Three Months Later
Hunter barely looked up when Wrecker slammed his fist against the Reg that had been insulting them in the cafeteria. The Reg went down, and his friends immediately leaped forward, heading for Wrecker with the intent to harm. Not that they would be able to.
Hunter shook his head as he stood to his feet and turned towards where his teammate was cackling and knocking the Reg's on their shebs.
He exchanged a dry, unamused look with Crosshair as the sniper continued to eat, completely ignoring what was going on behind him.
Tech was still sitting down as well, head buried in his datapad as he tried to ignore the growing cafeteria fight.
Hunter let out a small put-upon sigh and headed for where Wrecker was pounding the Regs.
"Alright, that's enough," Hunter said sharply, his tone of voice making it clear that he was an officer.
Immediately the Regs froze and glanced at him. Wrecker just casually stopped, a smirk still on his face.
The leader, the one that had started all this, unfroze almost instantly. "Who are you to tell us what to do, defect?"
Hunter felt his frown deepen at that word, but he ignored it and said, "How about I take this to Commander Blitz? I'm sure he'd love this."
The Reg instantly stiffened nervously. Commander Blitz disliked it when any soldier decided to start a fight in any place but the training rooms.
He sneered though trying to act as though that threat hadn't bothered him and spun around, leading his group back towards their own table.
Hunter let out a small, annoyed sigh and turned to face Wrecker.
"Ah, come on, Hunter," Wrecker whined. "They deserved it."
Hunter just shook his head. "Come on. We're going into the simulator after lunch. I don't know about you, Wrecker, but I'd rather not do that without a descent lunch."
Wrecker grinned manically. "Sure thing, Sarge!"
Hunter shook his head again as he followed Wrecker back to their table, wishing that at least one of his teammates would stop driving him crazy for one day.
Little did he know he was about to get a new one.
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Dogma nervously began to pack up everything he had been given; the images being carefully contained at the very fringes of his mind. Most of the things were from Omega but there were a few things from Nala Se, during the three months he had spent down in Nala Se's secret lab.
He was finally being put back on the front lines, amazingly enough. Dogma had thought that he would be kept down in Nala Se's lab with Omega for the rest of his life because of his defect.
But that wasn't the case now.
Nala Se had somehow convinced the Prime Minister that Dogma could be useful on the front lines.
He wasn't being sent back to the 501st though.
Instead, he was being placed in a special forces squad of defective clones whose defects were also useful.
Clone Force 99, Omega had told him in an awed tone.
Once all his belongings were gathered up, Nala Se would take him up to the simulation room to observe his new squad in action before they were all introduced.
Dogma was very nervous about this.
He was tugging the drawstrings of the bag Nala Se had given him closed as Omega finally spoke up from where she was sitting on his berth, swinging her legs.
"I wish I could go with you."
Dogma glanced up at her and took in the slump of her shoulders.
He set down his bag and crossed over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder, easily ignoring the memory he got from the touch, as he murmured in response. "I wish you could come too, 'Meg. But Nala Se doesn't think it's safe to reveal you yet. You are much safer down here. And I'll come back whenever I'm on Kamino to see you. You won't be alone again."
She stared up at him before launching herself forward and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Dogma hugged her back, dipping his chin down to kiss her head.
He would miss having her around.
Omega had been his only friend down here for these last three months, leaving her behind would cause an ache that couldn't be replaced. Much like the ache he still felt for Tup. Or Echo.
Dogma flinched slightly when a familiar elegant voice cleared behind him.
He turned, keeping his hand on Omega's shoulder as he stared at Nala Se's form standing in the doorway of his quarters.
"Are you ready?" she asked coolly.
Omega sniffled slightly and wrapped Dogma in a hug again, before she slowly released him and said, "Promise to come back and visit."
"I promise, Omega," Dogma murmured softly, running a hand through Omega's blonde hair.
And that was one promise he would keep.
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Hunter shifted as he and his squad headed up into the simulation room, his helmet keeping his face from being shown. If anyone had seen his face a small smirk would have been evident on his lips.
He loved fighting side by side with his brothers, even if they did drive him to near-insanity must days.
He turned his head towards his brothers and said, shortly. "Alright, boys. Let's keep this as clean as we can, alright? Lama Su nearly had tookas after last time."
"Ah, come on, Sarge," whined Wrecker. "It wasn't that bad."
"You nearly blew up the entire simulation room," Tech stated pointedly.
Wrecker pouted. "At least it was better than the time Crosshair destroyed all the targets at the gun-range."
Crosshair sniffed disdainfully. "Those Regs needed to be taken down a peg."
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Just keep this clean, alright, boys?"
"You got it, Sarge," Wrecker said cheerfully.
Hunter shook his head as the elevator doors finally opened, letting them into the simulation room.
The training droids opened fire as soon as the doors were fully open.
Hunter immediately returned fire as he and his squad headed for one of the metal outcroppings that could stand in as shelter for the time being.
Shelter so that they could plan.
"Alright," Hunter began. "Anyone have any ideas?"
Wrecker shrugged, returning fire as they crouched behind the shelter.
Tech was tapping on his datapad and said, shortly, "Unfortunately not."
Hunter turned towards Crosshair, about to ask him if he had any ideas when he noticed that his brother's eyes were focused up on the observation platform.
Hunter followed his gaze and tilted his head when he spotted the form of another clone standing with Nala Se.
He frowned behind his helmet. "That's odd. As far as I know no one was supposed to observe us today."
Tech shot a glance up at the platform before he turned his gaze back to his datapad. "According to this, no ARC is scheduled to observe us today."
"He's with Nala Se," hissed Crosshair, coldly. "Usually, ARC's come with General Ti. This is something else."
Hunter hummed with agreement.
"Who cares?" Wrecker growled as he slammed his fist into a droid. "Let's just give him a good show."
Hunter gave a quick nod in agreement. "Alright, Wrecker, you go left. Crosshair, get up on a turret and cover fire. Tech, with me. Let's do what we do."
"YEAH!" roared Wrecker as he charged out of hiding towards the left, destroying any droid in his path as he went.
Hunter just rolled his eyes, and went right, Tech right on his heels, trying to ignore the gaze of the clone up in observation.
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Dogma winced when the huge clone ran out from cover and rammed into any droids in his path. He suddenly felt very sorry for any droid down there. The big guy had to hit pretty hard.
He watched as the skinny sniper scaled the turret with ease, setting himself up in a sniper's nest while the other two troopers made their way behind the huge squad of droids that had begun to surround the big trooper.
It was very impressive.
It was also very risky.
Dogma couldn't help but feel worried about the dangerous actions the four troopers, Clone Force 99, were taking.
Now he was a little uncertain how he would do with this squad.
Although their risk-taking was similar enough to Torrent Company it might feel like coming home.
That of course depended on whether they would accept Dogma.
Dogma was pragmatic. He had no way of knowing whether Clone Force 99 would accept him. It wasn't like Torrent had liked him very much.
Dogma shut his eyes and quickly shook his head, shaking away the memories as he focused back on the simulation down below as the sniper took down the final droid with one sharp shot to the chest.
The huge guy cheered, pumping his fists excitedly.
Dogma turned his gaze to Nala Se.
Nala Se didn't even look at him. "Follow me."
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Hunter shook his head fondly as he and his team left the simulation room. They had once again beat their time from last time. Wrecker and Crosshair were arguing about which of them had destroyed the most training droids. Tech was curved over his datapad, silently, probably still trying to figure out why there was a trooper observing them.
"CT-9901," a cool familiar voice said from behind them.
Hunter turned towards Nala Se, his eyes narrowing behind his helmet as he caught a better sight of the trooper that had been standing beside her up on the observation platform.
He was smaller than a standard trooper, shorter it seemed like to Hunter. Baby fat stood out still on his face, making it clear to Hunter that this trooper was likely about 8 to 9 years old. Definitely still a kid at that.
His face bore a rather fancy tattoo in a 'V' shape across one eye. His hair was cropped close to his head. He was dressed in blacks and a unique set of armor painted the normal, shiny white.
It took Hunter a minute to recognize that the kid's armor was constructed from the same material their own armor was constructed from. The standard trooper helmet was held under the kid's arm. A bag was on his shoulder, probably containing everything he owned.
A sudden suspicion began to build in Hunter the longer he studied the kid.
Nala Se continued coldly. "This is CT-9922. Your new squadmate."
That proclamation caused Crosshair and Wrecker to stop sniping at each other and Tech to look up from his datapad. Hunter crossed his arms slightly displeased that no one had told him that his team would be getting someone new.
Even though it was clear from the kid's number that he was a defective clone, like them.
It would have still been nice to get a warning.
CT-9922 looked nervous where he was standing next to Nala Se.
So very nervous that Hunter dropped his displeasure for the moment and stepped forward to greet his new teammate. It wouldn't do to scare the kid. Especially when it was clear that he had already been experimented on by Nala Se and who knows who else.
"Hey there," Hunter said calmly. "I'm Sergeant Hunter. Welcome to Clone Force 99."
A small snort behind him came from Crosshair. Hunter ignored it as he held out his hand for the kid.
The kid hesitated a moment before carefully holding out his own hand, revealing that his blacks gloves were fingerless.
Hunter wondered whether this kid's defect had to do with touch.
He shook the kid's hand carefully, noting the slight flinch from the kid when their hand's touched.
Nala Se spoke again, voice still cool. "I will leave you to get acquainted. The Prime Minister wished for me to inform you that you will be shipping out in two days."
That caused Hunter to jerk. "Two days? That's hardly enough time to get him up to speed about our tactics."
"Which is why we decided to have him observe you in action," Nala Se said flatly. "And CT-9922 is a quick study. I'm sure you can bring him up to speed rather quickly."
Then she was gone, disappearing around a corner.
Hunter turned his gaze back to CT-9922.
The kid was still slightly tense. His arms were wrapped around himself as if comforting himself.
Hunter removed his helmet and attempted to smile at the kid.
"Follow us, alright?" he said carefully. "We can continue this in our quarters."
The kid finally spoke, a quiet, "Yes, sir."
Hunter nodded and turned, shooting a sharp look at the rest of his squad.
Their new teammate was a kid. There was no need for the rest of them to treat him cruelly for no other reason than surprise.
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Dogma followed after Sergeant Hunter, keeping his head down. He had seen and heard enough from the other three members of the squad to know they were not impressed with him. Nor did they seem to want him in their squad.
Sergeant Hunter had been polite, but Dogma had no doubt that the Sergeant didn't want him either.
Dogma took a deep breath.
He had to keep himself under control and prove that he could be useful.
Perhaps then the rest of Clone Force 99 would want him.
