Ch3: Interim General, Pre Umbara
"Commander," he shifted turning towards the sound his eyes instinctively cracking open as he suppressed a groan. It took several seconds for the haze of sleep to recede and his cybernetic eye to whirl into focus but when it did so he shot up into a sitting position so fast blood pounded behind his ears at such a movement before receding into a dull throb behind his eyes.
"General?" The Jedi Master stood in the center of the room inspecting it in that ever slow and controlled way of his, pausing at the several mementos that littered the desk of the otherwise bare and standard issued room aboard the crew deck.
"Is everything alright? What's going on?" The General did sometimes go out of his way to find Wolffe rather than calling the Commander to his position, an action that sometimes made little sense to Wolffe in terms of both the command chain and general efficiency but if he had any misgivings he kept them to himself. Now however his confusion was evident as was a fear that something had somehow gone terribly wrong. The only times Wolffe woke to his General's face was when he was gravely injured which he at the moment was not.
"I must apologize that I interrupted your rest, however everything is fine Wolffe." The Jedi Master tilted his head slightly in contemplation. "I merely came to bid you farewell. The situation on Alderaan has become quite severe and I am needed on the surface for negotiations." Under other circumstance it would have no doubt been General Kenobi down there for the negotiations but he was tied up leading an assault on Umbara and he could see how his General was the next best choice.
"Have the separatists attacked already?"
"Indeed they have. Master Krell held them off with his men but the final assault proved too overwhelming. I am sorry Wolffe there were no survivors. Wolffe swallowed heavily at the implications. Some of his men had joined the foreword assault on Alderaan and now they were dead not to mention General Krell's entire division of troopers. The number was staggering, the battle must have been brutal but unless he was misinformed about the separatist numbers there were enough troopers to have at least vied for a stalemate.
He nodded numbly following the Generals gaze out the viewport. "I understand, should I begin preparing for an aerial bombardment?" The two stayed in silence for what seemed like several minutes before the Jedi Master spoke. "That would be prudent Commander. General Krell has expressed interest in leading this battalion while I am negotiating."
"I understand sir. I will begin preparations immediately."
"Very good Commander."
"Ah sir?" Koon had already turned to leave but paused at the inquiry. "Any last orders before you depart?" The negotiations could take hours it would be best to ask for any final instructions on how the General wished for him to proceed.
This response seemed to amuse Koon who chuckled lightly. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do Wolffe and I think all shall be well."
"Right sir, of course sir." The General gone Wolffe made his way over to his chest of armor. His hand lingered over his standard command uniform but at length he reached for his armor and blaster pistols. It wouldn't do to be parading around in uniform when there was a battle raging down below. Besides they might be requested as ground support it would be best he be prepared for anything.
Fully armored save the helmet he inspected himself in the mirror brushing the stray strands of unruly hair into place before running a hand lightly over his scar probing at the healed tissue before running over several modules with his eye to ensure it still functioned at peak efficiency. Satisfied he straightened into casual military pose and made his way to the bridge.
True to his word General Plo Koon was nowhere to be seen. He took his post by the bridge's holographic display of the world below studying it. "Comet, what's the situation down there?"
"The ground forces have been decimated the soldiers we sent over included. The Organas are holding a line with their houses militia. More Alderaanian troops are inbound to hold the line ETA thirty minutes."
"Very good. Have there been any updates on the negotiations?"
"Well the ceasefire has been officially announced sir. It's to hold for twenty four hours until further notice."
"We'd best be prepared then."
"I'd wager this knife those seppies won't last six hours."
"Only six eh Knifer? That's giving them a wide berth "I'd wager four. Those seppies are pretty trigger happy for the bucket of bolts they are."
Wolffe chuckled at Sinkers enthusiasm. "I wouldn't be so sure. The invasion force is too small to be significant. The actual attack was a distraction no doubt. The separatists can't really believe they could take on a Republic base world. Especially one so heavily invested in the interests of the Republic."
"Sir, there's a ship inbound. Not one of ours. It's registered as belonging to a General Pong Krell"
"Very good, clear him for landing. He is to be our interim General while General Plo Koon is on Alderaan."
"Yes sir." Several moments passed before Wolffe turned to face his men hands clasped behind his back.
"General Krell is a well respected Master of the Jedi Order. However he is not General Plo Koon so I expect all laxes in protocol under General Koon to be suspended until further notice or his return. Am I understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good now look sharp men and do your General proud, I want General Krell giving a good report on the 104's. Let's give General Koon something to brag about."
"Sir yes sir." All the men straightened at their posts just as the doors to the bridge hissed open revealing an alien about two meters tall of the Besalisk species. The General looked around at the busy stations frowning to himself.
"Welcome aboard the Talon General Krell." Wolffe said snapping at attention.
The General said nothing at first giving the bridge another look around before frowning self assuredly and folding his four arms. "CC-3636 is there a reason why this unit hasn't been mobilized for an attack?" The use of his standard issued name shouldn't have taken him slightly aback but for some reason it did. He pushed the thought aside; perhaps it was easier for this species to remember numbers over names.
"Yes sir, so long as the ceasefire stands any hostile actions on our part could put the entire negotiations in jeopardy."
"Just like a clone." The words were spat out as the General glared at him. "Has it perhaps crossed that simple mind of yours that the separatists may break this cease fire first?"
"If they do we will be ready, sir."
"I will decide when you will be ready to deploy CC-3636 is that clear?!"
"Sir yes sir." His General was a strange one to be sure. He had been planning to prepare for the possibility of a breach during the ceasefire but he had wanted to wait at least an hour before doing so to gauge the situation.
"Mobilize the men for an attack. The moment anything goes wrong down there and I mean anything. We attack fast and we attack hard." So it was one of those Generals, he couldn't say he minded the blood thirst especially since there was a high chance that the negotiations were to go wrong but the aggressive nature of the General was a sharp contrast to General Koon and it was getting the men a bit uneasy.
"Yes sir."
"You seem to have your men in order, that's more than I can say for some Commanders but don't think this is a compliment because it's not. Keeping ones men in line is the duty of any Commander so don't get think you'll be impressing me with doing the bare minimum. Am I understood?"
"Sir yes, sir." The General scowled at something in the distance before making his way off the bridge not turning as he went. "Report me of any and I mean any changes in the situation, am I clear?"
"Yes, sir." A good half off the men seemed to deflate breathing a sigh of relief the moment the doors of this bridge closed on the General.
"Damn that guy is intense." Comet whispered to Red.
Wolffe sighed relaxing the fists that he hadn't realized he had balled at his sides. "I'm sure he's an acquired taste, everyone get back to your terminals. Sinker spread the word to the men to keep a tight lid on anything that isn't rotation related. Tell them they'll be time to blow off steam after General Plo Koon returns. I have a feeling this General doesn't take anything outside of protocol lightly."
"Yes sir, on it."
"Red monitor ground comm chatter."
"Comet monitor the situation on Alderaan. If the separatists make a move inform me off it first am I clear?"
"Yes sir." The men turned to their stations and Wolffe was left in stark silence. The lack of chatter made the room feel larger and colder than it was. He turned on his heel he had a feeling that he was going to need to monitor everything to keep the general pleased, personally.
-0-0-0-
It took several hours of inspections but by the time Wolffe was down with his rounds he was satisfied. Most of the ship was in order, he had to make a visit to the barracks to have the men clear out the mess hall but for the most part everything was accounted for. His shock troops were mobilized for a ground assault but though the negotiations thus far had been peaceful there was little headway made in the terms of surrender. The separatists were stalling, for what he wasn't sure especially since there was virtually no way for them to get reinforcements. He supposed maybe it was to stir a commotion in the senate cause panic and put even more pressure on the senators from the red tape that seemed to slow all political decisions and votes in the senate. On the other hand this attack could be used purely as a demoralizing strategy; if a core world and staunch supporter such as Alderaan could be attacked and held for so long then the Republic could and would be seen as weak and ineffective. But that train of thought really was not his jurisdiction and though if asked he had quite some things to say on the matter of all the bureaucracy and nonsense going on in the senate he wisely kept his tongue. His job had to do with the war effort and not with useless politics which had been making little headway anywhere lately. He supposed all things considered he was actually quite lucky to be stationed where he could actually do something. How those senators sat still all day with little to show for it was not something he felt he wanted to know.
His comm beeped interrupting his train of thought and he instinctively snapped to attention as he responded. "General."
"CC-3636 I require your presence in the crew deck immediately."
"Yes sir." Wolffe wondered what it was Krell was displeased about, last he checked the Jedi and Ambassador suites were all in top order but he made his way there anyway at a brisk pace.
He found the Besalisk Generall standing before one of the smaller rooms arms folded as he glared at the room as if it had personally offended him. "What are these articles doing here?"
His eyes widened as he realized that the General was standing at the entrance to the room he had been using ever since that pod incident. Hurrying his stride he took in the room silently relieved that as far as things went it did appear more as if someone had just been careless and dumped several items in the first room they found over it seeming as if someone was actually using it. "I will remove them immediately."
"See that you do. I would hate to think any of the clones have been receiving privileges they are not entitled to."
"Yes sir, of course not sir." He couldn't say he was surprised though he was silently kicking himself for having forgotten to do his research on the General. That way he would have known what to expect and cleared out the room well before the General even set foot on the ship. The General glared at him expectantly. Keying in a frequency he tapped in a request to have a cleaning droid clear out the room. Normally he'd do it himself or ask one of his men but he didn't want the General to have any reason to take his displeasure out on anyone else. General Koon had been very generous by letting him take a room, however how General Krell new exactly where to look was beyond him. It was like the General was actively trying to find something to be displeased about. But it took all kinds and after several more minutes of glaring the Jedi Master turned on his heal and stalked out.
-0-0-0-
The bridge was filled with a dead silence as he entered it an hour or so later after moving his things to the barracks, almost feeling the high strung nerves of his men in the air. General Krell was standing on the bridge glaring at the viewport as the men all monitored the terminals. He was about to make his way to the holographic display of Alderaan when the General Krell turned sharply to face him causing him to pause mid stride and snap to attention. The General seemed quite displeased something that Wolffe was starting to think was his usual mood. They stood in silence as the General paced twice before the viewport before breaking the silence. "Tell me CC-3636 is there a reason why there are new men running the bridge?"
"We have rotations sir."
"I see, and how long is each of these rotations?"
"The average rotation is twelve hours sir."
"Twelve hours!" The Besalisk bellowed causing every man on the bridge save himself to flinch. "I've known temple younglings who've had rotations far longer than that! Twelve hours! I can't believe this! What was the purpose of your creation if you can't even function beyond the average temple youngling! Are you trying to lose this war for the republic?!"
Wolffe had thought the General would make his displeasure known on another trivial thing or other so he was quite prepared to respond in his usual standard and official manner. But this? He wasn't quite sure what to make off it nor how to respond. He could feel heat rising up at the base of his spine and traveling through his arms leaving them weak as the words of the General seemed to eat into his very being.
"I see that Master Koon was quite lax with you all. Or perhaps he thought you all incompetent because you're nothing but clones. CC-3636 make it known that while I'm aboard this ship rotations are at the very least at twenty four hours each. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir." Wolffe bit out his voice sounding weak to his ears.
"I'm sorry CC-3636 what was that?"
"Sir yes sir!" He snapped to attention as he did so feeling the fearful eyes of the men not quite sure what to make of this whole situation.
"Very good. Now get back to your posts. All of you, I want you clones all ready to be deployed at moment's notice am I clear?"
"Sir yes sir!"
"Why is the Commander the only one answering me? Is there something wrong with you all? I said I want you all ready to be deployed at moment's notice is that clear?"
"Sir yes sir." The bridge answered in one voice and seemingly placated the General left the bridge.
"Hey are you alright?" Wolffe looked up not having realized that he had sagged against the holomap using it as support blood having hit his knees after the General left. "Everything's fine get back to the comms." He said straightening but Sapper ignored him his face twisting in anger. "Did you see that? He's treating you like a piece of kriff. How could you let him do that to you!? It looked like he was controlling you with the force like a puppet!"
"He's the General he's just doing his job."
Ever frowned at his terminal, "That didn't look like he was doing his job sir, it looked like he was trying to make you lick his boots."
"Ever!"
"I'm serious Commander, I've never seen a Jedi treat another clone like that before let alone a Commander."
"I can't believe he kicked you out of your room." Blaster added in.
"Who told you that?" He snapped. The troopers all looked guiltily at each other before Garic spoke up. "Coric, said he saw you dumping your supply locker in the barracks."
Wolffe sighed. He was starting to grow a healthy dislike for the General as well but he was the General. It wasn't like Wolffe could disobey a direct order and it wasn't like the Jedi Master was ordering anything anyway. Just taking out his displeasure on them, which he seemed to have an unhealthy amount to go around. "Tell the men to lengthen their shift by three hours and take rotation breaks when they can. I don't want anyone collapsing from exhaustion."
"I'm on it sir." Ever said punching out a few commands on the display before sending out new orders.
"How are the negotiations going?"
"There's been no movement from the separatists yet. Their Ambassador isn't agreeing to the terms of peace though."
"Update me if there are any changes."
"Understood sir." Receiving the affirmative from Ever Wolffe made his way from the bridge.
-0-0-0-
It was a good twenty four hours later when Wolffe finally entered the mess hall. The twenty four hours that had passed rang with both the Besalisk's extreme displeasure and his great ire something the Jedi Master seemed to have both of in abundance. The alien had issues with almost everything. From the way Wolffe ran the ship all the way to the state of the walkers and blaster equipment which Wolffe himself had priorly inspected. In this short period of time General Krell also managed to insult and scare half to death almost every single one of his troopers which there were five hundred and thirty two off including a droid ambassador which General Krell ordered to be scrapped for its loose circuits. Throughout all this time there had been little headway in the negotiations and though no one was saying it, it was quite clear to Wolffe that the ambassador was no doubt stalling merely to keep any more reinforcements from reaching any of the other frontline sector under attack, most specifically no doubt Umbara. He'd been contacted by General Koon several hours ago, who gave a short debriefing on the state of affairs but it was quite clear that the negotiations were still to go on for some time.
It had been a good several hours since he'd last eaten and after a thirty one hour rotation he was more exhausted than he felt he should be. But to be fair the last time he'd ran a straight forty eight hour shift when on the flagship was only several weeks after the pod incident. When General Koon made it clear to him that he didn't need every possibly strategy but only the four best ones including several contingencies the amount of time he spent on battle plan simulations shortened considerably. All this being said he still spent a good eight hours running through several possible ground incursions on Alderaan.
The mess hall was filled with several officers who kept their voices at a standard. The lack of general rowdiness and openness of the mess halls was refreshing but after getting himself a platter of food and settling by himself at a table he found he was missing the usual chatter which helped distract him and liven up the usual and mundane day to day jargon.
Three bites into the meal his comm rang. Force couldn't anything be normal just this once? "What is it Comet."
"Its General Krell sir he wants to deploy us effective immediate."
"Wait what why?" He shot up like the other officers all at attention dropping their respective cutlery before scrambling off to their stations. "I'm not sure sir, something about the best interests of the Republic."
"Kriff I'll be right there." Wolffe turned his jog into a run. This wasn't good, as long as General Koon was on Alderaan negotiating a peace treaty the Republic couldn't attack. It would not only set a bad precedent but it was also against regulations.
He reached the Bridge in record time only to see General Krell throw one of his officers, Red across the room.
"General what is the meaning of this?" The shock of seeing a Jedi Master preceded all common logic but as a Commander it was his job to be prepared for anything. "Comet get Red to the med bay."
"Yes sir!"
"Ah Commander so good of you to join us I was about to have this entire division court martialed for insubordination. Perhaps you can keep them in line and remind them of the meaning of loyalty and the consequences that follow of breaching such things." The Jedi loomed over him menacingly the air charged with displeasure laced with anger.
"What's going on?" No point in showing his cards better let the General explain himself.
"The war is going on Commander in case you haven't noticed. The separatists are quite clearly not interested in negotiations. There is only one way to go about it. A direct attack."
Wolffe agreed with the assessment, the negotiations were stalling and he had enough fire power to order an aerial bombardment decimating the rebellion but that wasn't what stayed his hand. Before he left General Koon had ordered him not to do anything the Kel Dor himself wouldn't do and ordering an aerial strike during negotiations was not something he would do. Not only that but the negotiations were occurring at the behest of the Jedi Council and no General could give an order directly against one of theirs. "With all due respect General, according to regulation manual two hundred thirty two I may not act upon those orders because they act against the direct interests of the Jedi council."
"Are you questioning my orders Commander?" The air became charged and oppressive but Wolffe held his ground. So long as regulations stood both their hands were tied and the Jedi Master new it.
"No sir, I am merely stating that I may not act without the direct authority of the council."
"I speak for the council CC-3636." The Besalisk bellowed. "By questioning my orders you are questioning the orders of the Jedi Council itself. I should have you court martialed for this!"
"I understand sir."
"You understand nothing." The Jedi master gave him a sharp prod with his finger causing Wolffe to take a step back from the sheer force behind prod but otherwise remained unmoving.
"Listen to me Commander I demand you order your men to make a ground assault now! This is for the greater good of the Republic!"
"I will do so gladly General, if you speak for the Council. An affirmation from even one of the Council members would be enough."
"You are testing my patience Commander!" Wolffe thought the Jedi Master would push the order till Wolffe caved in but the Jedi Master merely yelled in frustration siphoning off into a rage about bureaucracy and the imbecility of the Jedi Council and its ignorance of the truth. Wolffe stood in attention as his men flinched at the end of every other angered sentence. After a good several minutes when it appeared the Jedi master was ranting to himself more than anyone else Wolffe tactfully left the bridge though this time with purpose.
Making his way out and passing a good distance from the bridge before doing so he keyed a frequency into his comm waiting for a response. After several more tries he punched a nearby wall of the hallway in frustration. General Koon had put his communicator on hold. The message could be read in hours at best and he didn't want to leave anything that could be used against him as an act of insubordination but General Krell's actions were making even someone like him uneasy. He could understand displeasure, he could understand a blood thirsty General that respected and expected only results and the best ones at that but never had he been under the command of a General who felt as unstable as General Krell. And like unstable troopers an unstable General was a danger not only to himself but to his men. Wolffe had done his fair share of research on both Jedi and Sith and whatever Krell was he was most definitely not acting even remotely within the constraints of the Jedi code.
He commed in the frequency once more but he got nothing. He could always contact Commander Thorn or Commander Cody the commanders all having each other frequencies but he doubted they or their Generals could be of any assistance especially since the both of them were running campaigns of their own. Keying in for General Koon one last time he swallowed as he pressed a key to leave a holomessage. "General Koon this is Commander Wolffe, I…" He paused. "It's imperative that this message reaches you…please comm me when you get the chance…" He swallowed not quite sure what else to say and pressed to end the message when he heard the hiss of a door opening in a nearby room.
"Commander."
"Coric, how are the men."
"High strung sir."
"With good reason."
"No doubt, how much longer will the negotiations last do you think?"
"Several hours at best." Turning towards the stairs leading to the med bay area Coric pulled Wolffe over an act that was quite uncharacteristic for the medic his voice a harsh whisper though they were both quite alone in the halls. "Commander what's going on? Is Krell insane or does he have it out for us clones?"
Wolffe suppressed a sound of frustration. "Whichever it is it doesn't matter we have a job to do."
"Maybe but not when our General sounds like he has a few loose wires in his head!"
"Coric that's enough out of you!" He didn't feel justified snapping at the medic but he had to keep his men in line especially at a time like this.
"I'm only saying what everyone's thinking. I wouldn't even say anything but do you know how many adrenals I've given out this past hour? Twenty four hour shifts are not something us clones can just pull! We may be clones but we're still just as human as the next human!"
"I'll keep that in mind and see what I can do. It'll be a few more hours at best. Have the men eat extra rations if they need to and keep their sugar levels stable I don't want anyone passing out on their feet."
"I understand, but it's not even about the extra hours! It's about us! We're not droids! Force Commander we're not…we're not slaves!"
"Is that you talking or the men."
"It's me." Coric didn't meet his eye looking away as if anticipating what Wolffe was to say.
"We're not children Coric this is a war! Yes we'll have to stay up several more hours than is good for us, yes we'll be fighting with force knows how much a lack in supplies, but through it all we will fight because we are soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic!"
He sighed softening his voice. "I'm not saying I approve of General Krell's methods all I'm asking is patience. Give it several more hours and General Koon will be back alright?"
"Alright I…I shouldn't have yelled at you like that… It's just I was there in the recon mission to Zyggeria and I was transferred from a separatist border outpost. The way those natives were treated…" Coric shuddered and Wolffe rested a hand on his shoulder. "I read the reports. It was bad. But that's why we fight, it's why we keep long hours, it why we get dropped off on half civilized planets with Kriff knows what living on it and Kriff knows what kind of conditions. It's so that others can live and live well. We don't fight because we're clones Coric or at least that's only part of it. I fight because I believe in our cause. In the end that's all war is a fight for an idea or ideal."
Coric laughed. "Wow that as almost half inspiring you come up with that on the spot?"
"Just quoting Koon and maybe throwing in some quotes from Generals of the Old Republic."
"Are you serious!? When you're not living and breathing war your reading about it?"
"Are you telling me what to do with my time CC-3425? I should have you court martialed for that!"
"Are you insane! Now I know you have a loose wire somewhere in there." Coric said between peals of muffled laughter. "Force I can't believe you of all people would break protocol like that."
"Yeah don't get used to it." Wolffe gave one of his trademark grins and then it smoothed out into a mildly interested demeanor. "I have work to do go back to your rotation."
"Yes sir." Coric saluted halfheartedly but Wolffe could tell that his mood had lightened somewhat. Sighing Wolffe turned his walk to a brisk pace for another round of inspections.
-0-0-0-
It was an hour or so later when Wolffe glared at the datapad as he sat in the room designated as the ships library. It was mostly empty save the tables littering it and the walls and shelves which were filled to the brim with the twinkling blue lights of orderly kept data pads.
He shifted in his chair, the lone one pulled up to the table he sat by the one closest to the door, scrolling down several more paragraphs before placing it down and rubbing his eyes. It had been an hour and there was still no headway in the negotiations. Vaguely he wondered how much longer would he and his men need to host General Krell. The hour had been the most lax one yet though Wolffe felt this was all just a calm before some sort of storm. The General had ranted for the better part of the hour from what Comet had told him something which irritated him to no end. How could any self respected General think that running twenty four hour shifts was logical in any way? Exhausted men were a liability just as hungry and wounded men were. Maintaining an army was an act of balance. You had to know how much to push and how much to expect. A command run to loosely would be undisciplined but a command run to harshly would cause discontent and low morale. It wasn't just blasters that won wars it was the men behind those blasters that's why the Republic wasn't using droids. Why couldn't the General see that? He sighed resuming his reading trying to fight off the exhaustion. Several more hours he could pull off. Leaving this ship with no one but General Krell in command was not something he wanted to do.
Three more minutes into his reading his comm rang. Force couldn't anything be normal just this once? "What is it Comet."
"It's the sepp's sir, someone shot a rocket launcher."
"What when?" He shot up in his seat. "Just now sir."
"Has the Alderaanian militia mobilized yet?"
"No sir, the ambassador claims none of his men are responsible and that this is the act of a rogue element."
"Rogue element?! Do they actually think we'll buy that?"
"Senator Organa believes them, the negotiations are continuing."
"Alright then, keep me apprised of the situation." Wolffe sat back down before Comet continued. "No sir you don't understand it's General Krell sir! He says this is an act of war. He wants to deploy us!"
"What? I'll be there shortly." This wasn't good. None of it. He had specific orders to remain a neutral party until after the peace talks were to end. He could technically land an assault now but if the peace talks were still proceeding then General Koon himself had chosen to do so.
He reached the Bridge several minutes later only to find Comet running out to meet him. "Thank the force! Sinker refused to deploy the men! Force Krell may have killed him already."
-0-0-0-
"What's going on!" The clone Commander barged onto the bridge only to see him loom over Sinker the air charged so heavily with his anger it nearly brought every trooper in the room to their knees causing a frown of disgust to play across his lips. They were nothing like the original, weak and useless, so many yet they couldn't even hold their own against even one Jedi. "CC-3636 I'm court martialing this clone get a firing squad in order."
"Red take Sinker and throw him in the brig." Outrageous! Was a direct command just ignored!
"Yes sir."
He was furious; no he was beyond furious he was seething. "I said I want him executed for insubordination did I not make myself clear!?"
"You did sir, and I will have him court martialed but he can only be executed after a trial." The Commander had the gall to look unfazed but he could feel the undercurrent of fear like a tendril of weakness seep out and permeate the air around himself. Why he had expected something more was beyond him. These were clones after all, subhuman at best the lot of them.
"He has disobeyed orders during a military operation he should be made and example off!" And your men should watch and take heed of his actions! Who did this clone think he was? Did he think he knew better than a Jedi Master!?
"I will execute him after the incursion then. I have already planned several different scenarios for a landed assault. If you allow me I will run you through the optimal battle plan for this incursion." Unbelievable! And to think that these men, these clones were to be entrusted with the very future of the republic? It was no wonder the war was still at a standstill. These men couldn't follow an order to save their life!
"Did I ask for your opinions Commander? I already have a ready plan of attack." The war holo table lit up with a mountain range by the Organa palace under his impatient gaze. "We shall take the low road and march up the side of this mountain taking down all resistance and liberating Alderaan."
The Commander seeped outrage and anger even. "We'd all be dead within minutes if not seconds, not only would we have the low ground but the passage is too narrow for our tanks! We'd be utterly defenseless!"
"Are you questioning orders Commander? Do you not know the importance of our cause? Of this mission?" Did any of them? Did they even care? It wasn't their Republic anyway. "If Alderaan is not liberated within the hour the Republic will look weak morale will fall and we will lose the war. All because of your baseless fears. Do you really think your mind could even begin to grasp at what I comprehend? You're nothing but a clone CC-3636 I suggest you don't forget that."
"I may be a clone even I can see that this is pure suicide!" This, this was crossing a line.
"You see nothing!" The Commander finally had the decency to flinch at his anger, his outrage, but only just so. "I repeat my orders Commander are you refusing to follow them?"
"I will land an incursion but not with that strategy General."
"I am the General, Commander. Are you both half blind and defective! I don't know how Koon keeps all of you in line but when he returns I'm having you all court martialed and executed. You're all traitors every last one of you. In fact I think I'll do some of the executing right now! Maybe this will drive home some respect." His lightsabers hissed to life causing the Commander to blanch oh good he had his attention now.
"These men are innocent. I'm the one who's refusing a direct order, sir." Perhaps this one could be made an example off so that the others would fall in line. Or he'd make them fall in line one way or another.
"Your right Commander I have tried to make you see reason, but it appears you're more defective then I initially thought." A shudder passed through the Commander as he used the force to lift and throw him sharply into the wall to his right smashing him into a console array. The pure rage was invigorating he could feel every cell singing in joy. He slammed the clone into the console once more and then into the closed doors of the bridge hearing the sweet sound of bones crunching. The armor absorbed much of the impact however and not enough damage had been done. The next toss sent the clone into doors of the bridge once more before he grasped at his air pipe constricting it just enough to prolong the suffering. The clone gasped for breath struggling against the lack of air bile rising up his throat as his stomach churned at the motion. He had never felt so alive! He dropped the pathetic excuse of a clone the man retched onto the metal hull of the ship breathing heavily and shuddering piteously.
"You see clones. This is where you belong on your knees!" He grabbed the clone sharply with the force once more only to slam him into the war table vaguely hearing the gasps of the clones all viewing his display of command. He grinned at the fear and anger in their hearts. Reveling and basking in the hate. In the end that's all clones were. Empty shells to be commanded by their betters.
-0-0-0-
He groaned something having broken no doubt a rib as he attempted to lift himself. Blood dripped down from under his gauntlet though he couldn't remember it receiving any wounds. His body shook in pain against his will as he shakily propped himself up on his elbow. His comm chose to ring in that moment. "General." He tried not wheeze as he responded his eyes flashing to the looming Besalisk who had stopped in his attack angrily observing him as cold sweat ran down his brow tendrils of shock disbelief and no little fear gathering at the base of his heart and now empty stomach.
"Commander Wolffe is everything alright?" His eyes widened as General Krell pressed a lightsaber to Jerik's neck eyes narrowed. "Ye…Yes General, everything's under control."
He bit back the moan of pain as the lightsaber inched ever closer to the communication officers neck. "I see, very good. Koon out."
He wanted to sigh in relief when Krell lowered his lightsaber smiling cruelly but what came out were more ragged gasps that he had held at bay when answering his comm. "Troopers this Commander has disobeyed direct orders from a General not once but twice. There are clear rules for insubordination. You five where are your blasters? Go get them." Wolffe's eye widened in disbelief as his elbow vibrated in pain. More sweat poured down his brow as he looked between the men and the General who smiled at the scene almost finding it amusing. The troopers were a sharp contrast their faces ranging from shock to fear to disbelief. All feelings he himself was experiencing mired with even more fear at the prospect of what was to occur.
It took several minutes for the men to scramble back with the requested weapons all shifting uneasily at what they were about to be asked to do. This was a fate to cruel. They were his men, they deserved better. "Can't finish me off yourself General?" He bit out. He braced himself as he felt himself lifted and thrown against several consoles his sense of direction a blurred mess as he was thrown with a finality into the war table once more groaning as he felt several more ribs give way. The pain pulsed at the base of his neck as he fought against the sudden darkness at the edges of his vision. He tensed for the next wave of punishment as the Besalisk glared down at his form. "You are the most defective clone I have ever met. It seems that losing one eye was not lesson enough for you. Perhaps losing your other eye will teach you how to follow orders properly. A green beam of light hissed to life. The General approached him slowly as if savoring every moment of the action. His body shuddered and he instinctively tried to back away from the heat of the blade and the pain it would bring but there was only the wall of the war table behind him. He felt his ribs painfully grating against his inner flesh as he pressed against it tensing for the familiar burning sensation the agony of fire and the promise of utter darkness. Something sharp hit a lung piercing it. He stilled at the cold pain. If he hadn't worn his armor today all his ribs would have been cleanly broken. Cold sweat poured down his brow as the inching lightsaber reminded him of another lightsaber he'd been subject to not too long ago. He swallowed evening his breath even as the darkness of the fear and memories threatened to overwhelm him. Darkness licked at the corners of his eyes as General Krell ordered his own Wolffepack to line up in firing range.
"When I carve out your eye Commander I want you to taste the pain of defeat before I have you shot like a dog." The green blade hummed over his face the intense heat of the plasma only accenting the fear in his eyes. He stilled in pain hot and cold at the memory of another lightsaber gauging out his eye. The blade rose to swing only to have the doors of the bridge thrown open.
"What in the name of the force?"
"General Koon good of you to join us. I am merely teaching your Commander a lesson on respect." Wolffe shifted his gaze turning his head weakly to see Koon frowning down at the scene. The air stilled heavily. He shuddered another breath as he wrapped a hand around his midriff the entire scenario appeared so surreal to him. He had to close his eyes if only to assure that he was still on the bridge and what had occurred had occurred. A Jedi Master had attempted to not only kill but had tortured him.
"I believe I am capable of doing just that myself General. The Council wishes to speak with you. I would not keep them waiting."
"Of course not." General Krell smirked. "You are very fortunate I am not your General Commander or my disciplining would leave with a lot less than just a few broken bones."
Wolffe didn't realize he was having trouble breathing until General Koon shook him. "Comet get a medic in here, preferably one with an Oxygen tank." He chuckled weakly at the familiarity of the situation, his mind still trying to comprehend what it was that had happened.
"Yes sir!"
"Breathe deeply Wolffe. You are experiencing post traumatic shock. " Wolffe struggled to deepen his breathing as his laugh turned to more wheezing his eye glazing over as the memory of Assaj Ventress resurfaced sharply and suddenly and there was no burying them now. His whole body ached he was utterly exhausted running on barely any rations. His mind a mess as it tied to comprehend just exactly what had happened the line between reality and that of the realm of the impossible. Cold sweat poured down his brow as he felt a cool soothing sensation overcome him as the General rested a hand over his forehead."
"Sir." He gasped.
"Rest now Commander." He tried fighting against the haze that slipped over his vision but the darkness won out and he was left floating in an abyss of warm nothingness before his mind finally had the decency to allow him to pass out.
Alright so for those of you wondering what the? How is this even possible? Krell should be brought before the Jedi Council! How could he just get away with that? Don't worry all shall be explained in the next Ch. My question is how could a bunch of clones get away with killing a General? They could claim anything they want but in the end they could be just making it up, I mean who would the Jedi believe. If Krell really is this top notch guy like Rex and everyone said then it would be a bit more complicated then oh he was actually a two timing traitor who had it out for clones you killed him whatever. So this is pre Umbara where there is already solid proof that Krell is off his rocker. If you liked leave a review! Till next time!
