Tech’s POV

Tech remembered the moment the transmission went through. “Clone Force 99 is to return to Kamino to be assigned a Jedi general.” He remembered thinking about how pointless and redundant it was. They were operating perfectly fine without any help from the Jedi, so why would they need one now? Or ever, for that matter. Yet, there was nothing he could do to change that. All he could do is to steer the Marauder back to Kamino, just as they were expected to.

“Ooh, who do you think we’ll get?” Wrecker asked from behind him, tapping his feet excitedly to the floor.

“Hopefully they will give us someone competent,” Tech answered. His only wish is that the Jedi they are assigned to will be someone more intelligent than his brothers, which is not a high bar to clear.

“I bet you they won’t last more than a month with us,” Crosshair commented bitterly, moving the toothpick around inside his mouth.

Wrecker is undeterred by his snark comment. “Well, whoever they give us, I hope they’re someone awesome! I mean, we get to see a lightsaber up close!”

Hunter sighed tiredly, running his hand through his hair. “Just, let’s not give them a hard time. Play nice.”

Tech scoffed. He always acted nice, he just needed to know if the other person deserved his ‘kindness’ or not. For example, regular clones or regs. With the exception of Commander Cody. They’ve always been outcasted by the regs, bullied and mocked for their appearance. It doesn’t matter though, most of them ended up in maintenance work anyway. How does he know that? He hacked the Kaminoan’s database and saw the info, obviously.

Thunder roared outside and turbulence rocked the ship. Tech approached the open hangar as the ship slowly began to lower. He’s done this hundreds, if not thousands of times already. The landing went smoothly as always. He got up from his seat and joined the rest of his brothers. Hunter opened the door and exited first.

The blinding white light of Kamino greeted his eyes, wiping away the tiredness. Tech adjusted his goggles, the world blurry for a second before coming back to focus once the angle was right. He smiled in satisfaction before proceeding to lead his brothers to the meeting area.

When the door opened, Nala Se and Jedi Master Shaak Ti stood there next to someone. You must be our new Jedi general, Tech assumed. He stepped in first and his brothers filed in after. Hunter stepped forward, nodding his head to Master Shaak Ti, “General.”

“Thank you for coming on such a short notice,” Master Shaak Ti said, nodding back to Hunter.

“Of course,” Hunter replied, his eyes drifting to you. “So, is this our new general?”

“Yes,” Master Shaak Ti replied before nudging you. “You may introduce yourself.”

You nodded, taking a step forward and bowed. “Nice to meet you, my name is (Y/N). I’ve heard many great things about your squad. I look forward to working with you.”

Hunter seemed stunned at the politeness before quickly recovering. “Nice to meet you too, General. The name’s Hunter.” He went on to explain everyone’s role in the squad. Starting from Crosshair, Wrecker before finally, Tech. You smiled and nodded at each one of them.

“(Y/N) actually just recently became a Jedi Knight, hence why I think she’s the perfect fit for your squad,” Master Shaak Ti explained.

“Jedi Knight (Y/N) will be assigned to your squad temporarily. I will monitor the compatibility since Clone Force 99 is known for their unorthodox way of… handling things,” Nala Se added.

Tech expected for you to just nod and agree with the Chief Scientist, which would mean you’re offhandedly mocking them. But he didn’t expect for you to instead laugh before saying, “Don’t worry too much about me. I can handle myself just fine and their squad seems fun too.”

Wrecker nudged him on the side and whispered loudly to his ear, “I like her.”

Tech shook his head at the volume but quietly agreed anyway. You didn’t seem half-bad. After a few more formal jargons, Hunter and you shook hands. Nala Se and Master Shaak Ti left the room after making sure you were alright. Master Shaak Ti placed her hands on your shoulder one last time before finally leaving. You observed them once more and Tech found himself nervous under your watchful eye. What did you think of them?

“Well then, what’s our first mission together, Sargeant?” You asked Hunter with a playful glint in your eyes.

He turned to Tech. Which in turn, made you shift your attention fully onto him, waiting for him to say something. Tech composed himself before answering, “Apologies. I’ve just received the transmission, but we are to leave for Felucia.”

“Let’s go, shall we?” You proposed, adjusting your robe as you moved across the room.

Everyone still seemed wary but followed you nonetheless. You walked alongside them in silence. Tech kept throwing glances at you, analyzing you silently inside his head. So far, the only thing he noticed is the two lightsabers clipped onto your belt and how utterly captivating your eyes were.

They are so warm and inviting, he can practically feel the kindness flowing out of it. Your eyes held no judgement against them. There was no hatred or disgust. He was fascinated by it, no one has looked at them that way before. Not the Kaminoan scientists and definitely not the regs. He was so entranced that when he finally came to, he realized they were already back at the hangar.

There’s only one thing floating inside his mind now: How much he can’t wait to get to know their new Jedi general.

Your POV

When you first became a Jedi Knight, the first thing that came to mind is how proud you were for being able to reach that goal. But then another thought immediately followed afterwards: The Clone Wars.

War was something completely unfamiliar to you. The Republic had always been peaceful if not for a few conflicts occasionally. But those were easier times, back then they would’ve just sent a Jedi Master and their Padawan to handle it. Now? There’s several different parties coming together and they’ve somehow managed to drag clones into this.

You were perplexed at the idea. You’ve heard how they were bred specifically for the war, prepared since infancy to become soldiers. You’ve thought about how cruel it sounded. But the Republic didn’t really have a choice. Well, neither did the clones. They needed soldiers to be deployed throughout the galaxy. Still, you couldn’t be more grateful for their creation. Always look for the positives in life, your master would say.

Because if they weren’t created, how would you be able to meet them in the first place? Get to know them better? They weren’t mindless beings. It made it easier to connect with them, but also devastating when their life is lost. Each clone was unique and special with their own little quirks. And that is especially prevalent within your own squad.

Clone Force 99 had a reputation within the clones like no other. Before you were even assigned to them, you’ve heard a great many things about their squad. The Jedis would say they were very efficient at what they did. The Kaminoans would say that they are bad at taking orders but they’ll still get it done. The Clones would say to steer clear from them, that they’re dangerous and wild.

It was a mixed review, but you chose to see for yourself before making any judgement. Even though you knew the chances of meeting them would be small, they are just a squad consisting of four clones after all.

So, just your luck, that after your Knighting ceremony, you would get the news that you’ll be working together with Clone Force 99. It was as if the Force wanted you to see the answer for yourself.

Tech’s POV

True to his observations and analysis, the Jedi they are assigned to has been nothing but pleasant company. You were the perfect match with them, if he could say so himself. That might’ve been an exaggeration, but you deserve the highest praise. Even Crosshair’s hard built walls could not withstand the kindness you offered at every chance.

What should’ve been a temporary assignment ended up being permanent. You’ve been through many missions ever since. Around 57 times, he counted. Tech could go on and on about how impressive you were. How effortlessly you made it look when you sliced through the waves of battle droids. How you listened and followed his plans or suggestions. How you always looked after them when something went wrong.

Like this one time, they had a mission on some snowy planet. An explosive was set off, triggering an avalanche. Wrecker was nearly buried in the snow but you didn’t give up on him. You used the Force to lift him out just in time and you all made it back safely onto the ship.

How you would spend time with each of them to heal their wounds. On one of the many missions, they were ambushed. You were the only one who didn’t get hurt. You spent weeks nursing them back to health, forcing a very unpleasant Wrecker to take his daily medication. Tech chuckled at the memory.

He grew a deep sense of admiration towards you. He found you to be a reliable partner that helped improve the performance of the squad. Even more so after he found out that you were intelligent and knowledgeable too. Not as much as him, but still, compared to his brothers, you were much better company. You could actually keep up and participate actively in your conversations.

Tech greatly enjoyed the time spent together with you. Whether that be when he’s repairing the Marauder after a narrow escape or he’s building a new piece of technology.

It was also not uncommon for you to seek him out first whenever something on the Marauder malfunctioned, even when Hunter or Wrecker were closer. You claimed Tech explained things better than the others did. He found it most especially pleasant when you look at him with those bewitching eyes of yours. He couldn’t ask for a better Jedi, because you were already the best.

But that all changed when a new member was introduced to their squad. Echo.

Your eyes were now focused more on Echo instead. Before Echo joined the squad, your attention had belonged almost entirely to him. You used to spend hours beside him while he worked, asking questions about his modifications and theories even long after his brothers had grown bored of the discussion.

Tech remembered one particular night where you spent nearly three consecutive hours beside him while he recalibrated the Marauder’s navigation system. Even after midnight, you continued asking questions about hyperspace algorithms despite visibly struggling to stay awake.

Hunter eventually had to drag you away to rest while you protested tiredly from the doorway that Tech had not finished explaining one of his calculations yet. But now? Tech found those conversations cut shorter more frequently than before. Sometimes you would leave to check on Echo instead.

The change itself was not drastic. In fact, objectively speaking, most would likely fail to notice it at all. But Tech noticed. He always noticed. Tech wouldn’t admit it out loud, he knew he was being irrational. Echo had gone through so much after Skako Minor, he didn’t deserve any of that. It was also in your nature to bring comfort and security to others. But that didn’t stop the annoyance that bubbled up.

Could it be… Was he jealous? He’s only ever read about descriptions of it but he didn’t felt like it perfectly represented his emotions at the moment. No. He pushed the thought away. Of course not. That’s not possible. For jealousy to be present would mean that he would had to have feelings for the other person. He shook his head and focused on his datapad instead.

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Tech would often hear you praise Echo. “I think your cybernetics are cool. Don’t ever feel ashamed of it, you hear me?”

“Ah, thank you, General,” Echo mumbled shyly.

“If you’re experiencing any discomfort, let me know, okay? I’ll try to see if the GAR could issue you some of the more newer cybernetics.” With that, you stood up from your spot to enter your bunk and contact someone through your comlink.

He noticed how much you were spending time with Echo, how it spiked up to 42 minutes more than usual. It also wasn’t lost on him how on every chance, Echo would opt to sit beside you. Why haven't you treated him this way anymore? Why haven’t you praised him the way you had with Echo?

Tech’s grip around his datapad unconsciously became tighter. He grit his teeth at the question gnawing inside his mind. Okay, he needs to calm down. This is getting out of hand. Think of a way to win her attention back subtly, Tech. He closed all tabs that he had opened and started anew. He began listing all possible ways he could do to draw your attention.

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A few days later, you were fiddling with the caf machine. Tech had just entered the ship after performing a modification outside when he noticed your furrowed brows. Perfect. He approached you, “Allow me.”

“Oh, sure. Go ahead.” You stepped aside and allowed him to inspect the machine.

Tech ran a quick diagnostic on the faulty machine. Within seconds, he managed to find the issue and fixed it. He brewed your usual evening caf and handed the steaming cup to you. You took it graciously and smiled, “Thanks, Tech.”

“Of course, are there any other problems you’ve encountered?” He silently hoped there was more, wanting to increase his daily time spent with you. Even if it’s just for a few more minutes.

“Hmm…” You hummed in thought before shaking your head. “Nothing for now, but if I find one, I’ll be sure to let you know.” You took a sip from your caf and sighed. “Thanks again, Tech. I’m gonna go and meditate now.”

Tech could only nod as he watched your figure retreat outside. His body felt warm at the compliment he just received. Finally, after weeks of not hearing it. For a brief moment, Tech wondered if perhaps he had been overthinking everything after all. He smiled in satisfaction and quickly wrote down what happened on his notes. How glad he is to have his recording on. At least now he can look back at the footage and observe your smile.

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Echo’s new cybernetics upgrade finally arrived. The whole day is spent on helping him adjust to it. Tech was tasked to perform a few tests on him to make sure his mobility was stable. He couldn’t really stay focused though as he felt your gaze was on him.

Once he confirmed that Echo was doing fine, you jumped up from your spot and walked up to Echo. “Congratulations! I’m so glad you finally got those upgrades!”

Echo laughed at your enthusiasm. “It’s all thanks to you, General. I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly, “Ah, it was nothing. You deserve it anyways.”

Echo smiled. He glanced past you briefly, his gaze landing on Tech for only a second before something unreadable crossed his expression.

Tech watched the interaction silently. He waited for you to sing him praise but… nothing. You fawned over Echo’s new upgrades along with the rest of his brothers. Tech’s gaze lowered to the floor. A new plan started brewing inside his head.

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“What is it that you want me to see, Tech?” you asked as Tech led you to the cockpit.

“It’s a surprise,” his answer was short. He had spent the last two days upgrading his goggles. He was hoping it would impress you the same way it did with Echo’s upgrade.

Once he made sure none of his brothers were there to overhear, he sat you down on the copilot seat while he sat on the pilot seat. He swiveled the chair and picked up a small box from the side. He took a deep breath and nervously opened it.

You raised your brows, “Oh?”

“It’s my newly improved pair of goggles,” Tech proudly announced.

You nodded and clapped your hands. “What does it do that the old one didn’t?”

“I upgraded the scanning system, expanded the recording storage, and integrated a predictive combat algorithm,” Tech explained casually, as though he had not spent the last forty-eight hours rebuilding half the internal circuitry of his goggles.

He handed the goggles carefully to your hands, relishing the soft feeling when your hands briefly brushed against his. The contact lasted less than a second, yet Tech found himself thinking about it long after you had already adjusted the goggles over your eyes. Now, he just needed to wait for your praise. He wonders, which feature are you going to praise?

You brought the goggles closer and tried it on. It was nauseating at first, but after a couple minutes, your vision finally adjusted. “Wow… You’re impressive, Tech.”

He felt his brain short circuited. “O-of course,” he stammered.

You giggled at his response before continuing, “I can see how this would help you on the battlefield. Still, I’m more impressed how you don't feel like you’re gonna throw up when wearing these.”

“It gets better over time, eventually,” Tech answered. The response was not what he had anticipated. Yet somehow, hearing you praise him directly felt significantly more satisfying than admiration toward the goggles themselves would have.

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You were sitting with Echo now in the main area. Tech could only sit there and watch the two of you. What was wrong with him? Why was he feeling this way? After showing you his goggles, he left to reflect on his journal. He documented the precise feeling he experienced and did some research, but nothing conclusive was found. He felt his chest tightened when he heard you laugh at Echo’s jokes.

“Did you have to make it so obvious?” Crosshair suddenly said from behind him, startling Tech.

When he turned around to face him, he noticed that Hunter and Wrecker was also there. Wrecker had an obnoxious grin plastered on his face. Hunter just had a knowing smirk while Crosshair was scowling as usual.

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to convey,” Tech replied.

Crosshair groaned and took the toothpick out of his mouth and flicked it onto his forehead. “You really want me to spell it out to you? I thought you were the smartest out of all of us.”

Hunter gave Crosshair a disapproving look before sighing, “Tech. Don't think we’ve been blind,” Hunter said seriously.

Tech raised one eyebrow, still not understanding what message his brothers was trying to say. Wrecker finally caved and whispered, “We know you like like her, y’know?”

Tech’s eyes immediately widened and he felt his cheeks flushed. “W-what could possibly make you come to that conclusion?”

Crosshair chuckled at his reaction. “Like I said, you weren’t being subtle about it.”

Hunter smiled as he said, “We’ve seen how you look and act around her, Tech. No need to hide it around us.”

Wrecker nodded in agreement. “Yeah!”

Tech’s head seemed to be working faster than before. Has he really been that obvious this entire time? So obvious that even his below average intelligence brothers could notice? How embarrassing. Tech stood up from his seat and took his toolbox. He said nothing as he shoved past his brothers to exit the ship. He needed to do something before his mind imploded.

He climbed up the Marauder and set his toolbox aside. He took a deep breath and exhaled. That wasn’t real. How long have they known then? No. He doesn’t even want to know. Tech brought up the ship’s schematics, going over his plan to upgrade the exterior of the ship. Once that’s done, he started working. His mind was on autopilot as his hands were busy, trying everything to forget what had just happened minutes prior.

He was so focused, he failed to notice another presence climbing up the Marauder. It was only after he heard his name rolling off your tongue did he snap out of his daze. “W-what?”

“There you are.” You grinned as you continued, “Everyone’s worried for you, they’re saying you’ve been acting differently these past few days. So, I’m here to check up on you.”

“That is not necessary,” Tech replied quickly. “I am perfectly fine.”

“Alright then, I believe you. What are you doing up here?”

“Just some minor fixing and upgrades. The Marauder took heavy damage from the last mission, I was planning to upgrade our shield system…” He stopped when he noticed you were staring. Maker help him, your eyes.

“That sounds like a great idea! Would you like some help? I think I remember you taught me some of the basics before…”

He cleared his throat, “Of course. An extra hand would be nice.”

Tech nearly dropped the hydrospanner from how close you were beside him. He continued his work as you occasionally helped him, either by holding a flashlight or handing him the tools that he asked. It brought him straight back to the first time he and you had spent time together.

“Good job, Tech,” you praised, like music to his ears. “You know, it’s been a while since we’ve done this. If you’re going to do some more upgrades, count me in, okay? It’s fun.”

You hopped off the Marauder and landed on the ground, you looked up at him. “Thank you, Tech. I’ll be off now.”