Star Wars: Severed Loyalties: Part 2

One of the clone assassins shifted his weight. Rex thrashed in a desperate attempt to escape before they put binders on him but it did no good. The clones knew how to keep a prisoner down.

"Calm down, Rex," one of them hissed. "We're not the enemy."

They knew his name. Not good. If they knew his name, the probably knew about Ashoka. If they found her, they'd find Cut. Most likely, they wouldn't stop after killing Cut and Ahsoka. They'd kill Suu and the kids too. Anger surged through Rex. He thrashed again but they were too strong.

"Tusker, hold him. I've got to get my helmet off."

Rex felt one of the clones move. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the clone in the blue and white armor reach to take his helmet off.

What is he doing? Rex's curiosity got the better of him and he held still and watched.

The clone took his helmet off. Even in the darkness of the barn, Rex recognized the V shaped tattoo on the clone's face.

"Dogma?" Rex stared at the clone, not believing what he was seeing.

The clone holding Rex released him and stepped away.

Rex climbed to his feet, noting his elbow still hurt. "They told me you were dead."

Dogma nodded. "I heard the same about you. Thought it was true until Tusker and I came here and there you were."

Rex grabbed his pistol off the floor and stuffed it under his shirt. "You should have given me a little more warning. I thought you two were assassins."

Dogma and Tusker looked at each other. Rex didn't like the expression he saw on Dogma's face. Something was wrong. "What is it?"

"We aren't the assassins but there are a pair hunting you." Dogma spat the words out as if they were poisoned. "One of our brothers got murdered on Mandalore. Mav couldn't stop them but he put a tracker on their ship and managed to bug it too. Don't know how that crazy kid did it."

"Who are they hunting?" Rex winced. Now, they know you're not the only person here. He guessed he could trust Dogma but he didn't know Tusker though Dogma trusted him. Rex hoped Dogma was choosing his friends better than he did when Rex knew him before.

"They're looking for a clone with short bleached blond hair." Tusker said. "Why?"

"It's probably better if you don't know anything other than I'm not the only one they'd be hunting on this planet." Rex went to the eopie in the stable. "How close are these assassins?"

"They're poking around one of the bigger towns near here," Dogma said. "Mav's keeping an eye on them."

"I've got to get back to the farm." Rex lead the eopie out of the stable and into the street. He looked both ways, even more paranoid than usual.

"You'll have to run. You can't stay here." Dogma put his helmet on. "You kill these two and they'll send more."

Cut won't want to leave the farm. He's been working on that thing for years. "What if we lead them off planet? Would they expect me to come back?" Rex watched the buildings around them, as if he expected a sniper to appear in one of the windows.

"I doubt they'd think you'd be stupid enough to come back. It might work but staying here wouldn't be very smart." Dogma and Tusker probably thought he was crazy.

"Listen, you two stay here. I'm going to the farm. I'll be back."

Dogma touched the blaster at his waste. "What are you planning?"

"I'm going to let them see me. Be the bait so they'll follow me. I'll get off the planet and once I'm far enough away, I'll turn the tables on them. Like you said, they won't expect me to come back."

"You're crazier than Fives."

Rex chuckled. "Have you heard anything about him?"

Dogma chuckled. "I don't think he's increased in rank at all since you deserted, might have even been bumped down a notch or two. Has a little trouble following orders but he's smart enough to keep his head down."

Rex suppressed a smile. "Nothing new there."

"You two can catch up later," Tusker grumbled. "Rex, warn your friends." He tossed a comlink to Rex. "We'll tell you if anything changes."

"Thanks." Rex kicked the eopie in the sides and the thing took off, headed toward Cut's farm.

When he got to the farm, Ahsoka met him. "What's wrong?" Rex wondered if her Jedi powers let her know something was off or if it was just logic and the way he moved.

"Assassins."

Ahsoka darted back into Cut's place and came back a second later with her lightsabers. Cut followed her out, a rifle slung over his shoulder.

"How do you know?" Cut looked as if he didn't want to believe Rex.

Rex climbed off the eopie. "Dogma and another clone showed up here because there are assassins in the area. They're after me so I'm going to lead them off and then kill them."

"It's too dangerous." Cut's words were almost a plea. Rex was the only brother he had left.

"I'll be going with him." Ashoka touched one of the lightsabers on her belt.

Rex shook his head. "No. You stay here. If my plan doesn't work, Cut and Suu will need help protecting the kids."

Ahsoka's shoulders slumped. "I'll take them to Baar Nik's place. They'll be safe with his family."

Rex didn't trust their Torguta neighbors but he doubted they were the ones who turned him in. They've seen enough to know there's more than one clone here. If they'd turned him in, Dogma and Tusker would have known there was more than one clone around. As much time as Ahsoka spent with Baar, there was a chance the neighboring family even had suspicions about Jedi.

Rex went into the house and grabbed extra ammunition for his blaster, then picked up his second blaster.

"Do you trust these two clones?" Cut's voice was grim.

"I knew Dogma and I think I can trust the other one. It isn't like I have much other choice. If we don't do this, the assassins will get all of us. I'm not letting that happen."

Cut and Ahsoka stood watching Rex. Both of them wore defeated expressions.

"I'll see you later." I hope. The kids and Suu were at the barn. Rex waved goodbye to them and they waved back. He wanted to go to them and tell them goodbye in a more serious way but Shaeeah and Jek were both old enough to figure out something was wrong if he did that. He didn't want to frighten them.

Rex rode toward the town, knowing he was riding into danger. Just like old times.