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

A Captain's Concern

Anakin wasn't one to let second chances go to waste, and neither was I. 

The following morning, I was back in the field, standing beside the 501st as they prepped for their next deployment.

"Good to see you back, Commander," Jesse said as he passed by, his grin teasing. "Thought you'd gone soft on us after all that sitting around."

"Soft?" I shot back, arching an eyebrow. "Let's just say I was on probation, Jesse. But don't get too comfortable, I'm still fast enough to outrun you."

Echo, passing by with his helmet tucked under one arm, smirked. "She's got you there, Jesse."

Jesse scoffed, feigning offense. "Probation or not, Commander, I'd like to see you try."

"Careful what you wish for," I said with a smirk, crossing my arms.

"Alright, enough," Anakin's voice cut through the noise, commanding as always. "Gather up."

We formed a loose circle as Anakin laid out the plan. "The Separatists are ramping up production in this region. While we handle their main staging ground, Rex and Stella will scout an outpost to the south. Small crew, mostly automated defenses. Get in, retrieve the data, get out. Simple enough."

I glanced at Rex, who gave a single, curt nod. His calm confidence was steadying.

"And us?" Jesse asked.

"You're with me," Anakin replied. "We'll draw the heat while they work. This has to go off cleanly, so no heroics." His gaze shifted to me, the corner of his mouth twitching. "That goes for everyone."

"Understood," I said, keeping my tone even.

"Good," Anakin said. He clapped a hand on Rex's shoulder. "You've got this."

Rex straightened slightly, his professionalism cutting through the light banter. "We'll get it done, General."

As Anakin and the others moved out, I adjusted my belt and caught up to Rex. "Looks like it's just you and me, Captain."

"Let's keep it simple," Rex said, his tone matter-of-fact. "No unnecessary risks."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I said, though the flicker of a grin betrayed me.

The mission was going smoothly. Too smoothly.

The Separatist outpost was oddly quiet. Rex and I moved in sync, weaving through narrow corridors. The occasional click of distant droid footsteps echoed faintly, but the silence felt unnatural, like the calm before a storm.

"This place is too quiet," I muttered, keeping my voice low as we approached the central terminal.

Rex nodded, his gaze scanning every corner. "Stay sharp. The droids don't usually leave things this exposed."

We reached the terminal, its faint blue light casting an otherworldly glow across the metallic walls. I plugged in the datapad, letting Tech's encryption cracker do its job. The seconds stretched painfully as the device worked to extract the intel we needed.

"Five minutes," I whispered, my eyes flicking between the datapad and the dark hallway we'd come from.

Rex nodded, positioning himself to cover our exit. "I'll keep watch. Stay focused."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes, sir," I said dryly.

The datapad beeped softly, progress inching along as my unease grew. The tension in the Force hummed faintly, a low thrum of warning that I couldn't shake. My fingers tightened on the hilt of my lightsaber, my senses straining for any sign of movement.