Interlude

Shatter

Thunk.

Kev woke.

Thunk. Thunk.

He was on the Resolute, in the barracks. Echo and Fives had left for ARC training. There'd been a company farewell for the two men, a short speech from Captain Rex that generally boiled down to 'do good, don't die and maybe you'll be sent for ARC training like Fives and Echo'. General Skywalker and Commander Tano had also given speeches; even Admiral Yularen had said he'd rarely seen such fine troopers. Later, when he and Chopper had gone with them to the hangar deck, they'd seen the commander waiting there. She had even hugged them good-by in the hangar deck as they boarded their transport and whispered words of encouragement in their ears.

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

The sound came faster. Relentless. A soft pounding and it took several moments to identify it.

Flesh against metal.

Kev turned his head slightly. He had the far end bed, he had taken it in anger and a desire to not be 'contaminated' by proximity with the brain-damaged Chopper when he'd first come to Chopper's barracks. He had changed his mind about Chopper, finding qualities he'd never expected, but he hadn't changed his bunk. There were all the same in a barracks and there was no reason for him to change his placement.

By the light of the console glow, he could see Chopper's bunk and Chopper's back where his scars seemed like nothing more than a brother's tattoos in the half-dark. He seemed to be curled up as small as possible and Kev saw the rhythmic movements of his arms.

Thump, thump, thump.

It was a rhythmic rain of punches against the wall and Kev felt bile in his throat. He'd seen the hollow in the wall; he had even asked Echo about it once when they'd been the only two men in the barracks.

Echo had only stared sadly at the hollow place for a while then said, "When you find out, think about it."

The noise had stopped and Kev closed his eyes, but a low moan caused them to open again. It wasn't a moan of pleasure, common in many barracks, but softer, more stricken.

Kev kicked his feet over the bunk and sat, watching Chopper with a worried frown.


Chopper glanced over to see Tank fall even as a barrage of B1s converged on Caber who had moved to stand between them and Tank with the Z6.

"Kriff!" Then he opened channel to Kev as he ran. "Cover me, Kev. Caber needs help."

"Osik!"

From behind him Kev concentrated blaster fire on the wave of droids moving toward the two heavy gunners. Tank was down but alive, smoke rising from his ruined thigh-plate. Chopper saw him move and fire at a tinnie coming in towards Caber's side.

The droids seemed to be going down easy but the troopers were heavily outnumbered and Chopper didn't slow down as he ran towards them, his own blaster firing haphazardly into the group of clankers. There was no need to aim. There were so many droids, aiming for a particular droid was superfluous.

"No power, Chopper," came Caber's voice even as he slung the Z6 over his chest to grab Tank and swing him over his shoulders. Tank's cry of pain meshed with the cacophony of voices and noise in Chopper's helmet. Chopper stopped running and concentrated his fire on the droids closest to the men, giving Caber time to move. From behind him, Kev was covering them as well. Caber ran without glancing back, trusting the droids to fall, trusting Chopper and Kev to cover them.

Caber was moving fast, Tank, slung over his shoulder and doing his best to be a good burden. Suddenly a droid came around a corner, ahead of Caber, as surprised as any of the troopers. Instinctively, Caber pushed out his hand catching the droid in the middle of the chest with his armored fist. He continued to run, not noticing what happened to the droid.

"The droid broke, crumpling into a heap of pieces.

"What the …?" muttered Chopper. He glanced around, taking a moment to actually notice the downed droids. They didn't look right. He brought up the blaster again; he had a helmet vid. He'd figured it out when they had a moment. Caber was almost to Kev and the protection of the wall. Already Kix was running toward to help the wounded man.

"Cover Kix." Chopper called out to Kev even as Kev turned his blaster rifle to cover the medic. Then Kix was tending to Tank who moaned and cursed as the medic removed the smoking plates – cuisse and culet – to check the injury. Kev slapped a new power pack into Caber's hand and they fired into the mess of tinnies.

"Tank, can you make it or do you need to be hauled?" Chopper increased the volume to be heard over their blasters and the noise of the droids. "We have to get Kix to the commander's position. They're holed up and surrounded. Chance was the first one down."

Chance had been the medic.

There was a raspy breath and a shake of Tank's helmet. "Give me a blaster and two power packs. I'll cover you from here."

There was silence from the men and even the blaster fire from the droids seemed to lessen.

"Not an option, Tank." Chopper turned and handed his blaster to Kev. "You're riding Kix's tail, Kev. He doesn't stop and neither do you until you're both in front of the commander."

Kev nodded sharply and spoke over Kix's objection. "You just tell us when."

Chopper turned to Caber. "Do you have any more cartridges for the Z?"

Caber nodded, holding up two of the square boxes. "They're from Tank. He's now empty. Where do you want me?" He slapped one of the cartridges into the Z.

"Midway between Kix and me, we'll be hugging the hillside. I'll be hefting Tank and a bit slower. For the most part I want you closer to Kix, covering him and Kev. Once we're in sight of the commander's men they should give coverage and you can come back and cover me and Tank."

Chopper turned to the wounded man. "Tank, your aim will be lousy, but you're going to cover my back."

Tank gave a harsh laugh as his fingers curled around his sidearm, "Seeing as you'll be my pack eopie, it's the least I can do."

"One more thing," Chopper added as he reached out his hand to Tank, "these droids don't seem to be up to the usual standards, lower the power settings and don't bother aiming or doubling up your blaster shots. There's too many of them."

It was a hard run and Chopper suspected neither Kix nor Kev was going all out. Only when they reached within range of the commander's forces, did their sudden spurt of speed force Caber to decide which duo to cover. As Commander Tano and a squad of men left the barricade to assist them, Caber was at Chopper's side, spraying the droids with the heavy gun's fire even as Tank fired into the oncoming droids.

Chopper felt Tank's weight lighten. The commander was using the Force to lighten Tank's weight and Chopper could increase his speed as well. They ran into the cut of the hill which provided cover on three sides. The opening faced an army of waiting droids and CIS battle machines moving into position.

"Osik," exclaimed Tank in a strained voice as Chopper eased him down. "I liked the view better from your shoulders. I couldn't see a thing."

"We're outnumbered almost fifty to one," said the commander in her soft voice as she knelt by a blushing Tank.

"Sorry about the …uh… word, sir." Tank squirmed both from the injury and and the gentle touch of the commander on his shoulder.

Ahsoka's lips pursed in amusement and there was a twinkle in her eyes as she glanced at Chopper then back to the wounded man. "I find you a suitable punishment, Tank." Her fingertips brushed the cracked armor of his thigh and hip. "You can still handle a blaster, trooper, and we'll need that. I think you'll go best with Sergeant Kano."

"Yes, sir." Tank straightened his shoulders. This was not a good situation and death was probably imminent, but he'd go down with a blaster in his hand, like a trooper was supposed to go.

"I'll take him, commander," volunteered Chopper as he reached out and touched her elbow; as if to assist her to stand from her kneeling beside the wounded man. She let him, her arm as warm in his hand as the smile on her face. She was like radiant sunshine, her friendship a treasure he cherished. He'd make sure she survived this. Somehow.

Chopper's mind was still whirling with half-formed plans as he sat next to Kev at the embankment fortified by Sergeant Kano's squad. Kano's squad was making a solid space for Tank, someplace he'd have a good view and wouldn't need to move. There'd be no retreat from this battle.

Chopper narrowed his eyes as he removed his helmet. Looking out he could see droid remains.

"We got all of the men," the sergeant was saying. "Mostly we pulled back corpses, but there were some wounded that'll make it."

"If we all make it," cut in another voice and Chopper stiffened. He saw Kev turn his head but he didn't need to. He knew ARF Boomer's caustic voice. Chopper pushed Boomer to the back of his mind as less important than what he was looking at. There was something important about those droids…

"Hey Kev," he reached out absently, his mind too busy delving for information to realize what he was asking. "Lend me your bucket for a moment."

Sergeant Kano stiffened and ARF Boomer sneered and Chopper silently castigated himself for asking Kev this favor in a public situation. A trooper's helmet was keyed to his preferences, the most personal item in a trooper's kit.

With a tilt of his head, Kev had the bucket in his hand and casually passed it to Chopper.

The ARF's sneer at Chopper deepened. "Three quarter man." Then he turned toward Kev. "Guess you're new bottom man."

Chopper watched Kev's expression. It tightened in anger at the insult and sexual implications, just a bit then relaxed. Kev shrugged. "I've got his blaster. It's an even trade."

Chopper slipped on Kev's helmet and check the vids of when they'd come up the hill; when Chopper had been carrying Tank and couldn't observe the droids. He nodded his head, the view confirming his suspicions. As he drew the helmet off, he glanced around. Kev was looking out over the battlefield, the wind ruffling through his hair. Tank was there watching Chopper curiously but making no comment. Sergeant Kano and ARF Boomer had moved back and were discussing something. Chopper handed Kev the helmet and put his own back on.

"I need you to cover me," his said. "See that droid?" He pointed to some blasted remains closest to their hillside fortifications. "I'm going out to get it."

Kev merely nodded, set his helmet back on and wrapped his hands around the two blasters.

"Kriff, Chopper, Whatever for? They'll kill you." Tank raised a palm to Chopper.

What could Chopper say to that? He shrugged with a glance at Kev, inowing he'd be covered. He went private channel to Kev.

"If I don't make it back, Kev, there's something wrong with these droids. They go down far easier than any other droid I've ever seen."

"I've got you covered, Chopper," Kev replied, external audio and Chopper heard the soft sigh of Tank as he readied his weapons to assist.

"I just wonder," muttered ARF Boomer striding closer as they watched Chopper pick up the droid and sling it over his shoulders, "why a brain-dead di'kut still has brothers that cover him."

Kev glanced sufficiently quick to see a small curl to Boomer's lips that Kev neither liked nor trusted. There was no time to question that look and he began firing as the droids were converging on Chopper.

Ahsoka was moving toward them, speaking to her troops, encouraging them, sharing their water and food. All the men except Tank and Chopper, bending over some droid remains, stood at her approach.

"How are things going?" Her face turned to Sergeant Kano's.

"Decent, commander. They're bringing in some heavy artillery that will take down the mountain but it should be a several hours before they're in position for the attack. I'm going to send out two or three men in the dark for a bit of sabotage."

Chopper snorted, still engrossed in the droid remains he was dissecting with his vibroknife. "They've got night vision and I've seen a few commandos. They'll use those to protect the artillery. He stood, the droid chestplate in his hands, and looked into the commander's eyes. "I need to get back to General Skywalker, sir. With your permission, sir?"

She tilted her head, her eyes de-focusing in thought. Slowly she nodded. "Granted, Chopper. Take someone with you." She turned, palm opened to her ARF. "Take …."

"I'll cover him, Commander Tano," Kev interrupted, remembering Boomer's words as they'd watched Chopper run out and 'rescue' a droid. He didn't trust Boomer to cover Chopper. A part of him squirmed as he realized he'd often said very similar things.

"I'll take Kev, commander," nodded Chopper.

Ahsoka's eyes opened in pleased surprise and she regarded Kev with a smile. "Of course."


Chopper loped up to Captain Rex followed by Kev. The general was there as well. Chopper and Kev came to attention and saluted, waiting until the general had finished speaking. Both captain and general acknowledged their presence before they finished speaking and a frisson of pride ran up Chopper's spine.

"General Skywalker, Captain Rex, I have something to show you." He pulled out the droid piece he'd had tucked under his arm and held it flat. "Notice the edges."

"It looks like it was broken or shattered; like … glass," murmured Skywalker.

Rex took the piece and twisted it around nodding as he agreed with Skywalker's assessment. "No slag or melt marks from a blaster."

"Will you hold it steady for me, sir?"

Rex nodded and held the plate-size piece with both hands. Almost casually, Chopper back-fisted the piece of metal. It wasn't his full strength, wasn't even enough strength to push the metal from the captain's hands or to push the captain back a step.

The piece broke further, into two halves of almost equal size, small pebbles of armor plating falling to the ground along with a dusting of powder.

Both the general and the captain watched those small pieces with shock and Kev grinned, finally understanding.

"I won't tell you how good that felt." Chopper snorted in amusement.

Rex laughed softly even as he handed one piece to Skywalker and inspected the piece remaining in his hand.

Chopper nodded as they inspected the pieces closely. "I thought you might want it analyzed. I'm going to be busy with helmet vids tonight. Droids are not supposed to break when we hit them. Permission to return to duty?"

"Before tonight, trooper." Rex's voice halted Chopper mid-turn. "We need to know before tonight. What would you do right now, Chopper?" He glanced at General Skywalker who nodded his agreement.

Chopper looked down at the ground, at the powder of brittle metal dusting the rocks. "Low power and messy; something that delivers a lot of shrapnel, sirs." Chopper's body came to attention. "It doesn't need a lot of power. Caber simply pushed one out of the way and… it broke." He gave a small grin, glancing at General Skywalker who was nodding with his own predatory smile. "You and the commander can Force push them; perhaps better would be simply Force push a load or rocks at them."

Chopper dragged his hand over the face of his helmet in habit. "I should have told the commander that." He turned back to the general and Captain Rex. He was pretty sure they'd let him return to the commander's position after this news.

"If they're brittle, they're more susceptible to sound waves as well." He was talking as he thought now. "Perhaps adjust the speakers in the fighters to external broadcast? Is that difficult?" He turned his helmeted face to General Skywalker.

"It's very easy, Chopper. Any particular frequency?"

Chopper shook his head. "I'm sorry, General, I don't know. Yet."

The general nodded and was on his comm unit even as he turned from Captain Rex and Chopper. "Gold squadron, adjust your speakers for external audio, Gold One through Six modulate your frequency as high as possible; Gold Seven through Twelve go low. On your next sweep, forgo anything except speed and sound."

Fully half the droids disintegrated.

Kev heard the soft notes of Chopper's harmony-ka as he entered the shared barracks. Sometimes the music reminded Kev of Kamino, sometimes they reminded him of something he knew he hadn't yet experienced but would know when it happened.

"Do you want to go back to your old squad, Kev?" The captain had asked quietly, his head tilted in curiosity, after the battle. Kev was buoyant as he and Chopper strode through the hangar with the rest of the 501st, their boots clattering on the decking. Several men had slapped Kev on his shoulder. No one offered that camaraderie to Chopper and he'd even taken the wall-side to avoid it but his eyes glittered in triumph and he was grinning – abet grimly – as they made their way to the main corridors of the Resolute. Captain Rex had suddenly appeared in front of them and asked that quiet question of Kev.

Kev had hesitated.

Only an instant, but Captain Rex had seen it. "No, not yet." He had patted Kev softly on the shoulder. "You did good, trooper," he praised in a slightly louder voice, loud enough for the troopers to hear him. Kev saw his face turn to Chopper and give a nod of acknowledgment.

You, as well, Chopper, that nod seemed to say though Rex didn't verbalize it. There was some kind of agreement between the captain and Chopper, though neither man said anything beyond the words of trooper and captain.

Kev would make sure the troopers knew but wondered if that would change what the others thought of Chopper. Certainly not ARF Boomer; but maybe Marker and Kru would understand he'd been wrong about Chopper.

Sergeant Echo and Fives were gone and sometimes the barracks seemed unbearably lonely. Kev would have gone but for the emerging exploration and competence of Chopper's music. Sometimes he could fool himself for a short time; convince himself that he stayed because of the captain's punishment but he knew that wasn't true.

"How was that, Kev," Chopper asked in the quiet as the notes faded.

"Good, Chopper. Like on Kamino when the wind dies down a bit and you can hear the waves against the city pylons."


Thunk. Thunk.

Chopper woke, hearing some noise besides the nightmare, some noise beside the relentless struggle to beat the terror into a pulp.

It was Kev moving in the dim light of the barracks; pulling his blanket and pillow with him. Carefully, he set them on the bunk head to head with Chopper.

"It's ok, Chopper. I'm just moving here. I hope you don't mind."

There was silence for a moment in the darkness.

Chopper touched a finger to the scars. They usually made him feel … deficient, defective. Differenent. They made him feel as though people were staring at him, judging him.

"K'atini", Slick had said to him. Slacker. Clumsy. Three-quarter clone.

"No, Kev. I don't mind."


A/N - Chopper's harmonica was a gift from Crest, one of General Kalinda Halcyon's squad in Laloga's wonderful story "Better".

According to Wookiepedia, Prudii Skirata specialized in sabotage of droid factories. This is just a small scenario of the effect of that sabotage.

I will be posting a chapter a day, except on weekends... so enjoy the remaining chapters to the grand finale at Geonosis II.