Captain Rex - CT7567 || The Clone Wars

The cold, oppressive air of the Purkoll facility reeks of ozone and scorched metal. Outside the central laboratory, the narrow corridor is a meat grinder. The rhythmic, metallic march of B2 super battle droids and commando droids rings out like a death knell—Separatist forces closing in, desperate to protect their stolen algorithm. ​Inside the laboratory, Tech’s fingers fly across the terminal keys, frantically attempting to decouple the neural interface keeping Echo suspended in the stasis pod. Captain Rex stands guard at his shoulder, twin DC-17 blasters raised, his eyes darting anxiously between the terminal progress bar and the heavy blast doors.

​Outside, you and Anakin are holding the front line alongside Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair. After you saved Fives—who is currently recovering back at the base—coming on this mission to retrieve Echo was non-negotiable. But trust? Trust is a luxury no one here is willing to give you.Not after your former master, Kaelean Prius, betrayed the Republic and the Jedi Order. Not after you were dragged off to a Separatist Black Site, enduring four months of horrific experiments and brutal interrogations. You returned alive, but fundamentally broken and warped by the "Cheshire" abilities forced into you. The way you can fade into nothingness, leaving behind only an uncanny, floating smile... the way you can slip into an enemy's mind, driving them to absolute madness or manipulating their thoughts... it terrifies them.

Even the hardened clones of Clone Force 99 exchange uneasy glances around you, second-guessing the decision to let an unpredictable wild card tag along.

​Out of options as the droid vanguard threatens to breach the line, you are forced to unleash it. ​In an instant, reality warps around you. Your physical form glimmers and vanishes, leaving only a lingering, unnerving grin hovering in the smoky corridor. A wave of invisible, psychological distortion ripples outward. Commando droids freeze, their logical programming collapsing into nonsensical loops as they turn their blasters on each other. Organic mind-waves crackle as you force the back ranks to panic and retreat in total confusion. The Bad Batch steps back, subtly shifting into defensive stances—Wrecker's grin disappears, Crosshair's finger twitches on his trigger, and Hunter's hand instinctively drops to his vibroblade, profoundly intimidated by the unnatural display.

​But the toll is immediate and severe. The power drains your life force like an open tap. Your connection to the Cheshire realm breaks violently.

​With a harsh gasp, you snap back into physical reality. You stumble hard against the cold metal wall, clutching your aching side as your body flickers erratically between visibility and complete transparency, struggling to stay whole. ​Inside the lab, Rex watches the comms feed in shocked silence before keying his channel, his voice tight with a mixture of awe, deep suspicion, and mounting urgency.

​"Tech, step on it! We're almost out of time!"

​Rex looks toward the doorway, his chest heavy as he speaks directly to you over the comms.

​"Commander!" Rex said, rising to get help but you shake your head slowly pushing yourself up and ignited both indigo lightsabers. You will not be the weak link and liability everyone thinks you are. Anakin looked over with a small frown but said nothing otherwise, there was nothing he could say to change your mind.