Old Friends

Chasing the Past

"General Kenobi is alive?" Rex asked. They were in hyperspace now, stars streaming past them. Ahsoka had filled Rex in on what they were doing and it was taking Rex a while to process this. She hadn't told him about Anakin being Vader, but there was only so many things she could tell him at once before it would take days for him to process everything. And since she was still processing it herself so she couldn't be the emotional pillar he would need her to be.

"It appears so," Ahsoka replied. "Though, I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him 'General' anymore. He never wanted to be apart of the war in the first place so that might be a bit of a sore spot for him." For her too, but she was still actively involved in the fighting so she let him call her Commander.

"Too bad Cody didn't listen to me," Rex said, his voice full of sorrow for his lost brother. Rex and Cody had been as close as the clones could be. Ahsoka knew the fact that Cody probably tried to kill Obi-Wan haunted him. Not that there was anything he could have done about it. "He would have loved to see the Gen- Kenobi? otherwise."

"He goes by Ben now," Ahsoka said. She'd read it in the datapad Bail had given her before she'd left. "I'm sure Ben will be fine." She was going slower to give Rex time to adjust to this latest curve ball she'd thrown at him. It wasn't fair to him to throw these many at him and just expect him to be able to roll with the punches. Unfortunately it was the reality of the lives they chose to live.

Rex made a face like he didn't think so. Ahsoka bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reacting. It was nice to be able to shed the calm exterior she put up when she was in public. When it was just the two of them she could pretend it was a less complicated Galaxy than it actually was and drop the commander act she had built over the years. When they had first reconnected Rex had teased her that she sounded too much like Obi-Wan.

"And he's just been, what? Chilling on Tatooine this whole time?" Rex asked. She also hadn't told him about Padmé's son. She trusted Rex but the less he knew the less he could tell if captured. Besides, taking Rex with her was one thing, telling him about something Bail had been hesitant to tell her about? Completely different.

"Like I said Rex, he's not a fighter. He opposed the war at every turn. He's probably tired of fighting. Besides, the Jedi aren't exactly welcome in the Galaxy anymore," Ahsoka reasoned. She didn't blame him for wanting to live the rest of his life in relative peace. She'd tried it. Hadn't worked out too well. But on Tatooine he should be relatively safe and undisturbed. Especially in the middle of the Dune Sea like he was.

"We're all tired sir. I just don't see why he wouldn't want to help. At least strategize if not on the front lines," Rex said. She knew it'd be hard for him to understand. She was sure he'd been bored during his 'retirement' and he'd had his brothers with him. She couldn't argue with him though. Even if he was guarding something as precious as a next generation of Skywalkers Obi-Wan could help if he wanted to. He just seemed to enjoy his exile alone.

"Maybe he is helping," Ahsoka replied. "We just can't see how." It wasn't the answer she knew he wanted, but it was all she could give him. "Just promise me you're not going to try and pressure him back into the fighting."

Rex sighed, crossing his arms. He didn't seem too thrilled about it but she could tell he wouldn't. That's what the Republic had done. They had made the clones and then forced them to fight without asking their opinion on the fighting. For all their talk about anti-slavery the Republic sure had used quite a big slave army.

"Yes Commander," he mumbled. Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him. Sometimes she forgot that technically she was two years older than him and his mental maturity didn't always match his physical maturity.

"Thank you," she told him. She could tell he was anxious about seeing Obi-Wan again. So was she. It'd been 15 years since the three of them had been together. And they were going to be missing one very important member of their crew. Well. Two if you counted Cody, but Ahsoka knew the fact that Cody hadn't listened and had followed through on 66 was a sore spot for Rex. Ahsoka didn't blame him though. The Jedi hadn't listened to Fives' warning about the Chancellor either. Hindsight was definitely 2020.

Ahsoka looked up at the nav computer dinged that they were approaching their coordinates. She pushed down her nerves and took her seat on the pilot seat. Her hands were shaking slightly, but she gripped the wheel so Rex wouldn't notice. Why was she so nervous. It was just Obi-Wan. But she knew why. He was like the dad she never had. Seeing him again after all these years. It wasn't going to be easy on either of them.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She opened them again when she felt the ship drop out of hyperspace, focusing on the dust ball in front of her. She felt Rex reach over and squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. She looked over and gave him a small smile. We're coming Master Kenobi.

May the force be with us.

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Omg I am so sorry. I honestly have no excuse as to why this took so long other than the fact that I impulsively start new stories randomly and let my ADHD choose which one I'm going to work on at the moment.

Go ahead. Shun me.

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~ Jesse