This is the same meeting from Chapter 59 of Slick's Squad - Scars (Chopper's story). Simply a different point of view.

If the dialogue seems slightly different, it is. Because people remember things differently.

-— -— — — -—

The air was hot and dry, but he knew that. Not simply from knowledge but from bone deep experience that he didn't remember. The metallic overtones weren't all from the munitions. Geonosis was a planet rich in ores that permeated the sand and stones to the very core of the planet.

"Let's set up near General Mundi's camp. His company took a lot of losses and we can assist. Shore up where he's missing troopers." Talon nodded while Twenty-one fifteen was evaluating where to put his medical unit. Four glanced toward one of the piles of rock that made a good portion of Geonosis landscape. "The rock hills look safer but that's an illusion. There are pipe holes leading to the underground cities. We'll need to double-check that any openings are blocked. Then I think we should…"

Four was gesturing at a flat area he thought would make a good mess, open on all sides for the battle-weary troopers with preparation in the middle, when he heard the sound of boots rushing over sand.

A glance saw the white-armored trooper running at him, full speed. Scars and rage covered his face.

Four was shocked as a battle-grimmed fist planted to the middle of his face drew first blood and was quickly followed by an attack to an eye. He jerked his head back and to the side so the blow only grazed his cheek. But the trooper had filed the edge of his gauntlet blade sharp and it stung as he drew it across Four's cheek.

Four flung up his arms in defense, bringing up his helmet to slam into the trooper's head. The trooper ducked his face, hitching up an armored shoulder to take the helmet's blow.

Talon and Twenty-one stepped forward, grabbing the trooper by the shoulders to pull him off Four. One fist slammed back into Twenty-one's face, loosening his grip. The trooper twisted in some arcane move and slipped from their grasp. His armored forearm pressed against Four's throat.

Four dropped his helmet, hands pushing against the trooper's elbow and pulling against his wrist to set him off-balance. He pulled up his knee, setting his foot against the planet's surface and rolled back over his shoulder.

Except, it seemed this trooper knew that move, had expected it, had prepared for it. Maybe he'd even set it up. Because, as Four rolled, the other trooper took control of the momentum. Instead of ending up with Four on top of the other trooper, the roll continued. Four slammed his fist into the other's scarred face and tried to grab back control. He gave a cry of pain as the other trooper threw all the energy of their movement into his arm, twisting the shoulder joint.

Four was on his knees, face-to-face with his attacker who was pressing him in a wristlock that screeched agony. In reflex or instinct, Four's reached over to the controlling hand. His thumb bit into the back of it and his hand twisted, fingers pulling away the control but not the pain. Freed, he rolled back over his good shoulder but only ended up on his knees. His wounded arm was grabbed again and jerked forward even as the trooper gave him a strike to his chest armor with the hard heel of his palm. Again off-balance, he was driven to the sand held down by an armlock that would break his wrist or wrench his shoulder into realms of agony he hadn't even considered. He panted hard, trying to suck in oxygen but dipped his head in defeat.

Then Talon and Twenty-one joined the fray, pulling off the trooper who refused to loosen his grip on Four.

In the fuzzed background of his hearing, he heard Talon asking if he was ok and the confining grip of his attacker was loosening.

He sucked in a breath as a deece barrel pressed against his cheek.

"You're deficient," shouted Talon. "You're both defective. You'll be sent to Kamino for attacking a sergeant." Four was free of that hard, imprisoning hand but didn't move for the deece. He'd been returned to Kamino once but he certainly didn't want to go in a morgue box.

"Hello,Slick. I guess you never expected to see us again."

Both stranger clones stood staring at him on his knees. His attacker, scarred face harsh and angry as he inspected Four, was in plain, battled-worn armor. The one with the deece was in Commander Cody's gold.

212th. Slick. It was information about his past. If he learned who these troopers were, he might learned who he'd been, where he'd been assigned. He might the why of everything.

The trooper in plain armor shook his head as he rubbed his blood off his face. After his attack, he now seemed uncertain.

"Look at him, Jester. He doesn't know. He has no idea." The words were almost a whisper as the trooper placed both hands on either side of Four's face. Almost kind and caring, like a good medic or your best vod. "You have no idea what this is about, do you?" He leaned his face down almost touching Four's. His eyes were shiny. Dazed, Four didn't respond fast enough for him. He shouted. "Do you?"

Four shook his head. "No." His voice was subdue and his attacker rose, shivering, his head shaking.

Then Captain Silver moved up between Talon and Twenty-one. "What's going on here? Stand down, trooper and put that deece on the ground."

The trooper, a sergeant by his arm stripes, looked at the scarred man. He shivered, as if going into shock. Twenty-one fifteen should check on him but the sergeant in gold-trimmed armor set the deece beside Four and moved to the other man. Lost, the man dropped his head to the sergeant's shoulder. He murmurred a few words but they were lost to Four.

"What happened, Sergeant Four?"

A half-sob, half-laugh burst from the scarred trooper.

With assistance from Twenty-one fifteen, Four stood to answer his captain. "I was checking on where to best settle the camp, sir, when this trooper attacked me. I don't know why."

"That's right, sir," added Talon. There was a red mark on his face and he glared at Four's attacker.

The captain looked at the miscreant with hard eyes. "What company do you belong to, trooper?"

Four stood straight, Talon reaching down to hand him his bucket. Captain Silver would take care of the situation. He was sure of that.

His attacker clenched his fists, obviously contemplating another attack.

"He's mine, Silver." A captain trimmed in blue strode forward. It only took an instant for Four to identify him as Captain Rex. "Stand down, trooper," he told the scarred man. "Holster your weapon, sergeant." The 212th sergeant holstered his deece and moved back to the side of the other trooper, both men in parade rest.

"Rex," Captain Silver spoke. "It's good to see you survived this mess, but if these are your troopers, I'd say you need help in disciplining them."

"They had provocation, Silver." Rex nodded at the captain, but strode up to Four. "What's your designation, sergeant?" His voice was soft, calm and seemed almost curious.

"CS-8644, sir," answered Four. Surely, he wouldn't ask for more. Surely Captain Rex wouldn't demand he reveal that he was reconditioned, wanting, not good enough the first time around.

"Your full designation." pressed the captain in royal blue, his voice as mild as if speaking with a cadet just out of the nursery.

"Rex," Silver hissed his objection and shook his head softly, silently asking him not to disgrace the sergeant in front of his own men. But the asking had been enough for others to begin doubting Four's competence.

Rex glanced at Silver, his brown eyes cold and hard, as if it - whatever it was - had been Silver's fault. Silver took a step back in retreat from that steel gaze.

"I asked for your full designation, trooper, and I expect it." His voice was so low it was almost a whisper. Four doubted anyone else heard the hate and pain in it.

Four snapped to attention, almost weeping for the captain's pain. For the scarred trooper and the sergeant who'd put a weapon to a brother's head with the full intention of using it. A glance showed both men had tears, the gold-trimmed sergeant's tears were rivelets cleaning away the smoke and grim of battle.

"CS-R-21-8644. Sir," Four cited in a much quieter voice.

"Reconditioned," whispered Talon. As if Twenty-one fifteen was unaware of it. More of the company and clones from other companies were gathering around the small knot of interest.

"R. Reconditioned." murmured the 501st captain with a frown. "Did they ever tell you why you were fully reconditioned?"

"Power surge during attention..." began Slick but Captain Rex cut him off, hard and angry and full of rage.

"They lied to you, 8644." Rex looked at Captain Silver for a moment. "They lied to you, Silver." He turned back to Sergeant Jester of the 212th and the trooper in unmarked armor. "And they lied to us."

For a moment Captain Rex was still, a statue who didn't seem to know what to do with the hate that raged through him. Then he turned back to the 501st trooper and 212th sergeant, both with tear-streaked faces.

"Chopper, as Commander's second, convince her she needs to be evac-ed for the coughing. It's gone on long enough. Commander Offee as well. Jester, report to General Kenobi. He has questions regarding your squad's commandeering of the tanks. Good job on taking down those warrior bugs yesterday."

Four watched them lope off to fulfill Captain Rex's orders. It was obvious he respected those two troopers.

If they are good troopers, whispered a part of his mind, then what are you?

Captain Rex turned back to Four, forcing himself to relax, forcing himself to not be angry. His voice, again, was low as he bent a little toward Four. This time to keep his words from reaching the gathered troopers.

"You may not remember, R-8644, but we do. For your sake, stay away from the 501st and the 212th. There's a man in the 41st Elite who isn't too fond of you either. He's a medic, so don't get injured here and make him regret his choices."

With a quiet sigh, Rex turned his back to Four and gazed over the small crowd that had formed in the wake of the disturbance. "I was looking for some volunteers…" he began. The crowd immediately disbursed. Few troopers were crazy enough to volunteer for whatever General Skywalker and Captain Rex dreamed up.

Four appreciate that. It was going to be bad enough in his own company. Talon and Twenty-one looked at Four with sad speculation then moved off at Silver's curt dismissal.

Captain Silver took several hard strides to Rex. His voice was a harsh whisper and Four heard only a few words of the discussion.

"...away … Cody's troops … most … 501st …" Captain Rex gestured in the direction of the two departed troopers. "A few."

"...can't blame … remember."

"... dead don't... his account … not something … wiped..."

Then Captain Rex turned and walked away, his gait hesitant, as if he wasn't sure the path he walked on was solid.

Captain Silver watched him go then turned to Four.

"See a medic," Silver gestured down the sand path, a strange expression on his face. Curious and subdue. Four understood. Silver was a new captain and his first battlefield action had brought a reprimand from the captain he admired most. Though in some way, Captain Rex hadn't destroyed Silver. Not like Four had been destroyed.

The subtext of Rex's words had been that he deserved the reconditioning, that he deserved the beating, and he would deserve the disdain of his brother troopers for the reconditioning… no, not for the reconditioning but for whatever had caused it.

"Yes, sir." His voice was a lone note in the cacaphony of the surrounding camps.