#clone trooper jester

"It seems very hypocritical of you to put me in iso over beating up Wat Tambor," Slick said, fidgeting with his datapad to cover up his increasing nervousness as he was marched deeper and deeper down darkened tunnels he'd never seen before. They looked like maintenance tunnels, and probably were: the question was why they were transversing these tunnels. "I'm a little offended. I know natborns count for more than clones, but I mean, of all natborns…"

"Yeah? Well, I wish someone had warned me that you didn't stop talking," Thorn retorted, more than a little theatrically. "Stop acting like I'm taking you away behind the bunker to shoot you."

"Oh, are we not doing that?" Slick sniped back. "Funny, it's a little hard to tell in the dark."

"Whine, whine, whine, that's all I keep hearing." Thorn paused. "You don't actually think I'm here to kill you, right?"

"No, obviously not," Slick said at once, because portraying strength was key. Also, Thorn himself didn't seem to have any ill intentions beyond some badly hidden amusement and anticipation, as if he were looking forward to some sort of harmless prank. "Besides, Thire would never let it happen."

"Thire, huh? Not Fox?"

"Fox probably likes you too much to properly avenge my death. Thire finding out you cut off one of his sources of info on Appo, on the other hand…"

Thorn sniggered.

A moment later, though, he sobered. "Actually, it's not a bad thing to be cautious when going somewhere with one of the Guard,” he said carefully. “You shouldn't assume that anyone is going to be friendly, even if they'd been before."

Please, Slick knew that already. He was a traitor, after all, and there were plenty of people who wouldn't forget that so quickly.

He shrugged and changed the subject.

"Where are you taking me, anyway? I didn't know the Guard even had isolation tanks."

"We don't. And if we did, they'd undoubtedly would have sprung a mysterious leak in the first week. Our medics don't put up with that Kamino shit if they can help it." Thorn smirked. "And as for where, well, you are being put in iso. Just not in a tank. And not totally isolated, either…"

How incredibly unhelpful.

"What the kark is that supposed to -"

They passed another door and Slick abruptly stopped talking. Stopped thinking. He even stopped checking his datapad to see if Appo had sent anything new from his horrible Citadel mission.

He didn't have eyes for anything but the sky.

"Tenth window on the left," Thorn said after very mercifully giving him a few minutes to just take it all in. He wasn't that bad, actually, even if he was emanating a sense of smug satisfaction like the pheromones of a sea-slug during mating season. "Six up."

It took a few tries, but Slick finally managed to tear his gaze from the polluted clouds and angry speeders stuck in traffic and countless skyscrapers that made up the first free air he'd seen since entering the rat cage.

"Okay," he said, spotting the small window that Thorn had indicated. "And what's that?"

""A Jedi safehouse for undercover missions that the Guard helps maintain," Thorn said. "Nominally, anyway. To my knowledge they've never used it. Too busy with the front lines, I guess. Anyway, that's where you're going to stay from now on."

"I …what?"

"Welcome to your new home base, Sergeant. You didn't think you'd be able to do your new Hall of Records assignment from prison, did you?"

Slick hadn't thought about it.

Somehow, despite all they had done in the name of clone freedom, he'd never thought about it applying to him.

Not Slick. Not the traitor.

"We'll be putting a tracker on you, and you have to stay within permitted areas unless you have an escort," Thorn said, leading him over to the safe house. "But it's better than prison, I think."

It certainly was that. Slick wasn't about to argue there.

In fact, this was one of the very few times in his life that Slick found himself with genuinely nothing to say.

"Oh, and there is one more thing," Thorn said, unlocking the door. "When I said you weren't exactly going to be isolated…"

"Hi Slick!" Boba shouted. He was sitting on the kitchen counter eating something out of a bowl as big as his head, because of course he was. "Look at our new dock!"

Slick sighed.

Thorn outright laughed at him.

"Yeah, yeah," Slick said, and let Thorn put the tracker on him (in him, technically: an injection to the small of the back). "I don't know what I'd do without him at this point. Besides, haven't you heard, according to him he's apparently running this whole thing…"

Thorn left still laughing.

"I'm going to go sit in front of the window for a bit," Slick told Boba. "If anyone needs me, they can wait til I'm done."

"Sure," Boba said in the middle of a mouthful. "Even Appo?"

"Obviously not Appo."

"Fox -"

"Boba?"

"Shut up?"

"Exactly."

Slick went to sit down, though not before checking in on the datapad. Nothing from Appo. Slick didn't like that - hadn't liked it from the moment Bossk and Boba had shared what they'd heard about the Citadel, an inescapable prison that had once held even Jedi. He'd liked even less the way that Appo had responded to the intel with nothing more than a list of relevant passwords to permit them to carry on with the plan if he failed to return.

No, Slick hadn't liked that at all.

There was nothing he could do about it, other than what he'd already shared from his little question session with Wat Tambor. Everything else Wat Tambor had known had been irrelevant or outdated. Worse still, Appo would be with the Jedi, who Slick didn't trust one bit…

The Jedi. Prime had fought against the Jedi, who had hired him. What did that mean? What did that say about them? What did it say about Prime?Did that make him a traitor, like Slick, or -

Slick was not thinking about the Jedi. Or Cody, for that matter. He wasn't going to think of anything but the beauty of a window that looked out into sky. A window he could open. A window through which he could breathe the air, smell the exhaust, see the speeder trails, hear -

"You sure the boss won't be mad?"

"Of course not. You're just expanding on the mission objective, aren’t you? Being creative. Boss loves that shit. Remember how happy he was with your automatic rollover idea?"

"Yeah, but this is a bit different, isn’t it? Sure, I’m just reallocating funds, but I don't even know what the projects I'm reallocating funds from are even for. What if it's something important?"

"Relax, Chopper. If the projects were for something war-critical, they wouldn't have been just sitting around accumulating funds under a bunch of meaningless code names."

Chopper.

That was Chopper, and not just Slick's imagination gone wild. And that other voice at the start, that really had been Jester. The last one, that was Gus. Chopper, and Jester, and Gus, and they were somehow here -

The buzzer rang.

"I'll get it!" Boba yelled. There was a loud thump, as if he had jumped off the table.

Slick should - something.

Say something. Do something.

Those were his boys.

"– could maybe find Sergeant Slick here?"

"I don't know, you might or might not," Boba said, the height of obnoxiousness as always. "Maybe it depends on who's asking –"

Slick suddenly found his legs and stumbled towards the door.

"Wait," he croaked. "Wait, I – I'm here – I –"

He stepped out into the main part of the quarters. All of the people standing there around the entrance looked at him.

There were a bunch of clones there, two squads at least, and Boba standing defensively in front of all of them and scowling like he thought he’d be able to keep them out if they really wanted to come in despite being half their height and totally unarmed. But Slick couldn't focus on that.

He could only focus on his boys.

It was them, just as he'd thought. There was Jester out in front with his stupid goatee and a startled expression, as if he hadn't actually expected a positive response to his question. And that was Gus next to him, eyes wide as saucers. Chopper with his scars, uncharacteristically hanging back - Punch and Sketch two steps into each other's personal space as always…it was them. Slick's squad. Slick’s boys.

A little more scarred, a little older - but still his boys.

Alive.

Here.

It seemed impossible. Like a dream, one of the ones that felt real, only - better, better and worse both. Better, because no matter how real the dream, Slick had never managed to imagine this moment. Worse, because all of his old fears came rushing back all at once: what if they hated him?

Their messages hadn't sounded like hate. But now that they were here, here where Slick could see them again with his own eyes, see and be seen by them, too…

"Sarge?" Chopper whispered. "Sarge, is that really…"

Jester took a stumbling step forward.

"Sarge," he said. "I missed you."

For whatever reason, Slick’s vision suddenly went all hazy. Possibly he was spontaneously going blind?

“…Sarge, are you crying?”

Slick made what even he could identify as a completely incoherent noise. In another moment he had taken several steps forward and was with them. He didn’t even know where to put his hands, on Jester’s shoulders, Gus’s arm, Punch’s face as he leaned forward, but a second later it didn’t matter because there were arms around him, too, and everyone was talking, or sobbing, or laughing. And it was wonderful –

CRASH!

All of them jumped near out of their skins and tried to go for their weapons, even Slick, who hadn’t held a weapon in over a year.

“Oops,” Boba said flatly, standing over the shattered pieces of a glass bowl. His cheeks were red and he looked furious – and certainly not in the least bit sorry for having interrupted. “It slipped.”

“At great velocity,” one of the clone troopers still hanging back by the door quipped.

“Slick,” Boba said, ignoring them. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

His voice was a little shrill.

“Right,” Slick said, not entirely understanding why Boba seemed so upset. “Right, right. Uh – Boba, this is Jester, Gus – those are Sketch and Punch – and that’s Chopper. They’re my squad.”

“Former squad,” Chopper said.

Slick winced. He deserved that.

Especially from Chopper.

Slick had been so distracted by seeing them again that he had momentarily forgotten both facts and fear. It had felt like it had been an eternity and yet as though no time had passed – as if this were just a reunion after a tough battle where they'd been split up for a while. It felt the same as when he had returned from the battlefield after Geonosis...but it wasn't the same at all. 

They hadn't been separated by a battle. They had been separated by Slick's actions. 

Slick's treason. 

“Yeah,” he said, swallowing a little. “Former squad. That’s right – Jester, don’t glare at Chopper, he’s right. Boys, this is Boba. He’s…”

Slick trailed off. He wasn’t entirely sure what the best way to explain who Boba was.

Prime’s son? Slick’s boys wouldn’t understand what that meant.

An unaltered clone that was older than all of them? That would be even less coherent.

Slick’s co-conspirator in a grand plan to free all the clones? They would assume he’d lost his mind. Especially if he tried to say that about what appeared to be a cadet.

Maybe he could just say Boba was a friend? Yet that seemed somehow unsatisfactory and insufficient, too…

“Nobody important,” Boba said. “Apparently.”

Slick had the distinct feeling that he had somehow messed something up.

That feeling only intensified when Boba turned on his heel and marched straight out, shouting, “Call me when you feel like doing something useful again!”

The door slid shut behind him with a definitive click.

Silence.

“Uh,” one of the other troopers by the front door said. “Do you…want to go after him?”

“…yeah, Sarge,” Gus said. “I think you probably want to do that.”

Slick wanted to stay and talk with his boys. On the other hand, they were almost certainly right.

He took a few steps towards the inner door.

“Boba –” he started.

“Don’t you dare come talk to me right now!” Boba screeched through the door, as if he had been waiting just behind the closed door in order to say just that.

Slick took three steps back.

“On second thought, maybe you should give him some time alone,” the trooper by the door suggested hastily.

Slick could now hear stomping feet heading further into the safehouse. Probably to the room with the window – the Jedi safehouse wasn’t a very large set of quarters, only a few rooms, and that room was the furthest from the entry door. It probably did make sense to give Boba some time to cool off, he supposed, especially since he had no idea what had gotten into him to make him mad in the first place. Boba had seemed perfectly happy to be relocated to the safehouse at the start, and Slick really wasn’t sure what had changed. Maybe reality had just sunk in?

Or maybe it was just that Bossk had left so urgently, rushing to the Citadel at their request (and Boba’s demand) to help make sure Appo didn’t get himself killed. Boba had missed him quite a bit, after all, and now all of a sudden he was gone, even off-planet.

That didn’t feel like the right answer. But Slick also had no idea what else it could be.

It couldn’t be his boys. Boba hadn’t even met them before today, and they hadn’t been here long enough to do anything that could possibly upset Boba…

“I’ll take your recommendation,” Slick said, and turned back to look at the troopers – including the ones at the door, this time. “Who are you, anyway?”

“I’m Sikes,” the talkative one said. “This is Corporal Nis, our squad lead, and troopers Lacey, Trivet, and Rikko. We’re –”

“Appo’s squad,” Slick said, recognizing the names. “Appo talks about you.”

Sikes grinned, his smile fond. “I bet he does,” he said, with the comfortable confidence of someone who had never doubted it. A moment later, his smile sharpened. “He talks about you sometimes, too. Though not as much as our Besh boys do.”

“Sikes,” Jester said warningly.

"We wanted to come and introduce ourselves," Sikes continued blithely onwards. "Have a little chat. Make sure you were all on the up-and-up before we entrust you with our brothers -"

"Sikes," Gus hissed, clearly embarrassed.

“Don’t blame Sikes,” the one called Lacey said. “We did tell you up front that that was what we wanted to –”

“We didn’t think you were serious! He’s command! You can’t just talk back like that –”

“Yeah, and we wanted to talk to him first –”

“Former command. And I don’t see why we can’t –”

“It’s still not okay for you to –”

“I think we can put aside chain of command,” Slick interrupted. He glanced over Appo’s Aurek squad, his eyes flickering between them to piece together their basic dynamics: Sikes was their forward man, Lacey backing him, Trivet and Rikko in the back as defense, leaving Nis as their center. Quiet so far, but with sharp eyes: analytical, looking at the situation and judging where and when to best intervene when it became necessary.

Accordingly, it was to Nis that Slick said: “How about I take your ‘blaster talk’ conversation as read for the moment? Leave me some time to catch up with my boys first, and you can give it to me with both barrels later on. I appreciate someone keeping a lookout for my boys.”

Nis looked back at him thoughtfully, as if trying to determine Slick’s level of sincerity – which, as it happened, was very high. He was completely serious.

“All right,” Nis said. “We’ll wait outside. And sir?”

Slick arched his eyebrows.

“Don’t kark this up.”

Yeah, that was fair enough.

Appo’s Aurek squad left, and Slick turned back to his squad.

Former squad.

“Sarge,” Gus said, and his voice was a little uncharacteristically hesitant. “It’s good to see you again…but…”

Jester scowled. “Hey, what do you mean, ‘but’? It’s the Sarge! He’s here, he’s all right –”

“He left us,” Chopper said flatly.

Jester turned to glare, but Chopper was standing stiffly and staring only at Slick.  “Isn’t that right, Sarge?” he asked. “You turned your back on us. You took that deal with Ventress – you betrayed the whole battalion. People died. And you tried to blame us – blame me for it. I want to know why.”

“Chopper –”

“I want to know why,” Chopper insisted. “Why did you do it? And why didn’t you tell us?”

Slick had always liked Chopper. Sure, Chopper had always had an attitude as long and wide as a Venator, but in most cases he backed it up with enough skills to pull it off – skills, and bravery.

He certainly had bravery.

“Chopper,” Jester said, his eyes flickering between Slick and Chopper. “We just got here. Don’t –”

Slick raised a hand, cutting him off.

“No, Jester,” he said, his voice rougher than he would have liked but still firm. He was still their sergeant, or had been, and while that would usually entitle him to a certain amount of respect and deference, he’d squandered that. “Chopper’s right. Right to ask, and right to expect an answer.”

Whether Slick had an answer…

He didn’t.

He really, really didn’t.

He had thought he did. He’d rehearsed it a thousand times, argued it over in his mind, mapped out the conversation backwards and forwards – he’d recited every single one of his justifications and excuses and reasonings until he was nearly sick with it, and now that the moment had finally come, he knew that not a single one of them was worth a single damn thing in the face of his boys, who he so loved, looking at him with questions in their eyes.

After all, what was he going to do? Blame the Jedi at them? Ventress was so full of shit.

“I fucked up,” he said instead. “You trusted me to lead you in the right way, and I didn’t.”

He closed his eyes.

He didn't want to see that moment on their faces, the same shift that had happened with Needle and Cyclops and Ferris and all the rest - the judgment, the disdain, the realization of how pathetic Slick really was. His boys already knew what Slick had done, knew him to be a traitor already, so that wasn't a revelation to them, but now they would know the truth of it. The hollowness of it. That all their suffering had been for nothing at all.

Nothing but Slick's selfishness. 

He hadn't just betrayed the Jedi, no matter what he'd convinced himself at the time. He'd betrayed his boys. He had not just started down the road with Ventress, he had continued it – he had chosen to continue. He’d chosen to keep betraying the battalion; he’d chosen to commit treason; he had chosen to pass along information to the enemy that had put his battalion, his brothers, in danger. More than danger: people had died, brothers, clones had died because of what Slick had done.

He had been so selfish. At the time he’d told himself that he was thinking only of his boys, that he was doing it all for them, but he hadn’t been; he’d been thinking only of himself. He’d been thinking about what he wanted for them. It was true that all he had wanted was for them to be safe, and that that was a good thing, and because it was a good thing he had convinced himself that he was justified in all respects. But he wasn’t.

He was just plain wrong. 

Slick had wanted his boys to be safe, yes, but they hadn't, and he had discounted that. He had prioritized what he wanted for them over what they wanted for themselves. He had, in spite of or perhaps because of his great love for them, stopped seeing them as people who deserved a say of their own in their own life. 

And Slick didn't want to think like that. 

That was how Ventress thought, blithe and facile with the lives of others, careless because she didn't care. Slick cared, but that didn't make him any better. Perhaps in some ways made him worse, because he had been careless not with strangers but with those he loved the most, and worst of all he had done it thinking he was right. 

When Slick had first committed his treason, he had been unsure. When he had first continued, it was because he was afraid. But the step after that had been his own, driven by justification, excuses, by the salvaging his ego at the expense of his sad excuse for principles. He had been afraid, and he had been tired of being afraid, and so he had gotten angry instead. 

He had been angry when he'd told Ventress about their battalion’s movements, opening them up to attack by Ventress’ droid army. He’d been angry when he’d told her where the Generals were going. He's been angry when he'd blown the depot and left the battalion at risk. He'd been angry when he was discovered, when he was arrested, when he was imprisoned. He'd been angry for so long. 

He was still angry. 

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate...

By the end of it, stuck in the rat cage because of his own stupid actions, Slick had started hating everyone. He’d hated the war, the Generals, the Jedi at large, the galaxy at large...even himself. 

But he didn't want to hate his boys. 

Even if they hated him.

Even if they deserved to hate him.

“Boss said you were thinking of us,” Gus said abruptly, and Slick opened his eyes to look at him. To his surprise, Gus didn’t look hateful, or disdainful, or like he wanted to leave and never think of Slick ever again. He just looked thoughtful in a way that Slick had only rarely seen on him – Gus tended to be less perceptive most of the time, too rash, too impulsive, too quick to act and too slow to think. But every once in a while, when he did stop to think, he was capable of flashes of brilliant insight. Slick had been working on it with him, trying to get Gus to calm down and bring out more of his inner strategist, but they hadn’t gotten that far with it. They hadn’t had enough time. “He said that he was reassured by it, the way we were first in your thoughts the whole time. The whole time. Does that mean during your treason, too?”

Slick flinched.

“How could he have been thinking of us when he did that?” Punch asked, bemused.

“Yeah,” Sketch said, chiming it at once to match his partner. “He wanted money and freedom, didn’t he? How could that be about us?”

When Slick had been in the rat cage, he had imagined telling his boys about his real motives. Over and over again: it had been his greatest justification, the extra blaster in his pocket, the thing that would reassure them of his love for them and show them that he had never meant to do badly by them. His hidden ace. It hadn’t been until he’d actually laid eyes on them once more that he realized that he never wanted to play it.

To tell them he had committed treason – to tell them he had killed their brothers, betrayed their ideals, sold out everything they had been raised to treasure – and to tell them he had done it all in their name…

Slick didn’t want to do that.

Better they blame him. Better that they blame it all on him than risk them blaming themselves.

No, Slick didn’t want them to know.

But it was too late. 

“You were going to take us with you, weren’t you?” Jester asked, getting it before Slick could say anything. He was so sharp, so bright, and he always had been. He was going to be an amazing corporal, and he was going to be an amazing officer if they ever gave him his step up. He had always had so much potential, hobbled only by fears that Slick hadn't known how to help him fight.

(He hadn't known...but Appo had. Appo had helped them when Slick couldn't. 

Slick buried the surge of jealousy that sprang up immediately. He couldn't be jealous of Appo. He wouldn't. Appo was only trying to help. There would be no purpose in hating him for that.)

“Is Jester right, Sarge?” Gus asked softly. “Was that the plan?”

“Yes,” Slick finally choked out. “Yes. It was. But it was – my fault. My decision. Not because of you. I know you would never...”

He trailed off, unsure of what to say. Never betray the Republic like he had? Never pick themselves over their brothers? Never pick him, the way he had them?

“You should’ve told us,” Chopper said. “You should’ve given us the chance to choose.”

“He couldn’t,” Jester said at once. “If anyone found out that we knew –”

“He should’ve trusted us!”

“Chopper –”

“You’re not the one whose character was in question, Jester!” Chopper snapped, and Slick flinched again: he remembered saying that. He’d been desperate, by then. He’d needed to buy time. He’d thought that he could make it up later, that he’d find a way to make it all okay, that it would be fine in the end if only he had long enough to fix it…

Selfish again.

“We’re better together,” Chopper continued. “Stronger together. A single trooper all alone isn’t fighting, they’re just finding the best time to die. Isn’t that what Boss is always saying?”

Boss again, Appo again. They quoted Appo’s words now, not Slick’s. Slick deserved that, he knew, but he couldn’t help the swell of irrational jealousy: they were his boys, not Appo’s, even if Appo had taken them in and made them his Besh squad. They’d been his first, his, and now Appo was coming in out of nowhere to claim them as his own and take them away from Slick. Take them away and fill their brains with death and danger –

Danger.

Appo.

Oh, shit.

Slick turned on his heel and ran heedless of anything for his datapad, which he’d left back by the window. The shock of the renuion with his boys had totally wiped away all thoughts of Appo’s mission to the deadly Citadel, a place even Jedi feared to go. What if Appo had called? What if he’d needed something, and Slick had just forgotten –

“No calls,” he said, breathing out a sigh of relief as he reviewed the pad.

“I would’ve told you,” Boba said grumpily. He was crouched by the window, curled up and looking sulky. “Besides, Bossk’s on his way, and he should be pretty close by now. It’ll be fine.”

It probably would be.

Still, Slick couldn’t help worrying.

“Is there something wrong with the boss?” Gus asked. They’d followed Slick further inside the safehouse. “Isn’t he still on the Resolute?”

“No, he’s not, he’s in some stupid Jedi death trap prison on a stupid mission, stupid,” Boba said, having apparently fallen in love with the word at some point.

“He’s with the Generals,” Slick corrected. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

Mostly sure.

“Did you get a bad feeling again, Sarge?” Sketch teased lightly. “You used to get them as often as a General.”

“All that high-dairy nutrimush right before lights out,” Punch tsked. “You know better, Sarge.”

(“Do you think they teach ‘leave your squad out of dangerous missions’ in sergeant training or something?” Gus asked Chopper in a very low voice, clearly meant to be overheard but not responded to. “Because I for one think that it’s a tremendous load of –”)

“Hey, Sarge,” Jester said brightly, kicking Gus in the knee. “Is it true that you’re working with the boss on Project Kowaki?”

“What’s Project Kowaki?” Boba said sharply. “You named the plan? You aren’t allowed to name the plan. And that’s a really dumb name. What does it even mean?”

“Listen, we had to call it something and we weren’t about to say A000040 the way the boss does,” Chopper said, giving Boba the stinkeye. Boba glared back. “Sketch started calling it Project Moneypit, but I told him to stop because it seemed too obvious. Gus overheard us talking and thought he was calling it Project Monkey-pit, and Jester asked why we were talking about Kowakian monkey-lizards and now it’s Project Kowaki. It stinks, but it’s all we’ve got for now. You got a problem with that?”

The two continued glaring at each other for a long moment.

“...no,” Boba finally said, sounding deeply begrudging. “I knew a guy once that had a monkey-lizard. They get their hands into everything and steal it when no one’s looking, so it kinda fits, I guess. I could see Mukmuk doing –”

“Project Mukmuk,” Gus said in tones of delight.

“Absolutely not,” Slick said. “That’s a terrible name.”

“What’re you talking about, it’s a great name,” Boba said at once.

“Yeah, Sarge, it’s a great name,” Jester said.

“The best name.”

“C’mon, Sarge! Admit it!”

Well, at least they were getting along better? Even if it did mean they were ganging up on him.

“Actually, Sarge, I was wondering about that,” Gus said. “I thought you got arrested. How’d you end up working on a flimsiwork project with the boss?”

Slick opened his mouth to explain, then stopped, stymied at the thought of explaining...well, everything. His anger, his loneliness, the hell that was the rat cage. Appo’s stubbornness. Their talk, and everything that had followed: Mimban and Mordageen, the Jango impersonations, Emberlene, all of it. It was all far too complicated. How could he even begin to explain it?

“Fox made Slick a sergeant in the Coruscant Guard!” Boba announced. “He’s gonna be managing our operations in the Hall of Records going forward. With my help, of course.”

…or maybe it could all just be vastly over-simplified.

Slick arched his eyebrows at Boba, who had at last instance been declaring that he wasn’t going to have anything to do with something as boring as flimsiwork.

Boba avoided his eyes.

“Wait, really?” Jester asked. “Sarge, is that true? You were reassigned?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” Slick said, because he didn’t want to deceive his boys. Not to mention the fact that Appo had listed his status in the 501st as pending for what was probably over a year at this point… “But yeah, that’s how it is right now. I –”

He stopped, because Gus had stepped up and grabbed him, pulling him close.

“I’m glad, Sarge,” he said, and his voice shook a bit. “Good for you.”

“Yeah, Sarge,” Jester said, and he was smiling, too.

Chopper wasn’t, though.

He looked uncertain, and Punch did, too, while Sketch kept looking between Punch and Jester with hesitation as if he didn’t know what he should feel.

Slick knew that he couldn’t blame them. He knew.

But he couldn’t help but feel a touch of that old resentment. If only Cody and Rex had let me talk to them before the interrogation, this wouldn’t have happened. If only they’d let me explain back then, my boys wouldn’t be doubting me now. Maybe if I explained in full now they would understand. They would see. And things would be all right again –  

“That’s great news,” Jester continued enthusiastically, and Slick got the feeling that he was ignoring them on purpose rather than having missed their own lack of enthusiasm. “That means –”

What it meant Slick wasn’t sure he wanted to know, and luckily he didn’t have to.

“Besh? Hey, Besh squad!” That was Sikes, calling for them. The Aurek squad appeared at the door a moment later. “There you are. Form up!”

Slick’s boys immediately snapped into attention. Perfect form, of course – he wouldn’t have expected anything less.

“What’s going on, Sikes?” Jester asked.

“We’re getting called in early,” Nis said. “They moved up the Senator’s time slot.”

“Again?”

“That’s right. We need to move out right now and meet her at the landing platform.”

Move out? Now?

They were leaving?

But Slick had only just gotten them back! It hadn’t been long enough! He hadn’t had enough time!

“What Senator?” Boba asked. “Senator Amidala? I thought Appo said she was still back on the Resolute? Or, well, close enough, anyway.”

Technically, Appo had said something about an unauthorized mission to Scipio that had caused some excitement and a flurry of activity.

Slick’s question made teams exchange glances, in that extremely obvious we have confidential instructions, do we share? sort of way. Jester and Nis in particular gave each other meaningful looks that seemed to constitute an entire debate.

Jester won.

“It’s one of the Senator’s handmaidens, Miss Cordé, but she’s pretending to be the Senator,” he explained to Boba. “Standard stuff, all highly confidential. She’s the first of several rounds of distraction so no one knows when the Senator’s really arriving. We’ve been tasked with escorting her to the main part of the Senate rotunda so she can officially file her report…It won’t take long, Sarge. We’ll be back soon.”

That last part was aimed at Slick. Slick’s face must be doing something.

“No need,” Slick said. “I’ll come with you.”

“Wait, what?” Boba said. “But Slick –”

“Thorn said it was fine,” Slick lied without blinking. He knew he’d probably pay for it later, but he couldn’t let his boys out of his sight so soon after reuniting with them. “Here, Boba, take my datapad. If Appo calls, comm me right away, all right?”

Boba hesitated. “You’re sure Thorn really said…?”

“It’s very important that you keep a close eye on the datapad,” Slick told him, railroading over Boba’s concerns. “Just stay here and watch it closely. I’m trusting you with this, all right?”

Boba clutched the datapad to his chest. “Yeah, okay,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it!”

“Good. Thanks, Boba.”

He followed his boys out of the safehouse. They had a LAAT/I transport, which made it easier: there was enough room for one more.

“You know, that cadet really looks up to you,” Lacey said. He’d somehow wiggled his way over to stand next to Slick. “I don’t think he would’ve dropped it if it was anyone else asking.”

There was a squirming feeling in Slick’s stomach that he couldn’t identify.

“Are you trying to say something?” he asked stiffly, suppressing it. It didn’t matter.

“Nothing at all,” Lacey returned. There was something in his expression, though. Judgment, maybe.

They always judged him. Everyone but his boys. As soon as they knew he was Slick the traitor, they all looked down on him, refused to listen, refused to even try to understand. Slick hated it. He hated it, and he hated them.

It didn’t matter, though. Nothing they thought about him mattered.

Slick was back with his boys. That was what really mattered.

They were the only ones that mattered.

“It was a bit harsh, Sarge,” Gus said. When Slick looked at him, he shrugged. “Just saying.”

Slick pressed his lips together, suppressing his annoyance. Why didn’t Gus understand? Sure, maybe playing on Boba’s desire to be trusted had been a little weaselly, the sort of thing he got pissed off at Fox for doing, but Slick didn’t have a choice here. If Boba had kept going, it would’ve been clear that Slick really shouldn’t go out, and then his boys would’ve left.

Again.

He couldn’t lose them again. He couldn’t.

Slick just wanted to protect his boys. How could he do that if he was separated from them? He wasn’t being irrational or selfish or anything; he just wanted to help. To do anything and everything he could to help. That’s all he was doing.

It wasn’t shame he was feeling. It couldn’t be. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, so he had nothing to feel guilty about. In fact, if he examined his feelings, he could precisely pinpoint that what he really felt was –

Fear.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. And hate, my student, leads to –

Stupid ass mistakes.

Slick was a karking idiot.

What was he doing? He’d been free from the rat cage for all of five kriffing minutes and he’d immediately left the permitted areas without so much as a thought – and, more importantly, without disabling the tracker in his back. The Guard probably already knew that he’d left. They were probably on their way to find him and bring him back right this moment.

Worse, he’d left the datapad with Boba. What if Appo really did need something? He’d been in the middle of a firefight last time they talked; if he called again under the same circumstances, he might not be able to wait for Boba to comm Slick up. And if they lost Appo, that was the whole karking plan up in smoke – and for what? To spend a few more minutes crammed into a LAAT/I with his boys while they ignored him in favor of doing their jobs, which is what he would want them to do anyway?

How could he be so stupid? What was he even thinking?!

That they won’t come back to you even though they promised.

Slick gritted his teeth. He was not going to doubt his boys.

“Hey, I’m going to have to head back,” he said, trying to sound casual and mostly coming off as stiff. “As soon as you’re dropped off.”

“All right, sir,” Nis said. He had his bucket on, focused on his mission and ready for action as soon as they hit the landing platform even if the only action they were likely to see was the “Senator” using her pass on a bunch of doors – but somehow Slick still got the impression that he approved. “We’ll have the pilot take you.”

“Thanks,” Slick said as the LAAT/I zoomed in for a landing, heading towards the pad at the same time as the transport the Senator was on approached from the other direction. “I appreciate –”

Something shouted a warning.

Slick’s training kicked in at once: he turned around and lunged at the pilot of the LAAT/I, knocking him to the side and twisting the controls so that the entire transport heaved and shoot and veered straight towards the Senator’s ship. He wouldn’t have done it if he’d had any fear that someone wasn’t following protocol and didn’t have a hand on the transport straps, but these were Appo’s boys: they were definitely following protocol.

“Sarge!” Jester howled, voice nearly drowned up by the equally affronted howls of the wind. “What are you doing?”

Had he not heard the warning?

“There’s a bomb on the platform!” Slick shouted back, brushing off the pilot’s feeble attempts to reclaim his controls that were hobbled by his ingrained reluctance to fight back against a clone of (seemingly) higher rank. “We can’t let either ship land!”

Even as Slick spoke, though, he felt hands on his shoulders and arms, ready to pull him away – and why wouldn’t they? It was only him speaking.

Only a traitor.

Only –

“Help him turn the ship!” Nis bellowed. “Aurek squad, jetpacks. Get to the Senator now!”

They believed him.

They –

I mostly kept their canon designs the same (even Slick’s red eyebrows lmao) but I added some freckles and moles here and there.

I wish we got to see more of this squad. They only appear for one episode, and I wonder what happened to them.

I like to think that Sketch and Chopper are amongst the youngest out of everyone in the squad. Punch and Jester are batchmates, with Jester being the older one. Gus is next, and Slick is the eldest of them all. They take Slick’s “betrayal” to heart, but as the war goes on, I think they’d be more sympathetic to his motivations. They’re a very tight knit group, knowing what everyone else is thinking before they say it.

Chopper and Gus butt heads a lot (he hasn’t forgotten the time Gus called him deficient), but on the battlefield they’re a cohesive duo, and very formidable. Gus starts finding battle droid fingers for his vod as a peace offering.

Punch and Sketch are very close. They do everything together. I like to think that Sketch is good at art. Punch is the kind of person you’d want at your side at a 79’s bar fight.

Jester is always seen to have a smile on his face, and his jokes are actually funny. He knows when to take things seriously, however.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" Jester called out jovially.

"C'mon Slick, if you come out now we won't be as harsh as the others," Slick heard Chopper say as he walked past his hiding spot, Slick held his breath as he waited for them to finish checking the room he was in.

"At this point, we are going to think you actually like how harsh they can get," Jester said with humor in his voice and Slick couldn't help but stare daggers at them.

*Bullshit, Jester and Chopper are just as bad as the others,*

*Although at least they are honest with their sick feelings,* Slick thought with disdain as the bite on his left shoulder ached, still not having healed due to how deep Sketch had bitten him.

But as he waited for them to finish scanning the room from the vent Cody entered just as they were both about to leave the room making Slick want to slam his face in frustration.

*Dammit Cody can't you look for them when they aren't here??* He thought bitterly but remained still to not draw their attention by accident.

"Have you had any luck?" Cody asked them and they shook their heads.

"He's always been good at hiding," Chopper said.

"Yeah but Gus has always been better at finding him, maybe we should have him search for him?" Jester commented but Chopper shook his head.

"For him to keep Slick for himself?"

"Last time that happened Slick was in the medbay for an entire week," Chopper reminded.

"What about you commander?" Jester changed the subject.

"I'm afraid he managed to disable the building's heat sensors, I have some men trying to fix them but he sure knows how to handle the tech," Cody answered.

"We should hurry up and find him already, I bet Punch is this close to tearing the place down to just find him," Jester said as he chuckled.

"I agree, we've found nothing in this area, let's move to the next one," Chopper said and they all quickly left the room, Slick remained still as he waited to hear the sound that meant they had locked the area up.

But as he was about to move again he felt a knife being held against his throat as the weight of someone fell on top of him.

"Slickity Slick, finally alone," Slick recognized Sketch's voice.

Slick remained still, he had learned that Sketch could be either the tamest of the squad or the craziest and there was no in-between, and right now Slick could tell he was in crazy mode.

"Get off of me," Slick said with his sergeant voice which worked sometimes.

"Oh my, you using your sergeant voice on me?" Sketch said as if exited.

"You sure know how to please sir," Sketch said beside his ear.

"Last time Gus got to have you himself, but now it is my turn," He said and Slick felt the knife move from his neck to his back, and Sketch trailed his back with it, and it was in moments like this where he hated that the air vents were big enough for Sketch to sit on top of him comfortably if the place was smaller he could deal with him easily.

"But don't worry, unlike Gus I know how to take care of my canvas, I promise I'll make it fun for both of us," Slick then felt something being jabbed into his leg, this made him react and manage to get Sketch off of him due to him getting confident.

*Sketch may be good at immobilizing his opponent but he always gets way too confident,* SLick thought as he jumped off the vents and into the room with Sketch following closely.

Slick kept Sketch at a distance as they began circling each other.

"Nowhere to go sir," Sketch pointed at the door's control panel that was clearly locked.

"I really don't get it, why are you trying to get away from us sir?" Sketch asked as he held the knife ready to pounce.

"You're really asking that?" Slick asked bewildered as he scanned the room in search of something that could give him the upper hand.

"We've done nothing but love and care for you, well Gus can get a bit ahead of himself but still, he apologized and made up for it,"

"Last time I checked breaking someone's bones and slashing them isn't very caring," Slick bit back.

"And for that, I truly apologize sir, but you just.....you drive us crazy," Slick felt his stomach turn at Sketch's lovesick smile.

"I betrayed you all, I got so many killed and I don't regret it, how can you say you love me?" Slick asked as he spotted a crate he could use to knock Sketch off of his fit, giving him enough time to climb back to the vents and leave Sketch locked out.

"We know how unrepentant you are about that, and this made it that so many wanted you locked up forever or just killed, but we couldn't let that happen, oh no,"

"We lost you once, we weren't going to lose you again, and maybe that's why we're a bit rough with you from time to time,"

"So please, just stand down sir, and let us love you," Slick glared at Sketch's words, Sketch had always known how he wanted to be loved after the war and had been using it against him since the start of this sick situation, he had even come to pity the Jedi although he hated the fact, but his heart had ached when he saw a little Jedi being dragged to solitary where he had seen others come out trembling and with dry tear's stream on their faces.

"Even I know this isn't love Sketch,"

"How damned messed up are you all for someone like me to say that this is messed up," Slick said as he took the moment to move for the cart which he quickly slammed into Sketch who fell to the ground alongside the heavy cart, giving Slick time to jump up to the vets.

But as he began climbing up he felt his grip loosen out of nowhere, making him fall hard to the ground, he tried to get up as soon as he hit the ground but his movements suddenly became sluggish and slow, giving Sketch enough time to once again jump on top of him, pinning Slick down.

He tried to struggle but it was as if his body was under sand and not listening to him anymore.

"What the hell!!" Slick exclaimed enraged as he finally looked up and stared at Sketch who looked at him smugly.

"It seems that my sergeant didn't notice the drug I gave him, you are getting a bit rusty aren't ya Slick, before you would have noticed before I even managed to get it into you," Sketch teased as Slick glared at him.

"And now that you are immobilized I should take you back," Sketch said as he spared a single glance at the door.

"But it seems we're locked in until someone comes for us, who knows how long it will take until then," Sketch then took a hold of his right hand, pulling it to hold it against his face.

"Don't worry sir, I'll make sure you don't get bored in the meantime," Sketch then dropped his hand and used the knife to cut through his upper blacks, revealing his chest.

This made Slick shudder as the cold blade of Sketch's knife began trailing his chest.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt, I wouldn't want my sergeant to feel anything but good," Sketch gave him a smile before a sudden feeling of warmth shot through him, making Slick jolt in surprise as he saw the insition the knife had made.

*Why isn't it hurting???* Slick wondered alarmed.

"Oh, you must be wondering why it feels warm?" Sketch asked as he noticed Slick's face after making another cut.

"The drug I gave you, it does more than just paralyze you, it also messes with one little sense of yours," He said as he trailed his chest with his hand.

"Can you tell me sir?" Sketch asked as he stared at Slick before smiling like a little kid.

"Your blushing so hard!"

"How cute," Sketch patted Slick's head.

"You know you can still talk right?" And in fact Slick had not realized until Sketch informed him, it must have shown in his face as Sketch chuckled.

"So now, tell me, how does it feel?" Sketch then made another cut that made more warmth fill Slick but he kept his mouth shut as he glared at Sketch.

"Don't worry, by the time I'm done you'll be more than just agreeable,"

Timeskip

Punch ran towards where Sketch had informed them he had Slick, way ahead of his squad, desperate to make sure Slick was alright.

"The door in this area are closed you'll need my-" Cody called but Punch didn't wait, quickly tearing the panel off and using the circuits to override it, by the time the others watched up to him, the door was already open and Punch was running inside.

When the rest got there they found a peculiar scene, with Slick passed out with his upper blacks torn down and his chest bloodied as he was cradled by Sketch.

"Sketch, what the hell did you do!" Punch chastised as he looked Slick over like a mother-hen.

"I had a small session with Slick, don't worry I, unlike Gus I know how not to truly injure him," Sketch said with a calm smile.

"Hey, it was one time!" Gus protested.

"That doesn't make me feel better," Punch muttered as he pulled Slick away and began looking at his injuries.

"You don't have to believe me, but when he wakes up I believe he'll be much more...." Sketch began as he tried to find the right word, his squad paying him complete attention until he finally decided on the right word.

"Honest,"

Headcanon time

I've written most if not all yanderes as the kind who do not like hurting their darlings and will only do so under extreme circumstances or to just make them a bit sick, and even so they will feel guilty asf

But with Slick?

Oh boy, he got the short end of the stick

His squad are the sadist yandere kind

They love having him try to run away and them catching him, having a mouse and cat game

I decided that since in the one episode we get to know Slick's squad, Chopper and Jester are the most open about how sadist they are, why?

Well because in the episode Chopper is the one who cleaned his weapon right after every mission without missing a single time, I see him as the kind of yandere who knows the best places to injure his Darling without risking his health, so most of the injuries he causes are broke bones and bruises he gives strategically to get the most out of it

While with Jester he is the one who had been collecting battle droid's fingers, you bet your ass he has a shrine of Slick, he has some of Slick's spare black and one of his armor's gloves, but the rest are straight-up blood vials, streaks of hair that he just pulled out of Slick's head and his most prized possession is a smile bottle he managed to fill with his tears

But the other three, they try to keep up the act they aren't as messed up like those two, but Slick's hates them the most for that.

Sketch loves to use Slick's skin as a canvas where he carves different things, not deep enough so it won't leave a scar, but also likes to mess him up with drugs alongside Punch to try and break him.

Although he also wants Slick to appreciate and be able to enjoy their "love", so he started to use the drugs to make him start associating the pain they cause him with love and.....pleasure.

Slick used to be the closest with Sketch, they both confessed many things to each other, and Sketch completely abuses the knowledge he acquired.

Punch is kind of the caretaker, he isn't a medic but he does know when the others begin to get a bit far and how to patch Slick up.

Even if he isn't a medic clone he did help the medics many times, this made him interested, and begin to study under Coric when he had the time

This led to his major interest which was botanic and chemistry, he knows how to make and mix drugs for Slick and their squad's "bonding" sessions, his biggest aspiration is to make a drug he can give Slick continuously to keep him docile yet still able to bite back.

Gus is the one I found the less information about so I decided to make him the most fucked up out of them all

He's a biter and scratcher, any injury he can cause with his own body he will inflict it on poor Slick

Even if Slick is passed out, it won't stop Gus, who is the best at finding Slick

The others at least have some self-control, Gus doesn't and well, it's not like the others do much to stop him at first

They use his lack of restraint to inflict what they can't themselves on Slick

"Wel-" Your words were cut off as you felt a strange presence, no a dark presence embrace your body. You clutched your head in pain as you stumbled, losing your footing. Your head screamed in pain as you felt the darkness embrace your body, you legs weakening as you fell limp. The troopers acted quickly, grabbing you before you could fall to the ground and hurt yourself further.

"General? Are you okay?" Kiri asked, eyes full of concern as he held you in his arms. Hopper checked your pulse only to find a faint beat as he shook you gently trying to wake you up.

"She's not responsive!" Hopper panicked, eyes wide as he looked at Kiri. The Commander picked you up, one hand around your legs and the other around your back as he carried you across to the village. Hopper scurried ahead, looking for the villagers who they had just spoken with, only to find the village completely empty.

"Kiri, there's no-one there! They've all disappeared!"

Kiri furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, eyes flickering around, looking for a safe place to put you. He looked down at you in his arms, your face pale and unconscious as made a split second decision. "Hopper, check that hut over there for supplies, we'll have to make camp here. But be on the lookout, I don't know what's happened but I'll try to contact General Kenobi."

Hopper nodded in understanding, his face stern as he knew your life was on the line.

***

It had been at least an hour since the three of you had made camp. Hopper had found a bundle of material, wrapping you up warm while you shivered unconsciously. You kept mumbling some words, neither Kiri nor Hopper knew what was going on. They had tried to contact General Kenobi but to their disadvantage they couldn't, the signal had been ripped from the village, almost as if this all débâcle was planned.

The boys took it in turns to stay by the fire at your side while the other kept guard by the entrance of the hut they were staying in. Hopper was currently on door duty while Kiri sat besides you, fiddling with his comms, trying to get a signal or something to someone.

"D-dooku...Kiri....H-hops... careful..."

Kiri instantly dropped his comm, his hands coming to hold you down as you shuffled and fought in your sleep. Kiri eventually calmed your down, his body twisting to face you as he gently cupped your cheek, eyes soft as he watched you mumble words. His name to be specific. The very one you had given him, the one he was oh-so proud of.

"Kiri..."

Kiri let out a deep sigh, his eyebrows furrowing as he took a quick glance at Hopper who was focuced on the outdoors before he turned back and spoke to you.

"Cyar'ika, c'mon Y/N, I can't have you dying on me, not when we've just begun. We haven't even had time for a proper mission, or even spend time together." Kiri whispered those few words, hoping Hopper didn't hear him. He leaned down and placed a small kiss on your forehead, leaning down to place his own on yours as he whispered.

"Come back to us. Come back to me."

***

"Kiri! There's some Civ's rolling in!"

Kiri quickly got up, but not before squeezing your hand in comfort, he could have sworn he felt you squeeze back but it could have just been wishful thinking, or he was thinking with his heart.

"They don't look like regular civilians..." Kiri noted as he stood besides Hopper who pulled out his scopes, trying to figure out who the people were.

"That's because they're not! They're clankers! Kriff! Kiri we have to get out of here!"

"We can't!" Kiri instantly turned his head towards your unconscious body in the hut. "She's too weak, we can't move her!"

"Well we have to, otherwise we'll be crushed into pieces and none of us will ever make it out alive!" Hopper retorted, he'd been in a situation like this before with you. But you had been conscious, you had been his saviour, his beacon of hope, but now you were the one who needed the help. That was on of the worst days of his life, but when he saw your face alongside General Plo, he knew it would be alright. You'd taken him into your battalion, practically begged General Plo until he caved and you had been glued to each other since. Hopper wasn't too happy with the way you handled the 265th but you were- no are a good General. He wasn't going to give up on you yet.

"Kiri, you defend! I'll get the General!" Hopper ordered. Kiri panicked, not wanting Hopper to take you, he wanted to be the one, not that he didn't trust Hopper because he did. He just didn't trust himself, would he be able to concentrate when your life was on the line?

No.

He would have to. For his brothers. For you.

Kiri nodded in confirmation as he took out his twin blasters, ready to defend. He started shooting the clankers that came anywhere near the hut, giving Hopper the chance to pick you up and run. Kiri followed suit, but so did the droids, gaining on them as they made their way through the forest, Hopper going as fast as he could, with you slung over his shoulder one hand clutching your back as he shot with the other. Kiri blasting the droids left and right, each one falling down just as quick, but the other behind gaining speed as they soon started to overwhelm the two soldiers.

"Hopper, I can't- I need your help! There are too many of them!" Kiri yelled over the noise of blasters being shot, he narrowly missed a blaster blot being shot into his arm as swooped to te left. Hopper glanced over to Kiri, having taken refuge behind a tree, his back facing Hopper all hope lost from his face, as he breathed heavily. The droids were gaining on them as he took a quick glance. Hopper hid behind a tree, gently placing you on the ground as he placed a small kiss on your forehead whispering a small prayer in mando'a before rushing over to help Kiri.

"What's the plan General?" Hopper asked immediately as he rushed over to Kiri, back to back as they shot the driods that were coming in left and right.

"We need to take out those destroyers!" Kiri stated as he signalled to his right, the two destroyers that were gaining on them. Hopper nodded in confirmation, as he pulled out a grenade, already throwing it in the direction of the destroyers, disabling their shields allowing Kiri to shoot at them, instantly destroying them. But it wasn't enough, they still had droids coming in left and right.

Out of nowhere a force of something threw all the droids back, instantly crushing them to the ground, only leaving the destroyers up, with their shields down, giving the boys a split second to glance back and see you stood there, hands out, a small smile on your face.

"Go..." You whispered, just loud enough for the boys to hear before you gripped onto the tree for support as the troopers quickly looked at each other, eyes filled with fear, not sure whether to go to you or the destroyers. But alas their prayers were answered when several Republic gunships flew in. Generals' Kenobi and Skywalker flying into battle alongside some of thier troopers, giving Kiri and Hopper the chance to rush over to you.

They were too late, Dooku had you in his grip, ready to fly off with you before Kiri blasted his bolts at him, eyes furious as he saw your limp body be dragged away. "Y/N!"

Kiri rushed over to Dooku, blasters held high but never stood a chance against Dooku before he was swept aside like a doll. Dooku regarded this gesture carefully as he watched the young soldier call out your name, leaving his own defenses open. Anakin jumped in at the right time, lightsaber at the ready while he forced pulled your body from Dooku's grip and into his arms. Dooku having already seen your Commander to his left had signalled them to take him instead.

"Kiri! No!" You yelled weakly, tugging on Anakins arms, trying, pleading with him to save Kiri.

"We can't Y/N!" Anakin apologised softly as he watched Dooku fly away, your Commander trapped with the Separatists, all while you stood helpless. You spotted Kiri's helmet, picking it up as you clutched it to your chest, not wanting to let your feelings out in front of Anakin. You caressed the helmet, thumb rubbing over the four arrows marked on it, they represented each of your little squadron, yourself, Hopper, Jester and Luka.

"We'll get you back Kiri. I promise."

***

Coruscant - Council Chambers

"Master Windu, I sugge-"

"No. I'm sorry Y/N, but the council have decided that this mission is far too risky. We can only put our faith in Commander Kiri's hands and hope that he returns to us." Master Windu spoke sternly, eyes fixated on you.

"Bu- I can't let him die! He's my Commander!" You retorted, eyes furrowed in anger.

"We can always get you another one Y/N."

The look of disbelief that crossed your face was more than enough for you to burst out your thoughts. "Then we are no better than the Separatists! Leaving a man behind because he's a clone, because, what, he is replaceable? So are the Jedi, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't at least try and go after them! That is not what the Jedi stand for and not what I signed up for!"

"Y/N! Control yourself." Master Kenobi spoke, eyes sending a warning look at you, instantly telling you to mind your tongue. Obi-Wan's disapproval only angered you further, you wouldn't leave Kiri by himself, not when he sacrificed himself to save you. Why they had taken him was beyond you, but you promised you would get him back.

And you would. Whatever it took. Whether you had the blessing from the council or not.

You bowed in respect. "My apologies Master. I spoke out of turn.. I am just worried about my Commander. He is one of the finest, most loyal person I have ever worked with, and I do consider Kiri a dear friend."

Master Windu nodded in acknowledgement, your apology accepted. "I understand young one, but this matter is out of your hands, as well as the councils."

You nodded in confirmation, ready to leave the council room before Master Yoda called for you. "Yes Master Yoda?"

"Speak to you I wish, in private." Master Yoda asked as he signalled for the other members to leave the room, Obi-Wan placing a hand on your shoulder in comfort before he followed the others out the room.

"What is it Master Yoda?"

"Y/N, sensed a great disturbance in the force I do. Careful you must be when rescuing your Commander."

Your mouth fell open out of shock. "Master Yoda! I-i er, it has been forbidden by the Council, I cannot go!"

"Matter it does not. Ever Clone matters to us, do they not?" You nodded. "Then you will go. Skywalker will go with you, careful you must be Y/N. Dooku looks for you."

"Yes Master Yoda." You knew not to question Master Yoda, especially when he had just given you permission to get Kiri back.

***

"Tell me... Commander... why is she so special? Why do you resist telling me about her?"

The low tones of Asajj Ventress' voice echoed through the tunnels of Dooku's fortress. Her longer fingernails traced the Commanders face, running from the tip of his eyebrow, down his cheek to his lip, before she squeezed his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

Kiri was pinned against the wall on a durasteel contraption, hand held above his head and his leg split apart as they were held down by the same material. His helmet was long gone, probably still stuck on that godforsaken planet, he'd have to get a new one when he got back. If he ever got back. All Kiri could think about was if you were safe, if you made it out alive. He prayed that you did, that whatever he tried to do kept you safe, kept you alive. Your life was worth a million of his, and he was glad that it was him here, instead of you.

"I'll never give you what you want!" Kiri rumbled out, taking deep breaths as she squeezed his windpipe with her bare hands, not using the force.

Ventress growled in anger as he slapped his face, Kiri's head slapping the hard metal as he grunted in slight pain.

"Fine. I guess we'll have to do things the old fashioned way." Ventress taunted as she pulled out a flaring hot viroblade, waving it in the air as she approached Kiri. The blade taunting his skin, as she pressed it slowly, into his upper lip, carving it into his skin. Kiri screamed out, the pain that he was experiencing was excruciating, but it was nothing compared to how he felt when he almost lost you.

Kiri prayed to the maker above, for someone to help him, to hear his pleas, but it was useless. Ventress pulled the viroblade from his face, cleaning the blood off it before hovering over his face again. "It would be a shame to mess this pretty little face up, wouldn't it?"

"Then again, there are several of you clones. Who cares if there's one that's a little bit damaged, or even one less?"

"I do."

Kiri's eyes widened in shock as he saw you approch, your robes swaying behind you as Anakin and Ahsoka followed behind, your twin lightsabers out, a fierce grown painted on your face. Kiri could have sworn he was in heaven, an angel had come to save him, one that had taken the form of you, he would die happily, his last thoughts and visions of you. His eyes started to droop slowly to sleep, as the last thing he remembered was the soft tones of your voice calling his name out.

***

Medical Bay

"Look who's finally awake!"

Luka grinned happily as he hugged his brother, trying his best not to further injure him. Jester copied Luka, giving Kiri a large hug, causing him to slightly wince in pain. Hopper stood on his left as he placed a hand on his shoulder, sending a small smile his way, happy to see his brother alive and well.

"Good to see you back with us Commander."

"Glad to see you too boys." Kiri laughed, although his tone was a little off as Hopper noticed Kiri looking around anxiously.

"She's at a debriefing. Broke a lot of Jedi rules to come get you."

"I-i didn't sa-"

"You didn't have to vod. We already know." Luka smiled, patting Kiri on the arm.

"Already know what?" Your angelic tone echoed through Kiri's room as you entered, a large grin plastered across your face as you saw Kiri wide awake. Kiri's eyes widened in surprise as he wondered if you had overheard their conversation.

The boys quickly looked at each other, before Hopper spoke up, covering up what Kiri had practically confessed to them. "That Ventress got away again."

You rolled your eyes at his statement, taking a seat at the end of Kiri's bed. "She's a coward. She'll always run."

Your boys nodded in agreement, happy to accept whatever it was that you said, moving away from Kiri's confession. "Anyways, I brought some sweets! I bought them from a vendor in Central Coruscant, the twi'lek said they were the sweetest, so I hope they are."

You handed out a packet to each of the boys who looked at them in glee, Jester already stuffing his face with them while Hopper looked sceptical at the sight of them.

"Oh, Hops, they're not gonna harm you! It's just a sweet! Look I'll eat one!" You popped one in your mouth, chewing on the sweet delicacy as you hummed in pleasure. "Here look, Kiri have one!" You took one out, hand coming up to place one in Kiri's mouth when your eyes stopped on the scar that had formed across his upper lip.

It was a deep nasty cut that left a horrible scar, one that you were partially responsible for. "Sorry..." You mumbled, eyes downcast. Hopper could feel the tension a mile away, luckily though before he could intervene, Captain Rex knocked on the door asking for your troopers to report to General Kenobi for their next assignment. The boys said thier goodbyes before leaving you and Kiri alone in the room.

"I am so sorry Kiri! I wish you didn't have to go through all of that, I wish I- we could have done something sooner." Your guilty eyes falling on the scar, and the brusies that scorned his beautiful face.

"Hey, at least we both made it out alive. You saved me, remember? You came back for me."

"I know. But I could have been too late. What would Ventress have done to you if we hadn't arrived on time? If I hadn't gone against the councils wishes? I-i don't know what I would have done." You sighed, feeling the emotions you bottled creep up on you slowly.

"I wish I could take all the pain away for you." You lift a hand, tracing a finger over the scar as Kiri winces slightly, eyes closing in content at your soft fingers tracing his skin.

"You already have."

You look up to Kiri in confusion, eyes caught with his as you leaned in, Kiri simultaneously leaning in too. Your hand moving to trace his cheek as he brought his hand to cup your face his his large hands, bringing your closer as your lips finally met. Eyes closing in content as you felt Kiri's soft lips pressed against yours, the scar brusing your top lip as he pulled away, forehead pressed against you as he smiled happily.

"I would do it all again if it meant keeping you safe."

***