#the clone rebellion

[cptrackham]

Fic: A man is not dead while his name is still spoken

1,707 words. Set during Rebels, ft. Captain Rex.

A short story, because I refuse to believe that the clones' story - their mistreatment, abuse, betrayal - was allowed to fade into obscurity, until all that was left was three old men hiding out on Seelos. AO3 link here.

Kallus was waiting for them when the Ghost touched down on Yavin IV.

Or rather, waiting for Rex.

“Mothma and Organa are waiting for you, Conference room four,” Kallus muttered to him, as the rest of the squad began off-boarding procedures and checks.

What for?” Hera demanded. Ever the protector “Rex, you need me to come with?”

But Rex waved her off, running a hand over his bald head. “No, it’s alright,” he sighed. “I think I know what it’s about.”

It’s not like it was a secret. The news had even reached the Outer Rim by now. A scandal like this, news travels fast.

But not many people would know what it means to Rex. Organa was perhaps one of the last few to understand.

As the door slid open to the conference room, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa turned to face Rex with a sorrowful expression he’d become far too familiar with over his long years (metaphorically speaking). He hated it. “Senators,” he greeted.

Bail, only there as a full-sized hologram, smiled at him. “Rex, it’s good to see you,” Bail said, in a gentle tone that only served to put Rex more on edge. He didn’t want to have this conversation.

So he cut straight to the point. “I’ve already heard,” he said, perhaps a bit sharper than intended. “They’re playing it on the news in every port. Riyo – Senator Chuchi’s death. What happened?”

“As far as the public is aware, she died of a heart-attack following a particularly stressful debate in the Senate,” Mon Mothma said. “But, there is cause to suspect foul play was involved.”

Rex nodded. “Of course there is. Can we prove it?”

“It’s unlikely,” Bail said. “The press report was issued by Palpatine’s own office, they won’t allow an autopsy to reveal anything, and any dissidents – I’m sorry, Rex. With Riyo’s death, it’s clearer than ever that we are losing our grip in the Senate.”

For most of his life, Rex’s face had been hidden under his bucket, emotions indecipherable. He still hadn’t quite got the hang of schooling his expression. He took a deep breath, and forced his scowl to fade. It wasn’t their fault. Stars knew Bail did all he could. “I see. I… thank you, for thinking of me.”

“Of course,” Bail said, quickly, one translucent hand reaching forward as if the hologram could comfort him. “I know how close you and Riyo were, in the early days.”

“But, Captain, there is something else,” Mon Mothma cut in.

Intrigued against his better judgement, Rex glanced between the two of them. Bail was no longer quite meeting his gaze, and Mon Mothma had clasped her hands behind her back in that way she did before starting an important speech. “Oh?” Rex asked, hesitant.

“Riyo was a vocal component of our campaigning,” Mon Mothma said. “The most vital spokesperson in the senate, in fact. With her gone, we have, as Bail said, lost our hold in the Senate, and any hope we had of passing de-escalation, de-militarisation, and reparation bills has dropped significantly. In fact, we’re taking steps to withdraw key figures to positions of safety.”

“Including myself,” Bail cut in, with a wry smile. “I will be returning to Alderaan on a more permanent basis.”

“And, unfortunately, it means we’re having to abandon some of our current campaigns, even some of our most long-running ones.” Mon Mothma hesitated again. “Including Senator Chuchi’s Clone Rights bill.”

Rex almost laughed. Was this what they were so concerned about? For all Riyo’s efforts, that bill had died a slow and painful death years ago. “I understand, Senator,” he said, hoping Mon Mothma hadn’t yet spent enough time around soldiers to pick up the ‘no shit sir’ undertone.

But Bail raised a hand, as if to ask Rex to wait a moment. “We aren’t happy with this,” he said. “I, personally, cannot allow Riyo’s work to be dismissed so easily, not when she has probably lost her life because of how much she cared. So we were hoping you would help us take this case to an even more ruthless court.”

Rex frowned at him. What other court? All there was, was the Empire. And it wasn’t like the Rebellion had anywhere near enough funds to provide the pensions Riyo had promised.

Bail smiled. “The court of public opinion,” he clarified.

Mon Mothma took over, as if practiced. “We want to share the clone’s story,” she said. “Your story. It is, perhaps, one of the clearest examples of how underhand, how manipulative, how immoral the Empire and Palpatine himself are. It shows how everyone has been played for fools since before the war even started,” she said, passionate, and Rex remembered that Mon Mothma had been a Separatist. “It shows how none of us had a choice, how so many of us died for nothing. You and your brothers most of all. If you – and any of your brothers – would be able to share your story, it could make a huge impact on how the Empire is perceived. It could sway a lot of people.”

Rex took another steadying breath.

She wasn’t wrong.

“My brothers and I,” Rex said, slowly, parsing through his thoughts as he spoke, “Have spent a long time fighting to get out of the eye of the Empire. They gave us their attention once. It wasn’t good.”

Very few people knew the full truth of what the clones has lost, following Order 66. Mon Mothma and Bail at least knew enough to flinch at Rex’s harsh understatement.

“We understand,” Bail said. “I don’t expect you to come to a decision quickly. Take the time you need.”

“But don’t wait too long, Captain,” Mon Mothma said. “The Empire will make everyone forget Riyo Chuchi soon enough.”

Rex stared at her, unsure whether to resent her callousness, or admire the cold practicality. A solider through-and-through, he was leaning towards the latter.

He didn’t say anything else. He couldn’t, thoughts too full of his history, the chance to share it, and Riyo.

Falling back on muscle memory, he saluted, about-turned, and walked from the room.

**

It was Zeb who found him later. “You’re moping,” he said, nudging Rex to shuffle along the crate he was sat on and make room.

Rex sighed. “I’m old. I’ve seen a lot of shit. Sometimes, it requires moping. I’ve earned a good mope every now and then.”

Zeb chuckled. “Yeah, but no one’s allowed to mope alone. Hera’s orders.”

“I’ll be fine Zeb.”

“I know that. Want to take it up with Hera?”

Rex smiled – for a couple of seconds.

Zeb let him sit a silence for a good long while, the lasat instead paying attention to the bowl of food he’d brought with him. Rice dish, a concerning shade of red.

Most of the food was gone before Zeb spoke again. “You want to talk about it?” he asked, through a full mouth.

An easy dismissal sat on tip of Rex’s tongue, but he hesitated. Bail had said he understood, and he might have meant it with all the genuine goodwill in the galaxy, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.

Rex hesitated, before asking, “If you could tell everyone what happened on Lasan – the massacre, the ion disruptor rifles, how you’ve been persecuted and hunted since – would you do it?”

“Yes,” Zeb said, without hesitation, with an air of finality, and through another full mouth.

“Even if you knew it would put a high-priority target on the back of every lasat who survived?”

Zeb’s fork paused halfway to his mouth. He hesitated, then lowered it back to the bowl, swallowing his current mouthful loudly. “Alright,” he said, voice carefully measured, “that’s a bit of a problem, I’ll give you that. Is this a theoretical exercise?”

Rex shrugged. “Not exactly.”

Zeb fell silent again, food abandoned. “I think,” Zeb said, eventually, “that telling the truth is as much about stopping it happening to other planets, other cultures, as much as it’s about getting justice for me an’ mine. I think any lasat who lives is already suffering enough that another target ain’t gonna make that much of a difference. I think any lasat who’s survived this long, can take care of themselves. And I think I’d owe it to all who came before to have their death mean something, not just to me, but to anyone else who’d listen.”

Having said his piece, Zeb took another mouthful of rice and kept eating.

A few more bites in silence later, Zeb swallowed and asked, “Did that help?”

“Yeah,” Rex said. “Yeah, that helped.”

“Good. Now let’s go get you fed, before Hera hunts us down and skins me for wilful neglect of an elder.”

**

Rex went to Mon Mothma’s office early the next morning.

“I can’t promise you anything,” he said, before she could speak, “I can’t even say how many I’ll be able to contact, let alone how many will agree to it. But I’m going to need a bunch of brand-new encrypted channels, and a really long-range transmitter.”

**

**

“I am CT-7567, Captain Rex of the 501st Legion, CO of Torrent Company.”

“CC-36 36, Commander Wolffe of the 104th Wolfpack Battalion.”

“CT-9901, or Sergeant Hunter, CO of Clone Force 99.”

“I am ARC Trooper Echo, formally of the 501st and Clone Force 99.”

“I served as Sergeant Hound in the Coruscant Guard, this is Grizzer.”

“Commander Bly, CC-5052, of the 327th Star Corps, serving under General Aayla Secura.”

“I am CC-2224, Marshal Commander Cody of the 7th Sky Corps, CO of the 212th Attack Battalion, and Second in Command of the Third Systems Army under General Kenobi.”

“You probably think you know all you need to about us. I doubt many of you look at us favourably, these days, if you see any of us at all. You probably think we were loyal soldiers of the Republic, soldiers of the Empire. Some of you might think we were traitors to the Republic cause, who assisted with the Empire’s takeover of the galaxy. Some of you might even think we betrayed the jedi – and I can’t fault you for that.

“But, here’s some things about us you might not know…”  

[magicandmundane]

Rex: Hey boys, I could really use your help with—

Hunter, napping on the beach: Retired.

Rex: Seriously—

Crosshair, sipping a margarita: Retired.

Rex: Would you just consider—

Wrecker, playing volleyball with the baby regs: Retired.

Echo: *glares*

Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair: Retired.

Rex: Omega?

Omega, shrugging: Sure, I’m always down to kick some Imperial ass.

Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair: *grumbling, putting their armor back on*

[ana-cantskywalker]

Having BIG™ feelings about how most of the Jedi that survived Order 66 were literal children.

Children whose brothers turned on them, and whose parental figures were ripped from them for reasons that they would never understand. Children who didn't know how to live in a galaxy who accepted them, much less one that didn't. Children who had to shed the identity they'd had longer than they could remember just to survive. Children who watched as their people were labeled terrorists and the things they held sacred were desecrated to the purpose of hurting the people they were made to protect.

Children who had to pick up the (often literal) sword of those who'd come before them to protect innocents and hold onto what scraps of their culture that were left. That, to their limited knowledge, believed themselves to be the very last of their kind. Children who bore the weight of bringing justice to the deaths of thousands of their kin, not through revenge, but through the restoration of peace. Who in the fight towards peace, had to once again become weapons instead of peacemakers.

Of them training padawans when they were technically still padawans themselves. Who had to teach what broken pieces of their culture that they could still remember, because they were still learners when they stopped learning. Who taught in the middle of surviving in a galaxy that was out to get them on all sides. Whose padawans never got the chance to go to Ilum, or see the Temple on Coruscant, or bond with other padawans, or any other experience that should've been theirs by birthright.

If I think about it for too long my brain stops working and I cry.

[roguesones]

Star Wars Unlimited - Anakin & Obi Wan

see more

[chocomars]

Step 1: Skeptical

Step 2: Skepticism is well-deserved, mission’s a bust

[archivistofnerddom]

One of the funny things about Rex and Omega being in the Rebellion at the same time is that they could have any number of conversations that basically are this:

Omega: *does something impressive and chaotic to help people and to fight against the Empire*

Rex: *deliberate breathing as he’s watching her do this, knowing he’s the only person who knows how she got those skills (and from whom)*

Omega: *gets hurt or does something that has the absolute slightest chance of giving Hunter (aka Stressed Protective Dad) heart palpitations if or when he finds out*

Rex: *sighs* Okay, on a scale from “Crosshair’s Pabu Meditations” to “Escape From Tantiss 2: Zillo Beast Electric Boogaloo,” how much lying am I going to have to do to keep your brother from needing medical attention and/or coming out here to read us both the Riot Act?

Omega: Do you want the sanitary version, the Echo version, or the Bad Batch version of the truth?

Rex: I’m getting too old for this.

Rex: *proceeds to cover for Omega anyway when Hunter asks because she’s his sister and they bonded over Blond Shenanigans a while back*

Omega: Thanks, Rex! (I’ll tell you the real story after you talk to Hunter.)

[tangents-within-tangents]

*Echo’s comm goes off in the middle of a mission*

Rex: I thought I told you to turn that off

Echo: This is the ‘emergencies only’ comm code

Rex: Okay just make it quick

Echo: Omega, are you okay? What’s the emergency?

Omega: I can’t find my soccer shoes!

Rex:

Howzer:

Gregor:

Echo:

Echo: Did you check the-

[riyo-soka]

The fondness in Rex’s voice when he talks about Anakin in rebels kills me every fucking time. Does he know. Does he know the general he served under survived order 66 because he was never a target. Does he know his own brothers in the 501st marched on the Jedi temple at Skywalker’s command. Does he know the man he would follow into hell without hesitation helped create the hell he lived through at the end of the clone wars

[itsjml]

And that’s a wrap!

[skywalkerrtno]

WE GOT WOLFFE BACK YEEESS

I LOVED THESE EPISODES.

[justchandlr]

random rex and echo clone rebellion sketch ig

[codywaan]

rebellion daughters and their proud dads

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Still trying to process the fact that they just... didn't give Echo an ending?

Not only was he barely in S3 but they apparently didn't think he was important enough to even get a mention at the end??? Why???

[redbean-nom]

my cody theory for tbb s3

the legendary "boba fett" is actually like twenty different clones (including the real Boba). anyone at risk of being recognized (usually officers/arcs) can go into bounty hunting as "boba fett". it soon becomes the clone equivalent of like john doe. they share a bounty guild account (bc it uses biometric id and they're close enough to register as the same person).

"boba fett" soon develops a reputation for getting missions done 1) incredibly well and 2) incredibly fast. the fast part is because there are at least eight people all doing different bounties at any given time. the well part is because "boba fett" is an informal collective of escaped clones of particular distinction in battle.

by the time the real Boba is an adult, the "boba fett" clones have built up his bounty hunter credit score so much that he can pretty much take whatever job he wants for max rates.

[skellymom]

IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THINGS...

LISTEN TO THIS!!!

Turn it up until your ears bleed! Turn on the base! Put it on repeat if you MUST! Get up, eat, hydrate, take a walk, hug your loved ones, get dressed, face the day...or night, AND realize:

YOU AREN'T ALONE!!!

It will be hard, it will be dark. But THIS fandom was built for this. I FULLY INTEND TO STAY PUT ON THIS PLATFORM AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!! I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU ALL! If you need me, don't hesitate to message or comment. There is strength in numbers!!! Look for ways, even TINY ones, to help in the coming months. Everyone is important. Everyone participating will be key in the next 4 years or more. Even just extending empathy or a shoulder to another person is a BIG step!

KEEP WRITING, MAKING ART, MEME'S, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT GIVES YOU JOY! It will be vitally important in the coming days...years...and will help you cope while helping others do the same. We will inspire, bond, and PERSEVERE!!!

WE ARE THE RESISTENCE!

WE ARE THE REBELLION!!!

Don't let this setback discourage you. Yes, mourn and do what you can for mental health and safety. But there are MANY of us! We are legion!!!

We are defective AND effective!

We don't leave our own behind!

FOR THE REPUBLIC!

FOR DEMOCRACY!

UNITED WE STAND,

DIVIDED WE FALL!!!

AND I EXTEND EMPATHY AND SUPPORT TO YOU ALL!!!

MAKE THIS MAN PROUD!

WE CAN DO THIS!!!

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO CONTINUE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY OF HOPE!!!

[skywalkerrtno]

Friendly reminder.