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He makes it all the way to the door of Fox’s office before he’s stopped by one of the other Guard Commanders. “Thire?” Rex blinks in surprise, as he pulls off his bucket and clips it to his belt when he sees their face. “What’s wrong?”
“Captain. Rex.” Thire looks pale and drawn. He doesn’t yet release his hand from Rex’s wrist, stopping him from using the panel to play the chime in Fox’s office before he lets himself in like he normally does. “I don't know how to tell you this… that's- Fox is-...” The Commander forces himself to take a deep breath before trying again. “There were consequences for your ARC trooper surviving. Fox isn't-... he got reconditioned.”
It feels like the floor has fallen out from under Rex and he has to fight to breathe through the wave of grief and horror that washes over him. Understanding why the last time he'd seen Fox—after Fives was safely hidden—his cyare had seemed almost frantic in how he'd touched Rex. It had been a goodbye. But, there isn’t time for this. “Oh. Then…” As badly as he wants to grieve, his mission is bigger than Fox. He makes himself breathe and looks more fully at Thire, who drops his wrist. “Then, who is the head of the Coruscant Guard now?”
A grimace. “Officially… CC-1010. Unofficially? It goes through me, Stone or Thorn depending on who's available.”
“... right. Are you available? I need a private meeting with the vod in charge of the Guard and your CMO.”
Even though Thire's brow furrows in confusion, he nods. “I am available. Stone is off shift and Thorn is making preparations for a diplomatic mission. Let me call the CMO, he should be on shift.” He turns and moves with purpose down the hall, motioning once for Rex to follow.
The room isn't much, mostly bare beyond the table and chairs in the middle of it, a holo-projector on the table, and the one holo-screen on the far wall. While Thire calls up the Guard’s CMO, Rex jumps into action with the scanner one of the commandos had created. Sweeping over the walls, the screen, the table and chairs. All told, he finds nearly twenty bugs that are quickly zapped beyond all salvation with the scanner and tosses the broken remains onto the table. When the CMO enters, they visibly hesitate at the sight of the bugs and Rex making a final pass.
“Oh. This is really secret.” They say as they pull off their bucket.
Rex doesn't answer until he's done and places a signal jammer in the middle of the table, active. “What I'm going to tell you cannot leave this building. No one outside of our Vode can know. No one.”
“That-...” there's a hint of strain on Thire’s face. “Isn't possible with the Coruscant Guard, Captain Rex.”
His thoughts come stumbling to a halt as he sees the strain in Thire's expression deepen. “What-... can you explain what you mean by that?” Rex asks carefully.
Thire's expression tightens further and it's the CMO who steps up. “What he means is, anything the Guard knows, the Chancellor inevitably knows too. And it's not just bugs. The Commanders can't talk about it. Most of us can only talk around it. Since I'm the CMO and spend much less time outside of this building… I'm largely exempt.”
Rex knows he must be going pale as realization settles. The Chancellor had told Fives about what the chips were for and then framed him for an assassination attempt. It had been Rex begging Fox to just wait and let them talk Fives down that had spared Fives’ life. Because Fox trusted Rex and listened to him. Fox had told him after, voice small and afraid, my blaster wasn't on stun. It was supposed to be on stun. I would have killed him, Rex. Unlike any other part of the GAR, the Guard had no General. The Coruscant Guard reported directly to Palpatine… who knew about the chips.
“That… changes things. Okay. I'm going to have to call a higher ranking member of GAR Clone Command down here. They’ll have the clearance to get more done than I will. This isn't… I think I'm going to need you to quarantine the entire Guard. Call them back here and let none of them out for anything.” He can see the way Thire’s eyebrows raise in slow disbelief. “This is life or death for our Vode. I wouldn't ask it of you otherwise. If you need me to be the one to tell-...” the idea of talking to Fox’s body without Fox in there makes him feel sick.
“Okay.” Thire says softly. “Let us handle 1010 and you call in whoever you need if it's really that important.”
Rex nods sharply. “Life or death. I mean it. I’ll see what I can do with some of our troops on shore leave to step in to cover any Guard duties until this is handled.”
There’s a weird look on Thire’s face in response to that last sentence, but the CMO is speaking first. “I'll come up with a story about a contagious viral bio weapon or something… say the majority of the Guard has been exposed either directly or to each other and until we know what we're dealing with, the contagiousness, and how to cure it, the Guard needs to be recalled and quarantined for everyone's safety. I’m sure no one will want to risk the Senate getting sick all at once.” The CMO offers.
“Perfect. Do that. And then have your medical suites ready for emergency surgery.”
“Sir?” Eyes wide, the CMO looks from Rex to Thire and back again. “How many emergency surgeries? We don't currently have enough anesthetic for more than one or two surgeries.”
Again, Rex pauses in shock and feels like his thoughts are a mess. “Come again?”
“The Guard doesn't need the same amount of supplies as the rest of the GAR due to not being a forward deployment. Our food and medical supplies are rationed as a result.” Thire replies dully, like it's an explanation he's given many times.
“O-kay.” Rex wonders just how much Fox was hiding from him for all this time. It was more than he'd ever imagined, clearly. “I'll… see what I can do about that then because it's going to be surgery on every single Guard. And if what you've said about the Chancellor is true, it needs to be fast.”
Thire and the CMO both exchange a glance and then nod their understanding.
Satisfied, Rex turns off the jammer and pulls out the encrypted comm he's been using for this entire operation.
[007567: Guard is compromised. Extraction needs to be urgent. Top priority. I'm requesting a quarantine but we'll need vode to cover for them on shift. They also don't have medical supplies.]
[002224: Be there ASAP with back up. Will handle the supplies issue. Have the troops trade armor to make it look good.]
Rex breathes out. “Okay. We're going to figure this out. For now, let's start calling back the Guard and if you have extra Corrie armor, we're going to need to borrow it.”
“Captain?” There's a question in Thire’s voice.
“We’re going to put our troops in Corrie red until the Guard is secured. That way we can limit the blowback on the Guard.”
That makes Thire blanch. “Rex, I can't let you do that. They-... Your troops don't know what the Senate is like. They'll get requests for decomms or worse.”
Narrowing his eyes, Rex studies Thire’s face. “For what?”
“Anything. Not doing what they want exactly how they want it, not being perfectly still and silent, not doing… favors for them.” Thire rattles off, clearly trying to be cautious about the extent of what he's telling Rex.
“The Senate uses your troops?”
The CMO looks up from their own comm. “Yes, Captain. They like their meat-droids obedient and willing to do whatever they ask on threat of a decom or recon if they don't comply quickly enough.”
Rex is going to be sick. “That stops today. My troops will handle it. Don't.” The Guard Commander closes his mouth. “They never should have treated you like that in the first place. I'm going to start sorting out which vode I'll put on which shifts. We need to move fast if we want to do this before anyone notices anything weird.” He turns and leaves the meeting room, trying to keep the sudden protective fury from bursting out of his chest.
Rex has to keep swallowing back the urge to scream. “How did we miss this?” He keeps hoping the words he’s reading will change. That it’ll be some sort of optical illusion. But they don't. They just get more and more gut wrenching. And this is all he has to do while the surgeries for the Guard are happening and he wonders over and over whether taking out the chips will fix the reconditioning or not.
“This is worse than I thought.” Bacara mutters, looking at the piles of datawork they're sorting from just the office of 1010—Fox, his name was Fox—and tossing more of it to one side. “The number of decommission and reconditioning requests over nothing is unbelievable.”
“Is it?” Cody asks while shuffling through a few more datapads. “We've seen how some of the natborns are when we're on shore leave. But natborns used to having all the power and wealth in the galaxy? Of course some of them will take advantage of a thing they don't even really see as sentient.”
“It's disgusting either way.” Interjects Neyo, expression dark.
Cody smirks. “I think our troops are handling it anyway. No one is going to think very long about trying to cop a feel on a vod with thermal detonators hanging off their belt, I don't think.”
“Yeah, I've already had a few from Torrent check in to tell me they had Senators do a double take when they saw the number and size of weapons being carried.” Rex chuckles to himself. At least if he laughs about this he isn't worrying about Fox. “Apparently one of them did try to talk Vaughn into taking some armor off to get friendly and was very surprised to find two blasters in their face immediately. That's against the regs, Senator. Are you suggesting we break the laws that you pass? Jesse asked them. It shut them up. According to Commander Appo and Captain Fox, they’ve started a list of Senators they don’t want around their Vode ever again.”
“Kriff. Can we just take out the trash in the Senate while we're here?” Neyo suggests with no small amount of genuine lethal intent.
Bacara shakes his head. “Not until all our Vode are safe.”
“But after?” Neyo prompts.
“I'm considering it.” Cody admits as he sets down another datapad. “Some of these documents are damning.”
“I can’t believe the Chancellor has them doing his paperwork for him, too.” Rex mutters as he shuffles through more open files on a datapad. “Like, what the actual kark is that?”
“We could release some of this on the Holo-net. See how quick the people they're supposed to serve change their minds about their representatives for selling them out.” Points out Bacara, lips quirking in a mischievous smile.
Rex points at him with the datapad in his hand. “Evil. I like how you think.”
One of the commlinks on the couch chimes. “Oh?” Neyo drops his stack of datapads and steps over to scoop it up. “The Chancellor is calling Fo- uh... 1010.”
All of their expressions darken at that and Cody holds out his hand for the comm. He slips on his bucket and then answers it as soon as it's placed in his hand. “Good afternoon, Chancellor. The Commander of the Guard is currently unavailable. But this is Marshal Commander Cody with the 212th of the 7th Sky Corps, reporting in. How may I assist you?”
“What is the meaning of this!” Snaps the Chancellor's voice through the comm. Rex can’t help but note that he sounds nothing like he does when he’s talking to General Skywalker—all saccharine and grandfatherly in a way that tends to set Rex’s teeth on edge on principle. “Where is the Commander and the Coruscant Guard?”
“Quarantined for medical reasons, sir. I'm not entirely sure what but it seems like a bioweapon got loose in the inspection wing of the Guard's barracks so they’re taking precautions until we're sure it isn't deadly or able to pass through filters.”
The Chancellor makes a startled and irate sound. “Why wasn't this reported to me immediately?”
“You'll have to forgive us, sir. The call from the Guard for us to fill in and ensure the Senate remains secure was very sudden and, in the confusion, no one remembered to inform us that the Guard doesn't report to a General the way the rest of the GAR does. But don't worry, the Jedi have agreed to assign someone as soon as possible to ensure such a breakdown of command or supply distributions doesn't happen again.”
They can hear the Chancellor splutter a little as he seems to process that he's been out-maneuvered and caught in his treatment of the Guard. “That is hardly necessary. The Jedi are much more useful out on the battlefield than here on Coruscant.”
“I think they're equally useful here, sir, so the Guard have proper oversight. Since the temporary handover of power, I’ve noticed several issues with how the Guard receives their supplies. Having an under-supplied defense force on the Homefront is a major vulnerability and a grave concern for the security of the Republic’s citizens.”
A barely contained beginning of a snarl is caught before the Chancellor barks out a string of words; they all go stock still when they hear them. “Execute Order 92!” Unit will eliminate themself and all other known leaks of sensitive intel.
“I apologize, Chancellor. That isn't a GAR protocol I recognize. You'll have to be more specific.” Cody says, entirely sweet and innocent. It’s the voice he used to make the trainers and longnecks think he was completely compliant with orders until they turned their backs again. Then, before the Chancellor can say anything further, he turns off the comm. “And, a recording of that is being sent to the rest of the dechipped GAR Command, riiiight now.” All of their comms blip with the new file being received. Turning to the other Commanders and Rex, he adds. “I’ve changed my mind. We’re taking our vode and leaving as soon as they’re all out of surgery.”
“I like this plan.” Bacara agrees.
Rex looks at his older brother in surprise. “What about the Jedi?”
Cody sighs. “You know how I feel about my General, Rex, but our vode have to come first. The Jedi can stay in touch with us or join us, or they can let us go. Our vode have given enough of their lives to this mess. It’s time it stops.”
“And Kamino?” Neyo glances at Cody.
Cody smirks. “Don’t worry. I had the Alphas and Commanders there moving from the minute Rex told me the Guard was compromised. The vod’ikase will be safely off planet in a matter of hours, and the news of what we’re doing won’t probably reach the longnecks until it’s too late anyway.”
“Think it’s time we send that data package to the Jedi?” Neyo asks.
Bacara tilts his head from side to side thoughtfully. “No. I think my vode have this one handled. Let the Jedi worry about clean up when we’re done.” The smile he flashes at the other vode in the room is all teeth.
(Less than two hours later, the Chancellor of the Republic is dead and the entire GAR and Guard have retreated into their barracks, capital ships, and offices with silent efficiency, leaving the Republic to deal with its own mess. Packets of data start popping up on the Holo-Net revealing the Chancellor’s secret dealings with the Separatists, documents that were filed and buried to grant him more power, the backroom dealings and bribes between Senators to stall important bills, mentions of the lack of supplies being provided to the Guard… all of it enough to make the citizens of the Republic start paying attention. Outside attempts to contact the GAR or Guard are rebuffed and, not long later, any natborn officers, aside from a handful of Jedi, are politely shown the door, shuttles, or escape pods at blaster point.)
(Anakin Skywalker is still liaising with a certain Senator and is oblivious to what’s going on. They’re very busy.)
(Shaak Ti is the first Jedi to receive a data packet from the Alphas before they evacuate the entirety of Kamino, all the way down to the tubies that won’t be decanted yet. They destroy all of the samples remaining of Jango Fett’s DNA, and strip the servers of all data. The Kaminoans are mercifully granted three options: come with the Vode and work to fix their accelerated aging, sit in a dark little cell somewhere on Kamino and hope someone comes looking for them, or death. Only a few Kaminoans don’t get to make a choice because the Vode have no interest in leaving them alive under any circumstances.)
It’s when they’re running through the final logistics check of moving every vod on Coruscant into the Venators already within the system, that there’s a knock on the door. “Come in.” Cody calls over his shoulder, still organizing exactly what quantities of supplies are already loaded on the Venators and what should be available to shuttle up that was already set aside for upcoming deployments on a datapad.
The door opens to reveal a member of the Coruscant Guard, one that can’t have been off Kamino for more than a matter of months by the youthfulness of his face. He has his helmet in his hands, so there’s no missing the bacta patch on the side of his head from a successful surgery. The young Corrie looks so very very nervous from his body language. “Sorry to bother you. But, Commander Fox is awake, sirs, and asking for Captain Rex. CMO Detox is threatening to sedate him because he’s trying to get out of bed before his observation period is over.”
“He's awake?” Rex is already on his feet even as he asks the question. He glances back and Cody waves him off wordlessly (he probably knows he’d be the same if it were General Kenobi.)
Nodding, the younger trooper turns to lead the way, moving at a brisk trot as he seems to realize just how urgently Rex wants to see Fox. They wind quickly through the halls of the Guard Barracks, through the steady bustle of Vode preparing for their final exit from the Republic. Piles of belongings are being separated from stacks of records and unneeded junk from years of using the same suite of offices.
He’s scared to ask, but he needs to know. “His memory is back?”
“Intact now that the chip is out, sir. The CMO said he seems to remember everything based on the initial examination.” The Corrie vod’ika replies, some of the tension having bled out now that he’s not staring three Marshal Commanders in the face.
Relief floods Rex's veins. “The theory about reconditioning was right then?”
The trooper nods again. “That seems to be the case, sir. But I'm not a medic.”
“Me either, vod’ika.” He laughs, a little giddy from the sheer relief of the knowledge that Fox remembers. That they couldn't erase Fox forever.
As soon as the door to the medbay is open, Rex gets a full view of an awake and irritated Commander Fox who is still trying to argue his way out of being kept on bedrest for observation after having brain surgery. (Typical Fox.) But once the door is open and Fox looks over to meet Rex's eyes he relaxes back down against the pillows, staring at Rex like he is the miracle when Fox didn't even know his own name a few hours ago. It takes effort for Rex to keep moving and cross over to Fox's medical bed while trying to convince himself it's real.
“Fox…” his voice breaks immediately and Fox just reaches out and grabs onto a gap in his armor to drag him down closer, nearly toppling him into the bed on top of Fox.
“You are such a jare’la di’kut with no sense of self-preservation. I swear you're the reason for at least half of my gray hairs.” Fox grumbles even as he takes Rex's face in his hands and looks him over carefully. “You're not hurt, are you?”
“No. I’m fine. I promise. I'm just so glad you're back.” Rex can't help it, with Fox touching his face, with the knowledge they've killed the Sith, that they’re going to get their vode out of the Republic, and they're all going to be safe, he can’t keep up the act of being strong any longer. He sits on the side of Fox’s bed and then crumbles, his head finding Fox’s shoulder as he weeps in pure relief. “I thought I lost you. When I saw Thire…”
Fox sighs, and curls his arms around him. “I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could have told you.”
Rex shakes his head slightly. “You couldn’t. I should have realized after Fives, after you told me you would have killed him. Shab. I should have paid attention.”
“Di’kut.” His cyare kisses the side of his head, his buzzcut, his cheek, anything he can reach while Rex is curled against him at an awkward angle. “Can I get a din’kartay or are you going to be mean and keep me in the dark, too? I know you replaced my troops with some from the GAR in the Senate and pulled all of the Guard back to the barracks, but that doesn’t tell me much about what happened after.”
He sits up to look at Fox, moving so he can clutch Fox’s hands between his own. “Right. We… might have assassinated the Chancellor after he used one of the Orders on the chip in an attempt to make Cody start killing anyone who had access to an intel leak, including himself? Um. We also went through some of your datawork. At first we wanted to just help while you were out of commission but… kark, Fox, some of it’s just wrong.”
Fox blinks at him. “You killed the Chancellor?!”
Rex cringes just a little. “He was the Sith Lord?”
“I know that!” Fox looks a little wild-eyed. “But how are you-... what were the casualties?”
“Uh. None. Except the Chancellor.” He offers, rubbing his thumbs on the backs of Fox’s hands.
Stunned, Fox just stares blankly at him. “Come again?”
“Turns out the Force can’t save even a Sith from a slugthrower sniper rifle and some very determined Marines.”
Closing his eyes, Fox just exhales. “Okay… then, how much trouble are we in?”
Rex tilts his head in a so-so type of motion. “Remains to be seen? But we’re not really planning on sticking around to find out.”
Fox just raises his eyebrows in question at Rex.
“We’ll be officially evacuating the entirety of the GAR and Coruscant Guard off Coruscant in…” Rex glances around for a chrono. “Ah, a half an hour. We just wanted to get one more round of surgeries done before transporting the Guard. Maximize unchipped vode making the transition. Plus, we didn’t entirely finish the main preparations until about twenty minutes ago when the 41st made planetfall. It was easier to, uh, disembark the natborns and Jedi before figuring out how to rearrange vode between multiple Venators to fit as many as possible. There will be some hot bunking or sharing, but once we’re out of Republic Space, we figure we’re pretty much free?”
“Is there… somewhere we’re planning to go?”
“That… is a question for Neyo, I think. He apparently has been keeping a list of mostly uninhabited and viable planets for… a while?” He watches Fox’s expression closely, trying to remind himself Fox is okay.
Fox snorts. “Somehow, I’m not surprised. He is with the 91st.”
Rex hums in agreement and leans forward to bump his forehead against Fox’s. “We’re also releasing data packets about the Chancellor and some of the Senators’ shadier dealings. Just to keep the natborns busy while we get out of the system.”
That makes Fox genuinely laugh. “Kark. Really? I should have thought of that sooner.”
“I can’t take credit. It was all Bacara’s idea.” He admits freely, lifting a hand to brush over the nape of Fox’s neck. Slowly, he lets his eyes drift closed because this is the only quiet moment he will have until after everyone is loaded on the Venator and in hyperspace. “We’re going to be free though. Really free. It’s going to be hard, probably, but… we won’t have to be soldiers anymore if we don’t want to.”
“Maybe we’ll finally say the riduurok.” Fox murmurs, so quiet it’s only for Rex’s ears.
Rex’s eyes snap open to meet Fox’s, and all he can see in them is genuine affection. “If- if you want to.” He whispers.
Fox just pushes his forehead against Rex’s a little harder. “Of course, I want to, di’kut. The only reason I haven’t is because first I was scared of Kote trying to murder my shebs for deflowering his sweet little vod’ika. I don’t have a death wish. Then, we were in the middle of a war and it just… never seemed like the right time.”
“We can make it the right time.” The Captain of the 501st tells him, eyes bright as the future unfurls itself before them.
“Now?” The Commander of the Coruscant Guard asks, only a little disbelieving.
He shrugs. “Why not? No time like the present.”
Rolling his eyes a bit, Fox smiles small and quiet, just for him. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Rex searches his face for any sign of doubt or uncertainty. “You don’t have to do it just because I want-”
Fox puts a hand over Rex’s mouth and whispers for only his ears. “Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi ba’juri verde.”
Rex just breathes as his chest aches with the ferocity of his love for Fox. He reaches up to tug Fox’s hand down so he can whisper the words back. “Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi ba’juri verde.”
They steal one brief kiss on the lips before Rex’s comm chimes and he groans, flopping sideways to lay on Fox’s lap. Fox just laughs at him, the shabuir. Reluctantly, Rex answers the comm call. “Captain Rex speaking.”
“Rex! What is going on? I just got back from meeting with Pad- Senator Amidala and now it’s all over the news that the Chancellor was murdered and the Guard is missing?! Where even are you? Obi-Wan says he can’t even get a hold of Commander Cody?”
Mortified, Rex just lays there listening for a long moment as his soon-to-be former General freaks out over comms. “Uh. I don’t know what to tell you, sir. I’m not with Cody right now. But, I am with my new husband and we’ve got places to be. Sorry!”
“WHA-?” Is all that General Skywalker gets out before Rex cuts off the call.
Putting his hands over his face, Rex grumbles wordlessly to himself. Then, peeks from behind his hands to look at his new riduur, who is just watching him with an entirely fond expression. “Well. I should tell Cody we need to get moving before we have a Situation Skywalker on our hands. We’ve got maybe half an hour to an hour before he actually pries himself out of Amidala’s suites and becomes a real problem.”
Fox just snickers. “Yeah, you should let Cody know. Don’t forget to mention to him that his General is trying to contact him.”
Wrinkling his nose, Rex sits up and presses another quick kiss to Fox’s mouth before he fiddles with his comm.
[007567: We have an impending Situation Skywalker on our hands. Just a heads up.]
[007567: Also your secret riduur is looking for you.]
[002224: Well, we’re moving in 5, so hopefully that’s fast enough that the Skywalker Problem can be avoided. I already spoke to Obi-Wan. He’s probably just keeping it away from Skywalker because he knows how Skywalker gets.]
[002224: Plus, I have made it abundantly clear that while my riduur is invited, Skywalker is NOT.]
[002224: On the brightside, Fives just made contact with Tano and it sounds like she’s coming with, too.]
[007567: Thank kriff.]
[007567: By the way, you’re not allowed to kill Fox. I just married him. :) ]
[002224: NOW? OF ALL TIMES?]
[007567: Seize the day or whatever.]
[002224: You’re lucky you’re my favorite baby brother.]
[007567: I’m your only baby brother.]
[002224: Tell Fox if he breaks your heart I will make his death slow and painful.]
Rex glances at Fox who huffs a laugh. “Message received.” He tells Rex.
[007567: He understands.]
[002224: Congratulations, di’kut.]
[002224: Get your shebse ready to evacuate.]
[007567: Elek, Alor.]
[002224: NOPE. I am not taking ANY titles. Don’t even start.]
[007567: Sure. I’ll believe it when I see it.]
[002224: I hate you.]
[007567: No, you love me. :) ]
[002224: Di’kut. <3 ]
“Time to go.” He tells Fox as he swipes his comm back to sleep and stands up. “Ready for the future?”
“If it’s with you? I’m ready for anything, ner riduur.” Fox promises as he stands up—getting only a warning look from his CMO—and takes Rex’s hand in his. It’s obvious he delights in the way Rex’s cheeks and ears immediately turn red.
“Well, let’s get moving, the future waits for no one.” Rex replies as he tugs Fox to one side of the room to oversee the process of the Guard’s medical bay being emptied out of anything that isn’t nailed down. Within an hour it’ll look almost as if no one was ever there. And within the day there won’t be a single vod left in the entirety of Coruscant. At the end of the week, the Vode will be like ghosts to the whole of the Republic.
But, wherever they end up in the galaxy, Rex likes to think they’ll be happy.