Relics of the Old Republic

There was a tense atmosphere amongst everyone on the modified AT-TE walker the following day, with the foreboding threat of the Empire showing up to happen eventually.

Serah was currently working on the Phantom, hoping to fix it soon from the damage the Imperial probe droid did to it.

"That probe did significant damage. Repairs are gonna take a good while before we're ready to leave." She informed Kanan through a communicator.

"We don't have time." Kanan replied as he and everyone else were inside the walker. "There's no telling when the Empire will get here. We've got to get off the surface."

Serah peeked around the Phantom, noticing an approaching sandstorm approaching the walker from the rear.

"And add a certain weather phenomenon to our list of worries." She told the Jedi.

"If the Empire gets here before we take off, that storm will be the least of our problems." Kanan pointed out as Rex joined up with everyone.

"Here they are, the coordinates of every Republic base, Separatist installation, pirate hideout and smuggler's den in the Outer Rim." He told Ender, handing him the data chip holding such information.

"Plus a few Mandalorian bases that even they've forgotten about." Wolffe added in.

"Thank you, Captain. Are you still sure you won't come with us?" Ender replied.

"Yeah, you're not bad in a fight." Zeb agreed with Ender. "I mean, for older gentlemen."

Gregor playfully nudged Zeb in the elbow, and Zeb nudged back.

"Yeah, like I said, our war's over, kid. Don't much care to get mixed up in another." Rex replied. "Oh, and say hello to Commander Tano for me."

"But the Empire would be able to find you, and they won't hesitate to end you." Ender reminded him.

"Oh, we can take care of ourselves." Rex reassured confidently.

"Spectre-1 to Spectre-2." Kanan said through his communicator.


High up in the planet's orbit, onboard the Ghost, Hera was in the cockpit, reaching for the communicator, as she was still working on repairs.

"Gonna be down here a while longer." Kanan informed as Hera tried grabbing it, but kept missing as she was under the control panel. "Give me some good news. Has the Empire showed up yet?"

She eventually grabbed the communicator and popped out from under the control panel.

"I'm a little busy finishing repairs on the Ghost, but Rocket's been scanning. So far, nothing." Hera replied.

That's when Rocket chirped worriedly, making Hera look to see that a Star Destroyer had just showed up out of hyperspace.

"Just had to say that." Hera sighed in annoyance, seeing that she tempted fate by saying that. She then contacted Kanan. "Star Destroyer just came out of hyperspace. Gonna power down so they don't scan me. Once I finish my repairs, I'll come get you. Good luck down there."

She started turning off all systems on the Ghost before turning to both Rocket and Chopper.

"Sorry, you two. That means you, as well." She apologised.

Rocket beeped as though he was saying he understood before Hera turned him off, then she turned to Chopper, who was complaining until Hera turned him off, as well.

Hera then watched as four TIE fighters flew out of the Destroyer and flew, not towards the Ghost, but to the planet below. This made her sigh with relief.


Down below, inside the walker, everyone was tense, now knowing of the Empire's presence.

"If they follow procedure, they'll fly search patterns based on our last confirmed position." Rex told Ender, Kanan and Zeb.

"Or they'll call. Incoming Imperial transmission." Gregor pointed out before looking over at Wolffe. "It's for you, Wolffe."

Said clone turned to the screen behind him, seeing that a transmission was in fact a transmission waiting to be acknowledged.

"They called back? They… they never call back." He said anxiously.

"This is why I don't trust clones." Kanan chuckled.

"Oh, will you just grow up!" Ender snapped at his master, earning him a glare before he turned to Wolffe. "Just try to get rid of them."

"Yeah, it was my mistake. And I'll fix it." Wolffe said, wanting to own up to what he did.

The screen behind him then showed Kallus' face on it as he turned to answer.

"CC-3636. Commander Wolffe, is it?" The ISB Agent said.

"Yep, that's me." Wolffe replied, snapping his fingers. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Please transmit your coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sightings you reported." Kallus requested.

"What? Uh, Je-Jedi? Uh, no, no. No, th-there's no Jedi. Here. My, my old, uh, cybernetic eye must be acting up again." Wolffe tried acting like he was a little messed up and made a mistake.

"Uh, sorry for wasting your time." Rex added in, joining the conversation.

"This image was taken by one of our probe droids." Kallus coolly replied, showing footage from the probe droid, which was of the walker, zooming in on the Phantom. "It clearly shows you harbouring known rebels." Kallus' face then reappeared as Rex and Wolffe glared at him. "Now surrender them or be destroyed."

"If it's a fight you want, I hope you brought a better class of solider than those stormtroopers." Rex snarled, punching his hand while Wolffe cracked his neck and Gregor joined their side.

"They serve the Empire well, and I have a great many of them." Kallus bragged.

"You're gonna need all of 'em." Rex spat before slamming down on a button, cutting off the transmission.

"I like these guys." Zeb chuckled.

But then the walker started rumbling, and Serah ran in.

"They've just found us." She told everyone.

"Looks like that search pattern paid off." Ender noted.

"Battle stations." Rex ordered his fellow clones, with Gregor dragging a large crate, which was then opened to reveal a whole collection of various blasters.

Outside, one of the TIEs was firing shots at the walker, though some shots missed, hitting the ground instead as everyone watched, almost all of them wielding blasters.

"We're nothing but sitting mynocks on this old tin can!" Ender said worriedly before climbing up a ladder.

"Think so?" Rex questioned, holding a rocket launcher. "Wollfe, evasive manoeuvres."

"Copy that." Wolffe acknowledged from the driver's seat, making the walker do a turn, which nearly made Ender fall if he didn't lean against the Phantom.

"Hurry, he'll come around for another pass." Serah told Kanan and Zeb as they gathered on the platform, her and Zeb wielding blasters from the clones' crate, while Ender and Kanan activated their lightsabers, mainly so that they could protect the Phantom.

As the TIE circled around to fire down on them, Zeb aimed the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon he was using at it.

Once it started firing down at them, he and Serah, with a DC-15A blaster rifle, fired back while the Jedi pair deflected any stray shots that were too near to the Phantom.

"Try shortening your leads. You're wasting ammo." Rex told Serah and Zeb as he climbed up the ladder to join them.

"You're welcome to help." Zeb snapped back as the TIE closed in on them, Gregor climbing to join Rex's side.

"Eh, why spoil the fun? We haven't been shot at in years." He said just before the TIE turned and flew away to circle back around again.

"Well, it's a daily occurrence for use." Serah replied back.

"And no one's manning the big gun because…?" Ender questioned Rex.

"That's no good in this situation." Rex replied as Kanan climbed up onto the top of the Phantom.

"Oh! Kinda like you guys." He mocked.

"You want the shot?" Rex said to Gregor, ignoring Kanan and throwing the rocket launcher at him, which he caught, while Ender joined Kanan's side.

"Love to." Gregor grinned eagerly before heading to the front of the walker.

The TIE came down at them from the rear, firing more shots as it got closer, but missed every time, before flying off to circle around once more.

Gregor aimed the rocket launcher and fired, the rocket flying in a straight line and exploding the TIE when it tried turning around.

Zeb chuckled as Gregor turned his head to Rex, who had his hands on his hips, proud of his fellow clone.

"Gregor, you still got it." He praised as Ender and Kanan deactivated their lightsabers.

"It's in my blood." Gregor said with pride.

"I think I'm starting to see why Jedi and clones make a good combo." Ender noted as he jumped off the Phantom and joined Rex's side. "We can make a good team."

"Yeah, tried that once. Didn't work out so well. Now, if that storm gets any closer it'll ground us." Kanan retorted. "Serah, we need the Phantom to fly."

"On it." The Mandalorian acknowledged before heading to start working.


As the day went on, with Serah still working on the Phantom, Kanan looked out at the approaching sandstorm through his macrobinoculars, while Ender sat on the seat for the mass driver cannon, looking at the controls and console.

Rex walked up to him, noticing how interested the eighteen year old was before Ender noticed him watching him.

"Sorry, was just curious." He apologised, though Rex joined next to him.

"The traverse controls are over here on the left, and the elevation's on the right." The clone told Ender, who raised an eager eyebrow and used the controls to move the cannon around.

"I gotta ask, what was the Clone War like?" Ender then asked Rex, considering he fought many battles.

"I don't think the fighting ever got to Lothal." Rex replied. "I tell ya, war was never dull. The general I fought with was among the greatest of the Jedi. I trusted him more times than I can count." Kanan stopped looking through his macrobinoculars and listened in as Rex sighed. "And I tried my best to keep that trust."

"Whatever happened to him?" Ender asked.

"I don't know. All I've heard was that he perished, but he was too good a Jedi for that to happen." Rex replied grimly.

"Hey, Kanan, with any luck, we should be able to leave soon." Serah called out.

"But leaving Rex, Wolffe and Gregor to deal with the Imperials on their own isn't right." Ender argued.

"Well, the Empire is here because of us. We'll deal with the consequences." Rex told everyone.

Ender would've replied to that if he hadn't heard a distant thudding.

"You heard that?" He asked Zeb, who nodded.

"Listen." The Lasat told everyone, who started paying attention and heard the sound as well.

Wolffe, who joined them, looked out and spotted something in the distance.

"Enemy contact point two-four." He said as he pointed, Serah looked through her viewfinder as everyone looked, spotting three AT-ATs heading right for them.

Zeb looked through some macrobinoculars to get a better look, as did Wolffe and Rex.

"How many legs they got?" Wolffe questioned Gregor, who also looked through a pair of macrobinoculars as he and Rex joined him up front.

"Looks like four." Gregor replied.

"Four?" Wolffe questioned as Gregor handed his binoculars to Rex. "How are they not falling over?"

"Will you look at the size of those things?" Gregor said as Rex used the binoculars to examine the walkers.

"Huh. Reinforced armour plating, heavy cannons and antipersonnel blasters. Mmm." He said, pretty impressed.

"Hey, I get that you're eager to learn, but those death machines will blow us to bits!" Ender pointed out as Rex climbed to the platform and Wolffe got into the driver's seat.

"Wolffe, set vector two-niner-zero." Rex ordered before he turned to man the cannon with Gregor climbing up the ladder.

"Wait, you're just gonna turn and run? Just like that?" Kanan questioned, though Ender noticed the sandstorm, and he connected the dots.

"More like planning to use the sandstorm to their advantage." He corrected his master as Gregor headed for the rear of the walker.

"That's right. I love a battle, but on my terms." Rex nodded. "Gregor, drop the joopa. We gotta get moving."

"Oh!" Gregor moaned sadly as Zeb joined him in the communications room."Bye-bye, Big Bongo."

He pressed a button that made the joopa drop onto the ground with a loud and earth shaking thud.

"Wolffe, turn one-eight-zero." Rex ordered.

"Copy that." Wolffe acknowledged before he used the controls to turn the walker around and head right for the sandstorm.

The three AT-ATs then started firing at them, though they kept missing the walker.

"Kanan, the Phantom's able to fly, though I don't know how far we'll go." Serah informed Kanan, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Good enough for me. Zeb, we're going now." Kanan replied, calling out to the Lasat.

"Too late. The walkers are already on top of us." Rex pointed out.

"I hate to say it, but he's right Kanan. They'll shoot us down before we could be able to escape." Ender sided with the clone.

"How will going into that storm be any better?" Kanan questioned, confused by this decision.

"Simple, the storm will scramble any and all scanners. So, while we're blind, so would the Imperials." Serah answered.

"But a Jedi won't be." Rex pointed out, making Kanan realise they had an advantage over the Imperials.

"Alright, everybody inside." He ordered.

Serah closed up the Phantom and everyone followed him to enter into the communications room with Zeb and Gregor.

"Sir, yes, sir." Rex muttered to himself.

They all just about entered the walker as they reached the storm, the sand completely shrouding them from view.


Up in the planet's orbit, Hera kept her eyes on the Star Destroyer, which was now looming over the Ghost. And she was getting so antsy from not doing anything.

"That's it. I can't wait any longer." She said to herself.

She then turned on both Rocket and Chopper, the latter beeping and warbling at her angrily before Rocket hit against him, beeping at him to stop complaining.

"Quiet, you two. They're right above us." Hera whispered to the two astromechs. "They must've finished their initial scan, but I don't want to take any chances." She crawled backwards to get under the control panel. "You two keep your power on low, and help me put this panel back together."

Rocket beeped in acknowledgement and instantly helped her while Chopper complained.

"Really? You won't be working much slower than you normally do." Hera corrected him. "So, shut up and work like Rocket."

Chopper beeped in annoyance, making Rocket chuckle.


Back with the others, they remained inside the walker as Wolffe kept it moving through the sandstorm, the AT-ATs following after them in the storm.

"We have to do something other than hiding in this storm." Ender insisted, since only hiding from the AT-ATs isn't going to work.

"Well, those walkers do have a weak spot in their impervious armour, which is the neck." Serah pointed out.

"One well placed shot from the main gun should destroy it." Gregor said.

"That's all we might get, one shot." Rex reminded him, since the one shot would give away their location.

Zeb looked at the scanner, seeing that it was all fuzzy and static, thanks to the sandstorm.

"I don't know how we're supposed to shoot something we can't see." He frowned. "I don't even know where the enemy is."

Kanan was in thought until he had an idea.

"You don't always have to see something to know where it is." He said. "If you're willing to trus me, I can get us that shot."

"I always trust my general." Rex replied confidently.

Kanan closed his eyes and tapped into the Force, sensing the outside, seeing where they were in context with the AT-ATs after them.

"Prepare to stop." He instructed. "Now!"

Wolffe made the walker come to a complete stop while Kanan kept sensing out the AT-ATs, which everyone could hear, their thudding footsteps sounding close to them.

Even Wolffe was able to get a look at them, feeling tense as he saw them walking past them.

Eventually, the large Imperial walkers started doing the pincer manoeuver.

"Commander Wolffe, circle left, double time." Kanan ordered.

Wolffe made a left turn with the walker.

"Full stop!" Kanan barked, Wolffe doing as he was told, making the walker stop, now in between the three AT-ATs, which surrounded them. "If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded."

"And how does that help us?" Ender questioned.

"You put us right in the middle of 'em to get us a shot." Rex said knowingly. "It's crazy, but it's probably our best chance."

"Once we fire a shot, our location would be exposed." Serah reminded everyone. "So, if we miss, we're done for."

"I'll take the shot." Gregor volunteered, standing up.

"No, Ender should take the shot." Kanan suggested, instead.

"Are you sure?" Ender asked, feeling unsure of himself.

"He's right." Rex told him. "We need one Jedi up there manning the cannon and another Jedi down here to lead us out of this mess. You are the only ones who can see in this storm."

Rex placed a hand on Ender's shoulder, helping him gain the confidence needed to do what needs to be done.

"Serah, spot him." Rex ordered the Mandalorian.

Serah nodded before putting on her helmet before she and Ender headed to exit out into the sandstorm.

"Hey, Ender." Rex called out, making Ender turn, quickly catching his helmet. "You might need that. And hang on tight."

"I will." Ender replied before he and Serah left the communications room.

Ender put the helmet on right before they exited out into the sandstorm, which the two struggled through on their way to the cannon, the strong gale and sand in the air making it hard to move.

Eventually, they did manage to reach the cannon and Ender manned it.

"Just try not to miss." Serah told Ender.

"Gee, thank you for such words of encouragement." Ender said sarcastically, making Serah slap his upper arm.

Back inside, Kanan sensed out the AT-ATs, focusing on one that took a few steps.

"Ender, there's a walker somewhere around point five." Kanan told Ender through comms.

"How broad." Ender commented, seeing that the targeting scope in front of him was nothing but static, but he turned the cannon in the direction Kanan told him. "The scope's useless. Any ideas?"

"You won't be able to see it with your eyes. The walker is there. Trust yourself." Kanan told replied.

Ender was barely able to see the headlights from the walker ahead of him, but he couldn't make the shot.

And so, deciding to do as Kanan told him, Ender took off the helmet and closed his eyes to tap into the Force and sense the walker out, focusing in on the neck as it turned. Ender aimed a bit before he fired a shot, hitting the neck directly, causing it to explode and the walker to fall onto the ground.

"Got 'em! Wolffe, get us moving!" Ender said through comms.

Wolffe acknowledged Ender and drove the walker forward, and just in time, too, as the other AT-ATs started firing at where they were moments ago.


Back on the Ghost, Hera noticed that the Star Destroyer was turning, which earned a raised eyebrow from her. Chopper then beeped for her attention as Rocket continued working.

"Hang on, hang on." Hera told Chopper. "Something's happening."

This drew Rocket's attention, so he stopped working as he and Chopper watched the Star Destroyer with Hera, all three seeing it fully turn around before entering hyperspace.

"This is either really good or really bad." Hera commented, making Chopper reply his opinion. "You would think 'bad'. Have you two finished the last of the repairs?"

Rocket replied, saying that he did, but Chopper didn't, earning a slight whack from him.

"Well, get on it. Why can't you work like Rocket does?" Hera told Chopper, making him groan and Rocket chuckled.


Back on the planet, the walker finally made it out of the sandstorm, and everyone gathered back outside.

"Great shot, kid." Rex praised Ender. "Now get yourself moving. This is your last chance."

"But we can't leave you to the Empire! You'll be killed!" Ender snapped back.

"We have to get the information they gave us back to the Rebellion." Kanan reminded his padawan before Serah and Zeb entered the Phantom.

"The mission included bringing Captain Rex back with us!" Ender insisted. "We can't just abandon them!"

"You're not abandoning anyone. We're covering your escape. Now move!" Rex insisted, urging Ender to leave.

Kanan frowned before he entered the Phantom while Ender looked conflicted before he reluctantly handed Rex's helmet to him, who then turned to man the cannon as Ender turned to enter the Phantom, truly feeling defeated.

"We're soldiers, Ender. This is what we were born to do." Rex told him before the rear of the Phantom closed behind Ender.

He sat with Serah and Zeb while Kanan took off from the platform, leaving behind the clones.

"Those clones won't give up. Meaning this fight will be their last." He told Kanan grimly, which made Kanan start questioning the fact that they're leaving behind soldiers that were going to die.

He then contacted Hera and informed her of their current situation, including what's happening with the clones.

"It's too bad about Captain Rex, but at least you got the intel." Hera replied. "I'll rendezvous with you shortly."

"Copy that." Kanan replied before cutting off communications.

"And just what are we gonna tell Ahsoka? That we left behind her friend to die? Regardless of the fact that he's a clone?" Ender snapped coolly.

This particular point made Kanan now fully realise that Ender was right, and that they had to do something, regardless of his feelings of the clones.

"I hate it when you're right." He said before he turned to everyone and stood. "I've got my problems with clones, but I don't want those men to die."

With everyone's spirits raised, knowing that they're going to save the clones, they quickly came up with a plan to do so.

Serah took control of the Phantom and quickly turned back around, seeing that the clones' walker was directly under one of the AT-ATs and aimed its cannons at Rex, who stood on top of the cannon.

Thankfully, before he could be shot dead, Serah fired some shots that hit its side, preventing it from firing.

She then flew towards the other walker and made a sharp ascend, which is when Ender, Kanan and Zeb jumped out, the former two activating their lightsabers, and when they landed on top of the walker's head, the Jedi pair stabbed into it and circled around to slice the hatch open.

Once they were done, Zeb ripped the hatch off and jumped in first.

"What was that?" One of the AT-AT pilots questioned before Zeb appeared between them and slammed their heads on the console, knocking them out.

"Roomy." Zeb noted before he and Kanan took over and turned the walker onto the other AT-AT, firing at it enough times to do some significant damage.

They spotted Rex, who manned the cannon and fired a shot directly at the AT-AT's neck, taking it down within seconds.

The three of them all grinned victoriously and with relief as they watched Kallus and one of the AT-AT pilots ride off on a speeder, leaving the other pilot behind, who was running after them. Naturally, they fired at them to keep them running with their tails between their legs for good measure.

The clones all gathered together on the remains of their downed walker and looked up to see Ender, Kanan and Zeb, who stood on the AT-AT's head, looking down at them and gave them salutes.

Kanan nodded back before he and the other two turned to see the Ghost hovering over them. They could see Chopper waving at them and Hera grinned.


The Ghost crew made it back to the rebel fleet, connecting to the corvette that was currently used as the command ship.

They made their way through the hallways until they found Ahsoka, who turned to them.

The crew then parted to reveal that they had successfully recruited Rex into the Rebellion, the clone captain laying eyes on his friend after many years.

"Commander." He greeted her with his hands behind his back.

Ahsoka was hit with nostalgia, remembering all the times they had in the Clone Wars, as she walked up to him.

"You got old." Rex noted, seeing how much she's changed from the young woman she used to be.

"Had to happen sometime, Rex." Ahsoka chuckled before she revealed how overjoyed she was to see him again, hugging him.

Ender, along with everyone else, looked to Kanan, who had to admit that it was nice seeing two old friends reunite.

"I'm glad you're still alive." Rex told the Togruta as he hugged her back.

"You, too." Ahsoka replied as they parted.

"Well, I wouldn't be, if it weren't for these guys." Rex pointed out, gesturing to the Ghost crew.

"Thank you for trusting my friend." Ahsoka told them, mainly Kanan.

"It wasn't easy." Kanan chuckled. "It's still not."

"Nothing worth doing ever is." Ahsoka pointed out before everyone made their way through the ship.

With Rex now part of the Rebellion, things might turn out well in their favour, given his military prowess.


Things are about to get interesting in the next chapter.