maskormenacelogs | chip reveal part 2

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chip reveal part 2

WHO: Poe, Rex and 622
WHERE: A motel outside the Air Force Base in Heropa
WHEN: wibbly wobbly timey whimey
WHAT: Rex knows, time to tell the bae.
WARNINGS: mentions of brainwashing, conditioning, child soldiers, etc...

Neutral territory.

That had been the most important point, for Poe. His relationship with 622 already involved a high consideration for neutral territory, but this, in particular, was going to require somewhere that 622 could at least feel relatively safe. His home might have worked, but his home would also put Poe in direct contact with Akobi, and at the moment there was a high chance that Poe would punch the man on sight. If Akobi knew the control chips existed...

Yeah. Poe was better off never knowing.

So, he'd settled on here. Explained to Rex why his house wouldn't work (a jedi), why Poe's house wouldn't work (rebels + a sort of jedi) and why 622's house wouldn't work (potential fist fight). He explained that he and 622 often met here - a little motel just outside of the Air Force base in Heropa, somewhere that was neutral for both of them and where they could just hang out together and not worry about the rest of their universe for a little while.

But then Poe had found out about the chips, and everything went to hell.

It had taken days before he and Andy managed to agree to tell Rex. Poe had avoided 622 the whole time, begging off work, as he couldn't trust his TMI power to not blurt everything when it shouldn't. It was awful, waiting, and he was frustrated and annoyed with it, even if he knew he had to.

He couldn't tell 622 this alone. He wouldn't be believed. And he needed 622 to understand that this wasn't coming from a place of anti-imperialism. Rex was the best ally he had, there, and since Rex was going through it himself... Well. Poe really hadn't needed to think about it too hard, before asking Rex for his help.

He arranged with 622 to meet at the motel - an arrangement that wasn't out of the ordinary for their habits, and then went there with Rex to wait. He didn't talk much. He paced, going over the words he wanted to use in his mind over and over, writing and rewriting again and again, sometimes muttering it under his breath.

It didn't take too long for 622 to arrive, as punctual as ever, and Poe opened the door immediately, Rex standing further back in the room as he swallowed.

"Hey," He said, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to the side of 622's cheek by way of greeting before stepping back.

"Rex is here, too. We need to talk to you."

He'd already told Rex that he wanted to say a couple things before the man just jumped into the meat of it, but. Well.

Here went nothing.

He gestured back to a couple of arm chairs across from the two carefully made beds. "You should probably take a seat."

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Things had seemed fine for a while. Poe was still recovering from his port out, but the initial shock had settled. More nightmares, that was obvious from the nights they spent together. He wasn't sure whether the training missions and air shows Poe was doing were enough of a help, though. They were giving him more structure, but not much direction.

He'd been thinking about that over the past few days, but--well, Poe had put a lot of effort into being truthful to him. If there was something that needed sorting out, Poe would tell him. The call to the motel was a good sign, regardless of what it was for. Once he was off his shift for Aegis, he headed straight for Heropa.

He wasn't expecting anyone else to be there. It drew him up short for a moment, standing in the doorway. Why had Rex come here too? Why hadn't Poe mentioned this before he'd gotten here?

He couldn't think of an answer. He stepped inside cautiously, but the suggestion to take a seat didn't really sink in. "What's going on?"

Poe wouldn't have let Rex tackle this discussion on his own, which was fair enough. Rex wouldn't let Poe tackle it alone if he'd tried. This is clone business - the sort of thing that ought to be kept between them and their closest allies and partners. Somewhere down the line, for all of their fraught history, Poe had become one of the staunchest allies they could depend on, albeit one that's frankly more passionate about the whole debate than Rex and 622 seem to be.

Passion's not what they need here and now. But Rex knows he can count on Poe to hold his tongue here, to say what must be said so that they can sort this out as a team and figure out where to go next. All Rex knows now is that everyone needs to be aware, but he hasn't got any damn clue as to what to do next, or when to do it, or who the hell they'll even be able to call upon for assistance for something of this kind.

But they've got to take things one step at a time. "I'm sorry, 622. It's nothing good." Rex remains standing, nearly looking as though he's at attention, every inch the Captain that he used to be. It's easier, in times like this, to fall back on old dynamics. 622 was never one of his own men, but things have been close enough to count.

"We recently learned of technology that's been housed in Republic clones. In myself, and my brothers. A control chip, meant to ensure our obedience," he says, seriously but matter-of-fact. "There's a good chance it's in you as well."

This was serious. Whatever was going on, he knew before Rex said anything, his body language made that clear. Poe's too, he'd begun slowly learning to read him over the past few months, like he would with fellow clones or his commander. It shifted him into a different mode of thinking almost instantly. A bad report was coming in, take the information in it and figure out how to keep moving.

And Rex got straight to it. It wasn't anything he could have expected.

A control chip. If it was in him too, then--That would answer a lot of his questions. It wouldn't just be the conditioning, it would be a real, literal programming that had happened. He'd be programmed to be loyal. Maybe programmed to prefer the idea, too.

And that would mean he had malfunctioned, right at the end. Might still be.

Too much speculation. Being on Earth had changed him. Maybe that meant it wasn't true. "How reliable is this information?"

"It's not just information, 622," Poe replied quietly, his voice weirdly subdued. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, his spine straight, his eyes sympathetic but there was a dark edge to his gaze.

He was mad. He was never going to stop being mad, about this. He was going to be mad about this until he died, or the porter took him, or someone ripped the knowledge from his brain. But he wasn't mad at 622, and the clone didn't deserve it, so he was keeping it as tightly controlled as he was able.

It just happened that his feelings always had a habit of leaking out everywhere.

"Andy found out. From someone here." He put a hand up before 622 could argue, because he knew that didn't make it reliable but he wasn't finished. "She told me, and - We couldn't just leave it, so..." He let out a hard breath. "Rex got scanned. Third party, not our universe. It's there."

His voice almost sounded hollow.

"I want... I want to believe that you don't have it, but the chance of that tech being there and then not continuing to be used..." He trailed off. He was working damn hard not to point fingers at the Empire, here, and the only way he could really do it was reminding himself that the Republic started it first.

Even if the idea made him physically ill.

They'd already gone and confirmed it for Rex. That settled half of it.

And now it finally made sense why Rex was so loyal to the Jedi. If they were programmed to be loyal, then the Jedi must have been taking advantage of that. If the Empire still did--maybe that was how they were all able to stop following the Jedi too.

But--wait. Who could have known? If it was Akobi, then he would have been able to say if he had one too. He would have known that, wouldn't he? It would make sense. But if Akobi didn't know, maybe he didn't have one.

Thinking in circles again. But his face had shut down already, so for once his trying to sort things out wouldn't be obvious. "Who told Andy?"

He could see it. He could see the way 622 was shutting down, could read it in the man's face, in his posture. He hadn't seen him close down this badly in a long time.

He hated this. He didn't want to say who it was. He knew how bad it was going to sound. But he'd promised. No lies.

Even by omission.

"Kanan." He finally replied, his voice still that weird, tense quiet tone.

He could have left it there. Probably should have. But he couldn't take this, couldn't take watching the information settle so uncomfortably into 622's bones. He couldn't let that be the only thing sinking into 622's brain. He refused. He refused to let the people who did this keep hurting him from a universe away.

He stepped up to 622, reaching out to put a hand on either arm, meeting his gaze with a heavy, resolute one of his own.

"Listen," He murmured. "We don't know what this means. I don't know - I don't know exactly how it was used, or if they used it more than once, or if it was a back up measure or if it was - if it was something constant, but it--" He cut off. Took a breath. Steady voice. Steady gaze. "Whatever happens, I've got you. Because that thing isn't you. It isn't you, it isn't Rex, and that's damn obvious to anyone who's known you for two fucking minutes. Force knows that's what happened to me. Whatever happens - whatever you want to do, or not want to do - I've got your back. Because I love you, 622." He wished that didn't sound as edged as it did, as if it was rooted in defiance to an enemy he couldn't even fight. He tried to put as much softness and care into it that he could, but it was impossible to push away the anger that underlay it.

"I love you, and I know who you are, regardless of what pieces or people originally made you. And I trust you. This hasn't changed that, and it's not going to."

A Jedi had known. He'd first encountered that one almost a year ago. All this time, a Jedi probably had that information, and had said nothing. That took it out of the realm of speculative threat and made it an active threat. Rex could be subject to their orders at any time.

But now he didn't know if he could be a danger as well. Akobi was his commander, but the Jedi had all technically been generals, hadn't they? What if he had a chip as well, and without real orders from high command, with the Purge ended a year before he died--

Stop. Deal with all the rest later. Think about the other things Poe had said later. There was only one thing that had to be addressed now.

"I'm a potential security risk. Until my status is verified, I can't trust that my judgement will be sound."

When Poe starts talking, as passionate as he always is, Rex gets a sudden feeling that he oughtn't be here for this. It's too personal. Personal in a way that 622 may not be comfortable with demonstrating in front of someone he clearly sees as a superior officer still, no matter how much he and 622 both try to battle that; he's told the kid that he's to call him Rex, not sir, but the moment things get hairy, they both fall back into those old roles. They just can't seem to let it go.

Hell, maybe they were programmed not to. It's hard not to doubt everything these days. But then 622 shuts down entirely and while it's difficult to see, at least that's something he knows what to do with. Something Poe knows what to do with too, he reckons. It can't be the first time he's seen it. And, Rex thinks, it can't be the first time someone who feels as deeply as Poe has given him that little speech either, about love and trust. He and Andy are far more reticent than Poe is and they've certainly exchanged it frequently enough.

He takes a breath, stepping forward. All of the doubt and fear and despair he'd shown Poe and Andy glimpses of when he'd found out are gone, replaced by an air of certainty and authority, as though this isn't something that affects him at all. "Our judgment is as sound as it's ever been," Rex counters. "This has been in us since birth, kid. Nothing's changed. We're just changing it ourselves. Here and now. We have no reason to believe that there are those that will take advantage of this condition when they haven't in the past."

He shakes his head. "Speculation won't help matters. First, we verify you have one as well. And then we take care of it. Simple as that."

It doesn’t take.

He knows he’s fighting a losing battle. 622 is shutting down, for good reason, and Poe’s just not getting through to him. He’s grateful when Rex steps forward because it gives him a few seconds to pull himself together where he’s not in focus. He’s never been good at hiding his feelings, and this particular one - an aching despair - it not one that either of the clones needs to see, right now.

So he stepped back. Forced himself to take a breath, to steel himself. Okay. 622 needed straightforward answers, right now.

“Andy mentioned Danger could scan for it,” He offered, his face grim.

Edited 2019-05-10 04:21 (UTC)

Their circumstances were different. Rex followed Jedi, and he was loyal to the Empire. There was no way to know whether some more subtle pressure had been exerted here, to keep him from acting against the Jedi, or something he simply couldn't remember--

Rex was right. Speculation didn't help. That was how rumor and panic spread, not strength. He took a deep, slow breath. Poe gave him a focus. A way to start acting, rather than thinking. He wasn't calm, but it was enough to keep him cold at least.

"I need to get authorization." His commander needed to know about this. "If I get a yes, it should happen as soon as possible."

It took everything in him to remain impassive - the only outward sign of the flare of anger in his breast was the slight tightening of his fist at his side.

The fact that 622 would need to ask permission for something like this made him incalculably angry. But since it was aimed at Akobi, he was determined not to let it show.

“Do it. I can’t come with you to talk to him, though. If I find out he knew about them before hand, I—“ He cut off. Forced himself to calm. “I just don’t want to be in a position where I can disappoint you. So you’ll have to talk to him without me. But as soon as you have the yes—“ Because Akobi had better give him a yes - “I’ll contact Andy and Danger and we’ll get you scanned as soon as possible. Okay?”

Edited 2019-05-12 20:37 (UTC)

And what if he doesn't? Rex wants to demand. It makes him want to shake the man. What if he doesn't? If Akobi ordered him not to get it removed, would he live in fear of his own braini forever? How far do those orders go? At which point would 622 straighten up and disobey? His own hand curls into a fist by his side, and he glances quickly over at Poe to see that he appears to feel very much the same way that he does.

But if Akobi says no, then he's a far worse man than Rex suspects him to be. He has to do precisely what he's telling 622 to do. Take it as it comes. If it becomes a problem, they deal with it. But there's no need to make a hypothetical a problem now.

"Speak with him," he says carefully. "The important people in your life deserve to know. Andy knows."

Perhaps that's the difference between them - Rex has little to no contact with his superior officers, and he doesn't intend to speak with them prior to the chip's removal. The only person that needs to know right now is Andy, and he does. She's who he answers to. 622... 622's relationship with his commanding officer had never disintegrated. They're bound to each other. He's bound to Akobi as much as he is to Poe.

"After he's been made aware, we'll explore our options. But it can be removed safely. There's precedence for that. It will be done."

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chip reveal part 2

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this tag could otherwise be called "poe dameron, your timing..."

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