Chapter 2: Meeting the General

Cody stood at attention, in front of several lines of his brothers, awaiting the arrival of their General.

He ran through the mental checklist again and verified that the men were not talking amongst themselves. The last thing he wanted was a bad first impression on the General.

First impressions were important to Cody. They helped give a base point of what to expect from the person who you would be working or affiliated with. Or they helped you look better than you actually were. At that thought, Cody frowned slightly.

To be completely honest, Cody was nervous. The only other time he had met a Jedi, the man had passed out on his back. That was not the best way to be introduced to anyone. Somehow, Cody suspected it had been Commander Wolffe, the story had been passed throughout the ranks of the 212th Attack Battalion. Cody hoped he'd have a better impression on his General before he or she found out another Jedi had used him as a comfortable head-rest.

Was he worried that it would be the same Jedi? That worry seemed small and insignificant since the Jedi Order was HUGE. What were the chances that the 'Pillow' General and the new General were the same person?

Cody's thought's were interrupted by the sight of a landing Gun Ship. He straightened up again and took a deep breath. Time to meet the General.

Correction: time to meet the Generals.

Not one, not two, but six Jedi disembarked from the gun ship. At the same time, all six waiting battalions, or legions, came to a stiff attention. Cody had a random thought about if he dropped a blaster, everyone would be able to hear it. He quickly shook the thought out of his head and turned his attention back to the waiting Generals.

All six stood like statues, no emotion being shown...except for the one on the far left end who had this crazy grin on his face and looked highly amused. Under his helmet, Cody frowned and silently prayed that the grinning Jedi was not his future general.

The commander shook his head slightly and turned his attention to the other end of the line. First, was a tall Kel Dor. Next, was a Cerean male with a female blue Twi'lek next to him. She was followed by another female, Cody took a moment to recognize the species, Mirialan. And next to her was-

Cody froze. He mentally began to curse and tried to not panic. Of all the Jedi in the entire galaxy- UGH!

It had been a few minutes since the generals had arrived and none of them had moved, for reasons the clones never found out.

Unknown to everyone, each new general had been told what unit they would be over, but none of them knew how to identify whose unit was whose. For the past several minutes, the six had been having a mental debate on what to do, hence why Anakin was highly amused.

"Maybe we could just ask."

"Anakin, we are not looking like complete fools in front of our future troops."

"Well, Master, we are already looking like fools by just standing here doing nothing."

Obi-Wan had to give his ex-Padawan a point for that.

Meanwhile, Cody was trying to figure out how to react to the man who used him as a pillow. Should he hide? Maybe cower? Pretend like nothing has happened? He didn't know! The past two days he had mentally convinced himself that the 'Pillow' Jedi wouldn't show up!

"What do you suggest, Master Plo Koon?" Aalya was scanning the lines and could find no numbers or flags for identification, taking her idea out.

"Perhaps we should have the units identify themselves."

Luminara mentally sighed, "Or we could just have the commanders step forward and introduce their unit."

With no better idea, Plo Koon called out, "All Squad Commanders and Captains report!"

Cody wanted to do the opposite, but his discipline held him in place. He marched forward with the other commanders and captains, coming to attention.

"Helmets off. We wish to see your faces." Luminara gently ordered.

Each clone complied. Cody kept his eyes locked forward and tried not to glance at the Pillow Jedi.

Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, he was dealing with his own problems. Problems known as Anakin Skywalker.

"Wow… when they said clones, they meant clones."

"Anakin, focus."

"Do you think they could clone a Jedi?"

"I do not see how that has any bearing on the situation."

"Well, it would be cool. Then there could be two of me!"

Every Jedi slightly stiffened at those words, and Obi-Wan went a shade paler.

"FORCE, NO."

"Master, it wouldn't be that bad."

"Anakin, if there was two of you, I would fly to Mustafar and willingly die."

"You don't mean that, Master."

"I do, Padawan. Every word."

Master Plo Koon decided to change the subject- and fast. He addressed the first clone in line. "Identify your rank and unit."

Cody didn't blink as the first trooper stepped forward. He was trying to keep his panic from his face. Why, oh why, did it have to be the 'Pillow' Jedi?

"CC-1004, Commander of the 41st Elite Corps."

Cody snapped his attention to Gree. Maybe his brother would get the 'Pillow' Jedi. Or another one of his other brothers. It would be highly likely… after all there was six Jedi. But to Cody's disappointment, the Mirialan stepped forward.

"I am Jedi Master Luminara. I will be your unit's General."

"Yes sir!"

The two walked away from the five remaining Jedi and clones.

One by one, the Jedi repeated the process, heading down the line. As each clone stepped forward, Cody felt his frustration grow even more. Finally, the only two who remained was the 'Pillow' Jedi, and the still-grinning one. Cody looked to his right and found Rex, who appeared to have a bit too serious a face.

The two remaining Jedi were talking in hushed tones, so Cody chanced a word to his brother, "I know you're laughing."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Rex, you were one of the clones who saw the 'Pillow' Jedi. I know you're laughing."

"I'm not laughing!"

"Rex."

"Ok, maybe I am laughing, but this is just so funny!"

"It's not, it's really not…"

The Jedi's attention turned back to the two troops, and Cody had to tuck the conversation away to be discussed at a later date.

The grinning Jedi pointed at Rex, "You're up."

Cody finally sighed in defeat and hoped to be assigned to the 'Pillow' Jedi. He'd prefer a nickname over that smile, any day.

"CT-7567. Captain of the 501st Battalion." The crazy looking Jedi's grin widened, if that was possible, and he stepped forward. "I was assigned to you, Captain. Do you like adventures? You look like you do."

The Pillow Jedi glanced sharply at the crazy younger Jedi. "Anakin, manners." The crazy Jedi, Anakin, smirked at the ginger haired, older Jedi. "Sorry Master. But seriously," he turned back to the clone captain, "Do you? My Master says I like to get in trouble little too much, but who cares what he thinks?"

Cody glanced at Rex, wanting to see his brother's reaction, and was a bit surprised to see him fighting back a gleeful smile. Maybe putting those two together isn't the greatest idea… Cody could already see the trouble brewing underneath.

The commander turned his attention back to the Pillow Jedi, who was now standing in front of him, looking slightly amused and exasperated at the younger Jedi's antics. "Commander CC-2224 of the 212th battalion, reporting for duty, sir." He said, snapping to salute the Jedi before him.

The Jedi smiled gently. "Hello Commander. I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." He bowed, brown robes rustling slightly at the movement. Cody blinked. He wasn't expecting that. The other Jedi, Skywalker, hadn't done anything of the sort. He supposed the other generals must have done something similar, but he hadn't been paying attention when they introduced themselves to their troops.

Before he could say anything regarding this, the Jedi Master was standing up straight again, soft smile in place. Cody took a chance to observe the man's features, though he already recognized him from their first...meeting. The Jedi still had ginger hair, though it was shorter than the first time Cody had seen it. He had pale skin, freckles lightly dusting his cheeks and nose, and soft grey blue eyes.

The Jedi spoke again, startling the clone out of his observations. "Commander, you may stop saluting me."

Cody blinked. He didn't understand exactly why the new general phrased an order that way. He had been trained to respond to 'Parade rest!', not a polite 'You may stop saluting me'. Regardless, the Jedi had ordered that, so Cody obliged and fell easily into parade rest. His general smiled again, eyes gentle yet curious. The clone obviously wasn't the only one new to these interactions.

"Commander, if you do not mind me asking," the man began, hesitating only a second, before continuing in his accented voice, "Do you have a name?"

Cody blinked again. Maybe the general hadn't heard him the first time, or maybe this was a test. He sincerely hoped it wasn't the latter.

Kenobi must have picked up that he was slightly confused (the man was a Jedi, and Cody had heard they could read minds) because he spoke again. "Besides an issued number, I mean."

Oh. That made more sense. Honestly, why couldn't Jedi just say what they meant the first time?

"Commander Cody, sir." He replied, stiffening in parade rest respectively under the general's gaze. The Jedi nodded. "Cody," Kenobi said with a slightly teasing look in his eyes, "You don't have to call me 'sir'. Obi-Wan will suffice." The clone nodded, but didn't say anything. It would be disrespectful to the general to call him that, even if the Jedi himself had requested it, and it went against all of the clone's training that had been drilled into his head from the beginning of his existence.

As they walked to join the troops, Rex caught Cody's eye for a brief moment and gave him a small smirk. Inwardly, Cody sighed, knowing the teasing that was to come. On the bright side, he wasn't with the insane General.