A/N,
Indulge me. There never seems to be much written about Maze. He doesn't even get a name in Hard Contact.
Sued13
ARCA Barracks
Practice Room
The practise room hummed gently, with the climate control, as Ryssa stood, foot tapping, waiting for their trainer on the induction training. She didn't know when she had become so impatient but she was now, all the time. At the moment they were just standing around in small groups in their workout clothes.
Clone boots clattering on the floor heralded the arrival of their trainer; looking up, Ryssa initially thought it was Ordo but no.
Kriffing hell. It's Maze. CSF social club.
She wasn't sure how he had got that invitation; then, in the distance, the familiar green edged armour of A'den, watching his every step. She closed her eyes.
Please don't do anything.
.
Captain ARC Alpha 26, Maze, one man army, aide to Jedi General Arligen Zey, was on his way to his next little job. He was not a happy clone, not happy at all.
Another fekking nurse maiding exercise.
The General had asked him, or rather ordered him in that non ordering sort of way he had, to oversee the training or upskilling some of the new Medics that were going on the new rotation programme.
Fekking mongrel doctors, for Kriff's sake.
He desperately needed a proper job, one he was trained for, one he could get his teeth into, metaphorically speaking, but orders were orders. So he sucked it up.
At least Skirata's private army were doing what they were trained for, maybe not for the Republic…...
"Sargeant A'den." He acknowledged.
"Captain Maze." No bucket, no salute.
Maze turned into the practice room and saw why the Null boy was there. He'd heard rumours and then at the CSF club. He remembered the small, blonde haired woman with Skirata's lot and then the feeling of his revenge against Ordo. Jango had trained them well.
They had an understanding now.
"Right Medics." He stood at parade rest, arms behind his back, left hand clasped around his right fist; he might as well enjoy this. "You're in the Army now, so it's time to shape up."
Murmurings then silence.
Oh. I may try and enjoy this.
"You have two weeks to learn how to be useful members of the medical staff on your deployment off Coruscant, therefore, you have to learn how not to be a liability. We will be covering: Protocols, Weapons, Self defence, Emergency procedures and the enemy — Droids
His voice reverberated off the walls of the training room, as he rattled off the subjects.
"Understood?"
It'll be useful to psych them out. See who are the leaders, followers etc. N12's hanging around again.
He watched the medics closely; as a Clone he was expert at reading a human's facial expressions and body language. Baey was listening intently. The others just weren't interested.
They won't last long. Where the fek do they think they're going. Not a karking bed of roses. Understaffed, under resourced, not an easy ride for two or three months, that's if they don't get extended or killed.
"Right— Republic Protocols on board."
He could feel the headache already.
.
Day Two
A new day, a new subject. Maybe, just maybe, they'll all listen to me today. N12 again. He's definitely keeping an eye on her.
Maze slowly explained, as simply as he could, without using words of one syllable, the different types of DC blasters, and what could be hit with each of them and the expected results.
"You'll each be allocated a small blaster to defend yourself with, if need be. If you are overrun by droids, there'll be no need. Any questions?"
"Why no need?" Asked one, not Baey he noted but then he had checked on her interesting background. It had taken a bit of doing, some practice of his slicing skills to get to the un redacted part; so she had experience of droids. He heard the 'huff' she gave when her fellow trainee asked the question.
"You'll be dead." He noted their responses."Any more?" He looked at all of them "No? —let's get to the range."
Zey owes me for this and not just a round of spiced buns.
He watched them, one by one.
Worse than shinies.
At least Baey could shoot; holding the blaster two handed, it looked heavy for her. She hesitated each time, as she lined up the shot. She had obviously had some instruction on how to best use a blaster; probably the Nulls, those Chakaare get everywhere. A bit like Akk Osik. Maze watched closely. Then checked the results.
Ok, it'd be still be a kill shot and would stop a droid.
The others ranged from abysmal to 'ooh, I actually hit the target that time.'
A throbbing headache materialised behind his eyes, again.
I really need something to enjoy.
.
Day Three
Maze looked at the assembled medics. He woke up with a headache.
"These exercises include the use of escape pods. You'll first use a mock up and then onto a real Star Destroyer, currently being refitted. Any questions?"
None.
Two Commandos, conscripted from a squad recently returned from an op were there to help out; their squad mates were currently recovering from injuries sustained, plus a convalescing trooper who just had the bad luck to be passing.
Baey was laughing and joking with them, until she saw him come into the practice room. The Null hadn't been there today.
The Commandos grumbled constantly, so much so, that he seriously contemplated making them clean the freshers with a toothbrush like any grunt until they finally shut up, after seeing his glare.
He took the medics through the alerts, the process, the equipment, how to use it; Baey was listening and watching intently and asking questions when she didn't understand. A few of the other medics had also stepped up to the mark, taking in the information.
Survival finally gets their attention.
They toured the Star Destroyer being shown where the escape pods were. The pods were deactivated so they couldn't launch them, but they could carry out a drill using them.
Maze set them to work. Split into three teams, they were sent to different parts of the ship and given the equivalent of an alert and had to head to the pods. He put the Trooper in Baey's team and watched what happened. The Commandos had instructions only to intervene if a team was well and truly lost.
Well, that was a load of osik. They'd all be dead except Baey's team.
Maze noted their names.
Baey, Knott, Kular and Finlay all reached the escape pod within acceptable time limits and were able to set it up and could have evacuated safely. He debriefed the teams.
Only two more days to go.
Day Four
I'm looking forward to this. Ah, N12, punctual, as ever.
"Sergeant A'den." He acknowledged the ARC.
"Captain Maze." A'den replied, No bucket, no salute.
He watched as the ARC strode across the training area.
"Today we are looking at some simple moves for self defence." He studied each of them in turn.
What a waste of time. None of them will survive.
He demonstrated some basic moves and they practised with the Commandos and trooper. They would be going home with some bruises and then he heard the giggling.
"Baey! This is not a joke. You'll need this, if you want to survive."
He marched over and the Commandos moved away. You did not get in the way of an ARC. Not one with that look on his face. A couple of them exchanged words and one sprinted off.
"Doctor Baey." He pointed to a spot about a metre in front of him. She looked either side of her and blushed. He glared at her. She glared back. He glowered. "Sometime today would be good."
She walked over.
Finally.
"Ok let's do a demonstration shall we. Go stand over there with your back to me." She walked over meekly and stood with her back to him. Part of him knew this wasn't fair or even and he could probably kill her just doing the demonstration. He took a deep breath.
He reached her, got a fore arm lock on her throat, twisted her round thumped her to the floor and straddled her and with his forearm across the top of her chest. His arm was so big compared to her that it covered the whole of her upper chest, what there was of it. He heard the 'oof' as the breath was knocked out of her.
She couldn't move her legs, her torso and struggled with her arms.
"So, any ideas how you would get out of this, Dr?"
She glared at him, no expression on her face but he saw the gulp she took and started squirming and bucked. He tightened his grip.
"Don't let them know what you're going to do." He heard the thuds of clone boots racing across the room.
"Got a problem Sargeant? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something."
He didn't need to lookup to see who was there; her eyes were closed and she shook her head fractionally.
I'm surprised they didn't fix it, so she didn't have to go. She must have a death wish.
"I'm looking for General Zey." A'den's gravelly voice that sounded so much like his. He sounded angry, like he was on the edge. If anyone thought Alpha ARC's were bad, then the Null boys were psychotic, thought they could do anything and everything and outside of the normal chain of command.
"He's at a Jedi Council Meeting. Anything else?" Maze didn't even grant him a glance.
Again she shook her head imperceptibly and he could tell the Null was debating with himself what to do.
"No Thank you,... Captain." He said and turned on his heel.
"Captain Maze, I can't move you but I could bite you hard, here." She indicated his forearm. "Human bites are full of very nasty bacteria. Do Alpha ARC's bite Captain, or is it just their bark that's worse?"
His eyes narrowed and he felt his mouth move in an involuntary smile. He pulled it back.
"Our bite is far worse, Doctor. Good call."
Jango taught us to fight dirty.
She squirmed more.
"Got a problem Dr? as I understand it, you're used to having someone my size on top of you."
She glared at him. "That. Is none of your fekking business."
He laughed and pulled her up.
"Let's do some more, at least then all of you may have a chance. In a close situation you use everything you have against your opponent, to give you an edge. Yes — biting, scratching, gouging, poking. Anything. Understood?"
She nodded.
He'd got her pinned down again, this was getting boring. "If your assailant is larger than you, use your legs as a weapon, they have the strongest muscles in the body."
She nodded.
After three hours, he let them go. Ryssa struggled to walk to the changing room. She decided to shower, to ease the stiffness already creeping into her muscles. She sat down and pulled of her top, but then couldn't do anything else. Her back, shoulders hurt so much, that she felt like crying and her eyes were already burning, until she heard that voice. Maze.
"Let me help." He said.
"No!"
"I was just going to put some Bacta on the bruises. You wont reach them."
She nodded, "Okay." and braced herself. The Bacta gel felt cool as it was smoothed on but she still flinched; he frightened her despite her previous bravado. There was a chilling element to him, and that wasn't just because they called him an iceberg on legs, which was the comment she heard most of the time. That and Alpha Plank. Apparently the ARCs were pure Jango Fett DNA, no alterations, so they had all his efficiency and coldness, and had been directly trained by him. She also remembered Ordo saying that one of them had given the order for the Clone embryos to be destroyed during the battle of Kamino, so the Separatists didn't get them; the equivalent of killing his own brothers and she couldn't bear that.
And he gave Ordo a split lip. Stop it Ryssa.
"Are you Ok?" He stopped rubbing the gel in.
"Yes. Fine thanks." She replied tersely, waiting what seemed like an eternity for him to leave; her shoulders finally dropped.
.
"You sure you're ok, Cyar'ika?" A'den enquired as she sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.
"Just stiff from the training; we got quite a workout." She tried to make light of it.
She flinched, as A'den put his hand on her shoulder, just where a bruise was and she pulled away but not before he had seen the edge of one.
"Let me look."
"No it's…."
"Let...me… look." He almost spat it out. She pulled her slip gingerly over her head, trying to avoid her back and heard his sharp intake of breath.
"I'll kill him." A'den ground out.
Turning quickly around, despite the pain, she faced him and slid her hands into his. "No, you won't. He's a Captain, if you do something like that…..they'd think you'd gone rogue and term…." she went quiet and let the thought hang in the air. "And I couldn't cope with that."
A'den closed his eyes for, a time, as if debating what she said.
"Ok, Cyar'ika." He paused "lets get more gel on you." He rubbed it in gently and then found somewhere Bacta free to put his mouth.
"Better?" He asked. She smiled.
"Anywhere else?"
She pointed to her clavicle. A'den dutifully pressed a kiss there, heard a giggle and looked at her again.
"Here." Her finger rested on the swell of her breast. A'den complied.
"I think I can guess now." He said as he pulled her back; her pain fading to pleasure.
.
Day Five
Maze stood waiting.
Dr Baey was the first to arrive, walking stiffly and looking apprehensive, when he started towards her, she took a step back in preparation.
Kriff! I scared you that much? Maze, you need to revise your training technique for civvies.
"Today."He announced. "we are looking at the different types of droid and what their armaments can do to organics."
He turned as the noise increased from the corridor to the the right; the medics were definitely looking apprehensive verging on the downright scared when they realised what was coming round the corner.
"To that end." He continued, "We have appropriated some droids which have been rendered friendly." He turned again to the noise and grinned, almost ferally as a various selection of battle droids who marched into the arena, then halted and turned to face him. "The main droids are the B1 battle droids, B2 Super Battle Droids and the BX Commando droid and there are variations among these." He observed the medics, they were definitely twitchy, this was going to be more enjoyable than he thought.
"Droids are used in massed numbers to overwhelm our troops. A trooper can and will take out a large number of droids but sheer numbers will win in the end." They were still twitchy and for some reason that thought, amused him. "Look around them, get used to them, you may meet them." He stepped back and left it to the medics.
They reluctantly moved forward, except Baey, she walked around them and looked at them from a distance, and then she moved straight in and got up close and personal with them.
If I didn't know better, thought Maze, she actually hates them.
Maze let the medics examine the droids for ten minutes and then addressed them again.
"Follow me to the shooting range and you can see what the Droids can do to a flesh and blood body. And no, although you may wish it, I will not be the target."
Ryssa smiled despite herself.
Maze has got a sense of humour.
They followed him to the shooting range, like a small class of children on a field trip with their teacher and there in the shooting range were five dead Roba hung up, with, bizarrely, white trooper armour attached to them. Behind them they could hear the clank- clank-clank of the droids.
Maze programmed them to fire at the Roba, which they did with their normal efficiency. He noticed that Baey flinched regularly whilst this was happening, perhaps she wouldn't survive, the Null should have stopped her going; Maze had assumed she had more backbone.
After a few minutes the Roba were taken down and sent to the dissecting rooms, where the medics could see fresh wounds, what they looked like before the field medics had tidied them up and removed the armour.
It was the smell that hit Ryssa first, the pungent, acrid smell of burnt plastoid from the armour; on looking at the wounds you could see where the armour had melted or impacted into the wounds. They would have to ensure the wounds were fully cleaned out, which would be painstaking, time consuming and life threatening due to the time taken and the pathogens inserted into the wound. Bacta would have to be used extensively. They all huddled into a group discussion debating the best methods or treatment in the various circumstances.
"Medics!" Huffed Maze to himself.
Day Six
Maze took them to the Destroyer being refitted again, to see a Republic Mobile Surgical Units - Rimsoo - for short, up close and personal. It was a new version, even then it wasn't going to be a Blue Milk run for them all.
He introduced it, and stood back, waiting for the moans and groans, it was basically in pieces on the hangar floor and would have to be airlifted by LAATi's and then put together by troopers.
They swarmed around the equipment, identifying pieces, guessing how they went together, basically oohing and aahhing over all the medical kit. Marvelling at the ingenuity of it all and they especially liked the state of the art, small, hand held scanners.
"Got one!" Came a voice he recognised, and turned to see Baey brandishing a state of the art scanner, by a different company to the GAR's, but it did exactly the same job.
Medics! So they were interested now that they were looking at medical items, slobbering like a heavy gunner over the latest E Web or Z-6 Blaster Cannon.
Maze huffed.
I hate this job.
.
"Ah, Maze. Did you have some restful downtime?"
General Zey had given him the night off.
"Yes Sir. Thank you. I completed some interesting reading "Life And Times of Finis Valorum." and spent some time at the Coruscant University Library. It was most enlightening Sir."
It wasn't exactly what the General expected to hear from a soldier but he knew that Maze wasn't the sort of Trooper who went to '79's', for a good time, as far as he knew. He didn't pry too much. Maze had a right to his own life, on his own time.
"I hope the training wasn't too onerous Captain." He sensed a flash of unease from the Captain, then it was gone.
"No sir, it wasn't."
"Good." He picked up a pale blue tin. "This was left for you. There's nothing dangerous in it. It's been checked." The Jedi had a small smile on his face.
Maze frowned; he wasn't expecting anything. He took it; it rattled slightly and he gingerly pulled off the lid looking inside.
"Iced Warra nut cookies?" He muttered, good job he hadn't taken it to the parade ground and blown it up. There was a little note. He opened it. Written in an elegant cursive style it said.
'Captain Maze,
Thank you so much for your help.
Neryssa Baey'
Osik!