Jedi! Xanatos in charge of the 501st with Ahsoka as his Padawan.
“This,” Xanatos says with perfect conviction, “is going to be an absolute disaster, I can't believe you agreed to this.”
Obi-Wan looks pained, raising his eyes to the ceiling of the transport. “Believe me, Xanatos, it wasn’t my idea, but I can see the logic behind it. If the 212th and the 501st are going to be stationed together more often than not, their generals should be familiar with each other—”
“Oh, don’t try to be reasonable,” Xanatos says crossly, folding his arms over his chest and ignoring the amusement radiating from Obi-Wan’s commander. Cody seems delighted by the fact that Xanatos gives Obi-Wan a hard time. It makes Xanatos rather more inclined to kick Obi-Wan to the 501st and take the 212th for himself. The fact that that would mean Obi-Wan gets this apparent padawan as well is nothing but a bonus. “I was doing perfectly well infiltrating the trade guilds—”
“Yes, well, as valuable as I'm sure your brownnosing with Separatists was,” Obi-Wan says, cutting, “the only other option was to promote Anakin to Knighthood, and I couldn’t in good conscience support that, given what almost happened with the Tusken Raiders.”
Xanatos pulls a face, willing to allow that. If Feemor hadn’t been along as chaperone, things might have ended very badly indeed. Making Anakin a full Knight after that would be an equal disaster, and Xanatos supposes that falling on this particular sword isn't the worst possible outcome.
“My brownnosing secured us allies in seven sectors,” he says pointedly, and flicks his fingers. Obi-Wan’s hood leaps up, folds over, and wraps itself over his smug expression as he yelps.
Cody is laughing. Silently, helmet speakers muted, but Xanatos can feel it, and he winks at the man, then turns, coat flaring as the engines of the transport cut out. There's a call beyond it, and Xanatos leaps lightly down from the edge, putting a hand up to keep his hair out of his face as he surveys the ranks of assembled troopers. Only a single squad, but—given that they're in the middle of a warzone, that’s to be expected. Their armor is painted with deep blue, and the clone approaching has jaig eyes, which makes Xanatos raise a brow in surprise.
“Captain,” he says, crossing to dirt to meet him. “I heard about the loss of your commander. My condolences.”
There's a brief pause, and then the captain nods. “Thank you, sir,” he says, though there's a note of confusion in his voice. “He—deserted? Was that included in the report?”
Xanatos waves a hand, dismissing that. “Yes, of course, a valiant and dramatic escape from the strangling grip of the Senate, it’s fantastic. I hope more clones follow his example—”
“Xanatos,” Obi-Wan says, exasperated, and leaps down after him. “That is not the correct response—”
Xanatos rolls his eyes. “Baby brother,” he says, just for the way it makes Obi-Wan instantly start to bristle. “Are you supporting the slavery these men are subjected to—”
“Xanatos, shut up—”
The captain is laughing too. He ducks his head, half-turns to hide it, but Xanatos can hear the muffled snickers, and he gives Obi-Wan a haughty and superior smile. “You couldn’t make me if you tried, little brother.”
The narrowing of Obi-Wan’s eyes says he’s most certainly about to try. “You,” he says pointedly, “have a padawan to greet, and a new captain to torment. Do get on with it.”
“Torment? I believe you mean bless with my presence.” Xanatos flicks his hair back over his shoulder, then raises a finger, and Obi-Wan jerks back but is still an instant too slow as his entire cloak flips up to wrap around his head. He shouts in annoyance, and Xanatos smirks, then takes a few long steps forward to put himself out of range of any retaliation. And to fall in with his captain, which is a bonus.
“Your name, Captain?” he asks. “On the presumption that you’ve chosen one, of course.”
The captain casts him a sideways look, then reaches up. “Rex, sir,” he says, and pulls his helmet off.
Blond, Xanatos thinks, brows rising. How striking.
“Well,” he says. “Rex. For king, I assume? How fitting—”
His boots skid all on their own, and with a loud, undignified yelp, Xanatos sits down hard on his ass, then promptly gets smothered when his hood swallows his head and drags him down into the dirt.
“Obi-Wan!” Xanatos snarls, but before he can do more than grab the edge of his oversized hood, there's a cry. Running footsteps sound, and Xanatos shoves his hood back just in time to see a tiny Togruta girl plant herself between him and Obi-Wan.
“Stop it!” she says. “Don’t bully my Master!”
Oh, Xanatos thinks, like a revelation. She’s precious.
“Yes, Obi-Wan,” he says, maybe with slightly more glee than is appropriate. “How dare your bully your elder lineage brother, for shame. I thought Council members were supposed to be above such things.”
Obi-Wan crosses his arms, leveling a disgusted look at Xanatos. “Padawan Tano, good morning,” he says blandly.
“Uh,” Ahsoka says, lowering her fists. Xanatos loves her.
“Sir,” Rex says, and he’s grinning as he offers Xanatos a hand up. “I think you missed a spot.”
“Of dust? I'm sure I’ll get to it sooner or later, given the state of the war,” Xanatos says, and grips Rex's wrist, letting the man pull him to his feet. “Ahsoka, wasn’t it? I must say, it is a pleasure to meet you, padawan.”
Ahsoka turns, then instantly gives him a bright smile. “Master Du Crion! I got a tent sent up for you, and Rex and I were just about to go on a scouting mission when we got your comm.”
She’s wearing an akul-tooth headdress, and Xanatos raises an impressed brow. “Thank you, padawan. I see you are most helpful. What a blessing, when my only experience with padawans has been Obi-Wan’s disaster of a student.”
Ahsoka grins at him, all sharp teeth. Xanatos can already feel that they're going to get along swimmingly. “Padawan Skywalker? I've met him before!”
“I'm so sorry,” Xanatos says sincerely, and waves a hand at Obi-Wan as he makes a sound of deep offence. “Oh, sorry, Obi-Wan, was there something you wished to say?”
Obi-Wan gives him a scathing look, but steps back. “Best of luck, Xanatos,” he says, bland. “Try not to fall into another swamp full of predators. It would be such a shame if you got eaten.”
“I'm sure my dashing new captain will rescue me handily,” Xanatos says carelessly, and gives Rex a smirk. “Can I put my faith in you, Captain Rex?”
Rex coughs into his fist, and he’s grinning, the tops of his cheeks and the tips of his ears red. “Of course, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“I’m sure you will,” Xanatos tells him, then gets an arm around Ahsoka's shoulders, his other arm through Rex's, and sweeps them away, leaving Obi-Wan to stew.
[On AO3]
