Shadows of the Force [Captain Rex x F!OC]

Captain No-Nonsense

Back on the cruiser after the mission, the clones invited me to join them in the mess hall. They'd grown comfortable enough to treat me like one of their own, and the easy banter between them was refreshing.

"So, how's it going with Captain No-Nonsense?" Jesse asked with a grin, as he spooned a mouthful of rations.

I raised an eyebrow. "Captain No-Nonsense?"

Fives laughed. "You heard him. Rex isn't exactly... chatty"

I smirked, glancing down at my food. "Well, he's thorough. And he keeps me out of trouble"

Echo chuckled, nudging Fives. "Yeah, that's Rex for you. Not one for small talk, but the first to have your back when things go sideways"

Kix raised a brow. "Bet he's already given you the classic Rex pep talk"

I shook my head, laughing. "No pep talk, but he did tell me my form needs work"

They groaned in unison, and Jesse laughed. "It's a miracle! He must actually like you if he's already bothered with the form speech"

Their laughter filled the mess hall, catching Rex's attention from across the room. I noticed him glance our way before returning to his datapad, his expression unreadable but somehow warmer than usual. Fives nudged me with a knowing grin.

"Careful, Stella" Fives teased, "Captain No-Nonsense's got a sharp eye for potential"

"Yeah," Jesse added with a grin, "but don't let it go to your head. Rex doesn't hand out compliments for free"

"Good to know" I said, glancing over my shoulder. "Though with him, potential probably just means I survived the mission without tripping over my own feet"

Fives chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, surviving your first mission is a big step up from the shiny recruits we usually get. Most of them don't even make it through the first round without spraining something"

"Or falling flat on their face" Kix chimed in, giving me a wink. "Though I'm sure the Captain would say it a bit more... formally"

Echo grinned. "Oh yeah, he'd say something like, 'Coordination is crucial to mission success, trooper.' Always makes it sound like he's about to draft a report"

I laughed, catching their contagious energy. "And I thought my training at the Jedi Temple was intense. Are you guys saying Rex has a whole handbook of these phrases?"

Echo nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "Oh, he's got a whole archive of them, believe me. We call it Rex-speak. After a while, you just get used to translating it"

Fives leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You'll know he really likes you if he skips the Rex-speak altogether and gives you the simple version. Until then, brace yourself"

I shook my head, grinning. "Sounds like I've got a lot to learn"

Echo glanced over at Rex, who was still focused on his datapad, his brow furrowed. "He's like that with everyone he cares about, you know. Doesn't go easy on the people he wants to keep alive"

A pause settled over the table as they all looked down at their plates, a moment of quiet respect for their captain. Finally, Jesse broke the silence with a mischievous smile. "Still, if he starts calling you by your first name, that's when you know you've made it"

"Jesse, we all know that's a lie" Fives shot back. "Rex doesn't even call me by my name half the time"

Echo laughed. "Keep dreaming, Fives. Some of us might actually make it to first-name status someday"