set close to the end of season seven. features characters from the Boba Fett seeks revenge arc in season two. I had to play with timelines a little bit.
also warning for suicide. kind of? it's indirect and in the context of battle but please use discretion.
"As regrettable as the situation is," Orn Free Taa's wobbling jowls did little to bolster Obi-Wan's waning confidence in the senator's words, "I simply cannot fulfill your request."
The edges of his bruised ribs felt almost to grind against each other as Obi-Wan leaned closer to the holo-table. "But surely you can see the urgency of-"
Taa waved a hand dismissively, effectively cutting him off. "Yes, yes. In a war for the galaxy, every skirmish seems crucial. But you must remember, it is a very large galaxy. And contrary to popular belief, the senate's resources are limited."
The headache pulsing at the base of Obi-Wan's neck throbbed indignantly as the flickering image of the senator picked up a crystal glass of aged Nabooan wine. After draining the cup, Taa exchanged the wine for Coruscant confectioneries, offered to him by one of his many serving girls. He stuffed two in his mouth at once, crumbs falling in a shower to the front of his imported coat. Obi-Wan found himself grateful the low resolution of his transmitter would hide how hard he was gritting his teeth as Taa helped himself to more treats.
Finally, the senator licked the leftover sugar from his fingers, languidly returning his attention to the conversation. "Being a Jedi, you should understand the concept of sacrifice better than most."
Master Yoda would have been proud to see one of his old pupils practicing such restraint as Obi-Wan was exhibiting at that moment. With a deep, cleansing breath, he straightened and tried a new tactic. "Perhaps if there are no reinforcements available, we might at least receive supplies better suited to our environment. A half dozen LAAT's would go a long way in turning this battle in our favor."
Taa shook his head, liberating a second wave of crumbs from the multiple folds of his chin. "You misunderstand, Master Kenobi. My refusal comes not from a lack of sympathy but from a lack of authority. I don't have the authority to reallocate resources whenever I please."
"But you are the only one within our range of contact! The local militia has damaged much of this planet's long range communications array."
"I do not operate independent of the senate and I most certainly cannot move Republic troops or weapons without the consent of the Republic."
The scab along the length of his right calf chose that moment to itch insistently and Obi-Wan fought the instinct to scratch and keep scratching until it came off in one long bloody strip. "How soon until you could gain Senate approval?"
Taa scratched the end of his head-tail pensively. "I'm not sure. The agenda is quite full already..."
"Can you contact the Chancellor directly?"
"The Chancellor is a very busy man! I wouldn't want to bother him with trivial matters."
Burst of light, cries of dying men, smell of smoke. The memories of the past few rotations flashed across Obi-Wan's brain. He pushed them aside to be dealt with later. At the moment, there was no time to release them into the Force. How long had it been since he'd had a chance to properly meditate? It was hard to keep track, what with the constant moving from one warzone to another. The last time he truly meditated was Anaxis, maybe? Definitely too long ago to have much bearing on the present. Gathering whatever diplomatic charm he could muster from his battered, unwashed body, he gave the senator a tight-lipped smile.
"If you manage to relay my request to him, I would be most grateful."
Deeming it wise to end the communication before he said any of the less than pleasant things poised on the tip of his tongue, he inclined his head and ended the transmission. And his knees promptly quit without so much as a notification of termination. Only his impeccable reflexes saved him from a nasty collision with the floor of questionable cleanliness. He'd managed to get his arms out in time and he could only imagine the look hidden by his commander's helmet when Cody walked in to find the general half draped over the table, legs limp under him like two melted ice-on-a-sticks.
Whatever his expression, the clone wasted no time in rushing to his side and lending him a helping hand. "General, you might want to listen the next time someone tells you you need medical assistance."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Alright, you can come right out and say it."
"Say what?"
"'I told you so'. I know you want to."
Cody snorted, propping the Jedi into a sitting position on the edge of the table. "If you weren't so stubborn, sir, this wouldn't happen so often."
"Stubborn? I don't know what you're talking about." A look of pure innocence came over Obi-Wan's face.
"Of course not, sir. That's why I took the liberty of bringing this with me." Cody pulled a bacta stick from his belt.
"There's no getting out of this, is there?" Obi-Wan's shoulders slumped as he resigned himself to his fate.
"It's either me or Hale."
"You're already here. Might as well get it over with." He stretched his right leg out straight to allow Cody better access to the injury.
The clone knelt and inspected the gash through the tear in Obi-Wan's trousers. "If you had just gotten bacta on this when it first happened…"
"I'd rather save that for the men. The Force is enough to sustain me."
"Is that why I found you collapsed just now, sir?" Cody lifted a skeptical brow.
Under different circumstances, Obi-Wan might have taken offense to the dismissive attitude towards the Force. But although clones served alongside the Jedi, they had not been taught by them. And Obi-Wan had encountered far worse disrespect or misunderstanding of the Force than the general ambivalence displayed by the clone troopers.
"In my defense, I had planned on meditating before now."
Cody hummed neutrally and began applying a generous layer of bacta to the gash running down the outer side of Obi-Wan's leg.
Obi-Wan tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, exhaling heavily. "How are the others?"
It was Cody's turn to sigh, sounding as exhausted as Obi-Wan felt. "Hale's doing all he can. But the truth is, we weren't prepared for this kind of resistance. What little supplies we do have are quickly running out."
His commander was crafty, Obi-Wan had to give him that. If he had mentioned the dwindling supplies sooner, Obi-Wan would have refused the bacta. Many of his men needed it far more desperately than he did.
"What did the senator say? Is he sending reinforcements?"
"I wouldn't count on it. Orn Free Taa is too distanced from the realities of the war to grasp the severity of our situation."
"I've got men working on the communication assembly, sir." Cody stood and tossed the empty bacta tube into the trash receptacle. "If anyone can get a signal through to Coruscant, it'll be Anchor and Merit."
"How much longer will our supplies last?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.
Cody mirrored his position, perching on the edge of the table and stretching his legs in front of him. He crossed his ankles and then crossed his arms. "Depends on how many more attempts we make to enter the city. In terms of rations, we're in the clear. So long as we receive more within the next five rotations, that is. As far as our weapons, we're down to four AT-RTs. We've got plenty of droid poppers left, not that those are any help in this situation."
Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he could will the distracting headache away through sheer pressure. "And what about our medical supplies?"
"It...doesn't look good, sir."
It would have been too much to hope for otherwise. Nothing had gone right since they started this blasted mission. The planet's government, claiming neutrality, had then asked for Republic help repelling a battalion of Separatist droids attempting to hijack supply routes. The higher ups, whether the Jedi Council or the Senate or the Chancellor himself, (at this point in the war, even Obi-Wan had a difficult time tracing who was actually making the decisions) dispatched Obi-Wan and his men to take care of the trivial matter. They had barely finished unloading from their last battle when the call came to load up again.
When they dropped out of hyperspace, there was a surprise waiting for them. No less than half a dozen frigates greeted them with a barrage of heavy fire. Outnumbered two to one, and caught off guard, the Republic ships were at a severe disadvantage. The lead cruiser, receiving the brunt of the attack, fell within moments of arriving. It was a near thing to get the troops to the ground, where the situation did not improve.
What the government had failed to report in its plea for aid was the civil war currently being waged on the surface. One portion of the population clung to the tattered remnants of pacifistic rhetoric, while the majority eagerly aligned themselves with the alluring promise of prosperity from the Separatists.
Not only was the droid army far larger than reported, but joined by the locals, they became a force far greater than the one under Obi-Wan's command. In an unfortunate turn of events, the indigenous people proved to be a greater threat than the droids. Even those who didn't join the Separtist sympathizers refused to help the Republic forces, claiming that to do so would force them to pick a side, never mind how they had requested Republic aid in the first place. But Obi-Wan was finding that war caused many to have selective memories and even looser morals.
The would be Separatists took great delight in antagonizing Obi-Wan and his men. Surprise raids on the camp in the middle of the night, sabotaging equipment, laying booby traps. As an additional downside, they were experts in explosives. It was reminiscent of Mandalore, before Maul gained control. As if Obi-Wan didn't have enough reminders of Satine and the tragedy of her death. Oh, how he needed a thorough meditation session.
Cody had performed admirably. Obi-Wan couldn't have asked for a better commander as Cody pushed forward to the capital city. If they could take the capital, they would gain access to a strategic position, fresh supplies, and the chance to persuade the government to join their cause. But the Separatist sympathizers had made it impossible to reach the city, creating a minefield on the surrounding slopes. Obi-Wan shuddered to think of how many men he had lost trying to cross it.
Engineered to cause maximum damage, the bombs were packed with shrapnel, a primitive and illegal design but extremely effective. The enemy militia buried them just under the surface and coated them in a synthetic material that made them undetectable to Republic scanners. There was no way to know where one was until a trooper stepped on the pressure plate, activating the explosion. The initial blast killed any within a sizable radius, and the shrapnel wounded even more.
At the moment, both sides were at a stalemate. The Separatist aligned group appeared content to remain in the city with their droids (though that could change at any given time if they decided to send another raiding party), while the GAR forces huddled at the bottom of the hill. It was a much needed reprieve, but not without cost. Even downtime ate away at their limited number of supplies. They came prepared for a routine space battle, not a planetside siege, which left them with the option of dying by explosion or starvation, both of which would be pointless. If there was a solution to the problem, Obi-Wan was too tired to find it.
"We've been through worse, sir," Cody commented quietly. "I'm sure we'll make it through this."
"Thank you, Cody." Obi-Wan reluctantly levered up from the table.
"I hope you're on your way to medical."
Obi-Wan started for the door, experimenting with his gait until he found a way to walk without a limp. "Why would I need to go there? I've just received the best treatment available."
"To get some rest then?" Cody called after him.
With the most convenient timing, the door closed behind Obi-Wan, saving him from making a reply.
Three rotations (and multiple headaches for Obi-Wan) later, the Jedi stood at the edge of the minefield. Flanking him was Cody on his right, Boil and Crys on his left. And behind them, the rest of the troops were gathered to watch the latest attempt at getting past the explosives. Obi-Wan couldn't fault them for spectating. Not only were their lives quite literally depending on finding a way around the mines, but there wasn't much else to do for entertainment in the makeshift camp.
"Do you really think this is going to work?" Cody muttered.
"I think we're running out of options," Obi-Wan said.
Crys made a final adjustment to the droid's circuits then disconnected the cable. "There, that should do it."
A voice called out from the crowd of soldiers. "Hey, Crys! Make sure you don't crosswire that thing or we're all in deep poodoo when you turn it on!"
Several chuckles ran through the crowd at the anonymous jab. Crys glanced over his shoulder briefly before rolling his eyes and resuming his task of activating the reprogrammed super battle droid. The droid's internal lights sputtered on, the red targeting light glowing faintly in its chest. It took a halting step forward, paused, then swiveled to face the gathered troops. Obi-Wan's hand ghosted over his lightsaber. But there was no need for him to use it, nor for the clones to use the blasters they had automatically raised, because the droid abruptly spun around and marched up the slope. As it encountered various piles of debris, rubble, and caved in ground from previous explosions, Obi-Wan had to give it some Force-enabled help to continue up. When it reached the farthest point any of the men had gone, the whole battalion leaned forward eagerly.
The droid continued mindlessly up the slope, completely intact and uninhibited. Murmurs soon spread through the ranks. Maybe the locals only planted bombs near the bottom, thinking it would discourage the troops from going higher up? Did they run out halfway up? Was it possible the sensor plates had become corroded, rendering the mines harmless?
When the droid was nearly a half a click away, Cody shot it down.
"How do we know if it worked?" Crys asked.
"We send someone up after it," Boil smirked. "Any volunteers?"
Cody pointed up the hill. "Wait, look!"
A large indigenous bird, drawn to the downed droid on account of the sun's reflection off the shiny metal, landed next to it. The explosion that followed sent the men scurrying for cover. Once the smoke cleared, and assurances were given that no one was hurt, the troops slowly disbanded, drifting off in search of other forms of amusement.
Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "It appears the bombs are not only pressure sensitive but respond to heat as well."
"So all we have to do is fool the sensors into thinking come clankers are actually clone troopers," Crys said.
"Right. Because that's a smart plan. Where are we going to get enough droids to cover the whole slope? Or even if we did manage to get them, what are you going to do? Stuff a hot rock into each one to pass a thermal scan?" Boil argued.
A clone ran up and dipped his head to the general and commander both. "Sir."
"What is it, Merit? You and Anchor finally get the communications array up and running?" Cody asked.
"Not yet, sir. But I came to report our scanners picked up an incoming ship."
"More droids?" Obi-Wan guessed.
Merit shook his head. "It's one of ours, sir."
"Reinforcements?" Cody frowned. "I thought Senator Taa refused our request."
"We'd better go and figure this out," Obi-Wan said.
When the ship arrived, it deposited a platoon of clones and a crate of ration bars on the outskirts of the camp before zooming off again, claiming important Senate business that couldn't wait. Cody took one look at the group forming ranks and shook his head.
"Shinies."
"How can you tell?" Merit asked.
Cody lifted a shoulder. "When you've been at this as long as I have, you just know."
The lines of troopers marched directly to the Jedi general and stood at attention. One separated from the front row and saluted Obi-Wan.
"Members of Siege Company, from the 818th, reporting for duty, sir."
"I was unaware of your arrival, but I am glad for the help."
"We received our orders last minute and had difficulty reaching you to relay those orders, sir."
Merit hunched his shoulders in a bid to escape the arched eyebrow his commander directed at him.
"Well, you're here now. Find a place to settle in, boys, and grab some sleep while you can. This mission isn't a prance through nova lilies so rest up!" Cody ordered.
The new arrivals scurried to obey.
"Were we ever that eager to please?" Merit asked.
Cody tilted his head. "I dunno. Let's find out. Trooper, fix the long range communications array."
Merit, taking the hint, responded promptly. "Sir, yes sir." He scurried to obey.
Huffing a quiet laugh, Cody turned to Obi-Wan, noting the other man hadn't joined in. Instead, the general was stroking his beard.
"What is it?"
Obi-Wan lowered his hand. "Doesn't it seem odd that the Senate would agree to send more troops, and so quickly?"
"We requested reinforcements," Cody said. "We received them. What's strange about that?"
"We asked for more supplies as well but I don't see those anywhere. No, what concerns me is that the Senate agreed to send more soldiers to a neutral planet, in three rotations no less."
"Perhaps they wish to use this as a show of good will. To turn popular opinion in favor of the Republic?"
Obi-Wan frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps. Whatever the motivation, there's not much we can do with those troopers until we figure out a way through the minefield."
"I'm just about out of ideas on that."
"Maybe if we put our heads together, we can come up with at least a few more."
Cody wrinkled his nose. "Brainstorming session?"
"Brainstorming session," Obi-Wan confirmed glumly.
After two fruitless hours of bouncing ideas back and forth, the pair came to the conclusion that spending any more time on the subject would result in loss of either tempers or sanity. The day was drawing into evening when they set off in search of something to eat. It came as no surprise that dinner consisted of a single ration bar. Again. Every meal they'd had on this planet had been a ration bar. It was enough to make a man hunger for the equally bland nutritious porridge distributed aboard the cruisers, if only for a change of texture. But neither refused the food, settling onto the roots of a nearby tree to eat their allotted portions in comfortable silence.
When they finished the meager meal, Cody stood. "If it's all the same to you, General, I'd like to catch a bit of sleep."
"Yes, of course. I myself wouldn't mind taking a moment for meditation."
"You do realize those aren't synonymous," Cody prodded lightly.
Obi-Wan merely smiled serenely at him. With a barely concealed eyeroll, Cody began walking to the camp proper. Obi-Wan slid between two roots to sit with his legs folded beneath him, back nearly touching the massive tree trunk. He closed his eyes and opened his mind, seeking the Force. No sooner had he touched it than it gave a shiver of warning. He snapped to his feet, lightsaber in hand. There. A shadow in the darkening sky. The bulbous body and dangling legs of a probe droid stalked Cody as the unsuspecting clone made his way toward his tent.
Reinvigorated by the prospect of danger, Obi-Wan leaped up the tree, hopping lightly from branch to branch. When he was at an equal height with the hovering droid, he propelled himself forward. His saber divided the droid in half. Pieces of sparking metal dropped to the ground. Obi-Wan landed neatly beside them, lightsaber in hand. Where there was a probe, there was a squad of battle droids not far behind.
Cody whirled around, weapon at the ready. When he saw the Jedi standing by the dispatched pieces, he lowered the gun only slightly. "Another raid?"
"I'm afraid so," Obi-Wan sighed.
"Is it too much to ask for just one night of peace and quiet?" Cody grumbled.
Obi-Wan gave him a weary smirk in reply as they sprinted for the camp to raise the alarm.
Clones tumbled out of their tents half asleep and threw armor over their undersuits, grabbing their blasters. Obi-Wan was grateful for the many drills the troopers had done, for they were battle ready in less than five minutes. A moment later, the hum of repulsor engines was audible in the growing darkness. Four landspeeders zoomed down from the capital city. The native pilots came only close enough to drop off six battle droids each before climbing to a higher altitude from which they could fire at the troops on the ground.
Energy bolts sailed through the air, staining the night red and blue. Obi-Wan sank into the rhythm of the battle, nimbly darting from one side of the front line to the other, deflecting fire from the landspeeders. The clones, he had discovered over the course of the past few rotations, were capable of dealing with the battle droids on their own. Obi-Wan's skills were better used for defense rather than offense in these attacks. Once the droids were destroyed, the landspeeders swerved back toward the safety of the city. It was only after the last of the ships disappeared from view that Obi-Wan powered down his saber.
Cleanup began promptly. Various platoon leaders assigned tasks to their men. One team gathered the fallen clones. Some dragged the broken droids away from the camp. Others rebuilt structures that had been damaged in the firefight. Amongst all the activity, Hale's red medic insignia flashed as he tended to the wounded. Cody approached Obi-Wan, shaking his head.
"I'm not sure I understand their reasoning, sir. If they wanted to make a dent in our numbers, shouldn't they send more than a couple dozen clankers? Their casualty numbers are far greater than our own. What makes these raids worth it?"
"If the local militia is in command of the Separatist forces, it's not their resources they're spending. I doubt they care how many droids they lose. The point is to wear us down."
"It is getting to be damn annoying," Cody admitted.
Hale passed by at that moment and Obi-Wan snagged his arm. "Casualties?"
"Sir. Seven dead. I'm still working through the wounded."
"Is that all?" Obi-Wan pressed, noting the unusual shortness of the man's words.
The overworked medic tensed, a grimace settling into the lines of his face. "I'd be better able to treat them if I wasn't running out of bacta, sir."
"Do what you can." Obi-Wan let him return to work.
Cody gestured with his chin to indicate where the medic was using a length of bandage to cover a burn on a trooper's arm. "You were right, sir. If the Senate truly cared to help us, they would have sent something besides a batch of Shinies."
"Caring is not an attribute I would ascribe to the Senate," Obi-Wan said, noting a group of clones struggling with a fallen tree. He stretched out a hand and, using the Force, moved it aside.
The clones cheered and Cody tilted his head to the side. "Now there's an idea we haven't tried yet."
Obi-Wan turned to him. "What?"
"You could lift us all over the minefield, sir. Just like you lifted that tree."
"Cody."
"Sir?"
"You need to get some sleep. You're starting to talk nonsense."
"...yes, sir."
The sun had already crested the horizon by the time the camp was put back in order. Grumbled conversation took the place of morning birdsong as the Republic troops mourned their repeated lack of sleep. Obi-Wan ran a hand through his hair, grimacing at the stringy texture. He needed to bathe. Badly. Not that anyone cared if he was clean or not. The clones didn't mind, being in a similar state of uncleanness. And despite Anchor and Merit's best efforts, the long range communications array had yet to be repaired. All in all, the day was turning out to be much the same as the others. Weaving his way through the crowd of clones sluggishly working their way through their ration bar breakfast, Obi-Wan searched for Cody. He finally found him at the back of the tent turned mess hall, head bent over a datapad.
"Cody, I thought you were going to get some rest," Obi-Wan chided.
"So did I," Cody grunted, flipping the pad around so Obi-Wan could see the screen. "This doesn't look good, General."
"What is it?"
"Unless the situation changes within two rotations, we'll be out of food."
Obi-Wan took the datapad, frowning at the numbers. "Didn't the 818th bring more rations with them?"
"They did, sir. But most of it was destroyed in the firefight last night."
Obi-Wan handed the pad back to him. "What about sending out a party to get more food from the nearest village?"
Cody grimaced. "The natives won't sell to us. Unless you've changed your mind on a few key issues, I don't think you're going to condone taking them by force."
"Perhaps if we-"
A commotion among the men interrupted Obi-Wan. He and Cody turned to see a clump of clones forming near the entrance. They rushed over. A trooper was laying on the ground, unmoving.
"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I'm not really sure, sir. We were waiting in line and he just collapsed," a nearby clone answered.
The men around him nodded. Obi-Wan knelt and pressed a hand to the fallen clone's chest.
"Get Hale," Cody ordered.
"It's too late." Obi-Wan bowed his head. "He's dead."
It was early afternoon when Obi-Wan trudged back into the camp, bruised and covered in enough dirt to house an entire colony of Maridun ground weevils. Boil limped along behind him, bravely trying to hide the fact that he had a limp. Proud and stubborn, clones were. Qualities Obi-Wan found to be both inspiring and frustrating in equal measure. Cody greeted them.
"Am I correct in assuming your trip to the village was unsuccessful?"
Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose. "We never reached the village."
"Blasted insurgents boobytrapped the road!" Boil shook his fist at the capital city looming over them.
Obi-Wan placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Go have your ankle seen to, Boil."
Grudgingly, the clone did as he was told.
Obi-Wan turned to Cody. "Would you mind making a note in the inventory report for me? We're down two more speeders."
"What will you be doing, sir?"
Heading for the entrance to his tent, which had gone unused for the majority of the mission, Obi-Wan called back, "Getting some rest!"
The sun pushed through the tent walls, bathing the interior in cheery gold. But Obi-Wan had reached the level of tiredness where he didn't care about ambient lighting. As long as he could just lay down and close his eyes for a moment or two. Just enough to recharge his aching body and get rid of the fog in his brain. He toed off his boots and dropped onto his bedroll. With one last ear popping yawn, he settled on his side, eager for sleep to claim him.
His comlink chimed. He cracked one eye open to glare at it. The device chimed again. Keeping his groan internal, he answered the call. It was Hale, asking him to come to the medical building. A minute passed, during which Obi-Wan lay on his back, staring at the shadows of tree branches above his tent. Then he pushed himself up, jammed his feet back into his boots and set off in the direction of Hale's domain.
On the way, he bumped into Cody. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Sir, I thought you were resting."
"So did I."
Cody frowned. "I gave orders that you were not to be disturbed."
Obi-Wan lifted a shoulder helplessly. "I'm sure Hale has a good reason."
They reached the outpost building being repurposed as a field hospital. The doors opened to a dismal scene. Clones were laid out in rows, like pastries in a surface level bakery on Coruscant. Aside from the prevailing smells of bacta and infection, Obi-Wan also had to combat the undercurrent of pain that hovered in the Force. Cody tapped a medical officer on the shoulder, inquiring where Hale could be found. The man jerked his thumb over his shoulder to indicate a back room. The pair went through the doorway, which led to a dimly lit office. There was a corpse on the desk. Hale stood over it, absorbed in his work. Cody cleared his throat and the medic looked up, scalpel in hand.
"Ah, Commander. General Kenobi." He set aside his tools and removed his gloves. "I'm sorry to bother you but this couldn't wait."
"What is it?" Obi-Wan asked.
Cody's eyes strayed to the unfinished autopsy. "Is there any way we could discuss this outside?"
"Right, of course." Hale opened a back door and led the way out. "That trooper who collapsed this morning?"
Cody and Obi-Wan nodded.
"He wasn't the only one," Hale said grimly.
"How many men?" Cody asked.
Hale crossed his arms. "Three so far."
"Do you have any idea what's causing these deaths?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"Are they related to the raid last night?" Cody interjected.
"No, sir."
Cody leaned forward. "You're sure these aren't battle related? Perhaps an untreated wound?"
"There's not a mark on them," Hale swore. "And there's more. So far, the only cases have been clones from the 818th"
Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "Do you have any theories?"
Hale spread his hands. "If the scans hadn't come back negative, I'd have said it was a disease of some kind."
"They came back negative?" Cody prompted.
"Yes, sir. No viruses or pathogens were detected. Even if it is a disease, and our scans just can't detect it, there appears to be no symptoms. One moment a man's as healthy as the trooper beside him and the next, he's dead before he hits the ground." Hale's comlink chimed. "Excuse me, I'm needed back inside."
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention," Obi-Wan said.
Hale dipped his head in acknowledgement before disappearing into the building.
Cody turned to Obi-Wan. "What do you think, General? Is this some kind of contagion?"
"I think I'd like to find out a bit more about Siege Company."
"You wanted to see me, sir?" A clone stopped in front of Obi-Wan's chair, helmet under his arm.
Obi-Wan stood. "Yes, Lieutenant...?"
"Jax, sir."
"Lieutenant Jax. Are you aware several of the men under your command have died of an unknown cause since your arrival?"
Jax stood at attention, staring straight ahead. "Yes, sir."
"Can you tell me why?" Obi-Wan asked gently.
"No, sir."
Obi-Wan noted the clone's stiff posture and kept his tone soft in response. "I want to protect the men under my command. I know you feel the same. To do that, we need to find out why this is happening."
"Yes, sir."
"Where were you stationed before coming here?" Obi-Wan probed.
Jax shifted his weight. "If you would refer to the report, sir, it details our previous mission."
"Are the deaths connected to your prior posting?"
"As you can see in the report, general-"
Obi-Wan held up a hand. "I'm not asking what the report says. I'm asking you, lieutenant."
Jax hesitated. "I have my orders, sir."
"You've been ordered to keep quiet?" Obi-Wan asked, incredulous.
The officer nodded.
Obi-Wan laid a hand on his shoulder briefly. "Jax, I need to know what's going on. More lives could be lost."
Jax seemed locked in an internal debate before his shoulders finally slumped. "We were posted in Chandrila."
Obi-Wan's brow furrowed. "Chandrila? What need is there of clone forces on Chandrila?"
"It was a humanitarian assignment. The planet is experiencing a global outbreak of Corynebacterium. My platoon and I were exposed."
"Is there no cure?"
Jax winced. "There is."
"And yet your men are dying," Obi-Wan pointed out.
"For the Chandrilans, it is effective. For clones…" Jax shook his head. "Something in our genetic makeup doesn't mix well with it." A flash of embarrassment crossed his face. "I'm sorry I can't be more precise, sir. I'm no doctor. From what I understand though, whatever the Kaminoans did to accelerate our growth, it affects how the cure works in our bodies. The remedy is meant to kill off the cells containing the disease. For us clones however, it kills the healthy cells as well. Of course, by the time we figured out what was happening, it was too late. We'd all been given the treatment."
Obi-Wan brought his hand to his beard. "So you are no longer contagious?"
"No sir."
"But the cure to the disease is what's killing you?"
"Yes sir."
An unsettling theory crept into Obi-Wan's mind. "Who gave you the orders to falsify the report?"
Jax fidgeted.
"I promise to be discreet," Obi-Wan said.
"The orders came from the chancellor's office."
Obi-Wan drew in a sharp breath. Given the circumstances of the war, he supposed he should have been used to the callous attitude many in power displayed toward the clones. But the shock of treating men, breathing lifeforms, unique individuals, as expendable resources to be thoughtlessly distributed or cast aside still appalled him.
"I guess we were no use to Chandrila anymore. If they didn't get us out of there, we would have become someone else's humanitarian assignment." Jax huffed a self-deprecating chuckle.
Whether it was inherited from Jango Fett or simply a way to cope with the stresses of combat, all clones had a dark sense of humor. Obi-Wan didn't laugh. Jax's tone became serious once more.
"I've been talking with some of your men, general. The situation here is growing desperate. If you don't get past those mines and take the capital soon, we'll all be dead."
Obi-Wan couldn't argue.
"So I've been thinking. I might have a way you can do that."
"Oh? Do tell."
"You're not going to like it, sir. But I believe it's the only chance you have."
Obi-Wan frowned.
"If I took my men up the slope-"
"No."
Jax pushed on. "-in separate waves, we could clear the way-"
"No, I won't allow it."
"-for you and your troops to come up after us and-"
"No!"
Jax was stunned by the vehemence of Obi-Wan's protest. "But sir, we're dying anyway."
Obi-Wan sighed, regaining his calm. "We will find another way. I won't hear any more of this suicidal plan. It would be wrong."
"With all due respect, sir, how is it any different from your previous attempts to claim the capital?"
"At first, I did not know the bombs were there. The second attempt was made with every precaution being taken to avoid them. But to allow this," Obi-Wan's hands curled into fists at his sides. "To deliberately send men to their death just so the rest of us can walk over their corpses?" He shook his head. "I will not do it."
"But sir, this is the duty of every clone! It's what we were engineered for. War is sacrifice," Jax argued vehemently.
Obi-Wan turned away.
"We are meant to lay down our lives so that others may live!"
Obi-Wan whirled around. "Not this way!"
Jax set his jaw.
"Not this way," Obi-Wan repeated quietly.
Jax ground his teeth before snapping him a salute. "Sir." He spun on his heel and marched out the door.
Cody lowered his macrobinoculars. The scouting party was right. This slope was the only way up. The surrounding terrain, jagged with rock formations and clumps of trees, combined with the incredibly steep inclines, made any other route impossible for an assault force to climb. He had to give their enemies credit for knowing how to use the landscape to their advantage. If only he had some sort of aircraft. And oh, he would kiss a Hutt if it meant getting some AT-TEs. If this disaster of a mission had taught him anything, it was to always prepare for the unexpected. Because trying to stage a planetside attack with gear meant for a space battle was not his idea of a good time. He could only hope this turned into one hell of a story when it was all over.
"Commander Cody, sir? May I have a moment of your time?"
Cody turned to find a member of Siege Company beside him. "Of course. What's your name, soldier?"
"Lieutenant Jax, sir. You may not remember me but we fought together in the-"
"Battle of Kamino," Cody finished, recognition dawning on him. He stuck out his hand. "Last time I saw you, you were just a cadet."
Jax grasped his forearm. "I've come a long way since then."
"Are you sure you're old enough to be out here?" Cody ribbed lightly as they dropped their hands.
"I'll have you know I made lieutenant in record time," Jax returned.
"What are they thinking, making kids like you officers?"
Jax smirked. "We're here to replace old dogs like you."
"Watch your mouth, kid or I'll have you court martialed," Cody laughed. "So your first assignment was Ryloth, eh? Get chased by any blurggs?"
The smile dropped off Jax's face. "Actually that's what I need to talk to you about, sir. The reports were falsified."
Jax proceeded to explain the situation: the true nature of his company's first assignment, the orders he was given, the reason clones were mysteriously dying. Through all of it, Cody remained silent, though his expression grew darker as the story progressed. When Jax finished, Cody crossed his arms.
"Is there any way to reverse the effects?"
"The doctors on Chandrila were looking into it. But we were reassigned before any progress could be made."
"You were redeployed without further treatment?"
"I advised against it but I had my orders. What else could I do?" Jax spread his hands helplessly.
"Your superiors were aware of the situation and they sent you off to an active warzone anyway?" Cody spluttered.
"The directive came straight from the Chancellor's office," Jax pointed out.
Cody closed his eyes. Nothing about it sat right with him. For starters, Jax was younger than Cody himself was when he shipped out. Clearly the demand for soldiers was forcing clones to complete their training early and be deployed across the galaxy much sooner than was originally intended. Also, the Senate had approved the reassignment of soldiers in need of medical attention. Perhaps more disconcerting was the fact that they had tried to cover it up.
"Does General Kenobi know?"
Jax nodded. "I just told him."
"I'm sorry," Cody said honestly. "This never should have happened."
Jax shrugged. "In case you hadn't heard, there's a war going on. Lots of kriffed up stuff happens."
"Do we know how long until…" Cody trailed off.
"There doesn't seem to be any way to tell when we'll drop. Which has given me a sort of idea," Jax said. He went on to outline the same plan he'd given Obi-Wan.
Cody was quiet for a moment. Then, "Damn."
The corner of Jax's mouth lifted.
"How did you even come up with such a Force-forsaken plan?" Cody demanded.
Jax looked away, squinting in the setting sun. "When I was a cadet, the sergeant who oversaw my unit once told me no soldier gets the guarantee of safety, survival, or victory. He said we all have a moment where we look death in the eye and choose what kind of soldier we want to be." He brought his gaze back to lock with Cody's. "Sir, I want to be a good soldier."
Cody dipped his chin to acknowledge the sentiment.
"If my men and I are going to die anyway, I don't want it to be in vain."
"Did you tell any of this to General Kenobi?"
Jax grimaced slightly. "He wouldn't listen. But I knew you would understand." He leaned forward. "A trooper is only as strong as the trooper beside him. And right now, me and my boys aren't strong at all. We're a liability, waiting to die a senseless death. At least this way, we can fulfill our duty. We can give our lives in the name of the Republic, to achieve victory. To make sure no more brothers are lost trying to climb that damn hill!"
When Cody hesitated, Jax pressed on. "Sir, you know as well as I do that there is no other way. And something has to be done. Supplies are running low. Morale is low. Communications have been severed. You're facing threats from the droids and insurgents alike. This is our only chance."
Cody ran a hand down his face. "It's times like this I wish General Skywalker were here. Nothing against Kenobi of course, but Skywalker manages to come up with the craziest ideas you ever heard and somehow things always seem to work out okay in the end, no matter how the odds were stacked against him."
"I met him once," Jax said. "Toured his cruiser as a cadet."
"He's one hell of a Jedi," Cody stated before he broke into a smile. "And don't get me started on that idiot captain who serves under him." He laughed mildly before he suddenly grew somber. "You do realize that I can not condone your plan. It's reckless, and literally suicide."
Jax's face crumpled into desperation.
"But," Cody held up a hand. "I'm not going to stop you. If you and your men decide to make that choice, which you do not have to, I won't get in your way."
The tension left Jax's body, replaced by relief. "I've already spoken with Hotshot and Whiplash, my platoon leaders. We're ready, sir."
"Then I thank you for your sacrifice, brother." Cody saluted him.
Jax returned the gesture with a determined nod.
Obi-Wan woke with a start. He rose from his kneeling position, grateful Anakin was not around to see how his master had fallen asleep during what was supposed to be a meditation session. Obi-Wan had lost count of how many times he had corrected Anakin for the same failing as a padawan. As he became more aware of his surroundings, he wasn't sure which had woken him: the noise of a busy camp outside his tent or the sense of foreboding that sat like a sand viper in his stomach.
He hurriedly exited the tent, surprised to find the clones readying for battle. Armor and weapons were being equipped. Ranks were forming. Orders were shouted at the front and relayed down the lines of troopers. All this activity was taking place when the men should have been sitting down to enjoy a ration bar for dinner.
Wanting answers, he tracked down his commander. "Cody, what's going on? Has the enemy been sighted?"
"Just a drill, sir," Cody answered quickly. "I like to keep the men prepared for anything."
"I don't remember a drill being on the agenda for the evening." Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow.
Cody checked over his blaster, ensuring it was combat ready. "War doesn't keep a schedule, sir."
"And when were you going to inform me of your surprise drill?"
"When you were done meditating." The smirk on Cody's face suggested he knew what had actually happened.
Obi-Wan was eager to change the subject. "I trust the men are performing the drill adequately?"
"Yes sir."
"Even our young friends from the 818th?"
Cody hesitated and the viper of unease inside Obi-Wan sank its fangs into his gut.
"No…" Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Cody, tell me they're not - "
An explosion tore through the air. Obi-Wan whirled around to face the hill. Horror flooded him. Siege Company was already on the slope, broken into groups that climbed at intervals through the rubble of previous explosions, waiting until the one before set off the next line of bombs before continuing.
"We have to stop them!" Obi-Wan broke into a run.
He didn't make it far before a body slammed into him from behind. They crashed facefirst to the ground. Cody pinned him, locking the Jedi's arm behind his back to keep him down. Obi-Wan struggled to get free.
"Sir, we can't. It's too late."
"Let me go! I have to put an end to this madness!"
More explosions rocked the ground beneath them. Obi-Wan squirmed with renewed vigor. Cody only tightened his hold. Both of their comlinks chimed incessantly, only to be ignored.
"I can't let them die!"
"They made their choice! They chose sacrifice!"
Smoke choked the air. The thunder of detonated mines nearly drowned out the cries of dying men and distant blaster fire. Beneath Cody, Obi-Wan shuddered.
"We're going to avenge them." Cody's ragged voice was in Obi-Wan's ear. "We're going to ascend that blasted hill and we're going to take the kriffing city and we're going to make those thrice-damned cowards pay in blood for all the lives they've stolen from us!"
As the Force turned turbulent around him, Obi-Wan grasped at it desperately, managing just enough control to throw Cody off.
A final series of blasts sounded, then faded into echoes. Obi-Wan tried to stand but collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed. He was vaguely aware of Cody bellowing commands behind him. Of clones rushing past him, taking advantage of the opportunity for victory. The familiar hum of repulsor engines and cannon fire. Sharp crackle of energy bolts. He shut his eyes, bleeding grief and remorse and guilt and terror out into the Force.
His lightsaber sprang to life in his palm. His eyes flew open. Leaped to his feet, he ran to the fight. Cody was leading the charge and Obi-Wan vaulted up the hill to join him at the front. The city's defenders fought back but it was sloppy. They had been caught off guard and had no clear directions or plans. Obi-Wan didn't think it would have mattered if they did. When faced with the wrath of clones avenging their own, no enemy could hope to stand. The clones were going to take the capital in the name of Siege Company. Obi-Wan would make sure of it.