#commander keeli

Captain Howzer | Commander Keeli | Commander Bly | Commander Colt

Gets a full eight hours:

Is too wired for sleep:

Hasn’t slept in days:

What is sleep:

the morning jango leaves, all the boys say goodbye, though rex and keeli are notably bleary-eyed, and boba is still sleeping soundly in bly’s arms. jango has to bite back a smile - he doubts any of them, boba included, were ever this well-rested on kamino.

“i want you to help piik with anything he asks you to, alright?” jango says, and they all nod seriously. “and look after each other. i should be back soon.” they pile in for a quick hug, and then jango’s stalking off to slave 1. he’s just ascending the boarding ramp when he notices two figures behind him.

“i thought i made it clear i’ll be going alone?” jango says tiredly, turning around to face 24 and 36. they cross their arms.

“we know,” says 36, and with the crease in his forehead he looks years older. “but we don’t like it. why’d you give us contingency coordinates? how are we supposed to even get there?”

“if we need contingency coordinates, then this is dangerous, and you should go alone,” 24 says firmly. jango sighs.

“the ship i bought should be arrive here soon,” jango explains, “and it’s because this is so dangerous that you’re not coming along. i didn’t get you off kamino just to have you die a few months later. you’re needed here, with your brothers. show a little faith in your old man, alright?”

24 and 36 don’t look convinced, but they step off the boarding ramp. jango watches them as the ramp closes, and looks out at his sons again as he lifts off. he feels pretty confident in his plan to deal with tyrannus, but just in case he’s wrong, he wants to remember what he died for.

24 and 36 rejoin their brothers, and all of them look worried. fox in particular doesn’t appear happy, although it’s hard to take his frown seriously when there’s a young vulptex sprawled around his neck, snoozing.

“is he gonna be okay?” keeli asks nervously. 24 very nearly says he doesn’t know, but rex is looking at him anxiously, and ponds is squeezing keeli’s hand, and 24 thinks maybe softening the blow is part of being a big brother, too.

“he’s the greatest warrior who ever lived,” 24 says, putting his arm around rex and nudging keeli. “i’m sure he’ll be fine.”

the sun starts to rise, and it’s time for chores. though the fields are finally turning into something worth growing, they’re also overgrown with weeds that never seem to stop, and bly and fox rip them out of the ground, while keeli ‘helps.’

“vod’ika,” fox growls as keeli accidentally trips over fox’s weed pile for the third time, “can’t you chase him somewhere else?”

“it’s not my fault junior wants to stay by you,” keeli says. the little vulptex admittedly doesn’t stray too far from fox, and it’s sweet, but annoying when it means his hard work gets swept away.

“let them be, vod,” bly says with a hint of mischief. “keeli’s never done a day’s work in his life, he doesn’t understand.”

“yes i have!” keeli says indignantly. “ponds says i was top of my class on kamino!”

“probably just means you didn’t have to try too hard,” says fox, catching bly’s drift. “you don’t know what real work’s like.”

“yes i do!” says keeli, stomping his foot, and junior squeaks at the sudden vibration, sprinting over to hide in fox’s lap.

“prove it then, vod,” fox says, gesturing for keeli to come and kneel beside him and bly. “good, like that. let’s see if you can beat mine and bly’s record.”

“what’s your record?” keeli asks, and bly’s response is immediate.

“600 weeds in an hour,” bly says, and fox bites back a laugh at the absurd and untrue number- bly’s usually pretty patient with the younger vode, he must really be tired of weeding, and even more tired of keeli’s antics. keeli’s eyes go wide as dinner plates.

“but that’s 10 per minute!” keeli says, and bly shrugs. “guess you’d better get to it then,” bly says easily, laying down and clasping his hands behind his head. keeli grumbles and sets to work, junior occasionally trotting over to sniff at him curiously.

“just do your best, vod,” fox says, leaning on a crate of tools sitting out in the fields. “that’s the way, from the roots now.” nearly 30 minutes pass before keeli realizes he’s been played.

“wait,” keeli says furiously, and fox is already laughing. “you’re making me do your work for you!”

“technically, it’s all our work,” fox says, cracking up, but that doesn’t stop keeli from launching at him, tackling fox to the dirty ground, junior nipping at both of them while bly cackles.

“what are you idiots doing?” asks ponds, his shadow looming over fox while keeli punches him again and again. ponds hauls keeli off of fox with ease.

“they tricked me!” keeli roars, making to attack bly as well, who’s practically rolling around with laughter.

“we just made the lazy kid work, vod,” says fox, dusting himself off. “you were no help, by the way,” fox adds, looking at his vulptex.

“yeah, well, work’s over for now. dad’s friend is here with the ship,” ponds says, looking out past the field - in their play-fighting, the boys hadn’t even heard anyone land.

“his friend?” fox repeats, “who - oh no.”

“well, well, well, enjoying your new pet, are you?” comes a booming voice as a tall man stomps towards them. “you are very welcome by the way, those things are pricey, let me tell you.”

“who are you?” asks keeli in surprise. ponds swears that fox’s eyes roll into his head.

“who am i? who am i?” says the man, throwing his arms around ponds and keeli. “i am deeply offended that your brothers and father have not spoken of me already, but then, you fetts were never much for social niceties. my name is hondo ohnaka, and it is my understanding that you have credits for me.”

mando’a translations:

vod’ika - little sibling (more affectionate than literal, you could call your friend this, for example)

vod, vode - sibling, siblings. in this case, brother, brothers.