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The war was horrible. All wars, without distinction, were horrible, and the Clone Wars was no exception.
It had been just under a year since this galaxy-wide war began, and it had already claimed millions of lives on the Republic side. And in the vast majority of cases, these loses were clones.
Clones that had been created for the sole purpose of serving the Jedi and the Republic in this infamous war against the Separatists, who were receiving help from several Sith Lords.
And even though the Jedi were absolutely against the very idea of war; even less one that sacrificed innocents, they were just as much prisoners of this infernal machine as the clones themselves, at the mercy of the Senate.
To try and maintain the morale of the troops, the Jedi greatly encouraged the Vode of their battalion to get closer to each other and create their own traditions.
That's how, within the 501st Legion, led by General Anakin Skywalker and Commander Ahsoka Tano, there were a lot of rather strange traditions when new Vode arrived from Kamino.
With the Legion comprising several thousand men, it was often difficult for everyone to gather in the same place and do things together; that is why the battalion was divided into companies.
And each company had its own tradition when they received new Vode.
The Torrent Company was no exception, and for them, their initiation tradition consisted of welcoming newcomers, sitting in circles, and chatting to get to know the new Vode. The topics of conversation could vary, but there was one cardinal rule: no talking about military skills or the war in general. They had plenty of time for that, either directly in the field or during training; these introductory sessions were for getting to know each other outside the battlefield.
Like that day, when Torrent Company had gathered to welcome their new arrivals: Tup and Dogma, who had joined the 501st Legion just a week ago. As the only ones free to do the introductions, and not to overwhelm them with the whole company, Jesse, Hardcase, Fives and Echo, were gathered in their dormitory, all sitting in a circle on the floor or on the low beds, Tup and Dogma with them.
Even Echo, who had been out of the infirmary less than two days ago and was not yet fit to return to combat, was present.
"So," Jesse began, leaning forward. "I heard you two were brothers."
“We are.” Tup replied, a little defensively and positioned slightly in front of Dogma.
"Are you from the same batch?" Hardcase asked, tilting his head to the side.
Tup nodded and Dogma opened his mouth as if he wanted to add something but closed it when Tup squeezed the hand he had placed on his brother's thigh, signaling him to be quiet.
Echo, clearly the most observant of the group, noticed it immediately and frowned slightly. "Did you want to add anything, Dogma?" He insisted gently.
Dogma exchanged a glance with his brother, and Tup shook his head again; so Dogma shook his head in turn, looking away.
It was Echo's turn to exchange a glance with his brother, and Fives frowned as well before continuing. "You know, guys, you're safe here. Nothing you say will leave this place. Nobody needs to know what's going on here." Fives assured him.
"There are no cameras?" Dogma asked in a small voice.
Hardcase chuckled and stood up, went to his locker, retrieved something, and then placed it on the floor in front of Dogma. It was a… pile of cables and metal?
“What’s this?”
"A camera. Or at least what's left of it. You won't find cameras in better condition than this in the dormitories." Hardcase assured, resuming his seat.
"Did you remove them?" Tup murmured, sounding half horrified and half inspired.
Jesse shrugged. "Oh no, it was the General."
“The… The General?” Dogma repeated, astonished.
“That’s right.” Echo nodded. “According to Rex and Kix, that was one of the first things General Skywalker did when he took command of this ship. He said that he might be our General, but that didn’t mean he needed to know what was going on in our dorms. There are cameras in the hallways and all the common areas like the cafeteria and training rooms, but none in the dormitories. And every time the Resolute is in maintenance, the General makes the rounds of the dorms before we set sail again to check that no new cameras have been installed.”
Dogma was in awe and completely taken aback. “I didn't know the Jedi did that.”
“I don’t know if it’s all Jedi.” Jesse admitted. “But ours do it, and I seem to recall hearing that Kenobi and Koon do the same thing, perhaps with a little less violence than Skywalker, but the result is the same. The Jedi, the good ones at least, care about us and respect our privacy as much as possible. Aboard the Resolute, you can be sure that General Skywalker or Commander Tano never enter the dorms without permission. And even then, it’s rare that they ask.”
“All this to say that you are safe and that nothing you say will leave this place.” Fives re-centered. “Nothing will reach the ears of the Jedi, nor those of the Kaminoans if it is they’re the ones worrying you.”
Tup and Dogma exchanged one last little look before relaxing slightly, and Dogma spoke again. “With Tup, we're not just from the same batch, we're also twins.”
Fives' eyes widened. "Twins?" He repeated, almost incredulous, struggling to suppress the huge smile that came to his lips.
"Yes, twins from the same tube." Tup asserted defensively. "And it's not because we—"
"Like us!" Fives interrupted before Tup could really say anything.
“W-What?” Tup stammered.
"Echo and I! We're twins too!" Fives exclaimed, putting an arm around Echo's shoulders, who leaned against his brother, happy to pass some of his weight on to his twin.
“Twins? Same tube twins?” Tup repeated, not seeming to believe it.
“Yes! Same tube twins! Echo, they're twins too!”
Echo rolled his eyes at his brother's excitement. “I heard Fives.”
“But we’d never met real twins before!”
"Yes, because all the others are decommissioned as soon as they leave the tube. Or not long after anyway." Dogma mumbled.
His remark cast a chill over the conversation, and Dogma sighed. “Sorry. It's just that…”
“I understand.” Fives interrupted gently, much calmer than he had been just ten seconds ago. “Unfortunately, this is the norm for clones who deviate from the norm on Kamino. And same tube twins are definitely anomalies in the eyes of the Kaminoans. I understand that it’s not something you shout from the rooftops. But if you’ve managed to get this far, it means the Kaminoans haven’t found anything wrong with you, despite the fact that you’re twins, so I’m sure you’re incredibly strong! Besides, Echo and I are proof that you can be twins and manage without any complications.”
Tup was doubtful and fixed his skeptical gaze on Echo. More specifically, on Echo's prosthetics and the bandages that still covered much of him. “Uh…”
Echo obviously noticed his look, and he clearly wasn't the only one, judging by the way Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse tensed up. But instead of taking offense, Echo shrugged. “As cool as it would be, being a twin doesn’t make you immune to explosions. I’ve tried it, and I don’t recommend it. On the other hand, having a twin means having someone who will never let you down and will only accept your death once they’re shown to your corpse, not before. Having Fives didn’t stop me from blowing myself up, but it did allow a team to find me less than three days after the explosion, before I could be sold to a Separatist organization and tortured for information used directly against my brothers.” Echo stated, his voice as matter-of-fact as possible to avoid getting too emotional about it.
It hadn't even been two months since that mission on Lola Sayu, since that infamous explosion at The Citadel, and Echo hadn't yet processed everything that had happened in that time. What he knew for sure was that, thanks to Fives’ persistence, a search had been conducted even though everyone thought Echo had died in the blast. And Echo had been found in the Separatists’ clutches, barely kept alive while awaiting the transaction with the Techno Union. What Echo also remembered was that he had been recovered quickly enough for Kix and the other medics to intervene and limit the damage. Well, it hadn't saved his legs, and Kix wasn't yet sure he'd be able to save his right arm, but at least his internal organs and abdomen were as healthy as could be expected. When Echo returned to the field, he might also need a pacemaker to give his heart, which had suffered considerably during the explosion and the days that followed, a boost. But it wasn't the time to think about that yet. For now, Echo was on medical leave, and thanks to his Jedi’s intervention, he had been able to remain aboard the Resolute rather than being sent to a medical station or, worse, to Kamino, for his recovery. One of the arguments put forward was that Echo would need fairly advanced prosthetics, and General Skywalker was very skilled in mechanics and prosthetics and could therefore help the medics and techs build Echo's prosthetics.
The atmosphere, which had already cooled considerably after Dogma's remark, froze even more after Echo's intervention.
Echo, who felt somewhat responsible for the gloomy atmosphere, felt it was up to him to bring back the good mood and so he tried something. “Anyway, all this to say that being twins has served Fives and me quite well. And look, even same tube twins like us managed to become ARC troopers, specialized clones! I'm sure you'll go far, Tup, Dogma.”
"Yeah!" Fives exclaimed. "And in the meantime, Echo and I will be your older twins, ready to guide you on all your adventures!"
Fives' slightly ridiculous remark did indeed succeed in breaking the ice again, and the conversation resumed quickly and comfortably.
"Okay, next question!" Hardcase announced after the usual questions like favorite food or the least comfortable place you've ever slept in. "What would you do if you weren't soldiers?"
Tup and Dogma's eyes widened, and the older Vode understood. Among clones in general, and especially on Kamino, it was forbidden to think of anything other than being soldiers serving the Republic. Having such thoughts on Kamino could lead to decommissioning for not being focused and loyal enough on their future as soldiers and tools of the Republic in this war against the Separatists.
So for Tup and Dogma, who had left Kamino barely two weeks ago, answering Hardcase's question seemed almost criminal.
Fortunately, it wasn't the first time Hardcase had asked the newbies this question, so the veterans decided to answer first, both to give ideas to these Shinies who didn't know much yet, and also to prove to them that it was okay, and that they could answer honestly.
"I would love to explore the galaxy and discover new animal species." Jesse began.
"I want to blow things up!" Hardcase almost shouted. "But the Commander told me that wasn't a job, so I think I'd rather build things."
"I would like to help take care of the younger ones." Fives declared. "Whether they are clone cadets, little Jedi, or other children."
"And I think I'd really like to do research to study diseases that we don't yet know very well so we can treat them better." Echo finished.
The four veterans then looked at Tup and Dogma, waiting for their response with curiosity but without pressuring them too much.
Tup and Dogma exchanged another look before Tup lowered his head slightly, hesitating and blushing slightly. "You... You promise not to laugh?" He asked timidly.
"We would never!" Hardcase affirmed.
“It's just that my idea is much less classy than yours.”
"Tup, we once had a Vod who told us he wanted to be a rug." Fives declared, as seriously as possible.
“A… a rug?” Tup repeated, not sure he'd understood correctly.
“Yes. His plan was to lie down somewhere and never do anything again. So unless you want to be a painting, I don't think you can do anything more ridiculous than – oof!”
Echo cut his brother with an elbow to the ribs. “And even if you wanted to be a painting, you would be a magnificent painting, Tup.”
“Echooo, you hurt me…” Fives whined, rubbing his side.
"Grow up a little, Fives, I don't currently have the strength to hurt you." Echo replied, rolling his eyes.
Fives took advantage of that tiny moment when Echo's eyes weren't fixed on him to stick his tongue out. But he wasn't quick enough, and Echo saw it anyway. So Echo slapped his brother on the back of the head and then raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'Want some more?' And Fives hunched his shoulders like a small child who'd just been scolded.
Echo nodded, satisfied, and refocused on Tup and Dogma, who had relaxed a little with the twins' antics.
"If I weren't a soldier, I think I'd like to be a hairdresser." Tup finally revealed in a low voice, as if he still expected his brothers to laugh at him for his answer.
But his brothers did not mock him; quite the contrary.
"Wow, that's so cool!" Hardcase exclaimed. "Well, you might not have ended up in the right squad for that, but I'm sure Fives would greatly appreciate your services!" He added, gesturing towards the bald heads of Jesse, Echo, Dogma, and his own.
Tup laughed at the joke, pleased with the good reaction. “I'll find some Vode to practice on.”
"You'll have to ask Sister; given how long her hair is, she must know at least a little bit about it." Echo advised.
"I'd love to grow my hair out too, but it wasn't allowed on Kamino." Tup admitted.
"Here, anything goes when it comes to hair. You'll see, for example, that Splash changes his hair color every time he can. Right now it's electric blue, but last month it was fuchsia pink. Tattoos are also allowed and even encouraged. If that's something you're interested in, I can introduce you to Spike, one of our tattoo artists." Jesse suggested.
Neither Dogma nor Tup responded positively to this proposal, but they both seemed interested, so Echo made a mental note to introduce the two youngest to the tattoo artists of the legion as quickly as possible.
"Come on Dogma, we're only missing you." Fives encouraged. "What would you like to do if you weren't a soldier?"
"Can I say something forbidden?" Dogma asked in a small voice.
"Of course." Fives affirmed with an encouraging smile.
"I... I think I'd like to be a Jedi." Dogma murmured, tucking his head into his shoulders.
There was a brief moment of hesitation as everyone registered what Dogma had just said before the exclamations.
Hardcase beamed. "So cool!"
"That's the first time I've heard that answer!" Jesse added .
“That's a good idea, vod'ika.” Echo smiled.
"And what's more, the Jedi have lightsabers!" Fives remarked.
If Echo wasn't currently half-slumped over his brother, he was pretty sure Fives would be hopping around making big arm gestures to mimic a lightsaber.
Dogma and Tup chuckled a little at the enthusiasm shown by their brothers, and Dogma blushed a little.
“Lightsabers are cool, but I’m not sure I’d really like them. It’s probably shameful for a soldier, but I don’t really like to fight.” He confessed. “Even if I were a Jedi, I think I’d prefer working in the archives or something. I’m not very good with people, and I prefer peace and quiet, so the Temple archives seem really cool.”
Echo nodded and made a mental note to talk to Dogma about it some more. But now, he was really starting to get tired. Kix had allowed him to leave the medbay, but that didn't mean Echo was healed, far from it, and it was showing. But on the other hand, Echo really didn't want to move. He was comfortable there, snuggled up to his brother, getting to know his new Vode. So, without a word, he leaned back a little further against Fives, resting his head on his shoulder.
Fives glanced at him quickly and raised an eyebrow, silently asking Echo if he wanted to move, but Echo shook his head slightly. He didn't want to move; he was just where he wanted to be, doing what he loved. Fives nodded and simply tightened his grip on his brother a little, putting even more of his weight on him without hurting him.
"I promise it’s the truth!" Hardcase claimed, causing Echo to refocus on the discussion.
"That's impossible, you're kidding us." Tup denied.
“Fives! Echo! Help me, they don't believe me.”
"What is it?" Fives asked, also refocusing on what was happening in front of him.
"The babies don't believe me that General Kenobi has a Varactyl!" Hardcase complained in a whiny tone.
Fives chuckled a little, the sound resonating against Echo's cheek. “Oh no, that's true.”
"But how—how can a Varactyl live on a flagship? That's against regulations!" Dogma exclaimed indignantly.
"Oh yes." Echo assured, without moving. "You should have seen Commander Cody's face when General Kenobi brought Boga back on board the first time."
“Boga?”
“Kenobi’s Varactyl!" Hardcase exclaimed happily. "She’s huuuuuuuge! But so cute!"
Echo chuckled softly at Tup and Dogma's bewildered faces and then let the discussion envelop him without really listening, content to just be there.
Torrent Company had just gained two exceptional troopers, and they were learning to trust each other off the battlefield to be more effective in action. Just another day for the soldiers of the 501st Legion of the GAR.