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kiwikipedia · 3 years ago

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Never Forget What I Have Endured

Chapter 4: The Commander’s Thoughts

Fandom(s): Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Expanded Universe

Rating: T/M (Swearing, Gore, Major Character Death, possible later happenings, AU Bullshit, Angst to High Hell)

Summary: In an instant, the world exploded into color and smoke- and then nothing. And the Temple Guard were so easy to pin a crime on considering how they were sworn to silence. AKA: Even though Barriss joined the Guard, the flow of time only altered a bit. The bombs still go off, but the Temple Guard are put to blame instead of Ahsoka.

Notes: AU bullshit, Same universe as We Who Listen To Many And Speak To Few meaning its nibeul’s Temple Guard Barris AU

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More internal monologuing / thoughts in this chapter, but it's from Wolffe's perspective! Nice ™

There were many mixed feelings in the GAR in regards to the Jedi, Wolffe knew.

And that meant that with the bombing of the Jedi Temple’s Hangar, more and more mixed feelings were beginning to surface. There was some outrage, some confusion, some grief and pain— but mostly his brothers from other Battalions were confused on how something like this could have happened.

The Jedi were powerful, how could something like this happen to them? And at their Temple, nonetheless! Some had asked that question to one another, others had voiced concern and general confusion on the matter, but things remained the same— the Jedi were strong, and the Clones were all confused on how someone had managed to deal this much damage to them.

But Wolffe knew better.

Well, no. Perhaps that wasn’t right.

Wolffe knew that it was useless to be under the impression that the Jedi Temple was immune to attack. It wasn’t, one would just have to be extremely brilliant or incredibly stupid to think to attack it with all those Jedi inside of it. He knew that not every Jedi was out on the front lines at once, knew that a good number of Jedi were at the Temple at one time.

One would have to be stupid to attack the Temple.

And yet, someone had, and lives had been lost— good lives. Lives of Jedi and Civilian alike. Lives of Clones too— One of his own too.

Sweetie had been a good medic, a good man, and Ghost was still mourning the loss of their youngest medical officer, as was Ember.

Wolffe was certain that once the real culprit was found, the boys would give them hell. If none of the others managed to get to them first.

And it wasn’t as if he wasn’t mourning either, something inside of his chest twisted and ached knowing that the youngest of the Medic team in the 104th had been killed, just like that. But he knew the Jedi were not infallible, and that it could’ve been any of them or their Generals as well.

(The only solace that he had was that it was faster than his brothers who had been killed in the vacuum of space during the Malevolence Attack. That Sweetie, if he had been in pain, hadn't suffered for very long.)

He, and several other Commanders, had fiercely put down the notion that some of the others were spewing on how it should’ve been the Jedi who suffered more losses— It was their Temple, how was this fair?

It wasn’t. He had to remind them that war wasn’t fair and that they were supposed to be grown fucking men and stop shifting blame even though he wanted nothing more than to pin the blame on someone just to get the ache off his chest too.

Insult was only added to injury when the order came down that the Clones on Coruscant would be shifted from off-duty to Temple Guard Duty.

And the reason why they were going to be stationed as Temple Security during their time off only sparked more anger and conflict.

The Jedi Temple Guard were currently being investigated for the bombing of the Temple Hangar.

Wolffe didn’t feel much better than his brothers did, and he wouldn’t try and fool himself that way. He was angry, and he was grieving.

And General Plo? He wasn’t much better. Just as stricken with grief.

Wolffe wanted to talk to him. Desperately.

But the Jedi had been in Council Meetings from the time the clean-up had started, and from then on forwards.

He hadn’t had the chance to meet with his General, none of them had. There was just too much going on, and then the new patrols and learning the Temple’s layout had only made things more complicated.

(He wasn’t sure where the hell the Temple Guard were now that they weren’t able to do their jobs, but honestly, he didn’t care that much.)

Still, it wasn’t all that bad, he supposed. He was off the frontlines, his brothers and men weren’t in danger…

But still... it bothered him.

It ate at him as he continued walking, eyes gazing around the Temple's halls and he sighed quietly as he turned the corner, catching sight of a handful of Jedi.

Plo Koon was one of the Jedi in that group— someone that Wolffe recognized instantly, for obvious reasons. Another that he recognized was Cin Drallig, but he didn't recognize the other two who were with them.

One wad a pink-colored Togruta who stood taller than Drallig and the other Jedi, but shorter than Plo. The other was a human or near-human woman with short brown hair dressed in what looked to be civilian attire— with a skin-tight black dress and maroon cloak over her shoulders— but the lightsaber that seemed to be attached to the pole strapped to her back gave away her position as just a weirdly dressed General

(Something about her was a bit off-putting, though, her skin seemed to be too pale and eyes cloudy as she talked to the other three.)

He couldn’t hear them yet, as he walked the charted-out patrol that had been assigned to him, but they seemed to be deep in conversation, but, it didn’t take long for him to get closer, catching a bit of their conversation as he neared.

“Neither I nor my padawan have been able to pick up any traces of lingering shades within the Hangar,” the woman was saying, “So that lead is useless.”

Plo nodded, seeming solemn as he folded his hands in front of him like he often did.

“Until Master Vos returns, it seems we’ve come to a dead-end on investigating other possibilities,” the Kel Dor sighed, “I apologize, Master Drallig.”

Drallig shook his head. “There’s nothing to be done about it, as long as the Investigations Department is also looking into other factors, I can rest a bit easier.”

“Has the investigation been done on your side?” the Togruta asked, turning to Drallig and tilting their head and he nodded, running a hand down his face.

“Master Sinube, Knight Zax, and the Coruscant Guard have done their investigation, upon which traces of nanodroids were found in… one of the Guard’s Uniforms. We… are not sure whose just yet.”

Wolffe’s eyes narrowed as he listened. There had been a pause, and he wasn’t sure if he was reading too much into it, but that pause made something in his gut twitch a bit.

He knew that the Jedi Temple Guard had their own set of rules and oaths, there was anonymity that was to be upheld in the face of other Jedi, but… the way that he had paused made it seem strange.

But Wolffe didn’t have much time to think on it as Plo caught sight of him.

“Ah, Commander Wolffe,” the Kel Dor general greeted, the other Jedi turning to look at him fully. “Are you on patrol?”

“Yes, Sir,” Wolffe nodded, stopping and saluting.

“We were just discussing the attack on the Hangar, Commander,” the woman said, gazing at him with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I am curious to know your thoughts.”

Wolffe’s eyes flickered between the four Jedi before he cleared his throat.

“If you want the truth, Sir,” he started. “I am not quite sure.”

The woman tilted her head. “Unsure or not wanting to offend?”

Wolffe opened his mouth but Plo raised a hand, stopping the both of them.

“Morrigan. Please,” the Kel Dor sighed, something that made Wolffe wonder if he had done this many times before with this woman— who only looked at the other Jedi in return, a brow raised but an amused look on her face. “I would prefer if you not antagonize my Commander.”

The woman just smiled a bit again, and again, it didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh please, Plo, I am simply asking the good man a question. I would hardly call it antagonizing.”

Plo shook his head before turning back to him, indicating to the woman first and then the Togruta.

“Commander Wolffe, these are Masters Morrigan Lai and Omura Vane, and you know Master Cin Drallig. We’ve just come from the Council in regards to the investigation.”

Morrigan Lai, the woman, bowed a bit and the name clicked with Wolffe. The 104th’s CMO had been a former Commander of the 564th Battalion, the Battalion under her command. Ghost had volunteered to join the 104th after the Malevolence incident.

And this was the Jedi that he said could see shades of the dead. From what Boost had heard from the 564th’s Sergeant Frost, their baby Jedi Commander— their Jet’ike (Padawan?)— could do the same.

An added bonus for being undead was what Commander Grimm had commented.

A rare Gan Dura Jedi, was what the other Commander had added, something that Ghost apparently agreed with. It unsettled Wolffe, he had only heard rumors about Gan Dura. It explained her eyes. Cloudy with death, and the unsettling feeling.

Yeah. Seeing shades of the dead while being undead? It was no wonder she was part of the investigation.

On the other hand, Wolffe didn’t recognize the name ‘Omura Vane’ in truth, but he had nodded to the Togruta either way, who nodded back to him pleasantly.

“Master Vane has been aiding in the healing of the victims, it was giving the report on their conditions to the Council just now, with Master Lai arriving after the session to alert us that she and Padawan Mei-Xing had hit a dead-end on their branch of the Investigation,” Drallig supplied, “And, as you’re aware, the Guard are the prime suspect for the attack. As their head, I’m the spokesperson as their oaths prevent them from speaking usually— though there are... exceptions, it would take too long for the Council to talk to all of them one by one."

All of this made sense, he supposed but Wolffe still didn’t quite understand why he had been asked what his thoughts were on the matter.

“I see,” was all Wolffe said in return. “Still, I’m afraid I wouldn't be much help in offering theories on what happened, as I told General Lai.”

The man waved him off with a tired smile. “It’s alright, Commander. It’s been a rather hectic time.”

“For all of us,” Vane agreed, “Khos-Cin, are you certain that you’re alright?”

Drallig just pat its shoulder. “I’m fine, Omura. It is because of the Commander and his brothers filling in where the Guard and I cannot at the moment.”

The Jedi glanced back to him, bowing slightly. “You have my thanks, Commander.”

Wolffe’s brows furrowed a bit.

In truth, he was wary about Drallig and the Jedi Temple Guard.

They were the guilty party, according to what the report had sent out. Though he wasn’t sure, it was all so confusing. Especially when they all seemed to have vanished without a trace upon the report going out— if they had fled, were just hiding themselves more than before, or were being detained elsewhere, he didn't know.

What he did know is that the Temple Guard were only suspected as having the culprit within their ranks. Suspected. But with the way that some brothers seethed and talked, it was as if they were already guilty. And for a bit, during his anger, his grieving, Wolffe had half a mind to agree.

It made sense too.

Who knew the Temple the best? Who knew how to move without being noticed?

The Jedi Temple Guard did.

They could get past all the security in the Temple because they were the security. They had no identifying markers aside from build, height, and species, and even then from what he had heard from the others, they often worked in groups with similar heights and builds and always with one other of their species to keep that image of anonymity.

And with their Oaths as a guise and their loyalty unquestioned, who would even think that the Temple Guard would try something?

They were trusted. They were respected. They had one of the most powerful Jedi as their leader. They had a man who was respected by many other Jedi— at least, according to Plo.

A man who was trained by the Head Jedi (“Grandmaster.” Plo would correct all of them), General Yoda himself.

Someone who could probably get away with a lot of things if he wanted to, pull a lot of rank and power to himself— if he wanted to.

And Wolffe found the entire thing complicated the more he thought about it.

It would have been so easy to hate and agree with the others, to slip into the grief and anger that was being directed towards the Temple Guard because even if they didn’t have the culprit in their ranks, certainly they should’ve known, right?

It would have been so easy. So easy for it to have been done by a Temple Guard and so easy to join the others in hating them.

But now it was complicated because it was clear that Plo was worried for the Temple Guard and their Head despite his own grief— just by the way he was watching Drallig.

And how Vane had used the term Khos to refer to Drallig. Wolffe knew that word, that title. Ahsoka Tano used it once or twice with Plo.

It meant ‘father’ and—

And things were complicated now. So much more complicated.

If Drallig was supposed to be the leader of the guilty party, was Vane choosing to be in league with them because it considered Drallig its father?

Or was it simply trusting Drallig and the Temple Guard like others seemed to be doing? Certainly, it would be hard to believe that a group of people you trusted could betray you like that— but then again, Wolffe could tell that tides were shifting, there were whispers he and the other Clones caught as they patrolled in the Temple Guard’s stead.

Or maybe the Temple Guard and their leader were all innocent.

Wolffe looked at the Jedi again. There was worry etched on Plo and Vane’s faces, though Lai didn’t look too concerned, preoccupied with something on her wrist comm.

But Drallig simply straightened and gave Wolffe a slight smile and— he looked exhausted.

So Wolffe held his tongue, like he often did when he was unsure about Jedi politics, and bowed slightly to Drallig instead.

“It’s our duty to aid the Jedi,” he told him as he straightened up. “Let's just hope that this wraps up quick.”

Drallig’s lips twitched upwards again.

“We can only hope.”

And wasn’t that the truth.

It would have been so easy, and that's what made Wolffe uneasy.

If only he knew how bad everything would become in just a few days.

In my eyes, the only clones who really knew Cin well would be the ones stationed on Coruscant, meaning the other Clones would have only known him through brief interactions at the Temple and through what the other Jedi have said. Wolffe doesn’t really know him all that well.

Khos means ‘father’ in Togruti (from the old star wars age of alliances RP), Omura has a close relationship with Cin in that way to an extent. Wolffe knows it because I think Ahsoka should call Plo that once or twice and he picked up on that

Morrigan Lai is a Dullahan equivalent (renamed to Gan Dura for star wars reasons), so she’s pretty much undead and can communicate with lingering shades. But that’s all. She might come back later, but she’s a friend of Plo’s.

Jet’ike is the Mando’a term that @purgetrooperfox uses when clones talk about padawans and I stole that eheheheh (love ya, leo)

Omura belongs to Cheeri or @certified-anakinfucker, who I also love and adore.

I hope I got Wolffe’s character down. It’s been a while since I’ve written him, tbh

Let me know if you want to be tagged in this series specifically. I will get around to making a new taglist form, but I have no idea when that will be

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