Work Summary: Kenobi and Cody; Skywalker and Rex; Jedi and Clone, together. And so it seemed it would always be. But it is the end of the age of heroes, and a darkness is rising. As Obi-Wan Kenobi rushes to the aid of Mandalore, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker embark on a mission to rescue Chancellor Palpatine. The game has been set, the pieces are lined up, and the dominoes are about to fall. [A retelling of Revenge of the Sith]
Foxes and Senators (Series) | AO3 | 130,000 words
Series Summary: Thorn used to tease Fox about his love life, settling on trying to get him to talk to a Pantoran senator he thought was similar to him. Then the incident on Scipio occurred. Shortly afterwards, an assassination attempt is made on the life of Senator Chuchi, and the only suitable guardsman to protect her is Fox. From there spirals a "secret" romance that pulls them into unexpected directions in the wake of the fall of the Republic as Fox and Thire discover a terrible secret about their leadership.
[more under break]
retrograde | AO3 | 14,000 words
Work Summary: After being captured and tortured by an extremist group opposing Chancellor Palpatine, Fox returns home to Riyo and his brothers to recover physically and mentally only to find that something is not the way it was before.
Oneshots
catch me i’m falling | AO3 | 1,800 words
Work Summary: Riyo regrets the view from her window. All it has ever done is give her a look at her world as it falls apart.
Fresh Starts | AO3 | 1,200 words
Work Summary: Recovering from the attack by the Geonosian brain worms, Barriss and Ahsoka sit down to contemplate the events that led up to this moment.
the sweetest con | AO3 | 1,000 words
Work Summary: Bly is following General Secura through the forests of Felucia when a new order comes in, one that he hasn’t thought about in years, and he is forced to make a choice.
The Flowers Are Gone | AO3 | 3,300 words
Work Summary: As a child, Riyo would collect flowers in the fields of Pantora. But there are no wildflowers on Coruscant, only the ones Fox brings to her.
Event Collections
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- Collects all Febuwhump 2021 Works
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Little life/fic update. I hope to be back to writing the fruit of war in the next few months. I'm very excited at all the attention that it has received and I'm very grateful for my readers <3 She has not been forsaken, I have many stories to tell in this fic alone.
As for the life update, I am currently in the last stages of writing my Master's dissertation. By the end of September, it will have been submitted, I will have made yet another international move, and hopefully I will be employed. There will be no writing during this time except for, fingers crossed, research publications.
I cannot guarantee a timeline for when I will start publishing chapters again, but I hope it will be by the end of this year and I hope that everyone can stick around for when that day comes <3
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
By the time Thorn reached his office Thire and Scout were already there in the same positions as they had been the day before.
“Looking sharp.” Thorn said when they glanced up at his entrance. “Scout, may I ask a favor from you?”
Thire cut him off. “He knows.”
Thorn nodded, looking between the two men before closing the door. He brought his chair around to their side of the desk and sat, looking between the two of them. “I have a plan. It’s a poor plan, but it’s a plan.” He had stayed up far too late the previous night only to draw the same conclusions as Thire. But he had found more.
“Tell me.” Thire demanded.
“The medics don’t care about our health. They only care if we can carry out our duties.”
Scout shot Thorn a look that said, ‘we know.’
“You’re not going to fool a scan, but, all you need to do is prove significant progress, right?”
Thire’s brow rose. He and Scout wore matching looks of skepticism. “So, how am I going to make significant progress?”
“They medically cleared me even with ongoing necrosis.” Thire and Scout’s faces twisted into discomfort. “So I am willing to bet that they’ll clear you with a superficial recovery. You’re going to walk in there and walk out. No crutches.”
“Thorn, I can’t even stand for a short shower.” Thire protested.
“You have a week. Every hour on the hour you are going to walk to Stone’s office and back, without crutches. I don’t expect this to help but I expect you to learn how to fake it. Walk in and out of your appointment next week. And lie to the medical droids. That’s all you have to do.”
Thire’s look was not one of assurance.
“Do it now.” Thorn said, opening the office door and leaning back in his chair.
Thire glared at him but complied.
Scout moved closer to Thorn as they watched Thire take shaking steps across the office space, then turn around to walk back towards them. He was barely to Fox’s door before his legs gave out and he collapsed onto the floor.
“You’re doing great!” Thorn called.
When Thire raised the middle finger of his right hand to him Thorn burst out into laughter.
-
Riyo hoped the anxiety in her chest was not written across her face as she sat in the seat beside Senator Organa in his office. This section of the building, Cantham House, was different than the rest of the Senate. For one, she knew him to live here during his time on Coruscant, and the other differences came because of that. There was no single desk in the great room, but a couch across from the chairs on which they sat. While it was grand it was still homely, more than even her apartment could be said to be.
“This is very good.” Senator Organa said as he continued to look over the datapad. “But I must ask, where did you find the historic trade records?”
“The Senate Archives.” She answered, trying and failing to hide the small smile of pride at his compliment. “There’s some books that have yet to be digitized that I found helpful for my calculations.”
“You must send me their titles.” Senator Organa said as he looked up from the datapad, turning to face her. “I will bring this to my trade representatives for their opinions, but, I do not anticipate any refusals. You have argued well for Pantora.”
“Thank you, Senator Organa.” Riyo said.
When he rose from his seat she mirrored him, clasping his outstretched hand in a handshake.
“Please let me know if there is any feedback for me to address.” She said as he walked her to the door of the suite.
“Certainly. I hope to see you this afternoon, Senator Chuchi.”
“I will be there, Senator Organa.” She would never have passed up on the opportunities that came to her for committee discussions.
The walk back to her office from Cantham House was long, but it flew by as she bristled with pride and Senator Organa’s approval. When she had become senator, he had been one of the few she had hoped to gain mentorship from. That hope was still there and brimming when she reached her office.
Riyo had just set her hand on the control panel when a red painted clone trooper approached.
“Yes?” She turned to face him.
“Senator Chuchi, I’m here to inspect your office bunker.” The clone said.
“Wonderful, do come in.” She opened the door and ushered the man inside. “It’s there under the desk.” Goddess knew she had hit the hidden button in her desk drawer too many times. She pulled her chair away, allowing him access, before opening the drawer and pressing the button, hidden under more loose flimsiplast she had shoved into the drawer the afternoon prior. “Please, forgive the mess.”
“No worries, Senator.” The trooper said as he slid underneath the desk, climbing down the short ladder into the bunker beneath.
She waited, leaning on the back of the chair as the trooper ran his inspection. When the door had shut then reopened and he crawled back up the ladder she straightened.
“All good, Senator.”
“Thank you, Trooper. Would you like some tea or water?”
He squirmed a little. “I couldn’t intrude, Senator.”
“I insist.”
She met the black gaze of his helmet until he complied. “Some water would be lovely, thank you, Senator Chuchi.”
“Wonderful.” She quickly crossed the room to the small cabinet of food and drinks for entertainment, and enough caf to get her through the week. “What is your name?” She asked as she grabbed a small cup and the water jug.
“Edge, ma’am.”
“Well,” she quickly moved to the now helmetless clone trooper with the freshly poured cup of water, “thank you, Edge, for ensuring my safety.”
Edge whispered a small thanks for the cup of water before taking a sip. He looked so young. If he had been a normal man, not a clone, she would’ve guessed he was still in his childhood studies. It made her wonder if all the clones in the senate were the same age.
“Thank you again, Senator Chuchi.” Edge said when he had finished the water, looking around for a place to set his cup.
“And thank you, Edge.” Riyo said, taking the cup from him. “I must thank Commander Thorn for sending you here to ensure my safety, I tend to run into him in the halls.”
Edge cringed a little. “With all due respect, Senator, you may want to wait another day or two. He’s in a bad mood.”
“Oh? Did something happen?”
“I don’t know. May just be sore from the new armor.”
Riyo nodded slowly as she walked Edge to the door. “I will consider that if I see him. Have a good day, Edge.”
When the door shut behind him, Riyo set her mind to clearing off her workspace before lunchtime.
-
Fox’s brows knit in concentration as he hit the turbolift button with his finger, trying not to upset the tray of his and Stone’s food.
“Looking forward to your day of rest?” Thorn asked when the doors shut and the turbolift began to move.
“Actually, I was thinking that I could pull rank and have you and Stone fetch our meals every day.”
“You’re a cruel man.”
Fox didn’t need to see Thorn’s face to know what expression lay beneath his helmet.
“It seems the power’s gone to my head.” But because it was Thorn, Fox let him have a bit of honesty. “And I’m anxious about the Chancellor popping in to see the new armor.”
The turbolift doors opened and they stepped out, heading towards the offices.
“You don’t think Stone and I can handle him?”
“I just don’t want anything to go wrong.”
“C’mon, Fox. Our men misbehaving? The Corrie Guard is a well-oiled machine already!”
When the office doors opened, Fox sighed.
The clamor inside faded in an instant as the office sergeants and lieutenants turned to see their commanding officer.
“What is that?” Fox asked as he and Thorn entered the room.
“We thought you’d be gone longer.” Sergeant Dock said apologetically.
Fox set his tray of food down on one of the desks before walking over to the center of the room where all the men were gathered. Sixteen sergeants, three lieutenants, and Scout sat on the floor in a circle. Fox didn’t immediately recognize the machine in Lieutenant Bravo’s hand, but when he glanced down to the flimsiplast on the floor he sighed. “Where did you get that?”
Sergeant Faryn answered. “It was confiscated this morning. We weren’t planning on tattooing anyone today-”
Behind Fox, Thorn choked down a laugh.
“Put that back in evidence, now.” Fox growled, stepping back to grab his lunch. “If any of you try to use that machine in this office you will be demoted in rank.”
As the men scattered, Fox looked up to see Stone leaning against the door of his office.
“You were supposed to be watching them!” Fox hissed at Stone as he met them inside Fox’s office.
Stone shrugged, falling into his chair. “They were having a good time.”
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
Thorn let out a deep breath as the medical droid removed the bacta wrap from his side. While its application had brought an almost pleasant cooling sensation, its removal came with the sensation of his skin being ripped from his body. It wasn’t, but it felt like it.
“When should I return?” Thorn asked half-heartedly as another droid moved to wipe away the residue. He didn’t enjoy the treatment, least of all the cleaning of the wound, the removal of dead flesh, and the kneading of it that would follow after, as if the sour-smelling serum of bacta and chemicals was meant to pierce down to his organs, but he couldn’t deny the progress, slow as it was.
“Further appointments are unnecessary.” The first droid said, turning back to face the bed.
Thorn spared a glance down to the temporarily clean mess that was the wound as the second droid placed a sterile bandage over it. “Are you certain of that?”
“You have a clean bill of health.” The droid chirped. “If necrosis of the flesh continues, you are welcome to return, provided significant spread.”
Thorn made a conscious effort to close his open, slack-jawed mouth. “It came back last week.”
“Further appointments are unnecessary.” The droid repeated. “You will be provided with adequate supplies for temporary upkeep.”
Thorn knew from the last few weeks that ‘adequate supplies’ translated to bacta wraps and a weak anti-biotic that he was half certain was just sterile jelly.
“Have a good day!” The droid chirped as it and its companion left the room.
Thorn let his head fall back to the bed with a groan of frustration. With a huff, he pushed himself up to a seated position and pulled the shirt of his blacks back on, armor following soon after.
He found Thire where he had the past two weeks, waiting in the reception of the medical facility.
“You look like shit, kid.” Thorn remarked as Thire heaved himself to his feet.
Thire’s hollow eyes matched Thorn’s own most days. Thorn knew the lack of sleep and chronic pain was starting to catch up to both of them, slowly wearing them down, but today his gaze was more distant than usual.
“Thanks, Commander.” Thire said as he followed beside Thorn, leaning on his crutches as if they were a lifeline.
“They give you that last appointment talk too?”
Thire let out a sad laugh. “Yeah, yeah that was the gist of it.”
Fox was waiting for them today, datapad resting against the steering yoke of the speeder. He hadn’t seen Fox that morning. He had left before Stone prodded Thorn awake.
“How’s inventory?” Thorn asked as he gingerly sat in the passenger seat. It would be a desk day.
Fox glanced over, setting down the datapad. “We’ve got enough to play dress up at lunch.”
“Yay.” Thorn said flatly. That would mean more bending over.
“You okay, Lieutenant?” Fox asked, readying to leave.
Thire, laying down across the back seats where he had collapsed, gave his commanding officer a thumbs up.
As the speeder lifted from the landing pad, moving to join the traffic rushing toward the Senate, Fox asked. “When’s the next appointment?”
“Clean bill of health for me.” Thorn said, leaning back in the seat to feel the wind in his hair.
Fox chuckled, then became serious when Thorn didn’t respond. “You’re joking.”
“No more appointments.” Thorn said as he let his hand fall over the side of the door.
Fox’s brows bunched together. “It looks like a sarlaac victim.”
“Well, unless my side starts to rot off in the next few weeks, it’s just going to be ugly.”
Fox glanced to the rearview mirror. “Thire?”
“Next Monday, same time. Final progress report.” Thire said tiredly.
“Then you’re… cleared for duty?”
Thire waved a hand. “We’ll see.”
-
Lieutenant Kilo was leaning against the wall of the loading docks with a datapad in hand when his commanding officers arrived.
“Progress report?” Commander Fox asked as the three men stopped before him.
“We’re about a third of the way through unloading. I have Ash and Faryn’s squads beginning the inspection of the contents. It’s going to be a while.”
“Report isn’t due for two more weeks. You have time.” Commander Fox said before he and Commander Thorn resumed walking.
Kilo glanced towards Thire as the man began to follow them. “Thire.”
All three men stopped, the commanders turning to look at their two lieutenants.
“Can I pick your mind for a few minutes?” Kilo continued.
Thire glanced towards Thorn, who gave his nod of approval. “Certainly.”
Shortly after the commanders were out of sight, Sergeant Barr came by with a folding chair before resuming the unloading of the cargo freighter.
Thire took a seat in the chair with a sigh of relief. “What do you want to know?”
“The best route to transfer some of this mess up to the offices.” Kilo paused. “And how you’re holding up.”
Thire sighed and reached for the datapad in Kilo’s hands. “I’ll program it.”
“And my second question?”
Under the helmet, he couldn’t see Thire’s face. “Not well. No progress.”
“Well, it’s only been two weeks.” Kilo said, trying to ease the defeated sound in Thire’s voice.
“It’s been just over a month.”
“It’s been just over two weeks since you left the medbay. Two weeks of progress.”
Thire handed the datapad back to Kilo and buried his head in his hands. “That’s not fast enough.”
“Be realistic, Lieutenant Medic Track. It’s not long enough.”
Thire snorted. “Since when did you study the subject?”
“Never.” Kilo gave his shoulder a light punch. “I’m just a brilliant thinker like that.”
Kilo didn’t need to see Thire’s expression to know the look that was on his face as he glanced up at him.
-
“Good morning, commanders.” Riyo greeted as she walked up behind the two men in the hallway. “How fares that new armor I’ve heard so much about?”
She watched as Commander Thorn looked to Commander Fox in prompting.
“We’ll find out this afternoon, Senator Chuchi.” Commander Fox answered. “The first shipment was delivered this morning.”
“I saw the freighter. Tell me your men have droids to assist them with the unloading.”
“I’m afraid not.” He responded once more. “But don’t worry, the exercise is good for them.”
A sense of humor underneath a deadpan tone of voice.
“Do you care if I ask when I should be expecting more troopers on a ‘walking exercise’ to my office?”
This time, it was Commander Fox who looked to Commander Thorn.
“Tomorrow.” Commander Thorn answered. “Assuming they’re not too pampered by the cafeteria food.”
“None of us are.” She responded with a smile, looking between the two commanders. “Best of luck with the armor, gentlemen.” She let herself fall behind them to approach the door to the senate records.
As the door opened before her, she heard the light clack of plastoid on plastoid and a whisper she couldn’t catch.
“Shut up.” Commander Fox hissed in return.
Riyo stifled the snort of laughter inside her as she stepped inside.
The room was quiet and dark. Dim lights flickered above her as she walked through the aisles. The text she grabbed was covered in dust as if it had sat untouched since the end of the Old Republic. It likely had. Very beings used paper since those days. That was why she enjoyed it. Holding a book was like touching a museum piece. But this one should, if her research was correct, give her the final piece of data she needed to understand the labor costs of the Pantoran silk trade on a galactic scale.
As she exited the archives, Riyo wondered if all this research was necessary or if she should have instead sought out the advice of the senators of other farming worlds. But, she had little else to do so she clasped the book to her chest and made her way to the crime scene of flimsiplast and datapads that had become her office.
-
Thire stifled a groan at the sounds of crates crashing together in the main office. The morning had flown by with Scout at his side and Commander Thorn across from them. Scout had been assigned to monitor the inspection of the personal bunker remotely, giving Thorn the ability to know where his men were at a given moment. Thorn had rarely asked for the information but had insisted Scout remain with them for the upcoming week. Thire was combing the architectural plans for the senate, marking areas that would need tighter security on a daily basis or for large-scale events. Thorn’s screen, though not directly visible to them, reflected off the large windows behind him as he took in the escort requests that had finally begun to roll in. Occasionally, the silence in the room was broken by his fingers clattering across the terminal keyboard as if he intended to wear a hole through them. That clattering stopped the moment before Thire heard the crashing thunk.
“Lunchtime.” Thire said as Thorn’s eyes met his.
Scout, who may as well have been sleeping the whole morning let out a soft hum of agreement.
None of the three men rose from their seats.
Thire, closest to the door, hit the control panel as a clunk resounded from the wall behind him to let Lieutenant Kilo enter.
Kilo dumped the crate in the entryway with a grunt. “Special delivery.”
Commander Thorn moved first, rising gingerly from his chair to drag the crate deeper into the office with Kilo’s help. “How many sets, Lieutenant?”
“Three. Commander Fox said you had two men with you today.” Kilo panted before throwing a lazy salute and stepping out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Thorn removed the first box that the crate contained, noting the rank embossed on the surface. The box was set on his desk, followed by the second beside it. The third box in the crate was larger. Thorn lifted it far enough to balance it on the edge of the crate before opening it. He paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he pulled out the leather piece that had been placed on top of the pile of flimsiplast.
Thire and Scout watched silently as Thorn ran his fingers over the deep red trim of the kama. He closed his eyes as he let out a sigh before turning his head to look at them. “C’mon, kids. Let’s get dressed for the Chancellor.”
“Is he coming by, Commander?” Scout asked.
“Fox thinks so.” Thorn answered as he began to strip off the yellow-striped armor from his wrists. “So we’d better look sharp.”
-
Fox slipped around one of Kilo’s troopers as he re-entered the office, Stone on his heels. Today they had gone for lunch, sharing Thorn’s food between their trays. The office was a scene of chaos. Kilo and his men had started a pile of crates for the men in the office in the very center of it that had been largely ignored in favor of collecting lunch.
Fox and Stone dodged those too before stepping over the smaller box that waited outside the door to Fox’s office. With their food safely on the desk, Fox went to collect it, setting it down in his chair. The two men paused to stare at it for a few moments before Fox suggested, “together?”
“Together.” Stone agreed before leaving to grab the box waiting for him outside of his office.
Fox ran a hand over the embossed rank on the lid of the box as he waited.
Stone soon returned, setting his own box on one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk before closing the door behind him.
Commander Fox opened the box before him and paused at what lay on top. Hesitantly, he took the kama and held it in his hands. He glanced over to see Stone frozen at the same sight.
“I didn’t think…” Stone trailed off as he reached down to touch the leather.
“Me either.” Fox agreed. He ran a finger down the long red trim. Coruscant Red trim. He waited for the feeling of anxiety to come in, undeservedness, but it did not. Some warm emotion settled on his chest. Pride, but earned pride.
Fox made quick work of the yellow-striped armor until he stood in just his blacks, Stone soon similarly undressed.
“Together.” Fox echoed.
-
When Thorn entered Fox’s office it was with a soft coo of appreciation. “Look at you two.”
“Look at you.” Fox responded. His face was glowing with the shared pride of the three men. For once he looked as young as he was, as they all were.
No pauldrons graced their shoulders, those had been reserved for their lieutenants and captains, but the kamas… when Fox stood up to greet him, Thorn began to understand the obsession with them. Thorn knew how it had felt on his own body, but he had been too lost in training to admire them on his brothers. Fox looked every bit his commanding officer.
Fox had taken to the weight better than Stone, whose walk showed the full weight of the leather as he too stood to show Thorn. He would adjust to it. They both would.
“Your men?” Stone asked.
“Fully presentable.” Thorn said with pride. “Scout’s fetching lunch for the two of them.”
“He’s going to be the admiration of the Senate halls.” Stone laughed.
“You’re going to be the admiration of your girl, Stone.” Thorn shot back, eyes flashing down to the kama then back to Stone’s face.
“So, who’s admiring Fox?” Stone asked.
Thorn read the look in Stone’s eyes in an instant. “Perhaps a lovely blue senator who thinks Fox to be a gentleman.”
“No!” Fox waved his arms before him. “You two are horrible!”
“Oh, you don’t return Mas Amedda’s affections?” Stone responded.
“Mas Amedda.” Fox grumbled to himself as he took his seat. “You two have ruined the moment.”
“I beg to differ,” Thorn said as he and Stone took their seats. “We made the moment.”
Lunch was short that day. The moment the meal was finished, Fox was off, kama swinging at his hips, to check on Lieutenant Kilo and inventory. When Fox took his leave, Stone and Thorn took theirs, returning to their offices.
Thorn found Scout and Thire where he had left them. They too had returned to their duties, though Scout was picking a few bites of food off Thire’s rather full plate.
“The belt’s not that tight.” Thorn jested as he took his seat.
Thire’s eyes rose to look at him. He looked worse than he had that morning. “I’m not hungry.”
The corner of Thorn’s mouth twitched in a frown but he let it go, allowing them to resume their work.
When sufficient time had passed for his comment to be forgotten, Thorn asked for Scout to personally check on the bunker inspection team. A few minutes later, his thoughts in a row, Thorn moved his chair around the desk to sit beside Thire.
“How does it feel?” Thorn asked, waving his hand towards the pauldron that graced Thire’s neck and shoulders.
“Lighter than I expected.” Thire responded, not turning away from his work. “Everything else feels the same.”
“You look good, kid.” Thorn offered. But the armor wasn’t the issue, he had suspected that even as he had watched Thire’s expression fall the first time he took in his reflection in the window. “You do good work too. I want you to stay on after you’re cleared for duty.”
Thire turned off the datapad and closed his eyes and Thorn knew that he had struck the right chord. What he didn’t expect was Thire’s response. “I’m not going to be cleared for duty, Commander.”
Thorn waited silently for Thire to continue, and he did.
“I’m not healing. The tendons-” Thire stopped himself with a shaking breath. Thorn reached over to place a hand on Thire’s shoulder as a tear traced down his cheek. “They’re not responding to the bacta. If something doesn’t change…” a shaky breath “… I’m going to be decommissioned next week.”
“They’re going to kick you out of the Guard?” Thorn asked. It was the wrong question. Thire’s composure fell and he lunged into Thorn’s arms, burying his face in Thorn’s shoulder, holding onto him as if he was his lifeline. Thorn moved to hold him in an instant, resting his head against Thire’s as his arms held his shaking shoulders.
Thire gasped through his sobs. “I don’t want to die.”
And Thorn remembered a boy on Kamino. One young ARC from another squad that was led away never to return. He had been behind the rest of his squad in training. Thorn had assumed at the time that he was being taken away for remedials, but he had never come back. And now Thorn realized why he had never seen a less than perfect clone.
“You’re not going to die.” Thorn growled. “Look at me, Thire.” He pushed his brother upright, gripping him under the chin. “Look at me. You’re not going to die, I swear it.”
Thire shook his head as best he could with Thorn’s grip. “You can’t stop them.”
“Like hell I can’t.” Thorn did not train, did not push his body past its limits every day on Kamino, did not gain his rank only to let his brothers die.
Thire tried to shake his head again, tears coating his lashes. “They don’t care.”
“Then we’re going to lie.”
“How?”
Looking into Thire’s face, the exhaustion that had completely overtaken him, Thorn could not lie. “I don’t know. But we have a week. We’re going to figure this out.” Thorn let his hand fall from Thire’s face to clasp his hands. “You are going to be fine. You are going to live through this and you are going to see the end of this war. I swear it.”
Thire nodded even as his shoulders still shook with each breath.
Thorn let go of Thire’s hands to clasp the back of his head, bringing him back into his embrace. As he held his little brother, Thorn repeated his oath to himself until it felt as if it burned into his very soul.
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
A/N: Shorter chapter this week, tying up stuff from the last chapter but there’s not much happening on Coruscant at the moment. The timeline is looking sparse.
Thorn glanced up in surprise at the trooper following Thire into the office the next morning.
Thire collapsed into the chair opposite Thorn’s before gesturing for the man to sit beside him.
“What’s the situation?” Thorn asked, leaning back as he looked between the two of them. They looked as bad as he felt. He and Fox had stayed out far too late with Cody. Not Stone, Stone had managed to beat them back to the barracks despite taking an early leave with Su’re.
“We need to rearrange the barracks.” Thire said, his voice steady. “You, Commander Stone, and Commander Fox have arranged us into legions in our duties. We need to echo the arrangement in our barracks as well.” He glanced towards the trooper. “There are many men who have been allotted into companies and squads who have not yet been integrated with them. Men who have lost all or most of their previous squads. I know that Commander Fox intends to address this next week, but it needs to start now.”
Thorn looked to the trooper beside Thire. “What’s your story?”
“Commander Thorn, I…” The troopers voice shook as he glanced over to Thire, who gave him a reassuring nod. “I lost all of my squad on Geonosis. I’ve been alone since. Lieutenant Thire found me last night when I was in a poor state. I know that I am not the only lone survivor, and I wanted to speak with you on behalf of all of us to ask that…” His throat bobbed as he fumbled for the words, “to ask that we no longer sleep alone.”
Thorn fought down the tight feeling in his gut as he asked, “what’s your name?”
“Scout, sir.”
“Who is your captain?”
“Captain Bron, sir.”
Thorn nodded, looking between the two men. “I’ll speak with Fox and Stone at lunch. We’ll have this resolved by tomorrow afternoon. You’re right. This should’ve been done sooner.”
Scout nodded silently, his expression obscured by his helmet.
“Thire, check in with Stone, ask him when we’ll have access to Brass’ platoon.”
Thire sighed as he rose from his seat, but obeyed, shutting the door behind him.
“I’m sorry.” Thorn said once the clunk of Thire’s crutches faded.
“It’s not your fault, Commander.”
Thorn leaned forward, folding his arms on the desk. “I lost my squad on Geonosis too. I know how it feels to have the men you grew up with ripped from you in a moment. I should’ve considered those like me long before now.”
Scout looked down but didn’t speak.
“I know you have a new squad, but may I ask for you to join mine? To work under Thire. And when you’re ready,” Thorn reached out a hand. Scout hesitated a moment before he clasped it. “I want you to start your own squad. One of men like us.”
Scout nodded, clasping onto Thorn’s hand like it was a lifeline.
Thorn squeezed his hand once before he rose from the desk. “I’m going to check in with Thire and Stone. Take your leave at your leisure.”
As the door closed behind him, Thorn fought down the self-hatred boiling in his chest. Selfish, he’d been too caught up in his own pain to think about their men. Too content to throw himself into his work and forget about the six bodies in the red sand. One month today since he had lain there too.
His displeasure was evident on his face when he entered Stone’s office. At the sight of him, Thire shrank into the chair as if Thorn’s wrath was directed at him. Thorn tried to force his face to soften as he pushed everything down and took a seat beside Thire.
Stone’s face scrunched in thought as he took in Thorn. “Pills not working?”
“They’re working fine.” The half-dose that he and Thire had settled on for Stone’s mystery medicine was the only thing getting him through the day. “It’s other matters on my mind.”
“I overstepped my bounds, Commander, I apologize.” Thire said, his body tense.
“No. You did right by our men.” Thorn lay a hand on Thire’s knee, unable to reach his shoulders scrunched against the seat. “Never apologize for standing up for your brothers. Stone,” he turned his attention across the desk, “we’re going to have a busy lunch.”
Stone raised his mug of caf. “Cheers.”
-
Lieutenant’s Kilo and Bravo watched the door to Stone’s office with apprehension.
“Think it has anything to do with us?” Kilo asked as Bravo took a slow sip of the caf Commander Stone had dropped off a few minutes ago.
“Probably not. We haven’t done anything.” Bravo said.
“Well.” Kilo gestured down at Bravo’s ankle. “Commander Fox is going out with my squad tomorrow.”
Bravo’s head turned. “Oh?”
“Mhm. Told me this morning when I was coming back from the showers. Nearly dropped my towel.”
Bravo snorted.
“He scares me.”
“He’s fine. Stumbled off of Geonosis with him.” Bravo paused to take another slow sip of caf. “But he’s going to scare the shinies.”
“They all are. Imagine, fresh off Kamino and the first thing you get hit with is Commander Stone’s sex briefing.”
Bravo snorted, nearly spilling his caf. “Welcome to the Coruscant Guard, here’s a shield and a condom.”
Kilo’s brows rose. “We’re getting shields?”
Bravo nodded. “My platoon starts training next week.”
“You’re lucky, Lieutenant Bravo.”
Both men jumped as Commander Fox appeared over the top of Bravo’s terminal.
“Lieutenant Kilo, I’ve heard you’ve had little to do besides arranging patrols around the Senate.”
“Oh, no. It’s a very busy and fulfilling job, Commander Fox, I assure you.”
“Hmm.” Fox paused as if he believed Kilo’s words. “I know a more fulfilling one. Our first shipment of the new armor comes in next week. I’d like for you to lead inventory.”
“Sir, I’m honored, but wouldn’t Captain Banner be more fitting for the job?”
Commander Fox waved a hand. “I’m afraid I’ve overfilled his schedule. That why I have his favorite lieutenant in my office. His recommendation after all. I hear it’s better than the Senate garbage bin.” Something shone in Commander Fox’s eyes that had Bravo suppressing a laugh. The Venators were not soundproof, the words Captain Banner had shouted had echoed down the hallways.
Kilo gave Fox a reluctant smile. “I’ll see to it, sir.”
Bravo kicked Kilo under the table as Commander Fox walked away.
-
Riyo slipped inside her office with a sigh.
She let the armful of flimsiplast fall to her desk as she made her way over to the windows behind it. In the distance she could watch as the Acclamators rose and fell over the shipyards. One Venator sat waiting to dock, dwarfing even the landscape of Coruscant. That would be General Kenobi’s, she felt certain of it after her short discussion with the golden armored commander yesterday.
Would she find herself surrounded by more golden clone or would the Chancellor choose another color? She felt the latter was more likely. The Senate was gilded with gold, certainly, but the Senate Guard wore royal blue and the Chancellor seemed to prefer a rich red, judging by his carpets. Though, perhaps, those carpets had been red for longer than she had been alive. She had not served as senator under another chancellor. Perhaps, one day, she would. If she didn’t burn out before that event occurred.
The pile of flimsiplast called to her, but she stayed at the window, taking in the planet. She would have to find it within herself to commit every bit of it to memory before it was wiped away.
The communal bunkers were secure. Personal ones would be checked starting next week said the memo on her datapad this morning. Another reminder of the war. It was all anyone talked about now. Rumors of which generals were going where, rumors of separatists who wanted to join the senate, rumors of which ones wanted to destroy it. Rumors everywhere. And yet she had a pile of flimsiplast detailing textile trade between Pantora and Alderaan to look through. She trusted Senator Organa would be fair, but it was his role to look after the best interests of his people as was hers.
With a deep breath she turned from the window to take a seat at her desk and begin.
-
Fox’s concentration was broken in the middle of his sentence as Stone and Thorn walked in with food trays, each carrying their meal and half of Fox’s.
“Thank you.” He acknowledged as he quickly finished the sentence, looking the message over before sending it. “Uniforms.” He explained as he moved his chair over, away from the keyboard, to take the food his commanders had set there.
“How exciting.” Thorn said in a deadpan voice. “Tell me, how did Stone and I end up doing all the real work while you run inventory?”
“Because I’m picking up behind you.” Fox said with a half-hearted grin. “Or would you like to be writing diplomatic responses to messages such as ‘I don’t like seeing clones within 10 metres of my speeder’ at seven-hundred?”
“Ew.” Was Stone’s response.
“You’re joking.” Thorn said.
Fox shook his head.
“Gross.” Thorn sighed, taking a bite of his food. “Before you get too comfy-”
“Don’t talk while you eat!” Stone snapped.
“-we need to talk about the barracks.”
“What’s wrong with the barracks?” Fox asked around a mouthful of food, earning a glare from Stone.
“One of my troopers came to me this morning. One of the lone survivors.”
Stone’s upcoming remark about manners died on his lips.
“He and Thire spoke with me about the urgency of moving these men to sleep beside their assigned squads. With today’s anniversary, it needs to be done now.”
Fox set down his fork with a sigh, reaching over to grab a flimsinote and jot down the request. “How soon is now?”
“Tonight, if not tomorrow.”
Fox stuck the note to the side of his terminal, glancing around at the growing mass of flimsi it was becoming. “I can do that.” He looked back to Thorn. “How is the trooper?”
Thorn sighed, setting down his fork as well. “In rough shape.”
Fox knew that expression instantly. “Don’t blame yourself.”
“How can I not, Fox?” Thorn met his eyes. “I swore that if I became a commander, I would put my men first. It’s been a month and I’ve failed that twice.”
“It’s a shared fault.” Stone said gently. “We’ve all failed the men under us.”
Thorn shook his head. “I should’ve thought of them.”
That was the difference between the ARC troopers and the commanders, Fox thought. The ARCs were not guaranteed their rank, he had watched Thorn fight for it on Kamino, they were not conditioned the same way as he and Stone had been to accept loses. He didn’t think that either approach was correct, but they were both suited for different battlefields than Coruscant.
“It will be done tonight.” Fox promised. Inventory could wait until it was time, the senators’ complaints could bear to sit for another day. His men could not.
Thorn nodded and began to eat again. Fox followed suit, picking up his fork. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that this battle was not over yet.
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
CW: Suicide discussion/attempt in last scene of chapter. Stop reading at *** to avoid.
Stone sighed at the exchanged glances in the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center guard station as he walked in. Chatterboxes indeed.
Captain Hart tried to hide the humor on his face as he gave Stone a nod as he approached.
“How goes integration?” Stone asked, looking down at the prison cells below. Among the grey armored guards were dots of white as his men moved around.
“Neither here nor there.” Hart answered. “Prisoners are a little cautious of us, sir. I doubt we’ll start to see their true colors for a while yet. I suggest we stick to, if not slow down, the integration of our men.”
Stone nodded. “Do what you think is right, Captain. I have half of Brass’ platoon and half of Caudron’s in shield training. You will receive all of Caudron’s platoon when they are done.”
“And the other half of the company?” Captain Hart asked.
“With your consent, I want to cycle them in for weeklong shifts. Only a few at a time. It will be good practice to have most of the riot squad on hand.”
“May I ask, sir, how many riots are you anticipating?”
Stone sighed, turning from the prison to his captain. “Many once the sieges start. Muunilinst is only the beginning. It’s going to be chaos for a while, but once the Seppies dig their heels in, it’s going to be a lot slower and much more painful. That’s when I anticipate riots. In the meantime, I want some of our riot squad to work under Commander Thorn on protection details. Even with the promotions finalized yesterday, too many of his squads were devastated on Geonosis. They need trained men to show them how to lead before the rookies show up.”
Hart mused over Stone’s words for a few moments. “Do we have a timeline for that?”
Stone shook his head. “A few weeks, maybe a couple months. We’re not exactly a priority for troopers right now.”
“They’ll be sending them right to the front lines.” Hart said, almost to himself.
“Isn’t that where we started?”
“Yes, sir, but, after Geonosis, I’m afraid I can’t help but think they’re being thrown into a meat grinder.”
Stone looked around the small room, the few men gathered there whose attention had turned back to their duties. “How much of your company did you lose?” He asked as if he didn’t know the numbers for every company of his legion, every platoon and squad.
“About half.” Hart answered with a sigh. “Even after all of our training, all the simulations, I don’t think Kamino can truly prepare our brothers for what they’re going to face.”
It was with a sinking heart that Stone answered. “I agree.”
-
Fox walked down the nearly empty halls of the Senate, a few heads turning to follow his path as he slowly made his way through the corridors. It was quiet this time of morning, before the maddening lunch rush or the occasional afternoon session in the rotunda. After a weekend in a near deserted building, it felt strange to see even the few beings in the hallways. Even so, he kept his gaze ahead. Thorn was waiting for him, after all.
“Commander.” A soft voice greeted as a set of beings whisked past.
“Senator.” He responded before he could register who it had been. When he turned his helmet, it was to see Senator Chuchi’s back as she continued down the hallway beside Senator Mothma.
Fox quickly turned back as he continued to walk, brow furrowing as he wondered if she had recognized him as himself or merely one of the three commanders in the Guard.
He found Thorn where he said he would be, by the shipping docks. With him was Lieutenant Kilo, turning in a tight circle as a helmetless Thorn inspected the armor he wore.
Fox took a seat on a crate near Thorn as he too looked Kilo over. So, this was the end to the stripes.
“Full delivery is being made to the barracks next week.” Thorn said without turning to look at Fox. “The Chancellor thought we’d start with the Senate offices. I figure after that we roll them out to the prison, then to the rest of the men.”
Fox looked over the armor, the dark red details that highlighted the waist, the shoulders, the legs. No signs of rank were attached. That would come in the form of pauldrons and kamas, that much he knew from observing the ARC troopers on Geonosis. He wondered if Thorn would don them once more. The ones he had worn on Geonosis had been too badly damaged for him to bring them to Coruscant.
“I like the red.”
Fox and Thorn turned as a yellow-painted man approached. When he stepped into the light Fox realized it was not yellow, but sunlit gold that crested his shoulders.
“Aren’t you supposed to be off dying in a ditch?” Thorn asked, his mouth twisting in a smirk.
“I’m afraid we’re behind schedule on that one.” Cody said as he stopped between the two men. “General Kenobi has some things to wrap up in the next few days with the Jedi Council. Then we’re off.”
“To where?” Fox asked.
Cody shrugged. “Wherever they need us.”
Fox took a moment to let his gaze roam over Cody’s armor, taking in the yellow stripes. “I like the gold. Did you get to pick?”
Cody shook his head, finally taking a seat on another crate. “It came in this morning. Plan is to outfit each legion as they come to Coruscant to restock gear. Hope you’re ready to play host.”
“Hope you keep your men in line.” Thorn said.
“Oh, my men won’t be the issue. Met with Captain Rex yesterday, seems like he’s got a lot of troublemakers.”
“Who is he assigned to?” Fox asked. Both he and Thorn remembered Rex from Kamino, Cody’s unusual friend. Though the same could be said of the friendship between two commanders and one ARC trooper.
“Commander Skywalker.”
“Kenobi’s padawan?”
“That’s the one.”
“Good luck!”
Cody snorted, taking off his helmet and resting it on his lap. “It’s going to be interesting.” His eyes roved over Kilo, taking in the armor. “They’ll send some paint too, with the armor. It’s to fix up chips in the paint, but,” he gestured towards his painted shoulders, “it has other purposes if you get bored.”
“Some of us have actual duties to fulfill.” Thorn snorted, though his eyes held on the bright additions.
“Like guarding the bar?” Cody shot back with a wry smile. “What’s it taste like?”
“Show up to the office at eighteen hundred and you can find out.” Thorn retorted.
Cody’s brows lowered as he thought it over. “I can do eighteen hundred.”
-
Fox swirled the beer in his hands, withholding a cringe whenever Thorn took a deep drink of the burning liquor in his cup. Whiskey, if Fox remembered correctly. The first drink they had been given to sample. Cody had tried a sip from each of their glasses and ended up with something else from Su’re. A ‘cocktail’, but not one of the same color Stone sipped from where he lounged at the bar, chatting with Su’re as she made drinks for the bar patrons.
“So, Stone.” Cody began, leaning forward from where he sat opposite the two men. “He and the bartender are… close?”
“Home run.” Thorn shot back with a grin.
Cody’s brows raised. “It’s your second week here.”
“Stone and Ponds were always the most well-adjusted of our batch.” Fox said with a wave of his drink.
Cody glanced over to Thorn, a grin tugging at his lips over the edge of his glass. “I’m still wondering how you got Fox of all men here without a fight.”
“Oh, he didn’t have the chance to fight.” Thorn said before knocking back the rest of his drink. “Besides, who else is going to babysit us?”
“And here I’ve heard you’ve become a mother hen yourself, Thorn. An ARC trooper taking on a heavily injured reg.”
“I didn’t walk away from Geonosis in one piece either, Cody.” Thorn pressed a hand to his side. “I couldn’t leave the kid to fumble. Besides, he’s much better behaved than Wolffe will ever be.”
Fox grinned as Cody laughed softly.
“How’s your arm?” Thorn asked.
Cody flexed the offender that had kept him from Geonosis. “Better. Completely healed. Still a bit sore when it gets cold, but that’ll pass in time. Your side?”
Thorn grimaced, catching Su’re’s eye and gaining a nod of acknowledgment. “I’m coping.”
“It’s disgusting.” Fox filled in. “I have half a mind to shower with the men.”
Thorn’s eyes flashed to Fox with a wry smile. “You’ll get yours one day. Besides, I have to look at your face, so we’re even.”
Cody’s laugh carried across the room.
Fox had never been close with Cody, their batch had tended to cluster into small groups, but there were few others he would have liked to be here with them tonight. All of the commanders had trained with the ARC troopers at one point, but none had fully embraced it as Cody had. Despite his calm demeanor, Fox knew first-hand the benefit of that training, Cody would never be considered disarmed unless his legs were restrained. Fox could still remember the bruise Cody had left on his chest years ago.
“Did you see Rex, on Geonosis?” Cody asked, bringing Fox’s attention back to the present.
Fox answered. “Not during the battle, but yes. He did well. Did he tell you he earned jaig eyes?”
Cody blinked once in surprise. “No, he failed to mention that yesterday. How did he earn them?”
“Hell if I know. Make sure he actually puts them on his helmet though, it’d be just like him to ‘forget’ to do so.”
“Oh, I will.” Cody promised.
“And you,” Thorn cut in, taking a sip of the new drink Su’re had placed before him during their conversation, “will you finally wear a kama?”
Cody took a deep sip of his drink in answer.
“Cody!” Fox exclaimed.
“It’s too restricting.” Cody protested.
“You’ve earned it, all your batchmates did.” Thorn leaned forward on the table. “Or do you want everyone in your legion to know about Commander Thunder Thighs?”
Fox choked on his drink.
Cody looked as if he’d blush. “I’d hoped you’d all forgotten about that.”
“My rib has never been the same.” Fox sighed as he tried to regain control of his breathing, holding a hand to the spot Cody had kicked him.
“You exaggerate.”
“You could decapitate a droid with that kick.”
“Maybe I’ll try.”
“Good to know none of us have forgotten about Thunder Thighs.” Stone said as he slid into the booth beside Cody.
Cody’s answering glare could have rivalled Wolffe’s own.
-
***
Thire rolled over on his bunk with a groan, his body protesting at the movement. A month. It had been one month since Geonosis, since the first bacta treatments, and nothing. Sleep remained elusive and fitful, but the pain was not what had awoken him tonight.
He fought back another groan as he sat up, tossing off the blanket and reaching for the crutches beside his bed. He didn’t dare go far without them, not when last week he had gotten up to get caf for himself and Thorn and found himself too exhausted to make the short walk back to Thorn’s office from the main space. Not when he didn’t have the strength to stand for even the shortest shower.
Though the barracks were labyrinthine, in the silence of the night it was not hard to find the source of the muffled crying. Thire halted as he turned the corner to see a trooper sitting alone amongst a row of bunks, a blaster in his hand.
The trooper started as Thire appeared, his knuckles white as he clenched the blaster as if he feared Thire would lunge for it.
“May I sit?” Thire asked simply.
The man nodded. His hand was white as death when Thire took a seat beside him on the small bunk. “Don’t try to stop me, Lieutenant.”
“I’m not going to stop you.” Thire said as he leaned his crutches against the wall, drawing his legs up onto the bed so that he could lean against the side of the alcove. He let his gaze fall on the blaster in his brother’s hand. “You’d be quicker anyways.”
The clone pulled the blaster away, pressing it to the side of his head. “Don’t.”
“I won’t.” Thire let his head fall against the wall as he folded his hands together in his lap. “But I want to know your name. And I want to know why.”
“Scout. That’s why. I was scouting ahead. I wasn’t with them when-” the man’s voice broke as his hand shook. “I lost everyone.”
Thire looked down at his hands, running his thumbnail under those of his other fingers. “You know what happens if you fail, right?”
Scout watched him warily before answering. “No.”
“You can’t change your mind. They’ll decommission you as defective goods. Hell, if anyone outside of the two of us finds out about this and reports you, you’ll be decommissioned nonetheless.”
The tears began falling afresh down Scout’s cheeks. “You’re lying.”
Thire continued to run his nails together as he looked up to meet Scout’s gaze. “Remember the ones on Kamino who went away and never came back? Whole batches sometimes, gone overnight.” He leaned forward. “They try to recommission first if they think the problem can be fixed. But if they don’t, and they can’t fix it, there’s a little grey vial. The needle goes right here,” he tapped his forearm, “and you just fall asleep. Most of the time. I’ve seen some go wrong, when they were conscious through it. When they fought.”
Scout’s hand began to shake.
“Do you think you’re a good shot?”
The blaster fell to Scout’s side as he brought his other hand up to cover his face, fighting down a sob.
Thire reached over to place a hand on Scout’s shoulder. “Give me the blaster.”
“Fuck off.”
“Give it to me.”
Scout shoved the blaster into Thire’s waiting hand as his shoulders shook.
Thire flipped the safety on before shoving the blaster behind him and placing the now empty hand on Scout’s back. They sat there in silence until Scout’s shoulders stilled and he lifted his head to meet Thire’s gaze, silent tears still running down his cheeks. “Do you think it gets better?”
Thire spoke truly before considering his words. “I don’t.” Then he paused and added. “I think we will learn how to live with our losses, but I don’t know if it will ever hurt less.”
Scout wiped the tears from his face with one hand as he took in the look on Thire’s face. “You were medic track, weren’t you.” When Thire nodded, Scout continued the thought. “You watched it happen.”
“I refused to administer anything.”
“But you watched.”
Thire fought to continue to meet Scout’s gaze. “Yes.”
“They kill us. They actually kill us.” Scout shook his head with a sad laugh. “I thought it was just made up to keep the little ones in line.”
“Why should they care, they don’t see us as sentient beings.” Thire waved his hand. “Not advancing fast enough, cull. Feel any emotions they deem unsuitable, cull. Not recover quick enough from an injury,” Thire laughed, “cull.”
Scout’s brows knit together. “Are you…?”
“I’ve got one week to make significant progress where I’ve made little to none in the past month. I’m practically dead already, just waiting for the blade to fall.”
Scout sighed and threw his legs up onto the bed, leaning back against the wall to face Thire. “How do you keep going?”
“I don’t know.” Thire admitted. “I try not to think about it. We were made to die, I suppose. This is just a little sooner than I’d hoped.”
Silence fell between them for a few moments before Scout asked, “if I had tried to pull the trigger, would you have stopped me?”
“No. It’d be a small miracle if you could anyways, they bred or conditioned it out of us. Something in our youth. It’s nearly impossible. Besides, why have us make a mess when they can just kill us anyways?”
Scout chucked. “Fair enough. Everything has to be clean.”
“Absolutely sterile.”
“If the Kaminoans could see the state of our showers after just one week…”
“Heart attack on sight.” Thire agreed.
Scout glanced towards Thire’s side. “Are you going to give me back my blaster now?”
“No, you can get it back in the morning. I still outrank you.”
“And here I thought we were becoming friends, sharing all of our deepest secrets and all that.”
“If we’re friends, you’re definitely not getting it back.” Thire rose from the bed with a groan, reaching for his crutches. “Stay here, I’ll be back.”
When Thire returned a few minutes later, it was with one crutch and his pillow and blanket tucked under an arm. He threw them on the bed opposite Scout’s before laying down.
“Do I need a supervisor?” Scout asked as he curled up under his own blanket.
“You said it yourself, you need a friend.”
Scout’s expression was unreadable in the dim light.
Thire waited for his brother to fall asleep before he himself followed, thinking through what he was to ask of Thorn.
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
Riyo stretched slowly in her bed, the rising sun glistening on the windows of her apartment. With a low moan of exhaustion, she reached for her datapad, opening the holonews.
The war had truly begun.
The clones had only been in the Senate for one week and here it was. The headlines, the campaign on Muunilinst.
She let out a groan as she skimmed the report. This would not be good. She already knew, could feel it in her bones, that the campaign would be long and that victory or defeat would incur great cost.
But this was how it would be for now. Perhaps for the rest of her life. Wars, battles, potentially victories, certainly defeats. The Senate she had known was gone. She doubted it would ever come back. Too much would be lost for the Republic to stand as it once had stood. Not when thousands, if not millions, of clone troopers were spread across the galaxy to combat the Separatist threat.
Once she had thought that the Separatists could be reached with diplomacy, that they simply needed the right incentive for their worlds to join the Republic. But now that thought was gone, replaced with the millions of battle droids that had only a few years ago been sent against Naboo. Now she knew they were to be sent out across the entire galaxy, to break worlds from their ties to the Republic.
Riyo set the datapad back at her bedside as she sat up, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed as she made her way to the shower.
Her apartment was small, but cozy. One short hallway connected the living spaces to her room and the single bathroom. Not that she would ever need more than one bathroom. The space was hers alone.
She stepped into the running water of the shower, letting it soak into her hair as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A pot of fresh caf would be ready for her when she emerged, ready for that first cup she would grab before she dried her hair and dressed for the day.
Riyo let the shampoo soak into her hair as she washed her face, washing away any smudges of makeup that had been left over from the previous day. Not that it would matter much, she’d put on a full face once more before she left for the Senate. As a female in the Senate, let alone a young female, she felt the pressure of a perfect appearance. Mon Mothma had her elegant simple clothing, Padme Amidala her hair and gowns, but Riyo, all she had were a few traditional sets of Pantoran formalwear and a drive to fit in, to be at home among the finery of the Senate. How she envied the men some days. Bail Organa wore the same jacket nearly every day of every week and it was fine. She felt self-conscious if she wore her poncho more than half the week.
She let the conditioner sit in her hair after rinsing out the shampoo, brushing her teeth in the stream of running water. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect clothes. Even if she was sitting alone in her office for most of the day.
When she was satisfied with her cleanliness, she turned off the tap, tying her hair up in a towel before she wrapped her robe around herself and made her way into the living space. The living room felt large, bare, even with the couch she had positioned towards the holo projector. A couch, a coffee table, and a rug. That was her furniture. Attached to the living room was the kitchen, separated by a bar that would have been useful for company, if she ever had any.
Riyo poured herself a cup of caf before returning back to the bathroom. She had her routine down to an art after all these months. Skincare, hair, makeup, clothes, her second cup of caf, a quick pastry for breakfast, then her short trip to the Senate.
She had learned the clones’ schedule in the last week and was unsurprised to see it remain the same once more, but for one small difference.
“Senator Chuchi.” Commander Thorn greeted as she walked towards him. At his side was the blue-striped lieutenant on crutches.
“Commander Thorn.” She greeted in return before turning to the man beside him. “And what is your name?”
“Lieutenant Thire, ma’am.” The blue-striped man said with a small dip of the head.
Riyo thought back to last week, with the green striped sergeant. So green was sergeant, blue was lieutenant, and yellow was commander. She only had to figure out the few red striped men she had seen.
“Where are you off to so early?” She asked them.
“Updating the bunker controls.” Thorn explained. “Lieutenant Thire here had some wonderful ideas to address some holes in Senate security.”
“Oh?” She turned to the lieutenant. “May I ask what they were?”
Lieutenant Thire looked to Commander Thorn for approval before answering. “All bunker access points are controlled through the central mainframe. If someone were to hack into the system, they would easily be able to override every door in this building. They could open or shut the door to the bunkers. We are updating the programming at each point to allow each door to operate individually, separate from the system, and to allow auxiliary power access should the power fail. If the door controls can operate on a local scale, they may prove to be less of a security risk.”
“And the bunker in our offices?” She asked.
“As those are manually operated, I can’t foresee any risk at this time. Ma’am.” Lieutenant Thire hastily added the last word.
“Then tell me,” Riyo looked between the lieutenant and the commander. “Why are the common bunkers of such critical importance if may shelter individually?”
Once more, Commander Thorn gave a nod of approval to Lieutenant Thire.
“The individual bunkers may provide cover if one is in their office. However, they do no good if the Senate body is gathered. They are also not approved for use against ordnance.”
“And the common bunkers are?”
Now Commander Thorn answered. “The common bunkers have been thoroughly tested. They are the only rooms in this building that may withstand orbital bombardment.”
She bit down the rise of fear in her stomach, trying not to let it show on her face as she remembered the news she had read just an hour ago. “Will this war come to that?”
The two clones exchanged a glance.
“I hope it will not.” Commander Thorn said with a sigh. “But, if it does, Senator Chuchi, know that there are twenty-eight thousand men, give or take a couple hundred, who will lay down their lives to ensure your safety and that of every being in this building.”
So that was it, that was the role she was to play in this war. To continue her duties, to continue her life, knowing that thousands of men she would never meet would be prepared to die for her.
“Thank you, Commander Thorn, Lieutenant Thire.” She bowed her head to them. “I should let you carry out your duty.”
“Lovely to see you, Senator Chuchi.” Commander Thorn responded as they bowed their heads in return.
“The pleasure is mine, gentlemen.” She gave them a smile as she stepped to the side, allowing them to continue down the halls, the sounds of the bustling Senate soon covering up the thunk of crutches on the carpet.
-
Stone glanced up as Fox knocked on the wall by the open door. “Commander.”
“Where were you last night?” Fox asked, stepping into the room.
Fox could’ve sworn a flush spread across Stone’s cheeks. “The bartender’s name is Su’re.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Stone.” Fox perched on the edge of Stone’s desk.
There was certainly a flush across Stone’s cheeks now.
Fox spun around on the desk to kick the door controls, turning back to face Stone once the door had shut. “Was it nice?”
Stone took in a deep breath, folding his hands together and leaning his chin on them. “I, um. I don’t know how to describe it. I liked it. She was…” he bit his lip before he looked up at Fox. “The whole thing is very different than the textbooks made it look.”
And that coaxed Fox’s curiosity. “How different?”
“It’s very wet.” Stone said quickly as the flush deepened. “And, Fox, I can’t describe it.”
“Now who’s going to spin poetry about the female bosom.” Fox shot back.
A smile played on Stone’s lips. “Fox. Fox, I gotta be honest. You need to touch a pair of breasts in your life.”
Fox’s laugh bounced off the walls of the office.
“No, no, Fox, listen. They’re so soft.” He held a hand to his breastplate. “It’s like a pillow. It’s like they’ve two pillows strapped to their chest.”
“Does Thorn know what you’ve been up to?”
“He knew the moment he saw me. I already answered his questions when I picked him and Thire up from the medical facility.”
Fox felt a smirk tug at his lips. “How did Thire take it?”
“He looked like I’d told him to stick his dick in a Sarlaac pit.” Fox broke into laughter as Stone continued. “You don’t have to worry about him knocking anyone up.”
Fox’s laughter came to a sudden halt. “Oh, by the Kaminii, did you-?”
“Yes, Fox.” Stone rolled his eyes. “There’s a bin of condoms in the barracks.”
Fox glanced back towards the main office then back to Stone. “Everyone got the same talk on Kamino, right?”
Stone grimaced. “I’ll send out a notice anyways. Just in case.”
“CC-5867, Commander Safe Sex.”
“Don’t- don’t you dare share that thought with anyone!”
Fox only laughed as he stepped out of the office.
-
Rys grimaced at the caption of the report that had just been pushed to their datapads. “What a start to our second week.”
Thire leaned over to look at Dock’s datapad on his right before he groaned. “Illustrations?”
On Thire’s left, Feedback shook with silent laughter, tears running down his face from the effort of holding it all in.
“We’ve been here a week.” Jek said in near disbelief, glancing over to Fox’s office where the commanders would be eating lunch. “Whose fault is this?”
Dock leaned in close. “Who went to Commander Stone for advice in the first place?”
The wheels of the recently promoted Lieutenant Bravo’s chair squeaked as he pushed himself over to the table between Thire and Feedback, glancing to Thire before looking around to the rest of the sergeants at the table, his eyes lingering on Jek and Rys. “C’mon you three, share with the team.”
Jek looked between Rys and Thire. “What am I supposed to know?”
Thire hid his face in his hands with a groan.
Bravo cast his gaze to Rys, who shook his head, his eyes pleading. Bravo sighed. “Commander Stone didn’t come back to the barracks last night. First I heard of him all day was when he grabbed the lieutenant and commander from their bacta therapy. Care to share, Thire?”
Thire didn’t lower his hands as he shook his head.
Feedback leaned in. “You don’t think…”
“Oh no, I just follow orders.” Bravo said with a grin. “But if I were to think, I would think it odd that Commander Stone and Commander Fox had a private conversation just two hours ago and that Lieutenant Thire is red as a rancor.”
A few more sets of wheels sounded over the tile as Kilo as his four sergeants slid over to the table.
“Not to eavesdrop,” Kilo said, “but are you implying what I think you are?”
“Lieutenant, please.” Sergeant Faryn begged Thire. “What did you hear?”
Four more sets of wheels as Bravo’s sergeants slid over.
Thire lowered his hands, a deep flush visible across his cheeks as he looked at the sixteen men around him. His four sergeants from his batchmates, two recently promoted over the weekend; Jek and Rys whose other half of Brass’ platoon was thankfully absent; Bravo and his four sergeants; and Kilo and his four.
“Thire.” Rys prompted.
“You’ve all ruined my appetite.”
“So it’s true?” Kilo said, his mouth falling open in a wide grin. “Commander Stone really fu-”
“Sssssh.” Bravo held up a hand before whispering. “Who was it?”
“Ask him yourself.” Thire shot back in the same volume.
“How could I, he’s my superior officer?”
“He’s also mine!”
“Yeah, but,” Kilo said, “you’re cool with Commander Thorn. He’s not going to make you mop the halls.”
“And why would I have Lieutenant Thire mop the halls?”
The room went silent as seventeen beings stopped breathing, every eye wide as they turned to see Commander Stone standing in the doorway to Fox’s office with a fork in one hand.
“Go back to your desks, finish your lunch, read the briefing, and we will reconvene in twenty minutes.”
Nobody breathed until the door to Fox’s office shut once more.
Not a word was spoken as every man returned to his desk and continued to eat the cafeteria food they had brought up to the offices ten minutes before. When the food was gone and the trays stacked neatly on the cart by the door that a service droid would return to the kitchens they sat in silence except for the occasional slide of a thumb against the screen of a datapad.
They sat like that in silence until Commander Fox stepped out of his office, followed by his two commanders.
“Any questions about the briefing?” Commander Fox asked, leaning against his office door as it closed.
Silence.
“Any questions not about the briefing?”
One hand from Kilo.
“That are not pertaining to the personal actions of anyone in this room.”
Kilo’s hand went down.
Thire’s hand went up. “Were the illustrations of the seven male reproductive organs and thirteen female reproductive organs necessary?”
“Yes.” Stone answered simply. “Who knows what you lot will get into when Seventy-Nine’s opens.”
“Seventy-Nine’s?” Sergeant Barr asked from Kilo’s side.
“Clone bar. Requested from someone high up to keep morale steady and from you lot from crowding into other establishments on the Republic’s dime. Announcement went out yesterday.” Stone rubbed the top of his nose. “I don’t want any drunken shenanigans to tarnish the Coruscant Guard’s image. You’re all going to behave or lie and say you’re from another corps when our brothers come in to resupply the Venators.”
A light chuckle went out across the room as the tension began to fade.
“You will report any and all shenanigans from any corps, including our own, to your captains or commanders.” Commander Fox spoke up. “And you will all follow every safety instruction in that briefing every time. There will not be any accidents.”
Dock’s hand went up. “The Kaminii didn’t talk about children in our briefings, sir. Is that possible?”
A smirk slowly inched across Thorn’s face. “Who in this room chose the field medic track?”
Thire’s hand slowly raised as he glanced around to find himself the only one to move.
“Lieutenant,” Thorn prompted. “Please, share your knowledge from Interspecies Biology.”
Thire sunk into his chair but responded. “For those species who can cross fertilize with humans, yes. It should theoretically be possible with the same odds as a human with that species.”
A few murmurs broke out across the room before Fox spoke. “And the Coruscant Guard will not be the test of probabilities. You have more access to vices than our brothers in the field. You will not take advantage of those vices and you will not bring the Chancellor’s wrath upon us. Am I clear?”
A chorus of ‘sir, yes, sir’ rang out before Fox dismissed them for their duties.
-
“That was humiliating.” Fox groaned as he sipped his cup of caf.
“At least they’re informed.” Thorn said, kicking his feet up onto Fox’s desk. “And word should disseminate quickly among the men, we have some chatterboxes.”
Fox groaned again and threw his head back. “I wonder if Cody has to have these conversations.”
“It’s Cody,” Stone said with a wave of his mug. “He thinks it and his antenna does the rest. Besides, the rest of them are cooped up on the Venators, it’s not going to cross anyone’s mind until they’re on Coruscant.”
“We are going to have to be the enforcement, aren’t we?” Fox asked. “Keep the other legions in line.”
Thorn raised his mug. “To being the bad guys.”
Fox and Stone’s mugs met his before they all took a long sip of caf.
“Any regrets, Stone?” Thorn asked.
Stone huffed. “Should’ve snuck back in, that’s all.”
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
“But what if a giant lizard thing attacks the Senate.”
“Uhhhh.” Thorn drummed his fingers against the floor. “That would still be covered by Contingency Aurek.”
“I don’t think sheltering in place is gonna pass muster.”
“Contingency Besh, and we’ll make sure the bunkers are… giant lizard proof.”
Thire nodded.
The two men lay on the floor underneath Thorn’s desk. Thirty minutes ago, Stone had passed them each a small white pill, ‘for the pain’, ten minutes after that the delirium had been too much to remain seated.
“Where are we gonna find a giant lizard?” Thire mused.
“Huh.” Thorn tried to wrack his mind of every reptile he had ever heard of. “If we go to Tatooine…”
Thire broke out in what could only be described as a fit of giggles, Thorn following soon after, rolling on his side to clutch his stomach as he laughed through the twinge of pain. They laughed until they were gasping for air, clutching their sides as they tried to heave fresh breaths into their lungs.
The moment they had composed themselves, the door slid open and Fox poked his head inside the office. “Are you okay?”
And Thorn couldn’t stop the laughter from rising back up, couldn’t hold back as Thire began to hiccup, tears of mirth rolling down his face.
Fox closed the door without another word.
-
“What did you give them?” Fox asked, stopping beside Stone in the main office.
“You don’t want to know.” Stone looked down with a smile playing at his lips. “The high will wear off in about an hour, but it should keep the worst of the pain at bay for a while.”
“I haven’t heard Thorn laugh like that in years.”
Stone glanced up to meet Fox’s gaze. “This is a fresh start. For all of us.”
From behind the closed office door, Fox could hear a new round of laughter start up and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face at the carefree sound. A fresh start.
He looked around the office at the men. They had managed to complete the set-up of the terminals and avoid Stone’s wrath concerning any loose cables. Now their duties would begin. He, Stone, and Thorn had spent the entirety of the last afternoon splitting the men by where their strengths lay. As requested, Sergeant Bravo had been assigned under Stone, as had the two troublemakers of Thire’s batchmates. Jek and Rys, who had remained at Thire’s side the last twenty-four hours, all but carrying him. They had been hesitant to break the batchmates apart, but the two had been among the few men with complete shock trooper training as would befit the riot squad Stone was to assemble. As Thorn had requested, Lieutenant Thire had been assigned to him, his second-in-command in all but title. Now, with the echoes of laughter, Fox felt a sense of relief for his most injured men.
“Commander Fox.”
Fox turned to face the brother who had approached him. “Lieutenant Kilo.”
“Sir, I have four squads ready for patrol, but I’m afraid we have do not have an established route.”
“Right.” Fox nearly glanced over to Stone, but Kilo was his lieutenant. Fox and Stone had decided that Fox would be the one to oversee general patrols across the planet, while Stone’s men would take the prison and specific high-risk areas. “Take a crime map and pull Sergeant Bravo aside. Pick a few areas of moderate crime and start your men there. Bravo will arrange for further patrols in the worst sections starting next week.” Stone’s men would have completed basic shield training by then.
“Yes, sir!” Kilo bounced with a salute before rushing off to where Bravo was nestled in the far corner of the room.
“We need to train them out of that.” Stone murmured.
“You don’t want to be saluted a hundred times a day?”
“Oh, we can pretend in front of the senators.” Stone turned around, leaning back against the desk as he crossed his arms. “But here, I want this to be equal ground. We all walked out of Geonosis together. We may walk out of worse before the war ends.”
“Like a giant lizard thing?”
Stone blinked rapidly as he processed Fox’s words. “A what?”
-
Riyo clutched her datapad to her chest as she made her way through the halls of the Senate. Where they had once been fairly empty, they now bustled with clones. A few small patrols walking leisurely through the halls, larger ones walking with purpose for tasks assigned elsewhere.
She paused to let one such patrol leave the Coruscant Guard office, inclining her head at the few muffled ma’ams and senator as they passed. When it was clear, she took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The room bustled with men with identical faces, many sets of eyes darting up as she entered. The smell of caf and blasterfire filled the air.
“Can I help you, Senator?” The man she had seen yesterday with the cast asked, pushing his chair out from behind the monitor he had been seated at. He looked younger than the commanders, though his hair was cut to the same length as the commander she had determined to be their leader.
“I’m looking for Commander Thorn. I have an enquiry about his security briefing.”
The briefing had been sent out as she was eating lunch in her office. She had skimmed it for the most part before she stopped with a frown and checked the message signature for the name of the clone who had sent it.
“Of course, ma’am. He’s in Commander Fox’s office at the moment.” The clone turned to point at the end of the room. “That one in the middle.”
“Thank you.” She paused, mulling her question over. “What is your name?”
“Sergeant Bravo, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Bravo.” She mustered a small smile before she turned to walk down the center aisle. Any prying eyes turned back to their monitors as she walked past them, to the door at the end of the room.
A light knock on the door was answered with a “come in” and she stepped inside.
Two of the three men she had seen the previous afternoon were there. The man with the tired eyes was there, seated behind the desk, as was the man with the close-cropped hair. Riyo made a quick assumption and turned towards him, taking note of his slumped posture and hand resting across his stomach. “You want to see me, Commander Thorn?”
His chin raised slightly as he took her in. “Did I, Senator Chuchi?” Even seated and injured, the command in his voice made her take in a steadying breath as she reviewed the words she had practiced in halls.
“Yes. You made a mistake in my security briefing. You referred to Contingency Theta, which is not applicable to the Senate, in your evacuation under Contingency Osk. Given the precision of the rest of the briefing, I assume that you wanted to see if I or any other senator was reading the briefing in detail. Which I believe I have proven that I did.”
Commander Thorn smirked and brought up the briefing on his datapad. She watched him scroll down to the aforementioned mistake and change the lettering. “You are correct, Senator. All in-Senate security protocols are named in Aurebesh. Thank you for doing your due diligence. You come behind only Senators Amidala and Organa.”
The datapad in Riyo’s hand chimed as it received the updated briefing.
Commander Thorn leaned back in his chair, the smirk still on his face, and gestured to the man sitting behind him. “This is Marshal Commander Fox, my commanding officer and little brother.”
Commander Fox’s head dipped in acknowledgment. “Senator Chuchi.” That weariness still hung around him, lacing his words with exhaustion. He didn’t look younger than Commander Thorn, his shoulders already slumped with the weight of duty.
“So,” Riyo turned as a new voice entered the room to see the commander with the kind eyes leaning in the doorway. “That’s three senators out of…?”
“Two thousand, five hundred and sixty-two currently on Coruscant.” Commander Thorn answered. “I haven’t tallied those off-world yet.”
“What, are you counting by hand?” The clone stepped into the room, holding out a hand. “Commander Stone.”
“Senator Chuchi.” She gripped his hand, giving it a solid shake. “You recognized Senator Amidala yesterday.”
Commander Stone nodded. “I met her on Geonosis. Unlike these two, I didn’t barricade myself in the medical tents.”
She gave him a small smile and glanced back at Commander Thorn and Commander Fox. “Thank you, for your time.”
-
Stone waited for the senator to exit the Coruscant Guard offices before turning to Thorn and Fox. “She’s beautiful.”
“You’ve only met like five females.” Thorn scoffed. “Anyone is a sight for sore eyes after looking in a mirror our whole lives.”
Stone raised a brow and turned to Fox. “And what do you think?”
“I don’t have any opinions on the senators’ appearances.”
“But if you did?” Thorn asked, his eyes flashing with challenge. As Stone had promised, the high had fallen within the first hour, leaving Thorn in good spirits at the drug-dulled ache in his side.
“She has a very symmetrical face.”
The two men waited for Fox to continue, Thorn frowning when he didn’t. “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to say, Thorn?”
“I don’t know. Something insightful. You’re supposed to be clever, Fox. Spin us some poetry about a female’s bosom.”
Fox groaned as Stone laughed.
“Like you’ve seen a ‘bosom’ before.” Fox retorted, causing Stone to throw his head back.
“It’s on my list.” Thorn shot back. “Come on, don’t pretend you’re not curious.”
“Curious about what?” Fox asked indignantly.
“Everything.” Thorn’s eyes lit up. “Fox, there’s a galaxy of beings out there that don’t look like us. Don’t you want to see them?”
“You two are going to get yourselves in trouble.” Fox said in return, glancing between Thorn and Stone. “Are you going to go peeking in windows or something?”
“Oh Fox,” Stone said, laughter still shaking his shoulders. “Why go through all the trouble when you can just ask?”
Fox groaned again, bringing laughter from both of his commanders. “And where, pray tell, will you be asking?”
Stone gestured out to the city. “I hear there’s a push to start a clone bar. Perhaps it might draw another crowd as well.”
Fox’s brows drew together. “You want to drink?”
Now it was Thorn and Stone’s turn to share a glance before Stone answered. “Never tried it before. The Kaminii made it sound fun."
Fox swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
“I heard from Thire,” Thorn said warily. “Who heard it from Jek, who heard it from Rys, who heard it from another trooper, that one of the bars has been approached to fill that niche while the clone bar is constructed. They’re supposed to start tonight.”
“We have no credits.” Fox protested.
“That’s why there’d be a clone bar. It’s the Republic’s dime.” Thorn rubbed his fingers together. “Aren’t you curious?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
-
Fox didn’t know how it had happened. One moment he had been at his desk, watching the men leave for the night. The next moment he had been thrown in the back seat of a speeder, Stone at the wheel and Thorn leaning back in the passenger seat, letting the evening breeze run across his bare face. Before he could protest, before he could even speak a word of objection, he’d found himself seated in the corner table of a dim room with Stone pressing a drink into his hand.
“What is this?” Fox asked, taking a sniff of the liquid inside.
“I don’t know.” Stone said as he and Thorn took a seat opposite Fox. “We asked what the rest of the men liked so far.”
Fox groaned as Stone and Thorn raised their glasses.
“Cheers.” Thorn offered.
Fox brought his glass up to touch theirs before bringing it to his mouth, taking a small sip. His nose crinkled as his throat burned, the sensation running down his mouth down into his stomach. He ran his tongue along the palate of his mouth to clear the sensation. Across the table, Stone’s face was drawn into a look of interest while Thorn’s was relaxed as he took another sip of the dark drink.
“The men like this?”
“There’s a few others drinks the bartender said they liked. She said she’ll bring us some more to try when these are done.” Stone said.
Fox felt his brows shoot up. “That’s six females then.”
Stone laughed, looking around the room. “Oh there’s more than one female here.”
“Do I have to sit here while you two do your asking?”
Thorn shook his head. The drink in his hand was nearly half gone. “Not tonight. Tonight is for us.”
Fox observed the room as he slowly sipped at the burning liquid in the cup. Nearly half the bar was composed of his men, a few nervously glancing over to their table. The other half was composed of beings he had only seen images and illustrations of, some obviously male and female, others less so, the bright colors of their skin, scales, fur, bodies filling the space. How plain the clones were in comparison to the citizens of the Republic.
Fox didn’t realize he had finished his drink, not until a teal twi’lek approached them, setting down fresh glasses full of color as she took their empty ones.
“What did you think?” She asked, looking between the three men.
Thorn gave her a thumbs up as Stone answered. “It seems to be an acquired taste.”
She laughed, draping her hand across Stone’s shoulder. “These are much sweeter. Many females enjoy them, but I know some males do, even if they prefer to not admit it.”
Fox made an effort to stare at her face. It was an effort, with her breasts leaning over the table, peeking out from her shirt, if it could be called a shirt. Perhaps Thorn’s curiosity was not misplaced. Her skin looked to be soft, and for the first time Fox was very aware of how rough his hands were beneath his gloves.
“Enjoy.” She said as she slid her hand off Stone’s shoulder, sauntering back to the bar.
Fox couldn’t help the gaze that slid down her waist to her hips as she walked off. When he looked back to his commanders, he found looks of curiosity on their faces that he was sure matched his own.
“I can see why twi’lek women are prized.” Stone said carefully.
Fox hummed his agreement as he reached for the purple drink she had set before him. For a moment, a pure shameful moment, he wondered if Senator Chuchi had a body like hers underneath her poncho. He regretted the thought the moment it entered his head, and he raised the glass to his lips to try to forget the image that flashed through his mind.
-
Thire weighed the pill in his hand as he thought. It was a prescription, he was supposed to take them, but after Stone’s mystery pill, the anti-inflammatory wouldn’t hold a candle against the flame in his back. He didn’t know what it was that Stone had slipped them before, only that it was the first thing since the IV on Geonosis that had held the pain at ease, even if it had left him and Thorn cackling on the floor for an hour.
Before he could think further, he took the pill, gulping it down with the flask of water at his bedside. He knew its effects would barely be felt, but it was better than nothing.
The sound of laughter echoed down the halls and Thire raised his head to see his commanding officers rounding the corner, swaying slightly on their feet.
Thorn’s face lit up at the sight of him and he slid from Fox and Stone’s arms to sit at the end of Thire’s bed. “When you can walk, you have to come drinking with us.”
Thire looked from Thorn to Fox and Stone, still swaying a little where they stood. “Is it… fun?” If it was anything like the delirium Stone’s pill had induced, he felt inclined to try it.
“Yes.” Thorn answered decisively. “And the women,” he raised his hands to shake them like the cooks had done on Kamino, “they were all over Stone.”
Stone shot Thorn a bashful look but didn’t deny it.
“I’ll let you know, Commander.” Thire said, allowing a smile to play at his lips. He was very quickly becoming fond of Thorn. There had been a few times today where he had almost slipped up, almost called him by his name. That was the effect Thorn had, even through the pain of their injuries.
“Get some sleep.” Thorn said, reaching over to give him a pat on the leg. “We’re forming the escort protocols tomorrow.”
“If you can make it to the Senate in the morning.” Thire shot back without thinking. For a moment he felt a twinge of worry at his insubordination. Then Thorn laughed, throwing his head back.
“There may be a delayed start.” Thorn admitted, rising from the bed to take his place by Fox and Stone. “But we’ll get there.”
Thire watched them as they walked the short distance to their room. The privilege of the commanders was a private room with a private washroom, separate from the men. Thire had pondered that the previous night, what it was like to have one’s own space. How foreign the concept when he had always shared with his batchmates. He didn’t know if he could sleep without the sound of Rys’ soft snores, always the first to go to bed. Though his batch was thinner in rank than they had been before Geonosis, the once thirty-two down to the eighteen men sleeping around him. All but Jek and Rys now assigned to Commander Thorn. He wondered if he would reclaim leadership of the remainder of the platoon if he recovered. He wondered if he wanted that leadership. He had led them on Geonosis and nearly half the men had been lost to that battle. In the medical tents he had heard of men who had lost their entire platoon, but also those who had scraped through with few losses. But those had been the platoons who had not been sent towards the Lucrehulks, who had not been met with the fall out of their devastation.
But Thorn, Thorn who had been far away from the Lucrehulk cores had lost his entire squad of ARC troopers. There was not a spot on the battlefield that had been spared.
As he listened to Rys’ soft snores, Thire wondered if he could have survived the loss of his men as Thorn had or if he would have accepted death alongside them. He hoped that he would never find out which of the two was preferrable.
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
Fox stood alone as he took in the space before him. The room was filled with abandoned desks and tables that cluttered the space in a labyrinthine mass. On each wall there was a conference room on the far left, followed by an office space in the center, and a storage room on the right. He was told that it had formerly been used by senate lawyers prior to the construction of a separate building a few years prior. Three head lawyers, three conference rooms, three offices, and, now, three commanders.
He took in the plaques on the doors as he walked forward. Thorn was on the left, Stone on the right. When he reached the office in the middle he brought his hand up to run his fingers along the engraved title. His title. His office. His guard.
He entered the code he had been provided the day before and the door slid open, leaving in its wake a small cloud of dust.
Fox stepped into the room, taking a few moments to take in the space. The desk, the chair, the window stretching across the wall opposite, the holo-file cabinets, and the box overflowing with cables that had been left on the desk. He reached into the box underneath the cables to pull out a monitor to which some of the cables must have belonged.
“Need a hand?”
Fox turned around to see Stone standing in the office door. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Not particularly.” Stone stepped into the room, taking the other end of the cable Fox held and unwinding it from the twisted mass the cables had begun while in the box. “The air is stale here. The men are restless.” He glanced up to catch the look on Fox’s face. “Thorn is asleep.”
“Good, he needs to heal. Our wounded men?”
“They’re also asleep. I walked the hallways for a while before I figured out where you went.”
Fox watched the monitor before him flicker to life as Stone plugged in the cable. He reached out a finger and watched as the swirls of blue sprung to life under his touch. There were already two messages; one entailing how the system should work, the other a message from the desk of the chancellor welcoming their presence on Coruscant. “We meet with him tomorrow.”
Stone walked around to stand beside Fox, taking a moment to skim the subject lines of the messages. “Yes. Later today, really.”
“I must confess, I’m nervous.”
“Oh I’m practically shitting my pants as we speak.”
Fox glanced over at Stone before breaking out into a howl of laughter. It was funny, the whole thing. It was funny that the Chancellor had picked them. He could’ve had Commander Cody, stern and gentle, Commander Ponds, levelheaded and focused, or even Wolffe, serious and loyal, but no. He had picked two middle class commanders and a self-destructive ARC trooper. Fox didn’t know what the Chancellor had seen in them.
Stone gave him a look of mirth as he extended his hand. “Come, we may not want it, but we need to sleep.”
-
Riyo Chuchi leaned against a pillar in the atrium as she watched the stream of men enter. Some walked in alone, some in pairs, others in large groups. All in the same white amor. A few stood out from the crowd, with colored markings— red, blue, green—down their arms, across their helmets, but they walked just like the rest. They didn’t need to be clones underneath for them to be indistinguishable from each other.
She didn’t know how to describe the feeling in her chest. There was now war in the galaxy. Nothing had changed for her nor Pantora, but there was something out there readying to rake its claws through them when the time came. She had cried the previous night, once she had returned to the safety of her apartment after the display of the white soldiers in the Senate. She didn’t know who or what she had mourned, curled up in the blanket on her couch, only that there was the urge to do so.
But there, in the atrium, was her first sign of the war.
Five men walking side by side.
She clutched her cup of caf to her chest as she took them in. Three yellow striped men walking side by side, one green-striped man and one blue-striped flanking them, each with crutches. The green-striped man had a surgical boot that he kept off the ground. The blue-striped man had both feet on the ground but leaned on the crutches as if he’d fall over without them there. The two yellow-striped men beside them appeared uninjured, but the one who walked in the very middle kept one arm over the left side of his stomach, covering some unseen wound that bothered him.
She had yet to see men with yellow stripes. So she let her gaze follow the group as they turned towards the turbolifts. She couldn’t see their eyes, but she could’ve sworn that one of the yellow-striped men met her gaze before the lift doors closed.
-
Thorn all but collapsed into the waiting desk chair with a groan. He hadn’t paused to take in the room before him, barely taking in the office space they had walked through. He set his helmet on the desk before him and leaned his head back, letting the morning sunlight stream down on him through the window.
“How are you feeling?” Stone asked, leaning against his door.
“I’ve decided that the next time I’m dying, I’m going to commit.”
Stone chuckled, stepping inside the office and letting the door close behind him. He perched on the edge of Thorn’s desk, taking him in. “We meet with Chancellor Palpatine in an hour, the three of us. Can I get you anything to help you get through the morning?”
Thorn closed his eyes. “Some bantha tranquilizer would be nice.”
“I’ll check the cupboards.”
Thorn cracked a smile.
He hadn’t known Stone on Kamino, not as he had known Fox and Wolffe. He had a few faint memories of watching two brothers with close shorn hair training together, but he’d never approached them, nor had they approached him. Their first conversation had been on the Venators from Geonosis to Coruscant. Thorn had grown accustomed to the other clones being wary of the ARCs, fearful of them or overly respectful. For that reason he was surprised when Stone, dressed in nothing but a towel around his waist, had plopped down on the bunk opposite his and asked if he wanted some painkillers he had stolen from the medics on Geonosis.
“After we get back from the meeting, there are a few matters to attend to. Assigning men to their duties and so forth. Fox thinks to split the corps into specialties under each of our roles: Senate security, planetary enforcement, and general duties. Do you have any men in mind that you want for your share?”
Thorn opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling for a few moments as he thought before he lifted his head to look to Stone. “I want Lieutenant Thire as my second in command. He’s not getting out into the field anytime soon with his injury. I want him here, where he can heal.”
“Thorn,” Stone frowned. “You do know there is a possibility that he’ll be unfit for duty.”
Thorn shrugged. “It’s the same odds I’m facing.”
Stone’s face didn’t flinch at the words as he pressed. “You don’t want a captain?”
“No, I want him.” Thorn settled down in his chair as his stomach muscles protested his upright posture. “What was his track on Kamino?”
Stone pulled out his datapad, searching for a few moments before responding. “Field medic.”
“Then he can move into emergency medic for the Senate if he wishes. Tell me that won’t be useful.”
Stone gave Thorn a sidelong look before putting the datapad away once more. “You really want him.”
“I do. We were side by side in the medical tent on Geonosis. We’re trauma bonded, Stone.”
Stone snorted as he rose from Thorn’s desk. “Give it some time and I’m sure we’ll all be trauma bonded.”
Thorn gave Stone a lazy salute. “I’m looking forward to it.”
-
“Thank you.” Thire murmured as Jek pushed a cup of hot caf into his hands.
“You look like you’re dying.” Rys commented, blowing dust off the monitor he had unboxed.
“No, no, this is more painful.” Thire groaned, bringing the caf to his mouth. It burned, but so did most of his body. He had collapsed into a chair the moment the commanders had stepped into their offices. Bravo had stood by his side for the first few minutes, before his batchmates had spotted him and wheeled him over to where they were helping to set up the new office space.
“What happened to you?” Jek asked, taking the empty box from the desktop so that Rys could set the monitor down.
“Lucrehulk core, shrapnel got me.” He gave them a thumbs up and a grimace. “First day out of the medbay.”
“Jek thought you were dead when you didn’t turn up for mess last night.” Rys adjusted the monitor’s position before reaching for the tangle of cords that would connect it to the terminal. “I told him that you were probably off eating some poor senator’s houseplant instead of the mess slop.”
“Was it that bad?”
Jek shrugged, reaching over to help Rys untangle the cords. “Better than we had on Kamino, actually.”
The two men nearly dropped the cords as a commander approached, quickly assuming a salute.
“Don’t do that.” Commander Stone said as he stopped beside them. “If you lot salute every time Fox, Thorn, or I take a step into this room, we’ll get nothing done.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sorry, sir.”
Stone sighed and looked down to Thire. “Do you still have the energy to walk?”
Stone had been the one to help him out of the medbay alongside Bravo, who had his cast changed out that morning, taking them to the speeder where Fox and Thorn had waited.
Thire clutched the cup of caf in his hands, dreading what his answer would bring. “Not very far, Commander Stone.”
“And these two?” Stone gestured towards Jek and Rys. “You know them well?”
“My batchmates, sir. They can walk, but they’re much better at running their mouths.”
A grin slowly spread across Stone’s face. “Wonderful.” He turned towards the two standing men. “Wheel Lieutenant Thire into Commander Thorn’s office and bring him another monitor and terminal. Set both up. And keep Thorn entertained, he’s bringing the mood down.”
-
Fox shook his head, leaning against the door to his office as he watched Stone take charge of the men. Stone was made for this, rising to the occasion of the challenges presented to them. Where Thorn was impulsive, Stone was steady in his conduct. And Fox, he didn’t know what he was yet.
Stone caught his look and gave him a nod of acknowledgment before turning back to the desks before him, directing the placement of the monitors and terminals and their mass of cords. “If I see a single cord out of line, you’re all mopping the halls.”
“Commander Fox.”
Fox turned in surprise, unsure how Bravo could have snuck up on him with crutches. “Yes?”
“Can I talk to you, sir?”
Fox nodded, taking a step back into his office and gesturing for Bravo to follow, then to sit in the chair opposite Fox’s own.
When both were settled, Bravo spoke again. “Sir, there’s a rumor going around that you intend to start diving the corps among commanders this afternoon. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Fox answered honestly. “I intend to meet with Stone and Thorn after lunch to discuss the matter.”
Bravo nodded, taking in a deep breath before he spoke next. “Sir, if I am permitted to ask, may I be assigned to Commander Stone?”
“He’ll have you cleaning his office.” Fox joked, trying to calm Bravo’s nerves. “But, yes. I will ensure you are assigned to Stone.”
Bravo failed to hide the smile on his lips. “Thank you, Commander Fox.”
Fox nodded his acknowledgment as Bravo rose from the chair, pulling his crutches up under him.
“How’s your ankle?” Fox asked before he could move towards the door.
Bravo looked back over his shoulder at Fox. “It’s healing. Medics say that if I sleep with a bacta wrap, I can be walking on it at the start of next week.”
“Keep us updated.”
Once Bravo had left the office, Fox brought up his datapad with the information sheet on Chancellor Palpatine. He had read over it three times already, but still, there was an anxious feeling in his stomach concerning what might go wrong if they failed to impress him.
-
Riyo watched Padme as she spoke. She could hear the words the Senator said, but they flew into one ear and out the other one as her thoughts focused on that yellow-striped commander she had seen that morning.
Riyo didn’t know how it had happened, but Padme had been on Geonosis. She had been there when the clones had first been revealed in combat. Riyo wondered if she had seen their faces, could tell her what they looked like, if they truly were men underneath that white plastoid.
She snapped back to reality when Padme finished speaking, glancing over to the Chancellor. This wasn’t the place to let her thoughts wander. But if the Chancellor had noticed her distracted mind, he paid no heed.
“Very true, Senator Amidala. Alas, I have another meeting I must attend to.” He stood from his chair as the senators rose from the couches around it. “We will discuss this further.”
“Thank you, Chancellor.” Padme said, inclining her head towards the man as they turned towards the doorway.
But before the small group had approached, the door slid open to reveal three yellow-striped clones, escorted by the Red Guard.
“Ah, commanders.” The Chancellor moved from behind his chair to approach the three men. “Senators, meet the new commanders of the Coruscant Guard. You may remove your helmets.” He added to the clones.
Riyo couldn’t help the curiosity as the three commanders obliged. The man on the left was slightly taller than the other two, with close-cropped hair and deep bags under his eyes. When he gingerly moved to hold his helmet at his side, she knew that these were the same three men she had seen in the atrium. The one on the right was bald, with kind eyes and a healing cut on his lip. But the one in the middle was the one that drew her eye. His hair was slightly longer than the hair of the man on the left, and though there was no discoloration under his eyes, they were tired eyes. Old and weary, despite the rest of his features matching those of the man on the right.
The one in the middle inclined his head towards them. “Senators.” Their leader then.
“Commanders.” Padme greeted warmly, with a familiarity that drew all three men’s eyes to her.
“Senator Amidala.” The clone with the kind eyes said, a look of warmth on his face.
“Please, Commanders, take a seat.” The Chancellor gestured the men into the room.
As Riyo left, she turned to look behind her, catching one last glimpse of the three sets of yellow-striped armor before the doors closed between them.
Story Summary: The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up.
Marshal Commander Fox painfully raised his head from the red Geonosian sand. He wasn’t dead. Pieces of the shattered Lucrehulk core burned around him, but he had been left untouched. Many of his men had not been so lucky. Fox pushed himself onto his elbows and dragged himself over to the nearest body, lowering himself back to the ground when their helmets were almost touching. The man was still breathing, the piece of durasteel that had impaled itself into his lower back had missed the lungs.
“Trooper.” Fox’s voice came out as a dry whisper. For a few moments the man before him was still, and Fox feared that he was too far gone to reach. Then the man moved, a blue-striped hand reached over to clasp Fox’s yellow-striped one.
“Commander Fox.” The man rasped.
Fox squeezed his hand. “Stay with me, Lieutenant.”
“I’d rather not, thanks.” The man scoffed and Fox found himself chuckling with him.
“Do you have a name, Lieutenant?” Fox waited patiently for a response. “What do your friends call you?”
“Thire, sir.”
“Stay with me, Lieutenant Thire.”
The lieutenant stayed still. If Fox didn’t hear the hissing of breathing from his respirator, he would have assumed that he had been left behind.
“Commander!”
Fox rolled over onto his side to see a medic approaching, followed by another commander supporting a limping, green-striped sergeant. “I’m okay, but this lieutenant needs care.” He slowly pushed himself up from the sand before taking the other commander’s offered hand to stand, then taking his free shoulder to support himself when his legs nearly buckled under him.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” The commander asked quietly.
“Just sore. Got thrown a few meters.” Fox turned his helmet to look at the other commander. “Fox.”
“Stone. This is Sergeant Bravo.”
“Sir.” The sergeant’s helmet dipped.
Fox returned the gesture. Surrounded by his wounded and dead brothers in the sand, any more formalities felt wrong.
The medic stood up from Thire’s side and turned to face them. “A gunship will be here in three minutes, make sure you four get on it.”
“He’ll live?” Fox asked.
“He’s got a good chance as of now, but I’m not equipped to help him when the shrapnel comes out. He’s your legion? Make sure he gets in a bacta tank.”
Fox didn’t have a chance to thank the medic before he moved off. Now that he was standing, Fox could see the same scene playing out around them; groups of living troopers waving over medics to their more wounded comrades. But there were still men who lay still and alone.
-
Far away from where the Lucrehulks fell, ARC Commander Thorn opened his eyes to find a medic fussing over his stomach. It took a few more moments of lucidity to remember why. The missile. His squad crying out. The pain that had flashed through his body. Then peace, when shock set in as his blood had begun to run from the wound. He had not expected to wake when his eyes had last closed.
He had been standing to the right of his squad.
Thorn painfully turned his head to the left, ignoring the medic’s protests, to see six still bodies without any medics over them. “Help them.”
“Commander, there is nothing I can do for them.”
“No. Do whatever you can, Trooper, that’s an order!”
“Sir, I can’t.”
Thorn refused to close his eyes. He had known these men since their decanting. They had not been friends, such as he, Fox, and perhaps Wolffe had become, but they had been his brothers and today he had been their commander. They had had one mission. And he had failed. “Then leave me.”
“I can’t do that either, sir.”
“Leave.” Thorn forced out with as much conviction as he could muster. “Let me die with them.” Maybe he would join Fox and Wolffe in death as well. There might be no one left in the galaxy that he knew after this battle, save for Commander Cody, who was still on Kamino with a broken arm.
The medic didn’t respond as he spread bacta over the wound, all but saving Thorn’s life.
Thorn still hoped that he had missed a piece of shrapnel that would refuse to work its way out as he healed.
The medic attached something he couldn’t see to his ankle. “A gunship will be here soon to take you, you can rest easy, Commander.”
Thorn waited for the sound of his footsteps to fade away before he finally closed his eyes, hoping that death would find him before his brothers did.
-
Stone stared blankly at the gunship wall as it jostled in the air. Being here did not guarantee their lives. The battle was reported to be over, but the war had only begun. There was a non-zero chance that a missile would strike them even now. On his left sat Bravo, the sergeant who he had been flung into upon the impact of the Lucrehulk core on the sand. His head was tilted back against the wall but his eyes remained open and unfocused. Stone would have thought the man to be dead were it not for the occasional blink or wince as the movement of the gunship aggravated his ankle. On Stone’s right was the other commander, Fox, whose gaze rested on the lieutenant laying across his legs, head resting on Fox’s thigh. Stone had not seen the lieutenant stir since he had assumed the position.
Stone knew that Bravo and the lieutenant could have not been any more than a few months younger than he and Fox, but they looked so young. Even with the sand and blood smeared across their faces they looked too young to be in war. Stone had not had the opportunity to see his men’s faces prior to his assignment, they had all been helmeted at the time, but he wondered if he would have had second thoughts about their purpose if he had looked them in the eye before he led them to their deaths.
Not so Fox. Fox already had the look of a man who had seen too much, who had become jaded over the course of a war. Stone felt a twinge of worry for the man he barely knew.
When the gunship landed, Stone found himself separated from Fox and the lieutenant as he helped Bravo make his way to the non-emergency section of the medical tent. There he waited with the man until a medic relieved him, taking Bravo from his shoulder to help the sergeant to one of the many examination beds. The medical tent was not yet full and Stone hoped that the wounded of the other legions had not yet been retrieved from the battlefields. It was a better than considering that there were not many wounded.
His duty as of then ended, Stone made his way into the other section of the tent. Here were even less men, but the place felt cramped as medics rushed around from bed to bed. Stone slowly made his way through the beds, trying to stay out of the way as much as he could. If any of these men had been in his legion, he did not recognize them and they did not recognize him. There was only one man there he recognized, kneeling between two bacta tanks in defeat.
Stone knelt down next to Fox, putting an arm around his shoulder. He hesitated for a moment to take Fox’s hand at the sight of the blood covering it, stretching from his lower torso to his legs, but did so despite the knot in his stomach. This would not be the last time he found himself staining his armor in his brothers’ blood.
-
When Thorn awoke it was with disappointment.
It took a few moments to recognize his surroundings, a few more to make the connection between the environment he found himself in and his consciousness. He tried to sit up but quickly fell back onto the cot beneath him as his stomach screamed in agony. The relief that shock had brought him was long gone.
“I think they ran out of pain relievers.” Said a quiet voice to his right.
Thorn turned his head to look at the brother next to him. He seemed far more conscious than Thorn, sitting upright on the medical bed. “You too?” Thorn gestured towards the bandage on his lower torso.
The brother shook his head. “My back. I’m not looking forward to walking.”
“I wasn’t looking forward to being alive.”
It wasn’t funny, Thorn knew that, but it drew a laugh that ended in a sharp breath from his brother. “I thought I was a dead man until my commander found me.”
“Who’s your commander?”
“Marshal Commander Fox.”
Thorn felt his jaw drop at the name. “Is he alive?”
“Very much so.”
“That son of a bantha.”
“You know him?”
“We trained together. I’ve known Fox for most of my life. Do you know where he is?”
His brother shook his head. “He was here, then he was called away. He didn’t say why.”
Thorn lay in silence for a few moments, thinking over what his brother had said. Fox was still alive, and so perhaps was Wolffe as well. He could have cried from the news had he not been emotionally numbed by the battle. Fox was alive and Thorn had one of Fox’s men at his side to keep him appraised of his movements. “What’s your name, kid?”
“Lieutenant Thire, sir.”
“I’m Commander Thorn. Where was your corps stationed?”
-
Fox fought back a cry of relief at the sight of Thorn walking towards him. He struggled for words as his brother approached, finally deciding to go with, “you look like shit.”
“And you look old.” Thorn fell into Fox’s embrace with a tired chuckle.
“I feel old.” Fox closed his eyes as he hugged Thorn as tight as he dared considering his injury. “I don’t want to do this.”
“The Chancellor requested your corps specifically.”
“Thorn, I don’t think I can do this.”
“Hey,” Thorn pulled away from the embrace to look Fox in the eye. “You’re not going to do this alone. We’ve got your back. We’ll catch you.”
Fox could almost believe it due to the pure faith in Thorn’s eyes and voice. He would allow himself to believe it and try to forget anything else. This was it, this was the impossible scenario in which he was able to work alongside his brothers, not only as their leader but as close to equals as the ranks would allow. Marshal Commander Fox, ARC Commander Thorn, Commander Stone. The Coruscant Guard.
-
Riyo Chuchi had been a Republic Senator for less than a year when the clones arrived.
From that moment, everything changed. Everything she’d learned, or thought that she had learned, about Senate procedures was gone. Not that it had been wiped away yet, but it would be soon, replaced by the procedures that the new head of Senate security was forming now.
She didn’t even know what their faces looked like, only the expressionless armor that had been paraded before the Senate. Fresh, white armor, without stain or discoloration. There were no signs that these men had been in combat. There were no signs that they were men or otherwise not machines. There was only the black gaze that never met hers.
The Clone Wars have begun. Riyo Chuchi is less than a year into her role as Senator for Pantora when the Coruscant Guard arrives and the war upheaves everything she knew. In a changing galaxy, Riyo strives to find her place in a deteriorating Senate as the men of the Coruscant Guard try to fill a role they were not prepared to take up. [Foxiyo slow burn]
Another fic in which I fail to not name something after a song title or lyric
A/N: Hey all, due to a combination of academic deadlines and mental health this will be the last update for Febuwhump 2023. I'd hoped to write more this year than I did for last Febuwhump, but (fortunately or unfortunately for my readers) I must prioritize graduate school. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, I wrote it back when Febuwhump '23 was first announced and it is my favorite of them all. Thanks for reading!
AO3 Link | Febuwhump Index
Space was cold.
He knew that to be a fact.
But it was colder still after the months he had spent on Mustafar, months of adjusting to the burning heat until its absence chilled him to the core.
The purge trooper wrapped his thick cloak around himself as he shivered. He doubted he would find it to be any warmer when he arrived. Nothing could fill the ice black hole inside of him, so cold that even the burning heat of Mustafar could merely sedate it.
It was from within that hole in his chest that Vader’s words echoed, reverberating through his entire being. Executive orders which gave him no choice, no agency. Vader’s puppet.
He forced himself stand when the shuttle landed, not allowing himself more than ten breaths after he released the controls. Vader’s intel was good, he would not have far to walk.
It took him less than an hour to find his target.
From there, it was merely a waiting game.
The purge trooper followed along the rooftops as the man walked the streets, waiting for the opportunity to strike. This part he did not mind so much. This part of the dance gave him the opportunity to flex his body and hone his mind, to prepare himself for what was to happen.
He knew that this kill would be the one to break him.
He followed the man to the small spaceport, watched as he entered the deserted landing pad. He did not strike until his target entered the ship.
The purge trooper was upon the ship before the man could close the boarding ramp behind himself. To his credit, his target was prepared. Blasterfire rang out, narrowly missing him. Disappointment settled in the purge trooper’s gut at that fact. He brought out his own blaster, returning blasterfire that the man scrambled to avoid, moving deeper into the ship.
When his target had fully disappeared, he advanced.
He paused just before he turned the corner. In a swift motion he removed his helmet, poking it around the edge of the wall. A shot rang out and he withdrew the helmet to find a hole blasted right between the eyes. He frowned at it and pulled a small explosive from his belt, chucking it into the hallway. Nothing so large as to blow up the ship, but just enough.
A cry rang out as the explosive activated and the purge trooper advanced. He found his target leaning against the wall to which he had been thrown by the explosion. His helmet had been lost, blood now staining his blond hair. The clone’s eyes widened at the sight of the man before him. “Cody.” He tried to move, to back away, before his unnaturally twisted ankle gave out and he fell to the floor. “Cody, this isn’t you. Fight it!” He yelled as he fought to get away, pushing himself back with his arms and good leg until his back met the wall.
The purge trooper knelt before him, meeting his gaze. He reached down to his target’s ankle, taking it gently in one hand before twisting it further away from its proper placement.
The clone screamed, his body trying to curl up upon itself in agony.
The purge trooper shoved his chest back against the wall, holding him there, looking him in the eye as he drew his knife from its sheath.
“This isn’t you, Cody, this isn’t you.” The clone begged at the sight of the serrated blade. “You can fight this, I know you can.”
The purge trooper paused with his knife held above the clone’s stomach, his hand shaking.
“Cody.”
The knife plunged down.
Rex gasped, staring at the spot where the blade had sunk fully into his body. Then he let out a low groan as it was removed with a twist, serrated edges ripping into tattered skin and organs. “Cody.”
The purge trooper remained kneeling before Rex, his hand still grasping the blade as it shook. Blood coated his hands. Rex’s blood. His own blood. He could feel the ebb of echoing in the void as it began to quiet down before ceasing all together.
The knife fell from his hand to the floor as tears began to fall from his eyes.
“Cody.” Rex said once again.
“Rex.” He answered sadly, reaching out towards the wound he had caused but afraid to touch it.
“It’s not your fault.” Rex gasped through pained breaths, entwining his fingers within Cody’s. “The chip… it’s not your fault.”
Cody shook his head as he squeezed Rex’s hand, unable to stop the large tears rolling down his cheeks. He could feel the void inside of him growing with every labored breath that Rex took, let the darkness and the cold seep into his veins.
“It’s not your fault.” Rex repeated.
A short gasp in Rex’s breath had Cody lunging forward to press his forehead to Rex’s forehead, cradling the back of his head with his free hand as he squeezed Rex’s hand tight in the other. “I’m sorry. I’m so s-” his voice broke and he knew his tears were falling onto Rex’s cheeks.
“Stay with me.” Rex whispered his last words.
“Until the end.” Cody promised.
He remained kneeling by Rex’s side long after he had drawn his last breath, still clasping his limp hand as tears fell freely onto Rex’s cheeks. Rex’s blood coated his legs, soaking through his blacks. He knew that if he removed his armor he would find his skin stained with it.
Cody shook as the full weight of emotions fell upon him. Letting go of Rex’s body, he reached for his knife and made to plunge it into his chest, letting out a sobbing curse of frustration when his body would not respond, refused to let the blade even nick the skin. The knife clattered to the ground once more as he fell upon Rex’s shoulder and wept.
He didn’t care who found him first, whether they would drag his soulless body back to Vader or kill him on sight.
Summary: An inquisitor dreams of a past that was, and a past that wasn’t
A/N: Inspired by where I left Barriss and co. at the end of seconds and years
AO3 Link | Febuwhump Index
Barriss leaned back against the wroshyr tree with a sigh, bringing her arms up to rest on her head as she surveyed the massive landscape around her before closing her eyes.
“Taking a nap, are we?”
She smiled before opening her eyes to see Commander Gree with his helmet in hand, leaning against a tree opposite her. “Meditating.”
His brows raised. “That’s not what it looks like to me.”
“What does it look like to you?”
“Napping.” His shoulders tossed in that carefree way. “Though I have heard that the wroshyr trees speak in the Force.”
He would know that, would have spent every free hour on their trip to Kashyyyk pouring over the local flora. But she had never gone to Kashyyyk with the 41st.
“I wouldn’t know.” She’d never had the chance to see those great forests. “Tell me more.”
“They say the whole planet is a nexus for the Force. Has been for some time. Every wroshyr tree is connected. I don’t think they ever came to a conclusion what aspect of the Force rules here though.”
She brought one hand from her head to place at her side, touching the tree. “I can’t feel anything.”
“Maybe you would, if you were here.” He gave her a sad look before putting on his helmet and turning to walk away.
“Wait, not yet!” She pleaded with him as he retreated into the mist. “Commander Gree!”
But he was gone, leaving her alone with the mist that pooled around her. It came in so thick, so fast that when she stood from the wroshyr tree to run after her friend she lost sight of that tree she had lain against.
“Gree!” She shouted into the mist that swallowed her scream.
But he was gone.
Barriss fell to her knees with a cry of frustration.
The mist swarmed her, wrapped around her until she couldn’t see her hands in her lap, muffling every sound. She didn’t hear the AT-TE until it was upon her, one blast throwing her into the darkening mist as she closed her eyes.
She knew where she’d be when she awakened, knew every inch of that room as she did her own body, knew exactly where the Lord of the Sith would be standing, which corner the clone commander with the sad eyes would stand in as he watched.
Barriss fought in her restrains, fought to leave that dark place as the arms of the machine slowly closed in on her, as she begged him, that Sith Lord, to stop.
-
The First Sister shot awake, her hand reaching out in the Force for her lightsaber on her bedside table as she sat up. She gripped the lightsaber in her hand as she looked around the small room, searching for something that wasn’t there. After a few heart-pounding seconds she let her hand fall back to her side, dropping the lightsaber onto the bedsheets at her hip as she let her head fall to rest on her knees.
It always ended like this. Every dream, every time.
She didn’t bother to try to stop the tears budding in her eyes, let them fall down onto her knees with a shuddering sob. Her hands, her limbs, her chest hurt as those sobs built. As her body twisted in on itself in self-loathing.
She couldn’t save them. How could she, when she couldn’t save herself?
They had spent the evening together, she, the sad-eyed commander, and the 327th trooper who had found her on Felucia. But that warmth, that strength she had felt just hours ago, was gone.
She couldn’t stop crying, couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked her frame.
She would never see Commander Gree again. How could she have faced him with the weight of what she’d done. He’d tried, asked to see her in her cell, but she had refused. She didn’t know if she would have accepted the offer had she known then that it was the last time.
Her fingernails dug into her arms and she welcomed the pain. Welcomed that small part of herself that was still in her body, that could feel. That could feel the heart beating in her body, the blood that still flowed through her veins.
It was overwhelming, the weight of the world that crashed upon her shoulders, that sat there as if it was perched there permanently, giving her the power to destroy. Never to mend, not anymore.
The world around her was cold, so cold, despite the endemic heat of Mustafar.
She let go of her skin and held out a hand, willing it to feel that heat she knew would be there, that warmth that promised death.
But she couldn’t find it.
Not when the hands of her fallen men were clasping her, holding her within that veil between life and death.
She ran out of tears before she could find herself. She let the dry sobs echo around the room, her shoulders shaking with each one. She didn’t know if the rooms were soundproof, only that she never heard the other inquisitors and if they heard her they never said a word.
She took a deep breath, willing the storm inside of her to calm itself. When it stilled for a few moments she stood from the bed, slipping on her boots and headscarf to walk to the door. There, at the doorway, she crumpled in on herself, the storm threatening to take over once more.
Instead, she opened the door, focusing on the feeling of her feet on the tile floor as she made her way to the small sitting room at the end of the hallway.
She found what she was looking for there, two purge troopers in their blacks sitting on the opposite ends of the couch, looking out the window of the fortress at the lava river below.
They didn’t turn as she walked in, didn’t say a word as she made her way across the room. When she approached the couch they pulled their legs off of the center cushion so that she could sit between them. She took the seat silently, throwing her arms across the back of the couch to stare out at the lava with them.
A small sob threatened to force its way out of her throat, but a hand on her shoulder pushed it back down.
Seventy-Three didn’t say a word as he gave her shoulder a small squeeze.
She knew she’d find him out here. She didn’t know whether he came here every night or whether the nightmares that haunted them struck at the same time, but he was always there just as he had been that day he’d carried her from the battlefield on Felucia.
She reached her hand out to clasp the knee of the other man, giving it a small squeeze for the one Seventy-Three had given her. She didn’t know what nightmares haunted Twenty-Two, what pulled him from sleep to join Seventy-Three on nights like these. Those few nights when all three of them were here.
They would not speak of this in the morning, would never talk of it once each had risen to return to bed. But, for those few hours between dark and dawn, she could share her nightmares with those who bore the same burden.
Summary: A familiar face awaits Obi-Wan in Vader’s clutches
AO3 Link | Febuwhump Index
He’d felt it then.
That short scream on Utapau. The one that vanished so quickly it left Obi-Wan wondering if he had imagined it.
One millisecond of shear panic that was swiftly hushed over, leaving a silence so dead that he’d nearly halted, turned Boga around then and there. But he didn’t have to. Not as that missile had torn her to shreds beneath him. That missile meant for him. Sent by his own men.
There was nothing of that scream now, not from the man sitting before the dark throne.
He was relaxed, his head leaning back against the black stone as he watched Obi-Wan with an uninterested look. His face was devoid of emotion, devoid of anything. As was his mind. When Obi-Wan had reached out in the Force, trying to find anything to connect to, he had found nothing but silence, an abyss.
“Cody.” Obi-Wan said, as if that would bring the man back from the darkness.
The man’s head tilted to the side, examining him, before it straightened and fell back against the throne. How often before had that head been tilted into Obi-Wan’s touch, into the caress of his fingers.
“Cody.” Obi-Wan said again, pleading with the empty shell.
Cody blinked slowly at him, nothing stirring within him.
“Do you recognize me?” He dared to ask.
“Yes.”
Obi-Wan felt his heart drop down to his stomach at that response. But still the clone didn’t stir, his expression unchanging, as flat as his voice.
“Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Cody continued in that monotone voice. “Traitor to the Empire. Lord Vader has been looking for you.”
That was true, that was why he was here. Because Vader had kept looking, despite what appeared to be clear orders otherwise, and he had found him.
“And who are you?” Obi-Wan dared to ask.
Cody didn’t answer, meeting his gaze with that dull stare.
“He is whatever I require him to be.”
Obi-Wan closed his eyes as the footsteps approached, taking in a deep breath before he watched Vader pass him, seating himself on the throne with Cody at his feet.
“Hold out your hand, Commander.”
Cody obliged, holding out his right arm before him, still meeting Obi-Wan’s gaze.
Obi-Wan bit back a shout of surprise at the five pops, one after the other, before Cody’s hand folded like rubber. Still the man met his gaze, still his face and mind remained as empty as they had before.
Obi-Wan forced himself to tear his eyes away from the sight, towards Vader. “What do you want?”
Vader didn’t hesitate to answer. “I want you to suffer as I have suffered.”
“This won’t bring her back, Padmé-” Obi-Wan stopped in horror as a crack resounded across the room.
Cody lowered his arm to his lap. If Obi-Wan hadn’t known him, hadn’t spent countless hours watching him, the way he moved, the way he sat, he would have missed the reluctance in the motion. The way his muscles seemed to hesitate. But still nothing stirred in his mind.
It was in that moment that Obi-Wan realized where this would end. Perhaps he should have finished that statement, goaded Vader into lashing out and ending it. But Vader had the patience that Anakin had lacked, so he kept silent.
But Vader would not be pleased with his silence either.
Obi-Wan felt his heart break as another crack rang out, louder than the first, and Cody let out the faintest whimper. His face remained still, impassive, but he raised his left arm to touch the right one, fingers pulling back the moment they had prodded the skin.
“Don’t do this.” Obi-Wan begged.
“What?” Vader’s helmet tilted, those black lenses staring straight into Obi-Wan’s soul. “This?”
Cody’s arm twisted backwards, limbs bending where they should not have bent as he let out a scream, his body trying to curl up on itself against the power of the Force holding his shoulder in place. For a moment, just one moment, their eyes met and Obi-Wan felt the flash of recognition, true recognition, run through Cody’s mind before the abyss reached up to drag it back down.
Vader released his hold on Cody’s arm, allowing the man to collapse forward with a whimper, his body shaking.
And that was it.
That was the final break in Obi-Wan’s heart.
He didn’t know from where it came, from what well of his connection to the Force it had been drawn from, but the raw power flung out across the room, sending Vader’s throne flying backwards through where the transparisteel had once been. Before it had vaporized.
Only Cody was left in its wake, crumpled over on the floor.
Obi-Wan rushed to his side, pulling him up. “He’s gone, he’s gone.”
Cody looked up, meeting Obi-Wan’s eyes as something new flashed across his face, a look beyond pain or recognition. “You need to leave.” And his voice was his own, shaking, but his.
“Not without you.” Obi-Wan said, wrapping his arm around Cody’s waist to pull him to his feet.
But Cody moved first, wrapping his remaining arm around Obi-Wan’s neck to draw him in, to press his lips to those of his former general. Obi-Wan moved to meet Cody without thinking, tugging on his waist and wrapping an arm around the back of his neck to pull him in deeper.
Cody was the one to pull away, resting his left hand on Obi-Wan’s cheek as he begged. “Run.”
“Together.” Obi-Wan rose to his feet, pulling the injured clone up with him. “You still have both your legs.”
Cody gave him a smile, one laced with pain and sadness, but still a smile.
“Come on.”
Obi-Wan didn’t want to guess how long it might be before Vader caught up to them. He didn’t dare think he’d killed the man. It would take far more than he had to kill his former padawan.
Vader hadn’t taken his lightsaber, placing his bets on his own control of the situation, and so Obi-Wan fought, keeping Cody at his side as he repelled the stormtroopers. Whatever well of the Force he had drawn from was silent, but his hands were still quick, cutting down the stormtroopers in their way until they had reached the hangar.
“There.” Cody panted, angling his head towards the nearest craft.
Obi-Wan took a sick delight in noting Vader’s personal vessel as they ran towards it.
“Get the boarding ramp.” Obi-Wan instructed, slipping away from Cody as he dashed towards the cockpit. The controls flickered to life in his hands and long before the anti-aircraft arsenal could be deployed the blur of hyperspace came into view before him.
Once they were safe, once he was certain they were safe, he turned to see Cody standing in the doorway.
“You’re alive.” He breathed, a light smile tugging at his lips. “You’re safe.”
“We’re safe.” Obi-Wan said, rising from the pilot’s seat.
Cody’s smile shifted and he looked down.
Obi-Wan followed his gaze to the hand clasped to Cody’s chest, where his fingers rested over a burning hole in his armor.
“Cody.” Obi-Wan rushed forward to catch him as his knees buckled, bringing them both to the floor. “You need bacta.”
Cody took in a shuddering breath. “We both know we’re far past that, Obi-Wan.”
Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, no, there has to be a medical droid on board.” He rose to his feet rapidly. “Vader has to have a medical droid.”
But before he could take a step, Cody was clasping the back of his knee. “Don’t leave me to die alone.”
Obi-Wan sank slowly back to his knees before Cody, who leaned into his chest with a shudder as Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his hair.
“You know, at least you didn’t lose your lightsaber, this time.”
Obi-Wan let out a sad chuckle, tears slowly falling into Cody’s hair. “I knew you’d be mad if I dropped it again.” He brought up a hand to stroke the back of Cody’s head, careful not to touch the shattered arm. “I love you.”
But Cody didn’t respond, leaving Obi-Wan to reach out for a bond that was no longer there. But neither was the scream, neither was the abyss, only silence as Obi-Wan clasped Cody’s body to his chest. Alone.
