On the shuttle back to the Resolute orbiting Saleucami, Rex felt himself dwell on his meeting with Cut Lawquane and his family. Despite letting Cut off the hook and continue to live the life he had chosen, Rex still found it difficult to understand how one of his brothers could abandon his duty like that. Especially after what Cut told him about the horrors he faced on Geonosis. Something like that would have made Rex doubly determined to continue the fight. For General Skywalker, for Commander Tano and for all of his brothers—who all depended on him to guide them through the current hellscape scattered across the galaxy.
Would it have been different if he had been with another unit? Would Cut have come back to his brothers had he been found in time? Could he still—
"Captain Rex?"
Rex flinched at the sound of General Kenobi's voice, and cursed himself for not paying attention to what the General and Commander Cody had discussed. He shifted and turned towards them.
"Yes, General Kenobi?" he said, his voice sounding somewhat strained despite his best efforts to suppress the pain he felt in his chest with every word.
"I've updated Anakin about your injury," Obi-Wan said. "He'll meet us on the Resolute and we'll discuss a suitable replacement for you as you take time to recover."
Rex's mouth fell open. "What?" he blurted. He immediately snapped his mouth shut after speaking, regaining his composure. "Sorry, sir, what I meant was—"
General Kenobi gave him a crooked smile. "Don't worry, Rex. It won't be for long," he assured him. "But you will need to rest and recover. The battles ahead will not be getting any easier. We'll need you at a hundred percent."
"With all due respect, General Kenobi. I feel fine... I got plenty of rest planetside. A replacement won't be necessary." Rex said calmly, letting go of the shuttle wall he had been holding and closing the distance between himself and General Kenobi in a few strides.
The General chuckled quietly and placed a firm hand on Rex's shoulder — who winced in pain at the sudden impact.
"It's been two days, Rex. Now you're starting to sound like Anakin," Obi-Wan warned. "I'm sorry, but Anakin and Kix agreed with my suggestion to find a replacement. It's only temporary."
Rex sighed heavily and turned his head in Kix's direction—whose head was conveniently hidden behind Jesse's shoulder further back in the shuttle.
"Very well, sir." Rex nodded and stayed at General Kenobi's side as he fell back into conversation with Commander Cody about what to do next in regards to General Grievous.
Rex's mind once again drifted a few minutes into the conversation, his eyes casually darted between all his brothers' faces instead.
Jesse, Kix, Fives, Echo, Hardcase, Tup, Hawk, Denal, Coric…. He even spotted some of his brothers from the 212th. Waxer, Boil, Crys, Trapper… He scanned half a dozen more faces before he sighed heavily. How could Cut leave all this? Was it worth it? It appeared so for Cut, but what made it so?
Was it the comfort? Was it the new responsibility? Was it fatherhood? Was it—love?
-
Their arrival at the cruiser was met with mixed feelings. General Kenobi's efforts to capture General Grievous had once again failed and the frustration had started to sour the air, most of all for General Kenobi himself. But Rex and the other men knew the General was doing his best.
"Rex!" Anakin exclaimed.
Rex barely made it off the shuttle ramp before General Skywalker stood in front of him with Commander Tano close behind him.
"We heard what happened," Anakin said, a serious tone present in his voice. He gestured toward Rex's chest, causing him to look down at the blackened blastmark scattered across his chestplate.
"Are you okay, Rex?" Ahsoka chimed in, concern set in her brow as their eyes met through his dark visor. Rex averted his eyes and stared at the hangar floor.
The Captain nodded. "Don't worry about me, General, Commander... I've been through worse," he said with a wry smile as he removed his helmet and met their gazes.
"Oh I don't doubt it! But remind me to never leave you near Obi-Wan again," Anakin grinned. "He told you about finding a replacement?" he added.
"Yes, sir. I trust your judgement." Rex said, and cradled his helmet under one arm.
Anakin gave him a relieved nod. "Good," he said.
Before they could say anything else Obi-Wan exited the shuttle with Commander Cody in tow. "Oh good, we're all here!" he said while looking at the group. "We'll convene in the conference room in thirty to discuss Captain Rex's replacement."
The group nodded in agreement and Rex left shortly thereafter in the direction of the quarters to change. He sighed heavily without even realising it.
A replacement?
It stung harder than it should. From a tactical standpoint he understood, and even agreed, that the 501st legion should have a Captain who doesn't wince everytime he speaks due to cracked ribs, stitches and a bruise the size of a meiloorun. But letting someone else take the reins of his men... leaving them, his General and Commander with someone else? It didn't feel right. And who would that someone even be? Someone he knew? That would be easier. But what if it was someone new?
Shaking his head Rex hoped this feeling would go away at the meeting and forced himself to think about anything else until then. He left the hangar and rounded the second corner to find the lifts to the upper deck. Kix suddenly blocked his path.
Rex halted in surprise, staying his steps.
"Oh, hey Captain," Kix said in a jawn, the dark circles under the medic's eyes told Rex him and the other boys had been out all night chasing Grievous. "I was just about to prepare the medbay for your stay," he added.
Rex furrowed his brow. "My stay? I got shot, Kix. I don't need to stay in a hospital bed for that."
Kix raised an eyebrow. "Exactly, you got shot! Missed your heart by inches!" he said, voice raised a little too high. A few others from the 501st and 212th looked in their direction from down the corridor. The medic sighed.
"Please, Captain... It would ease my workload immensely if you could stay there. I need to change your dressing daily for the next week at least anyway," Kix pleaded.
Rex closed his eyes and clenched his jaws, just for a few seconds, before looking at Kix again. "Fine," he groaned quietly, feeling utterly defeated.
Kix gave the Captain's shoulder a gentle squeeze in appreciation as he advanced to slip past him. "Thank you, sir. And I also gave my word to General Skywalker to keep a close eye on you, so... I guess you're confined to the medbay whether you like it or not!"
Kix hurried along the corridor before Rex had a chance to respond. With yet another heavy sigh, the Captain continued on and eventually made it to his quarters where he had a shower, slipped into some clean blacks and did his best to clean his chestplate before gearing up again, leaving his helmet behind.
He figured he would have to strip out of his armour later for his stay in the medbay anyway, but he couldn't go to the meeting in only his blacks. That would be the equivalence of walking through the senate building completely naked. At least that's what it would feel like to Rex.
-
The doors to the conference room slid open and Rex was greeted by more faces than he had anticipated. Along General Kenobi, General Skywalker, Commander Tano and Commander Cody stood General Ploo Koon, Commander Wolffe and another clone Rex had not seen before. Kix and Jesse were also present.
For a moment Rex wondered if he had gotten the time wrong as it seemed he was the last one to arrive. He entered the room and despite the crowded feeling—the atmosphere felt relaxed enough for him to take a breath and let the tension in his shoulders subside. Rex nodded towards the Generals and Commanders as he approached, and they all returned his greeting
Anakin was the first to speak — despite Obi-Wan's attempt to beat him to it. "Now, seeing as my Captain will be unavailable for a short time, we'll need to organise the 501st leadership. His replacement will have some big shoes to fill if our efforts on the field shall continue to advance in order to push the Separatists back."
Replacement. There it was again.
Rex snorted—louder than he'd meant to he realised from the surprised look on Ahsoka's face. Jesse and Kix looked his way as well. Embarrassed, Rex once again averted his eyes and glanced towards the unknown clone next to Commander Wolffe instead.
He looked to be of a similar age to Rex, perhaps somewhat younger, but no stranger to battle by the look of the large scar along his left cheek. His hair was cut to a buzz along both sides, sporting some spiky black hair messily slicked backwards. Rex knew all his brothers from the 501st, the 212th and even the 104th. This brother was not from either of those.
General Kenobi had his hand on his chin, slowly stroking the tip of his beard. "We were going back and forth whether Commander Cody could manage the 501st along with the 212th but seeing as we are set for the outer rim within a rotation that won't be possible anymore."
Anakin sighed and turned away from Obi-One. "Plo?" he asked. "Can you spare Wolffe?"
General Koon shook his head. "I'm afraid we'll be away as well, as soon as we've re-supplied on Coruscant."
"What about Jesse?" Ahsoka suddenly suggested. Jesse glanced at Kix before meeting Ahsoka's eyes. "From the report it sounds like Jesse did an excellent job stepping in for Rex on Saleucami."
"Agreed," Plo said and took a step forward, putting a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. She smiled. "I read the report as well, and being able to handle a squad during difficult circumstances is not something anyone can do," Plo added.
Jesse, who had been leaning against one of the walls with Kix suddenly took a few steps forward. "General... Commander...," he began. "This is all very flattering, but I simply did what any of my brothers would do. I followed my Captain's orders."
"And you did an excellent job of it," Obi-Wan chimed in.
"I can vouch for that as well," Commander Cody said.
"Me as well," Kix added.
Rex couldn't resist smiling in Jesse's direction. It was true—he had ordered him to lead the men and take charge in his absence, and to hear the Generals and Commanders praising his lieutenant this way made him feel very proud.
"Well," Anakin grinned and threw his hands in the air. "Anything else we need to discuss or should we simply make Jesse temporary Captain of the 501st right now?"
Obi-Wan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You can't bulldoze your way through these proceedings, Anakin."
"Trust me, Master. I can," Anakin snorted with a cheeky grin.
"If you don't mind, Skywalker," Plo began. "Even though I cannot spare Wolffe to your legion, I do have something else that could ease Jesse's upcoming efforts."
"Please, Master Plo, continue," Anakin urged.
Plo Koon took a few steps towards the unknown clone who had yet to be introduced. Rex raised an eyebrow as Plo placed a hand on the clone's shoulder.
"Lieutenant Howzer here was supposed to ship out to the Gaulus sector, but due to his senator's extended stay on Coruscant, he was temporarily assigned to the Wolfpack instead," Plo Koon explained. "Seeing as the majority of us seem to agree Jesse is capable to captain the 501st, might I offer Lieutenant Howser to act as Jesse's second in the interim?"
Rex stared at Howzer. He had never heard of the name. Wasn't surprising considering he'd spent most of his time following some senator around instead of a Jedi, but Rex wasn't one to judge. But politics always made him uncomfortable. He only hoped that Howzer proved himself a good soldier.
"That's an excellent idea!" Anakin beamed. "Welcome to the 501st, Howzer!"
"It's an honour, sir," Howzer nodded with a smile.
"Jesse, you're now the Captain of the 501st. Coordinate with me or Ahsoka, and Howzer of course, and if you have any other questions—Rex will be here on the Resolute," Anakin said.
"Of course! Thank you, sir," Jesse said happily, and still managed to salute the Generals despite the happiness seeping out the hems of his blacks.
Anakin rounded the table and put a hand on Rex's shoulder. This time the Captain managed to bite back the pain. He wouldn't be surprised if all this shoulder-patting would leave him with yet another bruise.
"We'll miss you out there on the field, Rex. But you'll be back with us soon, don't worry."
"Yes, sir, thank you," Rex responded. "Jesse will do well," he added. Anakin smiled and agreed.
The room cleared slowly and soon Rex stood next to Ahsoka by the door—both of them looking at Jesse shaking hands with Howzer.
"Don't worry. He'll be fine," Ahsoka said, her elbow brushing against his armoured waist. "You trained him after all."
"I'm not worried about him, Commander," Rex said and looked in her direction. "I'm more worried about myself." He mumbled the last bit, unsure if she actually heard him.
Ahsoka's brow furrowed. "What? Why?" she asked hurriedly.
"I'm on forced bedrest, Commander. That would drive any soldier up the wall… But it will drive me through the ship's hull by the end of it."
Ahsoka laughed heartily. Rex arched a brow at her, surprised by the humour she apparently saw in his current predicament. He crossed his arms over his chest, head tilted. "Are you mocking me, Commander?" he asked teasingly.
Ahsoka simply shook her head as her laughter slowly curved into a sweet smile. "Not at all, Captain," she said. "But I wish I could be here to see you climb the walls and enter the atmosphere through the sheer power of boredom."
Rex moaned and shook his head—a small smile cresting on the corner of his lips. "Ah, well... I'll let Kix tell you all about it when you return."
"I look forward to it," she smiled, squeezing his arm one last time as she stepped past him through the door. "See you later, Rex."
"Bye, Commander."
He watched her round the corner before looking back at Jesse and Howzer, not hearing a word of what they were saying. Probably something about coordinating the upcoming mission—something Rex would have done had he still been in charge. Now he was forced to sit around and do nothing for at least a week, according to Kix. Hopefully that would be all and then everything could go back to normal.
-
As Rex closed his eyes to the irregular sound of beeping machines and the hum from the refrigerated medicine storage room in the medbay, he thought again about Cut and his family.
He wondered—if it had been an easy choice for him? If he even hesitated once about his choice to leave? It sounded like it was the easiest choice he'd ever made. But—Cut had been a soldier for the GAR. Something most of his brothers honoured, and died for, every single day. Did it just switch? Could their duty so easily be turned off? Could their loyalty to their Generals and Commanders slip away just like that? Could he?
On the verge of falling asleep Rex found himself unconsciously slipping into thoughts he'd never given much thought to before.
The things Cut told him at dinner, about family… Rex truly saw the 501st as his family. They were. But—what would it be like to share everything with—someone specific? What would that truly be like? What would it feel like? He wondered how Cut felt about Suu. The children were obviously not his, but he treated them as his own, and the kids saw him as their father.
Could Rex still be a soldier if he had a family? Would the GAR even allow it? Would there be children? Could he father children? Would he want children if he could?
He knew the answer to none of these questions, and as more questions arose within him the closer to exhaustion he came.
It didn't take long before sleep finally claimed him, but he fell asleep that night with a very clouded mind.