Chapter Text
Nights on Utapau were dark, little illumination came from the distant stars and pale moons. They were so dark, in fact, that no one noticed the new troopers in gold painted armor that slipped into the camp the 212th had established in the main sinkhole the city was built around.
They moved carefully, avoiding the men when possible, not wanting to get close enough that the patterns on their armor could be recognized. They were, after all, supposed to all be dead.
Only minutes later, their task accomplished they were retreating back up to the surface, quiet as shadows as they evaded the patrols.
One signed to the other, Mission accomplished.
The other nodded, signing back, Affirmative, retreat to transport.
Too easy . A third signed and was promptly cuffed over the head by his partner.
A quelling gesture from the leader settled them and they turned to retrace their steps around the sentries and into the night.
Some time later a well concealed transport took off, climbing up into atmo.
At around the same time a mechanic doing last minute checks on the camp’s shuttles noticed the fuel lines had been disconnected.
--
Around the holo table the group clustered, Jedi and clones alike watching as Commander Cody keyed in the last data from his team’s scouting run.
“We were lucky that they’re sticking extremely close to SOP.” he said, placing the last troop counter in the projection. “They’re exactly where we expected them to be.” From the frown on his face he shared Wolffe’s thought that brainwashed soldiers weren’t prone to creativity and it didn’t make him any happier than it did Wolffe.
From his place next to Cody General Kenobi stroked his beard thoughtfully, eyes taking in the map. “Fortunate indeed. The Faithful will only continue to go undetected for a short time, I suggest we seize the opportunity to get planetside unnoticed.”
“Agreed.” General Plo said, “Commanders, see to your men, we leave in ten minutes.”
Wolffe and Cody nodded, both turning with the same brisk efficiency, matched in intent.
--
The hanger was controlled chaos, troopers going in seemingly every direction as they got themselves into their squads for going planetside. All around Wolffe his men said their goodbyes to each other, knowing full well not all of them would make it back to the Faithful again. Hands were clasped, words were whispered, embraces given, and a few friendly punches thrown.
Everyone had their own way of dealing with it.
Wolffe moved forward to smack one hand on Cody’s shoulder plate, the other on Rex’s. He shook them both affectionately, “Take care of yourselves out there.” he said.
Snorting Cody shoved his helmet on, “I was planning on it.” he said, reached back to return the gesture. “Don’t get yourself shot by my men.”
“As if your 212th boys could get the drop on me.” he said and he could tell when Cody rolled his eyes by the tilt of his head. “Keep an eye on that Jedi of yours. Stitches says his insides are still held together with sticky tape and stubbornness.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Cody said. He leaned across to rap his knuckle against Rex’s shoulder plate. “Same to you. Keep an eye on Commander Tano and I’ll see you on the other side, eh?”
Rex nodded sharply, putting his own bucket on. Hiding his expression.
He turned and paced away to where Commander Tano was waiting with Clone Force 99. Commander Tano had a solemn expression that looked to old for someone as young as her, then again her body armor had scuffs in it that said she’d seen action all to recently.
Wolffe had heard the Bad Batch were a real nightmare to work with but the tech kid and the giant were talking companionability to her, while the tall sniper listened, nodding occasionally. They seemed to have taken a shine to the commander, perhaps because she was their favorite captain’s Jedi.
Out of the corner of his eye Wolffe saw the significant look the trooper with the prosthetic hand and Cody exchanged, the way their eyes both flickered to Rex before meeting again.
The trooper dipped his head in what looked more like an acknowledgement of something, a motion Cody returned. So Rex would have a minder of his own for this battle. All for the better as far as Wolffe was concerned.
“He’ll be alright.” Wolffe said. It would have been better if he had managed to sound a little less like he was trying to reassume them both about it.
“He will .” Cody put steel into it that made it fact, an unshakeable truth. Cody had always been like that, solid, steady, sure of what was the truth.
Wolffe hoped that this time he’d be right in his conviction.
As if reading his mind Cody snorted, “When have I ever been wrong?” As Wolffe opened his mouth to list one of the several times he’d gotten their cadet group well into osik Cody elbowed him, expertly finding the spot on the side where the armor jointed.
Wincing Wolffe retreated out of range, “If I started that list we’d still be here after the battle ended.”
“Wouldn’t want that.” Cody said. “Take care of yourself out there, vod.” With that he turned and headed for the transport his freed 212th troopers were waiting next to.
With them was General Kenobi, fresh from his second dip in bacta. He still looked pale and like he was mostly on his feet because collapsing was too dramatic, even for him. In fact he gave the distinct impression that a stiff breeze would knock him over but from the way every one of the troopers near him was placed so they could catch him if he went down his men had it well in hand.
All the same, Wolffe was glad they’d argued General Kenobi into a support role on this mission. Even if that did mean his own Jedi was going to have to be in the most dangerous role. They couldn’t afford to lose even one of the Jedi, not if they wanted a chance for this to work.
When Cody joined the group, taking his place next to his general, it was like watching a circuit complete itself. The connection between them was unmistakable. Wolffe wondered if they knew they stood leaning slightly in each other’s direction, near hands angled slightly toward each other.
“There does seem to be quite the bond between them.” General Plo said, stepping up to his side in the quiet way that always had Wolffe quashing the urge to jump and give a startled squeak.
Instead he kept his eyes forward, watching as Cody leaned toward his general, helmet tilting as he said something that made Geneal Kenobi laugh lightly. Their men clustered close, protective.
General Plo was Wolffe’s favorite of the Jedi, he trusted him where he wouldn’t trust any other general. But Cody was his batchmate, his vod. So he kept his voice neutral. “I have no idea what you mean, sir.” he said
That made General Plo chuckle. “You know, that’s not the first time I’ve heard that today.” he said. “Peace, Wolffe. I mean them no harm. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
Glancing over at his general Wolffe caught the crinkles at the corner’s of his covered eyes that gave away a smile. It brought a spark of warmth to his chest. His general was one of the good ones.
“A conversation for another time, I believe.” General Plo murmured.
“As you say, sir.” he let a little of his amusement show in his voice but turned toward the three transports the 104th would be taking. “Now, General, if you would lead the way, we have some troopers to rescue.”
--
It had been a long day for CT-2828 --Boil, a tiny part of his mind insisted. He quickly squashed that thought.
With the General shot down in the same crash that had taken down their traitor of a Commander he had been left in command of the 212th. There was a million minor logistical issues to deal with as the battalion cleaned out the last of the droids and dug in to await further orders from the Emperor.
The civilians of the city hadn’t been happy about being forced into the deeper caves as his men took control of the areas near the sinkhole but only with the blank faced troopers to argue with they eventually gave in. Distantly he was glad, he didn’t have enough orders about how to deal with angry civilians, that was something General Ken-- the traitor-- had done for them.
And vaguely he was happy to see the civilian children herded deeper into the caves where they’d be safer. Children shouldn’t be left out in the open like that. It wasn’t part of his orders but he still knew that. Still remembered something about a child… left alone.
He couldn’t remember the details. They probably weren’t important.
With the men encamped he’d snatched what few hours he could, lying on his bunk and staring up at the underside of the bed above him. He felt hollow and he couldn’t figure out why. He didn’t have any orders about what to do about feelings like this.
Finally, a few hours before planetside dawn he got up, put his armor back on, and went to relieve one of the night sentries. If he was going to be up he might as well let another trooper get some sleep.
Perhaps in another time, a before time that he couldn’t think too hard on, he might have spent the dark hours of the night in thought but now his mind felt empty and echoing.With the nearest guard posted well out of sight it was just him, the blaster in his hands, and the darkness.
For some reason he kept seeing the smoldering wreak of the ship they’d shot down on that moon, the wreak he knew contained the bodies of his treacherous commanding officers. It should have made him happy, knowing they were dead. Good soldiers followed orders and the orders had demanded the death of the Jedi and anyone who tried to help them.
CT-2828 was a good soldier. He’d done his job. There was no reason to keep remembering that wreak other than as a job well done.
Soon there would be more orders, they would leave this planet and its memories of their general behind. He was probably supposed to be happy about that as well but instead the idea put a sour taste in his mouth.
In the quiet night CT-2828 stood with his empty mind and the traces of guilt pulling at his chest, not quite remembering why he was miserable.
It was almost a relief when the three transports screamed through the pre-dawn sky, shattering the stillness of the night.
Even in the gloom he saw the 104th grey on the sides of the ships before the sides of the transports opened, revealing the men inside in familiar armor. For a second he thought their Emperor had sent them reinforcements and the advance communique had yet to reach him.
Then a lightsaber lit in one of the transports.
Blue.
The wrong blue, the wrong shade to be his general. The features the lightsaber lit were General Koon’s familiar mask, not his general’s face.
General.
A Jedi.
The Jedi had to die.
The swell of purpose crested in his mind and he fumbled for his com. “Full alert, a Jedi traitor has breached the perimeter. Muster for pursuit and execution!”