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“Did you get your assignment?” a low, rumbling voice asked.
Cody turned away from the view of the stormy seas of Kamino and looked at Fox. He’d lost a lot of the men under his command on Geonosis, and the pain hadn’t vanished from his eyes. Every time he sang, his song was filled with mourning, calling for his men who would never respond again. It ached to hear that grief in Fox’s voice, usually so filled with joy and kindness.
“Marshal Commander of the 3rd Systems Army,” Cody answered Fox’s question. He looped an arm around Fox’s waist and pulled him close. “Under High General Kenobi.”
“The Jedi from Geonosis?” Fox asked. “The one with experience as a soldier?”
“Yes. Experience as a general, too, from what I understood.”
Fox sighed and leaned his head against Cody’s shoulder. “Commander of the Coruscant Guard, answering directly to the Chancellor of the Republic,” he said quietly. “No Jedi General.”
Cody winced. On the one hand, that posting was safer than being on the front, but Cody knew just how much Fox hated staying behind while everyone else went ahead and fought without him there to back them up. It had happened once when they were still really little. There had been an equipment malfunction, and Fox had fallen and broken his arm. He hadn’t been able to train with them for two weeks, during which time, Cody got injured bad enough to leave the curling scar around his eye.
Still, the center of the Republic was supposed to be the safest posting, and Cody had high hopes that Fox wouldn’t have to watch any more of his men get killed. He could hold down the fort for the rest of them.
“The others?” Cody asked.
“Bly’s a Marshal Commander with the 327th Star Battalion, but they haven’t assigned him a General yet. Ponds is going to be working with Neyo and heading up a Recon squadron. Wolffe got assigned to another High General—General Koon, and is in charge of the entire 104th Battalion.”
“And Rex?”
Fox shook his head and his arm slid around Cody’s waist to return the hug. “Hasn’t been assigned anywhere yet. There’s been chatter—rumors only—that the Kaminoans are interested in how effective Rex was on Geonosis and they’re thinking of making more clones like him. With the Prime gone, they’re going to use as much clone DNA as they can to keep from using up all of Prime’s so soon after the war started.”
Cody froze. Kaminoans being interested in Rex was never a good thing. Not since he was decanted with an obvious mutation—more obvious than Bly’s lighter brown hair—and the death of all of his squadmates. Kaminoan attention likely meant experimentation so they could find out what mutations they wanted to recreate in a new generation of clones.
“Shit,” Cody sighed.
“That about sums it up,” Fox agreed. “Come on, everyone’s gathering in the barracks for a final night together before we all ship out in the morning. Rex will especially want you there.”
Cody nodded. “I’ll be there. I need to go find 17 first, though.”
Fox gave him a sidelong, knowing look before stepping back and turning towards the door of the observation deck. “Don’t take too long or Rex’ll go looking for you and that’s the last thing any of us want.”
“Have Bly and Ponds sandwich him,” Cody said, already distracted. If there was anyone that could help him get Rex assigned to Cody’s personal battalion, the 212th Attack Battalion, it would be 17.
Cody took a deep breath and stepped into the hangar. The first of the Jedi had arrived, along with the Venators where thousands of clones were slowly loading up all the gear they would need to keep themselves alive in between engagements. It was a sea of white armor, moving cohesively while one of the CCs sang a marching song off to the side. Cody immediately headed over to knock pauldrons with Colt and Blitz. Colt didn’t waver a single note, but he returned the greeting warmly, lingering a bit longer than they both otherwise would have. Cody was going off to fight in the worst battles, Fox was leaving for Coruscant, but Colt was staying on Kamino along with Blitz and a whole Company.
“Cody,” Blitz greeted with a nod. “Need us to keep an eye on your tagalong?”
“No,” Cody answered, amused. He glanced back at the door in time to see Rex shoved through by Wolffe, still pulling his armor on and growling ferociously at the older CC. “17 and I got him assigned to the 212th with me. Rumor had it that the Kaminoans would like to make more of his class of clone.”
Both Blitz and Colt winced, Colt’s song wavering for half a second before he picked it up again. They both knew the same risks that Cody did, that Fox and the rest of their squad did. If he remained on Kamino, Rex would not have lived for very long.
“Your battalion’s lined up in Bay 4 and I’ve got the Jedi in orbit, waiting for an opening in the storm to descend. Your general will meet you there,” Blitz said. “Better go introduce yourself to your troops and inspect them. And probably get your tagalong looking semi-decent before anyone else sees him.”
Cody rolled his eyes and saluted Blitz sarcastically. Blitz ignored him, the asshole, and focused instead on directing the other CCs that were working their way out onto the platform. Rather than stay and chat, having said his goodbyes in the barracks that morning and not wanting to drag it out, Cody grabbed Rex’s elbow and steered him past rows of other CTs to the waiting mag car.
“Bay 4,” he told the vod manning the car, and settled into the seat with Rex beside him.
“Codes?”
“17 and I pulled some strings to get you stationed with me instead of staying here on Kamino. You’re a Lieutenant in Ghost Company in the 212th Attack Battalion,” Cody said quietly and passed over the paperwork for Rex’s assignment. “Lieutenant was the highest rank we could grant you without raising suspicions, but I’m sure you’ll be promoted in no time, especially if I have anything to say about it.”
Rex didn’t say anything, but the heavy weight leaning against Cody’s shoulder spoke volumes about how worried Rex had been at the thought of having to stay behind on Kamino. Cody knew that Blitz, Colt, and Havoc would have done everything in their power to keep Rex safe, but three clones were powerless against Nala Se and the other Kaminoans. And it wasn’t like the Jedi would waste one of their generals on a posting on Kamino. Rex was safer with Cody.
The mag car reached Bay 4 and the clone saluted Cody and Rex before heading back to the main entrance, likely to pick up more CCs to take them to their troops. Cody looked out over the sea of white—his men. His battalion. The men that would be relying on Cody’s decisions to make sure as many of them as possible made it through every battle. And that wasn’t counting the rest of the battalions that would be under his command as Marshal Commander of the 3rd Systems Army. Cody still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around that.
The men were in parade rest, chatting quietly to each other on their in-bucket comms. He hated the thought of interrupting them, knowing that they would all be tense and awkward about it, worried that their superior officer would reprimand them. But he took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Cody thudded his fist against his chest, and the sound reverberated through the entire platform, catching the attention of every single person waiting for the Jedi to arrive. At once, the 212th Attack Battalion came to attention, the clap of their armor almost as loud.
“I am Marshal Commander Cody,” he called, using the same voice he’d use on the battlefield to carry orders. “I am the Commander of the 3rd Systems Army, and the 212th Attack Battalion will be under my personal command. When we get on board the Venator, I’m going to put all of you through your paces to see where you’ll fit best and establish a chain of command. For now, this is Lieutenant Rex, who will be joining Ghost Company.”
With that introduction done, Cody waved at Rex to join the rest of the men, and then stepped towards Davijaan, standing at attention with the pilots under Cody’s command. He might as well start somewhere, and Davijaan was a good friend of Cody’s. Better to get to know all of the officers now rather than in the middle of a battle.
After a thorough inspection of the troopers, and satisfied that his men were all in top shape, Cody returned to the front of the battalion. He opened his mouth and sang a warm welcome: bold, triumphant, a bright sunrise on Kamino, more precious because of its rarity. The men sang back their acceptance, though it was stilted and awkward. Only Rex’s voice rose clear and in perfect harmony with Cody’s song. The others just needed practice, and Rex had been listening to the songs of their squad for years.
The thunder of feet stamping on the durasteel echoed through the bay just as the Jedi landed in the space made for them. It was time to greet General Kenobi and introduce him to the men.
Oya Vode.