Another scene which I considered a bit slow for Scars as originally written... but it goes in the Court-martial arc. Please be patient with it, there's a lot of talk and a lot of information that Ahsoka needs to know...

Court-Martial

Information

Ahsoka waited until Sergeant Zeer was office hours before approaching him. It was known that Sergeant Zeer was a stickler for rules and regulations.

"Sergeant Zeer, will you explain to me squad formations?" She asked after he'd invited her into the small area at the corner of his barracks - empty of troopers - that held the sergeant's desk.

Sergeant Zeer was more formal and curt than either Sergeant Coric or Captain Rex. Sometimes she was sure Sergeant Zeer didn't like her for some odd reason and she'd avoided him previously; hard to do in the decimated Torrent Company.

Sergeant Zeer raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Of course, Commander Tano. Which kind of squad?" He saw her eyes widen in confusion and tried, very effectively, to keep the smile from his lips. "An overview first, I gather?"

"Please," Ahsoka's voice was soft.

The sergeant began speaking. "The Grand Army of the Republic is divided into systems armies. There are ten systems armies. Each system army is composed of two sector armies, from four corps, each of which is four brigades, four regiments, four battalion, four companies. A company is composed of 144 units."

Ahsoka pursed her lips. "Men," she corrected Sergeant Zeer, "they aren't units, they're men."

He paused for a moment then nodded sharply. "As you say, Commander Tano." He paused. "One hundred and forty four troopers make a company under the command of a captain. Torrent Company under Captain Rex. There's a slightly different structure for the special forces, would you like me to explain…"

The youngling padawan was shaking her head vigorously and, once again, Sergeant Zeer kept the smile to himself.

"Squads only, then?" he asked.

"Yes, please. I'm already confused and I'm trying to become un-confused."

"Of course, commander. I'll teach you the Order of Battle at some other time, if you like."

"I would sergeant, but at the moment I'm researching something specific."

A squad is simply a group of troopers; sometimes grouped into specialties, more usually into easy-to-command units. A full company is composed of 144 troopers lead by sixteen sergeants for about sixteen squads. Four squads form a platoon lead by a lieutenant. Four platoons make a company."

Ahsoka drew a breath in between her teeth and Zeer did smile at that. "I'm sure they told you that patience is a quality to strive for in the Jedi Temple."

"Inner peace," said the commander. "We call it inner peace and I'm not that great at inner peace."

"From this point on, squads only," promised Sergeant Zeer. "A line squad is a basic squad of troopers; no specializations, and is composed of nine troopers and a sergeant. Most of the squads in the 501st are…"

He grimaced and bowed his head, shutting his eyes for a pained moment then he looked back at the commander. "Were," he corrected himself softly. "Most of the squads were line squads."

Commander Tano reached a hand to his shoulder. "I can come back later if you prefer," she offered but Zeer shook his head.

"It still hurts to think of Teth." He admitted, as if it was a weakness.

"I think it should hurt," declared Ahsoka. "No one should be casual about losing so many troopers, so many brothers."

Sergeant Zeer stared at her for a moment; his face emotionless then he gave a small nod, acknowledging the truth of her words. He glanced at his hands, rubbed one thumb against the tips of his fingers then brought his face back to her. "Thank you, commander." He took a deep breath. "Let us continue. A specialist squad can be…" he shrugged slightly, "four to twelve troopers depending on the squad's function. For instance a tank squad has a pilot, a spotter and five gunmen while an engineering squad has maybe four or five troopers."

"Coric didn't seem to know this." Ahsoka frowned to herself as she considered so much new information.

Sergeant Zeer gave a proud smile. "Coric is a brevet sergeant; promoted to sergeant, during Geonosis, I believe. I came out of Kamino with sergeant's training.

"So you outrank him?"

"If we were going strictly by being sergeants, then yes. However, Coric was trained as a medic and that outranks… well, depending on the circumstances… pretty much everyone else." A little wistfulness stole into his voice. "Also, Captain Rex chose him to be the second ranked of the company; captain's second. That means that he'll outrank the lieutenants when the new ones get here. His rank of person is sergeant but his rank of position outranks lieutenants." Her saw her confused look. "More questions?" he asked.

"That was very confusing," she admitted. "I will came back and ask you all about this later, but I'm still working on my question about squads."

"Then let us return to squads. The positions in a squad aren't random. Basic form is the diamond wedge. It's very simple and effective. When advancing the lead man – usually the sergeant – is point. Behind point," he gestured slightly behind and to either side of himself, "and to point's right and left are two troopers. They're one and two." He gestured. "Guarding your rear is your four. Then there's your three. He's the man in the middle. In a straight diamond formation the Three has mobility; he can move as necessary to any position. The Three is trusted to be able to back up or take over for any other position if necessary, including the sergeant's own. Most sergeants rotate this position between the men providing them experience, but in a critical situation he'll fall back on his best trooper as Three; the one trooper he trusts above the others. Most often his brother if he has one."

"What about with five troopers and a sergeant?"

The sergeant gave her a look, suddenly understanding which squad she was referring to. His fist clenched and his lips tightened for a moment, then he continued.

"The same, Commander Tano, except the extra man becomes forward scout. With five troopers most sergeants run a diamond dot formation. This is the same diamond formation with the scout forward of the sergeant."

Ahsoka leaned back, a frown on her face. "It doesn't make sense," she murmured. "The Three is a good thing to be."

Zeer leaned his head slightly to one side as he considered, now understanding that she was researching the traitor's squad. "Not always, commander. At the command level of hierarchy it is not a group you where you need understand the inner workings or relationships…"

"That is exactly what I need to understand, Sergeant Zeer, the inner group workings, the dynamics, of a squad of men."

He gave her a faint smile, as though she had complimented him or his squad, then spoke.

"There are two kinds of Three. The first kind is a trooper you trust to guard your back; your brother; someone competent, capable. But the Three is sometimes a wounded man put in the center so the squad can keep an eye on him. Possibly it's someone having a bad day, just a little off." He gave a tiny shrug. "It happens; no one is at their best every day. In a mixed squad, that is a squad of clones who did not come out of Kamino together or a partial squad with incoming rookies, the shiny among more experienced troopers – that's where he goes; in the three spot because, once again, everyone can keep an eye on him. Make sure he does good, learns the right way to do things."

Ahsoka spoke slowly, her brow wrinkled in thought. "So the Three can be telling you that you can't be trusted to take care of yourself, that you're a burden to your brothers?"

"I'd never thought of it that way, commander."

"I'm glad, sergeant. No one should think of ways to make their men feel like lesser beings." Thank you, Sergeant Zeer. I appreciate knowing this."

"Anytime you have a question, Commander Tano, I will make myself available."

Commander Tano smiled at him brightly, with a youngling's enthusiasm and Sergeant Zeer felt himself smile back.

"I will sergeant. I have a lot to learn."

Zeer watched her go and nodded to himself. It was a good beginning for a good relationship to the commander. He had thought, he'd been sure that she avoided him. Zeer had wondered, it was known that some Jedi didn't like the clones and he though she might be one. That had been proven patently false and now it didn't matter why she had been avoided him but he knew it was no longer true. He'd done well. Tonight, when he recited remembrance, he'd tell his verd'ade, his vode, the men of his squad of the new commander.

She had called them men, not units.

Read and enjoy...

Next chapter will be the final piece in the Court-Martial arc.