Rex stood with his arms crossed and provided corrections to the combined Legions.

"No, Hardcase. You're not hugging him. For krek's sake. Closed Quarters Combat. Put him down!"

"Yes, Captain, but CQB is about Planning and Surprise. For sure, I surprised him!"

Rex turned off the external filters on his helmet so he could stifle a cough that was quickly turning into a laugh. He cleared his throat and returned his attention to his heavy gunner. "Right, then, as the point man, you made a decision, and I commend you for committing to an act."

"The point man is never wrong, right, Captain?" chipped in Rigger.

Rex looked at the gunner in surprise. He was normally a very quiet trooper, but he had been hanging out more with Hardcase lately, so that was enough to bring anyone out of their shell. "Yes, Rigger. That's correct. Now, explain why we say the point man is never wrong?"

Rigger hesitated, uncertain now that the attention of his Captain and his entire assigned training group were focused on him. Gib, a fellow gunner, leaned in and whispered to him.

Rex smiled again, under his bucket. He didn't mind the boys collaborating together. Everything about these exercises focused on teamwork. "Go ahead, Gib. Why don't you answer the question, then."

Gib shook his head. "Respectfully, Captain, no. Rig knows this one. He's just shy sometimes about speaking up. If you ask him, he could tell you all ten points of CQB word-for-word." He elbowed his brother. "Go on, Rig." He pushed his brother forward.

Rex waited expectantly. He could offer words of encouragement to the nervous trooper, but instinct told him the encouragement of his brother was enough for him.

"If you are the point man, make a decision; commit to an act or a direction. This allows the troopers behind you to make their decisions more easily."

Rex nodded his approval. "That is correct. Rigger, take charge of your training group. Take them through the other nine principles. I'll be back and you can tell me how they did."

Rigger and Gib exchanged a look of delight easily discernible even through their helmets.

Rex leaned in toward the gunner and whispered conspiratorially. "Don't go easy on then, alright?"

"Yes, Captain," the pride and delight in Rigger's voice were clear, and so was new confidence. Rex might have to evaluate him more carefully for the role of squad sergeant. He was a bright trooper and obviously interested in tactics.

He moved on to the next training group.

"Radar, Browser, Rim, stay low. You pop up like that and the tinnies will take your head clear off."

"Sorry, Cap'n!"

"You think the tinnies want an apology? Try it again!"

Browser, Radar and Rim had only just joined them before he'd been sent to TriLuna. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but their lack of battle experience showed through in their over-eagerness at training.

"Is that better, Captain?"

Rex sighed under his helmet. Had he ever been that eager for someone's approval? But, it was better.

"Yes, Rim. Now I could only see the top of your helmet. The tinnies will only take off your mohawk.** Now, run it again. And, I want you to keep running the drill until you do without thinking. Got it?"

Rim snapped off an eager salute before joining his batchmates in running the drill again.

Rex moved on to a large group of orange and blue working together. "Nice one, Trapper... Trey, keep going... Longshot, tuck down further and then slide so you get under the shields of the rollies."

Longshot smacked into the shields of the simulated rollies. "Ow!" He kicked out a foot at Trapper. "Stop laughing at me. That hurt!"

"Longshot, think of it as..." Rex tried to think of a suitable analogy.

"A woman at 79s and you are trying to see under her skirt?"

"That's disrespectful, brother!"

Trapper rubbed at his bicep where Longshot had smacked him. He looked over at Rex. "I have the right idea, don't I?"

"Yes, but it was disrespectful. Go run laps of the hanger and don't stop until I tell you. Move it!"

Longshot's body language conveyed his glee at Trapper's predicament.

"Longshot, join him. You two are brothers and need to work together." The sniper's shoulders fell in dejection. Rex grabbed him as he jogged by him and whispered quietly. "He's right, though. He said it the wrong way. But, he's right. Get under those fekkin' shields, alright? I want you to think about that while you are running. Now, go catch up with him."

"Soap!" He shouted to another group of troopers working on strengthening techniques, "Hold that move! Your muscles are quaking like a ground quake in Shola. For the rest of this trip, you need to focus on strengthening your core. Got it?"

"Yes, Captain," Soap gasped out, trying to hold the difficult move.

Rex headed off across the hanger deck to check on the progress of more troopers, removing his bucket as he walked so he could quickly hydrate. The recycled air in here had gone stale. He missed Ando and the muddy field where they gathered in the pre-dawn to train each morning. It stunk in here like sweaty trooper.

The air on the Andoan moon always had a distinctive tang; like salt, seawood and the pungent mud that was forever underfoot. Hok swore he could always smell the Oppee and it was forever stalking him just offshore. Gah. He missed the boys of Ando. Were they safe? Were they staying under the radar of Republic Intelligence? If R.I. got even a whiff about them-

"You have that faraway look on your face again."

"Hey, Cody."

"What are you thinking about?" His brother fell into step next to him, and they naturally matched pace as they walked their rounds.

"Doesn't matter. Just reflecting on training, I guess."

Cody paused, forcing Rex to stop with him. "I doubt that's all you were thinking about. Not when you have that look on your face."

"What do you mean?"

Cody tugged off his helmet so it wasn't amplified and dropped his face to a low murmur. "Rex, I get that we've been through a lot. But, we're headed to the 'Rim. You need to be back fully with us and engaged in the here and now."

"I am back." He bristled at the implication he was anything but 100% committed to this mission.

"Are you?" Cody challenged. "When you get that look, it's like you'd rather be somewhere else."

"I made the decision to come back," he jerked his chin to indicate their combined Legions, "for our brothers."

"No regrets?"

"Cody, our whole karkin' lives is one long string of regrets."

Cody laughed. "True." He slapped Rex on the back. "Alright, then, just needed to make sure you weren't focused elsewhere when we need you here." He stared Rex down, not releasing his gaze.

Rex stared back at him defiantly, letting Cody in behind his shields to judge his intent. Cody nodded with satisfaction, staring Rex down. He didn't release his gaze for a long moment. "That's the Rex I know."

Rex nudged him back hard in the shoulder plate. "Bastard."

Cody snorted.

General Kenobi came up behind them, startling them both.

Rex and Cody quickly stepped slightly further apart and stood at attention.

Kenobi waved off the formality. His posture was relaxed and he looked bemused. "You two seem to be having a rather intense discussion. Care to share?"

Cody dipped his chin toward his General. "Rex and I were discussing... strategy."

"Ah, I see," the General's voice had taken on the patient tone it did when he noticed something going on but chose not to get involved. He made a gesture the command clones should walk with him. "The men seemed to have picked up some interesting new fighting techniques." Together, they walked over to observe a group of 501st and 212th who were engaged in hand-to-hand combat, mixed with martial arts styles. "Is that Blast?"

The aforementioned trooper heard his name and saluted the General sharply. Blast had eagerly offered to lead training his training group this morning, saying he had an 'idea for a new drill' he wanted to try with the group.

The General folded his arm and studied the group. "I can't even begin to describe what they are doing, but I thought as military men you could shed some light on what they are doing and where they may have picked up some of these unusual tactics?"

Rex cocked his head to the side to observe Blast's group. His eyes widened as realization sank in. This was a training move Travis had done with the troopers on Ando time and again. It was a classic Marine Corps training move. But, where would Blast have seen-

Ah. The piece suddenly clicked into place. Blast, of course, was one of the troopers rescued from the Darkknellian prison. If he fought like Travis, it meant he'd either seen him fight during the battle or fought alongside him.

Kenobi was still looking at him expectantly awaiting an answer.

Rex exchanged a look with Cody who gave him a 'don't ask me' look. Rex took a deep breath and dove in. "Ah, yes, well, we've decided to improve our training drills by cross-training the troopers, sir. We don't know what we will be facing in the Outer Rim, so we thought some new techniques could be beneficial."

"I see," the General stroked his chin thoughtfully in the manner he did when he was mulling something over. "Is this best of the Legions approach going to be our new training norm from now on?"

Now both Cody and the General were staring at Rex expectantly.

Eh... Rex's mind was racing, thinking back to all of the icy morning drills on Ando. He'd missed some drills due to his knee surgery. But, he knew the fighting techniques of all the men in the Andoan Legion. Catcher and Travis updated him daily, even while he'd been out recovering. It was Catcher, who excelled in strategy, who initially decided the men needed to learn from each other. Could he take what had been done for 100 troopers and expand it out to four Legions?

"If you're in favor of this approach, General, yes, I can write up a training approach we can use for the rest of our time en route to the Outer Rim."

"Very good, I'll inform Anakin. Well done, Rex."

Rex nodded his chin toward Blast. "Credit goes toward the men, sir. They provided input and inspiration."

"Even better, I love that you are incorporating feedback and ideas from the men."

"Thank you, sir." Rex looked around the hangar bay. "Sir, where is General Skywalker?"

"Anakin commed earlier to say he's been delayed."

"Very good, sir." And, he meant it. The General was always happier after his Senate meetings.

"Carry on, then," General Kenobi made his way back out of the hangar, stopping to briefly offer words of encouragement to troopers.

"That's the plan?" Cody questioned, once the General was out of earshot.

"Sorry, Cody, I should have discussed it with you first."

"How long have you been working on this plan?" Cody's tone made it clear he wasn't angry; Rex had caught him off-guard.

"I just came up with it, again, credit goes to the men, not me."

Cody shook his head. "You can have a little bit of ego, you know."

"I'll leave that up to Skywalker."

Cody barked out a laugh and slapped Rex on the back. He gestured with his chin. "Come on, let's see what else these boys have come up with, eh?"

Rex smiled again under his helmet, realizing now how much he was enjoying this day of training. Sure, he missed the boys on Ando and the life he'd led there, but it was good to be back. He walked on next to Cody, barking out critiques together to the men, and feeling a sense (for once) that everything was alright.

# # #

Appo wasn't exactly sure what the fek had just happened there. Why would he be called dirtside to deal with a flimsi mix-up?

Something was definitely off about the whole situation. But, he couldn't pin it down. He didn't trust ARC Trooper Fives. He also didn't like ARC Trooper Fives, and he was sure the feeling was mutual.

It's not just Fives, though, is it?

Appo was sure most of the Legion despised him. Part of him didn't blame them. Their losses in the skies over Kaz'haria were devastating. The battle had been a disaster and they'd all been karkin' captured. He would be lucky if one of his own troopers didn't take a blaster to his back.

He removed his bucket and scrubbed at his face, staring at the yawning view of the stars as they left the atmosphere of Coruscant. He'd discussed the situation at length with Commander Tano. She'd assured him the loss at Kaz'haria was not his fault. Nice of her to say so, but sure felt like it was.

Maybe I should request a transfer.

The men have made it clear they don't want me as their commander.

They want Rex.

Rex.

Rex. Rex. Rex.

Yet, I'm the one who follows orders. I always follow orders.

I rotted in that prison cell for two months. Where was Rex all that time?

The Resolute came into view, like a gleaming jewel in space, docked next to the Negotiator, and the flagships of Wolffe and Windu.

Something hardened inside Appo.

He was not quitting. He did not need to be liked. He didn't need their friendship. The men just had to follow his orders. All of them. Especially Rex. He was the commander, and if Rex stepped out of line, he'd make sure Rex was the one who had to leave.

Admiral Yularen was involved with Republic Intelligence now. It wouldn't take much to file reports on Rex. Make it seem like he wasn't doing his job. He was probably already under suspicion.

No, Appo wasn't going anywhere.

He was the commander.

# # #