Vala wasn't sure what exactly it was that the Force wanted from her at this juncture of things. As if the disturbing encounter with Quinlan hadn't enough, the news of a Clone Captain killing their Jedi General was shocking, to say the least. Said Clone Captain being Captain Rex of the 501st's Torrent Company, and said General being one Pong Krell, added so much more gravity to the situation.
Her LAAT/i transport had just dropped her off aboard Renia's starship Dauntless. Duffel bag around her shoulder, the Mirialan looked around the flight deck. Clones scurried about their duties with ease and long practice. She was due to meet Renia and the assistants she picked. With her, she brought an old friend, that she didn't know was in the area, until she put through the call. Clone Trooper Torn, who was on assignment with Administration of all places, had been an easy temporary transfer to her command.
"How long's it been since you've been in the field, my friend?" Valanthe asked of the quiet clone.
"Since Felucia, ma'am," Torn replied quietly. "It feels good to be useful again."
Vala smiled, "I take it stuck doing paperwork is not your thing, huh?"
Torn shook his head, "Some clones have been designed to enjoy it. I am not one of those Clones."
Riis chuckled, "I always hated paperwork myself. Until I needed it."
"Always Trooper Torn, always, even in our younger more dutiful days," Renia said, her smile widening as she walked onto the flight deck, and seeing Vala. "Valanthe, it's… wonderful to see you again."
Valanthe summoned a smile onto her face, "hello Ren, Odd-ball, No-Nines." She nodded at everyone.
As happy as she was to see her best friend and sister in all but blood, her heart was heavy with everything that had happened. "How have you been?"
Ren's own smile no longer reached her eyes. "It's been a long few months, to say the least…" And I really could have used you with me. Went unsaid, but with Vala here, it was the first time she'd felt things were right in the Galaxy for quite some time.
Vala nodded, "And now we face a terrifying prospect."
Next to her, she could feel Torn tense up.
"Did you get any more of a briefing than I did?" She asked of her General friend.
"Not much, just that Rex shot Krell and that Krell went rogue." It all seemed so far fetched, even after going over the reports. "Maybe once we're down there, things will become more clear…" She didn't quite feel the words she was saying, it was hope more than anything.
Valanthe could feel Torn stiffen beside her again. She had to offer him the choice. "Torn," she said gently, "I can still replace you with another Trooper who hadn't been to Felucia."
He shook his head vehemently, "No, Commander. You wanted me for this mission, I am here. I will not fail you."
"Are you sure, Torn?"
"Absolutely, ma'am." He nodded resolutely.
Valanthe could tell it was fear of failure rather than actually being alright with it. She, however, said nothing, merely nodding.
"Alright." Then she turned to Renia again. "What's our ETD?"
"Whenever you're ready, GAR wouldn't tell me who the Intel Rep was going to be, so I'd been planning on stalling," Ren said with a light chuckle. "I don't think that plan is necessary anymore."
"No-Nines, Oddball can you get the LAAT/i ready for takeoff? And let Dodo know to disable the engine kill switch, we don't need to stall any longer." Oddball almost seemed disappointed, his lip pushing out to pout.
"But General…"
"Next time, we'll leave it in, I promise, but for now we have work to do."
"Aye, ma'am." He said sulking as he headed for the nearby transport model. Before she could say anything No-Nines held up his hands, following after his partner.
"Go help them, Torn." Valanthe took the hint, and dismissed the other clone, so that the two may have a moment or two alone.
Torn merely nodded and jogged after the two Arc Troopers.
Valanthe didn't waste a moment as she stepped over to Renia and embraced her tightly, burying her head in the other woman's shoulder.
Ren whimpered into the embrace, her hands grasping the woman's jacket tightly, her knuckles going white as she held on. She needed this, Force she needed this. Everything piling on, having to be the strong one, for Mina, for her troops…
"Ferith...the Universe is unraveling around us and I don't like that it's showing us." Valanthe mumbled into Renia's shoulder. "All of this can't just be a coincidence."
"Obi-Wan would say the Force doesn't allow for coincidence," Ren said pulling the woman to her tighter. "And he'd be right… the womp rat." She didn't disagree, not at all, but she also didn't feel up to facing it, not yet.
"I.." Vala's voice broke, "I lost Asajj…" she pulled back a little to face Renia. "I found Quin…" pain coloured her lilac eyes.
"What? Vala, did something happen?" Are you ok… Her hands moving from the woman's back, patting her lightly to check and see if she was ok, her hands eventually finding Vala's.
"He found me on Dantooine." Vala swallowed thickly. "We fought...he almost ended me. Right when I was at the point where he could slice my throat without a problem. He growls, "Remember Dalleron" and storms off." That action still caused her visible confusion.
Ren intertwined their fingers as Vala told her story. "Dalleron? What does Dalleron have to do with anything?" She'd hoped to never hear about that place ever again. She'd barely seen Vos since then, but it never struck her that he'd had any real connection to the place.
Vala shrugged, squeezing Ren's hand. "I don't know." Then she sighed again, looking into Renia's eyes. "He's fallen, Ren. He's...gone Dark."
Just uttering the words meant acknowledging the bitter truth. Their fellow Jedi and friend had fallen to the Dark Side of the Force.
Ren's face fell, looking hard at where their hands met. Doing her best to control her breathing, Ren said a silent prayer to the Force for his safety. "I'm so sorry Vala, I know you two were always close."
Vala gave Ren a wistful smirk. "At times more than others." Then she sighed again, "alas, he disappeared after zapping me with a dose of Force lightning. We'll have to get back to the mystery of Quin and Ventress at another time. Now we have to see who's innocent and who's guilty in an even bigger mess."
"As if one Jedi Master falling to the Dark wasn't a big enough mess, to begin with," Renia said sullenly as the pair walked toward the now fully-operational LAAT/i transport.
"So, did you train any more hapless, unsuspecting troopers, gentlemen?" Vala announced the two Jedi with a loud, humorous tone. At least she hoped it was such.
"Unsuspecting? Us?" Oddball said more than asked, the Clone aghast with scandal. "Why Commander, what could have ever given you such an opinion. Why I was just saying to No-Nines that we should have the best and brightest of our latest class of Arc Troopers join us on this drop. Wasn't I, vod?"
"I do believe you mentioned that yes." The other Arc said with a chuckle.
"I did, in fact…" Oddball started to say, trailing off as he looked around. "Donut, get yourself over here!"
Valanthe chuckled as she looked over at the other clone that joined them. Renia, on the other hand, groaned at the name the Clone had taken on.
Her face turned serious then, as did her tone. "Gentlemen, as you have been briefed, the situation on the planet is...unconventional, to say the least. Will you be able to maintain your objectivity on the matter? Regardless of the fact that we have the alleged perpetrators in custody, we still need to investigate the matter fully."
"Of course, Commander! ARCs always do their duty!" Donut called out, standing rigidly before the two Jedi. The other two senior clones rolled their eyes.
"Ehhh, what the kid said, Commander. We know the job." No-Nines said, taking the lead with the three clones. "Whatever happened, Rex and Fives wouldn't want any of us to compromise ourselves."
Vala nodded, "Understood." She could sense the underlying uncertainty in all of them mixed with the determination not to let them down. "Torn's a comms specialist, he'll assist us with analyzing the communications logs that have been flagged for review."
The quiet, intelligence trained clone nodded, "Sirs."
"Always wanted an assistant." Oddball quipped, sending a cheeky smile at the two Intelligence personnel.
"When we get down there I expect there might be some unease or distrust from the men of the 501st, we should be ready for that." Renia stepped forward, trying to turn the conversation back to the brief. "Members of the 212th are there as well, lead by a Sergeant Boil who was also involved in the incident."
"Indeed." Vala nodded, "do we know who's our point of contact?"
Torn nodded, "I believe it's General Kenobi and Commander Cody, ma'am."
The Mirialan took her position and nodded, "alright, let's do this."
It didn't take long for the team to get loaded up onto their specially modified LAAT/i, lights in place to help the pilots see in the thick Umbaran fog. Turning toward the planet, Renia peeked out one of the small portholes normally covered by the ship's armor. It gave off this ominous red-purple glow. This place looked like it would swallow them all whole. Despite the last few months of battle she'd seen across many worlds, she would not have wanted to fight here.
"Hold on, it's gonna get bumpy!" Dodo called from the cockpit. "Atmosphere in 5 seconds! Four ...three...two...one!" Even prepared for the shock, the sudden crosswinds hitting the gunship, nearly sent the occupants lurching to the side. Renia could feel echoes of the Clones that had been involved in the drop here days earlier. The fear they must have felt all the way down, had that contributed to their current circumstances?
Holding onto a hand railing near the cockpit, Valanthe felt an overwhelming myriad of emotions coming from the surface as they drew nearer to the landing pad. Fear, incredible sorrow, betrayal and hate.
Though the hate was less so coming from the clones as it was from the planet itself. Like an echo in the Force left after a traumatic event. Like she had felt on Felucia. Like she and Krell had felt on Felucia.
Pinching the bridge of her nose to refocus on the here and now, Riis could feel the turbulence beneath her feet and in the groaning of the LAAT/i's metal, indicating a change of speed and pitch. They would be landing any moment now.
A warm but worried presence ebbed its way into her senses. "Obi-Wan." Vala smiled despite herself as everyone braced for a landing.
A jarring motion followed a loud thud. The sliding doors opened with a swoosh, revealing the shadowy world behind it.
Two figures stood a few feet away as the LAAT/i powered down. A bright, if a little charred, golden figure of Master Obi-Wan and a ramrod straight, stiff figure of Commander Cody.
"Valanthe, Renia it is good to see you both again" The elder Jedi said, a tired smile crossing his soot-covered face. "I wish I could say it was under better circumstances… then again, I'm not sure those apply anymore."
Valanthe fought the habit of stepping closer to Obi-Wan and embracing him, as they used to do on reunions before, as she still did with Renia. Now, as much as she could feel his soul screaming for it, Master Kenobi would deny himself, in favor of his men.
"Commander, General. Arc Troopers." Came a stiff reply from Cody.
Cody, who was usually very guarded around other Jedi, seemed completely shut down in himself, almost devoid of all feeling. Except for rage, pure, barely restrained rage.
Valanthe, looked over at Renia to see if she too had noticed, before she returned Obi-Wan's smile, even though hers' didn't reach her eyes. "How…" a heavy pause followed, "How are things?"
"Well… we won." The High General said, holding out his arm a moment, before beginning to walk deeper into the airfield. "The planet is largely secure and their government is negotiating with the Senate advisors. Anakin is also on his way back, whatever special assignment the Chancellor had him on is now over."
He's really going to make me drag it out of him, isn't he? Valanthe thought to herself, feeling no small amount of sympathy for their friend as they followed him.
"Commander, how are the men handling it?" Vala decided to ask Cody directly, rather than get it out of Obi-Wan. Somehow, a tragedy such as this, it felt disrespectful not to address the Clones directly with it.
"As soldiers, Commander." Came Cody's short reply as he didn't even turn to look at her.
"Would expect nothing less Ma'am." No-Nines said as the group walked, his voice grim but approving. "Clones are trained for nothing less, and this is the 501st we're talking about, not a batch of Shinies."
"Their discipline during the push to the Capital is to be commended to be sure." Obi-Wan admitted, though that did not excuse what had happened. It was one thing to show independent thought and initiative, but he was hesitant to be so… cavalier with insubordination among the ranks.
"More than commended I think, Master Kenobi." Renia countered, picking up quickly on her old friend's underlying tone.
"Let's get up to speed before we begin the interviews." Valanthe interjected, not at all liking the tension she was feeling around them. "We need facts and as much tangible evidence as possible. Whatever we all may feel, we must put it aside and focus on what the evidence tells us, before we consider all other angles."
"You are right, of course Valanthe." Obi-wan admitted with a sigh. "We are getting distracted. Commander Cody has compiled a timeline of events starting just after the initial landings…"
To call Cody's briefing notes detailed was an understatement, event for a clone. He had gathered minute by minute movements and interactions of individual troopers. For the major players he'd also recorded statements from various sources. By the time they'd reached the Air Field's Command Tower, Renia and even her own troopers were struggling to keep up with all the information.
Valanthe, on the other hand, was soaking it all in with ease. This was where her true strengths lay, her former Master would always say, in unravelling the truth.
"Okay, we need comms logs between your battalion and the 501st, Obi-Wan. Any and all communications and/or attempts to do so, to and from." Riis said as she finally looked up from the notes she'd taken down on her portable device. "Oddball, No-Nines, Torn, can you gentlemen see to it, please?"
"On it ma'am, we'll have those logs in no time," Oddball said hefting his equipment for emphasis. "Won't take long at all, not with my two lovely assistants helping me." No-Nines, despite being used to his quirky partner, still rolled his eyes as the ARC sauntered off toward the CIC. "Don't get too used to this." He grumbled as he picked up up the other case Oddball had left behind.
"Play nice!" Renia called after the pair. She felt for Torn, he probably had no idea what he'd just be tossed into.
"Donut, you're with us." Valanthe nodded the fourth trooper over, then turned to Obi-Wan. "We should speak with Rex and company immediately."
"Right, everyone involved has been secured in the secondary holding facilities and the Clones preserved the… crime scene as well." He pointed toward the wide lift just down the corridor. "Not many private places to speak, but each cell does have an audio damper setup. It's not full-proof as I understand it, but the others can't hear what is said from inside their own cells."
Vala nodded, "Lead the way." She motioned.
Striding off toward the umbarran elevator, Obi-wan keyed the controls, quickly typing in an access code. Donut was the last aboard as the lift lurched, mag-locks disengaging as they started to descend. It wasn't long before they were at the prison level, but it was unmistakable when they did. One didn't have to be an empath to detect the ripples in the force that emanated from this place.
"The Dark Side is strong here…" Ren said, a shiver passing through her body as she looked around, her gaze finally falling on the cell Krell was killed in. She may not have liked the Basilisk, but even she regretted the loss of a fellow Jedi. Glancing at the other cells, their Clone occupants having taken notice of the new arrivals. They must have had a good reason, she knew these men; she'd fought with them, fought with their brothers! She couldn't ever see them turning on their Jedi Generals without cause.
"Atten-hutt!" Dogma bellowed, jumping to rigid attention. Tup and Jesse followed suit quickly, adding a quick, "Sirs!" At the assembled Jedi.
Fives stood up slower, caution in his movements and features, eventually folding himself into an attention stance. His eyes, however, never found that spot on the wall behind their superiors' heads. They kept moving, from Rex, who was still sitting, to Renia and finally Valanthe, then back.
Rex took a moment longer, sitting as he was, elbows on his knees, his hands intertwined. Finally he lifted his blonde head, "Sirs!" He smoothly stood up and stood to attention as if it was second nature to him.
Valanthe didn't trust herself at that moment to say anything as she tried to process the imprint of the room. The Dark Side was indeed strong in there, serving to heighten the raw feeling each of the Clones brought into the mix.
Guilt, with its unmistakable signature wafted from Rex as he tried to maintain his composure. From Dogma, oddly enough, there was shame. Fives was a glowing ball of rage and confusion, despite the deceptively casual mannerism. Tup, this clone echoed the tear drop on his helmet; sadness welled deep within him. Jesse felt helpless and confused and angry all at the same time.
Where was it though? The ripple in the Force, the imprint of the death, the echo that could shed light on the matter? Did the Dark Side mask it? Did the clones? Or both?
"At ease, gentlemen." Valanthe finally found her voice.
Jesse and Tup complied immediately, as did Dogma. Fives took a moment before he too relaxed a little. Rex, however, remained at attention.
"Captain Rex, you may stand at ease." Renia repeated, her eyes falling on the man. She could see his tension. Not just in his stance, but every muscle and mannerism was Ridgid. What happened to him? It was like looking at a shell of the man he'd been.
Rex looked straight at Renia for a moment, before murmuring, "Yes, General." He unfurled himself and stood at ease as requested.
"Do we have an interview room set?" Vala asked of Obi-Wan.
"The third cell, we've modified it to fill our needs." It wasn't ideal, but in the field, one must make due. "Recording equipment, holo-viewer, table, chairs…"
Valanthe nodded, "we'll interview the Captain first. General Vinree, are you able to conduct the interview?"
"Wha? Me?" Ren asked, holding down her panic to simple surprise. She wasn't an investigator, she figured Vala would be taking point on interviews.
Vala stepped closer to Ren and lowered her voice, "I think he needs to be interviewed by a fellow soldier, rather than a Jedi. Obi-Wan is too close to it and I'm as far from a soldier as you get. Don't worry, I'll guide you through." She said as she motioned Donut over.
She took the kit he was carrying and opened it, pulling out two earbuds, then handing one to Ren.
Soldier… I'm not a soldier… Ren was still trying to process what Vala said, even though the logic made sense. Except she wasn't a soldier, she was a Jedi, a Knight and Peacekeeper of the Republic! At best she was a warrior when needed, Rex… Rex was unique even for a Clone in how he'd embraced his role.
"Vala I…"
"Can do this." The Mirialan cut her off, projecting faith and confidence. "Strong, well liked leader with a known penchant of caring for her troops. They need someone like that now."
Renia didn't quite believe it, but she nodded anyway. Having Valanthe's encouragement and faith helped a lot. Still, what she said, it tugged at her heart, her conscience… But she had a duty, and of course, Vala was right.
Cody stepped over to Rex's cell, binds in hand and opened lowered the cell forcefield. "Captain." Cody stiffly beckoned Rex out before putting the binders onto his fellow clone's wrists. "Move…"
With as much grace as he could muster, Rex marched over to the interrogation cell, silent, looking ahead, not meeting anyone's eye. Cody pulled out a chair for Rex, but the clone would not, of course, sit until the Jedi General allowed it. If she did.
Following the two clones into the Interrogation room, Ren took one more calming breath, reciting the Code quickly in her mind.
"Thank you, Commander. Please remove the Captain's restraints and then you are dismissed," Renia said simply, standing off to the side.
"Yes, General Vinree," Cody said, with the same emotionless tone, and did as ordered.
At the door, he stopped briefly and looked over at Rex. Though his face was covered by his helmet, a silent communication seemed to pass between the two. Finally, with the merest of nods, Cody left the cell.
Rex remained standing, his eyes fixed on a spot behind Renia's head.
"Please, have a seat," Renia said taking her own seat as she offered one to the Captain. "It's good to see you again Rex, I just… I just wish it were under better circumstances." What did she even say… 'How's things?'
"Sir," Rex murmured by way of replying before he sat. After what had happened, his faith in the Jedi, the Republic and most importantly in his ability to follow through had been severely compromised. So, as always when he was unsure, Rex defaulted to the old ingrained safety. Rules.
Another body blow, Ren took it like… the soldier she was. She didn't let it faze her, not letting hurt control her. "Well, I guess we'll get right into it then… Let's start at the top Captain, what happened here…"
