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“Commander Skywalker?”
The unfamiliar voice drew Luke’s attention from the fireworks lighting the dark Endor sky. Glancing to his right, he saw a white-bearded man dressed in a strike team uniform.
“You’re Commander Luke Skywalker.” The man took a step closer. “Aren’t you?”
“I am.” Luke couldn’t keep the confusion out of his voice. Do I know him? The soldier was easily 70, though he carried himself with the bearing of a man half his age. Eyes alert, voice clear and crisp, back straight, he looked spry enough to scale the tallest tree on Endor. Everything about the man screamed career soldier. Five years with the Alliance and Luke could tell the Imp defectors from those who stumbled in by some twist of fate. Besides, most people who came from the civilian side were Luke’s age to maybe ten years older. Someone this man’s age had probably been around since the Clone Wars.
The man looked nervous suddenly. “I, ah…” He took off his helmet and ran a hand over his bald head. “This is awkward.”
Yes. Yes it is, Luke thought, but held his tongue.
“I, well, I’m Commander Rex.” The man—Rex—introduced himself. “I’m General Solo’s first in command.”
“Have we met?” Luke asked. Though this Rex looked familiar, Luke didn’t recall meeting anyone on Han’s strike team.
What does Han’s commander want with me?
“No.” Rex shook his head. “We haven’t.” Something about Rex made Luke feel as if the man saw right through his soul. “But I knew your father.”
Luke’s jaw dropped. “W-what?”
Rex seemed to relax a little now that the admission was out of the way. “He was my general. In the Clone Wars.” The other commander gave an impish smile. “I’m a clone.”
“A Fett clone?” Luke asked incredulously, suddenly realizing where he’d seen Rex’s face before: an image of Jango Fett in a school lesson from a lifetime ago.
Rex’s expression turned wry, almost cheerfully defiant. “Reports of our collective demise are greatly exaggerated.”
Clone? General? The questions were forming in Luke’s head faster than he could give them voice. “You served under my father?” He finally managed.
“Anakin Skywalker, correct?” Rex asked.
Luke nodded dumbly.
“Then yes.” Rex nodded, his eyes warming. “I was his first in command.”
“I didn’t know he was a general.” Luke remembered learning that the Jedi had served as generals in the war, but it had never occurred to him Anakin would have been among them. Wouldn’t Obi-Wan have mentioned it?
Maybe not. Obi-Wan hadn’t mentioned a lot of things.
“He was.” Rex confirmed, warm admiration shining in his dark eyes. “The best and brightest in the Grand Army of The Republic.” He sobered. “I wanted to know…do you know what happened to him? I could never reach him after the war.”
He turned to the dark side and spent the last 20 years as the Emperor’s enforcer. A few hours ago he came back to the light right before he died. I just burned his body.
Luke was not about to say that to Rex.
“As far as I know he died in Operation Knightfall,” Luke answered as evenly as he could. It was true enough. From a certain point of view, the Rebel-turned-Jedi thought ruefully.
“I see.” Rex’s slump was just barely noticeable. “I suppose I always knew. I just thought that if anyone could have survived…the end, General Skywalker could.”
Luke gave a fractional shrug. “I wish I had a better answer.” I do, but if I gave you that answer, it would destroy you.
The same way it would have destroyed me.
Rex had obviously known Anakin well. Respected and admired him. Luke couldn’t bring himself to take that from the clone.
Do you see now why I kept the full truth from you? A voice that sounded a lot like Obi-Wan Kenobi said in Luke’s mind. Maybe it was really Obi-Wan, maybe it was just Luke’s own subconscious. Wherever it came from, it was right.
Luke hated to admit it, but he did see now.
“So do I, Commander. But I understand.” Rex gave a respectful nod. “Thank you.” He turned to go.
“The best and brightest in the Grand Army of The Republic.”
Luke could not let this opportunity go.
“Wait!” The Jedi called.
Rex looked back. “Yes?”
“Can you tell me about him?” Luke blurted before he could lose his nerve.
“Oh, Commander Skywalker.” The smile that spread across Rex’s face erased decades from his appearance. “It would be my great honor.”