"Echo 32, it is time to wake. Please proceed to the cafeteria for your first meal of the day."

Echo 32 groaned silently and willed his body to obey. Ever since he had left his pod and joined his squad, life had turned sour. The Kaminoans deprived them of sleep, food, and hygiene in their quest to form perfect soldiers. Not that I care. He smiled to himself as he donned his uniform. I'm designed to not care.

His bunkmate, Echo 45, rolled off of his bed and landed lightly beside Echo 32. "Wakie-wakie, Thrasher. I heard that we're going to start live-fire today. It should be fun."

Thrasher chuckled and finished zipping up his grey outfit. "Who, or should I say, what file, told you this?"

Echo 45 stifled a laugh and helped rouse the others. "What are you talking about? Me, honest little me, hacking into the Kaminoans' files? Honestly, you should have more faith in me."

Thrasher cast a sidelong glance at him and opened the door. "I'll take it that they haven't changed the password yet."

Echo 31 snickered evilly and hopped in behind Thrasher. "Oh, they changed it all right, but the module sequencer produced an infrared signature that translated into the code. After that he disarmed a couple of electronic interference security nodes and had free access to our schedule. Got it?"

"Yeah." Thrasher let out a deep breath and led his squad out into the main concourse. In perfect unison they filed though the numerous security terminals and Kaminoan spot-checks. After they had passed the last checkpoint, Echo 31 rolled his eyes at the last Kaminoan officer.

"What is the fifth planet from Coruscant? Really, guys, you'd think that they'd stop asking us that one. I'm asked that one every day."

Echo 86, the last man, kicked him lightly in the knee without losing beat. He growled dangerously in the clone's ear and whispered in a voice barely audible. "Watch it, soldier. They aren't the only ones that scan us." He cocked his head slightly to the side and pointed with his eyes towards a hidden security camera. "Freshly installed yesterday. They have a peak voice pickup range of seventy meters."

Echo 31 mouthed out an "oops" and focused on his team leader's back. Thrasher suppressed a grin as the cafeteria came in view. Times were good.

Thrasher looked out over the sea of heads surrounding him. His team's usual spot had been overrun by a fresh squad of commandos. In vain he searched for a four-seat spot on one of the spotless tables.

"Hey, commando, over here!"

Thrasher instinctively whirled around at the call. A sole clone sat at an empty table that he had overlooked. On second glance, he realized why he had overlooked it.

The clone sitting at the table was a perfect specimen of genetic engineering. Larger than the others by a few solid inches and much bulkier around the chest, the clone had a freak streak a mile long. Advanced Recon Commando. Thrasher reluctantly signaled his squad and hunkered down beside the clone.

"Thank you, sir. Finding a place was pretty hard."

The ARC trooper reclined in his seat and nodded. "So I saw. Funny thing, being an ARC is. Everyone seems to either not notice me or cower in fear."

Not much of a surprise there. The clone was right. Because of their hyper-secretive nature and advanced genetics, the ARC troopers inspired awe and dread in their lesser comrades. Arcs were a living legend among the rank-and-file clone soldiers.

"Uh-huh." Echo 45 coughed politely and nudged Thrasher. "Excuse me, sir, but could you scoot over some? You aren't giving me much room."

Thrasher took a moment to mull over the request. With a sly wink at the ARC trooper, he slid over away from him, bumping Echo 45 clear off his seat.

"Why sure, Cable. Have a seat."

Cable grimaced at his leader and sullenly took the empty spot by the grinning ARC trooper. The other squad members ducked their heads and shook in silent laughter. Cable glared savagely at them for a moment before adopting a cheerful expression. He rotated the seat towards Thrasher and smiled broadly. "Why, thank you, sir. I always wanted to sit by the brawns in this army."

Thrasher couldn't decide whether to punch Cable or laugh with him as his teammates fell about in unbridled laughter. Then his eyes wandered up to the catwalk where Kaminoan security roamed. He froze as his gaze found Him.

Standing tall and proud above the vast ranks of clones and swathed in moist, brown robes, the man stared back, curiosity filling his eyes. Thrasher's spoon fell untouched to his plate as the man's gaze intensified, drawing him in. A foreign touch probed his mind, searching his past.

"Sir?"

Cable's hand came down gently on his shoulder, snapping him out of his revere. Four pairs of anxious eyes looked into his as the men watched him cautiously.

"Sir, what happened?"

Thrasher's only response was to point up to where the mysterious man had stood. Only, now he had disappeared. An odd feeling swept over the commando, chilling him to his core.

"Nothing, Cable. Nothing." The feeling left as quickly as it had arrived. He winked roguishly at his men and dug heartily into his meal. "Last one done has cleaning duty."

"Echo 32, come in. I repeat, come in Echo 32."

Thrasher tried to ignore the hail of blasterfire as he whispered into his comm. "I copy, Advisor. What is the sit rep?"

"Two-dozen battle droids are converging on your location. Advise that you evacuate now."

A near miss caused the comm. Channel to fade out as Thrasher dove from one crate to the next. Cable leaned over to him and pulled him in by his backpack as the droids shot at his back.

"No can do, Advisor. We have wounded under fire. Gamma 71 is out."

"Leave him, soldier. His loss is acceptable. Grab what's left of your command and get out of there."

"I'm not leaving without him. End of discussion." Thrasher switched off the commlink and signaled to Echo 31, the squad's sniper.

"Cover me, Klick!"

The commando slapped a fresh pack into his DC17 and gave Thrasher a thumbs-up.

"I'm on it, 32."

Thrasher waited for his team to draw enemy fire. Satisfied that they had everything under control, he heaved the crate end-over-end and rushed out to the wounded clone. With one hand he dragged him back to safety, with the other he hosed down a pair of battle droids. His teammates helped him behind the crate and discouraged pursuit with a hail of laser fire.

"Advisor, we are clear to evac."

"Negative, 32. The gunship can't land anymore. The LZ is too hot. If you can take out those anti-air turrets, we might be able to come in."

A nav marker appeared in Thrasher's screen as he surveyed the area. Sure enough, three MV-87 turbolaser cannons belched a continuous stream of plasma at the clone gunships. As Thrasher watched, one of the gunships took a direct hit mid-ship, sending it crashing down in between the commandos and the battery.

"Commandos, lets get to that gunship. Thrasher's squad leapt over the protective crates and dashed towards the gunship. Rounding a large pillar, Thrasher came face to face with a squad of battle droids. His wrist-mounted vibroblade snapped out in an instant and he dove into the midst of the droids. Metal shards flew in all directions as he hacked down droid after droid, taking down the entire squad by himself. As the last droid fell, the other squad limped up behind, dragging their unconscious comrade.

Cable and Klick lifted the wounded clone off of the others and patted Thrasher no the helmet.

"Nice knife work, boss. Take out the guns for us. We'll keep 71 alive. Thrasher shook his head absent-mindedly and pointed to the rest of the commandos.

"Right, here's the deal. Gamma Squad will provide covering fire. I'll take Keith and plant the det packs. Move out, teams."

The three commandos left on Gamma Squad saluted and positioned themselves around the gun ship.

"On your signal, 32."

Thrasher lobbed an EC grenade over the gunship. The grenade burst in a spectacular display of electric force, taking down a clump of battle droids. "Fire."

Blue laser bolts peppered the battle droids surrounding the turbolaser cannons as Thrasher and Keith jogged towards the first cannon. The battle droids fell like chaff before the commandos' firepower, allowing a quick and easy placement of the three detonators. The cannons blossomed in a gigantic fireball as the commandos hiked wearily back to the LZ. A pair of gun ships provided them escort back to the base.

Thrasher sighed wearily as he sat down in the gun ship. "Exercise closed."