Puissant

A Star Wars the Clone Wars Story

Captain Rex of the 501st had never been happier to leave a planet than he was to leave Umbara. Krell was in custody. Obi-Wan Kenobi and the 201st was able to destroy the Umbaran defenses and overtake the capital. They fended off a few attacks, but with Rex in charge the following waves were taken out rather effectively with minimum casualties.

They had done it.

They took Umbara.

Captain Rex stood by himself overlooking the cargo ships that came and went. His eyes looking over the landscape and into the distance. Pillars of smoke and dwindling fires shattered what he believed might have been peaceful, serene place at one time. Now it was destroyed and darker than when they first arrived. The devastation of war had ruined anything the planet once held dear. To have victory was important, but the consequences of battle were too often overlooked.

"Not sitting with the Commander, Rex?" Commander Cody having been dispatched to help them after Obi-Wan learned of Krell's betrayal asked. The Captain had spent every free moment sitting with the Togruta who had yet to wake up from the event four days earlier.

"Nah… Echo, Hardcase, and Jesse are with her now. They're probably keeping her unconscious by their incessant war stories," Rex shook his head, "Kix and Coric said she'll be alright. She'll be in a lot of pain and will have to take it easy. They've got fluids in her and are keeping her comfortable. She should wake up in the next few days."

Cody nodded, "I saw what she did. It was sent to my helmet cam and every trooper in my unit's datapad. The senate is already calling out for Krell's blood…" Cody stopped as his tone changed completely, "I never thought I'd see something like that."

Rex agreed. They were born to be expendable and that was something Rex had come to terms with long ago, but as he looked at his closest friend, Rex no longer thought that. If a jedi, even though she's just a child, could feel that way for just one clone. A rookie, a shiny nonetheless then maybe they had a purpose after all. Maybe there was more to them than just being a soldier. Maybe.

Not that he knew what it would be.

With a heavy sigh, Rex looked out towards the injured, battle weary men of the 501st and 212th as they prepared to leave, "What's the point of all this? I mean … Why?"

"I don't know Rex," Cody added his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I don't think anybody knows, but one day this war will end."

"Then what? What becomes of us then?" Rex asked knowing that Cody didn't have an answer. They both had lost good men in this mission. Many to the blaster owned by their own brothers. No clone should have to die that way. Yet they kept moving without final words or funerals or anything. But the living kept going, sometimes it ate at their very souls, but they kept going.

All because of one small teardrop things were going to change. He could feel it. What that actually meant, he didn't know.

The two friends stood in silence for a moment before Cody clapped him on the shoulder, "How about we get off this planet?"

Rex smiled slightly, his eyes brightening as he turned to walk side by side with his brother. His friend.

Cody.

"Couldn't agree with you more, brother."

Captain Rex of the 501st legion shifted uncomfortably in his chair. His eyes flicked to the jedi apprentice smothered in blankets still soundly sleeping beside him. Rex had seen the change in skin color and the stripes on her lekku were nearly as bold and blue as before. The bruises she'd obtained were healing nicely and even the burns her hands had suffered were getting better.

Yet that didn't stop the captain from looking over every once and awhile just to be sure that she was breathing. He'd seen an immense improvement the moment they got her on the Resolute. Like Umbara was no longer sucking the life out of her, and she knew she'd be safe.

Really, Rex should be up on the bridge with Admiral Yularen or finishing up some case reports or anything rather than what he was doing. Yet he had ordered Kix and Coric to go get some grub and General Kenobi was in a meeting with the council, and he couldn't bare the thought of leaving the kid alone. Especially since the medical sergeant had warned him that she'd wake up any moment now. After everything she'd been through she didn't deserve to wake up by herself.

Rex wiped some of the removable smudges off of his helmet as he waited anxiously by her side. Some of it was blood that he'd missed while cleaning his gear earlier, but most of it was trapped dirt, remnants of the Umbaran battleground. He cleared his throat as his mind drifted back to the still breathing padawan and then to her master.

He'd spoken with General Skywalker only briefly, but he could always tell when the jedi was on a warpath. The majority of the call was mostly checking up on Ahsoka's condition. The worry for his young apprentice clearly shown. Rex had always thought the jedi were strange creatures. Not that he often thought of it as they were his generals, and he was a soldier. He was born to follow orders, but even that didn't stop him from being amazed by a single jedi's power. Let alone the power of General Skywalker and Ahsoka. The two seemed to have a lot in common and the young Togruta has already picked up many of her master's traits. The captain would never claim to understand the jedi code, but he was pretty sure the two of them continually walked the line. Though he wasn't sure that was a bad thing. It allowed to the two to think and feel and care in ways he heard, from brothers in different battalions, the other jedi generals lacked.

Rex never saw it as a weakness, but then again he didn't understand the jedi. Just, for most part, his general and commander.

"Re-Rex," A quiet voice stirred. The captain's head perked up as he turned his brown eyes meeting her bright blues. Her eyes were barely open as she blinked in her surroundings. He caught of flicker of panic and of pain.

Rex reached out to touch the kid's shoulder, "It's okay Commander. You're okay." He smiled at her as she immediately calmed. Holding up her two burned and bandaged hands she frowned slightly.

"Did we succeed?" Ahsoka asked distantly as if her mind was somewhere else. Rex had been expecting the question, but not so quickly.

"Yes. We took Umbara," Rex told her watching her flinch at the name. He, himself, felt the same way. It would be a dark memory for a long time, but they would get through it. There was no room not to. The Togruta nodded at his answer as though it was the one good thing he could have said. He went on to tell her about Krell and his admission. The besalisk was currently wasting away in a detention cell on the ship while he awaits a trial on Coruscant.

"The 501st?" The Togruta put vaguely, but he knew what she meant. Rex lowered his gaze his fingers tapping his thigh armor. Looking back into Ahsoka's eyes, he could see she regretted asking, but he also knew that she needed to know.

"There's not many of us left," He stated near indifference, but he looked back at her with a wink, "But we'll bounce back. We always do."

The two sat in silence for a minute or so. Neither spoke and neither moved. Rex watched as Ahsoka's eyes closed and after awhile he believed she might have gone back to sleep. Which she would need a lot of, for the next few weeks. The captain figured he'd let Coric or Kix tell her that as the kid would not be happy. As though she heard him, Ahsoka opened her eyes slowly,

"I'm sorry Rex," She started as though she'd been preparing those words throughout the entire week she'd been unconscious. They were sincere and guilt-ridden. Rex wasn't prepared for this either.

"You and I. We did the best we could in the situation we were in. We couldn't have known how it was going to turn out. You couldn't have known and nobody blames you," He added that last part as he already knew where the conversation was heading. Rex saw the quick shock that flashed through her features. He had said what she needed to hear, "Now. You get some rest. I'll go get Coric and inform General Kenobi that you are awake."

Ahsoka frowned, "I think I've been resting long enough Rex."

"All the same, get some rest. You've got about a hundred troopers waiting to see you. You're going to need it," Rex told her as he picked up his helmet and held it to his hip as he started out the doors.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at his exaggeration. For a moment Rex wondered if he should let her know the whole galaxy knew what she did. Her moment of fragility and compassion in a war zone was playing on every holo TV station. It's been quite the uproar. The footage taken by a lone trooper at the scene had been leaked. Much to the Republic's dismay he was sure.

Rex pressed the door button. The familiar whooshing sound breezing through his ears. He was nearly out when a small voice stopped him once more, "Rex. Have you heard from Master Skywalker?"

The veteran clone captain smiled slightly,"He's already called to check on you twice today. He'll be there when we dock at Coruscant tomorrow."

Ahsoka nodded her eyes getting a little brighter.

"He's proud of you Kid."

That made her smile.

I realize that chapter may have dragged a bit or been too emotional, but I wanted to put this chapter in there. I always appreciated Ahsoka and Rex's friendship and wish we saw it a little more throughout the series, but that could just be me. Plus it's a good setup for how I'd like the rest of this story to go. I also really like the idea of the public finding out about Umbara and that sparking outrage within the republic which could bring some unwanted events- especially for a certain chancellor. Maybe that's too out there? Let me know what you think? All criticisms and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

-Flipside