Fives blended into the background as General Windu came into the medbay. He didn't want any part of the conflict going on between Commander Cody and the General. He knew it had to do with Echo, but he could also sense this was one of those times he could do know good by getting involved. He trusted Commander Cody to sort it out. His comm chimed with an incoming call and he stepped further into the shadows to take the call. He kept an eye on the drama playing out in the medbay as he activated his internal comm system in his bucket.
"Go ahead, Rex."
"Fives, when they take Echo down to ArmyMed, go with him."
Fives tried to sort through this new sort of orders. He was thrilled, of course, to be able to stay with his brother, but he wasn't sure he understood. "What exactly am I supposed to do there? I'm no medic."
"Stay with him at all times. He is your responsibility until both of you return back to the 501st."
Fives wanted to object. Of course, Echo was his responsibility. He was his brother and only remaining batchmate. "What are you trying to say?"
Rex pushed out an exasperated breath. "That place... stay on your toes and bring Echo back to us." They were interrupted by noise off-speaker on Rex's end. "I have to go. I want regular reports. Rex out."
# # #
After days of watching Echo deteriorate, everything was happening so quickly. Fives drummed his fingers relentlessly on his thigh plate as the medical transport moved through the upper atmosphere of Coruscant.
Kix was in constant motion, checking Echo's vitals and adjusting the tubes and breathing apparatus keeping Echo alive. Coric had gone with them as far as the hangar bay, before heading back to the medbay to oversee the transport of the other injured clones. There was another medic with them, someone in 91st gear, but Fives didn't know him, so he ignored him and focused on Kix.
Fives tried to be patient as he watched Kix work.
Kix was an excellent medic. He'd saved their hides more times than Fives cared to remember.
But, what if everything Kix did wasn't enough? What if Echo was too far gone already? When Fives could stand it no longer, he prompted Kix for an update. "Well?" He hated that he almost didn't want to know the answer.
Kix's scowl told him volumes. The medic clipped his sensor back to his belt with a motion so practiced it looked as if the medical device had become an extension of him. He met Fives' gaze evenly. "It's not good." Kix held up a hand to stop his objections. "But, he's alive and that's something. All of you di'kuts have survived time and again when by all rights you should've marched on already. We have to believe in Echo, alright?"
Fives inhaled sharply, glad he had his bucket on so he could hide the suspicious drops of moisture leaking from his eyes and nose. The air was too dry in this shuttle. ARC troopers did not cry. He crouched down next to Echo's head so he could murmur a few assurances to his brother. He tried to keep his voice even and light. If Kix noticed the slight cracking and warbling in his tone, he was vod enough not to comment on it. He turned to talk to the other medic, giving Fives a moment of privacy with his brother. Fives stared down at Echo. His brother's skin had taken on an odd grey pallor. It looked so out of place on his normally perfect Jango complexion. A few months back, he and Echo had worked with the Wolfpack to rescue a group of civvies on Recovia-2 . The planet had already been headed toward climate disaster thanks to poor choices by the industrial cartel that led the planet, but a Trade Union takeover had sent the precarious planet into a steep spiral. They'd been sent in with a team of other ARCs to back up the Wolfpack in evacuating as many civvies as they could before coastal flooding wiped out the entire population. He and Echo had done a rather spectacular rescue of the tiny town of Cacao, ferrying load after load of civvies to a mountaintop before a tidal wave took out their village. While their village had been lost, the civilian population had survived. An impromptu celebration broke out and it turned out the residents were master artisans of Recovian Cacoa, (or chocolate, as it was known on Coruscant.) Among the 'essential evacuation supplies' the residents had insisted upon bringing aboard the shuttle were copious amounts of the stuff (and seeds for growing more.) The local Recovians insisted he and Echo try every variety of their local specialty. He'd never seen Echo so happy, or high on sugar, as he interacted with the locals, chocolate smeared across his tanned, laughing face.
"We'll get you sorted, vod. You'll be back to annoying me with reg manuals in no time." He sighed and stared out the window as the transport shook slightly and they descended through the atmosphere. He reached down and squeezed his brother's hand lightly, wondering if he could feel it or even registered he was there. His brother's hand was limp and unresponsive in his grasp. "You said you wanted to go back to Recovia. Check on those villagers. I'm not going without you." He inhaled sharply again, trying to get past the lump in his throat. "I can't possibly eat that much sugar alone."
How many campaigns had he completed with Echo by his side? How could he possibly go on without his brother? His gut clenched at the thought and it was difficult to breathe.
Kix had finished his conversation with the 91st medic and had gone back to checking Echo's vitals.
Fives opened up a private line to Kix. "Rex insisted I come along and keep an eye on Echo."
"He told me," Kix answered, not looking up from where he was fussing with a sensor on Echo's chest. It occurred to Fives then that Kix was as stressed as he was and trying to keep busy. The medic looked directly at him. "It's... because Rex was sent here to ArmyMed and then..." his voice trailed off.
"Yeah, they sent Rex to Kamino," Fives muttered darkly, "not a great outcome."
"Fives, there's no reason to think the same thing will happen to Echo."
Fives hissed in frustration, knowing it was wrong of him to take everything out on Kix and doing it anyway. "They sent him to Kamino, Kix, and we did nothing to stop them. They sent him away because he was of no more value to the fekkin' Republic. We're not people. You know that, right? No matter what the Jedi say, we're not people." He stroked the back of Echo's hand, rubbing circles in the place between his thumb and forefinger. He looked down in dismay at his brother's oddly discolored form. "What if we can't find out what is wrong with him? The Republic has no patience for troopers who can't fight. What if he doesn't get better quickly? Clones are meant to be out fighting-"
"Stop," Kix assumed his medic-in-charge voice. "Fek, I know what we are, Fives, better than anyone. I've had to red card clones. Don't you think I fekkin' know?!"
Fives hung his head down. "Fierfek, I'm sorry, Kix. I- I-" Fives didn't know what to say. He'd been wrong to take his anger out on Kix. He was angry. But, he'd been wrong to target it on another vod. Kix was always like a calm in the midst of a storm and somehow Fives had managed to piss him off. "Kix, I-"
Kix cut him off. "Let me finish. I know it looks bad. But, we have yet to tap into their research facilities." He looked intently at Fives. "We are all walking out of here together. I failed Rex. I won't fail you and Echo."
Fives had to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. "You didn't fail Rex." Gah. He was such a shit for taking out his anger on Kix. He would make it up to him. "We all did."
Kix glanced at him sharply. "Yeah, well, that is not happy with Echo."
The shuttle settled down, the movement startling both of them. They exchanged a significant look. "You ready for this, vod?"
Kix snorted. "No. But, we'll get through this- you, me and Kix."
Fives looked over at the 91st Recon trooper. "What about that guy?"
"He'd headed back up. The General is just keeping an eye on all of us- for whatever reason."
Fives snorted lightly. "Because we threatened him with a big enemy warship?"
"Yeah, that probably had something to do with it."
The hatch opened with the slight hiss of servo motors. In the center of the landing pad was an enormous logo of the ArmyMed center laser etched into the ground. The logo glistened and caught the light as if the place offered promise and hope. Either that or the place was hopelessly overfunded or mismanaged with creds spent in all the wrong places.
And, in the way his mind sometimes wandered at the most inopportune times, the logo reminded Fives of the beautiful crystalline webs he and Echo had stumbled across on Rosius Prime. Curious Echo had wandered too close and gotten his ankle snared in the web. It was then they discovered crystalline spiders are big. Very very, very big. Fives had taken out both the spider and the web with his rifle. He was relieved to get Echo back unscathed. The sight of that crystal web shattering had haunted him for days, worrying 'what if' he hadn't been able to free his brother in time?
A six-person arrival team from ArmyMed swept onboard and surrounded Echo. They pushed Fives and Kix back with the brusqueness of troopers singularly focused on their job and determined not to let anyone get in their way.
"We'll take it from here. Move along."
# # #
Rex stared out the forward viewscreen, watching Echo's transport head away from the ship and quickly disappear from view.
Echo was going to ArmyMed.
"You alright?" Ahsoka asked quietly, shifting her weight so she was standing closer to him.
He sighed, shifting his weight so she was also leaning closer to her, drawing comfort from her presence. "What? Yes."
No. He wasn't. He was worried about Echo. He was an outstanding trooper and his fear was they weren't doing enough. They would throw him into the army medical system, and Echo wouldn't make it through alive. So, no, maybe Rex wasn't OK. He wasn't alright with any of it.
Fek. But, he couldn't solve any of that now and Echo's fate was out of his hands. At least for now. And, he had to help Cody.
"Patch me through to Republic Intelligence," Rex ordered, standing stiffly at attention, and then corrected his stance so he wasn't so obviously leaning toward Ahsoka.
The vid screen scrambled and then cleared, showing the Republic logo and then the distinctive shield of Republic Intelligence. Admiral Yularen was standing with his back to his screen, talking to several others in an enormous command center. He turned around mid-sentence to take the call. "This is Admiral Yularen-"
He stopped mid-sentence and paled when he saw Rex.
"Sir," Rex said, saluting respectfully. He still had his bucket off, ensuring there was no doubt as to his identity. He squared his shoulders, standing quietly at attention next to Ahsoka, giving the Admiral as much time as he needed.
Everyone in the room behind the Admiral at Republic Intelligence turned and stared, some open-mouthed. A moment later, a flurry of activity ensued as headsets went on and calls went on, undoubtedly to the highest levels of the GAR.
"Captain," the Admiral finally said, "this is... a surprise."
"Yes, Admiral," Rex acknowledged politely, watching with amusement as a flurry of activity erupted among the junior officers. He imagine this probably threw them for a loop. That didn't happen often with Republic Intelligence.
"How can I assist you today, Captain?" the Admiral said, finally recovering from his shock, sounding more like the Yularen that Rex knew.
"Can we speak in person, Admiral? You are welcome onboard the ship we... eh... borrowed from the Seppies. I could give you the grand tour, sir."
The Admiral studied Rex. "I assume you have other matters you wish to discuss and this is about much more than... a grand tour?"
Rex smiled, appreciating the Admiral's trademark dry humor. "Yes, Admiral."
The Admiral nodded. "A moment, please." The transmission cut and Rex knew the Admiral was discussing the matter with his superiors in the GAR.
"I think that went well," Rex said quietly to Ahsoka.
"I think they about peed themselves," Trapper muttered, causing snickers around the bridge.
Rex smiled behind his helmet. At another time, he would have barked at the errant trooper and threatened him with some meaningless punishment. Extra exercises. Scrubbing the floors with a tiny brush. But, that was before Ando. Now, he saw his old self as a bit too tightly wound, and maybe a bit of humor was good for the men.
"Incoming transmission," Trapper announced, "Republic Intelligence."
"Patch it through."
An unnamed communications officer appeared. "Admiral Yularen is on his way. Prepare for his arrival." The transmission cut and was replaced with the R.I. Shield. The logo looked different from what Rex remembered from before he left for Ando. It had more black and silver in it like it was intentionally designed to intimidate. Why did the Republic need to spend money on redoing fekkin' logos when there was a war going on?
"I'll walk you down to the hangar bay," Ahsoka offered. As they lift doors closed behind them, she reached for his gloved hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "It will be alright."
He nodded, taking his bucket off and running his hands through his hair.
"I know that gesture," she said, standing on her tiptoes, so she could also run her hands through his hair. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply at the soothing feeling of her fingers running along his scalp. Why did it feel a hundred times more comforting when Ahsoka did it? "What are you thinking?" she murmured, her hands finding all of the tense knots around his scalp.
Rex sighed, and reached up to cup his hands on top of Ahsoka's, his eyes meeting hers. "The Admiral is with Republic Intelligence now. I know what kind of man he was before we left, but I don't know what he is like now."
He'd always been an ally before. But, so much had changed for Rex and Cody in two months. Had Admiral Yularen changed during that time, too?
As if reading his thoughts, and wanting to soothe away his doubts, Ahsoka stood on her tiptoes again and planted a light kiss on his nose. "Have faith, Rexster."
He smiled at the light brush of contact and they pulled back away from each other as the lift doors opened again.
# # #
Unlike the Jedi Master, Admiral Yularen arrived with only a bare minimum clone escort. He arrived on a shuttle, accompanied by no other ships. He walked crisply down the ramp, followed by two troopers for security.
At the bottom of the ramp, he turned to the troopers. "Wait here with the ship."
"Yes, sir," both troopers acknowledged, taking a moment longer than necessary before pivoting on their heel and returning back to the ship. Rex noticed they were both studying him with unabashed curiosity.
He couldn't blame them. Troopers dying was an all too common occurrence in the war. A trooper coming back from the dead? That... was highly unusual.
The Admiral also took a long moment to study the Captain. Rex stood at attention, tolerating all the scrutiny.
"It does appear to be you, Rex," Yularen finally said.
"Would you like a blood sample, sir?" Rex quipped. He tugged off his glove and offered up a vein, tapping it with one finger for good measure.
"A blood sample?" the Admiral tilted his head back and laughed. "Yes, I suppose that could be useful in proving... you are a clone."
Rex grinned.
The tension between them was broken. He grasped Rex's hand warmly, still studying him with amazement. "You caused quite a stir, Captain, with your sudden reappearance. It is very good to see you." Yularen turned to Ahsoka. "Commander Tano, it is good to see you alive."
"Glad to be so, Admiral." Ahsoka was never one for decorum. She threw her arms around the Admiral's neck. After a moment's hesitation, he returned the gesture, if a bit stiffly. The two had a rough start with Ahsoka's difficulties in following orders as a padawan, but Rex had watched her win over the Admiral as the war progressed.
Rex gestured toward the exit. "This way, sir. We have a great deal to discuss."
The Admiral walked beside Rex, hands tucked behind his back. "Where have you been?"
Ahsoka walked beside Rex, providing him with a comforting presence by his side as they walked through the ship.
Rex walked and talked, also using it as an opportunity to take the Admiral on a tour of the massive Kaz'harian ship. "There's a great deal to explain, sir. But, I'm happy to take you through all of it."
"I'm listening, Captain."
Rex found it easier to talk when he was walking, rather than having to sit in a conference room. Part of it was the soothing energy of being moving. But, it was also easier not having to constantly look the Admiral in the eye while telling a crafted version of the events. He genuinely liked Yularen and they'd struck up an unlikely friendship.
He wasn't sure he trusted him completely.
This was like when he was shot on Saleucamai and he had to omit certain things from his final report. It was a version of the truth. Maybe Yularen understood because he worked for Republic Intelligence.
He listened and didn't ask many questions.
He was able to get through most of the story as they toured the ship, with Ahsoka filling in portions of the tale from her perspective, mainly the imprisonment of the Jedi. All of what Ahsoka said was true, which contrasted with Rex's reporting which was truthful, from a certain point of view.
They entered the lift to head to the bridge. He glanced over at Ahsoka and caught her eye, wishing he was alone with her in the lift again. Even though their moments together were very brief, they still meant a great deal to him.
Instead, the lift ride was awkwardly silent and Rex was glad when they arrived at their destination.
"Admiral on the bridge!" Trapper announced, a bit too loudly as they exited the lift. But, that was the 212th trooper's style. He was a favorite of Cody's and if Rex could make some progress with Yularen, perhaps he could get back to annoying Cody soon.
All of the troopers rose as one, standing crisply at attention. Most were dressed in the Kazzie fatigues, but they were still every bit a soldier despite their unconventional attire.
"As you were," the Admiral said, walking around the bridge, studying the different stations on the captured vessel. He greeted many of the troopers from the 501st by name and gave a polite nod to the 212th troopers. He finished his circuit and walked back over to stand by Rex. "I sense you have more you wish to discuss with me. Is there a conference room nearby?"
Ahsoka bowed out of the conversation, heading over to stand next to Ko.
"This way, sir," Rex gestured toward the adjacent conference room. He'd now have to deal with Yularen face-to-face. As long as the Admiral was done asking questions about where he'd been during that two-month time period, he'd be fine.
"Impressive," the Admiral said, looking around the beautiful room and the large plexi-glass window overlooking Coruscant. Rex stood next to him, arms locked behind his back at parade rest. "She's not the Resolute, sir. This ship was simply a means to get home."
"Ah, yes, the Resolute," the Admiral said, looking out toward the cluster of Star Destroyers hovering near the Kaz'harian warship. He was quiet a long moment, staring out toward the ships. It was easy to spot the Resolute amongst the fleet. He nodded with his chin. "There she is," he murmured thoughtfully and shook his head. He turned back toward Rex. "Worst order I ever received when I was told to jump away at the Battle of Kaz'haria. Almost all of our troopers were still down on that planet and I was ordered to jump away."
Rex was silent for a long moment, trying to think of a proper response. He considered his words carefully. He put himself in the boots of the Admiral. "Sir, Commander Cody told me what happened. If the cruisers hadn't jumped away, they would have been obliterated in orbit. By leaving, you saved the remaining crew onboard."
"But, at what cost?" the Admiral said bitterly. "We lost all the medical transports en route. And we left two Legions on the ground at the mercy of the enemy."
Never before had Rex heard Admiral Yularen question the orders of high command. He had no idea what to make of it. Knowing that the Admiral was now in Republic Intelligence, he was not sure whether the man was truly an ally.
"I wasn't there," Rex responded, with the same honesty the Admiral was displaying. "I regret I wasn't."
"You shouldn't have been sent away." He was silent for a long moment, still staring out into space. His voice dropped so low it was difficult to hear him. "Sometimes... sometimes I wonder at the decision-making of this Republic..."
The Admiral nodded, making eye contact with Rex, and then continued. "After Kaz'haria," his voice was raw and haunted, "I didn't sleep. I saw the faces of the 501st. You were a particularly frequent visitor."
Rex stayed silent, unsure how to respond.
"We looked for the 501st and the 212th," Yularen continued, "But, when the searches turned up empty, they reassigned the ship, the barracks, all of the resources, including me. I've been with military intelligence for three weeks now."
Rex was wondering how it was Yularen ended up over at Republic Intelligence. And, he had no idea how to turn this current discussion into a request for help for Cody.
"So, what can I do for you then?"
Rex blinked, trying to follow the lightning-fast conversation changes. Wait- Yularen, was asking him how he could help? "Sir?"
"Captain, you have accomplished the impossible and brought our men back home."
"Thank you, Admiral. I... could not have done with Cody... Commander Cody, sir. He... brought a dozen men from Ord Cestus. They were... the key, sir."
Yularen pulled his datapad from his belt and started taking notes.
And, Rex made a case for Cody.
# # #