Here's a one-shot featuring Dogma! Thanks for sticking with me this far, only 2 more chapters to go before Interlude ends and the hiatus begins.

Rescue Mission (Interlude)

The first step towards change is always the hardest

On Alderaan, Senators Amidala, Organa, and Christo, manage to apprehend Separatist, Dyrsk Zas. After he attempted to infiltrate a war relief conference being hosted there.

However, the Separatists responded to his capture faster than the Republic and have invaded the conference building where Zas is being kept. Due to their coincidental proximity to Alderaan, a detachment of the 304th are sent to rescue the Senators and apprehend Zas.

"The safety and lives of the Senators come first!" Aliyah reminded her men as their gunship neared the ground. "This is a rescue mission, not a takeover. Understood?"

"Yes, general!" They all responded.

A second later, they landed. Droidfire came in from all directions. Aliyah ran to the front, taking on the brunt of the wave and providing some cover for everyone behind her.

Steele stayed close behind her, helping to clear out a path in front. He and the rest of the clones laid damage to the droids, allowing them to progress forward.

Dogma stayed close to Compass, who nudged him in the elbow. "Calm your breathing, Dogma. This isn't your first time on the battlefield with us."

"No. But it is my first time rescuing politicians with you."

Compass fired some more shots. "Hey, but Senator Organa's one of the politicians we're saving! Aren't you glad?"

Dogma smiled fondly under his helmet. He owed much to Senator Organa. That man did a lot for him during his court-martial.

"I'm not glad. I'm thrilled." Dogma said as he ran to catch up with the rest of his comrades.

The clones quickly cleared the droids blocking the entrance and entered the conference building. Inside, Aliyah contacted the Senators.

"Senator Organa? This is General Korentayer, we're inside."

The staticky voice of Senator Organa came from the other end. "Thank goodness! I'm with Senators Amidala and Christo. We're currently holding Dyrsk Zas in the safe room."

"Alright, we're coming to get you."

"Please hurry. I fear we may be overwhelmed if the droids keep coming in."

The call ended. Aliyah took a quick look around, the building was in absolute chaos. For every droid they shot down, two more appeared from the dust. Senator Organa was right, time is of the essence.

"Commander!" Aliyah calls Steele over.

"Yes, general?"

"We're going to split up our forces. I need you to make a rescue squad for the Senators. The rest of us will deal with the droids."

Steele nodded. "I'll assemble the squad right now."

Turning away from the battle, Steele shouts a list of names which includes Kal and, shockingly, Dogma. The clones whose names were called rushed over.

Compass gave Dogma a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "You got this."

Dogma thanked him for the encouragement. Then he joined the rest of the called troopers in front of Steele.

"Sir?" Kal asked for the reason they were called.

"You've been chosen to go rescue the Senators and apprehend Dyrsk Zas," Steele explained. "Kal, I'm putting you in charge of this."

Kal nodded obediently. The squad stood up to leave. Dogma's legs buckled a bit when he did. Luckily, Steele noticed that.

He pulled Dogma by the arm. "Hey, I only have three rules for you. Stay safe, stay alive, stay behind Kal. Other than that, feel free to use your own intuition."

"Understood." Dogma remembered to leave out 'sir'.

Steele let go of Dogma and pointed at Kal. "Keep him safe!"

"Yes, sir!" Kal answered.

With that, Kal led the squad of clones down the opposite direction of the hall. Their destination: the safe room.

Steele rejoined his general and remaining men in battle. Aliyah glimpsed at him. "You sent Dogma with them?"

"Yes," Steele replied. "It should be a good growing experience for him. Being a part of an independent side-team instead of the main infantry."

Down the conference hall, the rescue squad met with significantly fewer droids than before. But it wasn't completely safe. Every corner, door, and piece of debris introduced an ambush.

"Take them out!" Kal ordered when a set of B1s suddenly came out of a broken door.

The clones handled them with ease. But before they could move on, Dogma saw movement coming from the room behind the broken door.

"Is anyone there?" He demanded.

"Is it safe to come out?" A woman's voice came from the room. The owner of the voice appeared soon after. "Sorry, I wasn't sure from the blaster shots whether you were friend or foe."

Dogma relaxed. "We're here to help. Who are you?"

"Tekla Minau," the woman answered. "I'm an aide to Senator Amidala of Naboo."

"Senator Amidala?" Kal joined the conversation. "We're actually on our way to save her and her colleagues right now. Why are you out here instead of with her?"

"Long story short: we got separated during the droid invasion." Tekla stepped towards the clones, looking a little nervous.

Kal lowered his blaster. "Well, don't worry. We've cleared a pathway to the exit behind us. You should be able to safely get out now."

"Actually, I was hoping I could go with you!" Tekla rushed forward. "I need to return to the Senator's side."

"Look, that's very dutiful but you need to worry about yourself—"

"—Please. I won't get in the way," Tekla begged.

Kal was about to argue again but Dogma intervened. "If she's set on returning to Senator Amidala, then I doubt she'd leave here safely by herself. She's better off with us, captain."

Looking back and forth from Tekla to Dogma, Kal made his decision. "Alright. But if come across any more civilians, we can't take them with us. Let's move!"

Tekla turned to Dogma. "Thank you, trooper."

"No problem." Dogma replied before ushering her with the rest of the squad.

The rescue team progressed through the inner portion of the conference hall. They met up with several more people who worked at this building and were unfortunately caught in the middle of this attack.

"We were holding a relief talk today when Zas attempted to pull a hijacking by himself," Tekla explained the clones.

"By himself? Was he going to stage a suicide bombing?" Kal was shocked by the stupidity of this captured Separatist.

"He might've. He's a little deranged if you ask me," an attendee of the relief talk answered.

Dogma was helping him to his feet. Two other attendees were being tended to by the rest of the squad behind them. As soon as they felt ready to stand, the three attendees left for the exit.

By now, the clones have encountered a good number of civilians. Ranging from relief talk attendees to building employees.

And every encounter almost always involved rescuing them from a few droid stragglers. Many of which Dogma played a huge part in. And for every rescue, he'd receive a shower of thank you's.

All those thank you's was repairing Dogma's broken pride. He's starting to remember why and who he's fighting for. Yes, it's for the Republic. But more importantly, it's for the everyday citizens, like the civilians he's met and rescued so far.

Perhaps it's not so bad, being a clone after all. Dogma thought.

"We're almost to the safe room!" Kal announced.

The squad were closing in on the most inner part of the building. High-level security mechanisms and doors filled the hallway.

They carefully made their way through the area. Tekla stayed close behind Dogma, who kept a good eye on both her and Kal. Eventually, Kal stopped in front of a large bolted door and knocked on it.

"Republic forces here to rescue you! Let us in!" He announced.

The door was unlocked and opened slowly by a few bodyguards. They lowered their weapons upon seeing the clones.

"Senators!" Captain Typho, one of the bodyguards, shouted over his shoulder. "Help has arrived!"

From the back of the safe-room, appeared the three Senators. They looked relieved. The clones and Tekla entered the room. Senator Amidala rushed forward upon seeing her aide.

"Tekla!" She hugged her tightly. "I was so afraid you were killed after we got separated!"

"I might've been if it wasn't for these brave soldiers," Tekla confessed.

"Thank you," Senator Amidala said to Kal.

"Thank Dogma," Kal gestured to the clone of said name behind him. "He's the one who noticed her."

"Dogma?" Senator Organa walked up to him with a look of shock and joy. "What a pleasure this is! To see you again!"

"Likewise, Senator." Dogma really meant it.

He was more than happy to help out the man who defended him so fervently in court. But he couldn't help but notice the look of disdain he got from Senator Christo.

Right. I almost forgot there were Senators who didn't buy my story. Dogma thought. He shook off the uncomfortable feeling he got from the look.

"Looks like we're all going to make it out safely now," Senator Amidala remarked.

"Oh? Even me?" A male voice asked from the corner.

It was Dyrsk Zas. The youthful Nikto Separatist was handcuffed and on his knees. An entourage of guards surrounded him.

One of them struck him on the head. "Quiet, Zas!"

The clones all looked over. Senator Organa assured them it's under control. "Don't worry, we managed to subdue him quite easily. He was foolish enough to think he could blow up this place without being recognized. How wrong he was."

"How wrong you are, Senator," Zas retorted. "Because now my allies are doing it for me."

Kal scoffed. "Clankers are your allies? Thanks for the laugh. I needed it. Anyways, Senators, we really should be heading out now."

Everyone agreed. But before they could start moving, Senator Organa stopped them. "Wait! Captain, there's this emergency hangar not too far from here. I know the way there well, it may serve as a safer escape option."

"Is it accessible to us?" Kal asked.

"Yes. I have authorization."

"Great! Then, you lead us and we'll protect you."

Senator Organa nodded. He went to the front of the group with Kal and Dogma. After everyone got their bearings and Zas was forced to his feet, they left the safe room. Their new destination is the emergency hangar.

"There's just no end to this!" Compass shouted as another wave of droids entered the hallway.

The clones and their Jedi General quickly took care of this wave just like the last one. They retreated back to catch their breaths. So far, they've been clearing hall after hall, room after room, but the droids just keep appearing.

And they still haven't heard back from the rescue squad yet either. So they can't assume all's done.

"We can't keep them at bay this long, general," Egad stated. "We'll tire out eventually. And they'll get through to the Senators and the rescue squad inside."

Aliyah nodded. "I know. We need to find the source of their entry and plug it."

"I think I have an idea as to where to start." Steele was looking out the window.

Everyone followed his gaze. Out in the distance, partially hidden by fog, were several cable-like ropes. The origin of those cables was hard to make out but the clones could tell they definitely latched somewhere onto this building.

"Those cables might be how the clankers are getting in," Steele elaborated his hypothesis.

Aliyah gave him a thankful smirk. "Let's see where it's extending from."

She stood up to face the droidfire again. Everyone followed suit.

The rescue squad clones accompanied the politicians and their entourage through the halls. Things were going rather smooth. Senator Organa knew where they were going.

But the tension in the air was thick.

Dyrsk Zas could easily tell it was due to Senator Christo. He smirked. "Senator Christo, what's got you so on your toes?"

"Shut up," one of the clones answered.

"It's because of that clone standing in the front, isn't it? The one next to Senator Organa?"

Dogma grew goosebumps. Zas was referring to him.

Senator Christo gave Zas a modest glare but didn't say anything. Instead, Kal reacted to Zas's remark.

"Excuse you, Seppie."

"I'm right though. You think I don't know about the Umbara incident? Or the court-martial of CT-5140 aka that clone standing on the right of Senator Organa?"

"You're already walking on a tightrope, Zas," Senator Amidala warned.

But he ignored her and kept talking. "Let me guess, Senator Christo. You never supported his side of the story."

"That's enough from you!" Senator Organa shouted.

Not liking being the cause of this dispute, Dogma decided to put a stop to it.

"Look! Is that the hangar entrance?" He pointed in front of them.

Everyone stopped fighting to look in his direction. Senator Organa nodded, though still a bit bitter. "Yes, that's it. Come on, everyone. Let's get out of here."

Aliyah and her clones finally came into view of the cable-ropes' origin. It was extending from a Separatist ship docked on the edge of a mountain ridge. Droids were being attached to the cables via a zipline gear and sliding over.

"Looks like we found the source, general!" Egad said in between blaster shots.

"Question now is, how do we plug it?" Steele asked.

After deflecting two blaster bolts back to their shooters, Aliyah looked out the broken window at the Separatist ship and its extension cables. "I think I can bring it down."

Steele immediately knew she was meaning to use the Force. "How long do you need?"

"As long as you can give me!"

Aliyah deactivated her lightsaber and made her way over to the edge of the broken window. There, she concentrated on reaching into the Force to pull down the Separatist ship.

"Cover the general!" Steele barked.

"Yes, sir!"

All the clones fired and fought harder than before. They were making sure no droid could get through. At least, not until their general's brought down the ship.

Initially, keeping the droids at bay was easy. But soon, more came in, forcing the clones to fall back a little. Steele had to blow up parts of the ceiling to make a small barricade.

Aliyah checked on her men from the corner of her eye. Steele noticed that. "Don't worry about us, focus on the ship!"

So she did. This time, she managed to feel a budge.

The clones began targeting any droid that showed its head over the barricade. It bought them some more time before another wave of droids decided to show up. They marched over the barricade and towards the clones.

"Not today," Steele grunted.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard in the distance. It was the sound of the Separatist ship falling over the mountain and hitting the rocks below.

"Thanks for the cover!" Aliyah suddenly appeared in front of Steele, shielding him from incoming blaster bolts. "Sorry it took so long!"

"Well, as long as you succeeded!" Steele replied.

They were finally getting somewhere. And hopefully soon, they would receive word from Kal.

The group of politicians and clones rushed inside the emergency hangar. There was a single starship ready for use in the centre of it.

"Let's get on board," Senator Organa waved everyone over.

"Wait, we'll take a quick look around," Kal said. "Can't be too careful."

"I'll do it," Dogma offered.

He sounded a bit tired. That concerned Kal. "You don't have to."

"No, it's fine. You…contact the commander. Tell him we're safe with the Senators."

Kal sighed. "Ok."

Dogma turned around to walk to the far end of the hangar. He took out a scanner to check for any suspicious anomalies such as bombs or listening devices.

The rest of the politicians prepared to board the starship. Kal proceeded to contact Steele. "Commander, are you there? We've secured the Senators and are preparing to leave via the emergency hang–HEY, HEY!"

Kal caught sight of Zas's pocket-sized grenade too late.

BOOM!

The grenade went off. Thankfully, Kal's last-minute warning gave everyone a chance to dive away. But the explosion still knocked them out pretty badly.

Dogma got lucky and only received the border-edge impact. When the smoke cleared, he could see the barely conscious bodies of his comrades, the Senators, and their bodyguards.

And that's when he realized 2 people were missing.

"Urgh!"

Turning his head to the right, Dogma saw Senator Christo being held in a chokehold by Zas. They were walking towards the outside runway.

Dogma swore under his breath as he limped after them.

Out on the runway, Zas contacted someone on a commlink. "I'm on the emergency hangar. Come and get me. Oh, sorry, 'please come and get me'."

"Let him go, Zas," Dogma aimed his blaster at the Separatist's head.

"You know, if you actually meant it, I might be trembling in fear right now."

"Let him go."

Zas brought himself and Christo closer to the runway's edge. "You can stop the act now, you know? Or else I might really drop him."

"Let. Him. Go." Dogma repeated for the 3rd time.

"Geez, you're like a broken transceiver," Zas scowled. "Is this how obedient clones are? You'd risk yourself to save a guy who was pushing for your death sentence? A guy who only sees you as a war asset. You really value him that much?"

"I value my pride and honour." Dogma spoke. Besides, the last thing I want is for Senator KRIFFING Christo to be on my conscience. As if Krell wasn't bad enough already.

To say Zas was amused would be an understatement. He didn't expect that kind of answer from Dogma at all. In the distance, he could see a ship coming closer and closer. It was his ride.

"Fine. Come save him then!"

In the blink of an eye, Zas turned around, dropped Senator Christo over the edge and jumped onto the ship that came to pick him up. Dogma dove forward just in time to grab Christo's right hand.

Inside the getaway ship, Zas thanked his pilot. "Nice timing, general."

"Quiet, you man-child!" Grievous snapped. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused for Dooku? If I were him I'd have your head the second you went off on your own!"

The ship flew off. Leaning over the edge of the runway, Dogma struggled to hold onto Christo who was scared out of his wits. "Help me! Help me please!"

"I'm trying, sir!"

Dogma attempted to pull Christo up. But it was difficult with his squirming and the vibrations from explosions happening around the building.

"Please, I don't want to die here!" Christo wailed.

"Well then, quit squirming!" Dogma snapped but then quickly softened his tone. "Bring up your other hand, it'll make pulling you in easier."

Christo attempted to reach up to Dogma with his other hand but lacked the strength to do so. He kept missing and it severely depleted his energy.

Another explosion suddenly occurred. The shock and vibrations from it nearly made Dogma lose his grip on the Senator.

Christo screamed. "Aaaahhhhhh—"

"—I gotcha!"

Steele appeared next to Dogma and reached down to grab Christo's free hand. Dogma was relieved.

Together, they pulled Christo back up to safety. The Quarren Senator never breathed so heavily all his life.

Behind them inside the hangar, the rest of the 304th force were tending to the injured. Aliyah and two clone medics rushed out to the hangar.

"Senator Christo, are you alright?" She asked.

"I'll…be fine," Christo answered as the medics helped him stand.

"He just went through a lot," Dogma added. "Be gentle with him."

"We will," one of the medics said.

Before they could walk back inside the hangar, Christo turned to Dogma. "Thank you. You saved my life, Dogma. I was wrong about you during the trial."

Dogma politely nodded back at the Senator. "Your welcome."

Christo and the medics walked away. Aliyah followed them, after praising Dogma for saving Christo.

"I let Zas getaway," Dogma muttered when it was just him and Steele.

"You did it to rescue the Senator. And it was the Senator who had been coldly indifferent to you. It must've been hard, but you chose to be the bigger person. Be proud of yourself, Dogma."

Rescue Mission: End

Review responses~

Akira-Hayama: Don't overthink it. We're bred to want to do the opposite of what we're told, lol. Steele wasn't the first clone she interacted with (she used to work with the 104th Battalion since, in my story, she's Plo Koon's former Padawan). But Steele is definitely the most impactful clone to her, due to the events of the Intro arc with Krell. It's fun developing their relationship from victim and rescuer to commander and general to friends and then to...well, we'll see. ;)

Starpottergeek: Sorry, no promises. You'll see what happens to them once the ending comes around. ;)

Radicalewe3: Thank you! I don't usually write chapters like that so I'm glad you liked it! :)

KarajeJinsta: I'll let you think of how Dogma's 'Jellybean' nickname came to be. And Compass IS the exemplary model, it's not news. XD Same thing with Steele being treasured.

Katie L: I think it's a bit early to say love. Value definitely. But not love. Hehe :)

Calvin Amber: Welcome back! I'm so glad you're here again! I always love having old reviewers return! Thanks for saying my Aftermath of Umbara arc was a masterpiece, it took me A LOT of researching and working with my law-student friend to write! So...much...terms...and...rules of the court... But it was all worth it in the end! I'm glad you're liking the interlude so far. And also thanks for being understanding towards me needing to take a hiatus. Writing is awesome but it's also time-consuming. Breaks are needed to keep the inspiration flowing. :)

A/N. I know this Interlude isn't drama-filled, but that's kind of the point. I'm using this as a chance to use your requested ideas and to give a little more insight to my characters that I wouldn't be able to do in major arcs.

Besides, once we reach my Clone Force 99 arc, things will start going serious, maybe even a bit dark. Mentions and suspicions of Order 66 will start coming up and eventually open a chain of events that'll lead to my story's final arc and ending.

I really want to get to the end. And I hope you will be with me throughout the journey, despite the hiatuses.

See you all next time! :)

- MiraLake