Okay, yeah, I know. It's taken forever for a relatively short chapter. Apologies for that. My only explanations (aside from procrastination) are that I severely overestimated my abilities to wrap this whole story up in one chapter (...HAHAHAHAHAHA, as if! XD) and that what we are about to hit in the story is much harder to write than everything before it (you know that is true when you have rewritten most parts of the chapter at least four times) XD
;D Buckle up, laddies. It ain't over just yet. (bows and exits stage)

...

(walks back on stage) Also, you all may thank Cuthalion97 for basically cowriting this chapter since I was at my wits end for a little while. Thanks! :D
(last thing, I promise: as of...roughly to the day three weeks ago, GoA has been in progress for exactly one year. :D)


Date: 1745

Region: Outer Rim, Ryndellia system

Location: Kaliida Shoals medical center, Dfac

Blinking back dull vision with the vague hopes of staying awake for at least another three hours, Commander Cody forced himself to not close his eyes as he cradled the warm caf mug in his hands. Unfortunately, the act didn't help much since the weary and stress sickened Commander found the earthy aroma rising from his cup to be incredibly soothing instead of energizing. Of course, if any of the medics were around to scold him about it, they probably would have said on that day alone he'd become tolerant to it – the indignity – and scold him left and right about the fact that an officer shouldn't reasonably drink more than two cups per day...

Feeling himself beginning to hunch over his table as he hid a yawn in one hand, he mentally scoffed. Only two cups per day...reasonably...riiiiight. He could do that. And besides, the one in his hands was only his -

He blinked, biting back another yawn.

It was his… Well...what? Third? Maybe?

Hmmm...He'd gotten up around three – he hadn't been able to sleep well that night; then sneaked an early cup from mess hall before heading to his office to finalize paperwork...then of course, his secretary Nicky had given him his customary (and what should have been) first caf of the day (thank the Maker she hadn't caught him); Then he'd snagged another one at his oddly timed brunch (which always managed to be pushed back to the most ungainly time of at least ten fifteen)...Then, of course, he'd had the one right before the Marauder landed some time later...and now, at five-ish something he was making the mistake of having another one because it was going to be a long night if the latest reports on Hunter's condition were valid in any way.

So, no. Not three. Correction: it was technically his fifth (since the half-second one at breakfast didn't count)

Okay, so he was nearly tripling the suggested intake. No big deal… People did it all the time, he was sure.

The devil-on-his-shoulder half of his mind scoffed, Sure they do. To all sorts of illegal stims and depressants.

Oh hush up, he thought back, glancing around at the sparsely populated mess hall before resting his forehead in his arms crossed over the table. He should have been in a more private area since he figured he was beginning to nod off and that was most likely a bad idea, but it was (clearly) the caf's fault that he wasn't able to think straight since it wasn't doing its job properly.

Besides, it had been a rough day.

Well, 'rough' was an understatement.

Kriff… Where to begin? With Hunter's frikk'n lung collapsing and then finding out - that despite that slight problem - he was regaining consciousness? With all the medtechs freaking out and then both Crosshair and Tech pulling their guns on the sergeant after seeing him move despite whatever it was they had done to try to help. . .?

Cody squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to alleviate the headache beginning to show itself behind his eyes.

Before then, he hadn't thought it possible to see such fear in the eyes of the boys he'd trained. …Then he'd seen how quick and ready they - well, Crosshair and Tech, at least - were to kill their brother if it meant survival. He'd seen the wild expressions in their eyes. Hunter - while he didn't know it yet - was lucky Cody had barged into the lab when he saw what was about to happen. Otherwise….Otherwise, chances were, there wouldn't have been much left. Not at the point-blank range they had and what with both of them aiming for his skull.

Hence, the reason why Cody had pulled them both out the moment he could and hence why they were both back at his temporary quarters, hopefully calming down with Wrecker.

It still hadn't taken care of the Hunter-awakening problem - though that had been temporarily solved when Nala Se decided to put him in biofreeze for a little bit so they could buy time enough to hopefully figure out if he could be salvaged or not - but it had been a start since he was still alive to operate on.

What had they all seen down there that had pushed their nerves?

Rubbing his eyes, Cody shook his head.

Guess this means I'll be binging on horror feeds from their mission later then.

Unconsciously, he drowsily relaxed, completely unaware that while his mind was working ahead to deal with the problem at hand, his body was dozing off on him.

But he found out soon enough...at least, a half hour later, he did.


...He was back, standing in front of the window...The Kaminoan was talking to him and he was responding.

''There are signs that the clone is waking up.'' she said.

''What? But he's under anesthesia, isn't he?'' Cody heard himself protest.

''Of course.''

She sounded so calm...how? He felt panicked. People he cared for were in danger! How could she be so calm?

''Then how could he be waking up?'' he heard himself say – again, it felt like...he'd said all this before...

''I am uncertain.'' Nala Se responded, ''There is a faint - however, unlikely - possibility that it is because that is his reaction to his bodily malfunction.''

''Malfunction?''

''Yes. CT 9902's right lung has already collapsed.''

Cody's head spun. Lung? Collapsed? He could feel danger drawing near and suspense ripped at his chest. He knew this. He'd heard all this before. Where?

''What?'' he demanded. ''I don't recall chest injuries marked on his immediate after action detail.''

''It was not caused by injury,''

The Kaminoan's neck arched down to peer at her data pad while continuing to explain what had happened with Hunter. Cody couldn't catch specifics. Only that the virus had been attacking vital organs and somehow that had led to the sergeant's lungs collapsing. The sense of danger dawned brighter. Something didn't feel right...

''What operation is this?''

''Initially, this was meant to be an evaluation of his physical condition, with CT 9904 and CT 9907 overviewing as assistants since they have immediate data concerning the matter. However,'' the doctor gestured towards the window, ''now, with the new development, we are merely trying to keep him alive...''

Those words rung ominously in his mind. He had heard this all before; he was sure of it! This had already happened!

Except this time...things were different. Things were changing from how he already knew them. The doctor...she hadn't said that and he hadn't responded. They hadn't argued...

And on the other side of the transparisteel, the heart rate monitor hadn't peaked and then flatlined.

As a dull whine filled the air, a boulder of fear seemed to sit on the Commander's chest.

No...no...nonononono no!

On the other side of the glass, Tech dropped what he was doing and flashed to Hunter's side, calling something that he couldn't hear. On the other side of the gurney, Crosshair merely watched on, his eyes wide with shock before lifting them to meet Cody's.

He mouthed words the Commander couldn't hear, yet he still understood.

He's gone...

No, no, no, no!

Pressing against the window, Cody watched in panic as the various doctors and scientists began scrambling faster in the quickly shrinking room. Everything was beginning to darken and there was nothing he could do.

His heart sank.

Wrecker, suddenly appearing in the operating room, merely rubbed one watering eye dry before sinking to the ground in the corner. Still determined to make his brother pull through, Tech shook the sergeant, snarling empty, tear-covered threats until two medical personnel had to forcibly drag him away and chain him down. The sniper watched it all; His eyes drifted between his comrades and the dead man on the table. Then with halting, miniscule steps, he ventured forward, gently resting a hand on Hunter's arm.

Cody shook his head.

No, no, no! This hadn't happened! This hadn't happened last time! Why did he die? Why was no one else responding?

Hearing a low scoff behind him, the Commander whirled to see Nala Se frowning down at her data pad.

''An unfortunate setback. But I suppose if we harvest him soon enough, all our research may not yet be lost...''

An iron grip clamped down on his mouth, another jerking his arms behind his back.

''After all, while the heart may have expired, there is a little while before the rest of the body fails completely. Perhaps there is even a chance to attempt an advanced AI if we preserve his brain...'' she keyed a mic and ordered, ''Have the subject's body biofrosted. I want it intact.''

Despite the anger boiling in his chest, Cody couldn't move! The invisible grasp that bound him refused to let go and with every jostle to break free, the grip constricted. The air in his lungs began to swell, unable to escape. Black dots swirled on the edges of his vision.

The last thing he heard was the sharp bubbling of voices gleefully setting to their task and the begging cries of the boys – his boys - as they were forced to watch as their brother was prepared for dissection...


The nightmare was cut short by a light hand being placed on his shoulder. Cody jerked erect, blinking up in surprise at the young nurse.

''Sir, are you okay?'' she asked, seeming mildly nervous that she was disturbing someone (but equally unwilling to pass by a chance to potentially save them if only from glaring embarrassment.)

Hmm, must be new.

He fumbled over clearing his throat for a second, trying to recenter himself before assuring himself of his surroundings and nodding.

''Yes, of course. I was just resting my eyes.'' He replied casually, trying to force a (completely fake) disarming smirk.

A dainty wry grin lifted to her eyes – though it didn't quite cover up the concern – and she asked, ''For at least thirty minutes, sir?….''
Oh kark, was it that long?

Shooting a glance over at the chrono, the Commander was tempted to curse and immediately bolt for the quarters to see if the kids were okay; but instead, he handled it as he always did: calmly and with dignity, like the gentleman of an officer that he was(...)

He allowed himself another fake smile and said with a shrug, ''Eh, as long as it takes.''

If he was honest, she didn't seem terribly impressed with the answer but was gracious enough to hide it well since she shook her head, her same expression never fading.

''I guess so. Though, I think if you're planning on crashing again like that, it might be a good idea if you do it where you don't have to worry about where you're going to land after hours.''

Translation/basic gist of the idea: next time, admit to yourself that you need sleep and next time plan for it in a place that isn't the cafeteria...especially if all the medical personnel are around. Otherwise, they might panic at seeing a limp and occasionally spasming body hanging over a tabletop.

Cody admitted that he had, in a fit of only slightly morbid creative imagination, added that last part to his interpretation of her light scolding as an inside jest, but not entirely since he knew it to be true if experience was anything to go by. And he knew a thing or two because he'd seen a thing or two.

Just typically, it wasn't he that was performing the age-old act that was very high on the medic's 'worst idea of local pranks' list – which they kept somewhere hidden for the new staff to get a basic understanding of what exactly they were getting themselves into and which was a detailed and rather extensive list of things some of the knotheads cooked up. The biggest problem with the list, though, was that it was always extending.

The poor medics had to revise it so often...Especially in his experience of being housed with the 501st – where such things had the disgrace of being so blatantly prevalent, even if conducted unintentionally.

In fact, Cody could recall one time where a new kid from his side – not even a natborn, just a shiny medic right off Kamino – had been terrified that he'd been in the same room at the same time as someone who had seemingly choked to death on wet cereal because one of Rex's junior officers in training hadn't slept for three days straight and fallen asleep while eating...it had taken Rex's medic Kix an hour to coax the kid back into the temporarily shared medbay.

Ha, fun times.

But that was getting off topic.

Careful to keep his loopy amusement to himself, Cody mentally returned his attention back to the present and the nurse standing in front of him. They casually exchanged farewell pleasantries and she left, heading for another table where a group of what he assumed were other natborn medical students were just beginning to set down their trays. As she walked away, Cody hid a grin in his now cold caf mug, his earlier mood lifted for the moment.

Must be a shiny, he thought. Too nice. All the ones who have been around us a while don't bother being so polite since they've run out of patience. Probably a new transfer trying to get service hours in for her nursing degree.

With a huff, he shook his head. See how long she lasts, he thought with a sigh, before standing and heading for the doors, his heart beginning to turn to lead with each step as he remembered where he was going and why.

The dreams hadn't helped.

They never did.

For a strange moment, he wondered if the other three lads were suffering the same nightmare that he just had . . .

His exhausted, over-caffeinated mind leaped immediately into wondering whether it was possible for people to share nightmares. For an instant, he paused as he felt as though he were floating. Resting one hand on the wall to his right, he rested his forehead against the cool metal of the wall for a moment, concentrating on taking deep, steady breaths. He needed to sleep. It would be problematic for others if he didn't.
But he couldn't just yet. Not yet.

His mind would let him until he knew the boys were okay.
He had to go check on the others.


Date: 1821

Region: Outer Rim, Ryndellia System

Location: Kaliida Shoals medical center, guest quarters.

Silence hovered over him like a winter cloud as Cody dragged his feet down to his quarters, his mind racing as he drew near.

Kriff...what was he going to say to them? What could he say to them? The kids were probably - no, too late for probably. They were - scared out of their wits, no thanks to the last however many hours, Hunter being down, and Nala Se back and poking around for 'medical research' reasons that never got answers.

Turns out, as fate would have it, he didn't have to start with anything.

He was just out of sight from his apartment when he began to hear it. Muffled shouts buzzed from the inside, mere angry bursts of noise from his vantage as he couldn't make out the words.

But he didn't have to. He could already guess what the topic of the matter was and even who was wasting their voice like that. The only thing he didn't know was who specifically Crosshair was shouting at or if he was raging at himself like he did when he was upset with himself and was just trying to pick a fight to blow off steam.

Cody made it to the door and paused outside, cocking his head to discern what was being said, but couldn't. Then, after a few minutes, it cut out and no sound could be heard from the other side.

He didn't wait long before lightly knocking at the door, wondering if he'd even get a response.

The boys could be rather…sullenly reclusive when under emotional stress.

But he did. The door opened and the first thing Cody noticed when he saw Tech's expressionless face was the fresh tear streaks and red eyes. But that was all he got to see before the younger clone immediately turned away and stalked over to a bunk, curling up in the blanket before pulling the cover over his head.

Heavy-hearted, Cody slipped inside quietly, his eyes still drawn to the small figure on the main cot to his left before glancing around at the others. Crosshair, on the opposite side, sat with his back to the rest of the room, knees tucked under his chin and a scowl on his face as he almost hugged himself. It was partly to shield from the outside...partly to hide his own wet eyes from the others.

Straight ahead on an extra cot, Wrecker was hunched over on the edge, head drooped, and eyes closed as if it could rewind everything he'd probably just heard. He didn't even look up.

The Commander's eyes drifted once more to his own cot, to the small figure quivering slightly despite all attempts at stiffness in his movement. He wasn't making a sound.

''Tech?'' he asked gently, resting a hand on the kid's shoulder as he seated himself on the edge. "Talk to me, Owl."

The blankets shuddered and slowly, Tech's tear-swollen face resurfaced from under the fluid sanctuary, his eyes not quite meeting Cody's.

"Nothing… nothing of importance to report," he lied, half-ducking his head again.

Raising a concerned eyebrow, Cody glanced over at the other two. Like Tech, neither of them would turn to look at him.

Still, he asked, "That so?"

Wrecker's eyes flickered up briefly, and he nodded.

"Crosshair?"

There was no reply… but Cody didn't repeat himself. Instead, he merely waited, watching as the sniper's back began rippling with shaking breaths as he tried to outlast the Commander's silence. Cody could see that was what he was doing - Fox and Wolffe had been a little like that too, not wanting to answer - and he also knew from experience that snapping for an answer would only make it harder for the kid to respond.

No. If he wanted an answer, he just had to watch and wait…

Finally, Cross nodded, mumbling, "Nothing important," under his breath.

"Ah…" He paused, considering how he was supposed to handle this before continuing, "Then I guess everything is alright between you three?"

Silence…

"Sure sounded like something was up. I just wanted to make sure you guys were alright being here…"

As if the temperature had dropped twenty degrees, the three boys shifted uncomfortably and a case of sniffles hit and left within a split second.

"We're fine." Crosshair hissed, his shoulders so tense Cody vaguely wondered if he should be worried about the kid getting cramps. "Just don't want to talk about it."

"Speak for yourself, Cross," Tech muttered bitterly, the words just barely escaping past the blanket enough for the Commander to hear.

For a long moment, he said nothing, gauging the rising heat in the room.

"What makes you say that, Owl?"

"I do not believe it should concern… No. I merely wish this were all over."

"It will be. Soon," Cody soothed, shifting his hand over to Tech's temple, just barely resisting thumbing through his short hair. "This will wrap up sometime soon and then we get back to life as we know it. We'll survive."

A short scoff cracked from behind him.

"Tell that to Hunter."

Cody looked up, feeling his annoyance peak, but still unwilling to let it show and he replied as disarmingly as possible. "Were you told something we don't know?"

As before, another waiting game commenced until the sniper shrugged.

"No," he admitted quietly.

"Alright then. I don't want to hear anything but a positive forecast until it's all blown over, alright, soldier?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good." His eyes softened, shifting over to Wrecker, who sat cross-legged on his cot, his expression virtually blank. "Bear? How about you? You've been awfully quiet."

Shrugging, Wrecker just shook his head, "Noth'n to add, I guess. Now...doesn't seem like a good time for words...I guess – I guess not when ever'thing is still up in the air an' it's all tense."

Frowning, Cody scanned the room again, eyes lingering this time. The shame was evident on the two faces he could see and it took a special amount of Marshal Commander in him to know that was also true with Crosshair simply by his body language; but despite that, they didn't seem all too repentant.

They might have been sorry that they were yelling (or, in the case of a certain sniper, got caught), but it was none too likely that any of them were sorry about what they had said – since they didn't condone saying anything that they didn't believe.

Huh, and I wonder what stupidly brilliant and arrogant idiot taught them that...Oh, right. That smartsheb commander over in the 212th. Right. I forgot about that, he roiled.

That probably explained why none of them were really acting like themselves. Or...why they were, just not like they did when they were in any good mood.

"Alright then. Lads, is there anything I can help you with?"

When no one responded, he added, "I'm asking because I want to know how worried I should be."

Crosshair shifted. "Why?" he said, his words somewhere between a hiss and a sigh. "Why should you be worried about us?"

"Because -" Cody watched him. "….Isn't that what a good leader does?

"That's certainly what Hunter did."

"And…? Is Hunter a good leader?"

"I… guess…" he muttered bitterly. "Not like that's going to help him now any. The kriffing idiot."

Aahhh...That's what I thought. Cody pressed his lips, They are scared for him. Really scared. And they don't know who to take it off on.

"Cross – Falcon. Do you think Hunter is trying to hurt you? Do...do you think he did this on purpose? To test how loyal you all are to him? Or – is this something you think he didn't have any control over?"

"He didn't have any control to begin with."

Next to him, Tech ducked his head, discretely nudging it against the Commander's leg. "That is a lot of talk from the likes of you."

"What was that supposed to mean?" snarled Crosshair.

"Boys, not now. What do you mean, Tech? How so?"

Tech's frown tightened and he hunched his shoulders under the blanket.

"I merely meant that once the mission went wrong, none of us were in control. That is all..."

Was it, though? Cody glanced across the room at Crosshair, who had - impossibly - gone even more rigid.

Kriff, kid. If you get cramps tomorrow….

The commander watched him for a long moment, forehead creasing in a frown as he tried to read between the lines and figure out what the three commandos had been fighting about. They were worried about Hunter - that much was sure. And they didn't seem to know where - or, how, rather - to blow off the steam. But why turn on each other in that case?

Beside him, Tech let out a quiet sigh and went limp, not willing to continue fighting how tired he was. Cody absently put a hand on his arm and patted it. Was there something that Crosshair had done - or not done - during the mission that made the other two think that Hunter's injuries were his fault? Or was it that Tech or Wrecker had made a mistake?

Mentally pursing his lips, Cody huffed to himself. Well, given that there were four of them, how many times would he tick off each name for who might have fouled up during the mission?

Beside him, Cody could almost feel Tech sinking into the thin mattress of the cot. The kid was probably exhausted, between one thing and the next. . . Granted, when was that new? Weren't they all?

As if to prove his point, right then, Wrecker met Cody's glance and looked away, tugging unnecessarily at the blanket under him. Cody pursed his lips.

He knew it was common enough that when a mission went wrong, the blame game came up more often than not. Now, the question was, who was to blame? Or, rather, who did they think was to blame? There was always that underlying pressure from not knowing. Not knowing if you or someone else could have saved someone, if only you'd both been quicker. Or if only you'd checked your comms five seconds earlier. . . the list went on.

"Gentlemen," Cody asked softly. "I know the mission went wrong. I know that there were probably numerous reasons for that - probably or most of which you had no control over. But I want to know. Who do you think is at fault for all of this? I'm hearing 'blame' in how you guys are acting. But who are you blaming? And for what?"

Across the room, the sniper muttered something under his breath, just loud enough for Cody to hear him. "I'm not…I'm not blaming them."

"Never said you were," Cody said slowly. "It just seems that something back there scared you all. I'm trying to figure out what exactly it was: whether it was Hunter getting bitten or something else. ''

"There were multiple . . . factors . . ." Tech murmured.

Glancing down at him, Cody watched as the tension in Tech's face relaxed, his eyes already closed as he drifted towards sleep.

Good. There might be nightmares, but nightmares could be dealt with later. Right now, sleep was a mercy granted to few.

The blanket shifted with his movement, brushing against Tech's cheek, and he reached up clumsily to push it away, his nose scrunching at the discomfort both his goggles and the blanket were giving him.

For the first time since they had arrived, Cody smiled faintly - a genuine one this time, rubbing the back of Tech's neck with one hand while unclipping his goggles with the other and setting them down nearby. He knew that if one was tired, the others would soon follow. For as much as the boys claimed to be independent young men up and coming, they still took their cues off each other's actions.

He vaguely considered going around to each of them and making sure they knew that everything, as far as they could tell, was going to be alright.

But the faint, cheeky smirk crept up his face as he imagined Rex teasing him about going soft, practically tucking the boys – nearly grown men – into bed after their emotionally exhausting mission.

He'd never live it down… Which is exactly why he would ignore the thought of Rex finding out for all he was worth.

Still, he figured it was time to make his exit while he still could and check on the only part of their squad that wasn't there.

"Alright then. I'll be back later, gents. I need to stop by the medtechs to get an update on Hunter...I – I get that this might be asking too much, but you two try to get some sleep. You don't need me telling that you that you've had it rough in the last twenty four hours."

Cody slipped off the cot - carefully, so as not to disturb Tech - and stood. "If you need anything, you have my contact."

Turtling his shoulders as he took a breath, Crosshair twisted out of his defensive shell and shot forward, practically leaning over the edge of his bunk.

"Commander?"

"Eh?" He paused at the threshold.

"I want to go with you."

"No."

"But -"

"No buts, trooper. Until I understand the situation, you all are confined to this apartment. As I understand it more, that area will expand; but until then, you are all restricted from seeing Hunter until further notice."

The sniper's expression hardened. "How do you expect to understand the situation? No one who was there understands what happened!"

Cody didn't blink as he deadpanned, "I'd be surprised if they did. Heck, I'd probably be worried if they did."

Crosshair scowled. "But it's all in the mission feed! Except for that, what more is there to pick over?"

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out.

"When you're ready – any of you – come find me and I'll talk you through it. Until then, I'll go check on Hunter."

"Why you?" snapped Crosshair.

Cody raised an eyebrow. "Because that's my job as the presiding commander over all of you."

"But he's not your brother!" Crosshair snapped, his tone nearly feverish.

All eyes flashed to Tech, who, luckily, didn't wake up. Yet for just a second, Cody's words caught in his throat as he wondered how to answer that.

No, he's not… but he's… a son...

But he couldn't say that. That wasn't any way for a commanding officer to respond to troopers under stress. And already, he was right out of his comfort zone with how to deal with the situation. He had to take it back down to his terms; so he replied the only way he knew.

Cody's voice went cold. "You're right. He's not. But he is one out of four of my current responsibilities."

The Commander didn't wait for a reply.

Instead, he showed himself out, and let the door slide shut behind him.