The Varactyl Squadron Commander (A Star Wars: The Clone Wars Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Forty-Nine

"Is it just me or have Commander Rex and General Skywalker been acting strange?"

It was a question that didn't surprise Molind; she'd been catching on to the general's antics when he'd split the woman and Axel up. It was a small detail, but when considering the excitement that radiated from the jedi whenever the commanders seemed to be getting along well, it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize what he was up to.

As Molindi and Axel began to gather stones from around the cave entrance, each one ranging in size between as big as a skull and as small as her fist, the clone figured now would be a good time to bring it up with his leader since the other two men wouldn't be back for a while. And if that awkward moment him and General Skywalker walked into meant anything to both Molindi and Rex, then he couldn't help his own curiosity.

Molindi reached down and grabbed a couple stones, then shrugged.

"I don't know what's up with them, but then again this is our first mission with the two so we don't actually know if-"

"Commander." He'd set his own stones down outside the cave with an unceremonious thu-thud sound, leaving his arms free to fold and he raised an eyebrow. He wasn't stupid enough to fall for that crap and she knew that, but there was no other response she could think of that would've made the situation any less awkward. Axel sighed and closed his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Molindi could remember her father doing something similar and a small smile worked its way to her face. "Look, I know we weren't on the best of terms before, but-"

"You really want to talk about this?" She smirked and set down her own stones next to his with a heavy thunk. "You really want to talk about General Skywalker trying to get Rex and I alone? You aren't grossed out by that at all?"

"I never said I wasn't grossed out, because ew," Molindi let out an amused laugh and Axel chuckled to himself as well before letting out another low sigh. "But we're friends. And friends should be able to talk about stuff like this with each other. Right?"

He had a point. They were getting along so much better now. She had a feeling the rough patch between them was finally over and if they were going to keep taking steps in their friendship down a personal path, opening up about personal stuff was a good way to keep the ball rolling and building up each other's trust. Especially since she'd be seeing less and less of JC with every new mission she'd be sent on with her new guys. Molindi had grown much closer with JC than she had with anyone before; it was time for the woman to allow other friends she could count on in her life.

It was time to break free of the past and look ahead to her future.

***

Anakin pounced the second he was sure that Commander Rino and Axel we're out of earshot. Like a cat, the Jedi immediately leaped into what he believed to be the drama between his second in command and his second in command's perfect match.

"Soooo," Rex tried his best not to roll his eyes at the Jedi who was wacking down small trees and tree branches with his lightsaber. "What was that?" Rex sighed and knelt down to the pieces of wood that fell at his feet.

"I don't know," He responded. Anakin scoffed and chopped down a tree branch as thick as his arm.

"I know what that was; that was what I like to call 'love magic'." The Jedi then proceeded to pull back an arrow on an invisible bow and shoot it at Rex's chest like a cherub whose only job was to make people fall for each other. "She definitely likes you."

"I..." The commander paused and ran a stressed hand over his head. "Do you really think so?"

"Oh buddy, if I know anything about women, it's that they don't look at other commanders the way she was looking at you." He smirked and hacked off another branch before slicing it into smaller pieces.