Here We Go Again (Rewrite)
Notes: This is a rewrite of Here We Go Again. As well as the “new” prequel of sorts for @outcastcommander‘s awesome fic Savages. No major changes, just more detailed stuff and fixed typos.
Jysella Aru stood quietly before the holoterminal with Chaos standing next to her, the former captain displaying the marks of his new rank. “Ma’am, we’ve been able to hail the Galidraan’s Vengeance, putting them through now.” Knockback announces as the hologram of a very familiar Jedi appeared before her, with Captain Sunny by his side.
“General Fett, you look well.” Jysella greeted warmly. “Captain, good to see you.”.
“And you look like you haven’t slept in a week.” Master Fett remarked as he eyed her warily then glanced at the man beside her. “Where is that commander of yours?”.
Jysella’s gaze flickered towards a somewhat unwanted guest who was quietly speaking with Admiral Varr. “Can we meet in person?” Jysella asks as she bit her lip nervously. “I...I’m not sure how to handle this, Master. And the Council isn’t much help.”.
“What’s the situation?”.
“In the aftermath of Umbara, the Council had requested to speak to Reaper separately from the rest of us.” Jysella answers as she nod at Chaos, who remained silent by her side. “We haven’t heard from him since then, I received word as recently as yesterday that Reaper will still be unavailable while…..”.
“I was promoted to battalion commander.” Chaos added quietly as he caught Jysella off and slipped his helmet off to look at Fett. “They promoted me to Reaper’s rank. I….General, this isn’t standard practice unless……”.
Fett scowled slightly as he looked at Chaos then sighed. “I’ll send you coordinates and don’t bring an entire platoon on board.”.
“Just Voss, Cabur and Chaos then.” Jysella said softly which caused the unwelcome guest to clear his throat pointedly. “And somebody I rather shove out a Force-forsaken airlock!”.
Chaos snickered while Fett eyed them both warily before giving a slight nod and ending the holocall.
“Varr?” Jysella asked once Knockback announced that they had the coordinates.
“En route, General.”.
Chaos quietly adjusted his new kama as he boarded the ship and cursing his luck, the last one just had to be ruined by those little gremlins! The former ARF paused as he noticed Lynch and Skids glaring at Arch before casting looks at Chaos, announcing their silent protest at Arch being on their ship before they stalked towards the cockpit.
“How many times do I have to apologize?” Arch asked as he looked towards Chaos, who had claimed his seat and proceed to slip his helmet off and set it on his lap before glaring at Arch resentfully. “I didn’t have a choice!”.
“Funny, I thought you were the run who was constantly running his damn mouth about choices.” Chaos snipped as he kept glaring at the older clone from his spot and reached up to snap the harness into place. “We wouldn’t be here now if there was always a choice.”.
“Chaos, I…..”.
“Shut up, Just…..I don’t want to hear it.”.
Chaos had more things to worry about than the traitor.
Arch sighed as he followed the little Jedi and her squad off the ship once they arrived on Fett’s flagship.
“Behave.” Jaster mumbled over the internal helmet comm link as the group as joined by Fett and his own group.
“Thank you once again for agreeing to meet me, Master.” Jysella said, which initiated a conversation between the three Jedi while Arch’s attention drifted to the clone who stood by Fett’s left. The scar was pretty familiar, as was the body posture and those eyes.
“So, any particular reason why one of Spar’s loyalists are with you?” Fett asked as he looked towards Arch.
“Lieutenant Arch Reau at your service.” Arch says cheerfully as he slipped his helmet off to reveal his mousey brown-blond hair and all too familiar features. “Formerly known as Commander Arch of the Three-Hundred-and-Forty-Fifth.”.
“So much for MIA.” The Zabrak Jedi -- Kalash, if he remembered correctly -- remarked while Arch took note of his injuries.
“MIA?” Arch began to crackle at that like an a madman before Voss nudged him roughly when the Outcasts looked at Arch warily. “What? I wasn’t missing! Spar found me!”.
“What happened to you before he found you?” Fett asked warily, which was understandable, how does one survive an ordeal like his own? Arch wasn’t sure, maybe it was Mother?
“Quit acting like a psycho and answer him, you’re wasting valuable time, you idiot.” Grimm’s voice ordered which caused Arch to cease his laughter, like always -- even if it was in his head -- Grimm was right.
“Reconditioning. It….it didn't take.” Arch said as he shivered when memories of the worst experience in his life resurfacing. “A lot of Hellions went home. No idea who.”.
“You think Reaper’s been reconditioned then?” Fett was quite the inquisitive fella, Arch liked that trait. It meant that somebody actually gave a damn and that Fett was more aware then some Jedi.
“Palpatine and the Council want a scapegoat that will go unnoticed by the public. Who better then Krell’s commander?” Arch shook his head as he allowed a snarl to slip past his lips. “Knowing that little bastard, Reaper probably bargained his own wellbeing for your men and the command staff for the Hellions.”.
Jysella sighed as she raked his right hand back through her freshly cut hair, which honestly did look good on her. “See my situation?” The Dathomirian inquired wearily.
Dagorlad Fett scowled in a way that reminded Arch far too much of the Original.
“Do I know you?” Cabur turned his attention away from the Jedi when he heard Arch speak, and found that the former commander had actually approached Swipes and leaned towards the psycho. “I feel like I know you from somewhere.”.
The A-Type’s gold-colored eyes met Arch’s own durasteel-colored eyes, and there was a glint in Arch’s eyes -- which Cabur didn’t like at all, he’d known the man before he lost his mind and that look as never good -- when an angry and embarrassed flush started to crawl up and across the kid’s cheeks.
‘Oh, this isn’t going to end well.’ Cabur mused, nothing ever did when you set a Reau and Priest together. Voss and Arch getting along was a bloody miracle.
Cabur watched as Arch spent a few more seconds staring at Swipes before he doubled over from laughing. “You have to kriffing kidding me!” Arch declared as he straightened himself a bit. “The assassin was you?!”.
Cabur barely noticed Voss facepalm while Fett regarded the two coolly. “I take it you two have met?” Fett inquired with a guarded look.
“This idiot tried to assassinate Spar a while back! Which ended up with him getting his shebs kicked five different ways to Primeday!”.
“Funny.” Swipes snarled irritably as he glared at the larger clone. “Wasn’t your face in the dirt for most of that?”.
“Nah, that was Shysa. I was the idiot trying to avoid getting stabbed by you.” Arch respond as he smirked at the A-Type while Cabur went to intercept the two, just in case a fight broke out. “Spar had ya too, if that scar proves anything. Ain’t my fault Alphas are superior to A-Types.”.
“I was younger and more inexperienced.” Swipes bit out. “And I certainly wasn’t the poster boy for stability.”.
“Neither am I.”.
“And I’ve killed other Alphas, Spar just got lucky.” Swipes snarled slightly which caused Cabur pause and consider rather he wanted to protect one of Spar’s lieutenants or not, but Spar was also killing their baby brothers so why should Cabur care if Arch picked fights with Swipes? Cabur, contrary to popular belief, isn’t suicidal.
Cabur looked towards the three Jedi who looked back at him, with varying looks of wariness. “Nope, I ain’t dealin’ with these two.” Cabur stated as he held is hands up in the universal sign of surrender. “I value my life, thank you.”.
“Right, I totally believe you.” Arch mocked as he acknowledged Swipes yet choose to ignore Cabur, or at least that’s what Cabur believed, and shoved the A-Type. “A-Types are all talk. Place ‘em in a fight with a Reau or an Alpha and they’ll get their shebs kicked.”.
Voss made his way over to Wrench, deliberately letting his footsteps fall with a heavier than normal thud to announce his presence.
“You better not start with the cryptic osik or --” Wrench began to warn.
“I don’t want to be near that.” Voss told the older medic as he nod at his own ori’vode, a lot of the younger Reau and Priest cadets knew better then to involve themselves in situations like this, it was common sense or a survival instinct. “And I wanna know how Trauma is. I mean, I know he’s kinda terrified of me, but --”.
“Work in progress.” Wrench said, which resulted in the older medic cutting the younger medic off, who simply beamed at the old clone. “And I assume your brat sent treats for my brat?”.
“Yep, he loves spoiling Trauma.”.
Wrench shaked his head slightly as they turned their attention back to the situation