Chapter 2: A Clones Choice

Captain Rex of 501st Legion walked along one of Coruscant's many boulevards and gazed happily at the night sky. The 501st had recently been recalled to Coruscant, presumably so that General Skywalker and Commander Tano could be given some new dangerous mission by the Jedi council. Rex knew that it wouldn't be long before he would be back aboard the Resolute, bound for some far away hell hole and he wanted to enjoy every moment he had of peace and quiet on Coruscant before that moment came. There had once been a time when he had lived for the thrill of the fight, the adrenaline rush of combat, but recently he had found his mind otherwise occupied, making it harder day by day to enjoy battles, he couldn't, not when he was constantly worried about...

"Penny for your thoughts Rex" shouted his companion, elbowing him the ribs.

Rex turned to look at Ahsoka (no not Ahsoka, Commander Tano!); she was grinning mischievously up at him. "Sorry Commander what was that?" Rex asked massaging his side where the young Jedi's elbow had hit him.

"I said what's going on in that helmet of yours Rex" laughed Ahsoka "you've been really quiet all evening, what's up?"

It was true, the commander had asked him if he'd like to come shopping with her, and Rex had agreed. He had then spent most of the evening listening to her talk and laugh, watching her smile and the way it lit up her whole face, and consequently had been silent as the grave. He blushed "sorry sir, I was just thinking it's a...er...nice evening" Rex finished lamely.

"It's lovely isn't it?" Ahsoka smiled, before rolling her eyes exasperatedly "sir, commander, honestly Rex, are we in court? Why can't you just call me Ahsoka every once in a while, it wouldn't bring the Grand Army of the Republic crashing down around our ears you know. And as for sir, do I look like a guy to you Rex?" Ahsoka said teasingly.

Rex wanted to say no, you defiantly don't, you like the most beautiful girl in the galaxy, but instead he chuckled and said "alright kid, maybe I can see my way to calling you Ahsoka every now and again, when it's a special occasion".

Ahsoka playfully punched Rex's arm "and kids even worse, what am six?"

Rex had to admit that she most certainly wasn't a child anymore; Ahsoka had changed a lot since he had first met her on Christophsis all those years ago. She was taller now, although not by much, both her head-tails and montrals had developed, and her body had followed their example. Rex mentally shook himself, you can't think of her like that, she's your commanding officer; it doesn't matter if she has really lovely stop it! Rex nodded "Ok, Ahsoka, but I can't make a habit of it, as you pointed out when we first met, you out rank me remember?"

Ahsoka smiled happily "I remember, and you told me that experience out ranked everything?"

The commander and captain continued to playfully bicker as they walked through Coruscant's busy streets, Jedi and clone walking together, browsing the late evening market stalls, like any couple might do, Rex thought to himself. So many times he had wondered if he should tell her how he felt, tell her that he had fallen in love with her the moment he'd set eyes on her standing beside General Skywalker all those years ago. He had almost told her when they had both been infected with the Blue Shadow Virus on Naboo, when he had held her in his arms after she had succumbed to the deadly disease. But he had decided against it, after all, he was a clone, his face was everywhere, there were a million Rexs on every Republic planet in the galaxy, how could she possibly love him. You're a clone, he would remind himself, a copy, even if she could have an attachment to someone, that person would be a man who was as real and as individual as she was.

Suddenly Ahsoka gasped as if she'd been stabbed and clutched at Rex's arm for support. "What's wrong?" Rex exclaimed, worried.

"I...I...they're dying" whispered Ahsoka clutching at his arm still tighter "they're all dying".

Rex had never seen his friend and commander like this before, becoming seriously alarmed he picked her up, and gently carried her down a nearby ally, setting her carefully down in a doorway. "Relax Ahsoka, no one's dying" Rex said in what he hoped was a soothing voice "everything's all..." but was suddenly cut off by the beeping of his communicator. Instinctively he raised his wrist to his mouth "Rex here".

At first the clone captain didn't recognise the voice, before suddenly realizing in amazement that it was that of Chancellor Palpatine himself, the chancellor was calling him? "Captain Rex, the hour is upon us at last, initiate order 66".

"Yes my lord it will be done" Rex found himself saying without a moment's hesitation. He let his arm drop to his side and then looked down at the Jedi traitor sobbing on the porch steps at his feet. Jedi scum, they were traitors to the Republic, enemies of the chancellor, they must all be destroyed. Rex drew his DC-17 blaster pistol and took aim on the Jedi's head, this was too easy, this traitor wasn't even going to fight back, she wasn't even going to...

The Jedi raised her tear filled eyes to Rex, sapphire blue eyes that Rex had found himself lost in so many times before. "Rex" she whispered "why?"

Rex suddenly found himself staring down, not at a faceless Jedi traitor, but at Ahsoka, frightened and confused. She's saved my life a hundred times, and I've saved hers, Rex realized, we've been fighting the Sith and the Separatists for years, she can't be a traitor. "She is" came a silky persuasive voice in his head "she is a spy, a defector; she is an enemy of the state and must be destroyed, initiate order 66". Rex found that his hand was shaking worse than it had ever done in any battle, "you must shoot the Jedi, kill her, kill her" the voice repeated over and over again.

Rex's finger began to tighten on the trigger, the voice in his head having risen to a scream of rage at his hesitation, when Ahsoka said quietly "Rex, I love you, I have ever since Christophsis".

Instantly those quiet words drowned out the shrieking in Rex's head; she loves me Rex thought, in disbelief, but how can she love a clone? "Kill her", she must see me as an individual, "kill her", she must think that I'm unique, "kill her", if I am a man and not a clone, then I have a choice, "KILL HER!"

"No" shouted Rex out loud "she's no traitor!" The voice gave one last howl of furry and then was gone. Rex let his pistol fall from his hand as he fell to his knees and tightly embraced Ahsoka. She returned his hug, pressing her head into his shoulder, and so they remained for what felt like hours. Eventually they both slackened their grips and released each other, Rex pulled of his helmet and smiled lovingly down on the Togrutan Jedi "I won't ever let anyone hurt you" he murmured stroking her head-tails "I'd die first".

Ahsoka's face was still awash with tears but some of her old determination was beginning to reassert itself "Rex what's happening" she shuddered "I felt so many deaths, everywhere, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Barriss Offee" Ahsoka moaned in despair "why is this happening, why are the clones turning on the Jedi?"

"Order 66, all Jedi have been declared enemies of the Republic and are to be executed without trial" Rex said as though he were reading a script. "The order came from the highest authority, Palpatine, it's his doing".

"But" asked Ahsoka in disbelief "why didn't you tell me about this order before, why didn't any of the clones tell anyone, Cody, Fives, Echo, Bly, someone!"

Rex shook his head "we didn't know any more about it than you did, I didn't know the order existed until Palpatine initiated it. We're clones remember? Programmed" Rex said the word as if it disgusted him "to follow orders. As soon as the order came through you were no longer Ahsoka, or Obi-Wan or Anakin, you were just a faceless Jedi, a traitor that had to be destroyed". Rex kissed Ahsoka gently on the cheek "if you hadn't told me you loved me, and if I hadn't loved you in return, you'd be dead by now. It was the knowledge that you believed me to be different, not just a clone like any other that meant I could fight it".

Ahsoka gave a small smile "love conquerors all?"

Rex returned her smile "I suppose the holo-films were right for once".

Ahsoka sat down on the porch steps and closed her eyes "I'm going to meditate, I've got to see if anyone's still alive, I've got to know If master Anakin and Obi-Wan are alright". Rex stood in silence beside the motionless Jedi as she murmured quietly "master Yoda is alive, and Shaak Ti, I can see master Obi-Wan falling but I think he's alright and..." Ahsoka broke from her meditation with a cry of horror, like a child waking from a terrible nightmare.

"What is it?" asked Rex grabbing Ahsoka's shoulder "what did you see?"

Fresh tears poured down Ahsoka's face "Oh Rex, its Anakin".

"Is he dead?" asked Rex, feeling the bottom drop out of his stomach, how could General Skywalker be dead, he had always been so full of life and energy.

"No" whispered Ahsoka "he's joined the Sith, Palpatine is Darth Sidious, Anakin's become his apprentice, he's in the Jedi temple right now with the clones, killing younglings, killing everyone" Ahsoka collapsed into Rex's arms, sobbing.

Rex couldn't credit it, it couldn't be, how could Anakin Skywalker, Jedi master, enemy of the Separatists and the Sith, have turned to the dark side? "But how, how can General Skywalker have turned against the Jedi? He's no clone; order 66 wouldn't mean a thing to him".

Ahsoka closed her eyes "I can see Anakin, he's with Palpatine, the chancellor is offering him the power to save his wife". Ahsoka broke off "Anakin's married to Padame, its fear for her that's has driven him to this". She shook her head in disbelief "how can he believe that she'll still love him after this".

A thought suddenly occurred to Rex "Ahsoka, is it the 501st that's attacking the Jedi temple" she nodded miserably. Rex shuddered "that's why we were recalled to Coruscant, Palpatine's has been planning this for a long time". Rex slowly rose to his feet, gently pulling Ahsoka up with him, "we can't stay here, every clone and bounty hunter in the city, maybe even the police droids, will be out looking for Jedi. I'll radio in that you're dead, but sooner or later someone's going notice we're gone, and then they'll be after us". Ahsoka wiped away here tears and nodded wordlessly. "Oh and pull your cloaks hood up" added Rex "we don't want someone recognizing you and giving us away. We'll get some sort of transport and then get the hell off this world as quick as we can".

Ahsoka pulled up her hood as instructed, and the two of them slipped out of the ally and started walking towards the nearest aerodrome. The city streets were much quieter than they had been before Rex and Ahsoka had entered the alley, the few civilians that passed them gave Rex frightened looks and sped on. Clearly news of Palpatine's coup had spread all over the city already. The white clone armour, once a symbol of liberation and freedom, had already become something to fear.

As they walked Rex contacted HQ; "command, this is Captain Rex, reporting".

"Copy that Captain Rex, this is command, go ahead" responded the clone on the other end of the transmission.

"I have just carried out order 66, the Jedi traitor Ahsoka Tano has been eliminated".

"By yourself?" exclaimed the HQ clone incredulously.

"Certainly" Rex responded coldly "these Jedi are flesh and blood trooper, they die from a blaster shot to the head, just like the rest of us".

The HQ clone whistled "well done sir, wow, well, um, yes, just stand by for further orders then"

"Confirmed, Captain Rex out" responded Rex, every inch the cold professional, terminating the transmission before the little idiot he'd been talking to could tell him how much of a hero he thought he was for stabbing his commanding officer in the back. Rex glanced at Ahsoka and grimaced "Sorry you had to hear me talking that way about you Ahsoka, but I had to convince them I'd really..."

Ahsoka smiled, and kissed Rex on the side of his helmet "you know Rex, after everything else that's happened tonight, you lying about having killed me is the least of my worries".

At last they reached the aerodrome that Rex had been making for, a fairly small place that couldn't have held more than fifteen or so spacecraft. The entrance was guarded by two clone troopers; they were alert and had their blaster rifles ready for action. Ahsoka shivered, but a few hours ago clones like these would have followed her orders, now they would attack her on site. She glanced at Rex "do we kill them?"

Rex shook his head "not if we can help it, as soon as they're bodies were found the alarm would be raised and they'd be after us in a flash". Rex considered the sentries for a moment and then seemed to reach a decision, "follow me and don't say anything unless you have to" he whispered giving Ahsoka's hand an affectionate squeeze "we'll be fine, just follow my lead". So saying Rex started to walk towards the clones, Ahsoka staying a few paces behind him.

As soon as they noticed the two shadowy figures advancing towards them the two clone guards' immediately raised their blasters and one of them shouted "halt, state your business, all civilian traffic has been grounded temporarily, so if you want your ship you can come back later!"

Rex slowly advanced; palms outstretched so that they could see that he wasn't carrying a weapon and suddenly called out "stand to attention when addressing a superior officer!" The clone sentries jumped and then, now that Rex was close enough to see, and realizing that they had indeed just been addressed by a clone captain, sprang to attention. Rex inspected both men critically, paying particular attention to an oily smudge on the breast plate of the left hand sentry. He tapped it meaningfully "and what my lad is this?"

The trooper saluted "sir! It is a stain on my armour sir".

Rex nodded "so it is trooper, and what are you going to do about it when you next return to the barracks?"

"Remove it sir!"

Rex nodded again "Well done trooper, we'll make a soldier of you yet". Rex continued to glare at the two sentries for a further five seconds and then laughed "alright boys, at ease". Both men visibly sagged with relief that the captain seemed to have finished throwing the book at them. "How long have you been at this post private?" Rex asked the right hand sentry.

The right hand clone saluted "only two hours sir".

"How long until you're relived?"

"Six hours sir".

Rex shook his head "that's a long watch gentlemen, you have my sympathies".

"Thank you sir...er...sir?" asked the left hand sentry hesitantly "you aren't captain Rex of the 501st are you?" When Rex said that yes he was both clones seemed to swell with pride "then sir may I just say that it is an honour and a privilege to meet you sir" the sentry ripped off his smartest parade ground salute yet "I'm trooper Swing sir, and my comrade trooper Flick" indicating his opposite number "250th legion sir". Rex was somewhat nonplussed, he was well known in the 501st of course, and among various ARC trooper legions, but he was by no means a galaxy wide renowned hero by any stretch of the imagination. A moment later however all was revealed, for the trooper known to the world as Flick said "It's going around the city sir that you took down a Jedi single handed, in a fair fight!"

"The army has a very active imagination" Rex said dryly "I simply shot her in the back".

The two sentries however clearly thought this was merely heroic modesty and no doubt by tomorrow Captain Rex would have slaughtered an army of Jedi, with one typed behind his back, such is the way with army rumours. Still, Rex considered, perhaps this hero worship could be used to his advantage, "so gentlemen, may I pass? I wished to take my companion for a moonlight fly, I'm sure that some obliging civilian wouldn't mind if I borrowed their vehicle for the evening".

The sentries glanced nervously at each other, and then Swing said "you're welcome to pass sir and take any ship that takes your fancy, but, um, who is your companion exactly sir? I've got to ask" he added hastily "regulations sir".

Rex motioned Ahsoka forward, and although most of her was covered by her cloak and hood, what could still be seen was enough to make trooper Flick drop his rifle and induce a coughing fit in trooper Swing. Ahsoka smiled bewitchingly and curtsied. Rex leaned in towards the guards, who followed suite, "just a young lady I'm spending the nigh... I mean the evening with. I suddenly felt in the mood for a little company, do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, I see, she's that sort of girl is she, I mean, that is quite in order, you may pass" said Swing, whilst winking and nudging Flick like someone in a second rate pantomime.

"Have a good evening sir, miss" said Flick as he and Swing opened the aerodrome's doors, it isn't easy to convey that one is leering when wearing a helmet, but troopers Flick managed it spectacularly.

As soon as Rex and Ahsoka were inside the aerodrome and the gates had been closed behind them, both let out a breath that neither realized they had been holding, they were almost home and dry. They selected a fairly well maintained Galleon troop transport, although unarmed it had plenty of room for supplies and was fitted with a hyperdrive system. They would leave Coruscant, fly to a nearby world, pick up provisions and equipment, and then, who knew?

"We could go to Pantora?" suggested Ahsoka as they left Coruscant's atmosphere "I'm sure senator Chuchi would help us any way she could".

"Pantora it is" Rex said, entering the coordinates into the ships navigational computer. As the ships engines powered up to make the jump to hyperspace, Rex glanced over at Ahsoka, where she sat with her forehead pressed against one of the ships port holes, gazing sadly out into space. Rex had said that he would protect Ahsoka, with his life, that he would die before he let anything happened to her, and by Kamino, Rex vowed, he was going to. He would do anything and everything in his power to keep her safe. It was at that moment that, because that's the way life is, Rex and Ahsoka's Galleon was suddenly gripped by a tractor beam, and dragged helplessly towards a huge destroyer.