Hey everyone! It's good to be back for Fives Effect! Forgive me if the ANs are a bit off. I'm back at school and I'm still adjusting.
IrishDrunk14: Thank you so much! It's always great to hear that you guys are having legit emotional reactions to this.
OneLittleSpark18: Maybe one day...maybe one day...
RachelMorgan1: Welcome to the chaos and I hope you continue to enjoy!
Kuma: It always ASTOUNDS me when I hear that I have fans outside the U.S. I dunno why, Star Wars is so universal but it's amazing to me. And I'd like to thank the academy for this imaginary award, it will hang up in my room to inspire me to keep writing. 3
The long awaited reaction of Fives and Echo!
I don't actually think there's Mando'a this chapter.
"Meeting adjourned."
Echo had never been so glad to hear those words. He didn't regret accepting his role as representative, but today was not the day he wanted to be stuck in political meetings, even if they were to discuss what aid to give the returning clones. Omega stood next to him in the pod, fidgeting. She was normally so attentive, but even she was feeling the pressure of the evening.
"Come on, Omega." Echo said.
"Finally!" Wrecker said. "I thought it was gonna last forever!"
He hit the control panel and the pod began to withdraw.
"You're supposed to be keeping an eye out for danger, Wrecker." Crosshair's voice crackled in through Echo's earpiece.
Crosshair was in charge of perimeter security, while Wrecker and Hunter stuck to Echo and Omega's sides. Tech normally would have joined Crosshair, but he was currently at the apartment with Fives. The fact that Ahsoka and Tech refused to let Fives be alone made Echo anxious.
Crosshair soon met them outside in the hallway.
"There are approximately one hundred reporters waiting outside." Crosshair told them in an annoyed tone.
Echo winced. Any other day he'd be happy, or at least willing to give the reporters his opinions and try to reverse any false notions about the clones. But today- the clones were back, and Echo wanted to see his missing brothers.
"Plan 237?" Crosshair suggested.
"As much as I'd love to," Hunter said. "Releasing noxious gas into the group of reporters isn't gonna improve public opinion."
"Just have Cross glare at them." Wrecker said cheerfully.
Hunter suddenly straightened and Echo knew that Chancellor Amidala was making her way towards them.
"Hello, everyone." She said with a smile. General Skywalker was at her side, looking just as agitated as Echo felt. Echo assumed that the twins were with Sabe, one of Chancellor Amidala's handmaidens.
"Hello, Chancellor." Echo said, while the others nodded.
"We should probably warn you about the dozens of reporters waiting to ambush any politician who steps outside." Crosshair said.
Chancellor Amidala's smile turned into a grimace.
"They couldn't give us a day off, could they?" General Skywalker muttered. "I got a comm from Snips, by the way. She's back at your guys' apartment with Kix, Cody, and-and Rex."
Echo frowned at the way General Skywalker said Rex's name. They all knew something was wrong with their Captain. The Commander hadn't given them any details, but they all could tell.
"We'll just have to force our way through it." Echo said bracingly.
General Skywalker grunted and Echo saw him finger his lightsaber.
"Anakin." Chancellor Amidala said in a warning tone.
"I wouldn't directly threaten anyone." Anakin said. "I'd just, you know, have it out."
"We're spending more time trying to figure a way out of it than it would take to just run through." Hunter said.
"Hunter's right. Let's just get it over with." Echo said.
They left the Senate building as a pack. The Batch made an immediate perimeter around Chancellor Amidala, Echo, and Omega. Echo kept Omega tight to his side to try and keep her out of view. She was just as much the representative as he was, but he knew the reporters tended to target her because she appeared to be the younger of the two. General Skywalker did the same to Chancellor Amidala.
A wave of voices crashed down around them and a mob of people surged towards them.
"The Chancellor and representatives are not currently answering questions." Echo heard Hunter say to the first line of reporters. "Move aside."
Some of the crowd moved aside for them; in the first few days of Omega and Echo's tenure the Batch had made it clear that 'not currently taking questions' meant 'not currently taking questions.'
Many hopefuls remained, though on Crosshair and Wrecker's sides they kept their distance. Echo wondered why they kept shouting questions. He couldn't really make out what anyone was saying when they all yelled like that. Omega pressed into his side. She had been alone most of her life, and the cacophony of noises and people made her uncomfortable.
Finally they reached the speeders. An especially persistent reporter stood between them and the doors.
"I just have one ques-" The reporter interrupted themselves with a loud shriek as Wrecker picked him up and moved him to the side.
"See you at the apartment!" General Skywalker shouted over the noise.
Echo nodded and Hunter started the speeder. Echo was relieved as they rose into the air. Reporters didn't ever seem to get a hint. Crosshair scowled down at the group.
"Things were easier when we could just shoot things that got in our way." He mumbled.
"Yeah, or blow them up." Wrecker said wistfully.
Omega giggled at that. Echo smiled a little before letting his mind wander. Rex was alive, he knew that. But what could have happened to him? He didn't have a chip, so he couldn't be reconditioned.
Omega slipped her hand into his. Echo glanced down at her. She was staring at him with earnest eyes.
"It'll be okay." She said, squeezing his hand.
Echo smiled at her despite his worry.
"Thanks, Omega." He said.
Omega was wrong. Omega was very, very wrong. The blank way that Rex looked at him, the agony in Commander Tano's eyes, the way that Fives had retreated back in on himself, it was all anything but fine.
Rex stood quietly in the living room at parade rest. He did not speak. He did not react unless Cody gave him an order. He did not look at anyone. He was pale, emaciated, and Echo could see an edge of scarring above his blacks collar.
Echo wondered if he could use his new position to punish the Kaminoans in any way.
Rex was a black hole, sucking any joy Echo could have had in the returning brothers away. Echo tried his best to talk to Kix and ask after Jesse, who was with his fiance's family, but his eyes kept on being drawn to his Captain.
General Skywalker was taking it badly. There was a- darkness to the General during the war, a feeling that he would tear the universe apart if it hurt him badly enough. It was the first time since the war had ended that Echo saw him come even close to that mindset again.
"And the Kaminoans are just going to get away with it?" General Skywalker demanded of Commander Tano.
"We took the clones away from them, Anakin." Commander Tano said. Echo had the sense she was fatigued, like her spirit itself was tired. "That's all we can do for now."
"That's not true, is it Chancellor?" Echo cut into their conversation.
Chancellor Amidala looked thoughtful.
"It might be possible to get the clones reparations." She said. "Have the Kaminoans pay some of the costs it will take to resettle them."
"What Nala Se did can't be legal." Echo said. "Especially now that we're sentient."
"The problem is that most of the Senate views the clones being removed from the Kaminoans' control as punishment enough." Chancellor Amidala said. "We are essentially destroying their economy, even with the contract we offered to them."
"It's not enough!" General Skywalker said. "How many clones did they kill? How many minds did they break? They were Force-forsaken slavers!"
"Anakin." Chancellor Amidala chided. "Please, calm down."
General Skywalker took a few deep breaths.
"I'm sorry." He said. "It's been hard to be- powerless."
"I know." Chancellor Amidala said. "But we need to forget the Kaminoans and focus on how we can help Rex and the other clones."
"Master Plo is looking into having him seen by the Jedi mind healers." Commander Tano said. "But- he doesn't know how much they can do. People like Rex-"
Ahsoka glanced at Rex.
"Plo says that if we let the mind healers look at him, they might decide the only course of action would be to send him to the Valorum Center."
Echo frowned and looked at Commander Tano. He hadn't heard of the place before.
"The Valorum Center is a psychiatric unit." Chancellor Amidala supplied. "They send people who have very little hope of recovering there."
"And if the mind healers decide to he should go-" Echo started.
"They'll stop helping him." Chancellor Amidala finished for him.
"Kal says one of his ex-Jedi has worked with people like Rex." Commander Tano said. "And I trust him not to give up on Rex."
"It's only been a few days." Echo found himself saying. "Maybe if we give him time, the reconditioning will start to wear off."
Commander Tano sighed and ran her hands up and down her upper arms.
"Maybe." She said. She sounded hopeless.
"We don't have any records of clones being reconditioned like this." Chancellor Amidala said. "That's the problem. We don't have any idea how things are going to go."
General Skywalker made a frustrated noise and clenched his fists.
"I just can't believe they did that to Rex and we aren't doing anything about it!"
"What do you want us to do, Anakin?" Commander Tano snapped. "Go and kill all the Kaminoans? Make them slaves? Nothing we do is going to bring Rex back!"
Echo flinched at her outburst. General Skywalker looked at Commander Tano, his face losing some of its anger.
"Ahsoka?" He said, his expression growing more concerned.
Commander Tano's eyes were hard.
"I'm done talking about it." She said.
General Skywalker and Chancellor Amidala shared looks and Echo could sense the conversation was over.
"I'm going to go find Fives." He said. "See how he's holding up."
Commander Tano's face immediately shifted to an expression of concern.
"He's in his room." She said. "Update me after, will you?"
Echo frowned. He wasn't sure why Commander Tano needed to be so involved with Fives' grief.
Echo found Tech sitting on the floor in front of Fives' door. He was tapping furiously away at his data pad and glanced up as Echo came closer.
"He is inside." Tech said.
Echo would have asked why Tech was standing, or sitting, guard outside Fives' room, but the last few weeks had taught him that Tech was not going to elaborate on his odd behavior towards Fives. The way that Tech doggedly watched Fives gave Echo a deep sense of dread.
Echo ignored that feeling and peeked at Tech's datapad.
"You've been on your pad more than usual the last couple of days." Echo commented. "What are you working on?"
"Kal Skirata has asked me to do some work on the advanced aging of the clones." Tech said absently. "The most recent information he took from the Kaminoan databases has perhaps led to a breakthrough."
Echo raised his eyebrows.
"I didn't know you were working on that."
"I haven't had the time lately." Tech explained. "I have been either working on security or your implant."
"You said you had a breakthrough?" Echo asked.
He didn't often think about the accelerated aging of the clones, but he supposed it would be nice to live a full life. It seemed to be the most advantageous to clones who had someone in their lives, like Jesse.
"Possibly." Tech said. "It remains to be seen, though the prospects are good."
"Keep me updated." Echo said.
Tech gave a vague nod, a sign that he was being sucked back into his work. Echo turned and knocked at Fives' door.
"It's Echo." Echo called after there was no response.
"Come in." Fives' voice said after a moment.
Echo opened the door and made sure it shut behind him. Fives was lying on his bed, staring at a datapad.
"I thought you were Tech." Fives said. "He keeps bothering me."
"I know." Echo said, going to sit on the side of Fives' bed. "Just me, though."
Fives grunted.
"What are you looking at?" Echo asked, tilting his head to see the screen of the datapad.
Fives showed him and Echo's heart twisted, just like every time he saw it. It was the holo of when he and Fives had become ARCS. He had never seen Rex so excited as that day. The Captain had insisted on taking a holo, dragging Commander Cody over to be in it as well. Commander Tano had taken the holo. Echo remembered her shouting at them to 'actually smile, you idiots!' The stoic half smiles was the best she had gotten, at least on Echo, Fives, and Cody. Echo still wasn't sure why Rex had been so delighted. Maybe because Echo and Fives were the first ARC troopers he had recommended and had finished their training. Maybe he'd just been happy for them. Echo and Fives had always been close to Rex, ever since Rishi.
"Everyone is gone." Fives said quietly.
Echo glanced at him. Fives' gaze was unfocused, not truly seeing the holo.
"First it was Cutup, and Droidbait, and Hevy." He said. "Then you were gone. And I- this picture is of someone else."
Echo frowned. He knew what Fives was saying; he felt that the bright eyed ARC trooper in the holo was a separate person to who he was now. But Fives- Echo once again felt dread simmering in the pit of his stomach, the feeling that something awful had happened to his closest brother. Why did Fives feel that way?
"And now Rex is gone." Fives finished.
"Rex isn't gone." Echo said automatically.
"Isn't he?" Fives asked. "You look at him and you tell me that Rex is still in there."
Echo hesitated. As much as he hated to say it, Fives had a point. The man outside was devoid of anything that made Rex who he was.
"We can't give up hope." Echo said. "I came back. And maybe he can too."
Fives closed his eyes.
"You'll have to hope for me, Echo." He said.
Fives' words made fear pierce Echo's heart. In the past, during the worst of the war, when Echo was recovering from being the Separatists' slave, Fives had had hope. Echo couldn't have made it without Fives' stubborn, insistent hope.
But now Echo had to be the one that carried his brother. Echo had to be the one with hope. For a second he was hit with a burst of grief, not for Rex, but for his relationship with Fives. It was not the same as it had been. Echo had a horrible feeling that something had happened to Fives that made it so that it would never be the same again.
Plo stood, nervous, as the Jedi Council tested the young clone before them. Prime was outwardly calm and confident, befitting his soldier's training. He easily named each hidden figure as it appeared on the datapad, though he stumbled on one or two. Plo remembered another boy, young Skywalker, in Prime's place. Plo had been more than willing to trust Qui Gon at the time, but more vocal voices in the Council had questioned whether or not Skywalker should join. Now that young Anakin had left the Order, the Council could see taking in an older child as a failure, and reject Prime on that account.
In addition, Master Mundi had been correct, if not paranoid. Prime already had the seeds of Darkness sown in him. And there was Master Rosan, who was very much opposed to Prime's very existence. At least Master Ti was able to attend via hologram. Plo was relying on her support.
Prime finished the set and the Masters exchanged looks.
"Darkness, I sense in you." Master Yoda said after a moment.
Plo expected Prime to be confused at the comment. But the young clone merely nodded.
"Yes, sir." He said.
It surprised not only Plo, but the rest of the Council at his bold declaration.
"Familiar with it, are you?" Master Yoda asked.
"Not very." Prime said. "I think I only used it once. It was cold. But even though I didn't use it again, a part of me stayed cold."
The Council stayed silent.
"How did you use it?" Mace asked.
Prime looked down.
"My old trainer was hurting my brother." He said. "I stopped him. I killed him."
This was not good. Prime was too aware of what he had done and it sounded very purposeful. An accidental use of the Dark side, perhaps in self-defense, might have been forgiven. But to intentionally hurt another sentient, even in defense of someone he loved, would be very damning in the eyes of the Council.
Not to Plo.
"You admit to wanting to kill your trainer?" Master Rosan asked.
He sounded like a prosecutor, a hint of glee in his voice from finally cornering his victim.
"This is not a trial, Rosan!" Plo said.
Rosan ignored him and stared down Prime.
"I just wanted him to stop, sir." Prime said.
He sounded confused and a little frightened now.
"It is just as I have told you, Masters." Rosan said. "Even a Force-sensitive clone can only be used for destruction."
Plo took a deep breath.
"It was in defense of another child, it sounds like." Master Fisto said.
Rosan snorted, disbelieving.
"Prime," Master Ti spoke up. "Do you wish to use that power again?"
Prime shook his head.
"It scares me, sir." He said. "I just wanted to help my brothers. Master Plo says I can learn other ways to do that."
Plo thanked the Force for Master Ti.
"Deliberate, we must." Master Yoda said. "Outside, please go."
Plo guided Prime out into the hallway.
"Master Plo," Prime said quietly. "They're scared of me."
Plo looked down at the young clone. He would not lie to the boy.
"Yes." He said. "But it is not your fault. You cannot be blamed for anything that happened on Kamino."
Prime looked down.
"I want to be a Jedi." He said. "What can I do to help them not be scared of me?"
Plo placed his hand on Prime's head.
"They are choosing to be afraid." He said. "You have done what you can and spoke the truth. Now it is up to them to make the correct choice."
The Council chamber door opened. Prime grabbed Plo's hand as they walked forward.
"A decision, the Council has made." Master Yoda said. "However, unanimous it was not."
Plo furrowed his brow. That could mean many things. Master Rosan and Master Mundi could have protested his training. Master Ti could have protested his rejection. Plo looked at each of the members' faces, trying to read their expressions.
"Accepted into the Jedi Order, the clone Prime is." Master Yoda said.
Plo's initial rush of relief was tempered by the smug look on Rosan's face.
"Sent to the Agricultural Corps, he will be." Master Yoda continued.
"What?" Master Plo said. "Without training? Without learning of the Force?"
"It is for the best." Master Mundi said. "There he will be less likely to delve again into the Dark side."
"The Agricultural Corps is not something to be ashamed of." Master Fisto said.
"Of course not." Plo said. "But you are not going to give him a chance to be chosen as a Padawan? You will not teach him of the Living Force?"
"Learn, he will, in his time with the Corps." Master Yoda said.
"It is not the same." Plo said. "Even those who go to the Corps at a young age are taught in the Temple. Why are you depriving him of this right? Why are you afraid of him?"
"It is not your place to challenge the decision of the Council, Master Plo." Master Windu said.
"I will train him." Plo said. "I will take him as my padawan when the time is right."
"No." Master Mundi said. "Master Plo, we already have concerns about your attachment to the men you led, Ahsoka Tano, and your former padawan. We feel that taking a padawan would be detrimental."
Plo stood for a moment, shocked.
"That is why you have denied me a padawan since Bultar?" He asked. "For fear that I would love them too much?"
Plo thought of his former, and only Padawan. Before Bultar Plo had had no second thoughts concerning the rules on attachment. Then he had found himself loving his padawan. Around the same time he had found Little 'Soka. Two sudden bright lights in his life that he couldn't help but love.
But then- his heart still ached when he thought of it- Bultar had become a Knight, one of the proudest days of Plo's life. Then his first daughter had come to him, eyes lowered.
"Master Plo, you have been a wonderful Master, but I fear that I am becoming too attached to you." She had said. "I think it would be best if we no longer contacted one another."
It had broken Plo's heart, but he had accepted her wishes.
And now- It was as if Plo's eyes were opened completely. The Council was driven by fear. Fear of losing the politicians' favor, and then fear of being controlled by the politicians. Fear that Skywalker was too old, fear that Prime was too Dark. They allowed their fear to rule their hearts instead of trust in the Force. The Code taught of accepting the Darkness within one's self. The Council rejected and feared it. The Code was clearly of no consequence to them. Their compassion had been replaced by indifference. Love of any kind was seen as obsessive and Dark.
And it was wrong.
Plo pulled his lightsaber from his belt, strode forward, and held it out to Master Yoda. Master Yoda blinked and looked up at Plo.
"Sure, are you?" He asked.
"Yes." He said. "I cannot abide the blatant disregard for the Jedi Code."
Several Masters made disbelieving noises, but Master Yoda merely accepted the lightsaber.
"Miss you, we will." Master Yoda said.
Plo gave a curt nod, turned around, and began to walk away. He knelt in front of Prime.
"Prime." He said. "You have a choice. I will do my best to teach you the ways of the Force and how to protect the weak with your abilities. Or you may stay with the Jedi. They will send you away to work with the Agricultural Corps. You would do much good, but you would never truly understand your connection to the Force."
Prime looked up at Plo and then he closed his eyes. This boy, Plo realized, knew more of listening to the Force than half the Council. Prime opened his eyes, expression determined. The Force swelled around the boy. He reached forward and took Plo's hand.
Good. Plo thought, straightening. I was right, then.
"You cannot take the boy." Master Mundi protested. "Neither can you teach him. He is under the care of the Council."
Plo turned his head to look back at the Council.
"If you could kindly show me where in the Jedi Code it forbids the training of Force sensitives outside the Jedi Order, then I will gladly comply." He said. "And as of today, he is under my care. And I retain my right to refuse the Jedi. I'm sure Chancellor Amidala will help me with the proper documents."
And Plo left the chamber, leaving his home for over three hundred years.
Ahsoka watched Rex. He hadn't moved in hours. He stared at nothing, his expression never changing. Part of her wanted to go and shake him until he made some sign of life. As it was, she sidled up to him. Most of the room was otherwise engaged. The Batch was talking with Cody. Anakin and Padme were discussing options. Echo was still in Fives' room and Kix sat, lost in thought.
"We missed you." Ahsoka whispered, sure that only he could hear her.
No response.
"I hope you missed us too. At least before." She went on.
Ahsoka fell silent, rocking on her heels.
"I wish what happened to you didn't have to happen." She said. "You freed all the clones, though."
Ahsoka let a few more moments pass, as if Rex was responding to her.
"Did it have to be this way?" She asked. "I- wish I knew if it was necessary."
She looked down at the ground. Emotions she didn't want to acknowledge were rising in her.
"It was worth it." She said, trying to convince herself. "One clone's mind, for all of them. It was worth it, right?"
She looked back up. Rex still stared forward.
"Tell me it was worth it." She said. "I can deal with this, if I knew that you thought it was worth it."
Logic told her that Rex would have of course thought his sacrifice was worth the lives of his brothers. But Ahsoka wanted him to say it. She wanted him to say anything by himself. She stared at his impassive face for a long time.
"I'm selfish." Ahsoka finally said. "If I had the choice, I don't know if I would sacrifice you for the rest."
He would probably see her as selfish too.
A knock at the apartment door drew Ahsoka's attention. Ahsoka frowned. She didn't know who it'd be, though many clones had been coming to pay their respects. Those visits were painful. Rex would stare past them as they thanked him. Their expressions and tones were always respectful and grieving. It was always like a funeral.
She was not prepared for it to be Master Plo, holding the hand of the young Force sensitive clone.
"Hello, Little 'Soka." He said. He sounded odd, maybe even a little shaky. "May I come in?"
"Of course!" Ahsoka said, stepping back. "But I thought you'd be at the Temple."
"Ah, well," Master Plo said as he guided the boy forward. "I was, before I left the Jedi Order."
Ahsoka stared at him. At that point, Omega had come forward.
"Hello!" She chirped to the younger clone. "I'm Omega! What's your name?"
"I'm Prime." The boy said, shifting closer to Plo.
"Don't worry. I'm a clone too." Omega said with a conspiratorial air.
Prime's eyebrows flew upwards.
"Omega, why don't you go get you and Prime something to eat." Ahsoka said. "While I talk with Master Plo."
Prime looked up at Master Plo, who nodded, before letting himself be led away by Omega. Ahsoka didn't miss the pained look the boy shot Rex's way.
"What happened, Master?" Anakin had joined them now. "Did they refuse to train him?"
"In a way." Master Plo said. "They wished to send him immediately to the AgriCorps."
"Without training?" Ahsoka asked, aghast.
She knew that even Anakin had received a few months of training within the temple before being officially assigned to Obi Wan. It was extremely important to the Jedi that their members had a solid grasp on the nature of the Force. At least, that was what the Council claimed.
"Yes. They refused me when I claimed him as a padawan. Apparently they have been resisting giving me a student after Bultar." Plo said. "They fear for the attachment I could form. They fear the love I would give my student."
Ahsoka shared a look with Anakin. It had been a joke around the Temple that Master Plo didn't have a padawan because he would see them as his child. She had never considered that the Jedi Council agreed with those rumors.
"As it is, I could not let Prime's potential go to waste." Plo went on. "He is extremely skilled in the mental side of the Force, and he has a strong desire to protect."
"But Master Plo, what are you going to do?" Ahsoka asked.
Plo hesitated.
"I have considered seeking out the Baran Do sages, but I do not know if they would accept Prime." He said. "And it would keep him too far from his brothers."
Anakin got an odd look on his face as Master Plo spoke.
"I've had- an idea for a while now." Anakin said. "I dismissed it because, well, me and Snips were the only ones I knew of who had left the Order and hadn't become Sith."
Ahsoka looked at Anakin curiously.
"I've always wondered why the Jedi Order is the only way to follow the way of the Force for most Force users. There's a lot of different ways to interpret the Jedi Code. I've wondered why there aren't any sects that do things differently." Anakin said.
He looked between Plo and Ahsoka, eyes serious.
"Maybe it's time that we made one." He said.
Plo and Ahsoka were silent, staring at Anakin. Plo began to nod.
"I believe that providing an option such as this would draw many current Jedi to it." He said. "Especially if we are tolerant of relationships."
Anakin beamed at Plo.
"Exactly!" He said. "Snips, what do you think?"
Ahsoka- Ahsoka found she didn't care. With everything that had happened, potentially pissing off the Jedi Order by starting a new sect seemed like the last thing she wanted to do. She thought for a moment, trying to think of what to say.
"I think that it's a good idea, Anakin." Ahsoka said slowly. "But-not for me, not now."
Anakin's expression softened to Ahsoka's surprise. He glanced at Rex and she knew he understood.
"It's okay, Ahsoka." He said. "You have other things to worry about."
Ahsoka nodded, relieved. Anakin turned to Plo.
"Could you make a list of potential Jedi that would be interested?" He asked.
Ahsoka moved away as they discussed possibilities of members and places to gather. She returned to Rex's side. She let her fingers brush against his. He didn't so much as twitch.
Despite the pain gnawing at her, she knew her place was with the clones, by Rex's unfeeling side.
CT-7567 stood at parade rest. He'd been given the 'at ease' order by CC-2224. Good soldiers stayed standing in the presence of their superiors. The former Generals had left. Former Jedi General Plo Koon had left. Former Jedi General Plo Koon had had CT-7001 in his custody. 7567 did not know why he was thinking of that.
There was no mission. 7567 stood and waited. There would be one.
He had memories of the people here. Memories with strong emotions. He felt none of them now. He was a good soldier. He ignored those memories. They were useless. They would distract from the eventual mission.
Former Commander Ahsoka Tano came near frequently. She often touched him in some way. 7567 did not react. He was a good soldier. He would not resist.
The woman kept her physical interactions reserved. She touched only his hands and his shoulder. 7567 did not care. It was not interfering with a mission. It would change when he was given his mission. 7567 would be allowed to stop her.
Former Commander Ahsoka Tano was not there now. ARC-5555 approached him. The trooper stared.
"I'm sorry." 5555 said.
7567 did not know why 5555 would be apologizing. 5555 had not compromised a mission. He had not made a tactical mistake. There was no reason to apologize to 7567. 7567 was not his superior officer now.
CC-9902 of Clone Force 99 soon came up as well.
"Fives." 9902 said. "It is not conducive to your mental health to interact with Captain Rex. I would suggest leaving him be."
"It's my fault." 5555 said. "I should face it."
"Explain to me how his reconditioning was a result of your actions."
"I'm the reason it took so long." 5555 said.
"That is not the case." 9902 said. "The real cause of the length of time was that Commander Tano did not think of having Echo and Omega testify earlier."
"You're telling me I had no influence on how long it took." 5555 said.
"No. Perhaps it did take slightly longer. However, it is irrelevant." 9902 said. "Captain Rex was reconditioned because of his actions, which led to the Jedi agreeing to lend their assistance to retrieving the clones. There are very few situations where the same result occurs without Captain Rex's reconditioning."
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" 5555 said.
"It absolves you from guilt." 9902 said.
They did not speak for some time.
"Do you wish to speak about your feelings further?" 9902 asked.
"Why the hell would I talk to you about them?" 5555 asked.
"I am a neutral party. I can listen to your grievances and give you an accurate analysis of them." 9902 said.
"What about my grievances about you?"
"That is acceptable. Crosshair complains about me to myself often."
7567 heard the words. He understood their meaning. He did not comprehend them. They were not about a mission. They were not orders. They were not important.
"Rex."
It was 2224. 7567 knew that 'Rex' meant himself. He had been called it before. It was incorrect. It was not his designation.
2224 came closer. Former Commander Ahsoka Tano was with him. They looked at him.
"Rex," 2224 said. "I order you to obey Ahsoka's orders, okay?"
7567 nodded. It was acceptable.
"Thanks, Cody." Former Commander Ahsoka Tano said.
2224 nodded.
"Take care of him. I have to make sure the 212th is settled."
2224 put a hand on 7567's shoulder.
"Hang in there, vod." 2224 said. "Stay here with Ahsoka. We'll figure this out."
2224 was crying. Good soldiers did not cry. 7567 did not say anything. 2224 was his superior officer.
2224 walked towards the door. He left. Former Commander Ahsoka Tano touched his hand.
"Come with me, Rex." The woman told him.
Rex obeyed. He was a good soldier. He followed her. They went into a room. It was familiar. Former Commander Ahsoka Tano pointed to a bed.
"Go to sleep, Rex." She said.
7567 laid down on the bed. He would rest. He would not sleep. Sleep was not safe. Former Commander Ahsoka Tano sighed.
"Take your armor off." She said.
7567 took his armor off. He sat. He waited for more instructions. Former Commander Ahsoka Tano sighed again.
"Go to sleep." She said.
7567 laid down again. He did not close his eyes. It was not safe.
"Rex." The woman said. "I said to sleep. You haven't slept for two days."
"I cannot sleep." 7567 said. "It is not safe."
Former Commander Ahsoka Tano looked at him. She was crying too. He did not know why. He had told them. Sleep was not safe.
"You are safe, Rex." The woman said. "Please."
7567 knew he was not safe.
"Rex, good soldiers take care of themselves."
That was not correct. Good soldiers did what was necessary to achieve the goal.
"You are safe." Former Commander Ahsoka Tano repeated.
She touched his arm. She rubbed it. She continued to cry.
7567 was tired. He could not sleep. It was not safe.
"Sleep is not safe." He said.
He sat up.
"Please, Rex, just go to sleep." Former Commander Ahsoka Tano said. "That's an order."
7567 laid down. He was not safe. He could not follow orders. He was not a good soldier. His body began to shake. He began to sweat. His body curled up. His stomach cramped.
"Rex!" Former Commander Ahsoka Tano said. "Rex, you're safe! You can sleep! I-I order you to believe that!"
He could not follow the order. His throat burned.
"Kix!" Former Commander Ahsoka Tano called. "He needs a sedative!"
CT-6116 came into the room. He administered a hypo. 7567 knew what would come next. He would be forced to sleep.
"Rex." Former Commander Ahsoka Tano said. She was close to his ear. "You're okay, I promise."
7567 did not believe her. He tried to stay awake. He could not.
7567 fell asleep. He was terrified.
Let's start from the top. The Bad Batch are the best body guards. Crosshair can deter most reporters with a glare.
Poor Fives just feels like everything has abandoned him, even Echo because of Echo's position as Senator. Had to bring the holo back. I love that holo.
The Jedi, as usual, being dumb. Yoda is just so tired. I may have mistakenly mentioned at some point that Plo doesn't have a Canon padawan. Welp, he do. Bultar Swan. She's in the Battle of Geonosis. I'm actually glad that he does, because I could explore him being hurt by the attachment rule. I decided that Bultar decided by herself to separate from Plo. The Council didn't have a part in it. Just the stigma about attachments.
Also, at least in legends, Plo is over 300 years old.
Poor Rex is just gonna stand around and wait to be a good soldier.
I finally get to implement one of my original ideas: Anakin starting his own Jedi Order. It's so weird to me that Force sensitives have such limited options. It's basically like saying if you want to be Catholic, you HAVE to be a monk. It's ridiculous. Anakin and Plo gonna change that.
I had a lot of fun writing Rex's perspective here. I tried to write short, plain sentences and go into very little detail, especially with emotions. (Also Crosshair 100 percent complains about people to their faces) The repetition in Rex's thoughts and words is intentional.
Hopefully things go smoothly for next week.
Stay safe, remember to review, and have a good week!