Harsh brotherhood

Captain Rex, Commander Scorpion and Captain Loco plan for a campaign to liberate the planet of Ord Mantell when their different personalities clash.

Ord Mantell High Orbit, One Circle Fleet, Venator Star Destroyer Resolute

1st Star Recon Battalion Captain Loco viewed the intelligence situation on Ord Mantell displayed on the holopad he held. He wore the armor of a BARC trooper with light green markings and both his shoulder pads was light green. He had just finished a transmission to Commander Neyo with the 327th Star Corps. His apathetic brother on Saleucami with the 327th Star Corps. Commander Neyo was one of only a rare few clones the cold Captain considered his brothers and had befriended. Another was Bacara. The trio had a few things in common. They were outsiders in the GAR. Bacara was extremely harsh, Neyo was dead inside and Loco was filled with hatred for everything and everyone. Everyone from the jedi, senators, his fellow clones and everyone in between.

Looking over the holopad he noted that they lacked a lot of Intel going in. that was something he had learned to live with since the war begun. Republic Intelligence was often wrong or simply missed information. It made men like him and Neyo even more important when ground operations begun.

Captain Rex of the 501st Legion and Commander Scorpion of Doomsday Battalion was overlooking the holotank. It had a tactical map over the region they would drop in. Both the 501st and Doomsday was filled with elite troops and veterans. They were some of the best the Grand Army of the Republic had. Groundside, the Sepis had dug in hard. It had taken two months for the damned Republic to scrap together enough forces to head for Ord Mantell. It was actually not usual in this region they worked but at least the GAR was flexible given the circumstances. They didn't even have the full Open Circle Fleet at their disposal. Most ground forces was with General Kenobi on another planet.

"If we land there we'll be too far from the goal," Scorpion argued.

"Closer and our gunships will be picked off by Sepis anti-air cannons," Rex restated his position.

Scorpion was dressed in a black and red armor with a red skull on his chest. It was the insignia of the Doomsday Battalion. Otherwise he had the macro binoculars, skirt and shoulder armor that was standard officer gear. He leaned against the holotank displaying the map.

"The clankers will have a lot of time to reinforce their positions and send armor across the river," Scorpion said. He pointed to the river crossing their map. It had two bridges going across. They had two-hundred meters between them. "Instead of on the offensive we'll be on the defensive until all our forces have landed." He wanted another way but he didn't see one right now.

"Then we take the direct route," Loco stated flatly.

Rex and Scorpion looked at him.

Loco lowered his pad and stepped up to the holotank.

"Some casualties is expected to achieve victory," was his cold and nonchalant addition to his first statement.

"Our casualties would be extremely heavy," Rex said and pointed at the droid positions. "These cannons will pommel our troops to the ground when we land. At least half of the men will die before landing and half of the rest will die in the bombardment and droids advance. This is the Orion Task Force we're dealing with. Commodore Jaeriel knows how to utilize her forces to perfection."

"But a third survivors to assault the enemy," Loco claimed. "Two thirds seem like acceptable losses to me."

"Not to us," Scorpion snorted.

Loco looked at him, tilting his head. "Didn't you lot tons on Kali'nock 3?"

Scorpion narrowed his eyes slightly under his red and black helmet.

"A lot of your men was slaughtered, right?" Loco continued.

"Stow it Loco," Rex told him.

Scorpion straightened up. He crossed his arms over his chestplate.

"No. If he's got a point, let him make it," he disagreed with Rex with a hard voice. "What are you going…brother?"

Loco looked at him and removed his helmet. He revealed his purple backcombed hair and the cold look in his eyes, hiding away a dark secret. Rex didn't like where this was going and knew he had to stop it before it went too far.

"You took heavy losses there," Loco said.

"It was a hellish planet and a fortified droid garrison," Scorpion answered.

The tension was growing to tense it could soon be cut with a knife.

"In war people die. Like yours. Yours…brothers." There was a disgust in Loco's voice at the last word. "Acceptable losses. Better men would have lives."

Scorpion had had just about enough of the bastard. After a weeks together with him he couldn't take him much more.

"Back off, I'm warning you, Loco," he warned him menacingly.

"Listen Captain," Rex demanded. "Get out, or shut up. this isn't helping anyone and we have a planet to liberate."

Loco's face twisted into an angry one from the former cold he usual showed.

"Your Battalion names pretty fitting given everyone's doomed because of you," Loco hissed, intending to rile the Commander up.

"Back off before I knock you out pile of slime," Scorpion threatened.

"Scorpion," Rex looked across the holotank at his brother.

Scorpion met his gaze and then sighed. He removed his helmet and shook his head.

Rex then looked at Loco with narrowing eyes. "If you can get it together I'll have you removed from the Command Center. You got a problem with that, take it up with General Skywalker and Naeyla."

Before either Scorpion or Rex could speak again Loco hit Scorpion square in the jaw with a closed fist. It cause the immediate attention of every clone in the CC. Loco was good at delivering the insults and quick to mock but he refused to take it in return. All the hatred he hid inside was trying to get out. With weeks without action he didn't have a good release for it.

Scorpion was quick and elbowed Loco in the arm to block his second attempt. He clenched both his fists and punched the Captain twice in the chest before grabbing his arm and twisted it around, then delivering a kick in his chest while holding onto his arm at an angle. Loco elbowed him in the head three times in a row in an attempt to get him off.

In the next second Rex pulled Loco away from Scorpion and pinned him to the holotank. Two other clones helped him hold their brother down.

"Calm the hell down!" Rex shouted at him.

A pair of officers from Doomsday Battalion checked on their CO.

Loco wasn't struggling and just let himself be pinned by Rex. The Captain turned to a pair of 1st Star Recon officers.

"Get your CO back to his quarters," he ordered and let Loco go.

Scorpion met Loco's gaze for a moment. He exchanged a look with Rex.

"Stay there until General Skywalker comes to speak to you," he ordered.

Slowly, Loco shoved the troopers out of his way and walked towards the door and the turbolift.

"Yes, sir," he grumbled coolly.

"Inform the generals we've had an incident," Rex ordered a trooper.

"Yes, sir," he complied.