Mysteries Revealed
Chapter 4: Preparations for the Mission, or Anakin's New Crew
A/N: I do not own Star Wars.
Coruscant.
One of the most magnificent places in the Republic. Buildings that were thousands of feet high, and hundreds of meters wide. Buildings that have stood at their places for a thousand, or more, years. Construction which took the time out of billions of men, woman and droids, to make beautiful skyscrapers, the Senate buliding, the Jedi Temple and the electricity lines. Years, it took beings to make Coruscant the jewel and capital of the Republic.
At least, from what Obi-Wan had studied.
He now stood on a platform near the Jedi Temple, admiring the arcetect of the buildings. Most buildings were curved or held a prism of some sort on the top. As far as Obi-Wan was concerned, these buildings have been up way longer than perhaps Master Yoda has been alive.
Obi-Wan chucked. I can't picture anyone or anything besides Coruscant being older than Master Yoda. In fact, I don't think anyone can.
The Temple was the most intriguing of all the buildings of Coruscant. Unlike the skyscrapers that reached up higher than the eye can see, the Temple wasn't tall in height. The Jedi Temple, which has stood for thousands of years, was unique indeed. Stretching at hundreds of meters, the Jedi Temple took up more room (width wise) on the surface than ten skyscrapers.
Obi-Wan didn't notice a strong Force prescence join him. He could also hear footsteps that belonged to a human and rolling wires that belonged to a droid. The Master smiled.
"I was starting to wonder when you were gonna get here, Anakin."
Anakin laughed, which was followed by a series of what sounded like laughs from an R2 unit. Artoo Detoo.
"Haven't you learned to trust my puncuality yet, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, I have learned to not trust for you to be on time." Anakin made a hurt face.
"Master, I am hurt." Obi-Wan grinned. Faker.
The Master cleared his throat. "Well, the good news is that-"
Anakin gasped. Obi-Wan immediatley stopped.
"What! What's wrong?" he asked. Anakin pointed to Obi-Wan's head.
"Your hair! It's gone!"
Anakin was right. Obi-Wan's adnormally long hair (which made him look so sexy) was hardly even there! It was perhaps a bit longer that Anakin's, now. It now swooped a little over his forehead, either than that, there was hardly any left.
Again, Obi-Wan chuckled. "Well, I was in a situation which forced me to-"
Anakin burst into a short laugh. Artoo made a rasberry noise. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. What's so funny?
"What?"
"Force! It's a pun!"
Obi-Wan thought for a moment, then chuckled along with Anakin and Artoo. "Yes, you're right. Well, I was in a situation in which...cutting my hair off was... very nessicery."
Anakin nodded in understanding, but of course, he probably didn't. "So is it my turn?"
Obi-Wan looked at his former apprentice. "Your turn for what, Anakin?"
Anakin pointed to his hair with his droid arm. "To have a mullet."
Obi-Wan pinched his eyebrows together."What will that accomplish?"
Anakin shrugged. "Qui-Gon had one, and so did you. So naturally, I should have one."
Obi-Wan laughed. He couldn't think straight from the thought of Anakin with a mullet.
"Perhaps your Padawan will have one, as well." Anakin huffed. Why would I want to babysit a youngling when a war's going on? Besides, I just became a Knight!
"Yea, right." He looked at a group of clone troopers, who were stationed in rows of ten. All of them had blue stripes going down their arms.
"Master, what's with all the lieutenants?" Anakin asked, pointing at the clones. Obi-Wan looked at them, along with Artoo, who rotated his dome.
He folded his arms over his chest. "It's new. Clone troopers commanders and captains aren't identified by colours but by kamas and paudrons. Their platoons are identified with colours depending on their batallion."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Sounds confusing."
Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin's comment. "That company is Torrent Company, part of the 501st Legion. Their colour is blue, apparently."
Anakin folded his arms over his chest, as well. Blue like Artoo. "Aren't they led by General Quick Als?"
Obi-Wan frowned. "Were."
Anakin's jaw almost dropped. Were? As in...
He gulped. "Master Als died?" Obi-Wan just nodded slowly. Artoo made a sad sound.
Master Quick Als was a respected Jedi amoung all the students and teachers of the Jedi Order. His name was just as famous as Cin Drallig, the lightsaber specialist. Als and Drallig were classmates as younglings. Als was a great Jedi. He taught Obi-Wan along with many other Jedi. To hear his death was devistating.
Anakin nodded in understanding. "So, what will happen to Torrent Company?"
Obi-Wan looked back at Anakin. "You will lead it."
Anakin didn't even hear Obi-Wan. Me? Lead Torrent Company?
The young Jedi couldn't control his excitement. "Torrent Company is mine? I can't believe it! I get my own company! Do I have a clone officer, like yours, CC-2224?"
Obi-Wan laughed. "Calm down, Anakin, and yes. You do have a clone officer." He motioned a clone forward.
"Anakin, this is Captain CC-7567." Anakin looked at the clone captain. He looked like any clone trooper, helmet, armour, straight position. But there were noticable difference between this clone and a regular Captain's helmet had Jaig eyes painted on it, showing that he must have proved valiant work on the field. He wore a paudron and a kama, both matching the blue on his his kama, two pistols rested in pouches. He appeared to hae survived through many battles, referring to the battle scars on his armour and the fading of his paint.
I thought that I was getting a commander, Anakin grumbled in his head. He looked at the clone trooper again. The scars looked as if he had fought since the Battle of Geonosis.
Hmmm... Perhaps he will suffice.
The Captain saluted. "Pleasure to meet you, General." Anakin nodded. Wonder if he has a nickname.
"Got a nickname?" he asked. The Captain didn't respond at first. Anakin could sense confusion within the clone. Clones probably aren't used to questions like that, Anakin concluded.
"Uh, sir?"
Anakin looked back at Obi-Wan. "That's the only thing I don't like about the Kaminoans. They don't give clones names, just a list of numbers which no one can remember." He paused. "Wouldn't nicknames be easier to distinguish clones?"
Obi-Wan placed a hand on his mustach. "You know, I never thought of it that way." He placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I'm going to check on your new flagship, the Fury."
Anakin nodded, as Obi-Wan left. The Captain moved himself slightly to place a bit closer to Anakin. Artoo continued to stay still. He didn't even talk. They watched as other ships flew past the Temple, as if a war wasn't going on.
Silence went upon them. It wasn't long, just awkward. Almost as if someone mention a random fact. It could be also that they hardly even knew each other.
It was Anakin who broke the silence. "So, you were part of the Battle of Geonosis?"
The Captain nodded. "Yes, sir."
"It was a costly battle, wasn't it?"
Again, the Captain nodded. "I lost many brothers that day."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. The Knight was familiar with the clones referring to each other as brothers, but he never talked to a clone about the term. I wonder why they call each other that?
"Brothers?" he asked.
The Captain shrugged slightly. "Pardon me, sir, but we refer to each other as brothers, since we are equal in DNA and we grew up with each other."
Anakin nodded in understanding. "I meant it as no regard, Captain." He stayed silent for a moment. "I'll find a nickname for you, eventually."
The Captain couldn't help but smile under his helmet. "I appreciate that, sir."
Anakin looked back at the other clone troopers. "So, how many men do we have?"
The Captain looked at his brothers. "There are about thrity troopers."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Don't companies usually have 144 troopers?"
The Captain nodded. "When we lost General Als, we lost a majority of our men. General Kenobi made a request for another hundred, and he saud that he would lend us some as well." He leaned in slightly. "We also recieved ten troopers today: five rookies, five veterans."
Anakin grinned, letting out a chuckle. "Leave it to Obi-Wan to help us rebuild a company."
The Captain let out a soft chuckle. "My comrade, CS-7634, will also be accompanying us."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Who's CS-7634?"
"He's my Sergeant, apparently. He goes by Jack, or, at least he wants to. Everyone wants to call him Jacked Up."
Anakin chuckled. Artoo agreed, according to the large rasberry sound he made. "I'm sure he's not that bad."
The Captain looked back at Anakin. Under his helmet, his face read dispare and annoyance. "Trust me, sir. He is."
Anakin shrugged. At least he has a nickname. But what if he is jacked up, like the Captain said?
Don't judge them unless you know them, Anakin. He thought about this Jack. I want to meet him.
"Captain, summon the Sergeant." The Captain, without hesitation, brought his wrist closer to his helmet and pressed some buttons.
"Sergeant, report here." Within a few seconds, a Sergeant came running over to the Captain and Anakin. Right from his appearance, Anakin could tell that this Sergeant was...'different'. Unlike the clean, white uniforms of his troopers with blue stripes down their arms, the Segeant's armour was dirty, with what looked like a bucket of blue paint splattered all over him. There were only certain places with this blue...stuff, though. It looked almost like camaflauge, how it was white in a few places and blue in most.
The Segeant saluted. "CS-7634, reporting for duty, sir."
"At ease, Sergeant." He nodded to the Captain. "Cap'n tells me that you go by Jack."
Jack nodded. "I try to, sir. I was referred to as that back on Kamino."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "May I make a suggestion to your nickname?"
Jack smiled under his helemt. "Of course, sir."
"Why not call you Blue Jack?"
The Sergeant's smile dissappeared. "Blue Jack, sir?"
The Captain tried very hard not to burst into laughter, since he was slightly holding his sides. Artoo looked as if he were laughing, because he began to shake uncontrollably.
"Good choice, General!"
Blue Jack raised an eyebrow. "You like it, sir?" The Captain nodded, after calming down.
"It fits, Sergeant."
He couldn't believe it. He went from just having a normal nickname to an outrageously longer one. Not to mention that it was humiliating. Good Force, why do I need a more complicated nickname? I might as well go by CT-7634! How can anyone remember such a long name?
Blue Jack. The name was formal with a hint of humour. Well, the boys wanted to call me Jacked Up, after all.
Perhaps this name won't be as bad as he thought.
He nodded. "I guess it does." He directed back to Anakin. "Thank you, sir." Anakin waved it off.
"No problem." Just then, Anakin's comlink beeped. He brought his mechanic wrist and forearm closer to his face. He pressed the comn's button.
"Skywalker here."
"General, we are approaching the landing platform with Senator Amidala."
Anakin nodded, trying to hide the emotion that fluttered through him at the mention of his wife. "I'll be there to meet you shortly, Captain Typho."
"Yes, sir."
Anakin turned off the comn, and turned himself to face west of his position. He began to walk to the far aide of the Jedi Temple landing platform, where more troopers stood to guard. Artoo followed right beside Anakin while the Captain and Blue Jack followed right behind them.
Blue Jack walked alongside the Captain. "Sir, is this the Senator we're taking with us?"
The Captain shrugged. "I assume so."
Anakin easily heard the troopers' conversation from behind his back. He did his best to hide his growing smile.
"Yes, troops. This is the Senator whom we are taking with us. She is to inspect the new Senator of Specro."
Blue Jack and the Captain eyed each other through their helmets, the exact expression written on their faces: confusion. Why would they need to bring a Senator with them if they were going to escort the new Senator of Specro here? For the sake to not argue against their new General (and that orders were to be followed without question), the brothers decided not to say anything about the mission.
The Senator, accompanied by four Naboo guards, bowed to General Skywalker and the clone troopers. Blue Jack eyed one of the guards, noticing that he wore an eye patch over his left eye. Must have lost it in battle, he mused.
"General Skywalker."
The General bowed his head. "Senator Amidala." The Captain and Blue Jack bowed, as well. Neither clones had met Senator Amidala (or any Senator, for that matter), but they knew that any type of authority deserved respect.
Senator Amidala turned her attention to the guard with the eye patch. "Captain Typho, you may leave with your men. I am in capable hands of these troopers."
Captain Typho nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "Of course, M'lady. But are you certain that my prescence is not needed?" he asked.
"I am fine, Captain. General Skywalker will be certain of my well-being."
Anakin folded his arms. "We'll take care of her, Captain. You've got nothing to worry about."
Typho held back a chuckle. Said the man who let her go to Geonosis. Than again, she was the one who insisted on going. Nevertheless, he and his men left without further question.
"Senator, I'd like you to meet my Captain and Sergeant; they are to help me lead in Torrent Company, part of the 501st," Anakin introduced.
"You-you got your own company?" Padmé asked, very surprised. Anakin walked behind his Captain and Sergeant, placing his hands on their shoulders.
"Yep, this is CC-7567," Anakin introduced, acknowledging the Captain, "and Blue Jack," he added, his attention going to the Sergeant. Both clones forced smiles upon their faces, although they knew that the Senator couldn't see through their helmets.
Padmé smiled at them, warmly. "A pleasure to meet you both."
"I see that Anakin has already shown off his Company," a thick Coruscanti accent joined in. Anakin turned to face his former Master, smiling.
"Obi-Wan, how is the ship?"
Obi-Wan folded his arms over his chest. "Quite impressve, I must say. I am no mechanic, but the tech design is extravagant." He smiled. "You ought to appreciate it, Anakin. It's quite well done."
Anakin mimicked Obi-Wan's fold of the arms again. "I just might."
Obi-Wan noticed Padmé, and bowed in respect. "It's good to see you again, Senator."
Padmè bowed her head toward Obi-Wan. "As it is to you, General Kenobi," she told him, smiling.
"How goes business within the Senate?"
The glowing of Padmé's radiant smile suddenly vanished. "Good, but not as well as I would have hoped. It's been difficult for the past month, I'll say that."
Obi-Wan nodded in understanding, feeling remorse for his friend. "Perhaps the war will end soon."
Padmè didn't respond. I want to believe it, old friend. I truly do. How can I when we've experienced war since the Trade Federation's blockade on Naboo ten years ago?
Anakin sensed the conflict within Padmé. "Perhaps," he agreed.
The Captain and Blue Jack tried to listen to the rest of the Jedi and Senator's conversation, but it was rather difficult. Politics were never, and possibly never will be, taught during combat training. Clones were just taught how to fight and be loyal to the Republic. If the leaders discussed battle tactics and machinery, perhaps the comrades might listen.
Blue Jack viewed the Captain through the corner of his eye, although it was challenging with the helmet over his face. The Sergeant fought the urge to roll his eyes. For an odd reason, he felt lower than the Captain. Well, he is a Captain and you're just a Sergeant, he reminded himself.
Blue Jack had to admit, he felt a little jelous of the Captain. He was the Company's leader, he was always with General Als and had gotten to know the General well, although Als wasn't much of a speaker.
C'mon Ja- Blue Jack. You have to accept that he's your CO and he is like a king on the battlefield: leading his kingdom to victories.
Huh. King...
"...and that is how I saved poor Obi-Wan's behind."
Blue Jac snapped back into reality. He watched as General Obi-Wan Kenobi roll his eyes while Senator Amidala tried to hold back a holler. General Skywalker just grinned ear to ear.
A beeping went off on Obi-Wan's wrist. Obi-Wan looked down at it and switched it off. He looked back at Padmé and Anakin.
"The Admiral is ready for take-off, Anakin."
Anakin held back a nervous sigh. Here it comes: my first mission as a General.
The three humans, followed by the clone troopers, walked up to the Fury, as they admired her excelence. Anakin personally loved the Venator-class ships, they were perfect in terms of mechanics. I might even go on and trick it up a bit.
Obi-Wan stopped at the ship. "Well, it looks as if we part ways now."
Anakin was about to walk up the ramp of the ship. He stopped and turned back to Obi-Wan. He placed a hand on his former Master's shoulder.
"We're not parting ways, Obi-Wan. Remember what you said to me the other night?"
Obi-Wan dared not to speak, for he was mezmerized by his former apprentice's newfound maturity level. It's getting higher...
Anakin continued, "You said that it is time that we become brothers."
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right." He chuckled. "In that case, brother, you should go now and check up on ole Kennster."
Padmé, who was starting up the ramp and stopped, couldn't help but chuckle at the Governor's nickname in which Obi-Wan had given him.
Anakin smiled, liking the nickname as well. "We're still a team, Kenobi. May the Force be with you."
Obi-Wan smiled back. "Yes we are, Skywalker. May the Force be with you."
Anakin nodded back to Obi-Wan, and he turned and walked up the ramp with Padmé, followed by clone troopers.
Once all the troops were on, and just before the Captain and Blue Jack could follow, which Artoo was with them, Obi-Wan stopped them.
"Make sure they don't get too close," he ordered. The Captain and Blue Jack nodded in understanding. Although Skywalker was their new Jedi General, they still had to follow orders given by higher ranking Generals. Kenobi himself was High Jedi General, which was higher that Skywalker's rank (he was just a Jedi General, which the next rank up would be Seinor Jedi General, then High Jedi General). Of course, the highest rank was held by the Supreme Chancellor, and everyone had to to do what he said. In short, the two clones cetainly needed to obey Kenobi.
Blue Jack and the Captain nodded. "Yes, sir." Obi-Wan nodded and left the two clones. Once Kenobi was off the docking bay, the two brothers
"Wait, wait! Please don't leave me behind!"
The Captain rotated, watching as a gold-plated protocal droid scurried toward them. He sighed. Artoo began to make raberry noises.
"Who are you authorized with?"
"Sir, I am See-Threepio, human cyborg relations, and I am to accompany Senator Amidala."
"C'mon, then, Shinie."
"Shinie? I'm See-Threepio, which is very different from Shinie, if you ask-"
The Captain pointed his thumb toward the Fury. "Just shut up and get on the ship!"
Without another, word, Threepio followed his counterpart up the railing. The Captain watched briefly as the two droids walked up to the ship, shaking his head. Someday those droids will be the death of us, he thought. Looking back to the docking bay, he watched as five completely white standard clones, followed by one with dirt on his uniform. Must be our new recruits.
The Captain waved a hand."Hurry up, rookies. We're leaving." The five rookies, led by the veteran, quickly jogged up the ramp.
"Yes, sir!" they saluted, as they ran past the Captain. The clone captain eyed them as the rookies continued their way up the ramp. Rookies, he thought. He looked back down on the landing platform. No clones, no droids...
Satisfied, the Captain walked up the railing, following the new clones. Once inside the ship, the ramp closed up, and the ship started to leave the atmosphere. The Captain made his way though the ship, passing his brothers and some hand droids. Why do we even have droids on this ship? he wondered. Seeing droids made him think about the deadly droids on the battlefield.
"Captain!"
The Captain quickly rotated his body. Blue Jack was darting his way towards him.
"Sergeant, you have a problem?" the Capain asked him.
Blue Jack shook his head. "No, sir. I just wanted to make a suggestion..."
The Captain frowned. Where is he going with this? "For?"
"Your name."
The Captain raised his eyebrow under his helmet. "Okay...?"
"I was thinking...King."
"King?"
Blue Jack nodded. "Yea. When you fight, you fight with honour. You are the leader of Torrent Company, part of the 501st, as we are your kingdom. You lead us to great victories, and you have the best insight a soldier could ever have. You're bold, tough, and you never let anyone tell you otherwise. So, King works."
The Captain didn't admit it, like he ever would, but he was touched by the Sergeant's choice of words. He shook his head. "Thanks, Bluester, but I'm not sure if I enjoy it. It soulds like a dictator name."
Blue Jack stopped. "Pardon?"
The Captain raised an eyebrow under his helmet. Does he not know what dictator means? Firefek, we learned this on Kamino when we were two! "You know, a dictator, like an Emperor or-"
Blue Jack waved his hands around. "No, what did you call me?"
"What? Bluester?" CC-7567 asked.
"Yea. What's Bluester?"
Oh. The Captain shrugged. "My nickname for you. I feel to blame that I encouraged your embarassing name, so I have one personally for me to address you."
At first, the Sergeant didn't know how to respond. He's never said anything nice to me before. Perhaps he's not as strict as I thought. Blue Jack smiled, flattered.
"Thank you, Cap'n." Blue Jack nodded and continued on his way. CC-7567 watched as his brother leave. Poor guy. He's usually all alone, with no other brothers to talk to. Maybe we should get to know each other better.
"Bluester!"
Blue Jack looked back at his CO. The Captain cocked his thumb towars the south-end of the ship. "Wanna go get some grub?"
The Sergeant looked surprised, for no one had ever asked him to eat with them. "Really?" he asked, as he started his way back to the Captain. He smiled. "Thanks again, Cap'n."
The Captain smiled, as he and Blue Jack walked through the hallyway. Maybe Bluester's not as jacked up as I thought. I think I'll like this guy.
On the bridge...
Anakin strodded onto the ship's bridge. Many clone officers sat on computer-like machines, running the ship through technology. A clone Sergeant stood up, observing the clones as they worked. On the top bridge, an elder man with an Admiral uniform, watched as the clones work. He rotated his head, noticing Anakin. He straightened himself up."General on deck!"
Immediately, all the clones stopped working, and stood up straight. "General, sir!"
Anakin raised his hand up. "At ease, men." The clones then went back to their work. The Admiral walked up to Anakin, giving him a head bow.
"Admiral Den Wolon, at your service."
Anakin nodded back. "Good to meet you, Admiral." Anakin eyed the interior of the ship. Hmm, looks like he's tweaked it a little already, and it's been busted up quite a few times. "I see your ship has survived since Geonosis. Impressive."
The Admiral nodded. "Yes, I've been her Admiral since the war let out." Anakin smiled.
"I've noticed some modefications to her as well."
Wolon nodded again. "I admit, I did have my own customs added to her." He paused. "I've been fixing, building and just messing around with droids and ships since I was a boy." Anakin smiled.
I like this guy, he's a mechanic buff like me."I know a thing or two about mechanics myself."
Wolon smiled as well. "Most impressive, General." Perhaps the Chancellor was right.
Anakin nodded. Obi-Wan said that the ships's ready. The sooner we get to Specro, the better. "Is the ship ready for lightspeed?"
Wolon nodded. "Yes, sir." He looked down at the clone trooper officers, who were preparing the ship. "Sergeant, prepare the ship for lightspeed."
An officer stood up and saluted to Wolon."Will do, sir." The Sergeant ordered the other clones to prepare for lightspeed.
Within seconds, the Fury disappeared into the black space.
To be continued...