Star Wars the Clone Wars: Legends Never Die

Chapter 2

As agreed, Rex meets her outside the Temple. Her Captain's casually leaning against the bannister at the top of the steps, the rising sun behind him making his silhouette seem mysterious.

She smiles widely, a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun, "Morning, Rexster."

"Ahsoka." He replies. It's taken months to get him to use her first name in private. She got sick of either being 'kid' or 'Commander'- so she established a middle ground. Besides, he hates being called Captain when it's not official business.

His helmet visor tilts as he looks her up and down, "Is this your version of the Phase II armour?"

"Cheek!" She laughs, nudging him as they start to walk down the steps. She pulses security across her bond to Anakin, letting him know she's with Rex and on her way. He responds with a wave of pride in farewell, making her smile.

"I think you're more streamline now," Rex carries on, and Ahsoka can imagine him smirking beneath his helmet as he teases her, "Got your lightsabers?"

She pats the weapons on her hip, "I'm not a youngling anymore, Rex."

The shoto's not exactly new, but it's taken her a while to get used to fighting with it. Anakin's says she's a promising duo-wielder, and he'll start inviting Obi-Wan to join in their sparring sessions once she's completely nailed her form.

"You don't say." He gestures with one hand to her new attire and then holds out a brown paper bag, "Your order, Commander."

"Thanks," she accepts the bag with a smile, not having the heart to tell him that Anakin cooked for her, "Are the guys ready?"

"Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed," Rex replies, glancing her way. She doesn't like the dark visor; she can never tell what he's thinking. Rex speaks through his eyes.

As they walk, Ahsoka runs through her team in her head. The GAR assigned the 501st to this mission, but really, only thirteen clones are attending because of this being a stealth mission of low importance. The other members of the Legion get some extended leave, assisting the Coruscant Guard with escorting Senators and politicians around.

Thirteen clones. Thirteen men. Thirteen lives in her hands. The number runs around Ahsoka's head: thirteen, thirteen, thirteen...

Some say thirteen is an unlucky number.

"Ahsoka?"

She snaps her head around to Rex who is cocking his helmet to one side, "Were you listening?"

"Um..." Good cosmos, she's getting like Anakin, "Sorry, Rexster, you lost me there. What were you saying?"

He stares at her for a few moments longer before speaking, "I asked if we could run over battle strategies along the journey."

"Right." She lets out a long breath, scanning her memory, "Oh yeah, I remember you telling me about some new formations you were reading up about. Sure, I'll look over them with you."

She adds after a moment of thinking, "We may have to do that on the journey back; I want to make sure our shinies are completely comfortable before this mission."

Rex nods, "they're good kids, the two of them."

"Solo and Sixty-one, right?" Ahsoka asks, hoping she's remembered correctly.

"Sixteen." Rex corrects subtly, and Ahsoka's instantly annoyed that she got it wrong. "He wants to get a name by the end of this mission. I tried telling him that a few days isn't long enough to pick a name, but he was adamant."

"How long did it take you?" Ahsoka asks, curious. Generally, she doesn't ask clones where they got their names to not be seen as imposing, but Rex is her best friend, and she feels bad not knowing how he let go of CT-7567.