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Watching the Darkness On Umbara arc, and because I still have Bad Batch brain rot, Iâm thinking about how they would have reacted to Krellâs bullshit, so hereâs what Iâve got:
Hunter: Sir, with all due respectâ
Crosshair, flicking a toothpick: Which is none
Hunter, trying not to laugh: âweâre not doing that. Bad Batch, plan 43, letâs go!
Krell: Sergeant, you canâtâ!
Wrecker: Too bad!
Fives, smacking Rex: Why canât we be like them?!
they (pong krell) hate to see a bad bitch (clones) winning (creating a culture and unique sense of self to combat the notion that they are purely disposable)
okay okay, pardonne moi, I am currently rewatching umbara for fic writing purposes and I have a lot of other things to say but the first thing is highly inappropriate and only funny if you have mental health issues BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WE WERE ROBBED OF???
When the clones first turn on Krell and he jumps out the tower? The clones down there attack him, but Rex and some others are still in the tower. THAT ELEVATOR RIDE??? I WANNA FUCKING SEE THAT ELEVATOR RIDE DOWN. GIVE ME HARDCORE ACTION INTERRUPTED BY *robotic voice* âyou are on the top floorâ âyou have selected bottom floorâ *generic elevator music that lasts way to fucking long* âyou are at the bottom floââ and then it cuts off because Fives shot the sound system
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SUMMARY | The mission continues, and with it, your growing suspicion of Krellâs authoritarian methods. But the troopers relying on youâincluding Rexâlead you in the right direction: one of unyielding kindness, even when itâs hard.
PAIRING | Captain Rex x female Jedi!reader
WORD COUNT | 3.7k
WARNINGS | Combat/action, mentions of injury & death, Krell being a bitch as usual, gender neutral use of the term âsir,â gratuitous use of Mandoâa, and one (1) curse word. Also, a Shakespeare reference because Iâm a historian & couldnât help myself.
A/N | Yay, chapter 2! As you'll probably notice, I changed the reader's story a little bit, and I like it better now as it adds more tension to the plot. Enjoy!
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SERIES MASTERLIST | TAGLIST | NAVIGATION | AO3
For once, youâre glad to have woken up early. It gives you time to get in a pep talk you know will motivate the men rather than bring their morale down, as you know Krellâs speechâwhich he gave upon arrivalâwould have done.
âAlright, men,â you call briskly, brushing a loose strand of hair from your face as you pace back and forth in front of the battalion. âYou would all do well to remember that itâs not just the safety of the Republic relying on our successâthe other battalions have placed their trust in us. Generals Kenobi and Tiin will stop approximately two kilometers outside the capital city, waiting for us to get close enough to begin our initial assault.â
You glance at Rex, whoâs standing beside you, and nod for him to continue.
The Captain steps forward. âWeâre about elevens klick behind them right now, and fifteen klicks from the capital,â he says. âWeâve got to make good timeâand itâs going to be hard, what with the enemies weâre sure to meet along the way. The native population doesnât play around, and neither do their weapons capabilities. Is that understood?â
âSir, yes, sir!â comes a unanimous shout from the rest of the troopers. They start to disperse, packing up camp faster than your eyes can follow, and you nod to yourself in satisfaction.
âRex,â you start, then hesitate as he turns to you with a raised eyebrow. âIs it⊠are you alright with forgoing titles? I always seem to forget to use them.â
Rex looks almost tornâlikely between protocol and what youâre askingâbut eventually nods. âOf course, sir,â he says, then blanches. âI meanâŠâ
âItâs okay,â you assure him. âI just donât want to feel bad if I slip up.â He smiles slightly, one corner of his mouth quirked upwards. âAs I was sayingâdo you have a chief medical officer that I can talk to?â
âYeah, that would be Kix,â Rex tells you, then frowns. âIs⊠everything alright?â
âYes, donât worry.â You adjust one vambrace, looking out at the men, then at General Krell on the far side of camp, whoâs been surveying the battalion tempestuously since you began to speak. âI just⊠wanted to ask him something. About battlefield medicine.â
âAre you a medic?â Rex asks, shifting his helmet to one hand.
You grimace at the clinical, militaristic term. âSomething like that.â
Rex looks doubtful, but motions to a trooper with an intricately buzzed haircut who's putting supplies into a pack. "Kixâget over here!" he calls, before nodding to you and leaving as he puts on his helmet.
"General," the trooper greets with a crisp salute, and you notice that his pauldrons have the universal sign for medic painted on them in a bright, obvious red. "How can I help you?"
"Actually," you say with what you hope is a courteous smile, "I was hoping to ask you the same question. You're the battalion's CMO right?"
Kix tilts his head. "Yeah..." he says. "I'm not the only medic, though. Got a whole team of 'em. We specialize in what we do, sir, train for it our whole lives, so I don't want to be rude, butâ"
"Don't worry about that," you cut in, shaking your head. "I'm not a medicâI haven't been trained in combative tacticsâbut I am a healer."
"So, like," Kix pauses, searching for the right word as he does so, "a Jedi doctor?"
You snort. "That's... one term for it, yes." You watch as Kix moves the weight of his medpack from one shoulder to the other. "Force healing is an ability that a Jedi is born with. Not every Jedi can become a healerâusing the Force to reverse the effects of an injury is not something that can be learned."
There's a pause as Kix nods slowly. "Reversing the effects," he echoes, fascinated. "Even bacta can't do thatâit just speeds up the healing process. Sounds like we could use your help."
"Yes," you say. "That's why I wanted to speak with you." You let out a sigh, remembering one of the first things your master told you as a Padawan. "But it's not all-powerful. Just like bacta can only heal what is able to be healed, Force healing cannot create a life force where there isn't one. If someone is near-death, trying to bring them back would render me unable to defend myself from exhaustion."
"Right," Kix replies. "So no resurrection."
"No resurrection," you affirm, smiling. "But I can help. And I know triage."
"Oh, that's even better!" Kix exclaims, then holds out his wrist comm. "Hereâwe've got a medic frequencyâ" he waits for you to scan his comm to yours, and when the happy little chime sounds, he pulls away. "Thank you, General."
"Of course," you say as he turns to leave. "And thank you, Kix."
The battalion falls silent and prepares to move outâbut just as youâre double checking your armour, a cold, sharp presence casts a shadow over you. Turning around, you make eye contact with General Krell, who's now standing just a short ways from where you and Kix were talkingâlike he was listening.
âConspiring with the soldiers, General?â Krell sneers, putting a mocking emphasis on the last word. You raise an irritated eyebrow.
âConspiring?â you repeat, glancing at the hastily assembling troopers. âThey're hardly the enemy, Master Krell. I only want us to win this campaign as quickly and smoothly as possible." Before you can reign in your impulse control, you add, "And continuing to let the troopers rest will get us there faster."
âRest is a luxury we cannot afford!â Krell snaps, and you jump in surprise at his excessive volume. He leans forward, acrid breath forcing you to resist the urge to cough. âThe other battalions are far ahead of us, and you think we have time.â
âWe do,â you reply calmly, despite your quickening heartbeat. âThe men are keeping a good pace, especially with this difficult terrain. Fifteen clicks isn't far, especially with the supplies we have.â You purse your lips. âNow, I suggest we set off. Talking will slow us down as well, Masterâand as you so wisely pointed out, luxuries are not something we can ask for.â
You walk away, then, and feel a rush of satisfaction enveloped in a Force signature that youâre almost positive belongs to Rex. Resisting a pleased smile, you let your hands drift to where your lightsabers are clipped to your belt before moving to walk beside Rex.
âCaptain,â you greet, taking notice of the way Rexâs shoulders tense just slightly. âShall we?â
âYes, General,â Rex replies, voice clipped. He motions for the battalion to follow, and soon the two of you, along with a still angry General Krell, are leading the troopers through the unwelcoming terrain of Umbara.
The journey is precarious andâas much as you hate to admit itâtiring. Hours pass, and soon youâre almost to the checkpoint Rex had pointed out on the map, situated just outside the cityâs heavily fortified border.
You stop for a moment, leaning against the glowing trunk of a colossal tree, and fidget anxiously with the tabards of your tunic.
âSir,â Rex says, and you turn around. âWeâre ready to bring our forward platoons in. What do you suggest?â
âWe should continue with Anakinâs original plan,â you say quietly. âA surgical strike on the outer defensesâwe must take great care not to needlessly damage any of the cityâs buildings. I'd prefer minimal collateral damage when weâre done.â
It is a plan youâve been turning over in your head since youâd landed on the Umbaran surface. Hopefullyâand assuming there were no hindrancesâit would succeed. Despite being overly idealistic, and sometimes a little too impulsive, Anakin is nothing if not a strategistâwhen he wants to be.
âIf I may,â sneers Krell from behind you, and you set your jaw. âI do not think that General Skywalkerâs futile plan will be necessary.â
In spite of yourself, you clench your fists at your sides. âAnd why not?â you grit out, not bothering to turn around as Krell comes to stand at your side, towering over your figure.
âCaptain Rex and his insolent men have already brought it up with me, and I explained this to them as well. I hold the authority here, and I am ordering all platoons to execute a full-frontal assault,â Krell continues, seemingly unfazed by your irritated expression. âWe will travel along the main route to the city and force them to yield.â
âForce them toââ you cut yourself off and draw in a deep, calming breath. There is no emotion, you remind yourself vehemently. There is only peace. âMaster Krell. With all due respect, we can't just storm in there with no plan. Casualties will rocket if we try something that impulsive. I just don't thinkââ
âNeed I remind you, General Neridian,â Krell interrupts scathingly, âthat you are only one week into Knighthood? We may be of equal military rank, but I am a Master, and therefore hold precedence over your commands.â
âThis isnât about me or you,â you hiss, swiveling to face Krell as your patience is finally pulled taut. Ignoring the shocked stares you know the troopers have fixed on you, you cross your arms. âItâs about this campaign. It's about our mission, and it's bigger than us. So I suggest we agree to disagree, and carry on with General Skywalkerâs planââ
Krell clicks his tongue. âLosing your temper already?" He asks, and you could swear he's taunting you, waiting to see when you'll do something mortifying like raise your voice (but then again, he's done it several times already and it's only been a day). "How unfortunate. Perhaps the Council should not have been so adamant that you face the Trials so early."
You blink and take a step back. He's right, and you know it. You're one of the youngest Padawans to face the Trials in generations, as are all your peers, thrust into a rushed end to your training at the beginning of the war. So many of your friendsâDarra, Galene, Ferus, and of course, Anakin, the most tenacious of them allâseem to have risen to this unique challenge with their heads held high. But all you can seem to do is flinch away from the ugly parts, the parts that remind you of just how unprepared you are for these new and daunting responsibilities.
Unclenching your fists, you swallow the bile in your throat and try to stop your hands from trembling. âThe Council,â you say, voice tight, "made their choice. And so must I make mine." You turn to Rex, who's standing just behind you and gripping his helmet with both hands. âCaptainâprepare the troops. Weâre going with General Skywalkerâs plan.â
âIâŠâ Rexâs knuckles have gone white with how hard heâs clutching his helmet, and he looks strangely helpless. âIâm sorry, General, butâthe regs state that General Krell outranks you due to his status as a Jedi Master.â He presses his lips together and averts his gaze from yours, cheeks red with what you know is anger. âIâm afraid that General Krellâs orders do indeed⊠take precedence over yours.â
Beside you, Krell looks more satisfied than youâve ever seen him. The Besalisk turns to the battalion and crosses his upper set of arms over his chest.
âTroopers!â he barks, and the soldiers stand at attention simultaneously. âPrepare to move out!â He presses a button on his wrist comm, and a holomap flickers to life. âYou will take the main road straight to the capital. You will not stop and you will not turn back, regardless of the resistance you meet. We will attack them with all our troopsânot some sneak attack with a few men.â
You close your eyes and clasp your hands behind your back. There is no emotion, there is peace.
It feels less like a mantra and more like a meaningless, empty chant. Peace, you think despairingly, looks to be farther than ever.
"Sir." Rex clears his throat, making you look up to see him watching Krell like one might survey a blown fuse at risk of setting fire to a building. "Sir, General Neridian is right. This is practically a suicide mission. I don't thinkâ"
âWhat you think, Captain, is irrelevent. You have my orders, and you will follow them explicitly,â Krell growls, then leans forward, turning to the Captain. âDo I make myself clear, CT-7567?â
Your eyes widen in shock and you glare at Krell, crossing your own arms over your chest to mimic Krellâs stance. âItâs Rex, General,â you snap. âCaptain Rex. Thatâs how he introduced himself, if you've forgotten?â
Many troopers turn to you, and you can tellâeven under their helmetsâthat theyâre clearly surprised at your derisive tone. You ignore them, turn on your heel, and storm away, but not before you hear Rex mutter, âCrystal, General Krell.â
The path is lit with some form of concentrated bioluminescent light, making it easier for you to see where youâre going. The clones have the advantage of night vision built into their visors, which makes it hard not to envy them. That alone, that feeling so unbecoming of a Jedi is enough to make you feel a sting of shame, not unlike the feeling that so often came with a scolding from Master Venn when you were still a Padawan.
You wonder for the millionth time if youâve been forced into Knighthood too soon. Of course, there is nothing to do about that nowâevery war needs warrior, after allâjust like there was nothing you could do when Master Venn told you the news just one week years ago.
She was grim when she told you, and your stomach goes cold with the memory of how she delivered the news, like she was handing you your own death sentence. Now, you know why.
And some have greatness thrust upon them, you think bitterly, remembering how often Master Venn made you read ancient poetry as a Padawan, the kind so old it's still stored on dusty books instead of firmware.
âGeneral.â
You turn to find that Rex has fallen into step with you and smile. âCaptain,â you acknowledge. âForgive me. I was justâŠâ you clear your throat. âLost in thought.â
Rexânow wearing his helmetânods and turns his gaze to the path ahead. âThinking about the plan?â
âNo,â you admit sheepishly. âJust aboutââ you gesture vaguely to your surroundings ââall of this. This war, this strife.â Shaking your head, you fidget with the one of the lightsaber hooks on your belt, clasping and unclasping it. âHow fast I've been thrown in, and whether or not itâs necessary.â
âHm.â You can hear the frown in Rexâs voice. âIf itâs any consolation, we clones have mixed feelings about the war, too.â
You raise an eyebrow and turn to look at him. âHow so?â
He gives a one-shouldered shrug and turns his head away. âJust that⊠well, Iâd rather do without all the lives lost, but... without it, we wouldnât exist, would we?â
Frowning, you consider this. âI suppose youâre right,â you concede. âBut it is the will of the Force that you came to be. And,â you add, shooting Rex a sly smile, âthe galaxy would be very different if you hadnât, hm?â
Thereâs a moment of silence, during which you get the feeling that the troopers behind you are listening to your conversation. Rex seems lost for words, until he clears his throat. âMe specifically, sir?â You nod, and Rex adjusts his helmet. âIâI donât know. Iâm just one man, arenât I?â
âThat may be so, Captain, but youâve made more of a difference than you think,â you inform him. âI think Iâm correct in assuming that youâve saved General Skywalkerâs arse more times than he alone can count.â
Behind you, someone lets out a surprised laugh, then tries to cover it up as a cough. You smile at Rex and continue.
âAnd even without that, youâre responsible for many of the Republicâs victories in this war.â You shake your head. âThe smallest insect feeding off of a single flowerâs nectar has an impact on the entire garden. In the Force, we are all an entire world, a whole galaxy. Never assume that you do not make a difference.â
You feel a ripple of shock, gratitude, and something elseâsomething you canât quite placeâflow through the Force. Itâs a refreshing change from the tension and stress of the mission, and youâre just about to open your mouth to thank Rex whenâ
A white-hot warning flashes in the Force, and thereâs a split-second warning as you scan your surroundings for the threat. Thenâ
âGet back!â you shout, and the troopers in your immediate vicinity immediately scramble off of the path.
Theyâre just in timeâthe sheer force of the explosion is enough to knock you off your feet and send you flying backwards. You land on something hard and feel all of the air get knocked out of you.
âMines!â someone shouts. âNobody on the path move!â
You freeze as you realize that the surface you landed on is, in fact, Rexâspecifically, his armour. Your back is pressed to his chest plate, and you can feel his nervousness as though it is your own, but neither of you move for fear of setting off another mine.
Your cheeks burn when Rex finally leans forward, void of his helmetâit must have been knocked off it the blast. He's close enough to your ear to whisper, âLeft. Slowly.â
It sends chills down your spine, but you shake them off. Drawing in a deep breath, you oblige, easing left and onto your knees, so youâre kneeling beside a disoriented-looking Rex. He looks shaken, but quickly gathers himself and cautiously stands up as he scans the area for his helmet.
âOz is down,â you hear one of the medics say grimly. âSo is Ringo.â
Rex spares you one last glance before swooping down to pick up his helmet, brushing the dirt off the visor. He moves to inspect the dead troopers. âCan you sweep âem?â
For a long moment, thereâs silence as the medics gently move the bodies asideâyou respectfully avert your eyes, feeling the sting of grief from the other troopersâand set them down on the side of the path. You hear Kix declare happily that there are no injured despite the two casualties and smile to yourself.
Thereâs no time to bury the dead troopers, so you settle for approaching Rex and placing a hand on his tense shoulder, over his pauldron with fading and scratched blue paint. âNu kyr'adyc,â you murmur. âShi taab'echaaj'la."
Not gone, merely marching far away.
Rex turns his head, and this close, you can see his wide eyes through the visor of his helmet. He takes a deep, shuddering breath, then raises his hand and places it over yours. It lasts for a split-second; the next thing you know, heâs pulling away, talking quietly to Fives and Kix.
âCome on, men,â you call to the rest of the battalion. âWe need toââ
Chills fly up your spine and you stiffen, just as a loud, shrieking sound engulfs the path andâBOOM! More troopers go flying into the air. There are shouts of Basic, Mandoâa, and Umbaran, and the firefight begins, during which you realizeâ
An ambush. You draw one lightsaber to deflect an oncoming barrage of blasterfire, but it's not enough, and there's no cover afforded to the terrain.
âShit," you mutter under your breath as you switch on your shoto saber, calling on your knowledge of Jar'Kai to deflect the bolts with both blades. You raise your voice and call over your shoulder. "Weâre fully exposed! Retreat to the forest!â
âWe canât, General!â shouts a voice, and you turn to see a blue-painted helmet accented with a small red arrow: Fives. âTheyâre coming from all directionsââ he grunts and fires another blast ââwe donât have any cover!â
You feel your blood run cold. Thereâs no way for you to retreatâand itâs all Krellâs fault.
âWe need them to follow us!â Rex answers, standing with his back to yours as he fires his blasters rapidly. âIf we can draw them out, we can see themâand if we can see them, we can hit them!â
âGood idea,â you breathe, even though you know itâs too loud for Rex to hear you. Raising your voice, you lift one lightsaber so the other troopers can see the path. âAll squads, pull back now!â You close your eyes for a moment to call on the Force, then propel yourself upwards and leap through the air so youâre at the back of the group. âIâll take the rear! Cover meâsword and shield maneuver!â
The troopers obey, and soon you find yourself at the center of a tight semicircle formed by clones, all firing mercilessly on the Umbaran soldiers. You bite your lip and shift to Soresu to parallel the blasterfire more easily, deflecting the barrage as quickly and efficiently as you possibly can.
Just behind you is an AT-RT walker, defending your flank. Beside you is a trooper with intricately painted markings on his helmet, firing a rotary cannon and shouting, âHa-ha! Where you goinâ? Get back here, you wimps!â
You grin at his sheer audacity. âCareful there, trooper,â you admonish playfully, deflecting another blaster shot.
âTheyâre falling back!â Fives shouts, then, and you can hear the smile in his voice. The troopers all holster their blasters while you hook your lightsaber onto your belt.
âCT-7567, do you have a malfunction in your design?â You turn around and raise your eyebrows as Krell approaches Rex, looking furious. âYouâve pulled your forces back from taking the capital city. The enemy now has control of this route. This entire operation has been compromised because of your failure!â
You feel your hands start to shake. âMaster Krell,â you say, trying your best to remain calm, âI gave the order to pull back, not Rex. We were completely surrounded and couldnât risk losing any more men.â
Krell, looking furious at worst and disgruntled at best, saying nothng. Seizing the opportunity to walk away, you turn on your heel and breathe through the anger, urging yourself to keep going, trying to find a quiet place to rest and meditate for just a few minutes.
And you do. Closing your eyes, you lean against the firm trunk of a glowing tree, wiping sweat from your brow. Itâs quiet, and you can hear the steady chirping of crickets (or something else) in the phosphorescent grass.
âGeneral Krell,â says a trooperâs voice. Itâs more firmthan RexâsâFives, you're pretty sure. âIn case you havenât noticed, Captain Rex just saved this platoon. Surely you wonât fail to recognize that.â
Blinking in surprise, you start to return to the group, wondering if this is an argument youâll be able to break upâbut the hum of a lightsaber being drawn makes you stop in your tracks.
âARC-5555,â Krell growls. âStand down.â
You feel your mouth go dry and approach the other troopers. Krell is standing with his back to you, but you can clearly see the green blade of his lightsaber from where you stand, hovering next to Fives's neck. If only Esya could see this, you think, horrified.
Donât make any sudden moves, your Masterâs teachings remind you. He could strike, and then youâd be responsible for the death of yet another man.
Just after the tense conversation between Fives and Krell, the Umbarans returned, sparking yet another firefightâthis one with more casualties than the last. You were forced to retreat with the platoons, exhausted and spent.
Now, you sit on the ground, leaning against a fallen tree trunk in a brief moment of rest while the troopers drive away a small squad of Umbarans. In your hand is a pocket holotransmitter, refracting a cluster of blue light in the form of Esya Venn.
âI feel your discomfort from here, young one,â the older Theelin Master is saying, one eyebrow raised skeptically.
âImpossible,â you scoff. âYouâre all the way on Coruscant, thereâs no way.â Thereâs a moment of silence, during which the hologram flickers. You add, âAnd Iâm not so young anymore, you know.â
Esya smiles wanlyâyou notice the shadows under her normally bright eyes with a pang of sadnessâand shakes her head, her long colorful hair swishing lightly.
âYou're still young to me,â she says softly, gently. "And you're avoiding the subject."
âIâm fine, Master,â you sigh. âReally.â
"You must not know me as well as I thought," Esya replies primly, a hint of a smile showing through her stern expression, "if you think you can lie to me like that."
You sigh again, frowning down at the flickering hologram. "It's just..." you shake your head, staring off into the foggy distance. "I'm concerned about Master Krell's tactics. They're aggressive, nothing like what you taught me of strategy, and they don't take into account the fact that we need to strive for as little casualties as possibleâon both sides."
"Hm." Esya crosses her arms. "I have heard of Master Krell's... unconventional style. Is there anything else that concerns you about him?"
"I meanâeverything, really," you admit, lowering your voice. "He has a blatant disregard for life that I haven't seen in a Jedi in, well... ever. He refers to the clones by their birth numbers, not their names, and he sees the native fauna as justâobjects. Nuisances." You place the holotransmitter on the ground in front of you and shift your sitting position. "I fear that, to him, no life is sacred."
"If that were the case, I do not think the Council would have granted him the rank of Master," Esya says, but she looks thoughtful, like there's something she isn't saying. "Who is the commanding officer?"
"His name is Captain Rex," you say. "He's Anakin's first-in-command. I think he's just as worried by Master Krell as I am, and..." you trail off, unsure how to voice your next thought.
"What is it?" Esya prompts, light eyebrows raised.
"There's something about himâabout Rex," you say finally, reluctant. "It's like the Force is trying to tell me something. Thatâthat he's important. But I can't figure out why." You huff, fighting back a frustrated scowl. "I wish the Force would just tell me. But the answer is soâso elusive."
"As is everything since the start of this war," Esya replies, shaking her thorned head. She fixes you with a fond expression. "But, Padawan... you must remember that the Force is not your enemy, but your ally. If you open your eyes, it will show you the way."
"Yes," you murmur, tucking a lock of hair behind your ear. The sounds of talking from the group's position behind you make you frown. "I have to go. May the Force be with you, Master."
âAnd with you. Always,â Esya replies before cutting off the connection seconds later.
You stand, tucking the transmitter into your pocket, then make for the rest of the group and move to stand beside Captain Rex. He's observing General Krell talk to General Kenobi via comlink.
âThe capital cityâs too fortified,â General Kenobi is saying grimly. âWe still need your battalion to help us take it.â
âResistance from the Umbarans has been greater than anticipated,â Krell replies. âWeâre holding our ground at the moment.â
You swallow, averting your gaze to your boots. Holding our ground⊠what does Krell think is happening? Surely he hasnât failed to notice the heavy casualties your battalion is sustaining.
âWeâve gathered intel on an airbase to the west,â General Kenobi replies. âIt is resupplying the capitalâs defenses.â
Taking a step forward, you cross your arms over your chest. âShould we attempt to take control of the airbase, then?â
Turning to you, General Kenobi nods. âYes,â he answers. âDoing so will sever the capitalâs supply lines, allowing the rest of our forces to move in.â
âIâll see to it that the airbase is placed under our control,â Krell says decisively. It sends a wave of nausea through your stomach.
âRemember, Master Krell; Knight Neridian,â Kenobi says, mouth pulling into a tight frown, âThe entire invasion depends on your battalion.â
Krell nods and severs the connection, then turns to you. âNeridian, have those coordinates mapped when youâre finished here, and make sure all troops are ready to move out immediately.â He walks away, leaving you alone with Captain Rex.
You watch Krell retreat with a feeling of incessant dread. âRight, then,â you say to Rex. âWhat do you say the odds are that we finish this thing his way?â
âGood question, General,â Rex says, and you can hear the smile in his voice as he watches the Umbaran sky darken with more eerie purple clouds. "I guess there's only one way to find out."
Rewatching the Umbara arc, and I noticed the particular emphasis Krell puts on having experience with âdefectiveâ clones in the past when ordering Fives and Jesseâs execution and it got me thinking. Do yâall think Krell worked with the Bad Batch at all? How do you think that went if he did?