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~*~
It didn’t take Obi-Wan and Cody long to realize just how much Obi-Wan’s otter form contributed to morale among the men. Naturally then, it then led to several ideas for using it as a means of helping the Shinys feel truly part of the 212th. When they took on new troopers, they gave the boys a few days to settle in when the necessities of campaigns allowed it. The general, in human form, met with them collectively. He’d give a speech welcoming them and that was that.
But as the new troopers settled in, Obi-Wan did something else, under Cody’s watchful, protective eye.
Obi-Wan met with the troopers in squads as time permitted…in his otter form.
Cody gave the men a briefing on how and when Obi-Wan used his otter form. He also gave a thorough lecture on why it mattered that they keep their mouths shut about it outside the 212th.
“The general’s life is already in danger,” Cody told the group of Shinys assembled before him in the corridor. “The enemy finds out about his shifter nature, that danger increases. We do not want that, am I clear?”
The squad of Shinys nodded hurriedly.
“Mind your manners with the general, no matter the form he’s in,” Cody ordered sternly. “You will be on fresher duty for the rest of the war if you don’t.”
Again, the Shinys eagerly assured their commander that they understood.
“Follow me,” Cody ordered. “And buckets off so he can see your face’s. The general learns each of us by sight and by the Force. Once you have your paint, he’ll learn that too.”
The Shinys followed him through the door and into the general’s office, already somewhat in awe of him.
Then, they spotted the general.
“Oh Force,” one of them whispered.
Cody’s bucket hid his smirk. There was always at least one. Not that he blamed him. Obi-Wan was entirely too karking adorable sitting there in front of his desk in otter form wearing the little otter-sized Jedi robe the men had made for him.
“Some of the new Shinys, general,” Cody offered as he stepped aside. “Line up in front of the general, boys.”
The Shinys crowded into the room eagerly.
Obi-Wan let out a happy squeak and did a little wiggle while waiting for the Shinys to line up as ordered. Cody grinned again as this time two of the Shinys reacted to sight. One of them actually impressed him. He hadn’t thought clone vocal cords could produce a sound that high pitched, like the shrillest whistle Cody had ever heard. Cody was fairly sure it even beat Wooley’s record high-pitched noise. He noted it for later. Never knew when such things could come in handy.
Moving to the side, Cody made sure to start his bucket recording the scene in front of him. It always produced worthwhile vids.
Obi-Wan popped up onto his back paws and held up one curled up front paw.
“The general wants a fist bump, boys,” Cody nudged.
The Shiny on the far left once again made a sound Cody hadn’t thought they were engineered to make but eagerly held out his first.
Obi-Wan ambled over to him, popped up again, and bumped his small fist against the trooper’s own.
“Thank you, sir,” the Shiny offered eagerly.
Obi-Wan squeaked happily and gave him a second fist bump for being so polite.
“Do you have a name, trooper?” Cody asked.
The trooper shook his head. “Not yet, sir.”
One of his squaddies nudged him in the shoulder and said. “Think the commander might be about to change that.”
Cody grinned. He didn’t often give names. He preferred letting the men decide those for themselves but sometimes situations presented themselves that were just too good to pass up.
“Right you are,” Cody agreed cheerfully. “Whistle.”
The newly named Whistle grinned. “Thank you, sir!”
His squaddie chuckled. “Lucky, he didn’t call you Shrill!”
Whistle grimaced. “That sounds way too much like strill. That would have been awful!”
Cody had gone with Whistle for that exact reason, but he didn’t need to let the boys know that.
Obi-Wan squeaked in happy approval once the rest of the squad congratulated, or teased, the trooper on his new name.
Then, Obi-Wan offered something that only a few generally received. He leaned forward a little, offering his nose.
“Sir?” Whistle asked in confusion.
Cody smiled. “Allow me to demonstrate.”
Cody moved around Obi-Wan’s desk, the only clear-ish space in the room, and to get to the other side of the space so he could stand next to Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan squeaked happily at him and did another little wiggle of approval. Idly, Cody wondered if he and Obi-Wan could squeeze some time in the pool into their afternoon plans.
“Like this,” Cody said, curling his first and gently nudging it against Obi-Wan’s offered nose. “The holonet calls it a snoot boop. Utterly ridiculous name if you ask me, but that’s what it is. The general doesn’t offer those to just anyone, so you’d best treat it like the honor it is!”
Obi-Wan turned back to Whistle.
“Thank you, general,” Whistle said quietly as he gently reached out and booped Obi-Wan’s snout.
~*~
“That went well,” Obi-Wan declared as he pulled his human sized robe on after transforming back. “The trooper’s new name was well chosen, Cody. He has quite the story to tell already! Named by you, personally.”
Cody grinned. “And the rare offering of a snoot boop. Whistle will be the talk of the 212th for days and he just got here!”
Obi-Wan chuckled.
“Yes, yes indeed. Now, my dear commander, shall we get some of this formwork out of the way so we can go for a swim?” Obi-Wan asked.
Cody took a seat in his usual chair across the desk from Obi-Wan.
“You read my mind, general,” Cody teased.
Obi-Wan grinned back indulgently. “In this, darling, you are quite predictable. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin your reputation by telling anyone.”
Cody just laughed and reached for his datapad.
~*~