dogma. He stood there shaking in terror at what he had done as Fives took his gun back. Dogma knew what was going to happen to him, even if Krell was a traitor.
Rex stared at his trembling brother, who had accepted his fate with terrified resignation, who had just painted his armor before they had left for this nightmare of a mission, who had only wanted to do what was right, who was trying to protect his brothers.
No.
Rex had watched too many brothers die today. He was not going to let Dogma die just because he killed a traitor. He will not allow it.
So as he watched Fives and Jesse comfort Dogma, he planned. Later, when he was on the Resolute he poured over every contact he had, assessing each of their skill set, and meticulously went over each aspect of his plan. Then, it was time to call in some favors.
...
It was finally over. They were off Umbara. Now they could mourn. The 501st gathered in the mess to say the names of the fallen. There were so many. Rex bowed his head in sorrow. They had not deserved to die, they hadn't needed to die either.
"Rex?" Kix asked, nudging his shoulder.
I looked over at him, questioning.
"Will you play like you did when Echo died?" He asked.
Rex nodded, a soft sorrowful smile on his face, and went to get his violin. When he came back the Jedi had joined the group of mourning clones, though they stayed on the outskirts of the group.
Rex began to play, starting with Hardcase's favorite song. As he played, his mind wandered.
Why? Why did this happen? What made this battle so important? Rex looked out at the gathered troops. His gaze fell on Fives. He was sitting next to Tup with his arm around him, comforting the younger vod.
Opportunity, the notes of the song seemed to whisper as he stared at the two. Opportunity? For what?
He received no answer. Instead he kept looking around. His gaze landed on his General. Opportunity, the notes insisted. Rex's mind flashed to the recording he made of Krell.
What the traitor had said about the Republic being torn apart from the inside had rung with truth. There was the opportunity for the Jedi to look closer at the senate, they had the chance to find something important. They also had the opportunity to ask why,despite the video evidence, Dogma was still taken away. They could look closer at Kamino and find... something.
Rex thought about Dogma some more. Opportunity the notes pushed. Rex had managed to get Dogma free and start him on a new life. Opportunity the notes screamed. Rex had the opportunity to give a brother a new life. Why did it feel like he was going to happen again?
Rex's gaze fell back onto Fives and Tup. Opportunity. Umbara created many opportunities. Who will seize them?