Meetings
When Cody first met Obi-Wan - excuse, General Kenobi - he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. The man looked so young, quietly observing the scene from a ways away, eyes flickering around and never stilling.
"This ought to be good," he muttered to no one in particular.
All around the Coruscant landing bay Jedi were meeting their clone commands. Most were chuckling and trying to get to know each other, but some were eyeing each other warily, like they didn't know what exactly to say.
He had studied General Kenobi when he was assigned to him, and he still didn't quite know what to make of him. General Kenobi...well, he seemed to...soft to be a Jedi. There was a properness about him that was off-putting. This was supposed to be a soldier.
"General Kenobi?"
The General turned his head, eyebrows raised just a bit, like he knew the punchline of some joke. "I presume you're my commander?"
"Yes sir. CC-224, at your -"
"Your name?"
Cody stopped abruptly, glad he was wearing his helmet, or else he would have gaped a bit. "My...name sir?"
"Your name." General Kenobi tilted his head and gave a small smile. "It's hardly appropriate for anyone to call a being by numbers and letters, hmm? Unless, of course, that's your preference?"
"Oh…" This wasn't in his training. The Kamonians had always told them they were clones, nothing more, nothing less. Nothing. They didn't get a name - but of course, they had names among each other. "It's Cody, sir."
"Cody?" The smile grew wider. "Ibac's Mando par Kotê, isn't bic?"
Cody blinked, wondering why the hell this General knew Mando'a. Well...guess they had a few stories to exchange. He tugged his helmet off - which was completely and utterly against protocol - and tucked it under his arm. "Yes sir."
"Obi-Wan, please. None of this 'sir' nonsense." General Kenobi - well, Obi-Wan - stuck out his hand. For just a moment, a flash of a chain was visible against his neck. "I look forward to working with you, Cody."
Cody smiled, and grasped the man's hand, a bit surprised by the strong grip and rough skin. "Pleasure cuyir pal'vut."
Mas Amedda walked into the office...only to flinch when a chalice of wine shattered by his shoulder. He stared wide eyes at for a moment before glancing to the desk.
Palpatine gave a gusty sigh, rubbing a hand over his face and leaning back in his ornate chair. "My apologies, Mas. I did not know you were coming in."
"It's quite okay, sir." Mas glanced to the bright Coruscanti night behind the Chancellor. His master always knew when someone was coming - perks of being a Sith Lord. To not know...well, in the Chancellor's defense, the month following the surprising death of Vizsla and doomed resurrection of Maul had not been kind to any of them.
That damned Kenobi was controlling the Third Systems Army - a tenth of the fucking clone army - from a cushion on Kalevala. He had the Order in a bind, knowing that one false move from them would make the Republic's already fragile trust in them plummet. Which maybe...
Which was fine, really - let the Jedi suffer. Nobody had much of a use for them anyway.
Ventress had disappeared, and Separatist planets seemed to be faltering in their commitment.
Not Dooku - well, maybe Dooku. His private comlinks was making digital traces all over the Galaxy, though it was near impossible to trace them...
People were beginning to question the war, its motives…
"...not answering my summons. Kenobi, always pissing on my schemes."
Mas dragged his attentions back to the Chancellor - Sith Lord - while the man paced and muttered. He could guess the subject: Anakin Skywalker. Whatever the plan was for the boy, it was certainly dreadful.
"How does Kenobi hurt your plans involving Master Skywalker?"
Palpatine rolled his eyes, which flashed yellow in the darkness. "Showing Anakin - bah! That bitch's death should have broken their little bond, made Kenobi so recluse and reprimanding of attachments, made Anakin...argh!"
Mas didn't flinch when a window exploded. He folded his arms over his chest, tapping his fingers against his arms. He had noticed that the little Togruta brat always did... that...
Wait…
"Sir?"
"What?"
"Have you considered a different approach?"
Palpatine rubbed at his long nose. "I've thought of killing Mrs. Skywalker - not exactly -"
"What about Tano?"
Mando'a:
Ibac's Mando par Kotê, isn't bic? - That's Mandalorian for Kotê, isn't it?
Pleasure cuyir pal'vut - Pleasure is mine
Author's note: I did enjoy writing the flashback ;) It's always fun getting Cody's perspective on things
Most people agree that Mas did indeed know - at some point - who Palpatine really was. So there that plotline is in this fic. Then the last bit - oh boi, what a cliffhanger. Maybe. Possibly. xD
Plus remember there's been a time skip - a month between last chapter and this chapter. So things on Mandalore are a bit...herm... different
Enjoy!
ii Digestive Reader ii