#he said you may never see the mandalorian again- your training may take you elsewhere your bond may be frayed

[merrysithmas]

me when someone says luke is a bad teacher and made grogu "choose" btw being a jedi and his dad:

what he did was ensure grogu could one day be a jedi AND have his dad now!!!

[rainydaydream-gal18]

The Mandalorian: Imagine Din Being Protective (Part 2)

(Author’s Note:  Someone requested this, so here it is!  

Here is the link to part 1!  This could also be read independently.  I hope you enjoy!

Warnings- fighting, blasters being shot, reader gets injured but nothing gruesome)

   You inhaled deeply as the enemy drew closer to your hiding spot.  The child was out of harm’s way.  You didn’t have to fear for his safety, at least.  Din was engaging the enemy elsewhere, and you were hiding behind some ruins just outside the Razor Crest.

   Footsteps crunched louder and louder in the brush, and you clutched the blaster with an iron grip, closing your eyes to gather your courage.  You may not have any formal training, but Din taught you a few things about shooting.  Perhaps you could hold them off for a while.

   You peeked around the corner, aiming the blaster at the first sketchy character that approached.  He caught sight of you.  You fired before he could react.  You hated the strangled cry that echoed in the air, but this was a matter of self-defense and to protect the child.  One of his companions stared for but a moment before running at you with a holler.  You fired off a few shots, jumping to your feet.  This one went down, and another leapt at you.  He knocked the blaster from your hands and brought down the stock of his weapon on the weak spot of your shoulder.  You yelped, reeling for a moment before throwing a punch.  Another set of hands grabbed you from behind.

   There were only two of them left, but it was enough to subdue you.  Even so, you struggled and fought and tried to wrestle your way free.

   “This one’s feisty, but obviously untrained in combat,” the one hissed.  “Perhaps we can take her with?”

   This made you struggle even more, managing to elbow him in the chest.  “In your dreams,” you spat.

   Suddenly, there was blaster fire, and the one set of hands left your shoulders as the owner crumbled to the ground.  The other one let out a battle cry and left you to attack whoever fired, but they were thrown to the ground.

   You turned around, panting, to see Din with the child in one arm.  The child’s expression lights up when he sees you, and he reaches toward you with eager little arms.  A small squeal leaves his mouth, and despite the pain from your recent injuries, you smile.

      “How did he…?”  you walked over, opening your arms.  “He was supposed to be on the ship.  I put him there so he’d be safe.”

      “He was worried about you,” Din said matter-of-factly.  “He came to find me, and I’m glad he did.”  He angled the child in your direction so the little one could make the transfer to you.  Everything seemed to fall into place the second you held the baby in your arms.  It was a feeling of overwhelming relief- like you found something that you didn’t realize you were missing.  As the child looked up at you with those big eyes and placed a hand on your cheek, you released a small gasp at the emotion that hit.

   Boy, this kid had really grown on you.

   Din’s visor stared in your direction, and though you weren’t sure exactly of the kind of expression he had under that helmet, you figured it was one of curiosity.  You embarrassingly turned your face away so he couldn’t see the emotions that played out on your face.

   “He’s okay,” Din assured you, modulator crackling.

   You nodded, but didn’t say anything.  The Mandalorian took another step forward, and you were forced to meet his gaze.  A shiver ran down your spine at the man under the helmet that seemed to see past your attempts at a wall.  It wasn’t meant to keep others out. It was meant to keep others from thinking you were weak.  The last thing you wanted was for Din to see just how shaken up you were from your first fight with an enemy.  Your shoulder hurt from the blow, and you most likely had some bruises blooming on your skin here and there.

   “I know,” you said finally.  “And I’m glad he’s okay.”

   The child stared at you, watching the exchange with piqued interest, as you hugged him just a little tighter.

   Din gave a nod, probably realizing you weren’t going to elaborate.  He’d been awfully protective before even at the possibility of anything hurting you, so how could you tell him that this fight had not only left you bruised, but also scared?  Not just scared for you, but the child as well.

   When the three of you boarded the Razor Crest, you let the little one get settled down for a much-needed nap before hunting down the medical kit.  You shrugged off the jacket with a hiss so you were left in a tank top, and the area where you’d been hit with the stock of the blaster was already darkening.  Trying not to move the injured area, you rifled with one hand through the med kit in hopes of finding a bacta patch.

   In the midst of your search, you hadn’t heard anyone approach.

   The Mandalorian stood next to where you were seated.  Your eyes snapped up to look at him as you quickly rested a hand over your shoulder.  He shifted his stance, leaning so that his hip jutted to one side as he took in your attempt to hide the injury.

   “It’s nothing,” you said.  “Just need a little fixing up, is all.”

   Din’s gloved hand left his side and paused closer to you in a silent request.  You nodded, and Din removed the glove from that hand before doing the same with the other.  His fingers found yours with such care for a warrior.  He lifted your hand away from your shoulder to better inspect the injury.

   The words seemed to fall from his mouth immediately. “I’m sorry.”

   You shook your head.  “It was bound to happen.”  When he didn’t voice a reply, you added, “seriously, you can’t expect to be everywhere at once.”

   Din’s hand ghosted over the bruise, causing you to wince.  He remained silent as he sifted through the med kit and pulled out a bacta patch. Your shirt strap was moved to the side with care so the bacta patch could be applied.  You averted your gaze, heart racing, and sucked in another breath at the brief pain from the contact.

   “It should heal quickly,” he said.  You pulled your strap back into place, standing to your feet.  “Are there any others?”

   “That was the worst of them.  Everything else was minor.”

   His visor never left your face as he stood there and studied you for a minute longer.  No doubt he knew something was still off about you.  Finally, he spoke up about it.  “Something’s wrong.”

   You hesitated.  “It’s just…”

   He tipped his head slightly.  “You know you can tell me.”

   “I’m just worried.  Like I said, you can’t expect to be everywhere at once.”  The words came spilling out.  “It’s too much to look after the kid and me.  Even he’s a better fighter than me.”  You gave a humorless laugh, recalling how the kid used some mind trick to defend himself and others on occasion.

   “You handled yourself until I arrived,” Din pointed out.  You thought back to the first enemies that you managed to take out before being overwhelmed.  “You protected the little guy.  It was very admirable.”

   “Well of course I protected him,” you said quickly.  “How could I not?  But what if you hadn’t gotten there when you did.  What if…?”

   “You must know by now that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”  The words were spoken so evenly, but they carried a weight that left you speechless.  “Or him.”  He nodded in the direction of the baby’s little makeshift hammock.  You merely nodded, and Din continued.  “But maybe it would be a good idea if I made your training a priority.”

   You looked up at his visor with wide eyes.  “Really?”

   “Yes, we start tomorrow.  I should have done this sooner.”

   You gave a small nod, feeling a bit of relief replace your mood.  Things would improve.  Soon, you would have some training behind you and feel a little more secure in contributing during these risky missions.

   A warm, glove-less hand reached up to hold your chin, tipping your face up to the Mandalorian’s visor.  You wondered if he’d say something else, but he remained silent for a minute or so.  Meanwhile, you felt your heart pounding once again from the vulnerability in the moment, and also because you had indeed developed feelings for the stoic warrior.  It went beyond the initial attraction when you saw his gentle side; how patient he was with the kid as well as you, when you caught him chuckling at something the little one did on occasion, or how he would sometimes watch you with a silent, protective air about him- as if at any moment he’d jump to your defense.

   It was a strange thing to want to kiss a face you’d never seen.  It was strange to be drawn to an individual but come face-to-face with a helmet.  Or to want to be held in arms that you’d rarely seen in anything but beskar armor.  It left you unsure of what to do in these moments.

   “I, um, I’m getting cold,” you said, gently pulling your chin back from his hand.  Din was quiet as you slipped your arms into your jacket, wincing when you moved the bad shoulder.  You flashed him a small smile to break the tense moment.  He packed up the med kit and put it away.

   “Remember, training tomorrow.”  He pulled his gloves back on, and you thought you heard a smile in his voice as he cast you one last look over his shoulder.  “Try and get some rest.”

   “Yes, sir.”  Once he left the room, you muttered. “Yeah, yeah... just make my heart beat and expect me to go right to sleep.  Thanks, Mando.”  But as you got comfortable in your cot, a smile tugged at your lips.  You’d be officially training with him, and you were intrigued to see a whole new side of him.

PART 3

[sometimes-i-right]

Was digging through my notes and found this discarded scene from Mand’alor bal Kaysh Vod’ika. Obi-Wan’s verd’goten was originally a single chapter featuring a hunt on Mandalore, but I scrapped that in favor of the Xanatos hunt published on AO3. Of course that decision was made after I had already written 3k words, so enjoy the scrapped scene after the break. (The original arc also involved a completely original mission where Obi-Wan crossed paths with Luminara and her master. I may use bits and pieces of that mission in a future arc.)

This chapter originally had another 500 or so words where Obi-Wan is adopted by a strill puppy. I think those words got deleted, since the only evidence is a pro/con list and the single “protect” emotion from the strill parent.

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what he expected Mandalore to look like, but it wasn't this. Large swathes of the southern hemisphere had been bombarded from space, leaving enormous puckered black scars across a golden desert. The desert was relatively new, or so Jango said, a result of the bombardment destroying the natural ecosystem and leaving the area uninhabitable without sophisticated environmental domes.

The northern hemisphere had been miraculously spared - and that alone had probably kept the planet capable of supporting humanoid life - leaving a glimpse of the Mandalore of old. Forests and mountains blanketed the area, making it difficult to carve out enough space for a single clan, let alone a city or proper landing pad.

Jango guided Jaster's Legacy in for a lopsided landing between an evergreen forest and the start of yet another mountain range, a feat Obi-Wan was glad he didn't have to perform. "Wayii," he exclaimed softly upon exiting the ship, eyebrows rising in awe at the way the Legacy was perched atop three boulders like a giant bird of prey.

"It just takes practice," Jango assured, voice modulator hiding most of the amusement Obi-Wan could feel from him. "Now, your verd'goten," he started and Obi-Wan snapped his attention over. "Traditionally, the two of us would disappear into the wilderness while the rest of Clan Fett tried to catch and defeat you. Seeing as that's not an option, we'll have to test your warrior skills another way."

Obi-Wan swallowed his nerves and nodded seriously.

"In these forests are a number of dangerous predators. Your task is to hunt a strill," he stated and Obi-Wan tilted his head in question. "They're an apex predator native to these forests. Highly intelligent, mammalian, with an unmistakable stench and six legs. Tend to pounce from high trees," he warned, grinning when Obi-Wan nervously glanced at the tree line.

Those were some very tall trees.

"I'll be with you to make sure you don't die, but this is your hunt," Jango finished. "Be sure to take whatever you need from the ship."

"I don't suppose there's a strill tracker?" Obi-Wan quipped before studying the forest. He had taken the basic survival courses all Initiates took. He had the Force. If things went to absolute bathashit, he had Jango.

He could do this.

He set off into the forest with a light pack, a single blaster, and a survival knife. He had contemplated grabbing more supplies - enough provisions for a week, more weapons, a full temporary shelter and bedroll - but had ultimately decided against it. This was a test. He wouldn't take the easy way out.

The forest was eerie and peaceful at the same time. Insects chirped and screamed all around him, blocking out the softer padding sounds of small prey animals and his own two feet. Branches snapped and shook from the breeze and various creatures going about their lives. The scent of pine and rotting foliage sat heavy in his lungs.

He trudged on.

The sun filtered through the sturdy veshok trees and warmed patches of undergrowth. Obi-Wan paused in one, absorbing the heat and breathing out his tension. Breathed in peace, and exhaled his uncertainty. Inhaled fresh air and exhaled his nerves.

He stretched out his senses.

Jango stopped fifty yards away, preternaturally still in the way all predators were. He was calm, patient, warm, but ready to spring into action at the slightest signal. His own senses - and likely his sensors - were on high alert, searching for any indication that Obi-Wan needed his help.

Obi-Wan would not need his help. Not for this. He would make Jango proud.

A rapid heartbeat and softly padding feet off to one side, a flicker of life just as wary and alert as Obi-Wan was. He brushed against that dim light, identifying it as a small herbivore. A prey animal, calculating in its own simple way whether it wanted to flee or continue munching the sweet vorpan berries.

Another flicker of life overhead, this one sleeping. A good thing, too, since there was an aura of danger and barely leashed violence tucked behind those brown wings. Obi-Wan would not put it past this particular creature to attack, and possibly kill, humans if it felt the desire. He sent a soft sleep suggestion to it and warily turned his attention elsewhere, though part of him kept it firmly in mind.

Something nudged his arm, and Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open. A cold black nose attached to a long triangular face nudged his arm again, and Obi-Wan huffed a soft laugh. He slowly, carefully reached up to pet the shatual's head and scratch the base of the wide antlers, gaze flickering over the herd that had decided to come meet him.

"Hello there," he greeted quietly, belatedly realizing he had been projecting peace into the Force in his attempts to keep the predator bird overhead asleep. No wonder the herd had come up to him. "You're a brave little fellow, aren't you?"

Jango shifted, and the shatual herd stiffened, heads all swiveling to stare at the Mandalorian. Obi-Wan jerked back to avoid getting clocked by his new friend's bony crown.

The largest shatual made a guttural sound, and Obi-Wan scrambled away as the herd abruptly fled.

A mix of exasperation, disbelief, and humor prompted Obi-Wan to turn, a bemused if chiding look on his face. "Thanks for that," he snarked, staring pointedly at the blaster Jango had drawn.

"This happen a lot?" Jango asked evenly as he stowed the weapon.

"Not generally. I think I was projecting and they got curious," Obi-Wan admitted. "We should move on. I think that's a shriek-hawk overhead, which means a strill wouldn't be welcome here."

There was a brief pause as Jango consulted his HUD. "Good eye," he confirmed.

Obi-Wan smiled as he wandered deeper into the woods, the Force guiding his steps.

 They stalked through the forest for hours, Obi-Wan picking out what plants he thought were safe for foraging and Jango verifying their safety. Whether that was cheating, Obi-Wan didn't care to examine too closely. He knew how to test whether a plant was edible. Using Jango's knowledge simply kept the man from worrying at Obi-Wan's naturally small appetite.

There were no repeats of the shatual herd incident, though Obi-Wan may have used a small Force suggestion to lure a rabbit for latemeal. He only felt mildly guilty about using the Force in such a way as Jango helped him field dress and roast the animal.

Camp was a simple affair; a pile of dry leaves, a small fire, and a blanket to keep the morning dew off. Jango didn't even bother with the blanket, relying instead on his beskar'gam to keep him warm and dry. Part of Obi-Wan was jealous, the rest of him knew he would get his own suit soon.

The next day came bright and early, complete with Obi-Wan gasping from a half-forgotten nightmare and Jango groaning about a night on the hard ground. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and would have thrown a pillow if he had one; the ground was not that much harder than the shared blanket pile they were experimenting with on the Legacy.

They wandered onwards, Obi-Wan following the vague currents of the Force as best he could. It was difficult to tell where exactly he was meant to go. The Living Force had never been his strong suit, and the Force felt especially elusive in this old, scarred forest. This was a place teeming with life tempered by a looming expectation of danger; these were survivors, determined to eke out a living among the jagged rocks and scraggly trees and the heavy weight of death.

He shivered as he crested another boulder.

The vague feeling of alarm and the sound of rustling trees alerted him to animals fleeing something. He turned, stretching his senses out.

A breeze ruffled his hair, and Obi-Wan nearly gagged at the stench it carried. Like rotting meat and Vos's training tunics and unwashed bodies all mixed together. He hastily switched to breathing through his mouth, and nearly gagged again as he realized he could taste the stink.

He glanced back at Jango, a disgusted look on his face. 'Is that what I think it is?'

Amusement spiked, and Jango inclined his head. 'Yes.'

Obi-Wan scowled and crept towards the strill, drawing both his vibroblade and blaster. He reached out with the Force, recognizing a spark of animal intelligence just ahead, mind bright with happiness and victory at a successful kill.

The strill was just as ugly as it smelled. Short gray fur bristled across its flappy skin as it tore into the downed shatual. Its front four legs held the shatual in place as it systemically tore the beast into shreds, blood and viscera spreading from the corpse in a gory puddle.

Obi-Wan swallowed roughly and raised his blaster.

Something - the wind, maybe - alerted the predator of his presence as its head snapped up, snarling. The Force barely had time to flare in warning before the strill pounced, fangs and claws extended.

Obi-Wan shouted in surprise and thrust one hand out, catching the strill with the Force, pushing it back, and buying him precious seconds to scramble to his feet.

The strill snarled as it landed, prowling around him in a wide arc. Obi-Wan raised his blaster and aimed for the creature's center of mass, Force at the ready for any unexpected surprises. The Force trilled right as the strill leapt, and Obi-Wan twisted to one side, blaster landing a fiery score across the loose skin of the strill's underbelly.

He cursed under his breath. That would only make the animal angrier.

The strill snarled as it landed and immediately bounded up a nearby tree. Obi-Wan shifted closer to the shatual body, tracking the strill as it jumped from tree to tree around him.

He dove to one side as the strill fell almost on top of him, blaster snapping out three quick bolts. The strill whimpered as it landed, and Obi-Wan frowned as he realized he had only caught one of the six legs instead of the animal's vulnerable chest.

It would hurt, but it wouldn't incapacitate.

Apparently it hurt enough, as the strill picked up its injured leg and fled into the forest. Obi-Wan grit his teeth and followed, eyes scanning everywhere for disturbed foliage and blood.

Despite the injury, the strill was fast, quickly disappearing among the veshok trees. Obi-Wan reached out with the Force, searching for that combination of intelligence and anger/hurt/fear/hunger that was the strill among similar animal minds.

He scowled as he felt the strill escape to the edge of his awareness. If he were better with the Force - if he were a real Jedi - he would be able to feel it out from across the planet. He picked up the pace, using the Force to vault himself over a downed tree and enhance his speed.

But it was no good. The strill was clever and knew the forest better than Obi-Wan did. He drew to a stop, panting, as he recognized that his target had escaped.

As he caught his breath, he realized Jango was nowhere to be seen. He frowned, reaching out with the Force for the familiar presence, but only finding the relatively dull glimmers of animals instead. He reached for his commlink and paused.

He wasn't asking for help. He wouldn't. Not for this.

He could do this. Jango thought he could do this, so he could do this. He would not let Jango down.

He flipped a switch on the device allowing it to broadcast his location, and tucked it back in his belt pouch. Whether Jango needed the tracking signal or not, it settled something deep inside knowing Jango would absolutely be able to find him.

And if the strill did kill him, at least Jango would be able to find his corpse.

With that cheery thought, Obi-Wan carefully examined his surroundings. There, off to the side and high in the trees, were what looked like claw marks, and lower on the trunk were a few spatters of blood.

He followed those signs for some distance, trusting the Force to keep him mostly pointed in the right direction and his own eyes the rest of the way, and emerged in a small rocky clearing. He scoured the lichen covered rock for the telltale blood spots he had been following, and headed back into the forest.

As he came upon a small rocky clearing, he was forced to admit the strill was far more clever than he had given credit. He drew his knife, marked the false trail, and tried a different path.

The third time he entered the small rocky clearing, Jango was waiting for him.

"Not a word," Obi-Wan demanded, finally locating what he hoped was the real trail.

Jango didn't move, but he also didn't say a word, so Obi-Wan counted that as a win. He determinedly ignored whatever emotions Jango was bleeding into the Force.

The third path led him into the foothills of a mountain and down into a shallow stream. He scowled at the cheery water feature, just knowing the strill had used that to well and truly lose him.

"Do you have a plan?" Jango asked as he drew close.

Obi-Wan sighed, releasing his frustration to the Force, and took a seat on a conveniently flat rock. "We weren't taught more than basic tracking skills," Obi-Wan admitted, "but I did spend a lot of time hiding from and chasing down my friends in the creche. Whenever someone got really good at hiding, we could generally locate them if we meditated and really focused, so I'm going to give that a shot."

"Does that work for anyone?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "The better you know who you're searching for, the easier it gets. I got a decent feel for the strill while we were fighting, so with some luck I should be able to find it. At least, I should, as long as it hasn't gone too far away," which they both knew was unlikely given the strill's injury.

Jango didn't have anything to say to that, so Obi-Wan closed his eyes and drew the Force around him. Energy swelled, and Obi-Wan concentrated, dragging his attention away from Jango's bright light to pick through the dimmer threads surrounding them.

His attention slid to a knot of threads vaguely resembling his target and a herd of shatuale. The strill-thread watched closely, its focus on the runt-thread at the back of the herd with the gimp leg, as the herd gathered at a sizeable bush. The runt dropped its head to gather some berries, and the strill pounced, air catching the gliding skin between its legs and depositing the predator's claws on the shatual's neck.

The shatuale-threads panicked, bolted, and fled, leaving the strill-thread and the dying shatual-thread behind but not forgotten. As Obi-Wan watched, the shatual-thread frayed and split, the pieces carried away on some indiscernible breeze to tangle themselves with the shatuale herd and the strill ripping strips out of an empty shell.

And those scattered threads suddenly contracted, bright and solid and demanding, dragging the herd and the strill-thread, now frayed in places, together. He watched as the mess of threads collided and tangled, forming some knotted mess he could hardly pick apart before it suddenly dispersed, leaving only a few frayed remains behind.

He frowned at the unhelpful vision. Something - the Force? - frowned right back.

He prodded at the frayed remains and felt a flash of very animal alarm/protect/hunt in return.

He kept that thread firmly in mind as he carefully eased himself from the Force.

"Find something?" Jango asked evenly, though after his latest deep meditation the man might as well have been screaming his worry, curiosity, and fascination to the galaxy for all he was masking the emotions.

"I think so," Obi-Wan answered, rising to his feet and nearly tumbling to the ground as his vision temporarily blacked out. "Whoa. How long was I out?"

"Four hours," Jango answered, stowing the blaster he had been cleaning. He fished a nutribar from one of his numerous pouches and threw it at Obi-Wan. "Eat and drink. The water is safe."

Obi-Wan scowled but obediently bit down on the dry bar before chasing it with water and venturing back into the forest. The strill-thread felt different outside that plane of deep meditation, but he had a direction to follow and he wasn't about to let it slip away again.

He almost wished he had waited to finish the nutribar before chasing the strill. His mouth felt sandy, and he hadn't thought to fill a canteen before leaving the stream behind.

The strill-thread remained steady in his mind, and he couldn't help the slight increase in pace as he caught the first pungent whiff of the beast. He cloaked himself in the Force as if he were hiding from Quin and approached slowly, senses straining for any sign the strill knew he was approaching.

He heard growling and an answering whuff just ahead. He ducked down, drawing his blaster and checking the Force. Jango was still several meters away, and it felt like the strill was distracted by a sizeable herd of angry shatuale.

Angry herbivores. That was not something he would have expected.

The lead shatual ducked its head, antlers pointed straight at the strill, and whuffed another warning. The strill growled and darted forwards, forward paws raised to slash.

Obi-Wan could only watch as the shatual charged, caught the strill in the points of its antlers, and tossed it aside like trash. The other shatuale dropped their heads and followed suit, hooves trampling the strill into the dirt. The lead shatual stopped long enough to study its target, whuffed and pawed at the ground, and tossed its head in victory as the strill whined pathetically.

He sat stunned for a moment, not sure what he was supposed to do as the shatuale proudly left the area. He was supposed to hunt the strill, but a herd of prey animals came and did the deed for him. Did it count if he tracked it, fought it, and ultimately didn't kill it?

But no, the poor animal wasn't dead yet.

He could feel the creature's pain, see how it struggled to breathe around a crushed ribcage. Its limbs were shattered in multiple locations, the grey fur already matted with blood where its thick skin had burst. The shatuale hadn't killed the strill, but there was no way the strill would survive much longer.

He felt a swell of pity for the thing as he approached. There was no way he could help it; even if he had enough bacta on him (which he definitely didn't), the creature would sooner kill him than let him approach.

He met the animal's gold eyes, unfocused and cloudy though they were, and tried to press peace and comfort on its mind. Something stirred and weakly nudged against his mind, leaving an impression of pain/sad/hungry.

The strill released a wet whine and blood burbled past its lips. Obi-Wan closed his eyes in mourning, pressed a suggestion to sleep on the rapidly weakening creature, and shot it clean between the eyes.

It really was a mercy this time.

He rose to his feet as he heard Jango approach. "I killed it, but a herd of shatuale did most of the work first," he blurted out, stowing his blaster.

Jango came to stop next to him, staring down at the corpse before turning his helmeted face towards him. "That's okay," Jango said. "I told you before, the verd'goten is traditionally a hunt between clan members. This was a test to see how advanced your survival and fighting skills were, and based on what I've seen, you're more than skilled enough." He smiled behind the helmet, one hand resting proudly on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Congratulations, verd."

Verd. Soldier. Warrior.

Jango's smile became tender as he squeezed Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I'm proud of you, vod."

Obi-Wan beamed.

[shewhodoesnotexist]

Okay, so The Rise of Skywalker. Saw it two weeks ago but it’s hard to do anything when you have so much free time ;) Two weeks ago I wrote the following: I’m a little dumbfounded… It felt like a string of fan theories put together, with a video game mode of running after stuff from one place to another xD they put in so much stuff but somehow not enough… Feeling? And I think this still sums up my impression the best. Nevertheless:

So we begin with some Sith artefacts none-one’s ever heard of… This is so reminiscent of some fan videos and theories I got into after TFA, many of them based on Legends/the old EU, things that never appeared in the movies. I’m fond of fan theories, but this just didn’t fit in at all here, and seemed so… artificial, video game-like: suddenly there’s a thing we need to find and then it’ll be fine! But first we need to find this thing and go somewhere else and do another thing and then we’ll reach the place!

Like… The Last Jedi was built around characters with personalities, their interactions and conflicts, and for all its faults that made it engaging. This felt completely flat. It was just going from place to place, maybe except for some of the Kylo & Rey scenes, there was barely any feeling in it.

Also, some scenes were so artificial and obvious set-ups, like the woman with the necklace demanding Rey’s full name – maybe she’s from a planet with different naming conventions, how do you know, lady? – just so she can say she’s nobody and then have the necklace taken by Kylo, and the woman at the end, so that Rey can say she’s Rey Skywalker, and Luke giving Rey two lightsabers so that she can give one to Ben (the scene itself was awesome, yes, but the set-up was painfully transparent). Devices, yes, but don’t be so blatant about it.

What was the point of that Threepio stunt? It’s introduced as a heartbreaking sacrifice, then it turns out nobody cares, then it’s played for laughs, and then it’s reversed. Really?

The Palpatine thing is such a clumsily done retcon, honestly. Yes, he was the ultimate Big Bad in the previous trilogies, so in that aspect it kind of makes sense, but in regards to Rey... They made themselves nobodies? Yeah, no, Kylo’s vision and words from TLJ don’t fit this, you can’t square that one. And so Rey’s arc from The Last Jedi is neatly undone and she matters because of her family and very nearly (see below) is defined by her ancestry. Honestly, whichever version you prefer, it would be better to stick to one. That’s not getting into the problems of selling your children.

And really… Rey suddenly and accidentally bursting out some Force lighting supposedly shows “who she really is”? When has the Force ever worked that way? And of course it only happens when it’s convenient. And suddenly “no-one knows me”. Great, now you can be emo together.

And why would Palpatine even want to have descendants? As a backup plan?

And that’s not getting into the fact that apparently Palpatine had a son, who was alive during OT, who somehow rebelled against him, and that’s a story potentially more interesting than this movie, which is ignored. Actually… all right, possibly Rey’s father was not Force-sensitive, which was why Palpatine wanted Rey specifically, but the wording (“to protect you”) makes it sound as if all that rebellion happened only after Rey was born and he realised Palpatine’s intentions towards her, which raises further questions. But enough on that.

It is also incidentally implied that Stormtroopers who defected are Force-sensitive, and that, too, is ignored. What Finn wanted to tell Rey could be that he loved her or that he was Force-sensitive, but, of course, it is never revealed. (Wait wait, apparently it was confirmed it was about the Force. He does talk about how he understands her several times, so that makes sense.)

Speaking of which, once again there is an effort to humanise the Stormtroopers… which is then once again ignored.

Also speaking of which, for someone raised to be mindless soldier, Finn has had quite a love life – like, approximately four possible love interests?

Remember when there was a sandworm in one of The Hobbit movies and people were joking that Legolas’ blue eyes were due to Spice? Now we can do that with SW, too!

Remember when I said I didn’t believe the Knights of Ren even existed? You probably don’t. But they might as well not. For all the mystery and speculation they turn out to be slightly more elite mooks and are killed in approximately their second scene. Even the Praetorian Guards were more impressive.

Hux being the spy is… silly. Wasn´t he super into the First Order? Now he´s undermining it just to spite Kylo. But it is rather funny.

I feel that having Leia start a Jedi training and then quit due to visions takes away from her character. What’s wrong with preferring a political/military career while being Force-sensitive? But no, she needs to have run through the woods with a lightsaber and bested Luke, of course.

Plus, Leia of all people attacking Kylo… This is upsetting. At least have her appear to him as she dies, too. I mean, like so much in this movie, the idea itself was interesting, but the execution undermined it.

I liked Rey healing Kylo’s wound, but it is true that the sudden introduction of Force healing (no matter its earlier introduction in The Mandalorian) raises some questions about why it’s never appeared before.

I am amazed at Adam Driver’s acting. The moment Ben comes back to the Light, you can see it in his face. It’s unbelievable how much he manages to convey. That man is a gift and I am happy it was not Eddie Redmayne, sorry

The ship in the desert, maybe, but you can’t tell me Luke’s X-Wing is readily functional after having been who-knows-how-many years underwater. That’s just ridiculous.

What was that football stadium. Who were these people. What was going on.

What was even Palpatine’s plan? Was it that because Rey was related to him, he could body surf into her and continue ruling, as some people are interpreting it? Or was it the old “strike me with your hate/anger and complete your turn to the dark side”, in which case it wasn’t even all that relevant that they were related, as he had another Force-sensitive family to prey upon already? And then it turns to “I can just suck power out of you two and it’s good enough”.

How was Ben able to get that planet unnoticed? That’s not to mention another falling-apart ship. Oh, but his entrance, with a blaster, and then passing the lightsabre between them, that was incredibly cool :D

A fleet of planet-killing ships, fine, we needed to up the stakes yet again, but they still have a single weak point… I guess there’s not point complaining about that.

We saw Ben smile :) It was so beautiful :) And they kissed :)

...aaand then of course he had to die *sigh*

I haven’t heard the word “dyad” in that context before, but I have read a bit about Force bonds, and aren’t you supposed to completely devastated after the other one dies, as if something is torn out of your soul? Even leaving that aside, wasn’t Rey rather fond of him? Show some grief, maybe? No?

We get to the end, and we are remembering that we are watching a movie called “The Rise of Skywalker”. All the Skywalkers and their descendants are dead. Solution: have Rey tell a conveniently placed rando she is a Skywalker and leave her to continue the Jedi and Skywalker legacy (the latter of which may not be so stellar, come to think of it). She is once again alone on a desert planet, but now she is different, and ready to set out and do… something. But on the other hand, she’s alone on a desert planet again, so she ended up where she had begun (still alone!)… and so did the story of the Skywalker bloodline, on the planet both Anakin and Luke disliked so much and Leia had nothing to do with. All that to have a repeat shot. I’m not all that impressed.

On the whole this movie gives the impression that the filmmakers were trying to play it safe and pander to the fans, mostly to the fans who disliked TLJ and those who craved nostalgia, and distance themselves from TLJ as much as possible, while cramming a lot of material into the movie at the expense of emotional depth. There’s no time to explore this significant moment, we need to rush elsewhere! Many of the concepts could have worked much better if the had been given more time and focus, but the end result is a mess. Not to mention the ST as a whole feels inconsistent. And yes, I’m upset that Ben died! But that’s part of playing it safe, I’m afraid.

I’m not going to go into the last-minute editing controversy.

I watched the SCB review and they said it was a combination of Harry Potter, Avengers and GoT finales – very accurate ;)

Eh.

[shaliira]

The Cloaked Storm: Chapter 19 - Clone Mess

ACT 2 

ARCA Barracks, Coruscant, several weeks later 

To say Fives and Echo were excited would be putting it very mildly. They had finally made it. ARC Trooper Fives and ARC Trooper Echo. Now they were back on Coruscant, awaiting reassignment, or rather assignment. While still technically members of the famed 501st, as ARC Troopers they could be called away at any time by the Special Operations Division which they were also a part of by achieving the new rank. 

After reporting to their new General, the two were given brief leave until their new assignments were up as he had to get in contact with Captain Rex and General Skywalker to ascertain if the two newest ARCs were needed by the 501st, or if Special Operations could utilize them. Even though Special Ops would take precedence, when dealing with Skywalker and the 501st, the Special Ops General learned that his 501st counterpart always took precedence. 

“I hope we get assigned to General Skywalker again, or General Vinree. I liked working with them,” said Echo, unable to hide a grin on his face. “Or even Commander Riis. Remember Sermeria?” 

Fives laughed loudly, “oh vod, how could I not. Best piece of action we got since Kamino!” 

Echo chuckled, readjusting his helmet under his arm, “I’m not so sure it’s the action that stayed with you as much as something else. Or should I say someo….hey! Ow!” he wailed amusedly as he got elbowed by a growling Fives. “Easy vod, I was just giving you haran.” 

True to himself, Fives recovered quickly, grinning, “I know, but you and I both know that kind of talk is not for just any ears.” 

Fives trusted Rex, Jesse, and Kix from the 501st implicitly as he did No-Nines and Oddball from the 442nd. He knew they would not sell a brother out for having untoward thoughts. Sure they would caution him and all, but none of them would turn him into a superior. He knew Echo wouldn’t either. So he was a little surprised when Echo went on to joke about...her, in public. 

Her...green skin, lilac eyes and lovely b...tattoos. He wasn’t sure why Commander Riis stuck in his mind like she did. He had only really seen her for a little while and aside from the talk in the Mess Hall with Echo and that...hug, he didn’t really have much interaction with her. Haran, he had tons more interaction with General Vinree in the subsequent weeks during the final training stages for ARC trooper at the facilities on Coruscant, yet she did not ensnare him at all. That was not to say the dual-blade-wielding General was any less alluring than the green Commander. It was just...he couldn’t really explain it, to himself or to anyone. 

“So, do you think Captain Rex picked up any more antics from General Skywalker while we were away?” He derailed the subject easily as they entered into the Mess Hall. 

Echo grinned, “I’m sure he’s had plenty of time. Besides, the missions only get more dangerous as the war continues on. But then again, you can ask him yourself,” he said, pointing over to a long table occupied by none other than Rex, Jesse, Kix and Hardcase.

It was Hardcase who caught sight of them and was waving them over. 

“Well look at you two, proper ARC Troopers finally,” Jesse called, grinning as he extended his arm to Fives. 

The ARC grasped his forearm firmly, in traditional Mandalorian greeting, as did Echo and the two joined their friends from the 501st. 

“ARC Troopers.” While his tone was Rex’s usual calm self, there was clear pride lacing it as well as his expression as he nodded at the two young troopers. “Good job on your training, men. Your trainers showed me your scores, well done.” 

“Thanks, Captain. It means a lot.” Echo grinned as he sat next to Kix. 

“I hear you had part of your training here on Coruscant before returning for the final tests on Kamino?” the 501st medic asked, glancing between the two. 

Fives nodded as he set his helmet on the table beside him. “Yeah, General Vinree’s ARCs were asked to step in while they were on down time. Really put us through the works. Loved it, those lads play tough.” 

Hardcase laughed. “Got to play with those beautiful new rotary cannons?” 

“Damn straight, and the new sniper rifles too and the new jetpacks. Much more maneuverable than our old kits.” Fives smirked as he stole a chip from Jesse’s plate. “What’s the 501st been up to, hmm?” 

Jesse elbowed him playfully before nudging the plate over to him. “Few classified things, Senate murders, been more of a down time for us than some of us would have liked,” he said with a chuckle, giving a knowing look to Hardcase who seemed to squirm under it. 

“You know me, I prefer good action to investigatory work.” The blue tattooed trooper made a face which caused the group to laugh even more. 

The group roared with laughter and soon jumped into retelling old and new stories, filling each other in on events. So it was that the 501st learned in more depth of Sergeants No-Nines and Oddball, fellow ARC Troopers serving with the 442nd under General Vinree and the antics they would get up to. Though in truth, Fives and Echo spoke with great respect of the elder ARCs, citing them as people whom they’d learned a lot from. 

“So...tell me, been to ‘79’s yet?” Jesse asked, waggling his eyebrows. “I remember stories you told of what you’d do there once you made ARC.” 

Echo chortled softly, “we’re not sure where we’re assigned to yet. We were going to contact you when we did, get the old group together.” 

“You will behave yourselves, I’m not having GAR’s finest landing in a cell with drunk and disorderly charges.” Rex grumbled, remembering several previous outings, casting a suspicious glare at Hardcase who seemed all too eager to join the future outing. 

“Of course, Captain. Have we ever embarrassed you?” Jesse couldn’t help a smug question. 

“Some of you, yes,” came Rex’s even reply. 

This brought another roar of laughter to the table. Kix got up to fetch Echo and Fives a plate of food and drinks, trying to contain his laughter in the process. 

“Uh..yeah, we’ll put a call out if we get the time, sure.” Fives managed finally, hoping that he didn’t sound as awkward about it as he felt. 

It wasn’t that he was shy about it or uncertain, it had been the subject of many of his stories back in his shiney days. Now that he’d finally achieved the coveted status, he somehow didn’t feel the urge to show off to the fairer gender nearly as much as he thought he would. But reputation as the daring rogue needed to be maintained. 

“What’s the matter, Fives, you seem less enthusiastic about it than I thought you’d be?” Hardcase chuckled, “I’m pretty certain the Twi’lek girls would love to take a look at your new armour.” He winked at the tattooed ARC. 

“And they will, vod. They will. Duty first though.” Fives winked back, grinning, though it never quite reached his amber eyes. 

Fives was a poor liar and everyone knew it. Noone more so than Echo, his closest brother. He was pretty certain the reason Fives was being flaky on his earlier claims was because blue was no longer his favorite colour on a female. Or rather that green was his new favorite. Fives kept denying it every time he’d poked on the subject. Echo, the vod everyone tended to brush off due to his ‘echoing’, remembered. He remembered the look on Fives’ face when he came back to their berth when Commander Riis left for Felucia. It was a look that soon disappeared, tucked away somewhere in deep, private recesses of his brother’s mind, but Echo saw it. Echo remembered it. Echo wanted that look on his brother’s face back. 

For that briefest of moments, Fives seemed complete, happy even. Echo wasn’t sure if those were even the right words for what he’d seen. They seemed right though. He knew that Fives would completely clamp down about it of he even hinted at it, or the possibility of there being someone that wasn’t part of the ‘assorted entertainment’ provided by the ‘79’s establishment. Both he and Fives perused the services of the very friendly women there a few times. Echo himself was never too smitten with any of them, but he wouldn’t deny himself the experience either. He never thought Fives had been either, though his brother always seemed keener on impressing them, for some reason. 

“Well well, look who we have here!” A red-haired clone, his hair just on that side of flop, stopped by their table. “Finally made ARC, did you?” 

The group of clones in blue markings focused their attention on the clone in typical dark garb of the Intelligence branches, their expressions revealing their displeasure of being interrupted in such a manner. Hardcase may have even growled quietly. 

“Don’t remember me, do you?” While the red haired clone’s tone was cold, there was a snide note to it nonetheless. 

Fives narrowed his eyes at him, trying to place the brother. He was sure he’d seen him somewhere before. The tone was what was sticking with him most. Where had he seen him?

Images flashed through his brain of a ride in General Skywalker’s ship, the Twilight. 

Of course. He leaned his elbows on the table, smirking, “you’d be Lieutenant Burner. Commander Riis second. Tough call on Felucia there. We’ve seen the reports.” 

Echo nodded approvingly, while it took a few extra moments for Rex to remember the clone having a staring contest with Fives and Echo. 

“Is there something we can help you with, Lieutenant?” Rex asked evenly, not quite appreciating the fellow clone’s tone towards his men. Fives and Echo may have been on shifting assignments and all, but they were still his men. 

“Nothing, sir. I just wanted to see if the brothers who kept my Commander occupied when she should have been elsewhere actually amounted to something in all this time. After all they’d rather be ARC’s than Intelligence,” Burner quipped, keeping his tone barely polite, the snide note taking on a harder edge. 

Rex raised a single eyebrow as if daring Burner to say more. 

“As I recall you were elsewhere too,” Fives jabbed back, his eyes narrowing. “Come on, vod, that mess was no one's fault, you know this. The Commander didn’t have much more choice in joining us on an extraction mission than you did with the package escort to Coruscant.” 

He’d neglected to mention, of course that Commander Riis had practically volunteered to join the extraction of General Vinree. He knew that would set the irate clone off further. 

“Bad calls happen in all branches of the GAR, brother.” Echo extended a calming hand towards Burner. 

“Yeah...bad calls.” Burner gave a bitter chuckle, “you haven’t seen bad calls yet. You’re lucky you have a capable Jedi leading you.” 

Fives’ gauntleted hands crackled as they tightened into fists. You fekkin’ chakaar. Don’t you know how concerned she was for you? How she checked every morsel of information over and over, to keep apprised of your progress? 

The ARC said nothing however. . He was smart enough to know it would only set the dangerous Intelligence officer off. 

“You came back mostly intact though,” Echo tried again, his hand withdrawing as he glanced sideways at Fives. 

“Lieutenant, is there a point you’re trying to make?” Rex stood up to his full height, which admittedly was the exact same of the others. His commanding, no-nonsense presence, however, made up for it. 

It caused Burner to straighten up as well. “You’ll see soon enough, sir,” he said.

Turning on his heel he stalked off to the far side of the room with his tray. 

Rex sat back down after a few moments of glaring after the red-headed clone. 

“What was that just now?” Kix couldn’t help himself as he sat back down with two trays which he put in front of the two ARC’s. 

Fives relaxed his hands, sighing, “his team had a really bad run on Felucia. We can’t go into details, but it was really bad. I just don’t understand why he’s having a go at us for it. As if it was us who somehow influenced outcomes.” 

“Perhaps it was something the Commander said to them?” Rex offered, looking between his men. 

Fives and Echo shrugged in unison. Fives had wanted to say that he was sure that she wouldn’t do such a thing. The other part of him was all too aware that he didn’t really know her that well and it was highly possible she may have said or done something to make her men feel this jaded. Purposefully or not, that was a whole different debate. The rational part of Fives knew that he really had no way of knowing unless he somehow got the opportunity to ask the Commander herself. Even then, he knew it was highly possible she wouldn’t tell him. Or anyone. 

“Oh well, intelligence types, always a weird bunch.” Hardcase chuckled as he finished the rest of his food. 

“Dangerous too...I read the Chrystophsis reports. Slick did a boatload of damage there,” said Jesse. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me. The run around he gave Cody and myself, the damage he did…” Rex muttered, a dark look passing over his eyes as he returned to his meal too. 

“The damage he did pales in comparison to the wreck these two left of the training grounds after their final tests!” Oddball announced loudly as he came up behind the two newly minted ARCs, his hands coming down hard on their armored shoulders, a large grin plastered across his face despite the somewhat somber subject his fellow clones had been discussing. Oddball, as always believed he knew what was best and in his mind changing the subject was what these boys needed...if only for a moment. 

Especially after he and No-Nines had passed that rather disagreeable little man with the gaudy red hair in the hall. Neither ARC knew who the clone was but neither had any doubt that they didn’t like him. His partner in crime certainly wouldn’t disagree with Oddball’s motives even if he vehemently disagreed with the direction he’d chosen.  

Echo and Fives roared with laughter to cover for the slight twitch of surprise they were caught with. 

Jesse, Kix, and Hardcase looked at each other for a moment in confusion before they joined in the laughter too. 

Rex chuckled, glancing at the two ARC’s in green. “Good to see you again, No-Nines, Oddball,”  he said, gesturing towards his men, “Jesse, Kix and Hardcase, Torrent Company, 501st.” He then gestured towards the newcomers, “Sergeants Oddball and No-Nines, ARCs seconded to General Vinree.” 

“Join us, please.” Echo motioned to the free seats, “we just flew back in from Kamino.” 

“Ah yes and we heard that the service clones were glad to see your shuttle finally leave,” Oddball said with a grin and a laugh directed toward the other clones as he sat down, figuratively and literally ribbing Fives. 

“Apparently they’re still cleaning things up, a whole battalion’s training had to be delayed,” No-Nines added as he too took a seat. They might have been stretching the truth a bit, but as a wise man once said ‘all good stories deserved some embellishment.’ “I pity those boys...almost as much as I do the clankers.” 

Fives nearly choked with laughter as the two piled on the truth. He’d always been fond of the two ARCs for their humor and the usually surprising professionalism beneath it one never quite expected. He certainly remembered his own reaction and that of Echo and the Commander when they learned Oddball of all people was a technical specialist. 

“So, what are you two doing here? I thought the 442nd would have been deployed by now?” Rex asked, trying to contain his own laughter while the others didn’t have such luck and continued laughing. 

“We’re taking a bit of extra time to train up our new troops while the General and Commander spend some time at the Jedi Temple. As General Vinree put it, they’ve been put on mediative sabbatical,” No-Nines replied, keeping Oddball from putting his particular brand of embellishment on this story; his fellow ARC having little love for the Jedi Council. “Should be coming to a close soon.” 

Rex nodded, “we’re waiting for assignment ourselves. This much down time is practically unheard of.” Not that Rex actually had any real precedent. He just didn’t like this much down time. 

Fives chuckled, “well we’re raring to go ourselves.” 

“So much enthusiasm, I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not,” Oddball wondered aloud as he tapped his chin. 

“Of course it is, why wouldn’t enthusiasm be a good thing?” No-Nines asked turning to give his brother an almost conspiratorial look. 

“Well you do remember the General’s communique don’t you? About coming down to inspect the troops tomorrow…” 

“Oh yes of course, how could I possibly have forgotten? Didn’t she also mention something about a special guest? One who’d be interested in meeting with all the troopers involved in their training?” 

“You know, No-Nines, I think you may just be right. I do vaguely remember something like that,” Oddball said as the two senior ARCs turned to look at their newly minted comrades. 

Rex raised an eyebrow that clearly spelled, uh huh. Being a seasoned veteran of many a battle and many a social event, he could tell a joke being pulled when he saw one. 

Jesse, Hardcase and Kix leaned closer, eager to hear who would be inspecting and possibly grilling their friends. Fives and Echo did so cautiously. 

“Special guest? It’s not General Thirsan is it?” Echo wondered. Jedi General Rak Thirsan was a burly Iridonian man, who was in charge of Special Operations for the GAR and had a reputation of being a hard, stern man. They had yet to meet him. 

Fives however narrowed his eyes at the two older ARCs. There was something in their tone that spoke of someone that would have far more impact on them. He just couldn’t figure out whom, and why would General Vinree keep it under wraps? 

“Hmm Thirsan...Thirsan it’s not ringing a bell…” Oddball said with an over exaggerated tap of a finger on his chin before looking at No-Nines, the senior ARC giving a small chuckle before joining in. 

“Thrifty Thirsan? No I don’t think so, doesn’t have much to do with our battalion these days.” 

Now Echo and Fives both raised eyebrows. 

“What are you on about, you two?” Rex pushed, now more amused than annoyed at their antics. 

“Us? Oh nothing, just informing our fellow troopers that someone with a...vested interest in the well being of our unit would be coming by and that these two should be in attendance,” No-Nines said almost too innocently. 

Rex chuckled. It sounded more like rumbling gravel than a chuckle, but a chuckle nonetheless. “I see. Well ARC Troopers, you best be in attendance tomorrow. When is this inspection?” 

Fives and Echo glanced at Rex in mild horror, knowing the type of antics Oddball and No-Nines were capable of. Sure, what they were saying could be a legitimate thing easily. But it could also be a prank by the older clones. Now Rex was joining in on this. 

We’re fekked. The two thought in unison. 

“Zero-nine-hundred is assembly, General said she’d be showing up at forty-five.” The General might not have been one for strict time keeping, but Commander Frost certainly was. He might not have always lived up to his name, but like all Clone Commanders he certainly appreciated structure. 

Fives nodded, “and she asked specifically for us?” 

Echo thwacked his brother's shoulder plate. “They’re just telling us that!’ 

The rest of the 501st clones were sniggering softly to themselves. 

“Did she ask for them No-Nines?” Oddball asked, his tone light but not mocking. 

“I believe she meant to include them when saying all involved with the replacement training, yes.” 

“You know I think you might be right.” Well not cruelly mocking anyway, there was point of mirth and teasing in the elder clone’s tone. “So yes, she asked for you two specifically.” 

“Alright, oh-nine-hundred it is.” Echo nodded. 

Fives still looked a bit uncertain but nodded anyway. 

Rex stifled an all out laugh, “well now that that’s sorted, I hear you brought a souvenir with you from Sermeria,” he said glancing at Oddball. 

“That I did Captain, that I did…” Oddball said with a wide, devilish grin appearing on his face. From the look and tone of voice, one could almost imagine the Clone pulling out a cigarra and chomping down on it. “And let me tell ya lads, it’s one hell of a story…”

 Renia wasn’t really a fan of the Coruscant Military Barracks and facilities. Except for the pro Republic propaganda, there was very little there that wasn’t regimented and almost...sterile. It truly was nothing like the barracks the 442nd had billeted in aboard the Dauntless. There the clones had truly made the ship their own. They still kept it military and regimented as any good soldier would but they definitely added their own personality to it. It had been warm and well, comforting...this, this was anything but. The idea of her men having to spend all their time here made her sad, since taking command of the 44nd she’d come to know the clones rather well and she couldn’t imagine stifling their creativity in such a way. 

She almost resented the Council for keeping her away for so long, allowing the Republic to take such a course with her soldiers. She understood their motives but Ren would be damned if she said she completely agreed with them. Yes the time away had been good for her, especially spending time with Vala. But she worried it hadn’t been so for her men and that was far more important. 

Valanthe in the meantime had had quite a few changes in her life. After the vetting was done and the powers that be decided that she was indeed innocent of turning to the side of the enemy, the Mirialan received yet another reassignment. Originally it had made no sense to her as she had very little experience still in such assignments, but as she meditated on it for a few days, the reason became clear in her head. Or at least she thought so. 

The conversation back at the Stinky Fish came to mind. Lex was always a subtle operator, showing his support and care in small, almost imperceptible ways. It would seem her assignment was one such way. 

Special Operations Brigade of the GAR, under Jedi General Rak Thirsan. She would be reporting in to the man later that day. But first, Renia had all but harassed her to come join the inspection tour. Whilst she did like the clones, she only really knew Oddball and No-Nines marginally, Commander Frost even less so. The rest were remnants of the 442nd from Sermeria and newly trained in troopers, aka shinies. 

“Are you really sure about this, Ren?” Vala asked as she fidgeted with her new jacket, dark brown and very utilitarian, with a matching hood. 

“For the twentieth time, yes.” Ren teased as she pulled on her outer robes. Normally she wouldn’t have worn them but an occasion like this she felt her version of a dress uniform was appropriate. “It’ll be good for the boys to have another set of eyes to impress. It’ll give the Shiney’s something to focus on and it’ll be good for our vets to see you again. You did after all save our skins back there.” 

Valanthe waved it off, “it was a group effort and you know it. Anyway...it’s 0900, we should go in,” she said as she stepped in line with the very dapperly dressed Renia. “Oh great now I feel under dressed too.” Riis gave a dramatic moan. 

“Oh you’re not. I’m their General I have to present a certain air of authority for the new troops not to mention that being part of the chain of command requires a certain level of formality,” Ren said, not overly comfortable with the heavy Jedi robes. How some of her fellows wore these all the time was a mystery to her. 

Shrugging it off, Renia started forward heading into the large parade space in the facility where her unit had assembled in formations, each section with their officer standing in front lining the walls. However there was one group in the middle headed by Commander Frost and Captain Lock that stood out from the rest. Hand picked by Renia they were veterans of Sermeria, those troopers who had distinguished themselves in battle above the rest. ARCs Oddball and No-Nines were there, as well as Charger and Buzz...but the ones that would undoubtedly catch Valanthe’s attention were the only two blue armored clones, Fives and Echo. 

The two aforementioned ARC Troopers in blue had been talking to each other on their private channel as they were waiting for the inspection to start, still somewhat unsure as to why they had to be there when they didn’t quite fall under the General’s command. Then they noticed a smaller, much less regal looking green figure just behind the General. Much less regal, but not at all unwelcome. 

Echo couldn’t help a dry chuckle as he heard his brother suck in a deep breath. “Well well, this certainly is a surprise, eh Fives?” 

He’d been expecting anyone else but her. Not that he was unhappy or disappointed, in fact, far far from it. It had just had such a sense of finality back then that he’d come to accept it as such. He felt himself straighten up. Fives also allowed himself a glance at the Commander from within the safety of his helmet. 

She looked...tired. Almost a bit subdued. Why? 

“It certainly is, vod. It certainly is,” he said finally. 

It was at that very moment they heard Captain Lock bellow, “Atten-hut!” 

All as one, every manner of trooper stood at perfect attention. 

Renia always hated giving speeches, she’d only done it a couple of times before. There was something about speaking to a group and needing to find that right balance of authority, self-deprecation and reverence for your audience that she had trouble with. But having Vala here, her calming presence where the Jedi could feel it, made Ren feel a hell of a lot more relaxed. 

"Troopers! First and foremost I wanted to congratulate you on completing your training, you are now ready to join one of the finest infantry battalions in the Republic. Your hard work and dedication over the last few weeks has been an inspiration; your commitment to the Republic, its citizens and its ideals is nothing short of noble. You were born into this life and weren't afforded the choice of something different...and yet, not once have I ever seen anything less than full and unwavering dedication to your duties and to those who share in our burden. 

It is said that there is no greater bond, no greater trust than that between soldiers, between those who stand shoulder to shoulder in the darkest and hardest of times. But the bond you men share goes far deeper than that, you are brothers; men of the same skin, of the same bone and of the same heart. I am honored and humbled to have shared in this bond, to be welcomed into this fellowship of heroes. 

In my life I have seen many things, gone many places and met many people and none compare to those I see before me today, and those who once stood where you do. Many have come before you and many will come after. It won't be easy, this war, one unlike any that have come before. It won't be won today, or tomorrow or next month or next year... It will take a toll on us. We will lose friends, lose family along the way....there will be no time for sorrow. 

But I can see in your hearts that we will not surrender to despair, we will push on, continue to fight to make sure that the sacrifices they made in the name of freedom were not made vain. It is then we will grieve, but it is also then we will remember. And many years from now, I hope, we can look back on long and happy lives in peace and know we did the right thing and that you all will feel the same pride that I do today. 

Remember this, as our business now is out there, good luck and may the Force be with you all." 

Commander Frost took a step forward, putting his helmet on, “well, let’s go get the job done then! Par haar tsad droten!” (For the Republic!) 

The crowd broke into cheers and clapping almost instantly as Renia finished her speech. Fives and Echo felt completely elated joining in their brothers in echoing, “Par haar tsad droten!” 

Vala could feel the shinies fully believing in Renia’s words. Those who had been with the battalion for a while felt their hope elevated while the veterans, like Frost, Lock, Oddball and No-Nines felt a more cautious kind of longing for it all to be finally over. 

“Well, you made me tear up there...go figure.” The Mirialan wiped her somewhat misty eyes, hiding behind the slightly bulkier frame — what with the robes and all) — of her friend. 

“Gettin sentimental in your old age then?” Ren teased with a soft elbowing of her friend, her eyes still glued to the troops before her. She could feel their confidence, their spirit rising as they were dismissed from ranks and could interact with each other, take that final step into becoming a real unit. Hopefully this belief in themselves and those around them would be the push they needed to survive their next engagement. 

“I suppose I ought to go tell the ARCs I’ll be working with them from now on.” Vala chuckled, “Well at least Fives and Echo, Oddball and No-Nines are shipping out with you, no?” She glanced from the four ARCs who were in hushed conversation together to the side. 

“They are, we’ll be shipping out again soon and I’ll need them more than ever.” Ren didn’t have the specifics of their orders, but considering some of the training her unit received and other current battlefields, she had a guess or two. She wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up near Sermeria again or fighting with Obi-Wan. “But the others will be glad to hear you’ll be with them.” 

“Let me know if you can, when you know?” Vala turned to face Renia, her face cool and neutral, but she clearly projected worry. “Remember what I told you.” 

Fives and Echo were sharing a joke when Fives stopped momentarily, turning to glance at the two women, who somehow happened to be looking in their direction. “I think they’re talking about us,” Fives commented, “I wonder why.” 

Echo’s only response was a small shrug of his plated shoulders, his pauldrons like small wings bobbing up and down. 

“I know, I haven't’ forgotten,” Ren said with an encouraging smile. “I admit it’s been harder than I thought to think in those terms but I’ve been trying.” 

Valanthe nodded, “alright, I’ll come see you off if I’m still here before you go. Want to come with me while I talk to Fives and Echo? Or are you busy?” 

“I’m pretty much free, there’s little going on right now, this time is for the men to get to know each other outside of training.” Ren said holding out her arm to have Vala take the lead. It would be good to talk to the newly minted ARCs again, it felt like since she got back it’s been harder and harder to find time to meet with the clones. 

“General, sir!” Fives and Echo snapped to attention almost painfully as the two women arrived. 

Vala winced visibly. “At ease lads. This is a social call,” she said, smirking. “So, you two finally made it. It’s hard to recognize you now, from the shinies I met back on Kamino.” 

The two ARCs in blue grinned. “Thanks, Commander. If you hadn’t let us go, who knows what would have happened,” said Fives, taking his helmet off and tucking it under his arm. 

“Though, I would have liked to try my hand at intelligence work,” Echo chimed in, doing the same with his helmet. 

Vala couldn’t help but grin, their enthusiasm and elation were infectious. “Well, you’re going to get something close to it. I’ve been reassigned to Special Ops to work with ARC Troopers. Intelligence liaison and all.” 

If they could grin any wider their cheeks would have fallen off. Fives couldn’t help but wonder, however, what Burner had said the day before in his embittered tirade. Had she done something to earn being transferred from Intelligence to Special Operations? Not that he minded in any way. Seeing her again and knowing he’d get to work with her on a more regular basis made him cheerful for some reason. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he wasn’t going to question it. So what had she done? 

“That’s excellent news, Commander, the Division will surely benefit from your experience and expertise,” Echo said, still grinning from ear to ear. 

“From your’s as well Sergeant,” Renia said, glad to see the two clones had taken to the news so well. “I’d say that the two of you have had some of the most varied training of any ARC. With Vala by your side I imagine that will only become more and more true.” 

Vala rolled her eyes affectionately, “stop, I’ll explode from all the compliments!” 

Fives chuckled, observing the interaction. His mind went in a totally inappropriate direction at her words however. Such thoughts were reserved for lonely nights in the bunk room where every brother left the other alone with their thoughts. He coughed a little to cover for his indecent thoughts before resuming a grin. 

“Oh you’ve not seen anything yet, Commander. Wait till you meet the others,” he teased lightly. 

“You mean there ARCs worse than you at it?” Vala quipped back, smirking. 

“Kriff yes. Our trainers for one,” Fives shot back, then glanced at Oddball and No-Nines. “No, not you. The lot back at Kamino.” 

Echo laughed softly beside him at their indignant faces. 

“Where do you think they got it from?” Oddball asked, adding a bit of a huff to his already indignant expression. The clone wouldn’t deny that the ARC trainers on Kamino were a force to be reckoned with, he just believed that he and No-Nines were just a wee bit past their level. 

This set the group off laughing. They remained talking for a little while longer, the crowds around them thinning out. Minutes turned into hours without the small group noticing it too much. 

Fives felt lighter. Almost as light as he’d been after Domino Squad had finally finished the Citadel exercise. When they’d finally graduated from Cadets to Troopers. He decided that it was worth it. The journey they had, he and Echo. It was worth it because of moments like these. 

It was nearing curfew, he knew it and he didn’t want it to be yet. Moments of relaxation and enjoyment like these were too few, too precious. 

“Echo and I should get back to ARCA barracks,” He said then, sighing a little, “curfew’s starting soon. We’ll be getting our assignments tomorrow and all.” 

Vala nodded, “I should turn in early too, meeting with General Thirsan at 0700.” She didn’t really want to go either. This small group of people had become very dear to her very fast, even though she’d spent very little time with most of them compared to her life long friendship with Renia. 

“I imagine we all have early mornings coming, now that their training is complete I doubt we’ll be kept on Coruscant for much longer.” Renia didn’t want to go back to the front lines, really she didn’t want to be a part of the war altogether. But that wasn’t an option, she couldn’t just sit it out. As if the Force knew where their discussion was headed, her portable communicator started to beep. Of course someone wanted to get a hold of her now, of course they couldn’t wait just a few short hours for tomorrow. 

With a sigh she brought up her wrist, tapping the large white button to answer the summons. While she wasn’t sure what to expect, Master Yoda contacting her at this hour didn’t even make the top 10. 

“Master, what can I assist you with at this hour?” 

“Apologies Master Vinree, for disturbing you. Urgently required, your presence at the Temple is.” 

That didn’t sound good, despite being a senior Jedi and General, if there was something wrong Ren would not be the first contacted, especially with so many members of the High Council present on world. 

“Understood Master, I can be there within the hour.” Renia frowned as her gaze met Vala’s, saddened that she would be torn from her friend once more by duty. 

“Appreciated your haste is, see you soon, we will.” 

Vala nodded slowly. “Be careful,” she mouthed. 

Yoda didn’t make such calls unless the situation truly was dire. Just as he and Master Sinube came to see her personally. The Grandmaster of the Jedi Order didn’t make such trips or calls for just anyone. 

Fives and Echo almost unconsciously straightened up a bit as they waited to be dismissed. Fives could note the tension in the General. The Commander had an inquisitive look on her face, both concerned and curious at the same time. 

As the channel closed and the hologram of the Grandmaster disappeared, Renia didn’t quite know what to say as she looked around at the other three before her. “Well, I guess that settles that…” 

Vala nodded solemnly, “may the Force be with you, General.” 

Now was not the time to get soppy and emotional. Now Renia needed to be the General and Valanthe the Commander, leading by examples, not by emotion. 

“Good luck, General!” Echo saluted Renia, Fives joining in quickly. 

“Thank you all and good luck to you as well,” Ren said, returning the salutes and bowing deeply to her friend. She desperately wanted to grasp Vala tightly and give her a hug, borrowing some of the other woman’s strength. But she couldn’t, not here with all the other clones. She knew Vala recognized that, the thanks and understanding evident in her gaze. 

Vala nodded, feeling her friend’s tumbled emotions, sending her own encouraging thoughts. Nodding to the two ARC’s, Valanthe was the first one to step away from the assembly, much to her own chagrin. There was work to do and she was letting her emotions keep her away from it too long. She was a professional. A former Shadow of the Jedi Order, a former agent for the Republic Ministry Of Intelligence, the mission was all. Or the game in this case. There was a long game afoot, a game she was assigned to GAR Special Ops Division to play. Maybe, just maybe, she could help get to the bottom of this. 

Fives and Echo watched after the Commander for a few moments. Then they turned to Renia for the final dismissal. 

“Keep each other safe,” Renia said with a nod, unable to bring herself to be so military to dismiss them with the single, sterile word; not to these two and certainly not while her emotions still tugged at her as Vala walked away. Deeper than her emotional connection to the two clones it was also a request; that they watch out for Vala as best they could. It was a bit of a gamble, banking on their ability to understand her true meaning. But looking into their eyes as the pair of clones gave her one last salute they understood. 

It was all the comfort she could take for the moment, that she would get to see the three of them again. Whether the war would allow her this indulgence was a whole other question… Force willing they would all come out of this alright, if not...the survivors would support each other, as it had always been. 

Steeling herself as Valanthe disappeared from view and the ARCs melded in with their fellow clones, Renia herself turned walking off in the opposite direction; feeling rather more isolated with every step. It was all she could do to focus her mind of what Master Yoda so desperately wanted to tell her. 

“Force be with us all…” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as the near silent prayer was swallowed up by the overpowering din of the assembled clones, unaware of the danger soon to befall them.