SWFA - Tukk Tales - Captain Tukk, meet Clanker Roger!
By Gun Roswell
Preface
Fanfic inspired by the High Ground Animations' upon coming Star Wars the Clone Wars fan animation "Tukk Tales, The Rescue"
Captain Tukk and his Sergeant Roy are on a delicate mission which does not quiet go as planned.
Add a malfunctioning droid to the mix and see what happens!
Part of Tukk Tales fanfic series
Notes:
Please check out the teaser trailer on YouTube: TUKK TALES: The Rescue - A Clone Wars Fan Film | Teaser Trailer
Clanker! I don't even know them!
'The enemy of my enemy is my friend? But it doesn't really apply here now does it?' Captain Tukk and his Sergeant, Roy, were on an undercover mission. Just the two of them.
It was supposed to be a simple get in, slice into the intel and get out kind of an operation. Nothing more nothing less. Alas, nothing was as constant as something going wrong on a simple mission such as this one was supposed to be.
The duo having flown into a spaceport on a supposedly neutral planet in a remote system. Alas the chatter on the HoloNet having indicated there was a Separatist stronghold there, with information vital for the Republic.
And so, Tukk and Roy had set off, the two having the best training in stealth missions such as this one was. Together the two having been able to infiltrate into plenty an establishments of their enemy, managing to get what was needed. And so why would this one mission be any different for the seasoned soldiers?
Well… the first SNAFU they had hit was the fact that the planet had been rather hard to find. The information on its location having been wrong. Which in itself should have been a warning sign to follow up on. But the two troopers did not let minor issues such as a missed location to bother them and so having landed on the wrong planet at first they had quickly search for information and been guided on the correct path once again. And so here they were, ready to get to their target location. A hidden Seppie base with the much desired information to be hacked and downloaded. In and out, real quick like. Right?
Scanning the area from their current hideout, their all black-op threads giving them the needed cover under the grey and dull mood of the planet. Fitting right in with their masks on, having left the armour and helmets behind. They were undercover after all. Not to be recognised as clone troopers.
The binocs whirring in the darkening day while their target came to focus.
"Looking good." Tukk stated only too glad they had bumped into just one obstacle so far all the while keeping his fingers crossed nothing else would land their way. Nothing bad anyway. "Only two guards around the perimeter as per excepted."
Roy drew out his two trusted blasters having opted on them instead of his usual rotary cannon. "I'm ready and prepped, Boss!"
Tukk glanced at his squad mate and chuckled. Tukk was pretty sure Roy had been born ready for the fight, most likely having emerged from the growth jar with a small size canon in his hands. Taking out his own trusted blasters, they were indeed both ready.
"Let's go then. And remember Roy - No blasting if it can be avoided. This is a strictly stealth op." Tukk, despite their good track record sometimes needed to remind his Sergeant of the nature of the undercover op. That of stealth. Not lurching in head first while blasting away.
"Sir, yes Sir!" Roy mock saluted Tukk. Even if he respected his Captain, always ready and prepped to follow his every order. But they were also good friends meaning sometimes joking around was a must between the two.
"Alrighty then. Here goes nothing!"
Tukk was out of their hideout and heading stealthily towards their destination with Roy hot on his tail. The two of them reaching the enemy base in no time at all. Tukk and Roy were at the entrance of the place, Tukk started keying in codes or rather hacking the keypad with his new toy. A gift from his new friend Tech of the infamous Clone Force 99 whom with the Captain and his squad had made friends with during a joint mission. The gadget wizard having devised Tukk and his team a handy tool to get into any stronghold.
The door slid open soon enough, the duo making their way inside of the building.
"Which way?" Roy whispered.
The two standing at a juncture with four separate corridors. Roy having naturally checked the blueprints of the construct before the mission, but Tukk was much better in memorising such details. So trusting his Captain would know better.
"South." Tukk motioned towards the direction they needed to head to.
They started on their way to the location hoping to find the computer systems with the database they were looking for somewhere along the very long hallway.
"Should be the fifth doorway to the left after the next juncture." Tukk was recalling the specs from his memory. Tukk had an eidetic memory after all, that being the reason he was able to memorise specs and details rather easily and to recall them easily too.
Coming around the bend, Tukk and Roy were so close they could taste it, the next juncture just ahead of them and visible from where they were on an approach.
What they had not expected was what they saw next though. A total shock and surprise! An army of droids headed their way!
"Clankers! Lot's of them headed our way!" Roy managed to shout out. They could both see the approaching droids, the clanking sounds of their feet a dead giveaway.
And here was the second SNAFU they had run into. The clankers. Roy wasn't kidding as there were lots of them! Too many for the two of them to handle for sure.
"This was supposed a lightly guarded small base! What the kark happened here? And where did they come from?"
"I dunno Boss! But I don't think we have time to ask either!" Roy was quick on his feet, blasting and running backwards. Tukk got into running after Roy. The both of them shooting at the approaching clankers. Retreating to where they had come from or at least trying to. They had been caught completely off guard. And this was something they had certainly not planned for. Fighting against a whole battalion of clankers!
Roger, Roger?
'The little Clanker Roger that would become a Human Boy?'
Tukk and Roy were running as fast as they could.
Trying to get away from the approaching clankers, shooting back as they ran and ducking mostly missing the shots of their enemy. After all, those clankers were totally bad shots most of the time. And having two running targets weren't as easy to shoot at. Not for the clankers, thankfully!
"Almost there!" Tukk shouted seeing the egress just a few steps away ahead of them.
Roy kept on shooting when the two of the stopped while the Captain tried to open the locked door for them to get out. Alas, without success and frying his little gadget in the process.
"Dammit! We're locked in here. With them." Tukk turned to the direction of the clankers and started shooting again.
"Any ideas, Cap?" Roy was doing his best to drop the droids as they kept on popping up seemingly out of no where even if they had managed to blast so many of them already.
"Currently, none." Tukk wasn't pleased about the mission intel having been so totally wrong nor the fact the two of them seemed to be out of options. Never a great place to be at. "It seems we're stuck here. With them."
They kept on firing, the clanker army getting closer and closer no matter how fast the two troopers were delivering their shots and taking out the enemy droids.
"I truly regret leaving Lennie behind." Roy stated through gritted teeth referring to his trusted blaster canon.
"You and me both Roy!" Tukk knew they had made the choice to go as covert as possible for this op. Alas leaving the bad ass canon behind was certainly a regretful choice. In hindsight. "So, guess we keep on blastin' until we cannot blast any more." Roy wasn't asking, simply stating the fact.
Tukk glanced at his Sergeant, his friend. This, most likely being it. Something which was possible for all the soldiers in the war. The moment in time where they were outnumbered, outgunned and out of options. The moment for the final words were to be stated. Something profound preferably.
"It's been an honour, Roy!"
"Like wise, Captain!"
And so, the blasters kept on firing the clankers falling while others of their kind were taking their fallen places. Where all them droids were coming from was a good guess as any.
The armada of enemy droids in the corridor kept on moving closer and closer to Tukk and Roy. It seemed like a hopeless battle. The no-win scenario nobody could really be prepared for no matter their training, their experiences leading up and to the point.
Tukk and Roy exchanged glances as they kept on firing. The understanding clear without further words. They would blast away until their dying breaths.
Just as all hope seemed to be lost, they heard it, despite the firing going on, the noise level impossible. But this one noise they could hear over it all, was a roaring noise and it came from somewhere in the back. Behind their enemy company.
And then, the impossible happened.
The clankers started dropping one by one. Then in bulks and soon enough, there were no more of their enemy firing at them. A relief for sure? Tukk and Roy exchanged surprised glances. Not really sure what had happened as it wasn't their blasters having caused all the carnage for sure. Even if they had kept in firing.
As the smoke cleared, Roy and Tukk could see all the way to the back of the long corridor. And what they saw surprised them both. Really surprised them.
A solemn clanker was rising up from a small size tank. And the clanker was waving… at them?
"Hey there! Over here!" The clanker shouted out to Tukk and Roy, the two in somewhat of a disbelief of what had just happened and what they were seeing and hearing for sure.
"Well, we better check it out." Tukk stated even if he did not exactly trust a clanker. Especially an enemy made. But it was said clanker who had helped the two troopers… so…
"You're sure Boss? It's a clanker! Could be a trap." Roy still stood there and glared at the general direction of where the clanker was still waving at them. The droid having an expression which could only be described as… a smile!? Was it even possible?
"Well, the clanker did help us. So if this is a trap then it's the stupidest one yet!" Tukk was already on his way, Roy taking into jogging to catch up with the Captain. The two of them headed to the clanker now climbing out from the small size tank. Again, a tank - indoors?
Reaching the clanker the two stood there, with their blasters drawn. Aiming at the droid. Just in case there would be trouble.
"Hello! I am Roger." The clanker told the two then, clearly not minding the blasters.
Tukk and Roy once again glanced at each other. Tukk rolling his eyes of this, revelation. As funny as it was. And so, so odd! Deciding to strike a conversation with their helper just the same.
"So, Roger huh?" Tukk stated.
"Yes, that is my name." The clanker was even articulating properly, yet another surprise but not as big as the next falling from the droi…. Roger's metallic mouth. Roger placing their hand beside their mouth as if whispering a secret. "I am… in disguise."
Roy glanced at Tukk at the same time the Captain was looking at the Sergeant. And several eye rolls later, Roy decided to ask the clank…. Roger something himself.
"How come you chose a droid disguise then… if you are that, working undercover?" As this must've been a joke for sure.
"It is difficult to explain. But if you take me with you when you leave, I may be able to help you answering that question." It was uncanny how eloquently the clanker was speaking though. Not your ordinary out of the mill clanker this was for sure!
Captain Tukk seemed to asses the situation for a moment before making his decision. After all, this, clanker, Roger, whatever… Yeah that never got old! Roger! The clanker had helped them and so, seeing no other obstacles ahead Tukk decided then and there on what to do about it.
"Well, Roger, if you can help us getting something from this base then I promise we'll take you with us."
"We do?" Roy wasn't sure this was a good thing to do after all.
"What do we have to lose? We already got a second chance. With thanks to… Roger." Tukk wasn't wrong.
Roy could only nod in agreement. "We did indeed."
"So what do say you, Roger?" Tukk asked the clanker. "We're ago?"
"I will help you. And, we have a deal." Roger offered their metallic hand to seal the deal.
Something which Tukk took after some hesitation, shaking it. Again, so, so… odd!
"This way." Roger the urged the two to follow them. Towards the same direction Tukk and Roy had been headed to before the ambush had happened.
Becoming part of the Squad?
'Watch my shebs and I will watch yours! Well, guess you already did! Yup! We're all one happy squad here!'
The rest of the mission finally went as planned. With no small thanks to the duo's new pal, Roger. Yeah! That was the name of the clanker - Roger. The droid with a change of hearts, most likely literally? Well that was still something to be figured out. However, with the aid from Roger, not only did Captain Tukk and his Sergeant Roy, manage to get out from the enemy base alive, but with a hefty piece of information in the mix. The two data rods they were carrying on their person while on their way to the ship. Both of said rods filled to the hilt with precious intel on the enemy troop movements among other things.
They were close to the ship, ready to get in when someone stopped them. Guess having a Seppie clanker walking with them was less of an undercover situation and more of a statement? That the two clone troopers in disguise were perhaps Seppies themselves. This was a neutral world so if should not have mattered one way or another. However, the spaceport administrator on duty clearly wanted to have a word about their status for whatever reason.
Tukk wasn't feeling happy though. Making stops to explain anything was never good.
"Didn't you go out there without a droid?" The admin seemingly remembering the two troopers.
"No, no, Roger was with us the whole time." Roy tried.
"Yeah! He was just, coming in late is all." Tukk tried to lie to the operative, hoping only Roger would catch on and go along with them.
The admin looked from one trooper to the other and then at Roger.
"You with them?" The admin then asked the clanker.
"Roger that!" Roger gave the admin a coy salute.
The operative seemed to contemplate the answer for a moment, their eyes on the trio still. Tukk and Roy having their best perfect innocent smiles plastered on, short from flashing their eyelashes that is, they were the spitting image of innocence. (Right!)
Alas!
"Fine, your ship is ready to depart." The admin finally yielded, trusting in their story.
Roy, Tukk and Roger quickly made their way to their vessel without looking back. Only happy to get away as this mission already having had too many SNAFUs as it was!
The flight back to the GAR base had gone without incident.
Only as they debarked, Captain Tukk knew he would have a difficult time in explaining the droid they had brought with them. While Roger did seem like they were on the earnest, having helped Tukk and Roy back on the planet, they still had no idea what the purpose of Roger's really was.
Roger having stated the second time they only wanted to help before turning themselves off to recharge on their trip back to the base. The wanting to help supposedly meaning what? Tukk and Roy, the GAR, the Republic? That still remaining unclear.
"I am undercover. I am not really whom I am." Roger had added to their statement before plugging in and turning themselves off completely.
And so with that, Captain Tukk knew he had a lot of explaining to do to his commanding officer, Marshal Commander Cody.
Tukk had been summoned into Cody's office for a briefing of the mission. The data already being in the hands of the technicians, them downloading and deciphering all that which was on the data rods.
Tukk had also made a personal request regarding Roger. The droid being detained for the moment which was unavoidable and understandable giving to the fact that Roger technically was the enemy. But Tukk had his gut feeling and so going to the length of vouching for the droid. After all, Roger could be very useful to them. And clearly they thought they were something else than a clanker whatever that meant. A glitch perhaps? Something the engineers needed to figure out for sure. "So, according to the report you filed, the mission was a success." Cody checked the datapad once again as he addressed Tukk.
"Overall yes. Of course there were a few snags in the scud pie…" Tukk started only to be interrupted by Commander Cody.
"Oh well…" Cody chuckled lightly before continuing, still fascinated by Tukk's mission report. "A few can be excepted, but… you've brought back a Seppie clanker. So…?" Cody's tone was calm as he said it, only waiting for the real explanation to come forth. Something not in the report.
"Roger did save our shebs, Sir!" Tukk was prepared to defend Roger to the Commander for whatever reason he could not fathom even himself. But, Tukk had a good feeling about the clanker. Roger having come through for him and Roy during their mission. In all honesty, Tukk could not be sure if they had gotten out of there alive without the clanker's help. "So, I would take that into consideration."
Cody glanced at the pad before turning his gaze back to Tukk. He had read the report of course, several times over after seeing the part where a Separatist clanker had actually helped the two clone troopers. and also claimed to be something else than what they were on the outside. And also, that they had a name… Roger? All too surreal for sure.
"If I agree to this…" Cody stopped mid sentence as he glared at Tukk more intently now. "And it's a big if." Cody paused, sighed heavily before he continued. "Roger would be your responsibility."
"I understand that, Sir. And I am ready to take on the responsibility. As is my squad." Both Tukk and Roy already having talked with the rest of their team about the clanker, who had indicated they wanted to join Tukk's team. "Alrighty then. Well, I will let you know my decision soon. But first, the experts need to run their diagnostics on the droid." Cody warned Tukk. "Just in case."
"Roger knows that and has agreed to whatever is needed for us to take them seriously." Tukk had explained things to Roger and the clanker had not objected, seemingly understanding the prerequisites for them to be able to stay with the squad.
"Good. Then glad that is settled." Cody sounded relieved. As this was all… so way out there. "Oh! And great job, Captain!" And with that Tukk was dismissed.
"So, Roger, right?" The technician running the tests on the clanker asked while going through a list of questions prepped especially for this particular droid.
"That is my name." Roger was siting pretty, ready to answer any and all questions. Tukk having given them the instructions of simply being themselves and respond honestly. And not wanting to let Tukk down, Roger was prepared to do just that.
"O-okay then!" Making checkmark on the datapad the technician continued. "Next question. You said you were, different. That you worked undercover?"
"Yes. I am human." Roger simply stated as if it being a known fact. The technician was taken aback of this, revelation. As this was a first this kind of thing had been mentioned. Not even by the Captain who had built a rapport with… Roger. Did he even know of this, claim of the clanker's?
"Um, human you say?"
"Yes, exactly. A real human being trapped inside this droid body." Roger stated rather proudly.
It wasn't anything which had popped up in the several scans the team of engineers and experts had run on the droid. Nothing even remotely indicating the clanker was human. Roger was clearly more smart than any of the Seppie clankers they had examined before or even met. An individual on many levels. But this… them stating they were human…. Well, guess it was news and something of a controversy as well.
"Human you say." The technician repeated still somewhat confused.
"Yes. I am sure your tests will reveal that at some point." Roger simply stated not worried at all.
"Well, then, guess we need to dig in deeper then won't we." The technician simply said. "But for now, you are cleared and if you want you can join with Captain Tukk and his team. For the time being. Alas, leaving the base is prohibited. For now at least." There really was no reason for Roger not to be able to move around the base after all. Alas, there was the fact them claiming to be human… well, back to the drawing board!
"Thank you." Roger was happy. As being a real human and part of the squad was a dream come true. At least now it was. These desires happening to Roger suddenly. Surfacing in their mind one by one. Like the fact that they had wanted to help the Republic troopers. Not really sure as to the how and why really, but Roger was sure it was all happening for a reason.
"Well, then, off you go."
Roger was out of the laboratory and heading to the mess where they knew their new team would be waiting for them as promised by Captain Tukk.
"Roger! Over here!" Roy waved at the droid seeing them looming at the doorway.
Roger made their way to the table getting a few observing and curious glances as they did. The tale of Roger already having spread among the vod'e so there were really no hostilities against the former Seppie clanker at all. Their heroics being the reason.
"So, they cleared ya then?" Gene, one of the troopers of the team asked. All troopers of Tukk's team having become familiar with Roger after Cody having green lighted the droid to be able to join the squad. Under supervision of course.
"Yes, they did. But they said they would run more tests later." Roger wasn't bothered though, only happy to be part of this group.
"So, any issues then?" Tukk asked curious to find out how Roger felt about all this.
"Nothing really. Although, I suspect the technician on duty was surprised of one thing I said." Roger was thinking back to the expression of the technician after the little revelation.
"Oh? And what exactly was it?" Tukk asked, having already heard most things from Roger. How they thought of themselves to be and what they inspired to do. Which was to help the GAR, the Republic in winning the war. And becoming a part of Tukk's squad.
"That I am human. Trapped in this droid body. For now at least."
Roger made a note then. Of how their new team mates jaws dropped. All of them gawking at Roger in total and utter… surprise?
"You don't say." Tukk finally managed to utter out loudly. Then again, nothing coming from Roger should have been a surprise at this point any more?
To be continued?