True Colors: A Rexsoka Story

Chapter 13

They boarded the ship, and Kanan took off. Ezra walked to the front of the ship where Kanan was piloting, and Jax and Ahsoka were in the back.

"You have your lightsabers, right, Jax?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes, mom," Jax replied.

"Your blaster?" She asked.

"Yes, mom," Jax replied. "Mom, I'm fifteen. You don't have to worry about me so much."

"Well, I do," Ahsoka replied. "And I'm your mother. I will never stop worrying about you."

"You should call Rex," Jax said. They were in hyperspace now. "He told you to."

"I know," Ahsoka said. She sent a transmission to Rex, and he immediately responded.

"Thank you," Rex said. "For actually listening to me."

"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked. "I always listen to you."

"You sure?" Rex replied skeptically.

"I just don't always follow what you tell me," Ahsoka replied.

"Well, that sure does clear things up," Rex said. Yeah, I'm trying to do that before I die, Ahsoka thought darkly.

"Once we drop out of hyperspace, we'll be going dark," Ahsoka said. This was probably going to be her last conversation with Rex. She needed to make it worthwhile, but she also didn't want to say anything that would affect Rex not coming on the mission more than it already did.

"Ahsoka, you don't have to go to Malachor alone," Rex said. "I could be there in two rotations."

"I'm not alone, Rex," Ahsoka replied with a slight eye roll. They had had this argument so many times before.

"You know, I could have ordered you to take me along," Rex said, pointing a finger at her.

"You don't exactly outrank me anymore," Ahsoka replied, a smile on her face.

"In my book, experience outranks everything," Rex said.

"Hmm," Ahsoka said. "Then I definitely outrank you."

"May the Force be with you," Rex said. He gave her a worried look. "And please, come back to me."

"I will," Ahsoka replied. But at that point, she wasn't sure. It was starting to seem more likely that she wasn't than she was. "I love you."

"I love you, too." And the transmission went dark as they left hyperspace.

"Why is Rex so worried?" Ezra asked. "What does he know that I don't?"

"Malachor has always been off-limits to Jedi," Kanan replied vaguely.

"Why?" Ezra asked.

"Old legends," Kanan replied. "Stories told to us as younglings in the Temple."

"There's always a bit of truth in legends," Ahsoka said, her voice emotionless. She couldn't let anyone see her fear. It would only make the mission worse.

"If Malachor is off-limits, why would Master Yoda send us here?" Ezra asked.

"I don't know," Kanan said. "But I trust Master Yoda. There's something here for us."

"Yeah." Ezra agreed. "Something to help us stop the Inquisitors."

"Knowledge," Ahsoka added.

They flew in the atmosphere of Malachor, and Jax was still silent. When they got close to land, Chopper started complaining.