#trooper hound

Hound's voice crackled over the comm, followed by a vid clip of Skye arm-in-arm with a beautifully-dressed woman. Far too beautiful to be safe in that neighborhood.

Skye turned his head to smile at his girlfriend just as the lights of a passing speeder framed them.

Fox stared. He played back the clip. He played it again. He paused it just as the light fully revealed Skye's face. He grinned.

"Stay on them, Hound," he ordered. "Do NOT lose them! I'm on my way to you right now!"

He was already running out the door. Guardsmen flattened themselves against the wall as he passed, and he knew they'd be worried to see their Commander running, but explanations could wait. This was too big, too important for decorum.

Hound kept him updated as be broke a few speed rules of his own in order to catch up.

"Uh... sir?"

Dread curled in Fox's stomach at the Trooper's sudden reluctant tone.

"You didn't lose them, did you?"

"Oh, no sir," Hound reassured him. "It's just, uh... they've gone into the Nookie Nook."

Fox's grin grew even wider as he swung around a final turn, using signals and staying aware of everything and everyone around him.

The "Nookie Nook" was the unofficial name for one of the small, public gardens that were scattered through this sector of Coruscant. It was in slightly better shape than most and provided a little shelter for those seeking to get high... or those seeking a different kind of thrill.

The most important part of it was that it was a public garden. Coruscant had laws against public indecency. Very minor ones, for the most part, and as long as everything was consensual, the Guard was willing to turn a blind eye to a little bit of public sex, but not this time.

There was nowhere to park, of course, so Fox simply found an out-of-the-way spot, parked, and put his Guard placard in the window.

Hound was standing with his back to the entrance of the Nook, fidgeting. Grizzer sat beside him, but stood to wag her tail as Fox approached.

"They still in there?"

Grunts and moans answered him before Hound could.

"...Yessir."

"Don't worry, Hound, I've got this."

The tiniest of giggles escaped him. Hound froze.

"Uh? Are you- I mean, yessir!"

He stepped out of the way. Fox gave him a reassuring pat and moved in. He made sure his helmet was recording- for evidence- and then hit the lights on his helmet.

"Coruscant Guard! Come out with your hands up!"

Screaming. Swearing. The desperate rustle of clothing and displaced foliage.

"Go away!" an all-too-familiar voice snarled. "This is none of your business!"

"Public indecency is very much my business, sir." Fox struggled to keep his tone calm and bored. "Now, step out and prepare to be arrested!"

There was more arguing, of course, but eventually the couple stepped into full, inescapable view.

Anakin Skywalker looked furious and ready to strangle him. His girlfriend, Senator Amidala, at least had the decency to look mortified, trying to shield her face with one hand while the other kept her dress held in place.

"You can't do this to us!" Skywalker growled. "Do you know who I am?"

"Nika Skye," Fox answered. "Street racer responsible for multiple accidents, injuries, and property damage."

Nika Skye. Of all the stupid, ham-fisted aliases he could have picked... but then Fox hadn't really thought about it himself until he got a good look at him. The promo images and candids always showed him in his racing helmet. Ha. Apparently even an idiot could learn a thing or two from his betters. Wait til Rex found out.

Skywalker blinked, appearing caught off guard.

"Well, yeah! That!" he said. "Except I never hurt anyone! I'm just an ordinary citizen, enjoying a night out with my wife."

"We're so sorry for the trouble, Commander," Amidala said, voice dripping professional sincerity. "It won't happen again, I promise. If you'll just let us go-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, ma'am," Fox said. He hoped the Jedi couldn't sense his glee. "Public indecency is a crime on Coruscant. And there's also the matter of Mr. Skye's multiple traffic violations, involvement in an illegal racing ring with ties to the Black Sun Syndicate-"

Amidala gasped. Skywalker just looked annoyed.

"-as well as damaged property, speeders, and personal injuries related to those traffic violations. Once we're back at the station, you'll be allowed to call an attorney."

"You won't take us in."

There was a pressure to Skywalker's words, an urge to obey, but Fox ignored it.

"We can also provide an attorney for you, if you don't have one of your own," he concluded. He was willing to bet that Amidala, at least, had a whole fleet of lawyers at her beck and call, and he knew the Jedi had some of their own as well.

"Did you hear me?" Skywalker's glare intensified. "I said you won't-"

"Come with us, sir. Quietly," Fox told him. "Resisting arrest will only make things worse." He reached for the binders on his belt.

"Ani." Amidala placed a hand on her boyfriend's arm, but he shook it off, still glaring.

"You'll regret this, Commander," he said. "I'll have your job for this."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Good luck with that, sir. I've been trying to get out of it since the war started."

He did, in fact, get to put binders on Skywalker, citing him as a flight risk. It was one of the greatest moments of his life.

Hound and Grizzer provided backup as they made their way back to the speeder.

"Are you sure about this, Fox?" Hound asked, as they headed back to headquarters. He'd twigged to Skye's true identity as well. "We could get in a lot of trouble for this."

"The Jedi aren't above the law," Fox told him. "And that goes double for Skywalker. Arrogant little shit has been a vibroblade in my side for too long. Flaunting the laws. Acting like he's better than us. Taking advantage of his 'friendship' with the Chancellor to make everything better for himself with no regard for anyone else-"

"Yeah, okay, I know," Hound interrupted. He shifted on the passenger seat, Grizzer in his lap. "But this is gonna bring in the Jedi-"

"I'm counting on that."

"And probably the Chancellor. Like you said, they're friends."

Fox paused. That was a big concern, and the only dark spot in this otherwise wonderful day.

"I'll handle it," he said. He was not giving up this chance for a little payback.

-

Skywalker's story changed as soon as they were in the Processing Room.

"Look, Commander, you really don't want to do this," he said. "I know the Guard doesn't see a lot of action here on Coruscant-"

The thunderous whoosh of indrawn breaths from the listening Guards drowned out his next words.

"...Anakin Skywalker."

Fox refused to rise to the insult Skywalker had carelessly flung at the Guard. Chances were he actually believed what he said.

"And yet your ID says you're Nika Skye."

That earned him another scowl. "Are we really going to play this game, Fox? I know you can't be that stupid."

Fox muted the general chatter feed. Guard opinion of Skywalker was mixed, but mostly positive bordering on indifferent. That was being revised downward fast.

"Lieutenant Rattle, add possession of false ID and lying to an officer of the law to the list of charges," Fox said.

"Mmm," Rattle murmured. Her hands shook more than usual as she added the charges.

"I OUTRANK YOU!" Skywalker roared, making everyone flinch.

Amidala, who'd been on a comm call, turned to look at him.

"It's okay, Ani, I'm handling it," she said.

"You may outrank me, General, but you don't outrank the law." Fox had taken an involuntary half-step back at Skywalker's outburst.

Skywalker closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an apparent effort to calm himself. When he looked at Fox again, his eyes were still bright with rage, but a smile was plastered across his face.

"At least let Pad- Senator Amidala go," he said. "She's an innocent in all of this."

Fox arched a brow, not that Skywalker could see it. Amidala was many things, but innocent wasn't one of them. She was in deep with Skywalker and his schemes, and was probably one of the reasons they hadn't caught him until now.

Still. She was a Senator, and that would be a whole political mess of its own. He tilted his helmet.

"She'll stay here until her security team arrives and then reassess," he said.

Skywalker huffed, rolling his eyes. "Finally! Some sense! I guess I'm so used to Rex-"

"Who's your emergency contact?" Fox interrupted.

"My what?" Skywalker's frown seemed more confused than angry this time.

"Who should we call at the Temple to alert them to your circumstances?"

It was like flipping a switch. Gone was Skywalker's arrogance and bluster. It was replaced with fear and anxiety.

"Oh, uh, that- that won't be necessary, right?"

He was looking anywhere but at Fox. Interesting.

"It's- it's High General Kenobi, sir," Rattle supplied.

Skywalker flinched. "Here?! He can't be! He's supposed to be in a meeting with the High Council!"

Fox's grin returned.

"Thanks, Rattle. I'll be sure to give him a call and let him know his former Padawan is safe."

And wouldn't that be a fun call. In a meeting with the other High Generals? And Fox could interrupt? The day kept getting better and better.

"Wait! No!"

"Burke, Boot, please escort General Skywalker to holding," he said. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to him before General Kenobi gets here."

"Sir!" They said in tandem, moving to herd the suddenly worried Skywalker to the cells.

"Commander Fox," Amidala said, holding the comm to her chest as she spoke. "I know we've caused unbearable upset for you and your Guard, but-"

"Senator Amidala, ma'am," he said. "You're free to leave once your security detail arrives. What you do to help your 'husband' after that is your business."

The already pale Amidala went chalk-white at his words. About the security detail? Or- shit. He'd thought Skywalker was bluffing about the wife thing. The Storms had truly blessed him on this day.

"Please," Amidala whispered, her eyes wide. "You can't tell-"

"If you'll excuse me, ma'am, I have a lot of work to do. Have a good night."

When they first came to Concord Dawn, Thorn had taken the lead in starting a new Guard. Commander Fox had gone back to Coruscant with Blockade and several others; some of the vode from the Coruscant Guard had gone off to try different things too. Hound wasn’t good for much else, so he had stayed with the rest of Bral.

It was Stone who had suggested they live together; Thorn was the one who wanted to stay close to the light rail, while Thire had suggested moving further from the city center. But it had been Faie who had insisted on having a yard. Big enough for Grizzer, he’d said, while pointedly not looking towards Hound.

Grizzer did like the yard. He liked to dig in the dirt and chase the smaller critters that dared enter his space. He especially liked to roll around in the grass and bask in the warm sunlight while Hound tended the gardens. There were parks on Coruscant, but none of them had ever been like this, removed enough from everyone else that it was quiet except for the birds and the insects and the soft music wafting from inside the house.

The gardens had started as something new and different for them all to try. There were a handful of edible plants, but most of them were decorative. Pretty for the sake of being pretty. Stone had quickly decided that gardening wasn’t for him; too hot and dirty and tedious, and reminding him far too much of some of Commander Fox’s more creative punishments. Thire had a handful of herbs with medicinal properties that he tended to himself, and Thorn could usually be counted on to look after the vegetables.

But Hound liked the feel of the dirt in his hands, the smell of it after it rained, and the way he could see the plants thrive and flourish under his care. They never made him feel boorish or inadequate, never minded that he preferred silence to the constant chattering that some vode liked. He likes the way it creates neat, orderly lines of flowers, though it took him a little while to understand why certain plants were considered weeds and others weren’t. The sense of order is reassuring, especially here on Concord Dawn where things are so different from how they’ve lived the rest of their lives.

He tugs out the last of the weeds in this section and gathers up the pile to bring to the compost pile he had started on a suggestion from the Holonet. Faie is idly playing fetch with Grizzer, and if Hound didn’t know better, he would almost think the commander had been waiting for him. They don’t talk much, but they’ve been learning to inhabit the same spaces. Lately it almost hasn’t even felt like it had to be a choice between the two of them. 

“What is this? What are we really?”

He considers the question, taking the shovel to mix the weeds into the pile of food scraps and yard clippings. Faie waits, ignoring Grizzer’s increased irritation at being ignored. Hound finishes with the compost and turns to face the other man.

He thinks about weeds and flowers, how some of them look so much alike but are treated so differently. Invasive was the term the Holonet had used, for why weeds needed to be removed. They weren’t meant to be there, and if left unchecked, they would steal away everything the other plants needed to survive. Replace them, the way Hound had replaced Faie.

Sometimes, though, Thire takes some of Hound’s discarded weeds and puts them into pots and tends them as carefully as the rest of his medicine plants. When Hound had asked, Thire had pointed out ways the weeds could be useful when cared for properly. That in some places, they weren’t considered invasive, and it was the plants that Hound knew as flowers that were considered to be the weeds that needed to be removed. 

It had been a frustrating answer, but looking at Faie’s expectant expression, considering how they had both been yanked like weeds and forced into new places they didn’t quite belong, Hound thinks he might understand better. He glances towards the one corner of the yard that he’s let grow free, weeds and flowers mixing as they wished, and thinks that of any of their brothers, Faie will understand the best.

"Fucking scent bombs," Hound complained. "Bastard was prepared. I'll see if Grizzer can pick up the trail again, but it isn't looking good."

He sounded mournful. Seek knew they wouldn't give up the chase so easily, but without Grizzer's nose to lead them...

He hesitated. His finding ability was usually seen as either a cool party trick or a sign of dangerous mutation. He'd only been with the Guard for a week and had only met Hound at the start of shift, but he had a good feeling about all of them. More importantly, a little girl was missing and he could feel a clock counting down in his head.

"I think they went this way, sir," Seek said. "I'm really good at this sort of thing. It's how I wound up here."

The less said about that, the better.

"You think so?" Hound didn't sound skeptical so much as hopeful? Maybe?

Seek nodded. "I can't be sure," he lied, "but I think this is the way we need to go. She... she might be in trouble."

"Right. C'mon, Grizz." Hound scooped up the still whining massif and carried her into the alley past the worst of the lemon stench before putting her down again. "Lead the way, Seek."

Seek did, trusting his instincts to guide them. Through the alley, down another road, and then a shortcut through a building full of tents and wary-eyed locals.

As they were exiting through a hole in the side of the building a figure landed in front of them in a swish of blue robes.

Hound swore, blaster out and leveled while Grizzer growled a warning. Seek's hand drifted towards his blaster, but he wasn't sure it was needed.

The figure straightened, revealing a dark-skinned humanoid in a mix of blue and cream embroidered robes. Where their eyes should have been there was just skin, and an elaborately painted pair of eyes that seemed hawklike, given the feather patterns around the edges.

"Hands out and step back!" Hound ordered.

"Sorry," the figure said, complying. "I could have planned that a little better. I thought you might be someone else. Anyway! I'm Knight Naremi Twiss! I'm here to help!"

The raised arms revealed a tooled leather belt. And a lightsaber.

"Fuck! I mean, sorry, sir," Hound said, reholstering his blaster. "You surprised me."

"I do seem to have that effect on people, for some reason," Knight Twiss mused. "Anyway, no worries! Although I'm more of a she/her if that matters."

"Yes, ma'am." Hound introduced himself, Seek, and Grizzer, who was already happily accepting scritches from the Knight.

"Well met!" Twiss stood again. "I take it you're hunting the Blood Drinkers, too?"

Horror washed through Seek. "The... what?"

"Blood Drinkers?!" Hound's voice went up an octave.

"Well, that's what I call them." Twiss waved a dismissive hand. "Maybe you call them something else? They go around grabbing people and draining their blood to sell on the black market. Sometimes a little bit, sometimes all of it."

Seek shuddered.

"I think I might have heard some chatter about that back at the base," Hound said slowly. "But I didn't think it was that widespread. Or this high up the levels."

"We think they're increasing their operations." Twiss motioned for them to follow her. "And they have been sticking to the lower levels. That's why I'm not sure if this is them or something else."

"We're just trying to locate a kidnapped girl," Hound said. "But this sounds... bad. Should I call it in?"

Seek was relieved to see the Jedi was taking the same route he would have, although how she could see without eyes was beyond him. The Force, maybe. He also had the uneasy feeling that their case and the Jedi's might be linked. Somehow.

"There!"

He and Twiss stopped at the same time, pointing at an abandoned diner with blacked out windows.

"Jinx!" Twiss nudged her shoulder against Seek's. "C'mon, let's check it out!"

"I think we should wait," Hound said. "I called for backup. If this is more than just one missing kid or a couple of criminals trying to start a new medical scam, then it's going to take more than four of us to do this."

Grizzer huffed, as if agreeing.

Twiss nodded. "Okay, sure! That's probably a good idea. But let's go wait over there." She pointed toward the side of the building. There was a narrow passage and a propped-open door almost hidden in the dark.

"Can we, sir? Please?" Seek looked at Hound, fidgeting. The clock in his head was getting closer to running out.

"No going in!" Hound warned. "Not til backup arrives!"

"Yessir!"

"I mean, if you want to be logical about it, that's fine," Twiss agreed.

As they approached the side of the building, voices could be heard.

"-part of the deal! She's my daughter! You said I could keep her!"

The first voice had a swirly accent that reminded Seek of the missing girl's mother's voice.

"You didn't tell us she had a rare blood type."

The second voice sounded modulated, and much deeper than the first.

"Screw you, Nusk! I'm taking Tem and-"

Blaster fire erupted.

"DADDYYYY!"

Seek was already in motion without consciously choosing it. He and Twiss burst through the already-open door with Hound and Grizzer hot on their heels.

The inside of the derelict diner was surprisingly clean. There were a lot of medical-looking equipment around, including exam tables and IV stands with empty bags and tubing.

A scrawny, dark blue nautolan was on the floor, smoke rising from a blaster wound in his chest. A much younger, purple Nautolan was being dragged back by a long, furry brute while a Nemoidian ordered another one to "drain the dead one."

Everything seemed to speed up after that. Twiss launched herself at the one holding Tem. Seek fired a stun round at the Nemoidian, who dodged it. Hound was barking orders for the criminals to stand down and Grizzer was just barking.

One of the furry brutes fired a shot at Seek, only for Twiss to deflect it. Using some Force move, she launched one of the IV stands at them. They went down, tangled in the tubing.

The one holding Tem hauled her up into their arms, only to yell and drop her as she bit him. She scrambled back toward her father as two more figures burst through the doors of what would have been the kitchen area.

Seek was lining up another stun shot when the Nemoidian pulled something from his pocket and threw it.

Thick smoke filled the room, obscuring everything. Despite that, the blaster fire continued. Seek paused, lined up a shot, and fired.

There was a yell as someone hits the ground. Twiss's pale blue blade cut through the smoke, followed by the scream of whomever she'd hit.

A snarl and a yelp indicated that Grizzer's caught someone, and Seek can hear the clink of binders as Hound reads them their rights.

"Bright Guy! Catch!"

Seek holstered his blaster and turned, knowing where and when to hold out his arms. He caught the wailing, coughing Nautolan girl and headed for the exit.

"I've got the girl," he told Hound over internal comms. "Taking her out of the smoke."

"Copy."

As he rounded the front of the diner he saw a squad of fellow Guardsmen approaching.

"Trooper! Report!"

Twiss staggered out of the smoke, coughing, followed by Hound and Grizzer, who was wheezing, but looking satisfied with herself.

Hound and Twiss are the the ones to fill in Thorn and his squad. That left Seek free to remove his helmet and try to comfort Tem, who wanted absolutely nothing to do with Clicker's attempts to check her for injuries.

Eight underlings were captured or dead, including Tem's father. The Nemoidian in charge, unfortunately, managed to escape.

"I'll be able to find him again," Seek said. "I know it."

"That's why I like you, Bright Guy." Twiss appeared at his side. "And it's also why I'm taking you home with me."

Seek stared at her, bewildered.

"Look, General," Thorn started. "We're grateful for-"

"Not a General," Twiss corrected. "They don't trust me with troops. Except this one." She grinned at Seek.

"Uh..." Seek said.

Her eye makeup had smeared a bit during the fight, almost making it seem like she was winking.

"We're grateful for your help," Thorn continued. "But you can't simply take a trooper home with you to celebrate."

Seek's whole face burned, and he could feel it spreading down his chest.

Twiss laughed. "If that's what I was doing, you'd be absolutely right," she said. "But in this case I need him for Secret Jedi Reasons related to Secret Jedi Things."

Seek could almost hear Thorn grinding his teeth.

"It's okay, sir," he said. "I'll go."

Thorn tipped his helmet. Taking the hint, Seek put his own helmet back on. Tem's mother had arrived on scene shortly after the Guard, so she was in safe hands.

"If anything happens, Fox will have both our heads," Thorn warned.

Seek swallowed before answering. "I know, sir. But she's a Jedi. And I think... I think this might help."

Torn's helmet glared at Twiss.

"His shift ends in three hours. If he isn't back by then..."

"I promise I'll do my very best, Commander," Twiss said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, soonest gone is soonest returned."

As they headed for the nearest speeder dock, Twiss smiled at him.