Chapter Seven: Disparity

As Creon watched the small moon appear in the viewport, it occurred to him that this would be the first planet he'd ever visited outside of his homeworld. The thought was not met with wonder or excitement, but rather an indifferent kind of acknowledgment. It is a necessary step to procure the subjects for my research, but I hope the process does not take too long. I am anxious to get to work. Having finally decided to leave his quarters, he stood on the bridge of the Separatist ship beside the pale woman – Ventress, he told himself – and took in the sight of the new world.

The moon of Caradoc orbited a gas giant – Pirdia – somewhere in the Mid-Rim, though he was unsure exactly where they were located at the moment. Navigation had never interested him in any real way, though he supposed that was due in part to the recalcitrant nature of his people. It appeared to be mostly green, which intrigued him. He had not taken the time to look over the moon's specifications before now, but the presence of so much green indicated that there was much vegetation, which was not something that had been seen on Kamino in many, many generations. Creon looked at the Human woman beside him. "What are your plans?"

She did not respond for several moments, as if debating whether or not to speak to him. "There is a small settlement along the equator whose inhabitants have been known to shelter traitorous Separatist agents as they betray the Confederacy." She gave a cold smile. "We are going to pay them a visit."

"And you are certain that the Republic will respond with force?" Creon did not try to keep the doubt from his voice. "I need those clones."

Pale eyes turned to him and he felt a strange sensation in his mind, as though someone was attempting to sap his resolve. The Force. There must be some way to integrate that ability with my research.

When Ventress spoke again, there was no room for doubt. "You will have your subjects, but you should keep in mind that there is such a thing as 'too much' curiosity." She looked back at the viewport and gave a command to the droid at the helm. Moments later the ship began to make its way to the equator of the planet.

Creon shook his head. The sensation was gone, along with it the unsettling feeling; now he only felt intrigued by the experience. However, he examined the woman surreptitiously as a thought occurred to him. "They will send a Jedi with the clones, will they not?"

She looked back at him and he noted that one of her brows had lifted. "Perhaps. The Jedi are overly fond of their toy soldiers and will seek to protect them even as they send them to their deaths."

"How does one go about detaining a Force-user?" Even though his mind was whirring, Creon did not miss the gleam of satisfaction in the pale woman's eyes.

Stonewall and his brothers followed Gree through the ship until they reached the barracks where he assumed they were to stay while aboard the Tranquility. Through what little he could tell with the Force, Gree was not exactly pleased with the clone captain, his squad, or Kalinda. I'm sure the hair doesn't help. Perhaps I should have dyed it back after all. He watched as his brothers slipped into the barracks before he glanced at the commander.

"You have a question, Captain?"

"Sort of," Stone replied, keeping his tone polite. "More of an explanation, really. About the hair. I realize it's a bit...out of place. I'm not sure if you keep up with bolo-ball, but the finals were held recently and I wanted to show my support for Eltair."

There was a hissing sound as Gree unsealed his own bucket and the two clones regarded each other. The commander had hair in a similar style to Weave's and Stone remembered that – to many clones – the twin strips were a memorial of sorts to their fallen comrades. No matter what else, we're brothers. Surely we can work through all the other nonsense.

"I didn't hear a 'sir' in any of that." Gree's voice was sharp. His chin lifted and his eyes on Stonewall were discerning.

Maybe not. "My apologies, sir," Stone replied.

The commander nodded, clipped his helmet to his belt and crossed his arms. "I know that you've been used to operating in a particular manner, Captain, but I want you understand that while you and your squad are on this ship, you are under my command, and I like things done a certain way. Is that clear?"

Stonewall tamped down the flare of irritation at the commander's words. No need to get annoyed. He's just doing his job. "Certainly, sir. However, we are both ultimately under the command of the Generals, and the Jedi that I've been working with for well over a year also prefers things done a certain way. I respectfully ask that you keep that in mind. Sir."

Before Gree could reply, there was a shout of acknowledgment from within the barracks. "Weave? Is that you? I'd thought I'd seen the last of you at Ryloth!" At the mention of his brother's name, Stonewall turned to see the squad medic being greeted by another clone.

Weave's expression wavered between welcome and trepidation, though ultimately he smiled. "Good to see you too, Blink." They clasped forearms before Weave began to introduce the newcomer to the rest of Shadow Squad.

Stonewall glanced at Gree. "Permission to step away?"

There was a long pause before the commander replied. "Granted. I'll contact you once General Unduli schedules the briefing." With that he turned and exited the barracks.

It was not that Weave didn't want to see Blink, one of the only brothers he'd known since his earliest days on Kamino. I feel like I was finally about to shake all of those memories off, and now it's like I can't get away. He sighed inwardly as he made the necessary introductions.

"Nice to meet you," Crest said with his customary grin. "Like the hair – or lack thereof. It's all the rage from what I hear."

Blink smiled and tilted his head; the light reflected off of his hairless skull. "It's easy on the upkeep," he replied. After a few more moments he looked up as the captain approached. Immediately, Blink's spine straightened as he came to attention, his feet planting on the ground with his chin held high.

Weave nearly laughed until he realized that the other clones in the barracks were doing the same thing, much to Stonewall's amusement. I'd almost forgotten that we're supposed to do that.

The clone captain shook his head and reached for Blink's hand. "At ease. Nice to meet you...Blink? Any friend of Weave's is a friend of mine."

Blink stared at him for a moment before his shoulders relaxed and he nodded. "Good to hear, Captain. Glad to have you along for the ride, sir."

"Glad to be here." Stonewall looked at his squad. "What say we take a few minutes and enjoy the comforts that this cruiser has to offer? We've been sharing a 'fresher for far too long," he added, glancing at Blink, who pointed across the room.

"Sir. 'Freshers are down that corridor. I'd hurry, though. Some of the others are in a drill session right now and they'll be wanting them when they get back."

"Noted." Stonewall tilted his chin. "Come on, guys. Let's go." Weave paused as the others moved to follow the captain, who looked back at him. "Not coming?"

Weave glanced at Blink, who lifted his brow. "In a minute, Captain, if you don't mind." Stonewall nodded and continued walking.

"Think that you're ready to wash that stuff out yet?" Weave smiled as he heard Crest's voice fading as they left the room.

"Not until we find out the final score, vod..."

Blink gave a small shake of his head and looked at him. "Your captain seems a little...unorthodox. Commander Gree said something about you special ops fellows being unusual, but he almost looked surprised when I saluted him." The bald clone chuckled even as he gave Weave an appraising look.

There were only a few other clones in the barracks at this time, none of whom seemed overly concerned with Weave and Blink, so the former took a seat on a nearby bunk, his brother coming to sit across from him. "We tend to run a bit more informal than most," Weave said after a moment. "Though it goes back to how Ka – General Halcyon prefers things."

"Ah. I've heard much the same thing," Blink replied with a nod. "General Unduli does run a tight ship, but I've never been more confident in anyone's abilities than hers. In my opinion, there is no greater Jedi in the entire galaxy." His voice was filled with awe and respect.

These words cast Weave's memory back to many of the situations that Shadow Squad had found themselves in and he recalled that, though she may not have had the answers, Kalinda always did her best to find the best possible solution as well as keep himself and his brothers safe. "I know how you feel," he said at last. "Our general's..." He trailed off in thought for a moment before giving a small shake of his head and looking back at Blink. "Determined."

Blink frowned. "I've heard other things as well," he said at last. At Weave's look he shrugged. "Just rumors, you know?"

"What kind of rumors?" He had an inkling but wanted to hear it from his brother, who was looking uncomfortable with the entire conversation.

"You and your questions..." Finally Blink sighed. "Look, it's just idle gossip, but some of the guys who have spoken with others – some in the 501st, some other divisions – have said that there's something going on between General Halcyon and Captain Stonewall. Something that's not quite...professional." He held up his hands. "Just a rumor, you know?"

Weave felt a flash of anger, though he wasn't sure at whom it was directed. Those who are spreading the gossip? The captain, for letting it get out of hand? He decided to feign ignorance, for now. "Hmmm...do you remember when that fellow from Beta squad – what was his name? Snatch or Snitch or something – anyway; do you remember when he said all that stuff about General Shaak Ti?"

"It was 'Catch,' I think," Blink said with a nod. "Some people will say anything to get attention, I suppose."

As Weave had expected, this elicited a bout of reminiscing about 'old times,' and he hoped that the matter of Kalinda and Stonewall would be dropped; however, he still felt a nameless anger tugging at his heart and it bothered him that he could not quantify it.

The shower was fantastic, but Kalinda mentally reprimanded herself for dropping her guard around Luminara as she had done. I need to be more mindful of myself around her...she's in charge here, and I need to act more professional.

Kali knew that it was just Luminara's nature to be dispassionate, to keep herself separate even from her friends. The woman exemplified the Jedi Order's edict of non-attachment. But at what cost? I've always found strength in my friendships. And my love. Even though with Obi-Wan it sometimes caused me pain, ultimately I'm glad I experienced it. I would never want to forget anything. She cast her mind to Stonewall and gave a quiet sigh as she dressed in a fresh set of clothes that Luminara had no doubt provided.

It had only been about twenty minutes, so she had some time to spare before the briefing, though she found the idea odd. I know it's protocol, but still. We all know why we're here. Why do we need to have a discussion about it? She activated her comlink to voice-only. "Stone?"

There was a moment before he replied in his most professional tone. "General Halcyon."

Blast...he's not alone. "Captain, are you ready to go to Master Unduli's briefing?"

"Nearly, sir," he replied and she found herself grinning at the formality of his voice. "Just finishing up in the barracks."

"Great." She paused, deliberating. It was tempting to see if they could find a few spare moments together, but she realized that was probably not the wisest course of action. "I'll see you there," she said at last, but she couldn't stop herself from adding: "And Captain? Master Unduli spoke to me about your hair. Perhaps after the briefing we can revisit the issue."

Kali could discern the smile in his voice, though she imagined that he was trying not to. "As you say, General Halcyon. Sir."

She ended the transmission and shook her head. I'll wager he tacked that on just to annoy me. I'll get him back. A glance at her chrono showed that it was time to leave so she exited her quarters and made her way to the tactical room where the briefing was to take place. Minutes later she met Stonewall just outside the door. They exchanged a glance before he stepped aside so that she could enter first.

Luminara and Commander Gree were already present and Kali immediately sensed a flicker of irritation from the other clone as she and Stone entered, though it faded almost instantly. Aside from the standard translucent charts and workstations that were scattered about, there was also a large holo-projector at the center of the room, which the other Jedi and her officer were facing. Kali moved to stand across from her while Stone took his customary place at her right side, opposite Gree, whose eyes, Kali noticed, flicked to Stone's hair and again she felt a flare of annoyance from the commander.

Luminara nodded to her commander, who pulled up an image of the section of space where they were currently located. He began going over the facts of their mission and Kali sighed inwardly as she gazed at the rotating image. Memories of Kamino kept resurfacing in her mind and she found herself thinking back to the clone boy that she'd entertained with the bubble of seawater. It was nice to see him act like a 'regular' kid. I don't think that any of them were ever allowed to be children. Not that Jedi were much better, but Jonas always made sure that I got to play a little bit when I was younger. How many of the clones can say that?

"Is there a problem, Knight Halcyon?" Luminara's voice made her look up.

Kali gave a polite smile. "Of course not, Master. I was just thinking about Creon Dai's research on Kamino...it seems that he was interested in cybernetics more so than genetics. According to the Prime Minister, he was passionate about his work...if that was the main reason for his alignment with the Separatists, I can only imagine what they're trying to do."

"It is pointless to speculate until we have genuine proof," Luminara said. "Though I-" she paused as her comlink began to chirp. "What is it?"

"Emergency transmission from a nearby system, General." It was one of the clones on the bridge. "Shall I patch it through, sir?"

The Jedi Master answered in the affirmative and in the next moment the image of an elder Rodian male appeared before them at the holo-projector. "This is administrator Thy Tello of the Omega community on Caradoc. If anyone is out there, we require immediate assistance: a Separatist gunship has just appeared in orbit and is beginning to send down droid transports..." There was a tremendous booming sound; he winced and glanced at some distant point. "They're attacking our settlement without rhyme or reason...please, you must send help!" After a few more seconds of garbled words the transmission ended.

"Transmission originated from one of Pirdia's moons, General," Gree said as he ran his eyes over the encryption codes. "Caradoc. Small, sparsely populated, though it has been a haven for several Separatist defectors who wish asylum."

"Is there no one else nearby who can assist us?" Kali asked.

The commander paused to check before he shook his head. "Negative, General Halcyon. The nearest Republic ship is well over eight hours away." He glanced up, a wry look on his face. "The good news is, there doesn't appear to be more than one Seppie ship involved."

The Jedi exchanged glances and Kali noted that Luminara seemed to have reached a similar conclusion. Ventress. It was just too much of a coincidence. "This is a trap, isn't it?"

The Mirialan Jedi gave a small smile at Kali's remark. "Possibly, but we must offer those citizens protection if we can. We shall not go in blindly, at any rate." Luminara nodded and called the helm, ordering them to set a course for the moon. "We'll need to prepare for a ground assault, Gree," she said. "But before we do, I want to know exactly what we're up against..."

She began listing technical aspects of the Separatist ship even as Kalinda felt a thrill of apprehension at the words "ground assault." Aside from Basrah, I haven't been involved in a 'real' battle. The realization was distressing but she cast the feeling aside. "Where can we be of most assistance, Luminara?"

"My boys are more than able to help, Commander," Stonewall added, his shoulders squaring. "Just tell us where you want us." He radiated calm assurance and Kali realized that out of everyone in the room, she was the least experienced with the mechanics of warfare.

Luminara seemed to sense her feelings even as she nodded to Stonewall. "Thank you, Captain. I'm sure that Gree will find a place for you and your squad. Kalinda; you and I shall focus our energies on Ventress – if she is present – as well as ensure the safety of the civilians."

A cold feeling of dread clenched in Kali's gut as a thought occurred to her. "And the troops? It's my understanding that a Jedi's role is to draw as much fire from them as we can."

"Indeed, that is one of the many roles that we play," Luminara replied. "Though our main objectives will be to collect Ventress and protect the settlers, it is also up to us to protect as many of the soldiers as we can while they do their jobs." Here she cast a brief look at the commander beside her, and if Kali had not known any better, she would have thought that there was something in the Mirialan woman's gaze besides impartiality.

After a trip to the 'freshers, his brothers had elected to go to the mess hall; Weave and Blink decided to accompany them. Several more of General Unduli's men met them there and for a little while it was pleasant to be part of a larger group again. Crest was in his element, sharing some of the more entertaining details of their past missions, though he was prone to hyperbole. "There were at least three hundred of the kriffing things, headed right for us."

One of Blink's comrades shook his head. "And they were invisible? Get out..." Beside him, some of the others muttered in agreement and rolled their eyes.

"It's true," Milo added, sitting up. "There was some kind of special shield that prevented us from seeing them."

Crest nodded; his voice had dropped and taken on a dramatic tone as he narrated. "So: it's just the five of us against a whole mess of these 'stealth-droids.' Obviously, Shadow Squad could handle it, but we're not going to turn down help if it comes along...so when the boss showed up with the pirate gang-"

Blink glanced at Weave who sighed. "Yeah, pirates. Trust me, he couldn't make this kind of thing up."

"Boss?"

"Oh." This caused Weave to sit up and look at his brothers, none of whom were paying him any mind while Crest and Milo were enthusiastically re-enacting their battle on Florrum. "General Halcyon...Crest calls her 'boss.'" He shrugged at Blink's expression of astonishment. "I know it's a bit unusual, but she prefers it that way."

His friend shook his head. When he spoke, his voice was pitched so that only the two of them could hear. "It's more than unusual, Weave. It's wildly inappropriate. I mean, despite what I've heard about General Halcyon's interactions with her soldiers, I would think that you of all people would know the dangers of acting...abnormally." He shot Crest a glare, though the other clone didn't seem to notice.

Weave frowned. "I follow orders, Blink, just like you. She told us not to call her 'General' all the time, so that's what we do. It's not my place to speculate as to why." This wasn't entirely true, but it was true enough. She's grown close to us, as we have to her. I don't know of any other Jedi who has done so.

"It's still odd," Blink replied. "And you'd better not let Commander Gree hear you say that." He looked at Weave, considering. "At least it seems like you've stopped asking so many questions. I always told you that wouldn't lead you to a good end."

At the mention of this, Weave felt an instinctual flash of fear course through him before he tamped it down. You're not on Kamino any longer. No one's going to 'recondition' you for being curious. That thought gave him some comfort and he took a deep breath, looking back at his squad-mates. Crest had moved on from the Florrum incident and was reliving another mission when Weave's comm lit up, revealing the captain's form.

"Get the lads together, would you? We've got a bit of a situation."

"Captain?"

Stonewall's brow furrowed. "Ventress. We're on the way to Caradoc to rescue some innocents from that..." He shook his head and continued. "Ground assault. Be ready."

Weave nodded and looked up as – in the next moment – an alarm began to wail, which caused all of the others to spring to their feet. Blink cast him a glance and grinned, all other things between them forgotten in the light of the pending battle. "Into the fray again, eh brother?"

Things are starting to move! Next up: ground assault at Caradoc. Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?

Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing! I heart you!