Resolve

Gaining the High Ground

Anakin paced back and forth on the roof. Patience had always been something he struggled with and now he felt that weakness acutely. He had contacted Captain Rex and asked to meet with him here, a random rooftop in the capitol city of Coruscant. It seemed clandestine, but Anakin didn't feel that the Temple or the barracks were appropriate venues for this conversation. He had insisted Ahsoka remain at the Temple over her numerous protestations, but again he was afraid that whatever it was he was looking for would be awfully... personal to Obi-Wan. Anakin knew his former Master was a... private man and Anakin would never try to pry into matters Obi-Wan clearly wanted to keep private, but these were extraordinary circumstances. So, Anakin did his best to balance helping his former Master and protecting his former Master's privacy. Anakin heard a speeder approach his roof top. He saw Rex park his speeder, climb out and head toward him. Rex was still in uniform. Come to think of it, Anakin wasn't sure if he had ever seen Rex out of uniform.

"General Skywalker, you sent for me?" Rex asked in way of a greeting. Rex was a great leader, a great soldier and great man, but he wasn't all that great at small talk. In the past, that trait had often stymied Anakin's attempt at levity with his captain, but today this suited Anakin's purpose just fine.

"Yes, Rex. I need your help."

"Of course, sir, anything."

"I knew I could count on you," Anakin said placing a hand on Rex's shoulder. Rex nodded his receipt of the compliment.

"General Skywalker, why are we meeting here?"

"What I want to talk about is..." Anakin paused as he searched for the right word, "delicate. I don't need others overhearing."

"I understand, sir," Rex replied. Truthfully, he wasn't sure that he did. There were few places more secure in the galaxy than the Jedi Temple or the military bases on Coruscant, but Rex quickly decided that General must have had his reasons and that was good enough for him. "What do you need, sir?"

"I need to know what happened on Kadavo," Anakin said plainly. For a moment, Rex seemed confused.

"I turned in a report of everything that happened during the mission with the Zygerrians."

"Everything that happened?"

"I... I don't know what you mean, sir," Rex stammered uncharacteristically. Anakin stepped in closer and lowered his voice.

"Rex, I know something happened to Obi-Wan during that mission. Something that changed him somehow... something you didn't report. I need you to tell me what that thing was," Anakin said. "It's not like you to hide things from me, Rex."

"General," Rex began, but one could tell he was clearly uncomfortable. Every word out of his mouth seemed subject to checking and double-checking before it was cleared for utterance. "If I left anything out of the report it was because... some things should just stay between soldiers, sir. I would never intentionally hide anything from the Jedi or the Republic," he said. Anakin's expression lightened.

"I know, Rex, and normally I would leave it to your discretion, but the truth is whatever happened on Kadavo I think affected Master Kenobi in some way and now..." Anakin paused, "Master Kenobi has withdrawn from the Jedi Order."

"I..." Rex began in clear disbelief. "Sir, even if... even if something happened back at the mining camp, that was months ago."

"That's true, Rex," Anakin said as he began pacing again. "And his last mission also weighed heavily on him, but my instincts tell me it didn't start here. It started with the Zygerrians," Anakin said as he stopped pacing and turned to face his captain. "Rex, when we rescued Obi-Wan from Mandalore... he didn't fight. He just allowed himself to be shot and in the ship he kept repeating, 'Jedi only make things worse.' Does that mean anything to you?" Anakin asked desperately. Rex's eyes widened. He looked at the ground, his head nodding slowly.