Hey Folks! Sorry about the gap in writing. I've just finished up the 1st semester of college and am now on Winter Break. I had this idea for this story in my head since I'd finished "Forging a Family" back in August. So…. here you go! – littleP

Chapter 1: Cody:

Commander Cody didn't know what to feel, betrayal, anger, or sadness? His General, Obi Wan Kenobi had betrayed the Republic. The man who he'd thought fought for all that was good and righteous in the galaxy, was a traitor. Having the Chancellor comm him, ordering Executive Order 66 was not surprising, after all he was clone marshal commander. He knew as he listened to the Chancellor hand out his orders that he must obey, but seeing the grotesque features of the man's face along with his cruel voice made Cody's skin crawl underneath his armor.

After the comm blinked out of existence, Cody turned his gaze up and saw Obi Wan riding away on his mount, Boga, ignorant of the fate that his friend was about to bestow upon him. Friend, how unbidden the term came to his mind, Cody smiled grimly. He didn't think he could forget all the time he and Obi Wan spent together, on the battlefield, through thick and thin, they stuck together. The memories of many such times caused tears to well in Cody's eyes.

Much more than a friend, a brother. The gruff commander of the 212th Attack Battalion thought.

They were brothers, if not by blood, than by loyalty, and sacrifice. Cody had long ago realized that he could never kill one of his own brothers…. but he'd been given a direct order, one he must follow without question.

But why!? A small voice cried out deep in his conscience.

His general had been one of the most loyal servants of the Republic he'd ever known, how could he have betrayed the very ideal he and the Jedi had been fighting to uphold? Obi Wan had spilt his blood for the Republic, and now he was plotting its downfall?

Doubt and suspicion began to worm its way into Cody's mind. He remembered the words the Republic Agent Regulan during the grand review by the Chancellor all those months ago, the bashful young agent telling the clones that they were sentients with a right to think for themselves. Another memory also came into his thoughts, one involving Kenobi himself. He remembered overhearing both Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker discussing that a Sith Lord had infiltrated the Senate.

Could the Chancellor have been manipulated by the secret Sith? It was a fair thought, but one that could wait. Right now he needed to focus on saving Obi Wan, his friend, his brother, from imminent destruction.

He knew that every other clone under his command, and likely every other clone in the Grand Army of the Republic had received the order, and were bent on carrying it out.

Frantically he commed his general, sweating buckets as he waited for Obi Wan to answer his call. When the man finally picked up the clone commander sighed in relief.

"General don't ask questions, just do as I tell you." Cody frantically said, speaking in a frantically rushed tone of voice. "I'm going to shoot you," Cody heard Obi Wan softly gasp, "you need to prepare yourself for the fall into the sinkhole."

Obi Wan was silent for a few seconds before replying. "While I have major reservations about this, I expect a full explanation when this is over, if I survive."

Cody smiled, Obi Wan sure knew how to make deadly situations brighter with his humor, however unintentional, a trait that Cody knew would haunt him if he were to kill his friend. "I would expect nothing less General Kenobi."

With that he shut of his comm, and gathered his wits about him before turning to the gunner near him.

"Blast him."

The gun let out a shriek of sound and a flash of blue light, the bolt impacting the wall near Kenobi.

Cody watched in silent hope and sickening horror as Kenobi and his mount fell, the latter letting out a high pitched whine as she fell into the all encompassing sinkhole.

"No!" An electric and static muffled voice yelled from behind the commander, shaking Cody from his thoughts.

Turning about, Cody found that Waxer, Wooley, and Boil were virtually running towards him, Waxer ran up and grabbed the commander by his shoulders and visibly shook him.

"Why'd you do it commander!? What happened to thinking for yourself? You're a dammed droid! You know the general is innocent! Something is very wrong here, sir." Waxer virtually mumbled every word he was speaking so fast.

Both Boil and Wooley, now in paratrooper armor, came up behind Waxer, on guard in case Cody tried anything.

Under his bucket, Cody raised his eyebrows. Do they think I would have such little compassion towards my brother?

"Cody," Wooley said, not bothering with formalities, "we know the general is innocent. Despite what the Chancellor has told us, the man is wrong, something is up, and I think it involves the Chancellor himself. Now I know why the Misfits are so suspicious of the man."

Cody smiled under his bucket at Wooley's gutsiness. Openly disobeying an order, good man. Cody thought with amusement, before his worry for Obi Wan flooded his mind once more.

"Men, it pleases me to see that I have the honor of serving with such loyal men." Cody noticed that the trio had gone stock still at his statement.

I bet they weren't expecting this. He thought grimly.

"I know the general is innocent, something is diffidently amiss, but I know that the Jedi would never betray the Republic that they have fought 3,000 years for. I informed the general of my intentions to blast him before hand; I can only think that it was the Force that caused the bolt to impact the wall rather than General Kenobi." Cody spoke in a calm, deep tone.

The three troopers were now slouched over in relief.

Cody was pleased that his most trusted men could count on him to do the just thing. "I want you three to go to the bottom of the sinkhole and retrieve our general. Once there, comm me, and try to get him to his star fighter unmolested, understood?"

"Sir yes sir!" The three clones snapped a salute and quickly went about rescuing their general.

Cody sighed in relief as he watched his general, his brother, and shoot off the planet. Needless to say, when Boil, Wooley, and Waxer had rescued Obi Wan, the Jedi Master was not a very happy person. Afterwards, Cody spent much time explaining to Obi Wan the situation and his actions earlier in the day. In return Obi Wan had shocked his commander by revealing the evidence that the Misfits had obtained through their various taps on the Chancellor.

Cody was seeing red as he learned that the man who led the Republic, was its biggest traitor.

Later that night, Cody was saddened when he learned of the massacre committed at the Jedi Temple.

By brothers no doubt.

However, it gave him renewed strength to fight the newly born darkness that was sweeping the galaxy. Cody spent many hours going around to many of his men, telling them the facts, and showing them the evidence of the Chancellor's betrayal.

He was worried that many of his men would call him traitor for saying such things. However, he was immensely proud when he realized that nearly every one of his men would fight alongside him, and remain loyal to the Jedi. He and the 212th Attack Battalion would wait until their time was right to go rogue.

Early the next morning, he'd received the order to return to Coruscant, outwardly, Cody obeyed without question, however his thoughts were the exact opposite.

I never thought I would be a rebel.