“Serra… do you know who’s been stationed on Mandalore?”
“No, who?”
“Ahsoka Tano. I’d bet this is her we’ve picked up!”
“Really?! I thought she had left the Order?” Serra asked.
“Yes, but she still wanted to assist with the war effort. Started out with intelligence gathering, which led up to the Siege of Mandalore. But when Obi-Wan and Anakin were called back to rescue the Chancellor, she returned to active duty to command the battalion of clones. As far as I know, she’s been there ever since.”
“I hope it is her… she’s been through so much, I just want to know she’s alright…”
Malik grimaced at remembering Ahsoka’s expulsion and trial. He had come so close during that time to leaving the Order himself, but he decided to stay after a long talk with Serra and Cin Drallig. The fact that Obi-Wan had furiously defended Ahsoka in spite of the Council’s majority opinion gave him hope that the possibility of a better future still existed. Shaking his head, he pushed those painful memories from his mind as they entered the cargo bay, finding the escape pod sealed shut.
“Let’s see what we’ve got,” Malik said, reaching for the hatch release.
“I’m ready, just in case,” Serra replied, a hand on her lightsaber.
Malik nodded in agreement; no sense in being careless. They did not yet know if the occupant was indeed friend or enemy. He pulled the lever, and the pod hissed as it depressurized and opened. Malik peered inside, but the occupant was hidden by a shadow.
“Good lord, I can’t believe somebody found me!” came a gruff male voice.
Malik tensed up; he knew the distinctive voice coming from the pod, as he had been surrounded by that voice throughout the entire war. As the occupant stepped forward, Malik drew his lightsaber, Serra responding in kind.
“Clone trooper,” he seethed.
“We’ve gotta do something before he contacts the Empire!” Serra protested.
“Wait! I mean you no harm!” the clone replied, throwing his hands up. “My guns are on my hip; take them as you please.”
“What are you doing here, clone?” Malik demanded with more than a bit of hostility in his voice. The last clones he and Serra had seen had tried to kill them, and had already slain many of their friends. As he spoke, Serra used the Force to disarm him of his weapons.
“My name’s not clone, General Ran.”
“You know me then?”
“Know you?! You saved a dozen of my men from certain death on Geonosis!”
“No… CT-7567?!”
“That is my official designation. But as you well know, my friends call me Rex,” he replied with a grin.