Anakin was lounging in bed while Padmé was in her sitting room (said she couldn't focus when he was next to her) when his wrist comm went off, indicating he had a message. Anxious to see if it was news from Ahsoka of how things were going – because, kriff he was still worried sick about her even if he made himself give her space – he quickly tapped to open it.
It was from Obi-Wan, reading:
Make sure your men hear this – audio file.1
His brows scrunched in confusion, he clicked the recording.
Voices filled their room and the Jedi Knight soon realized this was a confidential recording from her Council meeting. What was Obi-Wan thinking?
"-mean, 'Soka?"
"I cannot stay as a Jedi for a multitude of reasons, yet, as Master Kenobi pointed out, I cannot walk out on my men. My Captain. I request to be reinstated as Commander for the 501st in an independent military capacity. Not as a Jedi, but as a solider. Though I would prefer to keep my sabers, as those are the weapons I am skilled with, if I am not permitted to have them returned, I accept. I don't need to be paid beyond a very small stipend to cover basic necessities. But I can save more lives doing this than if I was forced to leave to become a civilian."
"Why?"
"I guess you could add it to an ever-growing list of reasons why I'm not fit to be a Jedi: I'm attached to them. I fight for them, I kill for them, and I would be honored to lay down my life so they could see another day. When I'm on the battlefield, staring down row after row of droids knowing that this might be the last day I breath, and I still stand up to fight, I'm not just fighting for the Republic. When I fight, my goal – my responsibility – is to bring home as many breathing troopers as I can. As a civilian, I wouldn't be able to do this. But as a Commander, regardless of whether I am a Jedi or not, I am able to protect more lives and do more good than I could have otherwise. All the Council must do is say yes, and if not as a mercy to me, then as a duty to the Republic."
Pride filled Anakin. This was his daughter, his sister, and she was making him so, so proud. She was too good to be a Jedi. Too compassionate, too loving, too loyal.
They were descriptions for her he would never complain about. It was true that he might still lose her because he had learned through many experiences, the Council did what they wanted to, regardless of what was right or the will of the Force.
But he could have never wished for a better Padawan, for she was truly what a Jedi was meant to be.
Anakin now understood why Obi-Wan took the risk to send this to him. The boys deserved to hear this and at least know that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, someone valued them beyond their ability to fight. Valued them enough to give up her own safety and security to stand by them.
He got out of bed with a single-minded focus on getting to the Resolute. Grabbing his lightsaber, Anakin rushed out of their bedroom and found his wife staring at her datapad on the couch. Bending down, he dropped a kiss on her head, startling her.
"I've got to get to the Resolute. Obi-Wan sent me something I need to share with the troopers. I'll be back later tonight, angel."
Still caught off guard, Padmé simply nodded her head as he rushed out to the porch and jumped into his speeder.
Breaking at least four different traffic laws, Anakin parked and raced aboard the gangplank towards the bridge. Bursting in, the few clones there were alarmed, but relaxed once they saw it was the General.
Most of them were used to his... energy. Luckily, Admiral Yularen wasn't on deck – Anakin was pretty sure he was married. I should find out. – so the General didn't have to explain himself.
Stepping up to the overhead speakers, he typed in his passcode then began. "This is General Skywalker. I request all clone personnel in the main hangar by 1600. However, I recognize you men are on leave so if you do not wish to come, or any of your brothers are not aboard, that's alright. But I have something I think you'll want to hear."
He signed off and opened up a comm channel with his Captain.
"Yes, General?"
"You heard my announcement, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"I think you, more so than any of your other men will want to hear this, so I highly recommend you joining."
"I was already on my way, general."
Anakin grinned. "Good man, Rex. See you soon."
Not wanting to risk transmitting the message onto the ship's mainframe, Anakin headed towards the main hangar and decided he would use one of the GAR's R2 units aboard the ship to broadcast it so he could just wipe its memory afterwards.
He would use Artoo, but he was at home with Padmé.
Besides, the hangar made everything louder than it really was.
Snagging one of the droids as he made his way down, Anakin felt lighter than he had in a while. The Force sang with the rightness of it all. Ahsoka was right, he should trust her more often because she was definitely making a decision the Force approved of.
Regardless of whether she got her station back as Commander, Anakin would be with her.
Now, however, he had his – no, their men waiting on him. He could feel the hum of their curiosity as he stood on a one of the large metal packing cases and connected his wrist comm to the R2 unit, downloading the file into its hard drive.
Letting it upload, Anakin turned to the crowd, making eye contact with Rex, who was standing in the front, as he should be.
"Troopers, what I'm about to play for you is not something you can share with all your vod at 79's. It was sent to me at a personal risk because he knew you had well earned the right to hear it. And before I begin, I just want to let you know, I agree with everything she says."
Without another word, he pressed play.
"-mean, 'Soka?"
Rex and many of his vod in the Torrent Company immediately knew this was about Ahsoka.
"I cannot stay as a Jedi for a multitude of reasons, yet, as Master Kenobi pointed out, I cannot walk out on my men. My Captain."
Everyone around him stared directly at him, and Fives nudged him in the side. Rex stepped on his foot. Hard. But on the inside, he couldn't help but feel the love Ahsoka had pushed onto him earlier. What had he done to deserve her such intense loyalty?
"I request to be reinstated as Commander for the 501st in an independent military capacity. Not as a Jedi, but as a solider. Though I would prefer to keep my sabers, as those are the weapons I am skilled with, if I am not permitted to have them returned, I accept. I don't need to be paid beyond a very small stipend to cover basic necessities. But I can save more lives doing this than if I was forced to leave to become a civilian."
"Why?"
That was a question Rex was sure many of his men were asking.
"I guess you could add it to an ever-growing list of reasons why I'm not fit to be a Jedi: I'm attached to them. I fight for them, I kill for them, and I would be honored to lay down my life so they could see another day."
Rex involuntarily felt his eyes water up. Cyar'ika indeed. He realized she wasn't done yet. What more did was there even to say?
"When I'm on the battlefield, staring down row after row of droids knowing that this might be the last day I breath, and I still stand up to fight, I'm not just fighting for the Republic. When I fight, my goal – my responsibility – is to bring home as many breathing troopers as I can. As a civilian, I wouldn't be able to do this. But as a Commander, regardless of whether I am a Jedi or not, I am able to protect more lives and do more good than I could have otherwise. All the Council must do is say yes, and if not as a mercy to me, then as a duty to the Republic."
Kark. How does someone respond to having their heart ripped out of their chest, tenderly caressed, then lovingly put back into place? Because that was exactly what he felt.
Her responsibility.
She had come so far from the foolishly arrogant – not that she wasn't cocky now, but at least men didn't die because of her self-assurance – child he first met. He now knew that Ahsoka understood what drove him because it was the same thing that motivated her too.
The safety of their brothers.
The safety of each other.
His men couldn't have asked for a better commander, nor he, a better friend.
Anakin let them stew for a moment in silence before he spoke. "Troopers, we all saw what happened to Snips on the holonet, but I'll tell you what I know from a personal view. Jedi are supposed to have a fair trial among their own, but they threw Ahsoka to the wolves and barred her from the Order before her trial had even begun because they feared the Senate. They never gave her a chance, but once it was all over and we learned who the real bomber was, they offered to take her back. As you now know, she refused. Do you boys know what that means?"
Though they were silent, the answer was running through each of their heads. She wouldn't have to be solider. She wouldn't have to fight.
"She could have been done with the war. She wouldn't have to stand through blaster fire again and again, trying to save your sorry shebs."
They all laughed, but it was true. At least half the men in there had been covered by the young Jedi as they fought in battle. They thought about how many brothers she had helped save.
"But men, in all seriousness, there is something I want you to take from what Commander Tano said. She cares enough about you as people to give up that possibility. That easy future. She would stand with you, whether she had her sabers or the same blasters you carry, doing her best to bring you all home without the body bags. Whatever those Kaminoan sleemos try to tell you about just being a number, forget it. If you ever doubt just how important you are, remember Ahsoka. Now, you're all dismissed."
________________________________________________________________________________
Two hours later, Ahsoka just wanted to take a nap. Preferably with Rex.
But they were finally done, at least for the night, and she said good bye to Padmé. Hugging her friend once more, Ahsoka promised she would fully explain everything tomorrow before walking to the porch to call an air taxi.
They had determined the nitty-gritty of her being a non-Jedi commander under Jedi authority, her pay, where she would stay when she wasn't on active duty, and who her sabers technically belonged to.
Luckily, she had recently reached the age of majority on Coruscant and they didn't have to deal with the fiasco that it would have been determining who her guardian was and how she would be allowed to continue fighting if she had still been sixteen.
The term, 'child solider' had never felt more real to them.
Ahsoka wanted to ask if she knew where Anakin was, but she didn't know just how much Obi-Wan knew of him and Padmé, so she kept her curiosity to herself and settled that she'd wait till she was aboard the Resolute to comm him.
Obi-Wan was silent as they got into the air taxi after telling the driver their destination – "GAR military ship yards, please." – but Ahsoka could feel some of his tightly constrained tiredness seep through.
She sighed and made up her mind. While she definitely hadn't forgiven him and was still deeply wounded, Ahsoka could tell he did regret his compliance in the Council's actions.
Coaxing her feelings and emotions through their bond, Ahsoka gave him some of her energy and tried to project tranquility over him, even if she knew it was clumsy.
She felt his head turn to look at her, but she didn't move.
"Ahsoka, wh-"
"We're here, Jedi, get out."
Ahsoka began to get out, but she stopped, ignoring the scowl she received from the driver and spoke softly to him. "Master, get some rest tonight."
She couldn't stay angry with him forever. And even if she wanted to, she was too tired now that he had receive a large remainder of what fight she had left in her.
The walk back to the Resolute took much too long in her opinion. A different clone, not the shiny she had last seen, was station at the door.
He didn't say anything at first, but he clearly was staring at her through his helmet visor. Ahsoka felt rather awkward but typed in her codes. The trooper stopped her at the last moment and took off his helmet to meet her eyes.
Then he looked down. "I – I just wanted to say, thank you, sir. For everything."
What, in the seven rings of Sith, was he talking about? The only people who knew what she had done was the Jedi Council and Padmé. Even Anakin didn't know yet.
But he was so earnest and she was so tired, so she just gently smiled at him. "Any time, Haz."
It didn't end there though. As she traversed down the corridors, unable to Force shield herself because she knew she'd likely pass out if she tried, Ahsoka saw clones stumbling as she walked by, some openly gawking at her in... wonder?
Something was up.
But it was too late, and she just wanted to sleep.
Should she go to her own room? Yes.
Was Rex's closer? Yes.
Picking one foot up after another, Ahsoka finally stood before her Captain's door again, both similar to yesterday, but also so different.
She knocked. Once. Twice.
"Fives," She heard him shout. "If that's you, you're gonna wish the Seppies got you first."
Ahsoka snorted. "Cute, Captain, but I don't think the clankers would stand a chance against me."
There was a short silence where all she heard a faint, "Shavit," before the door slid open.
Looking rather abashed with his hand rubbing the back of his neck, Rex stood in front of her. "Uh, hey, Ahsoka."
She rolled her eyes, but just barely. Kriff, I need a bed. "Hey to you too, Rex. And I'm gonna tell you now, if you don't explain why the boys are looking at me like I grew a fourth lekku tomorrow, you're going to regret it. Right now, though, I'm dead on my feet and your room was closer, so if you don't mind, I think I'm gonna bunk over again."
If he did mind, he would be the one carrying her back to her actual room.
"Oh, um, no, I don't mind. My bed is always open for you."
In the back of her mind, she registered exactly what he said, but in that moment, all she heard was warmth and sweet, delicious oblivion calling to her.
"Thanks, Rexter." He wasn't moving out of the door way fast enough, standing stock still with a weird scrunched look on his face, so Ahsoka just slid past him and rolled on his bed, not even bothering with her boots, wrist comm or lightsabers.
As soon as her head hit his rock hard pillow, she was dead to the world.