#nobeta

When one is keeping up with General Kenobi, one must have the absolute mobility of the most spry footed lothcat. Or so CC-2224 was learning. He and the rest of the 212th had been assigned to the Jedi shortly after the battle of Geonosis. Luckily for him, 24 hadn’t been in the battle but he’d seen what happened from a different perspective. The remains of one of the companies had been folded into the 212th, hardly bolstering their numbers. A blast hit the ground next to 24 and he broke out of his musings. They would get him killed if he dwelt on them. General Kenobi sprinted over to him and a few of their men, crouching next to the rock outcropping with the Clone Commander.

“Commander! What is the status of the battle?”

24 frowned inwardly as he watched the General duck down a mere second before a blaster bolt would’ve been through his head.

“We are experiencing rough resistance in this quadrant! It doesn’t help that we are fighting on a cliff!”

24 had to shout over the noise. One of the company's medics slid up to them, dodging blaster fire. 24 distantly recognized him as Helix.

“Kote! We’re taking high casualties. We can’t hold out this ridge for much longer!”

24 winced at his name, they had no idea how the Jedi would react to their clone army having personalities. They were so not doing that right now. He answered in a tone sharper than normal, even under the circumstances.

“Pull back the wounded and get them prepped for evac. Anyone who can, stays and fights. We can’t lose the ridge!”

General Kenobi watched on, seemingly more than happy to let 24 do the logistics of this battle. Helix saluted sharply and moved quickly through the battlefield, only pausing to check on a brother who had gotten thrown clear of an explosion.

24 turned back to General Kenobi intending to get his final approval only to have the Jedi staring at him.

“You call yourself Cody?”

The sounds of battle had apparently drowned out exactly what Helix had said...and the 212th was still getting comfortable enough to share their chosen names with the Jedi. Kenobi taking time, albeit the wrong time, was extremely surprising.

“Yes, sir. But can we talk about that later?”

24, Cody, said trying to get ahead of the nosy man. His comm crackling to life saved him from having to answer any other questions.

“Sir! There’s an approaching squad of droids in the canyon below! They’re trying to flank us!”

The entire battle was on the top of a butte next to a cliff face that descended into a maze of canyons. If what the trooper said was true, then they’d have to either get down there, or pull away from the edge so that they didn’t get flanked. Kenobi looked up at Cody and grinned.

“I’ll take care of that, Cody!”

He stood and heedless of the blaster bolts flying through the air, rushed to the side of the cliff face. Realization donned on 24 and he hurried after Kenobi to another boulder providing convenient cover next to the cliff.

“Kenobi, no! We didn’t bring any jetpacks!”

Kenobi looked over his shoulder with a smirk.

“Jedi don’t need jetpacks, Cody!”

And he fell. Cody rushed to the side and looked down. Flashes of blue showed General Kenobi making quick work of the droids.

24 turned back and directed the troops to start taking ground from the droid forces. He was SO getting a jetpack when they got back to The Negotiator.

It was back on The Negotiator that Kenobi finally cornered 24.

“I had no idea you had a nickname, Cody! Do many of your men have nicknames?”

The question was innocent, but 24 couldn’t help the spark of fear that ran through his system. It was a quick breathing exercise underneath his bucket that reminded him that this was not Kamino.

“Yes sir. We do have nicknames. It’s just…”

24 removed his helmet and set it at its customary place on his hip.

“We were discouraged from having personal identities. Please don’t pressure anyone to share theirs. I can try to set an example, but...no promises.”

Kenobi nodded, seemingly deep in thought. It was a small moment of silence that 24 briefly wondered if he’d just made a huge mistake. His doubt was unfounded.

“So...yours is Cody?”

“Well, sort of. I’m called Kote. It’s mando’a for-”

Kenobi interrupted him.

“Glory. It suits you.”

24, Kote, went to slide his helmet back on, but paused.

“I like Cody though. It’s...me.”

General Kenobi inclined his head and picked up his datapad.

“Alright Commander Cody, it’s a pleasure to be working with you. I will endeavor to be worthy of the knowledge of you and your men’s identities.”

Cody paused just in front of the door, certainty filling him for the first time in weeks.

“Thank you, General.”

He went to leave again, but Kenobi’s voice stopped him.

“Now what is this request I see for a jetpack?”

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