Chapter 5: Bacara
He was running across an ice bridge when it happened. Following General Mundi when the voice of the Chancellor boomed through his bucket, he knew his men had received the message as well. As a group, they collectively slid to a stop behind their still advancing Jedi general, and raised their blasters. The look of betrayal of Mundi's face was seared into Bacara's mind. He pulled the trigger, and blue bolts screamed out of the barrel towards his former general. Mundi tried with all his might to deflect the bolts, but it was not enough. He was struck multiple times and quietly fell onto the cold, hard ice. For a moment silence reigned, both clone and droid alike standing stock still. For Bacara, this was his moment of realization. Even though he'd followed his orders like he'd been trained, he'd just killed General Mundi, a man who Bacara had grown to admire and respect during their times together. Bacara's mind flashed back to the many thousands of encounters he and Mundi had, the general quickly became a friendly companion rather than his superior. Bacara's eyes filled with tears none had a chance to fall. Within an instant, the fight was once again raging; the Galactic Marines had an objective to complete.
With their objective completed, the Galactic Marines headed back to their transports that would take them off world, and back to the fleet. As they marched back, the men silently passed by the corpse of the general they'd served under. Bacara, and many of his men bowed their heads out of shame and grief as they passed by the body.
Once back onboard the orbiting ship, Bacara took time for some much needed reflection. He remembered back to Gree telling him about Republic Agent Drues Regulan's speech he made a number of years ago at the Chancellors Grand Review. He also remembered that hearing Gree's story made both he and Commander Neyo begin to change their methods. Both he and his brother Neyo had both wanted to be treated like sentients, and hearing Regulan's speech gave him all the more encouragement to do so. He'd thought he had changed, but thinking back to what he'd just done, Bacara thought himself wrong.
Shot him like a driod.
Bacara thought in disgust, realizing that he'd still followed the Chancellor's, now Emperor's, order to a tee without giving any thought about their consequences.
As he sat on his bunk, Bacara didn't know how longer he could stand this new Empire, he needed a way out.
It was back on Coruscant, during a meeting between the now stormtrooper commanders, and Imperial officers that that chance at freedom would present itself. During the meeting, Bacara had learned of what Commander Smokes and Deviss had done. Needless to say, Bacara was shocked that clones would disobey executive orders and remain loyal to the Jedi. It brought a tear of guilt to Bacara's eye when he realized that he hadn't done the same, why hadn't he saved his friend? At that moment, something flared within him, a need to escape, a need to set free. The story of Smokes and Deviss had renewed his hope of leaving the Empire. Looking around the room at the uncovered heads of his brothers, Bacara could see the same look on many of their faces. Virtually every clone looked hopeful, except for Vill and Appo, the two loyal clones remained passive, their faces devoid of emotion.
Always the loyal pets.
Bacara knew that he and his brothers would have to wait and buy their time before attempting to desert their positions.
The next night saw Bacara's Galactic Marines, along with the men under, Cody, Gree, Neyo, Thire, and Appo standing at attention, listening to the hologram of the Emperor speak. Suddenly the lights went out, and the room was bathed in darkness. When they came back on, Bacara, along with every other individual in the hanger had their eyes fixed on the individuals who had appeared. The Misfits, including a very alive Drues Regulan. Bacara smiled as he saw the shock and fear written all over the faces of the Imperial officers and moffs present in the room. Bacara himself was surprised when Regulan openly challenged the Emperor himself. The agent revealed the many secret operations that he and his band had done, including the cloning of forty five Jedi.
Shock flooded Bacara's system as a thought shot through his mind.
Is it possible that General Mundi was cloned? Could he have been safe, while his clone was sent with us on our mission? Mundi was a member of the Council, surely that must make him important enough to replicate.
His hope soared, and he went to his bunk that night excited. He, along with his other brothers would leave this place; they would go to where they truly belonged.
The next day, two large frigates, filled with thousands of clone troopers left Coruscant unannounced, setting coordinates for the 206th Sky Corps, Bacara and his fellow brothers headed off to a new future.