Hello, lovely people!

Quick note: If you didn't see it last week, I got a new job! However, that may mean schedule changes, as it's a full time job and I won't be able to write as much. I don't know for sure, and I don't start for another month and a half. I'll keep you all updated.

Kuiil: Thank you! Also, you were almost right with those predictions, lol

BH52: I honestly had to go look up Zeltrons when I got your comment. They're definitely top ten, but I gotta have some weird ones in the top 5.

OneLittleSpark18: Oh thank you! I was kind of worried because it was one of the few with absolutely no Rex or Ahsoka.

4thwallbreak: Yes...interesting indeed. And lol. To be fair, this is a literal novel length fic. And I'm going to have to say no, unfortunately. I've got a new full time job and I'll probably struggle to keep up with my main fics. But, I'm going to give you some advice, because I saw the fics you wrote and had to abandon and you seemed really passionate about them. One, don't update as soon as you finish writing a chapter. Get a backlog of multiple chapters. If that means you need to go on a long hiatus, that's okay. That way writing isn't as much as a stress. Two, writing isn't just sitting down at your computer and typing it out. Write out loud in the car to a voice recording app. Jot down notes on a google doc on your phone. If I only wrote when I sat down at my computer, these fics would not be where they are now. I actually learned to basically write on my phone because I'd have ideas at work or school. I hope that helps, and good luck!

SWNerd4Life: I enjoyed Kenobi more than a lot of people, but I totally agree. I really wish he was played in live action by Jason Isaacs. I don't know what the deal with purple lightsabers are. All I know is that they are cool. Dude, being 100% Omega is a great thing to be. I got Tech on mine, which is totally understandable (and great because he is my favorite) Also thank you!

Okay, let's get this show on the road! It's back to being Rexsoka. Though if I am totally honest, Tech is the third main character in the fic. So get ready for that.

Mando'a translations at the end!

ABSOLVED: CHAPTER 21

"How are your hands?"

Rex looked up from putting on his armor to see Ahsoka giving him a concerned look. She was halfway through kitting up as well.

"They're okay." Rex said. "They've been worse."

"Do you want me to give them a look?" Ahsoka asked.

"We don't have time." Rex said. "We're due out there in ten minutes."

"I know." Ahsoka said. "But training the newbies is going to take a while."

Rex smiled and stepped across their room to come closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What do you think I did before you started helping me with them?" He asked.

"You suffered needlessly?" Ahsoka asked.

"I dealt with it." Rex said firmly. "For days. This will only be for a few hours at most. And they're not even bad yet."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for worrying." He said.

Acknowledging the care behind her fretting often pacified her.

Ahsoka smiled and put her hand to his face.

"You need to shave." She told him.

Rex laughed a little at that.

"Come on." He said. "We've got rebels to train."

Fives, Tup, and Jesse were waiting for Rex and Ahsoka out on the training field. In front of the ARCs were around two dozen new recruits, vetted by Senator Organa and brought in by Maul's men. It was a motley crew: half a dozen different species, various genders, and ages from what looked like eighteen to fifty.

"Oh, boy." Rex muttered as he and Ahsoka reached Jesse, Tup, and Fives.

"Oh boy is right." Fives said. "I told them to form ranks and they did that."

Rex looked at the ragged rectangle that the recruits had formed into.

"Remember, they haven't been forming ranks since they were one like some people." Ahsoka said.

The recruits were muttering to each other now, staring at Rex and Ahsoka.

"Don't even have the decency to keep quiet while in ranks." Jesse said.

"Vod, we talked all the time!" Tup said.

"In our helmets. We looked holo perfect."

Rex looked to the group. He straightened and assumed his 'captain's' posture. The way he had once stood all the time had to be a conscious decision nowadays. Rex personally blamed his wife for helping him relax.

"Company!" Rex barked. "Aten-TION!"

About three people tried to straighten up. The rest look at Rex with confusion.

"When I say attention," Rex shouted. "You are to stand silently, with your body stiff and straight, your feet together, and your arms at your sides! For example! ARC troopers, attention!"

Jesse, Tup, and Fives snapped to the perfect attention. Rex made sure that the recruits were looking at their example.

"At ease, troopers." Rex told his brothers. "Now! Let's try this again! Company! Aten-TION!"

It went better this time, with everyone at least attempting the posture. They'd have to work on that later, but it was the principle of the matter.

"My name is Captain Rex!" Rex called. "You may address me as Captain or sir! This is Commander Ahsoka Tano!"

Rex gestured to Ahsoka.

"And these are ARC troopers Jesse, Fives, and Tup!" He went on. "From this moment on, you are soldiers and we are your superior officers!"

There was muttering at that. Rex frowned.

"Is there a problem, soldiers?" He asked.

It was silent, then a large, orange Devaronian man muttered something to his neighbor. His neighbor snorted.

"What was that, soldier?" Rex snapped.

The man straightened and flushed.

"Nothing." He said.

"If you have something to say, soldier, I want to hear it." Rex said.

The man got an ugly look on his face at Rex's prodding.

"I was just saying." He said. "That if the clones were that superior, that the Republic would've won the war before we got into this situation."

Ahsoka tensed besides Rex.

I've got it. Rex told her.

"So, you think you're better?" Rex said out loud. "How about in a fight?"

The Devaronian man snorted.

"Sure!" He said. "What, you want to start something?"

"I didn't start anything." Rex said. "But I'll have my men finish it. Tup!"

Tup stepped forward and removed his helmet.

"Show the-" Rex hesitated, not willing to call this man a shiny. "Newbie some of our hand to hand skills."

"Yes sir!" Tup said.

He looked the Devaronian up and down. With a smirk, he reached up and undid his hair, letting it fall around his shoulders. The Devaronian looked confused. Rex wondered if he knew the disrespect Tup was showing him. By letting his hair down, Tup was telling this man that even with the tactical disadvantage of having long hair, Tup didn't see him as a threat.

"If you can beat Tup here," Rex said. "You can be an officer."

"What, this pretty boy?" The Devaronian said with a sneer. "If that's all I have to do-"

Tup lashed out, punching the man square in the jaw.

"Hey!" The man shouted, stumbling back. "That's not-"

"Fair?" Tup asked. "Let me tell you, the enemy isn't going to politely tell you when they're going to attack."

He punched again, but the Devaronian only just managed to duck out of the way. The man pulled himself into a decent boxer's stance with his hands up and knees bent. Tup raised an eyebrow and copied the stance, but better, if Rex was asked. The Devaronian tried a quick 1-2 punch. Tup weaved around both, his hair whipping over his opponent's fists. He ducked under the next strike and buried his fist in the Devaronian's stomach. The man's eyes went wide and he gave a harsh cough. Tup pulled his fist back and the Devaronian bent over, hands on his knees.

"You done?" Tup asked.

The Devaronian gave a surprising chuckle as he heaved for breath.

"I know when I'm beaten." He said.

Rex nodded approvingly as the man straightened up and shook Tup's hand.

"Thought they just gave you blasters and pointed you at droids." The man said. "Guess I was wrong."

"What's your name, soldier?" Rex asked.

"Depin Briar." The Devaronian said.

"I trust that solves your issue?" Rex said.

Briar snorted.

"It does, it does." He said.

"Back into ranks then." Rex said.

Briar went back cheerfully and Rex faced the group again as a whole.

"Anyone else got a problem with your superior officers?" He asked.

The silence was deafening. Rex stared at the recruits. Many had uncomfortable looks on their faces. Others look outright angry. Rex frowned. He would have expected disdain, but not anger.

"Come on, out with it." Rex said. "It won't do any of us any good if you keep it to yourselves."

A moment of quiet more, and then-

"The Empire has used clones to take control of the entire galaxy!" A solid Pau'an man burst out. "We come here to fight the Empire, and it's clones that's supposed to teach us how! You expect us to trust you after all of that?"

Rex tried to open his mouth to respond, but others began shouting.

"Clones invaded my planet, even though we weren't part of the war!"

"I watched them killin' people that surrendered!"

"The clones were supposed to defend the Republic, but they helped destroy it!"

Rex felt sick as the group hurled accusations at him and his brothers. He glanced at Tup, Fives, and Jesse, and saw his own distress mirrored in their eyes as they listened to the terror their poor brothers were forced to create.

"That's enough."

Ahsoka's voice was calm, but powerful. The shouts died down and relief washed over Rex as Ahsoka took back control.

"This needed to be said." Ahsoka said. "It wouldn't be possible to work together if you had kept that in. We know you have suffered at the hands of the Empire."

"At the hands of clones!" A scrawny Gran called out.

"No." Ahsoka said. "The Empire. The clones being used by Palpatine are not under their own control. If they were, they would be here with us."

"How do you know?" A tall Rodian woman asked. "What's different about these clones here?"

"These men have had an inhibitor bio-chip removed from their minds." Ahsoka said. "Something that was implanted before they can remember."

The group was silent, staring at Ahsoka.

"We can't start clumping people together." Ahsoka said, looking at the Pau'an man. "We just got a report of a Pau'an Jedi hunter working for the Empire. But I know that you have nothing to do with that man. You are an individual. Each clone is an individual."

Ahsoka placed her hand on Rex's shoulder.

"The Empire sees us only as each of our groups. Clone. Pau'an. Togruta. There are no individuals to them, because they're afraid of us." Ahsoka said. "A people is easily cowed. An individual is not. Let's remind them why they're afraid."

Silence, and then a murmur of approval ran through their group.

Well done. Rex sent Ahsoka.

"First order of business." Rex said after things had settled down. "We need to get you into shape. I want five laps around the field."

Rex was relieved to see that every being started to run. Ahsoka had done her work well.

"This'll be fun." Fives said. "Already got some insubordination going on."

"And I thought you were bad." Rex said.

"Me?" Fives said. "I never fought you just because you're a clone!"

"We certainly have our work cut out for us." Ahsoka said. "This would be so much easier if we could just get the clones back under their own control."

"Tech was working on that device based off of Neya Ha's research." Rex said. "I'll check in on him when the Batch gets back from their mission."

"Good idea." Ahsoka said. "I'd nearly forgotten."

"If he's been working on it." Fives said. "Echo says that he's practically shut down."

Rex frowned. He'd gotten the impression that the entire Batch had been struggling since Omega had been taken, but he'd never thought that any of them had stopped functioning.

"We'll see." Rex said finally. "But in the meantime, let's get these newbies up to snuff. We need an army either way."

"No, I can keep running, I swear!"

Rex raised an eyebrow at the young Quarren he was kneeling beside. He had thought that five laps was a light start. Apparently not. Most of the runners had to slow their pace to walking for half of the run. This recruit was one of the ones who'd insisted on running the whole way: until he'd collapsed during his third lap.

"You can walk a bit, kid." Rex told him. "In fact, I'm ordering you to walk a lap. You're not gonna be able to fight the Empire if you push yourself to death."

The Quarren nodded dejectedly.

"Yes, sir." He said.

Rex was impressed by this one's determination and obedience. He helped him up, patted him on the shoulder, and watched as the kid set off at a brisk walk.

When he got back to where Fives, Jesse, Ahsoka, and Tup were waiting, Fives waved him over.

"Just got the comm from Echo." He said. "The Batch is back. The Jedi didn't have any info on Nala Se though."

"How're the Batch taking it?" Rex asked.

Fives hesitated.

"Not well." He said.

"Kriff." Rex said. "Well, I'd better still go check up on Tech. Maybe a distraction will help."

"Maybe." Fives said, but he sounded doubtful.

"I'll go with you." Ahsoka said. "From what I've heard, the Master Jedi isn't the biggest fan of the Council. She might take to me better."

"Once they're done with the laps, set them on a modified basic workout set." Rex told Jesse and Tup. "I'll see if General Secura, Axel, and Bly can't come replace us."
Jesse and Tup nodded.

Once they were a ways away from the sight of the newbies, Ahsoka slipped her hand into Rex's.

"Get a room." Fives said.

Rex raised an eyebrow at Fives, leaned over, and kissed Ahsoka on the cheek.

"We can do worse." Ahsoka said.

"No, please don't." Fives said, though he was grinning. "It's bad enough watching General Secura and Bly."

Rex snorted. That was certainly true. General Secura and Bly were practically on top of each other every moment these days.

"Give them a break." Ahsoka said. "Bly almost died."

"You two aren't snogging every second." Fives said.

"We've never had to hide it." Ahsoka said.

"It took Rex a month to tell us you got married!"
"Yeah, but he never denied it." Ahsoka said.

Rex smiled a little as he remembered telling his brothers.

"Now, what's this about, Rex?" Fives asked. "Kind of suspicious, gathering us all here."

Rex looked over the small crowd of brothers he had gathered, feeling a little nervous. Fives, Echo, Jesse, Tup, Kix, Wolffe, and Bly looked back at him. His closest brothers, at least of those here.

He tried not to think of Cody.

"It's high time I told you something." Rex said. "But you need to promise not to spread it around."

Everyone turned to look at Fives.

"What?" He asked innocently. "I only tell people things they need to know."

"Why the hell would they need to know that you and that rancor-" Kix started asking.

"Quiet!" Bly said. "Go on, Rex."

Rex fiddled with his helmet.

"I'm telling you this because you're the brothers I trust the most." He said. "We've been through a lot-"

"Out with it!." Wolffe snapped.

Rex took a deep breath.

"Ahsoka and I are married."

Silence. Then-

"I KNEW it!" Jesse said with a laugh. "You owe me 20 credits, Kix!"

Fives, meanwhile, had stepped up to Rex and engulfed him in a bone crushing hug.

"You treat her good, you hear?" Fives said as he let go.

His wide grin was mirrored on Bly's face, who was beaming. Echo came quietly to Rex and clasped his shoulder.

"I hope that you'll both be happy." He said with a smile. "You both deserve it."

"Thanks, Echo." Rex said. "Tup, you okay?"

Tup had been trying to surreptitiously wipe away tears.

"Sorry." He said in a choked voice. "But not a lot of things have been exactly happy lately."

"Aw, Tup'ika!" Jesse said, wrapping his arms around Tup and Rex's shoulders.

Kix looked like he was wiping a few tears away himself. Wolffe, on the other hand-

"Wolffe?" Rex asked at his brother's stony expression.

Wolffe heaved a huge sigh.

"If you must." He said. "But if either of you hurt the other, there'll be hell to pay."

Rex gave his brother a grin. That grin faded as the painful thought of Cody's reaction hit him. He hoped his ori'vod was safe, wherever he was.

"So!" Jesse's voice cut into Rex's thoughts. "When can we expect to be uncles?"

"I don't know why you're so uptight about it." Rex said to Fives. "You were the one who visited the girls the most at 79's."

Fives shrugged.

"It was different there." He said.

He got a melancholy look on his face.

"I hope the girls are okay." He said. "I can't see the Empire keeping 79's open for mind controlled clones."

Rex didn't either. He hadn't known any of the girls that the other clones had patronized, but he knew that many brothers had gotten to know them quite well.

"Last time I saw Senna, she made me promise I'd come back." Fives muttered as if to himself. "Have I ever told you about her? She had the most silver beautiful hair. Went down almost to the floor. It always smelled like starflowers."

Fives' eyes got faraway.

"I've got to keep that promise." He said. "She cared. She was there for me when I thought Echo was dead. She was there after Umbara. She was there after you'd nearly died, Rex."

Rex shared a look with Ahsoka.

"I've never heard you talk about her much." Rex said.

Fives seemed to come out of a trance, shaking his head and straightening.

"Ah, sorry." He said. "Just- there was that Devaronian. She was Devaronian too. And being around civilians like that just got my mind going. I'm fine."

He gave an unconvincing grin.

"Maybe we can ask some of the recruits from Coruscant if they've heard anything." Ahsoka said.

"I'd- appreciate that." Fives said.

Silence fell over them, but they were nearly to the hangar regardless. The Marauder was there, though Rex didn't see any of the Batch. A tall, long necked figure was there, next to a rather short young woman, talking to General Kenobi and General Skywalker.

"You have not sensed him?" The Kaminoan Jedi asked. "It was clear soon after the Order."

"We did not, Master Ha." General Kenobi said. "Though that surely could be explained with your experience in the Force."

Ha?

"Excuse me-" Rex said as they approached. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Generals, but- your name is Ha?"

The wizened Jedi looked down at Rex, blinking slowly.

"I am Kina Ha." She said.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to a Neya Ha, would you?" Rex asked.

General Ha looked thoughtful.

"Yes." She said. "On my last visit to Kamino, my progeny did inform me of a new birth and I do think the name was Neya."

She looked closer at Rex.

"You knew him well, I see." She said.

"He was my friend." Rex said hoarsely. "And- I'm sorry to tell you, but he- he passed away."

General Ha stared at Rex long enough for him to become uncomfortable.

"It is good to know that compassion has not been eradicated from the Kaminoans." Kina Ha said. "And do not despair, child. I am the source of the aberration that made Neya Ha the way he was. I have many progeny. The gene is not lost. His wish will come true."

Rex nearly stumbled back at her words. He had not known how large a burden Neya Ha's unfulfilled wish had been on him. The relief he felt was nearly overwhelming. He was sure it was only Ahsoka's influence that kept him on his feet.

"Thank you." He managed to say. "My apologies again for the interruption."

He stepped back and let General Ha turn her attention back to General Skywalker and Kenobi.

"The Batch are in the Marauder." Ahsoka murmured to him.

"Thank you." He said.

Fives followed him up the ramp into the ship. Before they could enter, the two Togruta bounty hunters appeared in the doorway. They both had rather uncomfortable expressions on their faces.

"Ah, excuse me." The man said.

Rex and Fives shifted to the side to let them pass. Rex watched them for a moment. When they were out of earshot they began to argue, gesturing back to the ship.

Fives was already in the ship when Rex turned back around. Rex followed suit and looked around the bay.

Wrecker was curled on one of the racks, but it didn't seem he was sleeping. Tech was on the rack above, poring over a data pad. His shoulders were hunched and when he moved, it was agitated. Fives was embracing Echo. Rex couldn't see Crosshair or Hunter, but he could hear a muffled argument from the cockpit. There were splintered toothpicks everywhere and blaster marks on the walls.

"Everything go okay?" Fives asked as he let go of Echo.

"As well as it could." Echo said.

Rex headed across the ship to the racks. He glanced down at Wrecker. He seemed completely still, save for his quick, shallow breathing. He was clutching a tooka doll to his chest.

"Tech?" Rex said quietly as to not disturb Wrecker.

Tech jolted and turned bleary eyes to Rex.

"What?" He snapped, then blinked. "Captain Rex? Did- did we arrive at Yavin?"

"Yeah." Rex said. "Are you okay?"

Tech snorted.

"No." He said.

Rex waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't.

"I just wanted to check on your progress with Neya Ha's research." Rex said.

Tech's brows furrowed in a look of confusion.

"I-" He said. "The what?"

Rex was really starting to get concerned now.
"The research that could help us stop the chips from afar." He said slowly.

"Ah." Tech said. "No. I have made no progress. I have not considered it for some time now."

Rex hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"It might be a good distraction." He finally said.

It was the wrong thing to say. Tech's eyes burned with cold anger as he stared at Rex.

"I do not wish to be distracted." He said, biting off the ends of every word. "There is more important work to do."

Rex remembered what Echo had told him, that Tech was throwing himself against the wall of Imperial security over and over again in hopes of finding the Imperial base where Omega was likely to be hidden.

"There has to be a better way." Rex said.

Tech slowly placed his datapad down in a deliberate motion.

"Is there?" He asked. "What hope do I have in any other option? The bounty hunters who took her have no information. The Jedi and informants are useless. This is the only chance I have of ever finding her."

Rex took a step back at Tech's cold agitation. Were the rest of the Batch like this? Feeling that horrible, twisting guilt and grief that only came when you first lost a brother?

"You've never lost someone before, have you?" Rex asked.

"Of course we have!" Tech said. "Why do you think we are named Clone Force 99? Do you think we never knew the clone we were named for?"

"99-" Rex hesitated. "99 was different. We all knew he wasn't going to last the whole war. He- was too sick. He went down fighting, something he only dreamed of doing."

Tech was silent and Rex knew he was right. 99's death had hurt, but knowing that he had been acting as a soldier in his last moments had lessened that pain. For the Batch, Omega's abduction had no such solace.

"I'm sorry." Rex said.

He knew that there was little he could give to Tech or any of the Batch to bring them any relief from this pain.

He turned away to find Ahsoka climbing into the ship.

"Rex." She said. "Come on. Kina Ha has information about Master Yoda."

Ahsoka was furious. She paced in her and Rex's small quarters, burning their bond with her anger.

"Ahsoka-" Rex started.

"Master Yoda's alive, Rex, and he never even tried to find us! He knew about the younglings and Master Ti!" Ahsoka said. "He abandoned us!"

Rex rarely saw her so outwardly angry anymore.

"The Force wants us to fight! Why is he exempt?" Ahsoka went on. "Why does he get to hide and run away from the galaxy?"

Rex saw tears glittering in her eyes and decided to intervene.

She let him fold her into his arms and kiss her montrals.

"Maybe something happened when he faced Palpatine." Rex said quietly. "Maybe he was hurt. Maybe he was going to find us, but needed time. I can't imagine failing that task was easy for him."

"We don't have time." Ahsoka muttered, but he could feel her anger boil down to grief.

Rex ran a hand up and down her back lekku. They stood together for a while, Ahsoka letting Rex counter her distress with affection and love.

"We're not going. It's out of our hands." Rex said. "I'm sure General Kenobi will give General Yoda a piece of his mind."

"I'm actually counting on Windu for that." Ahsoka said. "You saw him during the meeting. He was furious."

Rex smiled.

"Jedi have a weird way of showing furious."

"You could still tell." Ahsoka said.

She was right. General Windu had been stiff as carbonite, nostrils flared, and his arms tightly crossed.

"I know." Rex said. "It was odd to see General Skywalker less angry than General Windu for once. Regardless. We'll let them handle it. You have your own mission."

General Ha had suggested moving the younglings and less Rebellion-inclined Jedi to one of the ancient Jedi temples across the galaxy. It was a good idea; Rex knew that General Kenobi and General Skywalker had been worried about keeping all of the Jedi in one place. Ahsoka and General Secura had been assigned to scout the temple rumored to be on a backwater planet, Lothal. Rex and Ahsoka, due to their scrape on Scarif, were banned from undercover missions, but General Skywalker had figured that Lothal was far enough from the center of the Empire that Ahsoka by herself would be safe.

Rex couldn't help but worry that he was wrong.

Mando'a:

Vod: brother

Tup'ika: little Tup, affectionate

ori'vod: older brother, used in this case to identify a special older brother

From the top!

Time for the Rebellion recruits! And not all of them are clone friendly! Especially with the clones being the oppressors now. That might be a problem in the future. But Ahsoka's pacified them for now.

I like sprinkling in good Quarren characters because literally all of them in canon are huge A holes.

I didn't originally write out the little scene where Rex tells his brothers about him and Ahsoka. My editors protested. I am glad they did.

A little more on Senna. She'll show up one day in one of the fics. Maybe.

And some resolution on Neya Ha. HIS DREAM IS NOT IN VAIN. My one editor is still upset that I killed him. I kinda agree...

Admani is doubting them working with the Batch because they are obviously not very stable right now

Taja wants to keep helping because Tech is hot (and you know they're the reason the Batch is struggling right now)

Things the Bad Batch do when sad:

Crosshair: shoot the wall and chew more toothpicks

Hunter: tries to keep a strong front up. Is dying inside

Wrecker: cries (honestly I feel like he'd have the most healthy reaction to grief)

Echo: Soldiers on. He knows what it's like to lose people

Tech: work himself to death and may or may not go into denial.

It makes so much sense to me that the Batch has never actually lost someone. They feel sheltered in a way and I think that is part of it. Also, it would be SO DUMB if they didn't know 99. And 99's death is kind of a blessing to him in a way. He gets to die as a soldier, instead of lingering on, watching his brothers leave and die. It's way different from Omega being taken.

Finally, learning a bit of what happened to Yoda! The question is, did he pull a Original Trilogy and decide to just go be a swamp cretin while every other surviving Jedi was doing something useful with their lives? To be found out! Eventually!

AND TO LOTHAL!

Okay, that should be everything!

Stay safe, remember to review, and have a great week!