Chapter Text
Ahsoka had been around district 1313 for a while, she’d been on her own, she’d been with some sisters, now, she was with someone who last she interacted with: was an enemy and slapped her on the ass. Which had been apologized for, several times, but still.
Bo Katan needed this girl, she knew of her, had seen her in battles, heard of them more, and she needed someone who would fight this with her. Bo had barely escaped Mandalore when it fell. Maul now holding control over her homeworld, her people, and rightfully, she should be there ruling it, but it was either: run, hide, regroup, and plan, or be killed with no viable heirs, or hope.
“Your Nite owls, that’s what… a hundred or so?” Ahsoka asked, eating in between trying on the shaped armor Bo Katan was currently working on. If she was going to fight on Mandalore, Bo Katan decided not only did she need to look like she wanted to fight for them, but she deserved to. Uncommon for outsiders to wear Mandalorian armor? Yes, unheard of, no. Bo was making the probably dozenth adjustment on the hip plates to ensure they weren’t interfering with the back plates that were so damn near perfect she wasn’t going to touch them aside from paint.
“Give or take, those that are still on Mandalore are hiding, trying to build numbers, those that scattered, doing much the same,” she said handing the Togruta female the last plate, it attached, and some test motions indicated that it was finally, finally fitting properly.
“That’s not enough…” Ahsoka grumbled, and sat, easily, to think.
“What about Jaig Eyes?” That was Bo’s name for Rex, a name that made Ahsoka pause, always,
“He’s assigned to the republic it’s not like I can just ask him to help,”
“But you can…”
“He’ll be considered a deserter and killed.” there was genuine fear behind the statement.
“Then Skywalker?”
“Maybe, it could take some time though, do we have that?” Ahsoka asked
“We have some,” Bo said and moved onto the gauntlets, which were far easier.
It was another few days before Bo was pleased with Ahsoka’s armor, she did feel like the girl was missing something, it wasn’t until she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled that she knew. It wasn’t long until Bo handed her a final piece, a metal headband.
“Try it on,” she said with a half smile, it fit pretty well, and a few more adjustments, they were golden.
“I got the sequence to contact the flagship,” Ahsoka mentioned
“Then let’s give Jaig Eyes a call.”
Bo Katan and Ahsoka Tano had teamed up a few months ago, it started out easily enough: gather supplies, get intel. The Mandalorian woman did get to know the other well, late nights and long talks to build trust. Things were known.
“You talk about him a lot,” she noted one night “Captain Rex, the clone with the Jaig Eyes,” she added
“I was probably closer to him than any of the others.” Ahsoka shrugged brushing it off, Bo wasn’t having it.
“You care about him?”
“I care about them all.”
“You always check the reports for him first.”
“I do-”
“I watch you Ahsoka.” she cut in “You care about him.” the other only nodded. “You’re not a Jetti anymore,” she shrugged “So care about him, have some feelings.”
“That’s not how this works.”
“Why not? From what you tell me, he seems to care about you.” she smirked, “All I’m saying is if you get a chance jump on it.”
“New topic.”
Oh, the ginger knew, and she knew it well. The calming breath Ahsoka took before patching the transmission through was everything, the expression from Jaig Eyes, of course, his bucket was off, was even more telling. Bo Katan relished in the safety of her own bucket, safe to watch and see how they both fidgeted, how his eyes darted over Ahsoka’s projected form, taking it in.
“Gods,” he paused “You’re… shit.” he laughed “I didn’t think I’d talk to you again.”
“Neither did I.” there was a deep meaning behind the tiniest of smiles. “I need some help, Rex, we do,” she looked at Bo.
“Anything,” the word came out fast, too fast. “Just say it.”
“We’re taking back Mandalore, or at least we’re going to try, but we need help. I need help,” she added looking at Bo as she said it “I need you, I need someone to watch my back, I need the boys, I need the men,” she looked back at him. “Please.” she just about whispered
“I’ll do everything I can, you need to talk to Skywalker,”
“Then grab him,”
“I’ll send someone,” he nodded to a clone out of frame. “You’ve grown…” he mused gently
“It’s been a bit.”
It wasn’t long before Anakin and Obi-wan entered, Anakin asking what was so important, but any sass laced reply died when he saw her.
“Hello Master,” Ahsoka said as she turned “It’s been a while.”
The conversation lasted for longer than they thought, luckily they were returning to Coruscant, Rex offering to meet them and bring them back to the temple to further discuss things, plans, everything.
“See you soon.” it was a promise, not just a closing statement, the transmission ended and Ahsoka let out a long breath.
“Told you Jaig eyes would help.”
“Don’t start,” Ahsoka rolled her eyes
“She looked okay,” Obi-wan commented after a few moments.
“She looked great…” Anakin stated and Rex nodded.
“Anakin, she’s going to need men, and we can’t send the Jedi there, not again.”
“I know, Rex, are you willing to go to Mandalore?”
“Let me see, go to an off-limits world, fight a bunch of name ruining Mandalorians, and take a planet back from Maul after the shit he’s been causing, where do I sign.” He smirked
“Good, get some men together, tell them the risks, a lot of them won’t be coming back. I want her to have a small battalion if I can.” Anakin noted, “She’s gonna need her sabers.”
“Where are they?” Obi-wan asked, “Back at the temple?”
“Not exactly…” Anakin admitted
“You have them don’t you…” Anakin nodded and Obi-wan sighed “Better get them in perfect working order then.”
“Oh, I have some ideas.”
When they landed on Coruscant, Anakin and Obi-wan went to the temple to discuss the options, Rex took a speeder and went to meet up with Ahsoka and Bo. Arriving at the landing platform where the ship was docked, it wasn’t long until the two women emerged from the ship. Rex took off his helmet, setting it down and walked, maybe a little too fast, towards Ahsoka as she approached him. He took her in before embracing her tight against his armor.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again…” he said softly into the curve between her montrals.
“Same here.” it was quiet. They separated after a few more moments. Rex looking at Bo Katan and giving her a nod, but she knew that nod meant a lot. It was unspoken, thank you for looking out for her.
“You can move your ship and keep it at the clone barracks if you want someplace more secure while we get logistics sorted.”
“Thank you, I’ll get it moved there while you go to the Temple?” she looked at Ahsoka who nodded Rex walked back towards the speeder. “I’m just saying, do not shy away from a chance. Please, Ahsoka, you deserve that,” she whispered with a smiled and went back to the ship to pack some things away before moving it. Ahsoka, in turn, blushed and followed Rex towards the speeder.
Being back at the temple was pretty weird, walking through the halls with Rex though, was at least something normal, the council chambers were off limits to the clones, which saddened her. But he’d be outside, it didn’t stop the nerves when she walked through. Anakin of course: wasn’t sitting, and he did much the same as Rex, a tight embrace and a look over as if she would vanish again.
They talked for a long time, going over the risks, the workarounds, the logistics, everything. But it seemed like it would work, it could work, it was their only option honestly. Obi-wan promised to help her with anything he could from when he was there.
“Oh, one more thing:” Anakin said as they were wrapping up, he grabbed a bundle and unwrapped it handing Ahsoka back her sabers. She ignited them and smirked which turned to a grateful smile, what was once green were now blue
“They’re good as new, maybe a little better.” he smiled back.
They then met back up with Rex, and went to talk to the Chancellor about their plan, by the time everything was wrapped up and the okay are given to form a battalion, it was well past sunset. Rex returned Ahsoka back to Bo’s ship, now safely at the barracks, and wished her a good night, he’d see her later, and that was, in fact, a promise.