Children of the Desert

Chapter 2 - Bonding

Anakin and Rex don't actually talk about the Fusion until after they've already left Tatooine. It's strange being back on the cruiser, being on a cruiser at all. Anakin is used to living between the Temple, small ships, and random quarters on the planets he and Obi-Wan go to.

Definitely, he's not used to having an infinite number of friends.

"I heard about the Fusion on Geonosis," Rex tells him, "I saw you there. Briefly. Didn't quite expect it to be like this."

"Me either," Anakin confesses, "Usually, people who Fuse have known each other much longer."

"What is it? We never heard about it on Kamino."

"I don't know, exactly. I don't think anyone does. From what I know, it's only something slaves on Tatooine knew."

"Slaves?" Rex asks. He sounds confused, maybe a little worried.

"I used to be," Anakin tells him, "Before the Jedi freed me."

His eyes widen. "That's how you know so much about slavery," Rex guesses.

"Yes, it is," Anakin confirms. "My mother and I were slaves on Tatooine. We were sold by the Hutts. I know all about them." He feels the flicker of surprise and sympathetic understanding in his captain – the first friend he's had in years. Rex, he knows, understands. The clones know slavery, even if they refuse to accept the reality of their societal rank.

"I thought the fusion was just rumors."

Anakin's smile is slightly amused. "It was a lot more than a rumor. I don't think anyone could've come up with something quite like it on their own."

"Us clones are one," Rex replies. "Never quite imagined it to be literal."

He laughs. "It is now. I can teach you, if you want to learn." He doesn't want to pressure, but the thrill of not being alone, of being able to be one with another again is so overwhelming, Anakin doesn't want to let the chance slide.

"...Maybe some other time," Rex decides.

***

The Malevolence needs to be destroyed. Anakin's heard how many countless clones and even Jedi have been lost because of the dangerous weapon. It's only because he risked disobeying the Council's orders to go after Plo that they even have a lead on it now.

The fighting is fierce when they come out of the nebula to attack the ship. Anakin has never been more grateful that he took Ahsoka in the same fighter as him. She would never have made it otherwise.

But all the clones are not, especially not when the first ion cannon blast hits them. Matchstick and Tag are down. Three are others are going to be stranded in space until they get to them.

If they don't stop the Malevolence, everyone here is going to die but that doesn't mean Anakin's willing to let anyone else die under his watch. Not for the mission. Not for anything.

"We need to find a different way to take out the ship," he says, swerving his fighter aside so his boys follow, staying clear of the station.

"You can make it but I don't think anyone else could," Ahsoka agrees, panic lacing her words. She's been panicking the entire time, actually.

"I know." And that isn't something he's going to risk. Which is when Anakin suddenly gets a different idea. "Shadow station, new target. We're taking out the ion cannons."

That is the Malevolence's primary weapon and it'll sustain heavy damage to take it off. And hopefully make the ship much easier to take out without any extra casualties. He's not letting anyone else die here if he has a say in it.