"No!!!" wailed Anakin Skywalker, banging his feet and fists on the floor of the star cruiser Destroyer. "No! It's not fair! How could they do this to me? Don't they trust me?" The ARC clone trooper took several steps back. "Master Kenobi and Chancellor Palpatine thought you needed extra protection. It's only a temporary assignment." "Well, okay," Anakin sniffled, wiping his nose on his tunic sleeve. "Say, you sound familiar. Have we met before?" The clone trooper removed his helmet. "You remember me? I'm flattered." "Alpha!" Anakin exclaimed, embracing him. "Yes, that is the name you gave me. It's good to be serving with you again, Sir. May I ask where we are headed? I wasn't told in the mission briefing." "We're going to Vjun. There's rumored to be some sort of Separatist faction there. We're going to reconnoiter the planet. We should be there in about... 5minutes."
Half an hour later, after they had landed the ship and collected their gear, Anakin and Alpha set off into the jungles of Vjun. "Looks like a storm's coming. Maybe we should.." Alpha began, but Anakin cut him off. "You're not afraid of getting wet, right?" "Well, no, but.." "Come on! Let's go, then!" the young Jedi ran off into the jungle, with Alpha at his heels. But the weather predictions of the ARC turned out to be correct- within ten minutes, Anakin was soaked to the bone (Alpha, however, was completely dry- clone armor is waterproof). "I guess you were right," Anakin sighed. "Do you want to stop until.." Alpha started to ask. "No! We're going to keep going!" Anakin dashed off again. Sooner than either of them could predict, though, night set in. And still, the rain poured. "I give up! I can't see a thing!" Anakin muttered, plunking himself down on a particularly wet stump, and regretting it immediately. "I'm fine, these helmets are equipped with night vision. I'm not going to give up just yet." Alpha said. "Go on without me," Anakin murmured dejectedly. "Anakin, the Chancellor gave me something to give to you. I think now would be a good time." Alpha reached into his carry-sack, and produced a black body suit, and what looked like a set of black clone trooper armor, complete with black helmet. "Wow!" Anakin exclaimed. "It's a new proto-type. Element sealed, and night vision hardware in the helmet. Put it on." Anakin disappeared behind a rock for several minutes, then emerged in full gear. "Does this make me look fat?" he asked. "No. You look like the bad guy from some science-fiction movie." "Cool!" Anakin exclaimed. "You can set the inside of the suit to absorb moisture. That should dry you off in no time." "Thanks," Anakin grinned, doing just that. After Anakin had stored his soaked Jedi clothes to his carry-sack and secured his Jedi robes over top of his armor, they continued their trek.
Two hours later, they had made it halfway around the small world (Vjun is only 50 kilo-meters in circumference.) The rain had quit, and they stood atop a rocky plateau in the light of Vjun's moon. As Anakin stared at the landscape below them, his robes rippled in the breeze like a cape. "This would be a great place to live," he commented to Alpha. "I'd like to have a house here someday, where my family could live in peace." "That would be nice," the ARC replied. They set up their tent, spread out their sleep rolls, and ate a stew composed of Vjun's herbs and vegetables. Anakin had to admit that Alpha was a good cook. From having so much field experience, Alpha could turn almost any edible plant into delicious soup. Anakin put out the campfire, and removed his armor. Alpha followed suit (no pun intended), they crawled into their sleep rolls, and were overtaken be sleep the instant their heads hit their pillows.