Hey everyone! Thanks again for the reads and reviews! School starts for me in a week, so if I'm a bit late next week for Fives Effect, hang on a minute. I'll get everything up. I calculated that I have enough chapters to last the entirety of the semester for both Fives Effect and Guilty, so there won't be any delay until July. We'll see how much I'll be able to write during the semester though.

RyanSquad: What did you expect? As you get to know me as a writer, you'll learn that I either make things a bit too easy, or totally destroy the characters.

osterreicher97: I hadn't read RC when I wrote this chapter, but unfortunately the Bad Batch makes more sense for Cody to know and be able to call upon. I haven't been able to show it in my fics (yet) but I absolutely ADORE Kal Skirata and his boys. Like my top three Star Wars characters: Captain Rex, Din Djarin, and freaking Kal Skirata. So if you're a RC fan, I will hopefully be dropping some threads for those characters in my fics.

nw150: Less that he can feel the Force and that Ahsoka is very much blaring her emotions and such through their Force bond. Rex isn't inherently Force sensitive in this story, he just gains some emotional abilities from his Ahsoka's bond, and only in regards to her.

Star-The-Write: RIGHT? Please let her be in the Bad Batch Please let her be in the Bad Batch PLEASE LET HER BE IN THE BAD BATCH

OneLittleSpark18: I too, am a completely unapologetic Rexsoka shipper. And thank you! I hope this chapter fulfils your need for a little while!

TragicFiction: I'm glad you're enjoying and here is more! Don't worry, I have plans upon plans for this universe.

Changeling10: I adore your essay reviews. They make my day. And yeah, of course they would. I first thought Tech was cold and distant, but rewatching the Bad Batch made me change my mind. He's the first to really try and connect between the regs and his own squad and tries to calm things down. So he is a sweetie. Rex gets hugs. He needs hugs. I need a Stubborn Company t shirt. It makes me wonder if the clones imprint a little on their generals and take up some of their traits, because gosh dang is Anakin the most stubborn creature in the world. I almost want to write a side fic about the prank war the 501st has started with the Coruscant Guard because I'm not sure Fives would be able to restrain himself. Thank you so much as always!

I'm excited for this chapter, it introduces a bit that will shape the rest of the fic.

Mando'a translations at the end!

Rex stumbled forward, disorientated. His vision was blurred. Where was he?

"Steady there."

A hand gripped his shoulder.

"Hey, are you gonna puke?" Another voice asked. "Cause I don't really do well with gross stuff."

"Nausea is not a symptom of hibernation sickness.'" A third voice said.

Rex's vision started to clear. Three out of the four Bad Batch were peering at him.

"Where's the commander?" Rex slurred.

"Still in the carbonite." Hunter said. "We'll get her out in a minute."

Hunter helped Rex down and onto a seat. They were on a ship. From the feel of the engine, they were in hyperspace. Tech handed him a canteen.

"One is usually dehydrated after being frozen in carbonite." He told Rex.

"Thanks." Rex mumbled.

His mouth did feel like the sands of Geonosis. He looked around. It was an unpleasant shock to see the slab of carbonite that held his commander. Why had they been in carbonite?

Memories soon came in patches. It had taken a call to Cody for Rex to accept the ludicrous plan the Batch had given him. Tech had insisted it was the easiest way to get them off. No extra life signs and carbonite slabs under the ship's panels would allow the Batch to leave without suspicion.

"What's our next move?" Rex asked.

"Naboo." Hunter said. He was studying Rex with his arms folded. "Your Commander's got friends in high places; the Senator has a ship waiting for you."

How had Ahsoka ever thought she was alone?

"I've run a few tests on the blood sample." Tech piped up. "The results are concerning."

Rex frowned and waited for Tech to continue.

"There were a number of mutated midichlorians." Tech went on. "I say mutated, even though there has never been any record of such a thing."

Rex didn't like the tone Tech had, one of a curious academic rather than a concerned medic.

"The number was rather low, and they seem to expire after a period of time."

"So they aren't permanent." Rex said, relieved.

"No. " Tech said. "I do think we need to send these results to the Jedi council."

"You'll have to wait until the Commander's name is cleared." Rex interrupted.

Tech twisted his mouth into a frown.

"And how long do you expect that to take?" He asked.

"Not long. General Skywalker is bound to prove her innocence soon." Rex said, trying to assure himself as much as Tech.

"You sure about that, vod?" Crosshair had come in. The term of endearment sounded like the opposite coming from him. "Who says she can be proven innocent?"

Crosshair's words were a lit match under Rex's already frayed rope of nerves.

"Choose your next words carefully, vod." Rex said.

"Crosshair, please." Hunter said.

"I'm just saying, we don't have any evidence she didn't kill those troopers. Maybe she didn't do the bombing, but how'd she get out the first time?"

Rex could swear Crosshair smirked as Rex drove his elbow into the smug shabuir's nose."

Wrecker gave a shout, though it wasn't angry, as Crosshair rammed his fist into Rex's stomach. Rex was about to knee him in the 'nades when a strong hand jerked him backwards.

"That's enough!" Wrecker sounded cheerful as he dragged Rex away.

Hunter had grabbed Crosshair.

"Would you stop picking a fight with everyone?" The Bad Batch leader snapped.

Rex missed Crosshair's response due to Wrecker loudly smacking Tech on the back.

"That's 20 credits!" Wrecker declared.

Tech gave him a dirty look before reaching into one of his bags.

"You could have started with a punch." The smaller clone grumbled.

"What- did you bet on that?" Rex asked.

"Crosshair gets into so many fights, me and Tech bet on the move the other guy uses to start." Wrecker said, accepting a handful of credits from Tech.

Tech gave Rex a glare.

"Statistically, you should have started with a punch."

"Me, I like the underdogs, like elbows or headbutts." Wrecker put in. "Or biting!"

"That happened once and it was a loth cat. " Tech said.

"That was a good fight." Wrecker said dreamily.

"Against a loth cat?" Rex asked.

"Yeah!" Wrecker said. "Cause we actually got to watch him fight it instead of breaking it up!"

The mental image of Crosshair trying to brawl with a screeching ball of fur made Rex feel a lot better. As did the sight of Crosshair's bloody nose. Their eyes met and Crosshair gave a mocking smile.

"If he says anything to the Commander, he won't be getting into any more fights." Rex growled.

Wrecker and Tech exchanged looks.

"He might not say anything. She is a Jedi." Wrecker ventured.

"Perhaps." Tech didn't sound so sure.

"Come on, let's wake her up. She'll need time to recover before we arrive." Hunter said.

Rex was anxious to get her out. Currently their bond felt heavy and the silence from it made Rex uncomfortable. It was odd how used he was to it already.

Ahsoka had been so unsteady when they had gone in the carbonite. Rex was prepared to catch her limp body as Tech hit a few buttons. Instead she stepped forward and only needed his shoulder.

"Rex?" She mumbled. "What's going on?"

"Sit down, you'll remember in a minute."

Rex guided her to his chair. She seemed much better than she had been when she had gone in, if not disorientated. She kept blinking up at Rex, confused. Rex stayed by her side, giving Crosshair pointed looks. Crosshair stayed back, but his eyes glowed with an unpleasant look.

Rex felt her head clear before she said anything.

"We're going to Naboo. Senator Amidala has a ship waiting for us." He told her before she could ask.

She blinked at him again.

"How did she know?"

"Probably Cody and General Kenobi." Rex said with a shrug. "If anyone could be counted on to help you, it's her."

Tech approached her.

"I would like to take another blood sample." He said without preamble.

Ahsoka frowned.

"Why?"

Tech explained his findings and Ahsoka grew more disturbed.

"Fine. I'll give you access to the Jedi archives so you can do better research." Ahsoka said. "Or, since they've probably revoked my codes, ask Obi-Wan."

"Oh yeah, let's just ask General Kenobi." Crosshair said.

Ahsoka ignored him, which Rex found impressive. Crosshair's voice had a way of getting under his skin.

Tech took another sample and bustled off to do more research.

Ahsoka turned to Hunter.

"Thank you," She said. "For your help."

Hunter shrugged.

"We owed Cody a favor."

"Smuggling two high profile criminals off planet?" Ahsoka said, folding her arms. "Some favor."

Hunter rubbed the back of his head.

"Well-"

"We don't like it when people get treated unfairly." Wrecker boomed. "'Specially if it's not their fault."

Ahsoka grinned up at Wrecker.

"Well, I'm grateful for that."

"I liked them." Ahsoka said.

She was gazing out their new ship's window into space. Captain Tycho had been waiting for them on Naboo with the much nicer, though still inconspicuous, ship. There had been an invitation to stay as well, but Rex had said he had a plan. Besides, Naboo was too populated, too close to the Republic.

"So did I, mostly." Rex admitted.

"Mostly?"

"Crosshair."

"Ah."

She returned her gaze to the stars outside.

"Wrecker reminded me of Hardcase." She said quietly.

She felt a soft sadness from their bond. He had seen it too.

"And it was nice of Tech to get me these." She touched one of the pseudo-lightsabers Tech had presented her with. The modified electro-staffs were perfectly balanced.

"I dunno how he managed to make them with the time restraint." Rex said. His eyes were still on the console.

"I got the feeling he'd been working on them a long time. He just now had a reason to give them to somebody."

Rex just grunted in reply. There was a pause.

"Hunter's a good man." He said.

Ahsoka placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Like a certain Captain I know."

Rex cleared his throat and studied the controls closer.

"Where are we going, then?" Ahsoka said.

She enjoyed teasing her Captain, but she knew when to change the subject.

"Saleucami." Rex said. "I have-a friend there."

"A friend." Ahsoka repeated. Just like how he was now able to see her lies more clearly, she could now identify his half-truths just as easily.

"It's hard to explain, Commander." Rex said. There was a note of pleading in his voice. "Please, just wait until we get there."

"You trust them?"

"With your life."

The Force was screaming. She screamed with it. The Force had connected her to others before, but never this many lifeforms. Millions of minds bore down on her and she lost which one was hers. Memories that weren't hers, feelings that weren't hers, souls that weren't hers flooded her senses. The occasional drop in the ocean seemed familiar to her. Some shone with blinding light, a few were steeped in numbing darkness. On the edge of her mind, she was aware of her physical body burning.

Suddenly four minds, pulled along by threads of light drew close to hers. Two were shining bright and a third pulsed with power. The fourth was dim in comparison, but was warm and steady.

They pulled her mind down and shielded it from the galaxy. She resisted. She could tell it caused them pain, especially the fourth mind. It did not have the strength to do this for her.

The four presences held her until the universe began to shrink. Three of them became faint again. The fourth stayed close, drenched in fear. Soon it was only the two of them.

She was Ahsoka again and she hurt. Her arm was blazing with white hot pain. It radiated to the rest of her and she couldn't help but cry out. She clenched her hand and found it clutching something. She forced open her eye a crack. Someone was gripping her hand with both of their own. A corner of her fevered mind knew this person. They would keep her safe.

The hands held hers until the pain faded enough for her to slip into unconsciousness.

Ahsoka faded in and out of wakefulness. Sometimes she thought she'd said something, but she was never quite sure. Someone certainly talked to her. She couldn't make out the words but the cadance and tone soothed her. Sometimes hands would lift her and help her drink. Her arm throbbed throughout.

Ahsoka woke fully for the first time feeling like absolute osik. Her arm still burned and she barely had the strength to turn her head.

Rex sat hunched at her bedside with his head in his hands.

"Rex?" She croaked.

His head snapped up.

"Commander!" He gasped.

Their bond was flooded with relief. He jumped up and hurried off.

"How long have I been out?" She asked as he came back with a canteen.

"It's been over a standard day." He said. He ran a bruised hand over his head. "For the first while you were just in pain. Then you started acting like you were drugged again, only worse than you were before."

Ahsoka noticed the shadows under his eyes. He looked between her and the canteen.

"Can't move very well." She told him.

He helped her into a sitting position and steadied the canteen.

"You had a pretty bad fever; it only broke an hour ago." He said as he lowered her back down.

His relief had given way to exhaustion. Though the memory of her experience was fuzzy, she knew the efforts he went through to try and help her.

"Rex, you need to sleep." She said.

He shook his head.

"No, sir." He muttered.

"That's an order." She tried to sound firm, though she didn't know if she pulled it off.

He frowned.

"Sir, you've been very ill." He said. "I can't just leave you. "

"I'm sure our bond will wake you if anything goes too badly." Ahsoka said.

He still looked unconvinced.

"Sleep, Rex." She said.

It was a mistake. A flash of pain hit her head and the Force suggestion was suddenly Force mind control. Rex's eyes immediately rolled into the back of his head and he fell forward. Luckily he was still sitting and his head fell onto the mattress.

Ahsoka was scared, though she tried to reign it in as to not wake Rex. What strength she had woken up with was gone. Whatever Palpatine had done to her wasn't going away, whatever Tech said. She wouldn't be able to use the Force anymore. The repercussions were crippling.

Rex was awake and agitated when Ahsoka woke up again.

"Please never do that again." His voice was tight and he was studying her bandaged arm rather than her face.

Ahsoka winced.

"It wasn't supposed to be that strong." She admitted. "I'm sorry."

He looked away.

"How are you feeling?" He finally asked.

"A lot better." She said. "How about you?"

Rex simply shrugged and glanced at her arm again. She held it up. They both recoiled at what was under the bandages and bacta. The injection point was swollen again and the black veins were spreading.

Rex stood up.

"We're going back to Naboo."

"We can't." Ahsoka said. "I'm pretty sure only a Jedi healer will be able to help whatever's happening to me."

"We can't just do nothing!" He protested. "What if it gets bad again?"

"Then we'll wait it out." She said. "It doesn't seem designed to kill me."

She sat up and touched his arm.

"Anakin will find Barriss soon. Don't worry."

He met her gaze and his shoulders dropped.

"We're almost to Saleucami." He said.

Ahsoka was relieved if only for Rex's sake when they stepped out onto the marshy planet.

"This looks like the middle of nowhere, Rex." She told him.

"Because it is. It'll be a bit of a hike." Rex said. Ahsoka pulled her pack up around her shoulders. Rex had initially planned to go alone to find his friend, but Ahsoka didn't like the idea of him going without backup.

"You know where we're going, right?" Ahsoka asked.

Rex frowned.

"Commander, I really think you should stay here." He said. "You're still recovering."

"I can walk." Ahsoka said.

Rex's mouth tightened but he turned to the horizon. He scrutinized the landscape.

"This way." He sounded less than certain.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure enough. I know for a fact it's in this sector. We'll find it eventually." He said.

He glanced back at her.

"You could stay with the ship."

"Just lead the way." Ahsoka grumbled.

It was an hour before Ahsoka started to regret her stubbornness. Her arm started to throb painfully and she was getting short of breath. And the landscape looked kriffing the same. She was getting tired of slightly muddy ground beneath her feet.

"Let's take a rest." Rex said.

His worried tone meant he knew how she was faring. Kriff. Either she was failing miserably at mentally shielding or he was getting very good at seeing past her defenses. She normally was an expert at hiding exhaustion. She kept it from Anakin all the time.

She nonetheless sank gratefully onto the ground. Rex settled down next to her.

"I think I recognize that ridge." He pointed out a knoll a little ways away. "Might be where I got shot, actually. Shouldn't be too far now."

Ahsoka grunted and sipped at her canteen.

They rested a lot longer than Ahsoka knew Rex usually allowed. She hated to admit that she was glad that they had. Finally he got to his feet and helped her up.

"Let me take that, Commander." He said as she made to put her pack on. When she handed it over without a word, she got a spike of worry from him.

"Just a bit further." Rex promised.

"Not if you're going in that direction." An oddly familiar voice said.

Rex and Ahsoka whirled around, which made Ahsoka's head spin.

To Ahsoka's utter shock, a lanky clone with reddish long hair to rival Tup's had appeared. Ahsoka didn't know whether or not to lower her guard. Rex, however, relaxed.

"If you were looking for my farm, it's thataway." The clone nodded off in a direction.

Though his face was relaxed, his eyes gave them a shrewd examination. He smirked.

"It's not what you're thinking, Cut." Rex said.

"Too bad. Would've been a lot more interesting if it was."

"Commander, this is Cut Lawquane. He was the one who took care of me after I was shot."

A last name? And what was he doing all the way out here by himself?

Then it clicked.

"You're a deserter." The idea didn't revolt her as she knew it did many of the clones.

Cut spread his arms wide.

"Guilty as charged."

Rex's discomfort with the subject trickled into Ahsoka's mind.

"Cut, this is my Jedi Commander, Commander Tano." Rex said. "We need your help."

Cut raised an eyebrow.

"I guessed as much. What sort of trouble are you in?"

"We're on the run from the Republic." Ahsoka supplied. "We need somewhere to lie low."

Cut blinked.

"Not exactly what I was expecting." He said. "Come on, you can tell me all about it at my place."

*me, slapping this fic* This bad boy can hold so many side characters in it. But I love Cut and since Cut's laid low all this time, it makes sense that Rex would think of him. And if it's not clear: Ahsoka's ability to sense and connect with living things was completely blown out of proportion. Her four bonded people, Anakin, Plo, Obi Wan, and Rex, basically took the brunt of it for her, until it calmed down. Poor Rex had to watch it happen, but the others just got hit with the AHSOKA'S IN DANGER alarm. I love the idea that Crosshair just fights with EVERYONE and the rest are just used to it.

Mando'a:

vod: brother/sister

shabuir: jerk, but worse. Basically mother effer

Well, that's it for now!

Wear your masks, remember to review, and have a great few weeks!