And we are back! Sorry if my ANs are a bit scattered today. I've been up for almost 14 hours already and have been on planes and trains and buses all day. I am so glad to be back.

I'm sorry for not getting back to many of your comments. The last weeks of my internship were pretty draining and it's been a crazy vacation. I'll try to catch up soon.

Thanks for all the well wishes! I have visited my niece and given her as many hugs and kisses as I could in my short visit. Not to brag, but she's pretty freaking adorable.

I'm also excited for this chapter! I hope you enjoy and that it was worth the wait!

There's actually no Mando'a in this chapter. Huh.

Hunter began gathering everyone when they had around a half an hour until they reached their destination. Ahsoka stretched, cramped from sitting so long. The Batch immediately began working as a well oiled machine, gathering up their kit and working around each other. Ahsoka managed to stay out of their way, but Omega bounced among them, leading to her often being lifted and set aside by her brothers.

"Go stand with the Commander." Hunter finally told her after he nearly clocked her on the head with his pack.

"But I want to help!" Omega protested as Crosshair nudged her towards Ahsoka.

"You'll help by staying out of the way." Crosshair told her.

Omega frowned at him but came over to Ahsoka.

"They think I'm too little to help." Omega said to Ahsoka. "But I've been helping Nala Se for years!"

"Lab work is extremely different from military work." Tech said. "Wrecker, no, we do not need that much ordnance. This is a stealth mission."

"I hate that word." Wrecker muttered.

"So you've said." Tech said. "Do you have everything?"

"Why do you always ask that?" Wrecker complained.

"Because the last time I did not, you left behind your oxygen capsule during a mission with a high probability of hull decompression."

"I hate swallowing that thing." Wrecker grumbled.

"Regardless, if you had brought it, we would not have had to carry you back to the ship before you asphyxiated."

Echo and Rex were in the back, seemingly deaf to the bickering, getting ready themselves. Echo especially seemed nervous, moving with jerky motions as he kitted up. Rex was still being a duracrete wall. Tech disappeared into the cockpit.

"You may want to strap in." Hunter advised Ahsoka. "It might get bumpy."

Wrecker was already in his seat, after making sure Omega was secure. Ahsoka pulled the restraint down over herself.

"Is this really necessary?" Ahsoka asked Hunter. "We're just landing in a hangar, right?"

"Tech tries to prove that landing like an insane person confuses their sensors." Crosshair said as he sat down.

As if to prove the sniper's point, the ship jolted and swerved. Rex let out a curse as the ship continued to buck and weave.

Then it stopped, and Tech poked his head out of the cockpit.

"We have arrived." He said blandly. "Omega, come here. You will be in charge of making sure their sensors stay jammed."

Omega bounced out of her seat once Crosshair released her. Hunter caught her by the shoulder.

"You stay in here no matter what." He said. "And if we tell you to go, go."

Omega's face creased with concern.

"No arguing." Hunter said firmly before she could protest.

Omega nodded sullenly.

"We'll be okay, kid!" Wrecker boomed.

Omega turned back to them in the doorway to the cockpit.

"Good luck!" She called.

Tech joined them a moment later.

"Right." Hunter said. "Remember the plan. Tech, Echo, you go shut down their systems and make sure that the next transport isn't loaded. Commander, Rex, Wrecker, you're on bacta duty."

Ahsoka nodded. She didn't mind Hunter taking control of this mission. He knew best how to use his men.

"Cross, you're with me. Let's go cause some trouble." Hunter finished.

Crosshair smirked and shouldered his rifle.

"We've got a lot of men depending on us." Rex said. "Let's get this right."

"The bacta is being kept in the adjacent storage bay." Tech told Ahsoka and her group. "Do not move it until Echo and I give the all clear."

The Marauder's door opened and immediately several blaster bolts shot into the ship. Echo and Tech ducked away from the door while Wrecker and Hunter started blasting back.

"I think they've noticed we're here." Crosshair said.

Ahsoka pulled out her electrostaffs. It wasn't time for her sabers.

"Sword and shield!" She called to Rex.

She nearly swore when Rex hesitated ever so slightly. But he was at her side the next moment. Together they moved to the opening of the ship. Three IG-86 security droids were rapidly firing at them. Ahsoka easily batted the bolts away. She had less control where they went than with a lightsaber, but it would do. Rex returned fire, taking the first one out in a matter of seconds. Then two well aimed bolts pierced the other two's heads in quick succession.

"Get moving!" Crosshair spat.

Ahsoka and Rex ran out into the open. There was a new group of IGs coming up on their left.

"We'll take care of them." Hunter said as he flipped out his vibroblade. "Get to the bacta. Tech, seal the ship."

Ahsoka heard the Marauder's doors close as she, Rex, and Wrecker began jogging towards the storage bay door. It was closing, but slowly. They managed to slip under with a few meters to spare. It closed with a thud and a hiss.

"Tech, tell me you'll be able to open that when we need you to." Ahsoka said into her comm.

"Of course." Tech said. "Remember, do not move the bacta."

Ahsoka looked around and saw several large drums of bacta clamped to the ground.

"Found it." She said. "I don't think we could move it if we tried."

"I was speaking to Wrecker." Tech said. "But even when they unclamp, wait for our signal. The security system is such that if the bacta is moved at any point other than an approved time, it will initiate total system lockdown."

"Right." Ahsoka said.

"Incoming!" Wrecker called.

Ahsoka cursed as five more IG units barged in from the other end of the bay. Wrecker gave a hearty laugh and barrelled forward.

"Enthusiastic, isn't he?" Rex muttered, leaning slightly towards Ahsoka.

Ahsoka was so shocked at the passing comment that she couldn't help but beam at Rex. And for a moment, she felt a gentle flicker of affection back. Then a blaster bolt just barely missed Rex's head.

Concentrate! Ahsoka scolded herself.

She didn't know if electrostaffs had the power to disable IGs, but she could at least deflect the enemy's attacks.

Rex fell behind her, back into the sword and shield formation. Wrecker had currently bodied one of the droids and was using it as his own shield.

"Be careful." Tech's voice crackled out of the comm. "There are another dozen IG units heading your way."

"A dozen?" Ahsoka asked. "Great."

"We are almost to the command center." Tech said. "It will not be long."

"Make sure it isn't." Rex grumbled.

"They could send a hundred more!" Wrecker said as he smashed in the final droid's head. "We could handle it!"

"Don't put that sort of thing into the Force." Ahsoka told him. "It'll come back to bite you."

"And some of us think a dozen is too much." Rex added.

Wrecker huffed and turned back to where the droids had come from.

"Thank us that it's only a dozen." Crosshair said over the comms. "If it weren't for Hunter and I, it'd be twice as many."

"Aw, Cross, what'd you go and do that for?" Wrecker complained.

"Thank you, Crosshair." Ahsoka said pointedly.

There was a moment of silence.

"So that's what it feels like to be appreciated." Crosshair said.

"Less talking, more shooting!" Hunter said.

"Sir, yes sir." Ahsoka could almost see Crosshair's eyeroll.

"Here they come!" Wrecker shouted.

Ahsoka readied herself and started to bat away the barrage of bolts blasting towards them. Rex kept up his own storm of fire from behind her. Wrecker had backed up and was firing from a distance now. Despite his words, he seemed to understand that charging a swarm of twelve IG units wasn't a good idea.

Ahsoka heard a clunking noise and glanced back. The clasps on the bacta drums had been released.

"First override is complete." Tech informed them. "Don't move them yet. We'll get the door open shortly."

Ahsoka raised her staffs to meet the next wave of bolts, but they didn't come.

"What the-" Rex said.

The droids had stopped firing, and were now sprinting towards her and Rex. No, not towards them. Towards the bacta.

"Stop them!" Ahsoka yelled.

With a click her lightsabers were free and she ignited them with a sound she had missed. There was no time to relish in it. She leapt to the first IG and cut it down. Wrecker and Rex were firing after her, spattering the droids, but only one fell. Ahsoka sheared through the next, and then the next.

The enormous door was beginning to open with a shuddering groan.

"Five seconds until you can move the bacta." Tech informed her.

Ahsoka got to her sixth, but the remaining four droids were mere meters away from the bacta.

"Four,"

Ahsoka decapitated one more and stabbed the next through the head. The third fell to Rex and Wrecker.

"Three,"

Ahsoka cut through the final droid's legs inches from the bacta. A surge of relief hit her and she glanced back to her companions.

"Two-"

The door grinded to a halt and slammed shut with a resounding crash. Ahsoka looked around and saw that the final droid had dragged itself to the bacta with its arms. One barrel had been shifted out of place. With a flash of rage, Ahsoka plunged her sabers into the droid's head.

"What happened?" Tech demanded over the comms.

"The droids-" Ahsoka swallowed. "The droids made a dash for the bacta. They moved it."

There was silence over the comms.

"We must abandon the mission." Tech said.

"What?" Ahsoka, Rex and Echo all asked.

"The authorities have been alerted to our presence and are on their way here." Tech said. "I do not have the time to override the deadlocks now in place on those doors."

"We can't just give up!" Echo's angry voice came through the comms.

"There are no other options." Tech said. "They are blast doors, and are too thick for Commander Tano's lightsabers. Commander, you must go through the security access in order to reach the ship. There are more IGs coming to you. We have ten minutes before they arrive."

Ahsoka didn't move. They were not going to leave. They were not going to leave the troopers to die slow deaths.

"Tech, Echo, get back to the ship." Hunter ordered.

Ahsoka reached out her hand.

"Commander?" Rex asked.

"Incoming!" Wrecker yelled and Ahsoka could hear more blaster fire. She ignored it and opened herself nearly completely to the Force.

Rex could only watch open mouthed as the air around Ahsoka began to distort like under a hot sun. The blaster bolts headed her way veered away from her and sparked as they hit the walls. Their bond was filled with light and power and pain and he was scared to even tug on it.

There was the sound of ripping, tearing metal and the door began to creak open, foot by foot. Ahsoka's face was beaded with sweat. Rex wanted to shout for her to stop, that she was killing herself, but awe kept him silent.

The door was a third of the way open.

"Prepare to load the bacta." Ahsoka's voice was strained.

She threw out her other hand. The batch of bacta barrels flew forward and skidded beyond the door into the hangar.

He felt her release and the door slammed shut. She swayed. Rex moved without himself thinking and he caught her as she fell. Wrecker was still handling the IGs. Rex pulled Ahsoka with him behind a stack of bacta vats.

He let himself collapse to his knees with her. She leaned on him, breaths coming in heaving gasps. He took off his helmet to get a better look at her.

"I think I broke the door." She said with a slight smile.

Rex just stared at her.

"Don't look at me like that, Rex." She said. "We need that bacta. The men need it."

It was for them. It was always, always for Rex and his brothers. The excruciating pain he could feel emanating from her was to protect them. Not her. It was for the clones.

He loved her so much that it hurt.

Wrecker gave a startled shout. Rex tensed as he looked around. The IGs were taken care of, what was Wrecker-

Rex swore as he saw the greenish gas stream from the ventilation shafts. He felt Ahsoka tense next to him.

"What the hell?" He heard her mutter.

Rex suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"Tech!" He heard Hunter yell over the comms.

"Null gas." Tech said. He sounded flustered. "I had not anticipated this. The oxygen levels are dropping. Take your oxygen capsules."

Rex shoved his hand into one of his pouches and grabbed the small capsule that would give him five minutes of life-sustaining oxygen. He glanced at Ahsoka and froze. The oxygen capsules were clone issue. Not Jedi.

Moving without thinking, he shoved his capsule into Ahsoka's mouth.

Her eyes widened but thankfully he saw her swallow.

"Wrecker!" Rex called with the last of his breath.

He sucked in more air, but it provided no relief to his burning lungs. His mind was getting muddled, but one thought shone through.

"I saved you." Rex muttered. He laughed a little. "I saved you."

His vision was going black now, but he didn't mind. He had proved that his instinct was to protect his Jedi, his Commander, his Ahsoka.

The last thing he felt was large hands taking hold.

The first thing that Rex felt as he woke up was his pounding head. That was a pleasant surprise. Rex had fully expected to die when he had lost consciousness.

Quiet voices murmured around him. Then Wrecker's loud voice slammed against his ears.

"We still did it, though! We should start a new mission board!"

"Hush, Wrecker!" That was Echo.

"I don't mind." Ahsoka's voice said from somewhere above Rex.

Rex cracked his eyes open to see the underside of a sleeping rack. They must have been back on the Marauder. He reached up and felt an oxygen mask strapped to his face.

"I do." Rex said.

It was hard to speak. His mouth felt slack.

"Rex!" Echo said.

Rex turned his head to see Echo sitting next to the racks.

"How are you feeling?" Echo asked earnestly.

Rex tried and failed to prop himself up.

"Can't move very well." He tried to say. "Or talk."

Echo looked confused.

"What was that, vod?" He asked.

"He will not be able to move or talk very well, which is to be expected." Tech said crisply. "This is a lingering side effect of null gas."

"Great." Rex mumbled.

"It should be reversible." Tech went on in an offhand voice.

"Did we get the bacta?" Rex slurred.

Echo gave him another bemused look.

"If you are asking if we retrieved the bacta, we did." Tech said.

Rex relaxed back onto the rack. The mission was a success. And-

He had saved Ahsoka. The relief that came with the thought nearly overwhelmed him.

Her trust had not been misplaced.

Rex let part of his mind relax, opening the door to their bond. He reached through it, eager to feel her presence fully again. Then he was stopped, a door closed on her end. He waited, confused, for a moment. Then her door cracked open, and a hint of her mind washed over him.

Are you sure? She asked.

Yes. He said.

He was surprised with how mild her emotions were right now. He had expected her to be furious with him. She had been so angry with Fives. She was still angry with Fives.

Thank you for saving me. She said.

I thought you'd be upset. He replied.

I am. She admitted. I'm pretty kriffing tired of people risking their lives to save me.

I don't think that'll ever stop.

He got an annoyed blip at that.

I could feel that this helped you. She went on. It's hard to be too mad.

There was a pause as Rex felt her probe his emotions. He let her, at least his surface level ones. It was easier than trying to explain how he felt.

I'm glad we can work together again. Was all she said after she had finished.

Me too. Rex replied.

It felt so good to talk with her naturally again. It felt even better when they fell into their old, companionable silence.

"Commander."

Rex nearly jumped at Echo's voice. He had forgotten that he and Ahsoka weren't alone. The rest of the bay was empty, save the bacta vats. It seemed everyone else was in the cockpit. Echo was looking earnestly up at Ahsoka.

"I-" He hesitated. "I've never seen you use the Force like that before. I know that you were- experimented on by Palpatine. But that's all I know. What exactly happened?"

If it had been any other trooper, Rex would have protested. But Echo, of anyone, would understand what had happened to Ahsoka.

Echo leaned forward, enraptured, as Ahsoka detailed the events of the Temple bombing and her arrest. She didn't even falter when describing the procedures Palpatine had done on her, though Rex could sense her discomfort.

"I guess they just wanted a Jedi to experiment on." She said. "Ever since, I've been far stronger in the Force, but it can overwhelm me."

Echo nodded.

"I know what it's like for 'improvements' to be forced on you." He said, staring at his scomp arm.

"You know what we do to get back at them?" Ahsoka said. "We use those gifts to bring them down."

"I don't even know if the Techno Union exists anymore." Echo said. "And the CIS has been absorbed into the Empire."

"Then we stick it to the Empire." Ahsoka said.

Echo smiled.

"Sounds good, sir."

He looked tired and Rex was concerned for his trooper.

"How are you holding up, Echo?" He asked.

It was easier to speak now.

"I'm fine." Echo said. "I'm just- glad this mission was a success."

His eyes trailed over the vats of bacta.

"What are you gonna do now?" Rex asked. "Will you stay with the Batch?"

It had been weighing on his mind in between the other emotional black holes Order 66 had caused.

"I- don't know." Echo said. "Things are different now."

Rex nodded.

"You might be safer with them." He said.

"Safety isn't my concern." Echo said. "Where I'm most useful is."

Rex stared at Echo.

"What do you mean?" Rex asked. "Echo, the war is over."

"The fight isn't." Echo said. "If General Skywalker isn't planning to fight against this Empire, then I'm a longneck."

"Echo's right." Ahsoka said. "I've been working on this mission, but Anakin and most of the other Jedi are planning ways to fight back."

Rex looked between both of them. How had he missed this?

"In any case." Echo said. "Where I stay depends on the Bad Batch. Normally I'd say they'd stick around, but Omega changes things."

"If they choose not to fight, maybe you should go with them." The words were out of Rex's mouth before he could stop them.

Echo narrowed his eyes at Rex.

"Why?"

"Aren't you tired of fighting?" Rex asked. "The war has taken more from you than most people. You shouldn't have to fight, not anymore."

"That's up to me, isn't it?" Echo said. His voice had gone cold. "Anyway, you both need to rest. I'll leave you to it."

He stood and made his way around the bacta vats to one of the data stations. He stared at the screens, pointedly facing away from Rex and Ahsoka.

Rex, if he wants to fight, you shouldn't stop him.

Rex shook his head.

The Republic is gone. What we fought for is gone. All we have is each other. And I don't want to risk that.

Ahsoka was surprised, as was Rex. He hadn't realized how thoroughly against fighting again he was. He-he wanted to run. He wanted to take what was left of his family and hide it away. Let the Empire rule. He had given enough to the galaxy.

I understand. Ahsoka said. I don't want any more of our men to die. But I also understand Echo wanting to fight.

Rex sighed. So many of his brothers would fight. He found that thought terrifying.

Ahsoka had recovered by the time they returned to the Defiant, but Rex had not. He still struggled to walk and Ahsoka and Echo had to help him move as they went down the ramp.

Kix and several other medics were waiting for them as they landed in the hangar. The terror on Kix's face made it seem that he didn't believe that they really had the bacta.

Wrecker heaved the first vat out and slammed it in front of Kix.

"Here's your bacta!" Wrecker declared.

Rex thought that Kix might cry as they carried more of the bacta off the ship.

"What dilution is it?" Kix asked.

"No dilution." Tech said. "It is pure."

Kix's jaw dropped. The bacta the army received was badly diluted. Rex knew that Kix often had petitioned for higher quality supplies, but it has always been denied. He had never had the chance to use it undiluted.

Rex, Echo and Ahsoka followed the medics as they began transporting the vats to the medbay.

"We can use one vat as it is." Kix said. His voice was businesslike, but his eyes were dancing. "It should be enough for our injured. The rest we can dilute to 70 or 75 percent, and it will last us a long time."

Troopers stared at them as they passed. Some even gave cheers as they saw the bacta. Finally, they reached the med bay and all of the medics rushed them.

"Get this on the men." Kix ordered.

He himself quickly drew up a syringe of the blue goo and almost ran to where Fives still lay. Jesse was there and his pale face gained some color as he saw Kix approaching.

"Is that-?" He asked, looking between Kix, Rex, and Echo.

Kix nodded and inserted the syringe into the patch on Fives' chest. Echo approached as Kix withdrew the syringe. He looked to Kix.

"His chances just shot up from 30 percent to 80." Kix told him with a smile.

Echo let out a choked breath and his face split into a grin. He put his hand on Fives' and his eyes glistened with tears.

Rex watched Fives. Was it his imagination, or was Fives' breathing a little easier? Had some color returned to his face?

He looked over to the other medics administering the bacta to the other injured clones. He saw General Secura weeping as Bly received his treatment.

A weight lifted from Rex's shoulders. A measure of peace came over him. He had helped this come about. Surely that atoned for the blood he had nearly spilled.

"Rex."

Kix had returned.

"You need some tests done." The medic said. "Sounds like you had a rough time of it during the mission."

Rex heaved a sigh and let Ahsoka and Echo help him to the nearest cot.

Do you want me to stay or go? Ahsoka asked as Kix began his tests.

Rex looked at her. She seemed apprehensive. She was afraid that he would ask her to leave. She would accept it, but she didn't want him to.

Rex hesitated, trying not to let what she wanted infect his own feelings. Was he comfortable with her being nearby again?

Rex met her eyes.

Stay. He said.

Rex needed a night in the medbay, just to make sure he had no lasting effects. Ahsoka chose to sit by him and wait. She didn't want to leave him alone just yet.

She was dozing in her chair when a sudden shout jolted her awake. She jumped up and looked around for the source of the commotion. She caught a glimpse of Kix running across the bay towards Fives' bed.

For a second her heart stopped. No, not after their struggle to get the bacta-

But no, someone was laughing.

Ahsoka glanced to Rex's bed. He was awake and looked over at the crowd around Fives' bed with wide eyes. Ahsoka helped him to his feet and they made their way to join the throng.

Fives was pale and wan in his med bay bed, but he was awake. Jesse was the one laughing, Tup had clasped Fives' hand, and Kix was fussing over him. Echo was silent, but had his hand clutched on Fives' shoulder.

"I'm feeling fine! Well, except for the hole in my chest." Fives croaked, and then grinned when he saw Ahsoka and Rex.

Ahsoka felt Rex falter next to her. A burst of anxiety and guilt had overcome him. Ahsoka's own emotions had spiked. The initial anger she had felt at Fives' actions returned.

"I'm glad to see you awake." Ahsoka said as she reached Fives' bed. "Because now you can tell me what the kriff you were thinking!"

Fives' easy expression changed to one of exasperation.

"I should have known this was gonna happen." He said. "Commander, was I honestly supposed to let you get shot?"

"Yes!" Ahsoka said. "The time you took to nearly kill yourself was time you could have taken to stun Rex!"

Rex cringed beside her.

"Listen, everyone's alive." Fives said. "There's no point in analyzing the tactics once the battle's over. Let's just let it go."

Ahsoka felt a stab of guilt as his tired expression. She was perhaps being too hard on him. It was his duty to protect her, even if she didn't like it.

"Thank you for saving me." She said.

Fives grinned at her.

"Anytime, Ahsoka."

"I hope not." Ahsoka replied.

Fives turned to look at Rex and his gaze softened.

"Hey, Rex." He said. "How are you doing?"

Rex shrugged.

"I'm alive, and so are you." He said. Ahsoka heard him take a deep breath. "Fives, I'm sorry-"

"This is no worse than the time you nearly let me and Jesse get executed." Fives said with a dismissive air. "If I got over that, this will be no problem."

Rex still looked down. His shame was burning Ahsoka.

"It's not your fault, Captain." Tup said. "Trust me. It's not something you can control."

Ahsoka remembered Tup's strained screams as he tried to kill her. He'd know what it was like, out of everyone.

"I'd still like to apologize." Rex said stiffly. "I regret that it happened."

Fives let out a long sigh.

"I think we all," He said. "Just need to forget what's happened and move forward."

He glanced at Echo as he said it, and Ahsoka thought she saw a plea in his eyes. She remembered Fives' moodiness after Echo had left with the Bad Batch. Had something happened between them?

Echo looked his brother in the eyes.

"Yeah." He said. "We should."

AND THINGS ARE HEALING! For many people!

Null gas is a cool concept I found from a random corner of the Star Wars universe. It basically neutralizes the oxygen in the air. I made up the after effects. I made up the oxygen capsules because it says in the Phase II armor page that it doesn't have its own life support system. I also made up a lot about the bacta facility. And by a lot I mean all of it.

The Bad Batch were a joy to write this chapter. Their banter is life.

Oh geez, my brain is giving out.

Stay safe, remember to review, and see you next week!