"Bomb! Hit the deck!" The call was instant and sudden. Atin quickly jumped out the way as did rest Omega and CSF to dodge the blast save for one...

"FI!" Nines yelled as his squad mate dived on the bomb blocking it with his body. A second later the explosion happened. He jumped up and...Oh Fi...

Atin started crying in his helmet tears flowing freely as he looked at the desecrated bodies of both General Kaim and Fi. Kaim got the worst of it but Fi's torso...it...it was blasted open the bomb had torn through the armor from what he could see from where the... Oh blast it Fi. Atin didn't remember much after that mechanically going through the motions and neutralizing the enemy. Once things had settled down he found himself in his bunk with his squad-mates doing...Something. He really didn't find himself caring only that once again they'd lost some.

"Hey," Atin looked over and saw a Rutian Twi'lek with a heavy build looking at him sadly from the barracks entrance. "Did you lost someone?"

"I-" he hesitated before nodding. The being smiled sadly before sitting next to him. The Twi'lek, a female, from the looks of it, had a medic patch on her shoulder and from the look of her attire was a..Jedi...

"You...You're a Jedi," Atin said dumbly before realizing how just ignorant he sounded.

"Am I?" The Jedi gently teased. "I've never noticed. But getting back to the subject at hand. Did you lost someone back there?"

"My..my squad-mate Fi."

"I'm sorry," the Jedi said. "I lost my friend too."

"General Kaim?"

"Yes," the Jedi nodded her breath hitching. "He...he was my crèche mate and a good friend along with Voolvif and Yona. My name is Vokara Che by the way." She bowed her head respectfully to him in a way that made him mentally do a double take. "I'm a medical officer here and I was wondering if I could help out with grief counseling with that event and all. I've been told that I'm pretty empathetic...sometimes a bit too much."

Atin knew what most of the Cuy'val Dar thought of the the Jedi save for a handful. Most were distrustful with a few downright hating them. The rest that mistrusted them regarded them as meddlers while some others as ignorant but well meaning keepers of the peace. But aside from the fringe hateful ones like Vau most viewed them as opponents to be respected even if they personally opposed them. But a grief counselor? That was a new one.

"You don't have to talk about it right now but when you do I'll be there," Vokara said with a smile as she made a move to get up.

"I..." Nothing absolutely nothing he had been told or taught had prepared him for this kind of kindness. Maybe, just maybe, Vau was wrong after all and the Jedi did care.

"I'd appreciate that thank you sir," Atin said. "Do you...you have time now?"

"Certainly," Vokara said smiling softly. "So Fi...can you tell me about him?"

"Ah well he was a complete goofball," Atin said with a rather strangled laugh. "He was a goofy man and dedicated to the men..."

He talked more and more to Vokara with her listening and offering her opinions on matters. Laughing at situations and jokes that Fi made was nice. In time she began to talk about Kaim. Atin then found out that Kaim was a kind man that liked Bith Jazz and liked to make goody dances to his favorite pieces dragging her, Yona and Voolvif into it when they got together. He liked to go to tea café called Shakil for the pastries.

"Hey Che," a gruff but gentle voice called before a Shistavanen male (perhaps that was Voolvif?) poked his head in. "It's time to go. The funerals are coming up."

"Funerals?" Atin asked. He hadn't heard anything but then he'd been in a haze.

"Well yeah one for the trooper RC- 8013 nick named Fi and the other for...Kaim," his voice broke at the end rather like his did. Wait so they not only mourned him but Fi too? And they took the time to learn his name? Did that mean that they mourned the loss of their comrades as he did...He had talked to Vokara slightly about his previous squads and was outraged on his behalf when she'd heard how the first had perished and mourned how the second had died. Telling her this was relieving to get that off of his chest while she'd spoken of the Jedi lost on Geonosis which sort of made him aware of their loss in a way he didn't realize before. It really shook him and made him rethink quite a bit of what he'd been taught.

"Sir might I attend?" Atin stood up at attention. "I need no want to see Fi off. And Kaim too." He felt saddened that he didn't get to know Kaim personally and had a feeling that Fi would feel the same. Darman and Nines...it was hard to say considering that their trainer Skirata hated Jedi with a passion. Which of course now that he thought it begged the question of why he accepted a job for teaching them to fight or for that matter fighting in the Republic in the first place since that meant working with them.

"What about the rest of your squad?" Vokara asked clearly concerned in a way that made him feel so comforted. "Won't they want to attend?"

"They...I honestly don't know," Atin said and it was true. None had made an attempt at making arrangements but then again they were Skirata's boys so they might well have something planned. Not that he really cared now since he knew that they wouldn't appreciate what the Jedi were doing due to Skirata. But then again he wasn't supposed to be this emotional with Vau as a teacher and...Kark it.

"I'll go in their stand," Atin continued. The squad wouldn't like that but he figured that in the grand scheme it wasn't fair to make them wait for him to round up the group even if they did want to go. He'd make his apologies later. "If you'll..."

"Of course," Voolvif said. "We'd be honored."

"Thank you," Atin's eyes filled again with tears but these were of gratitude. Vau was wrong which wasn't too much of a surprise given that he was wrong about a number of things. They cared and Atin could appreciate that.

The service was something else. Never before had he experienced such a funeral. He half wondered if his fellow commandos had been given this honor. Atin thought so given what he'd seen so far of the Jedi. The cremation was a new thing as well as the contemplative prayer that had followed.

Now he, Voolvif, Voolvif's commander who was invited by him named Jaeger, Yona, a Bothan Jedi, and Vokara were sitting in a low end restaurant in the entertainment district. Atin was picking at his food while Jagan stoically drank a fizzy drink and Vokara, Yona and Voolvif quietly reminisced about Kaim.

"Sir."

"We're not on duty Jaeger so you don't need to address me like that," Voolvif said looking at Jaeger.

"Either case sir I have a question," Jaeger continued on. Clearly this was a form of banter between them since Jaeger didn't miss a beat. "When you say rejoice when someone enters the Force what does that mean? That we don't matter in the end?"

"Such a philosophical commander you have," Vokara laughed softly that made Atin feel a stirring of something in his gut at that laugh. It was a nice stirring and made him feel warm inside.

"No, it means to use that they're with us in Force...their consciousness may be go but the essence of who they were in the Force remains," Voolvif explained.

"So like the saying in Mando'a: Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la?"

"Similar but not quite the same. For a more through philosophical explanation I'd suggest talking to Master Nu or Master Yoda," Yona said smiling. "He loves talking philosophy with others but beware he'll talk your ear off."

"Thank you sirs I think I will," Jaeger said his Aurebesh tattoos which spelled out hunter across the left side of his face scrunching up as he smiled at his general and Yona.

"You like reading?"

"Yes sir I do," Jaeger answered Vokara. "Some of the troopers said my nickname should've been bookworm. I liked Jaeger so it stuck."

"It suits you, I've got a commander named, Surge and he's a handful. He wanted to come but the troops needed reorganizing since I'm shipping out soon for an Intelligence mission which might involve a Delta squad who I'm told are a bit of a handful..."

Atin stared at this display. He had minimal contact with the Jedi and clone relationships save for Etain and Darman which seemed off to him and his teams brief interactions with Kaim hadn't been too enlightened so seeing this was interesting. He...kind of liked it.

"So does stoic boy have something to add?" Voolvif said his teeth flashing. It took a second for him to realize that Voolvif was teasing him like Fi...

"Moonie don't," Vokara interrupted his train of thought. "That's what Fi used to do with him."

"What? Oh blast it all, I'm sorry," Voolvif looked contrite with his ears peeled back. "I didn't know."

"It's okay," Atin said smiling at Voolvif somewhat warmly. The fact he apologized for the mishap told him that the Jedi meant well. He honestly was liking the company more so. It made him feel like he was with his squad but different but it was good kind of different. His comlink then went off shrilly catching everyone off guard making him wince at the noise.

"Excuse me sirs," he leaned over to afford himself some privacy. It was Nines' voice that came up when answered.

"Trooper," Atin mentally rolled his eyes at Nines attempts to sound like his trainer. It was something that he thought was a tad pretentious. "We're needed for a briefing."

"Are we going to get a mission?" So soon? He wasn't even finished mourning for Fi.

"Just some information specs for our new materials that have come in," Nines said. "The brass," there was a hinted of disgust at the word that Atin hadn't noticed before...had that always been there? Then again the brass was the Jedi so that might be why...come to think of it...perhaps he could ask a few things before deployment. "They've decided we needed a refreshment course on some of the specs."

"Yes sir I'll be right there," Atin said before shutting off the comlink. "Sorry generals and commander I need to go."

"Here," Voolvif held out his hand. "Give me your comlink signature. If you're not on mission and I happen to be the neighborhood we can hang out."

"Sure sirs," he handed over the comlink that was quickly typed in by all four of them. "I appreciate it." He turned and walked out much more comforted and happier the he'd been before. The Jedi did care and...He half wondered if one of the Generals worked for Special Forces because he'd like to see more of them.

Vokara watched him walk off sadden his departure. She was so satisfied that both Jun and Voolvif got along with Atin. Atin needed support and someone to talk to right now. It seemed to her at least that the squad had quite a few maladaptive methods of dealing with grief.

"Hey Switches," Voolvif said softly. "What you thinking?"

"Just worried about him," Vokara admitted. "his squad seems to have maladaptive characteristics of dealing with death."

"Given who taught them I'm not quite surprised," Jaeger muttered.

"What do mean buddy?" Voolvif asked.

"Well sir he comes from a Omega Squad and well how to put this nicely?"

"Best if you just spit it out everybody," Voolvif advised. "Because I get the impression that this doesn't look like it's going to end well it either way."

"All right sir can't say I warned you a but a lot of them are trained under one man his name is Kal Skirata and to be blunt sir he hated Jedi," Jaeger said embarrassed.

"Wait why?"

"Beats me sir. I honestly don't know what his problem is. I mean from what I've heard and been able to gather information wise he was picked up when he was a little kid by I guess Mandalorians and raised in the Mandalorian society and...

"Wait, are you telling me that his parents had no say whatsoever?" Yona looked horrified at the concept.

"According to the man that's the Mandalorian way to do that."

"I would go with a hard no. Sounds like that's a bit of a fringe element if you're gonna be honest. Because Mandalorians don't just randomly pick up kids like that. That's called kidnapping and taking advantage of a vulnerable child. Also they're pacifists now. Even when they were warriors they would either try to return them to their families or if there is no family to be found then they'd raise them and train them until they choose the path not force them into it," Yona said her researching nature coming to full force.

"Well he also mentioned that he was taken into an active of war zone at eight years old."

"OK That's a bunch of blithering nonsense because I study Mandalorian history for history project and I remember it very well and let me tell you something sending an eight-year-old in a battle was not the thing in ancient days unless it was a desperate situation," Yona said her fur swishing with confusion.

"Well he did say it was THE Mandalorian way."

"Yeah maybe in his warped mind. You best talk to Obi-Wan or heck Yona about that if you want to know more on how the culture has changed and how what you've been telling me that he's said doesn't match what Mandalore is. He has most of the recent information about it but to be honest I don't see how that's a thing," Voolvif shook his head in wonder. "At least at the very least you could argue with that are Padawans although being put out in the war are at least 14 which is considered the age which most people are apprenticed."

"Does that mean he thinks the same of us?" Vokara visibly deflated. She'd gotten such a good repertoire with him and had found his company to be nice.

"No sir," Jaeger shook his head. "if that was the case then he would've avoided you entirely or ignored you."

"Well that's a relief," Voolvif shook his head sadly. "Seriously what's up with that guy?"

"Who knows?" Jaeger shrugged. "My theory was that he got on the wrong side of a war and saw a Jedi and ran scared. Of course that's just me. The other boys have other ideas...He wasn't popular among the troops save for those special few that he taught and that changed later."

"I feel pity for anyone with that kind of viewpoint to be honest," Vokara sighed as she drank her muja juice. "Although," she placed the drink down. "That does beg the question of who hired him if he hates us that much."

"...Iri Camas I think," Yona said shaking her head.

"That buffoon!?" Vokara shouted. "Didn't he leave the Order?"

"Yes he did and it was mainly that he, ahem, felt that nothing was getting done," Voolvif sighed. "Zey is on his way out for the looks of it too. Mlaske, Belgo Yorik, Traavis and Vaas Ga, his only friends, have already left due to the same reason as Camas...Yeah I call bantha fodder on that but there you go. They were kind of on the way out since they couldn't or didn't want to follow the rules...Kind of like C'Baoth now that I think of it. And he left early when the Order turned him down on that project of his."

"Given Zey's intelligence level it's no surprise. No offense sirs but I can safely say that most if not all of my brothers consider him to be a bit of a joke," Jaeger huffed. "I mean Tarkin has been braying for Zey's dismissal since that mess."

"Master Piell has been frustrated with him too especially since the fiasco with Qiilura," Yona said. "It's just a shame that the Seppies torched it."

"The entire planet!?"

"Yeah," Yona nodded sadly to Vokara. "It's gone. All of it. Just a molten slag. I think it was because the locals had some kind of abilities..."

"You mean those Gurlanins?" Voolvif asked with a sad look.

"Yes. Supposedly they had psychic abilities and ahem 'undetectable in the Force, yeah that's why they torched it according to reports. Some on in the Confederation believed their tales and decided to put it to the test. As you can see it didn't end well," Yona sighed. "No one was spared so now it's a wasteland. So the whole thing was a mess from beginning to the end. From Kast's death to the torching of the planet this has been a fiasco."

Vokara groaned with a soft sob in agreement with that sentiment. She remembered first portion of the mess all too well. Firstly it was the last mission of Kast Fulier who'd decided to leave the Order after doing one last favor to Master Yoda and supposedly Etain was going to be reassigned...or choose whatever her fate might be. She's barely passed the Apprentice trials and like another apprentice she'd heard of, Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy, was not particularly talented in some areas of of the Force. However that's where the similarities ended. Scout while insecure about her position worked her hardest to be in the Order and frankly was rather inspiring in her ways. Vokara had to admit that anyone that chosen to be her Master would be blessed with a good pupil indeed. Etain from what she could remember in the creche was...not that.

She was weak willed and very insecure in spite of the best efforts of the Masters and it wasn't helped with Kast negligent training which had gotten him lectured and chastised by everyone including Master Yoda...then there was the opposite end of the spectrum with Jusik...By the stars was that guy irritating to say the least.

"Just be glad Jusik isn't in there..."

"Do. Not. Get. Me. Started. With. Him," Vokara bit out. "He's...not a very nice person and I don't like him."

"Same," Yona said her fur rippling with annoyance. "He's...ugh!"

"Um what's wrong with him sirs?" Jaeger looked apprehensive about that answer as both Vokara and Yona fumed about their creche mate. Good stars above was he annoying.

"He's a bit of self righteous moron," Voolvif said bluntly. "He thinks he's got the moral high ground and then...does absolutely nothing about save for what makes him look good. Arligan Zey was supposed to be his Master and curb his behavior but no offense I don't think it's working at all. If anything he's gotten worse over time."

"Here, here," Vokara said lifting up her glass in agreement. "He annoyed the daylights out of me when I was a youngling. Kaim was the only one with enough patience to deal with him."

"Well Kaim is one with the Force now so we need to learn to buffer him," Voolvif pointed out sadly.

All three of them felt the weight of the loss of their friend keenly but Vokara did note that Yona nodded. She knew that she'd have to deal with him since he was one of the agents of the Special Forces now...something that didn't feel Vokara with comfort.

"Don't worry," Yona assured her placing her hand on her shoulder. "Ideally he'll be too busy to bother you with his faff and nonsense."

Vokara groaned since she'd have to deal with him constantly. Ugh. She sincerely wished that he'd be assigned elsewhere...anywhere since she wasn't picky.

"And we'll be out in the field getting shot at," Voolvif quipped. "So no pressure."

"Take care of yourselves out there," Vokara looked at Jaeger, Yona and Voolvif. "Please."

"Sure thing," Voolvif assured her. "We'll take care of each other."

"Sir, I'll bring him back in one piece," Jagan said giving her a firm look. "You can count on that."

"And I'm sure Surge will ensure my safety and I'll make sure he and the rest of the troops get back okay," Yona smiled as she began walking off. "Have faith the Force will provide."

"May the Force be with you all," Vokara said crying. Yona gave her a hug with Voolvif joining in. Jagan hung back unsure of what to do.

"Jaeger, hug this woman on the double," Voolvif mock ordered the clone commander.

"Yes sir," Jaeger said awkwardly but did hug her tenderly. "Ni malyasa'yr gotal'ur warye naba'a yaim. Ni srusala." Jaeger muttered making Yona squeeze him tighter. Finally they separated going to their respective places. The war marched and they all had a job to do now.

Mando'a translations:

Ni malyasa'yr gotal'ur warye naba'a yaim. Ni srusala- I will make sure to bring him home. I promise.

Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la- Not gone just marching far away (Mandalorian phrase for the dead)