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Word of their promotion to ARC Trooper status by recommendation from Captain Rex had spread quickly through the 501st Legion and Torrent Company then out further to other companies within the GAR. Their brothers and comrades gave them full hearted offers of congratulations as it was well known that not many received such a promotion or survived the training that came with the ranking – while others like Hardcase and Tedam commandeered the mess hall of the Resolute to use as a staging ground to throw a party for them.
Not that brothers like Hardcase and Tedam ever seemed to really need to find an excuse to throw impromptu parties or to drink.
A trooper by the name of Chopper had offered them his own sort of quiet congratulations through the noisey ruckus that their brothers were making around them before declining an invitation to join them at the party and had quickly left the mess hall before anyone could stop him.
“Someone has to help keep an eye on things and make sure the ship doesn't go down while you, droten, are here drinking away.”
Fives shared a look with Echo, who gave him a brief nod in reply before turning his attention back to the revelry around them. He made a mental note to remind himself that when he had the time, he would go looking for that particular brother trooper and if it was possible try to befriend him if the other man allowed him the chance to try. Though the man didn't seem the type that would have many friends or that would allow anyone to get that close, then behind any barriers that he might have up.
An hour later in the party, he was halfway through his first cup of Corellian spiced ale that someone had somehow managed to smuggle aboard the cruiser though he suspected it that had to have been done by one of the officers that were under the direct command of the Admiral. He wasn't sure that a trooper would have done the smuggling or had possibly bribed someone into doing it for them, but he's not sure it would surprise him either.
Clone troopers could be very crafty when they wanted to do to something and not get caught while doing it. Probably something that came from their genetic template.
“CT-5555? CT-0408?”
Slightly startled into coughing he sets the cup down carefully, he stands quickly at attention feeling quietly pleased with himself that he hadn't lost his balance in front of his brother troopers and noted the same about Echo as his brother stood up just as quickly as he had. Activity stills around them as the two them stand at attention between the tables to face and offer a crisp salute to the trooper who had addressed them.
He looks at the hardfaced man, who was sizing them up before giving a crisp salute of his own and noted to himself that this brother wore ARC trooper armor as the unnamed brother gestured for them to follow him out of the mess hall as the party resumed around them. The other man glances at them briefly before looking away and nodding to others as they pass through the hallways.
“So you boys are going to train to become ARCs are ya?”
“Yes sir.”
The ARC trooper merely chuckles and smirks at them over his right shoulder.
“Well then lets go retrieve the gear you'll need and then we will go meet up with my Sergeant on the hanger deck. From there we'll take you boys back down to Kamino and take you down to the ARC training deck.”
“Yes sir!”
The three of them go to the barracks deck and into the room that they were both assigned to when Captain Rex had inducted into the 501st and into Torrent Company. Every now and then, he would chance a glance over at the silent brother waiting for them just inside the door, getting the strong feeling in his heart that he had met the man somewhere else before today.
But where?
The man catches his stare, raising an eyebrow at him in a quiet unspoken question and he looks away back down to the duffel in front of him as he follows Echo's lead and quickly finishes packing. With a slight nod, the ARC trooper ushers them quickly from the barracks level of the Republic cruiser down to the hanger bay where another ARC trooper is waiting for them beside a transport. The other ARC trooper looks up from examining some hidden spot on his helmet at their approach and stands up as he nods to them with a slight smile.
The feeling of recognition for both of them becomes stronger in his heart as his mind tries to figure where they could have possibly met before today.
“About damn time. Did you have a hard time finding these two and get lost along the way?”
The question is answered by a shrug and an annoyed grunt from the still nameless brother, who had come looking for them.
“They weren't in their assigned barracks, sir. Another trooper was kind enough to direct me towards the mess and said they could be found there. Saved me the work of searching the entire frakking ship for them and delaying us getting our assignment done.”
The other man nods in response as he checks his wrist chrono while Fives takes a moment to examine their armor, noting the different patterning of dark grey blue paint that he was definitely certain that he had seen before somewhere else, likely on a battlefield.
The question again being where that would have been exactly.
“Come on boys, lets get you onto transport and down to the ARC training area.”
A thrill of excitement flits through his heart as the four of them get onto the transport and it lifts off of the deck just as Echo catches his eye, nodding slightly towards stylized face of a wolf on the two men's helmets. The unnamed Sergeant spots the nod and focuses on them with a keen gaze.
“See something you like, brother?”
“The Wolfpack, sir?”
Both men nod slightly and when the ARC Sergeant speaks, he sounds pleased about something.
“Nominally now. As ARC troopers, you won't always be assigned missions with the company you fought beside. Like Torrent Company however, the Wolfpack is a good group of men. Very tough too. Commander Wolffe? Hard man, but an excellent leader and he was the man our squad was first assigned to right out of Kamino.”
Fives raises a hand in question and the Sergeant nods to him, not seeming to mind the interruption.
“Yes?”
“If I may ask what was the name of your squad, sir?”
The two men share an amused look with each other as he and Echo sit across from them, waiting patiently for them to give their answer.
“I don't think they recognize us yet, Sarge.”
“No, they don't seem to do they, Taj? We certainly recognize them however, so tell me boys. Does, “Check it out, boys. Time to watch the Dominos fall.”, sound familiar to you in anyway whatsoever?”
His eyes narrowed as the memory came into focus, of watching with his brother squad as Bravo squad completed the Citadel Challenge successfully as Commander Colt and others watching them and then his squad passing by them as they heard those gentle mocking words from the other brother. Then failing the challenge and being berated as a group by Commander Colt for failing to work together like a good squad would do.
“CT-6579 and CT-2990 of Bravo Squad?”
“Correct, though as you know its now ARC-6579 and ARC-2990.”
“Right. And the rest of your squad? Did they make it to ARC status with you too?”
Taj's face darkens as the Sergeant shakes his head as an unhappy expression settles on his face and Fives finds himself regretting the question and wishing that he could somehow take it back.
“No. The rest of our squad perished on our first battle in the field. Taj and I are the only two survivors of our squad as you two are.”
Fives opens his mouth to say something, anything to change the subject of their conversation though a soft jolt shudders through the transport around them as it lands and he follows them in the motions of putting on their helmets and then picks up his duffel as the Sergeant looks at them quietly before speaking and leads them out of the transport.
“Alright boys, this is your stop and welcome back to Kamino. Your home for the next few months while you go ARC training. If you survive this, then perhaps our paths will cross again in the future. Here's your stop, brothers.”
They are led down a series of paths that seem to twist through the cloning facility to a large sitting area in front of an ornate set of doors, the area in front of it bustling with the movements of clone troopers and other beings that he knew he or Echo wouldn't have a hope in all the galaxy of identifying. Fives glances at the Sergeant as he and his brother lead them over to a being sitting at a desk.
“Do you have a name, sir?”
The helmet tilts in his direction in what he thinks might be consideration, thinking about how whether or not he might be worthy or not knowing his name.
“Its Axer, trooper.”