A/N: Sorry for the long update time and this short chapter. I'm dealing with that seemingly inevitable point in my writing where I run into writers block. I'm working on other stories so I stay in the habit of writing, but updates on this chapter will be alot slower. I do apologize for the trouble. I know it's annoying. In the meantime I think it's time to introduce a character that is long overdue.
Ahsoka wiped the sweat from her brow as she struggled to screw the remaining bolt on the R2-KT. In truth, there was something satisfying about working with ones bare hands and not relying on the force. Maybe it helped her separate herself from the war that had only occurred a few months ago. Maybe in a way it felt liberating.
"Just a few more adjustments...one more...there we go. How are you feeling sweetheart?"
The droid gave a happy series of beeps causing Ahsoka to giggle. "Alright just be more carful next time. You're almost as bad as a certain other astromech droid we both know but will not say the name of.
The droid let out a giggle of her own. KT was a pink asatromech droid that had served in the clone wars along side R2-D2/. She had been on a number of campaigns including the search for Rotta the Huttlet in the Battle of Teth and the rescue of Jedi Master Aayla Secura in the Battle of Quell.
How she and Ahsoka managed to run into each other was a matter of mere chance or perhaps fate, but in either case it was a blessing. Now Ahsoka had someone she could truly confide in and didn't have to hide behind. Now at least around someone, she could be herself.
"alright, now what else do we have to do? We fixed the vapirators?
KT beeped to confirm.
"Shipped those shipments of water drums?"
KT beeped to confirm.
"Did we make sure to help water the gardens?"
Again the droid confirmed.
"Alright then. I guess that means we're done for the day. How about we pull up some shares and enjoy some refreshments."
KT beeped in excitement. Ahsoka smiled in kind.
"Hey mam!"
Ahsoka turned around to see two stormtroopers leaning over the table. The survivor of order 66 immediately found herself tensing up. She had run ins with imperials before. but she had been careful not to reveal her force sensitivity. This time could not afford to be any different.
"May I help you boys?" Ahsoka asked. She tried playing it cool but she could feel herself tensing up.
"Yeah, Look we know you're not a bartender but we're melting in this heat out here, and water cost a fortune. Do you think you have a few beers you could spare us? We'll pay top credit."
Ahsoka sighed in relief and relaxed. She gave a warm smile. "I think I can help you there."
KT released a compartment from her droid frame. Inside was a couple of ice cold beers.
Ashoka could hear the stormtroopers' mouths watering even under the helmet.
"Oh yeah, Name your price lady."
"Hmm 50 credits each."
"Deal!" The two troopers slid their respective credits over to her while she slid them the beers in kind.
"Do you boys want to sit down?" Ahsoka asked.
The two troopers looked to each other and then back to her. "Are you serious?"
Ashoka shrugged. "I don't mind."
"Well yeah, thank you. You're the friendliest faces we've seen all day. Names Fletcher and this is Beck" They offered their hands in greetings.
"Ashla," Ashoka said shaking their hands.
The two troopers took off their helmets and sat them down on the table. Thier faces revealed to be clone troopers, older ones in fact.
"You're Gen I troopers, aren't you?"
The two clones looked to each other and then back at her trying to hold back a smile.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"It's in your faces. You look older than some of the other troops. I'm guessing it has to do with the accelerated aging process, right?"
"Well look at that Beck, girl knows her cloning techniques."
"Alright Fletcher keep your shirt on. To answer your question mam yes that's exactly it. My brother and I were actually there during the first battle of Genosis. We gladly served the Republic then and we we'll gladly serve the empire now."
"Did you serve under one of those Jedi general traitors?"
Fletcher's face suddenly dropped. His lips curled and his eyes started to water. "Yeah...yeah we did..." his next few words were muffled under his breath as if desperate not to say anything. "...until that kriffen order came."
Beck held his brother's shoulder. "Please Fletch. Not in front of the civ."
"I...I can't take it anymore I just can't."
"If our superiors overhear you, they could consider it treason."
"Treason. Like our general who gave us nothing, but compassion and kindness committed "Treason" like how a woman who showed nothing but loyalty suddenly commanded "treason?" Treason is shooting your superior officer in the gut as she's begging you to tell her what's wrong. Treason is murdering your friend in cold blood as she reaches out to you. She wasn't the traitor Beck...we were."
"There wasn't anything you can do."
"She died in my arms Beck...she died in my arms."
"Oh fletch...come here buddy."
Ahsoka held back her own tears as she watched the brothers embraced. She knew all too well what they were talking about. It was the mission no clone ever wanted to come. It was the mission from every clone's nightmare. But she still had to play dumb.
"Guy's I know you're hurt, but I have no idea what you're talking about."
Beck's eyes darkened. "If we tell you a secret, swear to us it won't leave this patio."
"Guys I..."
"Swear it!" Ashoka found herself step back as she noticed he was aiming a DC-17 hand blaster right at her stomach.
"Hey it's okay. I won't tell anyone. You have my word."
Beck lowered his blaster. "The emperor gave us an order, order 66."
"In the event of Jedi officers acting against the interests of the Republic, and after receiving specific orders verified as coming directly from the Supreme Commander and/or Chancellor, GAR commanders will remove those officers by lethal force, and command of the GAR will revert to the Supreme Commander and/or Chancellor until a new command structure is established"
Fletcher said the order with such dazed position almost as if he had memorized the order his whole life.
"So, it was a contingency order?"
Beck nodded. "It was more than an order though. Once the order was givin we all just...we all lost control of our bodies. Our blasters fired but it wasin't by our hands. Our tongues moved but the words that came out weren't our own. We tried to scream but we had no mouth to do it with."
"Puppets...puppets on a string."
"Tell me Ashla, what kind of contingency plan requires you to turn your troops into droids? What kind of contingency plan requires them to be awake and locked in. No, order 66 wasn't a contingency plan. It was a preplanned massacre. And they locked us in because they knew under any other circumstances, we'd all drop our guns in protest."
"Did you tell anyone about this?" Ahsoka asked.
"Who would we tell? We're clones. We're expendable. We tell anyone we're likely to get shot the moment. we say anything." Fletcher said. "we've said too much as it is. Guess beer does that to you."
Beck nodded. "We should go."
the troopers got up and started to walk away. Ashoka handed them two more beers.
"It's on the house."
They nodded, put their helmets back on and left.
"...and may the force be with you.
