There was a quiet, companionable silence between Skywalker and Rex as they rode the lift together. Skywalker was always much calmer after spending some time with the senator.

The lift doors opened and they were ushered into the Council ante-chamber by the Temple guards. Rex eyed the guards distastefully, remembering how they unceremoniously yanked him during his prior meeting. They were nothing like clone troopers, and didn't remind him much of Jedi. They were disturbing in the way commando droids were disturbing. One of the guards eyed him back, leveling him with a glare Rex could feel even through the guard's helmet.

Weren't the Temple Guards supposed to be devoid of emotional attachment? What was the issue with this one?

You shouldn't exist, clone.

Rex pivoted his head sharply and stared now at the Guard.

The General picked up on the exchange."What's your problem, Garan?" Skywalker hissed, taking a step closer to the Temple Guard.

The Temple Guard stepped forward, his yellow staff crackling.

Skywalker stepped even closer, his hand on his lightsaber hilt. "Bring it on, Garan. I'll meet you in the sparring rooms anytime. I wiped the floor with you when we were younglings and I'll do it again now."

The second Guard made a subtle signal and Garan retreated back. He resumed his position at the door, standing impassively at the Council's outer door.

"Don't mind him," the General assured in a quiet voice just loud enough to be heard by the Guard in question. "He's always been an ass. I think they only made him a Guard so they wouldn't have to deal with him out in the field."

Rex shot Skywalker a grateful look. This was more the Skywalker he knew, or the one he wanted to know. He was bitingly sarcastic. He was in tune with what was going on, and most importantly, he had Rex's back.

The lift doors behind them swished open again and warmth flooded the waiting area.

Ahsoka.

She slid into place between Rex and Anakin. "How was the meeting with-"

Rex shot her a look, begging her not to continue on with that line of questioning. He didn't want the topic of the medal to come up again. He was saved by the arrival of Generals Koon and Kenobi coming off the lift.

"Anakin," Kenobi smiled, "you arrived before me. What a pleasant surprise."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises, Master."

"Of that, I have no doubt. Walk with me. We have more news on the Rim."

More news? Had they been discussing deployment? Was the 501st about to be sent out? His gut twisted again. Would he be going with the 501st, or be left behind again? The last time Appo had commanded the 501st on his own-

Ahsoka lightly bumped his shoulder with her own. "It's going to be alright," she murmured quietly, "the Force is with us. I can feel it."

"I agree, Ahsoka," General Koon said, proving he had exceptionally good hearing. He gave Ahsoka a long, assessing look. It reminded Rex of the way Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, patient and paternal. "You are looking well. You continue to regain your health."

"Yes, Master. But, I would not be here if not for Captain Rex."

"We owe a great debt to both Captain Rex and Commander Cody," the Kel Dor Jedi acknowledged. Rex was immensely grateful someone acknowledged Cody's important role in the rescue without him having to point it out. "Captain, I brought something, courtesy of Wolffe."

Rex's interest peaked immediately. Wolffe's "somethings" were always significant.

General Koon gestured to a nearby couch in the waiting area and handed Rex a mini datapad. The cushions were too soft, like many things in the Jedi Temple, and Rex sank in. He pushed himself forward again, sitting up ramrod straight.

"The WolfPack has uncovered new information out on the Rimma Trade Route," the Jedi Master said.

Rex thumbed on the pad and scanned through the data. He sucked in a breath. "This is a massive build-up of Separatist forces." A stab of alarm went through him. "It would require multiple battalions to counter such a siege-"

The Kel Dor General nodded gravely. "Exactly. At the moment, the only available battalion is the 104th. Wolffe has written a battle plan based upon three battle groups."

Rex looked down at his pad again, reading the detailed battle plan outlined by Wolffe: three battalions - the 104th, the 501st, and the 212th.

"But, sir, the 501st is-" Rex started.

"- badly needed," Plo Koon filled in. "There is only one man with the field experience to get those troopers ready in time, and I am looking at him."

Rex's chest swelled with emotion. "Sir," he swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"What resources do you need to make it happen?" The way he was talking made it sound like Rex was already reinstated."

"Armor. Weapons. Almost all of my men need kit. Only a handful of my men still have their armor."

"What was lost, shall be replaced." He checked his chrono. "I don't know what they are going on about in there, but I say whatever it is, they've gone on long enough. Shall we interrupt them? You're a busy man and have things to do?"

Rex smiled, deciding he liked Wolffe's General immensely. "Yes, General."

"I'll find Obi-Wan and Anakin," Ahsoka offered, heading off down the hallway in the direction they'd disappeared.

Rex felt more confident entering the Council chambers with General Koon by his side.

He stopped short just inside the door.

Standing in the center of the room was Cody. He looked as if he'd been on the receiving end of a very long lecture. He met Rex's gaze with a sense of relief and shared camaraderie.

General Koon took his seat in one of the oddly oversized and uncomfortable-looking Council chairs. Rex walked to the center of the room, and positioned himself beside Cody.

They both stood at attention, ramrod straight, but it was still very comforting to have Cody beside him.

"Why wasn't I informed you would be meeting with Commander Cody?" All heads turned at the arrival of General Kenobi, quickly followed by General Skywalker. There was a certain energy about them, and Rex wondered if this had to do with the recent info uncovered by the Wolfpack.

General Windu rose, all sinewy grace. He reminded Rex of the dark and dangerous variant of Nexu his Legion had the misfortune of running across on Geonosis. He'd lost a number of good troopers to the creatures.

General Windu skewed Kenobi with his gaze: "We wanted to talk to the Commander alone first about his actions when he first came into the system with the warship. We- I- felt you may have some bias."

Kenobi opened his mouth to comment, his jaw working, and then he shut it. He took a deep breath as if searching for inner Jedi calm. "I see. And, what was the outcome of this discussion?"

"We are not yet decided," Windu admitted. "The Chancellor is pushing hard for the Commander to go to full trial."

Rex saw it then, a flash where the Great Negotiator lost his Jedi calm.

Kenobi pointed to Cody. "This man has saved my life a dozen times over, and before this war ends, I'm quite certain he'll do it again. The Republic did not have either the resources or the courage to rescue us from that torturous prison where we rotted for two months. But, this man, despite being injured, defied orders and got me out of there. I am alive today because of him. He saved me and the lives of the men under his command. When he returned, he asked only that we value their lives as he does, and now we sit and wonder what punishment befits such a crime. Was he angry when he returned? Yes. He asked for the men he was leading. This man, Cody is a great leader. We should be rewarding him, and not punishing him. The Jedi have asked for these men for their endless faith, and they have given it freely. I cannot imagine punishing Commander Cody because he asked for a bit of ours."

There was silence in the Council Chambers once Kenobi was done speaking.

Rex had a lump in his throat. He wondered if Skywalker would speak so passionately of him. Did the Jedi value them so highly? It left him with conflicting feelings of wondering who and what he valued and what he stood for. The Republic? The Jedi? His brothers? All of them?

This was fascinating. Rex had expected his Council Hearing would be a tense drama where he would be disciplined. Not a resolution for Cody.

The Jedi looked back and forth, communicating in their silent way. Annoyingly, it played out as a buzz in Rex's head. He could not hear their discussions, but all of it gave him a slight headache. He stood at stiff attention next to Cody, wishing he was elsewhere. He stared out at the traffic swirling endlessly by outside the Council windows, losing himself in the ebb and flow. It reminded him of the waves on Ando. He could soothe himself in such a way. Waves were endless in their unchanging nature. There would forever be traffic here. But, Ando was his soothing calm. He thought of Travis and suddenly missed him dearly. In that moment, while he waited for the Jedi to finish their silent discussion, he suddenly felt as if he could feel Travis. His brother was happy.

It brought Rex such a sense of peace.

Krek! The wreckage.

Rex's peace was shattered by the urgency of needing to move the wreckage. He was sure he was imagining it, but he had an impression of Travis forming a plan to eject the wreckage into the area of space where they'd initially been attacked. That would work. Was that something Travis had already done? Something he simply imagined Travis might do? He pushed out a weighty sigh, confused, and Cody's eyes flickered toward him.

"We are decided," General Windu announced. "The Commander will be reprimanded. And, a formal disciplinary demerit will be entered into his service record. There will be no other formal trial. The Chancellor's request will be denied."

Rex could not help a sidelong glance at Cody. Fek. This was good news. Cody was still standing perfectly at attention, but Rex could read the relief in his features. A demerit could be worked off. Eventually.

This was a most unexpected development. Cody was being returned to service. What had happened to-

"Captain Rex."

All eyes in the Council Chamber turned to him, and he knew with sickening certainty, it was now his moment in the spotlight.

Rex met the gaze of General Windu and dipped his chin respectfully. "General." He looked to each of the members of the Jedi Council, meeting their gaze in return. Whereas last time he was in these chambers he was filled with righteous indignation, today he was filled with a sense of calm and balance. Maybe it was the humbling experience of being locked up. Or, maybe the time he'd spent around Ahsoka. Rex straightened his shoulders back and knew he could make it through this hearing.

"Captain, you have been called before us for contempt, based upon your actions last time you were here. However," Mace Windu stressed the word in an elongated way which was almost painful on the ears, "your General saw fit to stand up for you and spoke of your merits at length in a closed-door session yesterday evening."

Wait. What?!

Rex's mind spun. He'd assumed the General was headed to a "Senate" meeting. He'd been here standing up for Rex and mopping up this whole mess? He hadn't been with his Senator?

Rex's respect for his General rose another notch.

"Like Commander Cody, you will have a formal demerit entered into your service record. A note will also be made you went missing after being assigned to Kamino."

Rex cringed at the term 'assigned.'

He'd been sentenced to death. Not given a new assignment. A spike of old anger and hurt immediately flared up. He inhaled deeply, reminding himself of the unending waves of Ando. Ebb and flow. Calm. The flare of anger was gone.

"However, as per the insistence of both General Skywalker and Kenobi, you will both be given Distinguished Service Letters for your actions in rescuing two Legions, the trapped, and the special force who were imprisoned on Kaz'haria. You succeeded where others had not, yet, and in doing so may have saved many lives. Therefore, you have earned the gratitude of the Jedi Council and the Republic. As of today, and this hearing, Captain Rex, and Commander Cody, both of you are hereby restored to your former ranks within your Legions. Captain Rex, you will be reporting to Commander Appo, and Commander Cody, you will report directly to General Kenobi."

It was incredible news. (OK, Rex would have been even more thrilled if the Jedi had decided to reassign Appo to sanitation duty or training shinies on some planet in the far Outer Rim.) But still, restored to full rank, and an accommodation? He didn't care much about the demerit in his otherwise spotless record, because it was immediately canceled out by the Distinguished Service Letters.

And, a Distinguished Service Letter was vastly preferable to the Chancellor's medal. He didn't have to wear the damned thing pinned to his chest, (and it didn't come from the Chancellor.)

The General waved his hand and turned on a holo display. "Commander Cody, Captain Rex, you will need to get your troops ready to deploy as soon as possible. You are assigned to the Outer Rim for what is likely to be a prolonged siege."

Rex exchanged a significant look with Cody.

Outer Rim sieges?

They were back in action.

# # #

A/N: The character of "Garan" is based upon the canon of the Grand Inquisitor, (who officially is not named in canon. Garan is a shortened amalgam of his later title. I figured he couldn't have become the Grand Inquisitor if he didn't have some dubious aspects to his character earlier on. Anakin and Garan likely grew up together in the Temple. While Anakin was probably not popular with the other padawans, he likely did garner respect with his powerful skills. Garan knows better than to mess with him. The Temple Guards had amazing outfits and gear. They looked very noble, but in "The Wrong Jedi," they came across as... well, kind of jerks. I'll attribute that to flaws in Garan's character, rather than issues with the Temple Guard as a whole. It's been a while since I watched that arc, but I remember I didn't like them.)