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"Rex, welcome back! Looking good!"
Rex gave Skywalker a quick salute, his confident grin a hint more smug than it used to be as the Jedi clapped his pauldron.
"Great to be back, General," Rex said, putting just a bit more emphasis on Skywalker's new title.
"Force, that's weird to hear. I'd barely gotten used to being called commander. You know they're giving me a whole army? The 501st it's called. I get a Venator too. I've toured it, but no one's picked a name yet."
"Given that they called General Kenobi's ship The Negotiator, perhaps yours will be named after you in some way?" Rex pondered in a teasing tone as he resettled his helmet on his hip.
"Oh, I'm sure the boys will have some great ideas for that," Skywalker replied with an eye roll. Rex saluted again as Cody and Kenobi made it to their little welcoming party in the hangar.
"Congratulations, Captain. I heard your cohort was trained by Seventeen himself," Kenobi said, gesturing for him to stand at ease.
"Yessir."
"Well, I almost feel they should give you an extra acknowledgement for that, don't you? Perhaps a stripe or something," Kenobi mused. Cody didn't sigh, mainly because he knew Kenobi said it in order to garner that precise reaction. Rex's mouth didn't twitch but the look he shot Cody was filled with mirth. Cody's bucket was off, but fortunately he was more than capable of maintaining a neutral expression without it.
"Second long pauldron?" Skywalker suggested.
"Goodness no, Anakin, it would ruin this lovely asymmetrical aesthetic."
"It would be better than a stripe, who would even notice with how they paint them...."
"Well done, vod," Cody said, stepping up to Rex and setting a firm hand on his shoulder as the Jedi bickered good-naturedly.
"Thanks, alor," Rex said, answering Cody's sincerity with his own. They knew—every vode knew—that becoming an ARC was so much more than a mere promotion. It meant you put yourself through fire in order to become the best, in order to become a survivor that helps everyone else survive too. Once you were ARC, you were a little bit more responsible for the non-ARCs than you were before, regardless of your rank. It wasn't quite the same as becoming ori'vod, but it was a respected role all the same. Cody didn't hide the pride he felt for Rex as he gave his shoulder a firm shake, the most effusive gesture he'd allow himself in public.
"Kama looks good on you. Used to the weight yet?" Cody asked, eyeing the gold and black addition to Rex's kit. The rest of Rex's paint hadn't changed much, but every extra drop of gold on his vod made Cody's mind buzz with satisfaction. Cody never got tired of seeing his colors on his troopers, his vode. It made the possessive, vicious thing that sat curled in his chest purr and flex. He wondered if he could convince Rex to add a few more gold lines to his armor. A bit more of Cody on his second skin, so everyone could immediately see he belonged to the 212th. To Cody.
"Not quite, but I'll adjust while I'm training with the others en route. Two weeks to Felucia, right?"
Cody dropped his hand from Rex's shoulder, shifting to a more professional mode.
"Assuming no other disaster presents itself," Cody acknowledged.
"I can't believe they're not letting me go with you," Anakin pouted, bringing the Jedi back into the circle of conversation.
"You have an entire battalion to meet, officers to assign, inspections to do—" Kenobi started.
"I really thought being made General would mean I get more fighting, not more paperwork." The other three gave him incredulous looks and his shoulders drooped. "Okay, maybe that should have been obvious."
"Your powers of observation never cease to amaze, my padawan. Chin up, at least there will be plenty of people to help you. Though don't go putting all your paperwork on whichever poor trooper becomes your commander."
"I...actually had a bit of a thought about who could fill that position," Anakin said, suddenly standing up straighter and looking over at Rex.
The creature in Cody's chest hissed, tensing.
"Oh? Have you had time to look over the personnel lists already?" Kenobi asked, the slight strain in his voice revealing that he'd seen the look and was fruitlessly hoping Anakin wasn't about to say what they all knew he was about to say.
"Not yet, but...I'd like to take Rex with me to the 501st. Better to have someone familiar at my side. Think you could handle one more promotion, Captain?" he asked Rex with a grin.
Rex went still. "I'm...not qualified, Sir."
"Banthashit. I've been working with you since the beginning of the war. You're the best there is, and now that you're an ARC, I think we can push for your promotion to commander. Or just have you be my SIC as a captain, whatever." His casual shrug made Cody grit his teeth.
"Ah, Anakin, I think perhaps this is something that should be discussed—elsewhere, and more delicately," Kenobi hurried to say, eyes darting briefly to Cody as if to say, please, show mercy.
It was kind of Kenobi to try and protect his padawan, but Skywalker was a knight and a general now. He could face his own consequences directly.
"There is one additional consideration that would make such an appointment troublesome, General Skywalker," Cody said mildly.
"What is it?" Skywalker asked, clearly growing irritated in the face of their lackluster response to his proposal.
"Well, you see, General Skywalker, if you make a serious attempt to take my new ARC, I will hunt you for sport through Coruscant until you see the error of your ways," Cody explained in the same tone as someone discussing the weather.
Skywalker blinked a few times. "Oh. Uh. Funny?"
Kenobi was rapidly shaking his head at his former padawan, hands signalling 'stand down'. Skywalker noticed, but merely frowned, oblivious to the danger, and looked back at Cody with a conciliatory smile.
"I know you'll miss having Rex around, Commander, but I'm sure our battalions will meet up plenty—the Senate won't want to separate the dream team," Skywalker assured him. "And he'll still be here for the rest of your break. I'll even ask for an extra day of leave when I send in the request for his transfer this evening. I'm sure I can get it cleared with some help from the Chancellor."
Cody stared directly into Skywalker's eyes. "Seven," he said.
Kenobi sighed, recognizing that it was too late for successful interference.
"Six."
"What? Why are you saying numbers?" Skywalker asked.
"Five." Cody unholstered his blaster.
"Anakin, please start running. I'd rather my commander not get court-martialed for attacking a general, and there are a great many cameras here."
"What? Oh come on, he's not going to—"
"Four." Cody put his helmet on and Rex bit back a chuckle.
"Better get a move on, General. If you don't give him a good chase first, the catch will be rough," the ARC advised unsympathetically.
"Rex! Come on, don't you want to be my commander?" Skywalker pleaded, his list ditch effort to secure an ally.
"Three."
"Sorry Sir. I've gotten rather fond of the gold."
"Two."
Skywalker let out a growl of frustration and glared at Cody. "Look, this is all very cute, you being so defensive of him, but I know you're not actually going to—"
"One."
The first shot pinged off Skywalker's prosthetic.
"Wait! You can't! Master!"
"Good luck, my dear padawan. Commander, do try not to do any permanent damage."
Cody growled something that sounded suspiciously like "no promises," and began to stride forward. If the Jedi wasn't smart enough to get out of range, Cody was going to make him regret ever turning down grappling lessons.
Fortunately for Skywalker, the reality of his predicament seemed to finally dawn on him and he turned on his heel and bolted. Cody grinned. He'd been just dying for a hunt.
Rex finally let a grin spread across his face, warmth blossoming in his chest at his Commander's uncompromising drive to keep him.
It was nice to be wanted.