Cody sighed as he sat in the transport. An exhausted shiny was leaning on him, head on his shoulder. His general looked rather amused. If Cody had been asked, he would have said his general was much too amused. Kenobi had been known to do the same thing.

"Cody—"

"Shh!" Waxer hissed. "Don't wake the shiny! They're adorable. Just watch." Kenobi leaned back in his seat, his "clones are being strange and amusing" expression on his face. Cody ignored it. The transport swerved sharply and the shiny squirmed. He sat up and a horrified expression crossed his face.

"Commander! Sir, sorry, I—"

"At ease, trooper. It's not the first time." Cody said, ignoring Waxer's snickering. Even Kenobi was chuckling. "The general does it all the time." Kenobi stopped laughing.

"Cody…"

"Hmph." Cody said. The poor shiny still appeared to be mortified.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Boil said, coming to his aid.

"Yeah, it's what the commander was named for." Waxer chimed in.

"What does he mean, Cody?" Kenobi asked. Cody glowered.

"He means that he will stop going behind his commander's back and spreading embarrassing stories."

"Embarrassing?" Kenobi asked. "Come now, Cody, don't you trust me with your secrets?"

"With the way you were laughing? No."

"Come on, Cody." Kenobi gave him a pleading look.

"I'll tell you, general!" Waxer piped up irritatingly. Cody glowered.

"Waxer, you weren't there." Waxer smirked. Kenobi glanced at Waxer.

"Well go ah—"

"I'll tell you!" Cody said. Waxer would surely twist the story to a much more embarrassing tale.

"Great." Kenobi sat back. Cody sighed.

"It started when I was a cadet…"


"Help! Someone!" Cody started in shock.

"Rex? Is that you?"

"Yes. Yes, come quick!" Rex sounded desperate. Cody started running.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"2224! Ori'vod, I need you!" Rex called, desperation seeping in to his voice. Cody kept running towards the sound of his voice.

"Hang on, ner vod. I'm coming!" Cody called back.

"BROTHER!" His brother's scream scared Cody. Rex was brave and always put up an unshakable front. The terror in his voice made Cody run all the faster.

"Rex!" He skidded to a stop. He was on a platform. The ocean roared hundreds of feet below. "Rex?"

"D-don't let me fall." His brother was hanging onto the edge of the platform by his fingertips. Cody rushed to the edge.

"Hang on. Do not let go." Cody ordered. Rex gave a nod. Cody grabbed his arms and began to pull the younger cadet up. Rex's eyes went wide.

"Look out!" Something hit Cody's back and he lurched forwards, falling on his stomach. Rex dropped. Cody held on to his brother's arms tightly.

"Let him go." The voice belonged to one of the trainers, a bounty hunter who was ruthless and cruel but had never tried to kill one of the cadets before. But Rex was dangling off the edge and the trainer wanted Cody to let go.

"Drop the cadet." The trainer ordered. Cody felt the trainer's boot against his side. The pressure started, slight at first. He would get pushed off too if he didn't let go. Cody struggled to get up, to pull Rex up with him, but he couldn't.

"I'll push you off too, 2224." The trainer said.

"Let me go!" Rex yelled. "Let me go! Ner vod, don't die!" Cody's arms were burning.

"Fine." The trainer said. The pressure left. Cody drew in a deep breath. He knew a kick was coming that would send him and Rex to their deaths.

"What is the meaning of this?" General Ti's voice came sternly across the platform. The trainer spun, his boot shoving Cody nearly over the edge. Rex gasped, but did not scream. Cody locked eyes with his brother.

"It's gonna be okay." He lied. Rex knew he was lying too. They both knew no one would save them. Cody could feel himself slipping.

"This isn't your concern, Jedi." The trainer spat. General Ti didn't seem to respond. Cody felt himself being tugged backwards. His grip slipped on one of Rex's arms.

"L-let me go. Don't sacrifice yourself for me." There was a strong pull on Cody and he shot backwards, all the way onto the platform. Rex was dragged up alongside him. Cody rolled over to see the Jedi; one hand angled towards them. Using the Force. She'd used the Force and saved them. Rex exhaled shakily. Cody tried to stand up, but he was still shaking too.

"Thank you, sir." He said. General Ti looked to the trainer.

"You are coming with me." She said. Then she looked to the cadets.

"Wait outside my office. I will speak with you shortly." The two boys sat on the floor in the hall near her office and waited. And waited. Rex scooted closer to Cody. They waited some more. Cody felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and looked to see Rex's head resting on him. Cody smiled and yawned. The experience had worn him out too. He dozed off, his head resting on top of Rex's.


"Well, I don't see why you were reluctant to tell me that." Kenobi said after Cody paused. "I think it was sweet."

"I'm a Marshal Commander. I'm not supposed to be sweet." Cody said grumpily. Waxer beamed.

"It's actually the part afterwards that's embarrassing. You see, not knowing why Rex and Cody were sleeping in the hallway, all the cadets thought it was hilarious. So we started calling him "Pillow" and all sorts of nicknames. He insisted on Cody. Rex went along with it because Cody also means helper. So I think it fits." Waxer grinned. Kenobi studied Cody and nodded.

"I agree." Cody buried his face in his hands.

"C'mon guys." He moaned. "Let's just forget about it." But no one did.