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Anyone got a pen?

Summary:

Some friends and I were discussing what the tallies on Rex's armour stood for, and someone suggested it was for the number of times he's been thrown with the force.

And from that this fic was born!

Notes:

My contribution to this discussion, which prompted me to write this, was this utterly hilarious line:
Rex, face down on the ground after just being thrown: does anyone have a pen?

Work Text:

Numbers had varying significance in the GAR. There were the clone's identifying numbers, that were assigned upon decanting. That was the most important one. Then you had informative numbers - the size of squads, battalions, legions. You learn those as a tubie. And of course, you had legion and battalion identifying numbers. The 501st, the 212th, the 104th... you get the idea.

Finally, you have your fun numbers. More often than not, these were competitive. From tallies to scores, records to bets. Every group was keeping track of something.

And all of these were kept track of in the GAR network post board.

Some of these were shared between groups. For example, a lot of battalions kept track of how many rotations it's been since their Jedi lost their lightsaber, the 212th is currently leading - General Kenobi: 2 rotations.

"I swear it was on my belt a moment ago!"

"Of course, General."

"Where in the force could it have gone?"

"I have no idea General."

"I swear it has a mind of it's own- oh Cody, dear, thank you, where in the force did it end up this time-"

 

Another popular one is: how many rotations since a Jedi has said 'I have a bad feeling about this.' That one goes to the 327th Star Corps. General Secura said it just a rotation ago.

Bly takes one look at the twilek and groans. "Don't say it." General Secura is polite enough to shoot him an apologetic glance, before looking ahead of them.

"I-"

 

There's also a post for how many times a commander has sighed in a rotation. The corries lead at 126. Everyone still claims they're lying.

Commander Fox sighs and drags his hand down his face, oblivious to Thorn updating his datapad. "If another senator mistakes me for their secretary and asks me to file flimsiwork for them, I'm going to walk into speeder traffic."

 

But a lot of posts were specific to a battalion or legion. Some of these were celebratory, bragging about some achievement, like the 104th: how many hugs they've gotten from General Plo (lucky bastards). 

Many of these, however, made fun in some way. A lot of these were from the 501st.

How many rejected requests for jet packs, how many shinies get caught attempting to prank command staff, etc. But perhaps the most important - certainly the most renown - are the ones involving Captain Rex. Peak of those being: how many times has Captain Rex been force thrown by a Jedi. 

 

Rex is very aware of the cliff's edge behind him, as battle droids move ever closer, slowly overwhelming the group, even with two Jedi leading the pack.

"We're being overrun, we need to get out of here!" Anakin grunts as a blaster bolt grazes his arm.

"Very astute of you Skyguy, perhaps next you'll tell us we're at the edge of a cliff."

"Less sass more escape ideas, Snips!" The young Togruta groans, deflecting a few more blaster bolts before piping up.

"Well there's always the usual!" Rex whips his head in her direction.

"Absolutely not!"

"Oh come on Rex, it's not that bad."

"It's humiliating!"

"Only because you scream every time." Rex's response to this was to grunt and shift away from some droids that had gotten too close for comfort. Anakin shuffles closer to him and Ahsoka, closing ranks against the never ending onslaught. Both Jedi were panting with exhaustion, shoulders burning, and wrists sore.

"It's now or never. Ahsoka, you go first, we'll be right behind you." She's quick to back up to the edge, before twisting around and leaping off, ignoring Rex's spluttering. The clone has barely any time to brace himself before he feels a familiar sharp tug around his waist, pulling him swiftly to and over the edge of the cliff.

Blaster bolts follow them, straying wildly. Their buzzing does nothing to cover up the shrill scream of terror coming from Rex. Ahsoka has the audacity to laugh as they rapidly approach the ground.

Even though he knows Anakin will catch him before he hits the ground, his whole body tenses and his eyes screw shut, bracing for a hard, painful impact with the stone floor beneath them. As always, he feels another tug around his middle, and the disorienting feeling of his body suddenly slowing its momentum, like sitting in a speeder that's done an abrupt stop.

Before Rex is done processing he is not, in fact, going to die, Anakin lets go of Rex, and he falls the remainder of the short distance, landing face first with with another grunt. He's doing a lot of that today, apparently. He can hear Ahsoka dusting herself off beside him, before gasping with delight and jogging away. Rex opts to remain face down to avoid his embarrassment a little longer.

"Jesse, Kix! Did you see that? I think that was my tallest jump yet!" Anakin chuckles. Someone sighs. Probably Kix.

"Yes, commander, I saw. Did you land safely? Nothing broken?" Definitely Kix.

"Nope!" Then she squawks in surprise. Anakin must have come up behind her and pat her head again. Rex smiles in the confines of his helmet, which - despite pressing up against his nose - is surprisingly comfortable at this angle. Ahsoka always complains Anakin pat her to remind her how short she was, but Rex knows it's Anakin's way of saying he's proud of her.

"You might be right commander, that cliff may be taller than that building you jumped off of on Bespin." Rex remembers that one all too well. A shiver goes down his spine just thinking about it. It was so windy…

Jesse always called Rex a scaredy-tooka whenever he complained about the Jedi's habit of pushing him off great heights, so of course he was encouraging the Togruta. "Speaking of jumping off tall things, where's Rex?" A groan answers him.

They all turn to see Rex, face down on the ground. He waves weakly and sighs.

"Does anyone have a pen?"