A/N: Somewhere early in the Clone Wars timeframe.
"Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip!"
The words repeat in time with CT-7986's pounding steps. Not for himself, but for his brother running at his side.
They're nearly at the wall when CT-7986 catches the telltale stutter in Faceplant's steps. He swivels his body, kicks his feet against a sheet of metal embedded in the dirt, and tackles Faceplant before he can fall. CT-7986 is shorter by half a head, but the impact sends them both tumbling into the dirt under a crashed fighter.
CT-7986 scrambles to his knees and tucks deeper into the shadows. He darts a look over his shoulder, grimacing at the empty field. Laser bolts strike the ground at random from above, triumphant cries from the battle droids who think they've won.
They've lost, but they don't know it yet. CT-7986's squad isn't the real attackers. They're just a distraction.
"It's just us." Faceplant's voice shakes. "Everyone else is gone!"
"I know, I know, shh," CT-7986 shushes his brother, feeling a stab of pain in his gut that's sharper than a knife. "They fought well."
"They didn't fight at all!"
Faceplant punches the splintered wing hiding them. CT-7986 winces, but the sound is covered by the droids' shooting.
"Hush," CT-7986 scolds softly, trying not to be harsh. Faceplant is still new, after all. "They did their duty."
Faceplant yanks of his helmet and stares, eyes wide over his crooked nose. He looks so broken, CT-7986 is afraid he'll do something rash.
Then, Faceplant's expression changes to shock. CT-7986 spins to follow his gaze, and his own eyes widen.
Halfway across the field of debris and bodies, clone armor staggers out of the smoke. His armor's unpainted, just like the rest of the battalion, so CT-7986 can't guess who it is. He does know, though, that if the other clone doesn't move fast, he'll be killed.
When the clone isn't immediately shot down, CT-7986 peeks out.
The battle droids atop the wall are celebrating too much to notice they've missed a few clones. If the other clone moves fast, he can hide!
But the other clone isn't moving nearly as fast as he should. He doesn't act injured, really, but his stumbling gait is exhausted. Did he get separated from another battalion?
Whatever. CT-7986's seen enough brothers killed today.
"Stay here, and stay down," CT-7986 commands, then he's in motion.
Racing across the battleground, CT-7986 makes use of the large amount of debris: toppled trees, bits of wall, and the occasional ship from a previous failed campaign.
The other clone sees him coming, and speeds up. CT-7986 frantically waves at him, grateful when the other clone catches the hint and ducks behind a tree trunk. In moments, CT-7986 hurtles the tree and crashes back-first beside the other clone.
"Hey, there," says the clone between his pants. "Sorry to... fall behind. It… was a... longer run... than I thought."
"Is this your first time on the battlefield?" CT-7986 asks, incredulous.
"No." The other clone gulps breath. "Why?"
A sudden thud makes the other clone jump, but CT-7986 is well familiar with the sound. He looks to the side, where Faceplant's earning his name once again.
"Faceplant!" CT-7986 hisses. "I told you to stay put!"
"You also say to stick with your buddy," Faceplant says, not bothering to rise.
"You know I- ugh, never mind, just get over here!"
CT-7986 drags his brother closer to their cover. Faceplant's covered with enough dirt -even more than CT-7986- that it's debatable that the droids would even notice him, but it is too risky to lay in full view.
CT-7986 looks at the new clone next. "Speaking of, where's your buddy? Fodders stick together."
The new clone shrugs. "He took off as soon as we landed."
CT-7986 groans, but he's not surprised. Newbies are always pulling rash stunts, hoping to get noticed by another battalion. Which is the exact opposite of their orders.
"Can I stick with you guys?" the clone asks.
"Sure, the mission's probably about over now, right?" Faceplant says, angling his head to peer past the trunk.
"Maybe. I'll check in," CT-7986 says, but doesn't move right off.
"I'm lucky," the new clone pipes up.
"You sure are," CT-7986 says, thinking of how easily he could have been shot.
The clone laughs. CT-7986 jumps, startled at how cheerful the newbie is.
"No, that's what they call me: Lucky."
"The name suits you," Faceplant says. "I'm Faceplant."
Lucky again laughs. "Same for yours." He looks at CT-7986. "You?"
"CT-7986."
Lucky tilts his head. "No nickname?"
"Six, if you're in a rush."
"We used to call him-" Faceplant cuts off when CT-7986's head tilts toward him. "Well, nicknames aren't really encouraged among Fodders."
"Call each other whatever you like," CT-7986 sighs, hand raising to activate his comm. "But we're just numbers here."
It isn't just the officers calling the Fodders by their numbers all the time. Being called by his nickname from his cadet days reminds him of… happier times.
To avoid further conversation, CT-7986 calls Captain Tiven. "Captain, we're down to three out here. Permission to evacuate?"
"No," comes the sharp command. "Hold position. Torrent Company is on approach, and they need the droids to be looking your way. Get back out there!"
"Sir, yes, sir," CT-7986 says, then shuts off the comlink. He looks at Faceplant and Lucky. "We're not done yet. Captain Tiven says to hold position."
"How're you talking to the captain?" Lucky asks. "I can't hear a thing over the comms."
"Remind me to fix your radio after," CT-7986 says.
"I just got this helmet," Lucky says.
Faceplant scoffs. "They never give us decent gear."
CT-7986 shakes his head. "Why should they? We're sent out here to die, Faceplant."
Lucky flinches. "What?"
"You think the fact that we're called the Fodder Battalion is just a joke?" CT-7986 asks. "Get used to it. We're here to distract droids, not win a battle."
Lucky is silent for a moment, then he asks, "Well, what's the plan, then?"
CT-7986 can't help but smile. Most newbies either panicked or argued against their orders. Both responses would get them killed. The only way to survive was to stick together and follow orders.
"Our orders are to distract the droids," CT-7986 says. "We can do that without making ourselves the targets."
"How?" Faceplant asks.
"Just wait here. And I mean it this time."
CT-7986 peeks over the tree. The droids have moved away from the edge of the wall, leaving the field unguarded. Good for the Fodders, but not for the incoming clones.
"The ship we hid under," Faceplant says, "You could rig that thing to blow, right?"
"Brilliant!" CT-7986 exclaims. "Okay, watch my back."
Rather than risk running across the field again, CT-7986 drops to his stomach and army-crawls across the dirt. He has to pause frequently when droids march along the walls, as they're looking for survivors now.
In time, CT-7986 reaches the closest ship. He squirms underneath, grateful that his thinner shoulders allow him easier movements. It doesn't take him long to pull the fuel lines and jam them into the nozzle of his blaster and set the battery pack to overload.
Scooting back into the open, CT-7986 checks the wall. The droids are still oblivious. He looks at his companions.
Faceplant taps his forehead twice. CT-7986 nods, showing he's watching. Faceplant crooks his finger and jabs it at the ground. He opens one hand, then draws a finger across his palm.
What do you need?
CT-7986 points at him with one hand in front of the other, index fingers extended and thumbs pointing up. He moves his thumbs down and up.
Blaster.
Faceplant gives him an "okay" signal. He and Lucky confer for a moment, then Lucky shuffles closer to the open, blaster in hand.
CT-7986 smiles, trusting the newbie's aim more than Faceplant's. Sure enough, a blaster lands right in arm's reach a moment later. Still flat on his belly, CT-7986 reaches out.
"What was that?"
A robotic voice makes him freeze. He doesn't dare move or breathe, looking for all the world like a dead clone.
The droids talk for a minute. CT-7986 feels sweat on his forehead, knowing the blaster could blow at any second. If it blows too soon, and alone, the droids will assume it's a random explosion and ignore it. Fodders' mission would fail!
CT-7986 inhales slowly. "For the Republic."
With that, CT-7986 throws himself to his feet, snagging Lucky's blaster as he does. The droids notice him in seconds, and bolts strike the ground around him as CT-7986 runs.
Shouts rise, and bolts whizz overhead from Faceplant and Lucky. CT-7986 leaves the shooting to them, and just runs.
By chance, the droids are too confused by the clones' sudden appearance to organize very quickly. When they do, they focus on the clones with guns, leaving CT-7986 in the clear long enough to slide under another fallen fighter.
Boom!
The first ship explodes with ground-shaking force, rattling CT-7986's teeth. He quickly rigs the second blaster to blow the ship, then squirms out the opposite end.
Dust fills the air, and dirt and shrapnel clatter to the ground from the exploding ship. One of the ship's guns is now embedded in the wall, creating more chaos as the wall shudders.
CT-7986 launches himself to his feet and tears across the battlefield. Bolts stab into the dirt at his feet. The droids are thoroughly focused on the wrong side of their fort, at least.
CT-7986 is steps away from Faceplant and Lucky's scant cover when red collides with his left pauldron. The force sends him off-balance, and he crashes head-over-heels over the trunk.
"Six!" Faceplant exclaims.
CT-7986 waves off his frantic hands and feels his shoulder. The bolt went straight through the plastoid, missing his flesh by a mere finger's width.
"I'm fine," CT-7986 says.
"Well, we got their attention," Lucky says. "Now what?"
"Keep it!"
CT-7986 snags a lost blaster laying nearby and rocks to his feet, firing blinding through the dust toward the wall. Faceplant and Lucky leap up on either side of him to join.
Boom!
A second explosion rocks the field. The trio flattens themselves to avoid the dirt and metal flung outward. As they do, another voice comes over CT-7986's radio.
"C'mon, the clankers haven't seen us! Charge, men, charge!"
CT-7986 switches off his radio. "Torrent Company is here! Come on!"
The clones leap to their feet. CT-7986 catches Lucky's arm before the newbie can run back toward the fight. Lucky looks at him, and CT-7986 points after Faceplant, who's already running in the opposite direction toward the trees.
"Back to the shuttle," CT-7986 says, then breaks into a run.
He's grateful for all the dust the explosions have thrown into the air. The field is wide and open, and Torrent Company would have seen them otherwise.
"Wait, why are we leaving?" Lucky asks as he keeps pace. "Shouldn't we help them?"
CT-7986 gestures vaguely toward the gunblasts and triumphant clone shouts. "They're doing pretty good on their own."
"Well, can't we catch a ride back with them? Or at least finish the fight with them?"
"I told you," CT-7986 says, "We're not here to win the battle. Just distract the droids."
"But… why?"
CT-7986 stops, confident they're deep enough in the woods to remain unnoticed. He waits for Lucky to stop as well. Faceplant slows, then stops by way of tripping into a tree. CT-7986 and Lucky ignore him, silent except for their panting.
"Our mission," CT-7986 says slowly, quietly, "Is to distract the droids. With our lives if necessary. Almost always with our lives. We're the broken clones, Lucky. Better to use us this way, as cannon fodder, than to let us fail the whole clones on the front lines."
CT-7986 turns and walks away. He pauses at Lucky's next words.
"But, that's not fair!"
"This is war, Lucky. Nothing is fair." CT-7986 keeps moving. "Now come on. Mum'll be worried."
Mum had been with the Fodders even longer than CT-7986. He'd long ago given up his name and gone by a shorter version of his CT number, Eleven, but a newbie who'd actually served with a battalion for some time had taken to calling the older clone "Mum" and it had somehow stuck. Since then, Mum had changed.
It was dangerous. Not for the mission, but for Mum. He cared too much for the clones, considering almost every clone was replaced after every mission. And not because they'd been moved into a proper battalion.
Still, CT-7986 has to admit it is kind of nice to have someone congratulate them on a successful mission when they return. It's more than the officers over Fodder Squad give them, and more than CT-7986 dares to voice.
"We have a keeper!" Mum declares when he sees Lucky's survived. "Anyone else?"
"Just us," CT-7986 says quietly.
Mum nods and closes the doors. He doesn't have to ask if the mission was successful; if it wasn't, the ship would leave empty.
Mum lurches to his seat with heavy, awkward steps. An explosion months before had badly damaged both of his legs, and he can only walk with the support of thick, mechanical braces. He's an excellent pilot, but CT-7986 fears the day that their beat-up, clunky shuttle is ever ambushed while Mum's alone.
Lucky drops into a seat and pulls off his helmet. Underneath, his face is pale and thin. CT-7986 puts the paleness to the mission, but thinks his face is unusually gaunt. His hair is cut shorter than standard.
"Why?" Lucky asks shortly.
CT-7986 sits across from him. "Why can't we join Torrent Company for celebrating the battle?"
Lucky nods.
CT-7986 doesn't respond right away. The silence is filled with the uncertain rattle of the shuttle starting up. The landing gear squeals into place, then the shuttle is quiet enough again to talk.
"I don't think most clones realize how many of us broken clones there are," CT-7986 starts.
"I'm not broken," Lucky huffs. "Just a little weaker than the others. I get tired faster."
CT-7986 nods. "And I'm too short."
Lucky's brows raise. "I hadn't noticed."
"You would've noticed if you had a regular clone's stamina," CT-7986 says. "Smaller steps make me slower. And if I have to climb, well… I need help."
"And you've seen me in action," Faceplant says. "Nobody noticed for awhile. In battle, there isn't time, and I'm not so clumsy if I'm moving slow. But Captain Rigor eventually realized I was falling a lot. He sent me back to Kamino. Only because he didn't want to see me get hurt…"
Lucky shakes his head. "My story's about the same. How does no one know about us?"
"For the same reason we couldn't stay to celebrate," CT-7986 says. "We're kept separate from the whole clones, and they aren't told that we're on the opposite end of the battle drawing fire."
"But, why?" Lucky demands, confusion and anger warring in his eyes.
"Because they wouldn't let us," CT-7986 says quietly. "They'd insist we stay on Kamino. Or, worse, that their battalion would take us in so we can truly fight."
"So let us!" Lucky says.
"We'd fail our whole brothers," Faceplant says. His helmet's off, bruised face clenched in pain. "We'd fall when we're supposed to be watching our brothers' backs, and our brothers will fall."
"At least this way, we can still serve the Republic," CT-7986 says.
"By throwing ourselves out to be droid target practice." Lucky shakes his head.
"We're protecting our brothers," CT-7986 says. "Redirecting the droids' attention lets the others get closer. Gives them a better chance of winning."
Lucky still looks unconvinced.
"You don't have to stay if you don't want to, Lucky," CT-7986 says. "If you ask, they'll reassign you to work on Kamino."
"They might let you train the cadets," Faceplant says, smiling for the first time all day.
"Sometimes I think you'd rather be on Kamino, Faceplant," CT-7986 says.
"Well, who'd be here to keep an eye on you, Six?" Faceplant asks with a grin.
"I have a question," Lucky says.
"Yeah?" CT-7986 asks.
"You say we're all numbers here."
"And we are."
"And you insist that we call you by your number."
"It's better that way."
"Then why haven't you asked for my number?"
CT-7986 blinks. "What?"
"Why do you call everyone else by their nicknames, but won't let us call you anything but 'Six'?"
CT-7986 looks at Faceplant, who raises an expectant eyebrow. He sighs, knowing he won't get any help from Faceplant.
"Because… my brothers are more than numbers to me."
"And so are you, Crawl."
CT-7986's head jerks up. "What did you call me?"
"Crawl. I thought of it when you were crawling around the battlefield." Lucky sounds proud of himself.
"Lucky, you can't-"
"You're more than a number to your brothers," Faceplant jumps in. "I like 'Crawl' much better than 'Six.'"
"So do I," chimes in Mum, who CT-7986 hadn't even realized was listening!
CT-7986 looks at his brothers' stubborn expressions. He raises his hands in defeat.
"Call me whatever you want," he murmurs. "It doesn't really matter in the end."
"But it matters to us," Lucky says, nodding firmly.
"Besides, I can tell you like it," Faceplant says teasingly.
CT-7986 -Crawl? Does he dare think of himself as Crawl?- shakes his head, but can't help smiling. Well, it is nice to have a name again. For however short of a time it might be.
A/N: There ya go, how Crawl got his name! At one point, I wanted to write The Unnumbered Battalion to tell the Crawl's story from his graduation to his death, but I really don't have the time for that. :P So, Crawl's story is told within various fics.