Chapter Text
Gerrera didn't care much for the Jedi.
He'd heard tales of them, of their feats during the war. The famed Hero with no Fear is a household name, even within the walls of Iziz where Separatist droids patrolled the streets.
But Saw wasn't easily impressed. The Jedi often seemed to live in a galaxy of their own, and despite being generals in an intergalactic war, still stuck to their code instead of doing whatever it took to complete the mission. That was something Saw didn’t get.
Saw had never thought highly of the Republic military when they refused to intervene in the Separatist coup that overthrew King Dendup and replaced him with a weak puppet king that did nothing to help the people and licked the boots of Count Dooku.
It was frustrating, and it made him realize they could only rely on themselves to solve their problems. And yet it seemed like they weren't strong enough to challenge Separatist control on their own.
It wasn't his idea to contact the Jedi Council, it was Lux’s, since he self-proclaimed to have connections with the Jedi. Saw rolled his eyes when Lux told him that, thinking it that was a load of bantha shit, but he was pleasantly surprised when Lux's plan worked and they gained an audience with the Jedi Council.
He despised the thought of admitting they needed help, even against a droid army that outnumbered them by thousands, but he knew it was inevitable. They barely had weapons, no equipment and no guidance. Their rebellion was small and green by most standards, just ordinary people fighting back against the oppression of their home world. They don’t know a single thing about what it takes to win a war, and if Saw was honest with himself, neither did he. He knew how to fight like a soldier, he knew how to survive, but to win? That was a whole different art in itself. One he planned on mastering.
And when the Jedi arrived as advisors, Saw supposed he could respected them enough. He hadn't expected the Republic to send General Kenobi and General Skywalker themselves to Onderon — two of the biggest names in the Grand Army of the Republic. Perhaps the Republic did care, after all.
And then there was the kid — a Padawan, the Jedi called her — Ahsoka. She was a good teacher for someone so young, but then again he assumed she was just about the same as Lux and Steela, and Steela was both a soldier and leader in her own right. They were just a bunch of kids forced to fight in a war they never asked to be a part of.
Saw wished they would've sent more clone troopers, real soldiers to help teach them how to fight the separatists, but at least they had brought the best of the Jedi, and the best they had to offer in Skywalker's second-in-command, Captain Rex. Saw had assumed they brought the Captain of the famed 501st because he was the man for the job when it came to whipping “shinies” into shape… or rebel insurgents.
It wasn’t often Saw found himself immediately enamored by someone else, especially by their persistence and focus — usually it was himself who he found himself prideful of in that regard — but the Clone Captain had been all business since stepping foot on Onderon. Saw hadn’t expected anything less from a clone trooper, yet he still found himself almost fascinated. Intrigued, is perhaps a better word.
Saw couldn’t help but cross his arms over his chest as he watched Rex hustle his own troops, his own Rebels. Saw had to admit, Rex was a natural born leader; well, he may have been genetically bred for this, but Saw found himself studying the clone more intently than he did with the Jedi.
He took notice of the way Rex’s lips were almost always curved into a subtle frown, his eyes narrowing as he observantly watched the Rebels practice taking down different Separatist equipment. He was all business. Saw couldn’t help but want to crack through his veneer of professionalism, if there was anything else underneath. If there was anything more to clone troopers besides rigid discipline and unquestionable obedience.
He saw Steela in the corner of his eye talking with Lux — somehow Lux was the only one who made her crack a genuine smile these days — and noticing that she was kept busy herself, decided to approach the Captain. He was alone, staring off into the jungle, almost deep in thought. He seemed to have no one else to keep him company with the Rebels taking a break from practice and the Jedi standing off in the corner of the camp talking to each other. Saw wondered what he was thinking about, what Rex thought of his planet. Saw wondered what Rex would think of Iziz. Home.
“Captain,” Saw cleared his throat, rumbling out a deep voice as he stood to the left of Rex. He kept his arms crossed over his chest as he found himself trying to appear bigger, trying to hide something he knew Rex wouldn't be able to see. He was already a few inches taller than Rex — Saw was always grateful he at least had his height going for him — but the clone was far bulkier than Saw. Built like a real soldier. “Suppose you’re used to fighting in jungles like these, huh?”
This wasn’t the first time they had spoken — Saw had tried bringing up a conversation earlier when they had carried supplies back to camp together, but Rex had been so focused that he barely paid much mind to Saw’s offhand remarks.
When Rex had noticed the presence of Saw, he instinctively shifted into parade rest, standing straight before Saw waved it away. “At ease. I’m not here to talk to you as a soldier.”
Rex got the message, his shoulders relaxing once more as he looked between Saw and the trees before them. Rex was starting to get hot and itchy inside of the “inconspicuous” black armor Skywalker had forced him to wear because his clone armor would have been too obvious, but he wouldn’t let it show. He was used to being uncomfortable.
Saw had to admit, it was strange to see a clone outside of his usual white, scrapped armor, and he assumed there weren’t many people who had such an opportunity. He wasn’t sure whether to consider himself fortunate or not.
“This certainly isn’t the worst planet I’ve visited,” Rex said gruffly, his hands resting at his sides again. He didn’t mention the names but he was certainly thinking of a few. Geonosis — both times. Felucia… Umbara.
Rex finally turned to look over at Saw, pulling the goggles and hat off of his head as Saw finally got a better look at the clone’s face without the bulky headgear. Rex’s eyes without the goggles covering them were more piercing than he could have imagined, the brown hues a similar shade to the dirt beneath their feet, yet that comparison felt almost insulting. The sun reflected off of his irises giving them a lighter hue, and Saw found sunlight itself being a better description for Rex’s eyes.
Saw could see an outline of sweat around Rex’s eyes from where the goggles had sat, as Rex’s free hand came up to wipe it on his sleeve. Rex, despite his nonchalant facade about Onderon’s climate, was clearly affected by the heat. You should try binding in this heat, Saw almost found himself wanting to mutter before he bit his lip.
Instead, Saw found his eyes following Rex’s movements, and only realized he was staring when Rex raised an almost subtle eyebrow at him. “First time seeing a clone?” The Captain inquired, almost defensively, and Saw immediately went to sputter out a response.
“N-no, I mean, yeah, but—” he almost cursed at himself mid-sentence. Why does he suddenly feel nerves shooting up his spine and his hands getting clammy? He was not nervous, he just didn’t want Rex to get the wrong idea that he was judging him. Far from it, actually. He was just… trying to get a read on him.
“I was just thinking maybe you’d be more comfortable out of all that armor,” Saw decided to say instead, his eyes widening a fraction when he realized what he said could be taken… differently. “I mean, we probably have a spare set of clothes around here somewhere that would better fit this heat. Onderon isn't exactly suited for heavy gear this time of year.”
Rex’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly, a small grunt escaping his lips. Then, out of nowhere, he cracked a small smile. A smirk.
“A soldier without his armor is like an acklay without its claws,” he said, an air of amusement in his tone. Perhaps he found humor in the fact that this human was showing some capacity of concern for him. A huff escaped Rex’s lips, “Focus on what’s important, soldier.”
Soldier? Is Rex going to treat him like he’s one of his men? Saw couldn’t help but purse his lips when he caught sight of that smirk; it was almost mocking, like Rex had found Saw funny. He wasn’t sure whether to take it as a small win, that he could get Rex to smirk — or as an offense, that he didn’t take Saw seriously.
But it also caused something to stir in his gut.
“I’m just being reasonable, Captain,” he said with a small shrug, uncrossing his arms. “Don’t want the Republic’s finest collapsing on the jungle floor from a heat stroke, now do we?”
Rex scoffed, shaking his head. This cocky Onderonian rebel had a bit of spunk… even if he was a little rough around the edges. Perhaps too cocky. Yet Rex found himself not completely annoyed by Saw’s attitude; he was stumbling over his words like a shiny speaking with a high ranking clone officer for the first time. It’s not actually something Rex is unfamiliar with, although Rex often he wondered if his reputation had more to do with being General Skywalker’s Captain than just being Captain Rex.
“Don’t worry about me,” Rex merely murmured, his voice a deep rumble. “I was built for this.”
Saw raised an eyebrow, eyes still watching as a drop of sweat dripped down Rex's forehead, down his cheek, then his chin. But he wasn't going to question the Captain.
“Yeah. Sure.” It looked like Saw wanted to say more, but their moment was interrupted when one of the Rebels called out Saw’s name from the edge of their camp.
Saw turned towards their voice, shooting Rex some sort of “goodbye” look, which was way more smug than it needed to be. Rex merely gave a small nod in return, and he found himself staring at the Onderonian’s back as he watched him walk off. He was a scrawny thing, that was for sure, but he was tall and toned and clearly in good enough shape. He was a soldier, alright. And he was well respected among the Rebels, it was obvious in how they looked up to him and trusted his judgment just as much as they trusted Steela's.
Later that night when Rex returned to the makeshift tent that was set up for him, he was surprised to find a fresh set of clothes sitting on the cot. Rex harrumphed as he kicked his boots off by the entrance of the tent and began to strip out of the armor, his movements sluggish. It was a long day and now that he was alone he was fine with admitting that he was tired and that Onderon was intensely humid, even for him. Damn.
Rex neatly set the pieces of armor beside the cot, careful not to knock anything over. When he was down to just his pants and the thick long sleeved shirt, he reached over for the clothes on the cot, first picking up a tank top. Not very practical, Rex thought to himself, but it seemed like the Onderonians liked to mix a bit of impracticality with their gear — like Saw said, it was too hot on Onderon to wear a full set of body armor without sweating like a bantha in heat.
Rex found himself pulling off his shirt, which was a bit of a struggle from the amount of sweat caked into the thick fabric. He threw it over by his armor and slipped on the tank top which was skintight but not uncomfortable; the material was breathable. Rex let out a sigh of relief.
As he changed into the pants left for him, Rex couldn’t help but notice that the clothes were definitely a few sizes too big for a guy like Saw, which meant that it most likely wasn’t his. Did he steal these from someone else…? Rex pondered, plopping down onto the cot which croaked loudly, clearly not meant to accustom someone like Rex’s weight, but the springs stayed strong as Rex laid down. It had been a long day.
It was early in the morning, right as the sun began to rise, when General Skywalker had decided to keep Rex on Onderon as the Republic’s “advisor” for a while longer before heading back to the frontlines.
"I noticed Ahsoka has been… distracted." Anakin said tentatively as he pulled Rex off to the side of camp. Rex had barely stepped outside of his tent before the General was dragging him away.
Rex furrowed his eyebrows, eyes wandering around the secluded area to make sure they were alone before looking back at his General. The air felt light, the sun casting an orange glow across Anakin's face. "Distracted?" He repeated quietly, hands coming to rest at his sides. Anakin hadn't mentioned anything about Rex changing out of his combat gear and he was silently glad. He didn't want to explain himself to anyone, let alone Anakin.
"She hasn't been focused. I fear her feelings are getting in the way of our purpose here." Anakin frowned slightly, a hand coming up to rest on his chin. "I tried warning her to be mindful of her feelings. I understand she's going to develop crushes, but—" Anakin stopped himself for a moment, exhaling as he shook his head.
Rex watched him with intent, tilting his head. Now that he thought about it, Rex had noticed the way Ahsoka was acting weird all day, catching glimpses of her when he was focused on issuing out his own orders during training drills and practice.
"We have to return earlier than I thought. I already have new orders issued from the Council. I want you to stay here for just a few more days, to make sure the insurgents are well trained and ready for the fight ahead. I don't want all of this to be for nothing, Rex. The Council was already hesitant of our mission here, and if we fail they won't let us take another risk like this again."
Rex nodded, standing up a little straighter. "All three of you are leaving?"
"Soon, yes. Obi-wan is already starting to get sick of the heat, I can tell," Anakin said with an air of amusement. "Just be careful. These Rebels know what they're doing, they just need the correct guidance. Make sure they understand this is more than just fighting droids, but the establishment. They'll have to make their way through the city and take down the center nucleus of the droid army here to even have a chance of clearing out the Separatists. Once the droids are gone, there won't be much more resistance."
"Yes, sir."
As much as Rex would have preferred to return back to the battlefront, he found himself excited to stay with the Rebels.
They were already pretty promising. Determined. Despite their numbers being small, they weren’t deterred. Red had a feeling Saw and Steela both had to do with that — the Onderon Rebels clearly looked up to both of them, are inspired by them.
It was almost like a breath of fresh air, away from the frontlines. This was a whole new mission, though Rex was used to undercover ops. He still had dark scars across his skin from Kadavo.
Shortly after the Jedi had left and Rex was on his own, he kept his comlink turned on just in case he received word he had to return to the 501st before business was finished on Onderon. Rex wasn’t too worried, the 501st was competent enough, some of the best soldiers the GAR had to offer.
Rex stepped away from his tent, the Onderon heat already making him let out a soft sigh. The sun kissed his tan skin like a brutal lover and he knew it was going to be another long day of training.
Saw was already up and about, and Rex could hear the his voice from across the camp. Saw was towering over Lux, the shorter man with a frown etched on his face as the two bickered over something that was probably meaningless.
Saw had suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his eyes darting across the camp, gaze locking on Rex. That was quick. Saw certainly has a keen eye.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Rex could hear him say to Lux, giving his shoulder a light punch before turning away from the late senator’s son. And then he was… walking in the direction of Rex.
Rex’s eyes widened subtly, and he found himself shifting on his feet as Saw inched closer.
“Gerrera,” Rex straightened up, almost in parade rest but not quite. He remembered what Saw said yesterday, about talking as equals. This was new for Rex, engaging with someone that wasn't a part of the military, not having to follow the codes of respect that seep their way into every one of his conversations, whether between his brothers or with his superiors.
Saw stopped in front of Rex and his lips curved into a smirk when he noticed Rex had actually changed into the clothing he had left for him. The clone Captain wore a skintight tank top with his chest gear on top, along with utility belt and holstered DC-17s.
His eyes roamed over Rex’s exposed biceps, which flexed when Rex crossed his arms over his chest. Saw let out a weak noise as his eyes finally found the Captain’s again, who was staring at him with an impatient look. Clearly, when Rex spoke to someone, he was used to getting an answer without delay.
“Captain,” Saw finally said, his own arms crossing. There was something about having a few inches over Rex that made Saw want to tease. Maybe start working his way through cracking that Clone Professionalism. “I see you got the clothes. Thought you said you could handle the heat?”
“Don’t get cocky, Gerrera,” Rex rumbled, tilting his head a fraction. “Though, I will admit you had a… point about the climate.”
“Of course I did,” Saw shrugged. He pursed his lips for a moment, his arms also crossing over his chest as his eyes darted to look across the jungle around them. “Trust me when I say that there isn't nobody else here who knows these jungles more than I do.”
There was an almost thoughtful look on Saw’s face that made Rex pause, like he was reliving something, some painful memory. Rex knew what that was like, to have scars that run deep and bleed through you almost like a second skin.
There was definitely more to Saw Gerrera than what meets the eye.
Rex didn’t say anything, his own eyes taking in the expanse of the jungle himself.
“How long have you led these… Rebels?” Rex found himself asking, pointing around the camp that was beginning to liven up as the Onderon sun rose to its peak. He turned to face Saw again, a look of curiosity in his eyes. Something far more softer than his usual stern expression. It was the first time Rex had looked at him with anything other than a scowl.
“Early on,” Saw replied. “Our king was overthrown and Dooku replaced him with Separatist trash. Steela and I defied the fake kingship and were exiled from Iziz. We’ve been building up our rebellion here in the jungles ever since. More and more of our people have opened their eyes to the dark tyranny the Separatists rule with. They have no regard for our prosperity or way of life.”
Saw thought about the journey it took to get here. Watching Onderon fall before his eyes, the oppression of the droid army that was seen at every corner of the Capital… the rhydonium working camp that still left it's impact, scars both physical and mental.
Saw learned quickly that when it came to war, there was no escaping choosing a side. You always had to make a choice.
“You fought on your own for two years.” Rex said, the statement almost sounding like a question. His eyes were still focused on Saw, which made the Onderonian shift almost uncomfortably. It was a weird feeling for him, to be under such a strong gaze and feel almost intimidated by it. Even by a man almost half a head shorter than him.
“Yeah.” Saw shrugged.
“Two years without any help… that’s admirable.”
Saw disagreed.
“We didn’t exactly have a choice,” He retorted, his arms tightening over his chest. “My planet was invaded and your Republic refused to do anything about it. Who was going to stand up and fight, if not me, or Steela?”
Rex found himself pausing for a moment, his gaze darting away. Saw was a harsh reminder that no matter how many planets he’d fought on, how many civilizations he’d help free, there was always another system that struggled. Though Rex is sure Saw is the last person apart of their rebellion that admitted they needed outside help.
You’re braver than most, Saw Gerrera, Rex found himself wanting to say but he bit his tongue instead.
"Sometimes you have to make do with what you have," Rex said instead. His hands rested behind his back, a military stance that he finds himself falling into out of habit. "The Separatists prey on the weak. Those who can't fight or don't have the resources to. Me and my men have helped many civilizations learn self-sufficiency in the wake of invasions. But you... you've already been fighting back, despite your odds."
Rex had turned to look back at the jungle tree again as he spoke, and when he faced Saw again, he wasn't expecting to see those piercing green eyes start back at him with such intent.
Something in the hot Onderon air crackled in that moment, a mutual understanding between the two men. They're both soldiers hardened from their respective wars against the same enemies, and both of them have their own wounds they have to live with—its a matter of how they heal.