Haloo! I know that this chapter took forever to upload, but I've been doing lots of crazy stuff, and I was going through a creative phase that passed over this particular project. I was honestly considering cancelling this story, but that would be unfair to all of you readers and people who have been following me for more than a year now. In any case, I want to finish this story so that I can move on to other ones. As always, reviews are welcome, and I won't feel bad if any of you guys rage on me for not updating sooner.

The humidity was palpable.

So was the quiet.

The once loud and vibrant jungle had fallen silent in the wake of the battle. Even the Force was stifled by all of the death and fear that had followed the conflict. Every animal had fled, and the distance that separated Ahsoka from her Master's forces made individual emotions impossible to differentiate. From the Force, she could see that many had died, but she could not tell who.

So she stood, gazing out across the Rift Valley at the field now pockmarked with innumerable craters and littered with bodies, hoping to see some trace of her Master. Behind her, the clones sat anxiously around a holo-comm, waiting for their orders. Reading the clones' emotions through the Force was difficult, considering their almost mechanical approach to life and their short, child-like age that threw most Jedi off from the start. But even a novice like Ahsoka could feel their anxiety. She could see it. Rex was pacing, Boomer was desperately scrubbing at a stain on his armor that was no longer there, and Fox was sitting on a log with his head in his hands. However, Bastion seemed not so much anxious as concerned for someone else.

His gaze was fixed on Codi, who had wandered off and was presently leaning against a tree a good distance away, looking utterly bored with the whole situation. Ahsoka knew that this particular Padawan was not on good terms with his Master, but not caring about his possible death seemed a bit extreme.
Quietly, Ahsoka crossed the small clearing in which the clones had made camp, and stopped behind Bastion's left shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking."

Crap. How did clones do that? It was weird enough when a Jedi Master knew your presence without an announcement, but this was ridiculous. How could he have known?

"He seems not to care about his Master, am I correct?"

Ahsoka nodded. "That's what it looks like."

Bastion seemed pensive. "I think that he does care about his Master. But he's just going through a difficult time right now."

"What do you mean?"

Bastion shook his head. "I don't quite understand it myself General. He is very secretive, but I think that he lost someone very close, and he's not ready to get attached again."

"A clone and a shrink? The Kaminoans must be stepping up the training regime."

Bastion turned, probably to retort, but suddenly, the holo-comm activated with a loud series of beeps.
All else was forgotten, and both Ahsoka and Bastion promptly bolted for the device. Boomer got there first and seized the holo-comm to accept the signal. Over his hand, a blue hologram of a beleaguered Anakin Skywalker resolved before them. Several bandages were wrapped around his waist and forearms.

"Anakin! Thank the Force, you're alive!" Ahsoka cried upon seeing her Master's image.

Anakin smiled at his Padawan. "Good to see you too, Snips. Are you and your troops alright?"

"We're fine Master, but we were wondering how you all are."

"Terrible. We have an estimated loss of 50% of troops, but the final count isn't in yet."

Ahsoka grimaced. "So much for the plan."

Anakin's face seemed to light up at the mention. "Now that you mention it, I do have a plan, and it involves you!"

Ahsoka let out an internal hurrah, but hoped that it didn't show too much on her face.

"I need you and your men to sneak into Naantray before us, cause as much chaos as possible, and destroy their shield generators."

Codi moved up to the hologram. "Not to be Johnny black-hole over here, but won't they be expecting that?"

Anakin shook his head. "No, they won't. I'm sure you remember Aiwah Squad?"

Codi nodded. "The commandos who we sent in before your arrival to destroy the generators that never returned? What good are they to us?"

Anakin seemed to bristle on the phrase "good are they to us," but he let it slide. "Because according to our last intelligence, the squad was captured very close to Naantray, and as such, they gave the Neimoidians a false sense of security. A probe droid managed to get close enough to Naantray to confirm that security has been downgraded since the failed mission."

Ahsoka nodded. "So, if they're not watching, it'll be easier for us to sneak in and take 'em by surprise!"

Here there was a pause as Anakin turned to face a noise of someone talking out of the holo's view. Anakin gave a short nod and then faced his Padawan and her companions. "Master Tone wishes to speak with you."

Said Coway stepped into view. "I have two secondary objectives for you. The first is to find Aiwah Squad, as I'm sure that Sora Bulq will have kept them alive for questioning. The second is to gain as much data from the Separatist Databank as possible. We have a rare opportunity to take this information, don't let's waste it….and Padawan Ty?"

Codi froze. "Yes…Master?"

Ahsoka noted the lack of malevolence in the phrase.

B'dard shifted uncomfortably. "Be careful."

Codi blinked. Ahsoka was shocked to see that he actually looked…not angry or apathetic. Perhaps confused, but did she detect the slightest traces of a smile on his lips? "Of course Master, thank you."
B'dard nodded. "Alright, you have your objectives. Now go, and be stealthy. May the Force be with you all."

The hologram dissolved into nothingness. For a moment, there was silence.

SPLAT!

Rex gave a roar of disgust as his blue-and-white armor was suddenly blemished with a large splat of mud. "What the-!"

All eyes turned in the direction the clot of mud had come from, to find Codi, without his robe or boots, crouched in a puddle, both hands laden with fresh piles of the stuff.

Ahsoka was aghast. Even for Codi, this was absurd. "Codi, what are you-"

"Camoflauge," he explained, smearing the goop on his arms. "Our skin is red, their armor is white, both stand out in this jungle, and Master Tone said that stealth is paramount. Unless you want to be bantha fodder, I suggest you all get dirty. And for you clones, put some moss on your shoes to muffle your footsteps."

SPLAT!

Rex let out another howl as Boomer creamed him with a mud pie. The ARC trooper giggled like a Twi'lek dancing girl. "I've always wanted to do that."

The clone captain wiped most of the mud off his visor. "You asked for it," he growled, stooping low and grabbing a double-handful of goop. Underneath his helmet, Boomer paled.

"….uh-oh…."

Rex heaved his load with a grunt, but Boomer ducked, and instead it plastered Bastion upside the head.

Everyone froze.

Then, with a roar of blind rage, Bastion tackled both Boomer and Rex into the mud-hole. The floodgates opened, and all seventeen of the remaining clones dove into the mud.

Codi watched this all with sadistic glee. Behind him, he heard Ahsoka approach. "Aren't you going to stop them?"

Codi shook his head. "No, they can be soldiers later. Let them be friends for now."

"And here I thought that you were totally unreasonable, and had no sense of humor."

He snorted. "Oh please, I have a great sense of humor!"

SPLAT!

Codi barely flinched when the muck splattered on the back of his montrals. "I should have expected that," he muttered.

Behind him, Ahsoka laughed. "But you didn't lie to me! You have great sense of humor!"

Discreetly, Codi lifted a huge glob of mud with the Force. As he mentally lined up the shot, he let an evil grin spread across his face. "You have no idea."

Ha, that was fun. Anyway, R&R! I'll see you all again soon!