#commander arch

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.”.

Arch sighed as he approached his second, watching as the Vau-trained bastard took his anger out on the punching bag, leaving the thing to sway from each punch and kick.

“I’m sorry, Grimm.” Arch said after a moment, causing the asshole to stop and stare at him in confusion. 

“What did you just say?”.

“I’m sorry, okay?” Arch bit out, he hated having to apologize for his mistakes, but Grimm was a good second -- hell, he was the closest thing Arch’s ever had to a real brother, he owed the bastard an apology. “You were right, I was wrong. There, happy?”.

Grimm raised and eyebrow as he caught the punching bag. “No.”.

“What do you want? A full essay to why I was wrong?” Grimm shook his head and continued his excercise. “Some uj cake?” Silence. “Want me to apologize to Reaper too?”.

Once again, silence from his second.

“Do you want me to beg? Come on, I don’t like the silent treatment from you!”.

“I want you to stop acting like you have something to prove.” Grimm said after a moment as he looked back at Arch, his icy blue eyes meeting Arch’s own durasteel colored ones. “You’re not amongst other Reau cadets. I’m not against you, we’re brothers and that means I watch your back. I expect you to do the same.”.

Arch nod slightly. “Okay, yeah.....okay.....I’m not exactly sure how to do that?”.

“You already know how, just quit acting like an idiot and learn to listen. Deal?”.

“Deal.”.

“Now,” Grimm turned his full attention on Arch with a slight smirk. “You said something about uj cake?”.

Arch let out a scoff as he nod towards the door. “Lets walk and talk, yeah?”.

Arch quietly watched as Grimm and Chaos dragged the snarling medic off the poor fool who had dared to mock him, still fighting them as they tried to keep him restrained.

“Get up.” Arch said as he walked over and looked down at the clone, taking in the site of the injuries and sharply kicking the lazy bastard in the stomach when he didn’t comply to the order, causing the man to moan and curl in on himself.  “I said get up. That wasn’t a request.”.

“Commander, what are you...” The Jedi began to say.

“Not a word from you, General. This is a personal issue that needs addressing.”.

“Arch.....” Grimm began to say.

“Shut up.” Arch said icily as he glanced at his second who complied but glared at him nonetheless while Arch looked back down at the injured captain, aiming yet another kick. “I told you to get up.”.

“Y-yes sir.” The captain said as he managed to push himself up to his feet, looking Arch straight in the eye.

“Listen to me very closely: Voss is a Hellion.” Arch stated as he grabbed the clone’s shoulder, digging his fingers into the weak points, which resulted in a barely noticeable flinch. “That means he belongs to me. Mess with my troops, you answer to me, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Commander.” Kit answers as Arch smirked coldly and shoved him roughly, enough for him to fall back on his shebs and just  aimed another kick.. 

“Yes, Commander.” Arch mocked as he loomed over the captain. “Pathletic, just like Priest. You pick fights with somebody younger, smaller and less experienced  until somebody like me pops up. Then you roll over like a submissive dog.”.

“Arch, that’s....”.

“I thought I told you to be quiet, Grimm. I’m not finished.” Arch states as he looked at his second who fell silent once more. “As for you, Kit, I hope you’ve learned something from this; because next time, I will order my men to not engage. The damage you’ve done can’t be fixed, but I’ll be damned if I let you worsen it.”.

Kit gave a slight nod which caused Arch to turn his back on him and march over to Grimm and grabbed Voss rough by the collar of  his armor. “Arch?” Chaos asked skeptically.

“Release Voss.”.

The two troopers complied while Arch relaxed a bit, releasing the armor and took his little medic into a hug as a heart-wrenching sob escaped the kid, the reality of the situation finally catching up with him. 

“Get out of my sight.” Arch says as he looked over his shoulder, right at the captain who was staring at the two with both remorse and shock. “Before I do something I regret.”.

Kit scrambled to his feet and complied to the order as Arch just started to sooth the kid, smiling slightly as one of Secura’s medics appeared from the gathered onlookers, rushing over to check on Voss. 

“K-Knockout?” Voss whimpered as he looked at Knockout who smiled at him.

“Hey, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Knockout greeted which resulted in the kid jumping at him, clinging to the older clone like a lifeline which caused Knockout to hold his brother tightly.

“I expect a full story behind this.” General Secura says softly as she joined the commander.

“As you wish.” Arch says as he bowed his head in respect. “I apoloigize for causing a scene and the disrespect but I always put my verde first. And I would like to request a transfer for Knockout, if you don’t mind?”

Arch paused as he became aware of the young medic perched on the bench, watching as Arch took his temper out on the punching bag. “Well, hello there.” Arch greeted warmly as he turned to face his watcher, earning a wary look in return. “You’re that little medic that our dear baby Jedi and asshole of a CMO keep babbling about, aren’t you? Voss, right? Or is it Chav?”.

“Either.” Came the response as Arch rested his left hand on his hip and tapped his chin with his right finger, eyeing the kid with durasteel-colored eyes. 

“Which do you prefer? It’s not exactly common for a vod to have two names.” Arch remarked as he eyed the rookie who tilted his head to the side slightly. “I would assume Voss since Chav is a shortened and butchered nickname variation of chaavla, which means you’re likely one of the ex-Death Watch or Death Watch sympthazier cadets, am I correct?”,

“You’re not wrong.” The kid stated, looking every bit of a little akk dog puppy. “That is a rather interesting tattoo on your back.”.

Arch snarled softly at that which left the kid unfazed. He was defiantly either Priest or Vizsla, since he didn’t carry the mannerisms of other sympathizers/ex nor was he Reau, since Arch knew all the little bastards.

“What of it?”.

“You’re a Reau. They all have the same brand.” Voss looked down at his hands and flexed them, a thoughful look replacing wariness. “It was no secret among the Priest and Vizsla cadets that she branded her cadets be it by scars or tattoos, reminders that they would always be hers. Rumors amongst Gilamar.”.

“You’re a Priest.” Arch noted as he folded his arms and nod at the kid who looked up at him. “Chaos is a Vizsla. You’re guarded and cautious with me while he was cold and calculated when we first met. I’m a rival to you, not a possible threat.”.

“Not true, you are a threat.”.

“Am I now?” Arch remarks as he resumed his workout. “Why? I don’t even know you aside from word of mouth. Why would I be a rival and a threat?”.

“Like you said. I’m a Priest.”.

Arch chuckled as he delievered a roundhouse kick to the punching bag, causing it to sway. “So? Kid, I don’t actually give a damn who your trainer was.” Arch turned again to look at the kid. “You’re a Hellion now, do you know what that means?”.

Chav shook his head ever so slightly.

“You sold your soul, you’re mine now.”.

Chav snarled at him lightly, poorly choose words which caused Arch to give a chilling smirk.

“C’mon, don’t be like that.”  Arch scold as he beckoned the kid over. “What I mean is, you’re my responsibility. My little brother, you know what that means?”.

Chav slipped off the bench and walked over slowly then came to a stop in front of the elder clone. “That means you’ll kill me when told to or I become a threat?” Chav responds wearily which caused Arch to hug him, resulting in a startled squeak.  

“No, it means that you’re finally safe now.” Arch says cheerfully as he tightened the hug. “And I’ll see what I can do about prying Knockout away from Bly.”.

“Why?” Chav asked quietly as he melted into the hug, once he realized that Arch wasn’t going to hurt him. Poor sod really had no real clue, did he?

“Because you are mine and I always protect what is mine.” Arch answers quietly as he rested his chin on Chav’s head. “I know what happened to you. And I’m glad you found something to drag you away from the line. Lets keep it that way, yeah?”.

Arch is one of the very few people can actually cause Grimm to totally lose his composure; be telling a totally ridiculous joke, poking his brother until Grimm snpas or something trivial like that.