It's Commander Tano, Not Padawan

Chapter 29

Note & Disclaimer: Thank you again to my beta WildHoneyProse! Also, I should have some actual comfort/clone-centric/fluff Rexsoka next chapter. And just as a random disclaimer: Nothing that belongs to Lucasfilm/Star Wars is mine.

Darkness cocooned Ahsoka within the walls of her quarters, lulling and gentle in its embrace. She sat crossed-legged with only a few minutes of time before she was expected back in the hangar to make another run at the Seppies' ship in hopes of increasing the glacially receding grip they held on the planet.

It was just over twenty hours since she'd learned of a secret which could potentially topple the very head of their government. Not the government of a sole planet, but the Republic and the democracy which it stood for.

From which it had fallen.

Rex's concern had been an ever-present prickle under her skin since she had first listened to the report. But she had wearily pushed him away as best she could despite knowing that he could feel the barrage of emotion she was doing her best to stop up.

Ahsoka had promised him a numbed, "I'll tell you later," before falling back into her bunk to shove the scratchy blanket over her montrals, curling into herself and fighting the urge to hurl.

She didn't want to tell Rex.

Ahsoka knew Rex could feel her desperate reluctance, her guilt. He was likely picking up on phrases – flashes of what she wished was all just an elaborate ruse.

But it wasn't.

Not only was Fives an honorable man and an even more loyal soldier, he knew far too much – more than she did – about their creation for it to be a lie.

So here she was, her horror properly compartmentalized, rage molded into cold logic, as she allowed the warmth of their bond to pull her in.

Her Captain wasn't fighting, that much she could sense, but, beyond that, Ahsoka wasn't sure.

"Rex," she called out, brushing inquisitively over the solid thrum of their tie.

He responded immediately, dread-apprehension-fatigue at the forefront of his being. "Yes?"

Ahsoka hated this – hated that this was the news that she held, hated that she couldn't be there to tell him face to face due to their differing orders, to hold him if he fell or support him so he wouldn't.

Rex felt it all and his dread-apprehension fed off her fear. "Ahsoka..." he trailed off, needing, but not wanting to hear what she had to share.

She took a breath, making her shoulders relax even as her gut twisted violently. "Where are you?"

Though his uncertainty was clear, Rex didn't debate her question. "We've secured a post to regroup before we head back out. We don't head out till the evening, 0500."

Ahsoka didn't mean for her frustration to seep through, but she shook her head, knowing full well that Rex couldn't see it, but could likely feel the bite in her words. "Yes, but where are you – the control room, with Master Windu?"

Even if she couldn't be there with him, the least she could do is ensure that he found privacy for himself. Rex didn't fall apart often, but for this... this was something she couldn't imagine he'd want any of his brothers or – Force forbid – Master Windu to see.

"I'm in a maintenance room working on a couple forms. General Windu is expecting me in an hour," he supplied, unintentionally bombarding her with half-formed questions as he spoke.

That would give them enough time – give him enough time.

Hopefully.

"Yesterday, what you felt – I had received Fives' transmission," Ahsoka started slowly, voice blank but all those emotions she'd previously been able to subdue and tame in the privacy of her mind scraped fresh up against Rex, making themselves known.