Six

They had captured the Commander.

All in all, Captain Rex wasn't as surprised as he thought he might have been. For all of Ahsoka's skill and experience, she was not accustomed to being a fugitive, and the reach of the law extended even into Coruscant's undercity. As it turned out Rex's unit had been on the wrong side of the warehouse to apprehend the Padawan, and that grim task had fallen to Commander Wolffe of the 104th, the unit famously assigned to General Plo Koon - a Jedi who incidentally had played a key role in Ahsoka's early years, and of whom she had spoken highly - even affectionately - during many a conversation between her and Rex.

Seeing her stunned and carried - and not with much care - by her Jedi mentor's own troops was a sad image indeed. And while Rex felt a definite relief that Ahsoka had been found, alive, it was heavily weighed by the knowledge that she had nothing but trouble awaiting her when she reached the surface again.

"Commander!" he exclaimed unthinkingly as they reached the scene, before quickly falling silent as the Generals came into view. He held his peace reluctantly, pushing his way forward to see his fallen superior as she hung between two troopers, both of whom wore the distinct grey armor of the 104th's "Wolfpack".

Safely masked by his helmet, Rex cast a bitter scowl at the two men, thinking for a moment that their elite unit was all too aptly named.

His attention then turned to Ahsoka's limp figure, while he half-listened to the two Jedi Masters as they assessed the situation. She was alive, thank the Force, but she had clearly been through more than one bitter fight before being cornered. Her last lightsaber was now missing, her arms and face bore the marks of fresh bruises and scratches. Her face was drawn and weary, and even in unconsciousness there was a sense of despair about her expression.

It took every shred of self-control to restrain himself from forcibly pulling her away from the strangers who held her captive, and Rex couldn't hide his frustration when he spoke to the two clones. "She's injured. Why haven't you gotten her medical attention?"

Two helmeted heads swiveled to look at each other, before the man to Ahsoka's right replied, "Orders are to keep her restrained, sir. Her condition was not judged critical-"

"Trooper," Rex's voice was close to a snarl as he cut the man off. "Commander Tano is clearly injured. You will get her medical treatment immediately."

"No they won't, Captain."

Rex froze at the distinctly menacing voice. The two clones who held Ahsoka stiffened and turned towards the unseen speaker, who had approached from behind Rex. A warning chill ran down Rex's spine as he slowly turned around, finding himself facing the imposing form of Commander Wolffe himself.

"The traitor is stunned. She won't be receiving any more mercy than that, Captain. Stand down."

"She's a Jedi, and a Republic officer," Rex countered. "The least she deserves is proper care by a medic."

"She is a traitor and fugitive of the law, Captain," Wolffe replied, taking a step forward - Rex noted that the clone Commander walked with a slight limp and seemed to have suffered some damage to his right arm. "Clones and civilians have died because of her actions. Her comfort is not a consideration." Wolffe tilted his head forward in a subtle challenge. "Unless you know something more about her activities, Captain?"

The quiet threat in Wolffe's voice rang like an alarm in Rex's mind, and while part of him rebelled at the thought of leaving his Commander's care to these calloused men, the greater danger was clearly evident. Ahsoka was considered a criminal by Republic law, and to exhibit his protectiveness might only implicate both her and Rex in yet another alleged conspiracy. Though it went against every instinct and emotion within him, Rex knew he didn't have a choice - he could do nothing for Ahsoka by open belligerence to another superior.

"My apologies, sir," Rex responded beneath his breath, turning away from the clone Commander. Despite the very real risk of suspicion, his eyes were drawn back to the young Togruta between the two 104th troopers. The relief at seeing her alive had all but evaporated by now, and a sense of hopelessness began to settle within Rex. Ahsoka's fate was now in the hands of the law, of officials and Senators to whome she was nothing more than another specimum of a mysterious caste of Force-users, with a dangerously long list of crimes to her name. Finding her here, in the middle of a crumbling warehouse full of illegal explosives, would only be yet another damning peice of evidence to be wielded against her by those who didn't know her, who had no experience with the selfless, sacrificial life she led.

There was nothing Rex could do about it. The likelihood that he or any of the men of Torrent Company would be consulted as witnesses was almost nil. And frankly, even Rex struggled to imagine how so many criminal acts had managed to unfold around Ahsoka in so short a time. And now that Asajj Ventress had seemingly been linked with her escape, to assert that none of these events had been planned by Ahsoka strained credibility, even for a man who trusted her as much as Rex.

But for all his dedication to logical, fact based analysis, this was one question where Rex was prepared to be fully irrational if need be. Ahsoka Tano, the Commander who had repeatedly placed herself between harm and her men, the Jedi who quietly mourned the lost troopers she couldn't bring home, the friend who had faithfully offered encouragement and hope during the darkest moments of his life...

Not guilty.

Finally, a familiar voice echoed through the warehouse, as General Plo Koon ordered the search team to head for the pickup point. Rex waited for the two men who held Ahsoka to begin moving, then fell in step behind them, his eyes never leaving the unconscious form that hung between them. In his peripheral vision he saw Commander Wolffe mirror his moments, to Ahsoka's left, but he didn't acknowledge the other officer. Ostensibly in anticipation of a counterattack, he let his right hand fall to his holstered blaster.

It might be for the last time, but he had her six.

Another write-off. Also FYI - I've updated the previous chapter some based on some insightful reader feedback. Feel free to take a peek. :)

As always, thanks for reading - reviews are much appreciated.