Headcanon:
Mace’s relationship with Ponds is built upon empathy and warmth. They understand and respect each other. They try their best to save as many men as possible. If one has a bad day, it is met with serenity and understanding. Perhaps a warm meal. Or maybe something of their own passion such as theater or radio talk shows. One time when Ponds while escorting Mace back to his quarters rerouted to the creche, letting Mace back in the light and innocence younglings still had. Mace returned this act after a long battle by showing Ponds and a couple of squads from the 91st that had it the roughest one of his favorite family ran restaurants the Coruscant mid levels. He apparently knew the family from a mission when he was a padwan. So several stories where shared between them all. These two give each other stability and small quiet moments of sanity they desperately need. MEANWHILE NEYO AND MACE ARE SALT BUDDIES. They spend hours bitching to each other about what bullshit they had to deal with. They judge other officers choices. They roast the shit out of bad movies. If one of them has a bad day, it’s to the sparring mat they go! They sass each other and often have playful banter. Neyo some times goes through the huge trouble of getting theater tickets via The Clone Black Market that totally dose not exist and he purposely choses the ones with bad writing/acting. Just so he can hear Mace shit talk the 3 hour show. Mace returns the favor by sending pictures of generals and admirals he sees disobeying dress/conduct codes. These two are secret shit lords who can ruin your day but chose not to because they’re above it.