Vode An arc
Roommates
Back on the Resolute Chopper didn't think too much about Naboo, it seemed like it had happened to a different trooper; the restful place, the delicious, fresh food and flirting with – at least talking to – a beautiful woman. Sometimes he pulled up his helmet memories to when General Skywalker had said those words 'one of our best men' to make sure it hadn't been a dream and sometimes he pulled up the image of Pilot Ashwaeen talking to him alone that one time about her family when he'd set the helmet at his side. Sometimes he wished he'd known what happened to Knaps, he'd woken to see Knaps and Ash curled together on the rug outside the tent but there were too many people about to ask and Ash was gone by late morning. After lunch Knaps had asked Coric to take him to the medical tent where he could help with updating records and personnel chips of the wounded. When Coric came back for the evening, he'd been surprised to not see Knaps. "I suppose he left on the first transport back to Kaliida," Coric had said, "he mentioned how hard it was to get around in planetary gravity." Chopper had wavered between disappointment and exhiliration - because what else could Knaps have said?
Captain Rex had gone with Commander Cody on some sort of routine outpost inspection. Something had gone bad on Rishi; the all-clear signal stopped transmitting and the klaxons rang throughout the Resolute and her sister ships. Chopper was ready when the Resolute went into action but they arrived in the Rishi system only to scare away Grievous' forces. And the core group of troopers Coric had prepared for a rescue op to the planetary surface merely had to go pick up Commander Cody and the captain.
As they were lifting on in one of the LAATs, Captain Rex called out to Chopper, "After you assist Coric with the dead, go check out some commando droids."
The commando droids weren't moving and Chopper was disappointed but he'd gotten a very good idea of their weakness from studying the blaster scoring. He'd get more from Captain Rex's vids; he knew it.
He did. When Chopper returned to the Resolute with Coric, his helmet downloaded an official transmission from the captain and Chopper could hardly stand to continue assisting Coric. Coric had laughed. "I can finish alone, Chopper. Captain tells me he sent you his vids and I can see you want to get to them."
"Yes, sir Coric. The commandos are the elite of the CIS although I've heard…"
"Go, Chopper," laughed Coric again with a shake of his head. "We're all indebted to you for the work you've done." He turned and his face relaxed as he touched one of the dead men softly on the arm. "And if his death gives you clues into how to defeat a commando, then he'd be satisfied."
Chopper wasn't sure he believed that but he grabbed the data pad Commander Tano had given him then went to the mess, grabbed a mug of caf and sat in contemplation, watching their movements until his chron told him to report for his duty.
Chopper glanced at the room of his barracks as he opened the door and his heart sank though his expression never changed.
His gear was stowed in its chest, his rack neat and inspection-ready. The entire room was inspection ready. He liked keeping it that way; it was something he could control. Even the two new gear bags on two of the bunks were inspection-ready. They were pushed at the foot of the beds, the holding straps unlocked and the carry straps laid flat and parallel to each bag.
One of the small bed pillows had been neatly placed at what Chopper considered the foot of the bunk, changing the orientation. The newly-occupied bunks were now head to head with each other and distant enough to not bother Chopper if the men spoke quietly but not the end bunks to be insulting. They hadn't taken the two end bunks. Chopper wondered how long it would be before they moved to the end bunks, how long before they asked for a transfer to another barracks, another squad.
He shook his head in denial at himself. Pilot Ash had said they were friends. Chopper didn't think he'd ever see her again but she had said so… and in front of other troopers. Jester was friendly, he had tried to be an ally of Chopper's when they'd both been in Slick's squad and that had created a bond between the two of them. Chopper originally thought it meant they were both deficient but Jester had seemed protective since the court-martial and even though he'd made sergeant, Jester was still friendly. Chopper absently scratched the side of his cheek. Discussing the vulture tactics with Spin had been interesting and Spin had even had one of his squad report the results back to Chopper. That had been friendly of him. The heavy gunner, Caber, he was sometimes friendly also. He was with a good squad but occasionally he asked Chopper to spar and show him some fighting moves or asked how Chopper was doing on the droid research and listen. Really listen. Coric sometimes invited him to a game of sabacc in medical; Chopper never went, he didn't want to jinx Sergeant-medic Coric, but he always volunteered for after-battle medical clean-up, pairing with Coric to collect the dead.
Jester had gone back to the 212th and Ash was probably getting her freighter repairs finalized and cleared; she could be anywhere. So here in the 501st there were two troopers Chopper could count on as being reasonably friendly to him. Chopper nodded softly to himself though his thoughts were nebulous, too unformed. Maybe these two… He continued looking around the barracks. Two brothers from the same squad then; two brothers who'd come out of Kamino together, two brothers who were no longer part of a full squad. One of them had set a data pad on the bed shelf, corners squared and carefully parallel. The shelf of the other bed held a medal; two gold strips on a red ribbon holding a squared rhombus; conspicuous bravery.
Chopper breathed out carefully. It had only been a matter of time and he'd known it. A couple of the other quarters had a full complement of troopers and sergeant; full squads that the captain wanted to learn to work together in that wonderful mesh greater than the sum of its parts, squads that were the core of the 501st. Chopper had usually been added to each squad for a short time; running them through what he knew by experience, teaching them about droid weaknesses. Sometimes he thought Rex had him teaching them other intangibles; but he couldn't figure out what and didn't usually worry about it. However, he didn't bunk with the squads, always returning to his own barracks. He'd been alone since the death of Ten and he liked it that way. It was quiet and he didn't have to worry about stripping off his uniform or waking anyone in the night.
Neither new man was in the room at the moment. Chopper went to the console where a blinking light indicated a message for him; ruby-toned for official and probably the captain informing him about new men in the barracks. Chopper pulled up the message. Captain Rex appeared in the blue gleam of the holovid. "Chopper, please report to captain's quarters immediately after duty." Chopper sighed. That meant now.
Chopper tapped on the door and it opened. The captain was sitting at his desk; official business though he looked relaxed and faintly pleased. Two troopers were in the chairs in front of him, their helmets at their sides. Chopper frowned; protocol had him remove his helmet, so he did. He noted they both looked at his scars then turned their attention back to the captain. At least they didn't stare, and that was an auspicious beginning
"Chopper, good timing," Captain Rex tipped his head at Chopper. "This is CT-21-0408, Echo and CT-27-5555, Fives. They've just been assigned to Torrent and will be sharing your barracks."
Chopper had enjoyed having the room to himself. "Yes, sir." He suspected his reluctance was noticed, but Captain Rex made no mention of it.
"Show them the Resolute, get them up to speed, introduce them to supply. Set up their courtesy calls on the general and the commander. They will be drilling with us today." Rex suddenly grinned. "If either of them are the first down, you will be showing them extra training through morning cycle."
Now that was a challenge and Chopper got a gleam in his eyes.
Chopper enjoyed challenges, thought Rex, amazed at his epiphany into the taciturn trooper. It shows he is doing his best.
Both men looked at Chopper again; suddenly concerned about not knowing drills, about how he might feel about giving them extra training, about getting a bad start with their new squad, with their new company.
Chopper was silent as he led them to the barracks. He gestured and murmured as they passed a door. "Gym." Chopper gave another wave at a different door as two troopers entered, neither acknowledged Chopper or the new men. "Mess."
"Sir," questioned the one calling himself Echo.
"No." said Chopper. "And I'm not a sergeant. Not in line to be one either." That was bitter, after Naboo he knew he would have made a good sergeant; at last before Slick he would have made a good sergeant. He wasn't so sure now. It didn't matter; the court-martial had destroyed any chance of that for a long time; maybe forever. "You can call me CT-41-9523. I'd prefer Chopper."
"No what, Chopper?" retorted the other, knowing now that he didn't rank them.
"I'm off-shift, night shift, and I don't want to be training you all morning." He frowned; it meant he wouldn't be eating until later either. "You're not eating until after the drill. You'll go down fast, but I won't let you go down first. We're going to supply and requisition some things you'll need on the Resolute including your training gear. Then we're going to the hangar deck and I'll tell you about the drill, demonstrate some moves." Chopper frowned. "Has the captain assigned you a column?"
"No, sir," replied Fives
"Then I'll set you side by side; one in each column." He chewed his inner lip. "Do you know heavy gunner drills?"
There was a moment's pause, a stutter in their steps. "Yes," murmured Fives as he bowed his head for a moment. "We know heavy gunner drills."
"Then I'll set you behind our Z6s. You'll probably go down before the heavy gunners, Tank and Caber, but if not be prepared to take over."
"It doesn't seem fair that Captain Rex should make you do our training if we fail," stated Echo.
Chopper shrugged. "We're in the same company, the same barracks; we need to learn to work together." No need to tell them the captain usually gave him a challenge. No need to tell them he enjoyed those challenges.
They didn't fall first and that was all Captain Rex had required of him, but Chopper had set them up and prepared them well. Echo fell before Fives but wasn't in the bottom ten who would be assigned extra detail. Fives lasted until the last quarter cycle, extraordinary for his first drill, and had taken over the Z6 when Caber went down.
Chopper noticed the general give a soft nod. He shouldn't have glanced; that was when one of the balls of light shut down his armor. Rex and Conjure dragged him off the field and he went to sit with Echo. Fives joined them a few moments later.
"You did good." He told them. "The general noticed you, Fives." Chopper stood. "I'm for the showers. You can stay and watch. After drill meet me in the barracks."
"If you're not our sergeant, who do we report to?" Echo asked as he handed Chopper some water.
"Me." He saw Fives frown as he walked away.
The showers were nearly empty, everyone still watching the drill. He'd heard there'd been a wager between two squads and Chopper, for once, took a long shower. By the time he left, the rest of the men from the drill were starting to arrive. He pointed out the towels to Fives and Echo and offered to bring them their off-duty clothing. "I'm not normally this nice," he grunted as he handed them their clothes and took their helmets then went to the barracks to wait for them. By the time they returned fresh, clean and armor in hand, Chopper had finished cleaning their helmets and had set them in their locks. "After we finish cleaning our armor, we'll go to mess to eat. Then it's after-drill appraisal, also in the mess. Don't ask any questions this first time. Just listen and observe." Chopper bent his head over his own armor, a soft cloth in his hands, wiping away the sweat from the inside, the dirt from the outside. Both new men did the same.
"You'll report to me for the first couple of days," amended Chopper as he continued the discussion on the way to the mess, his data pad clasped in one hand. "We'll see after that. Possibly you'll be assigned to another squad that's lost some men." He glanced at them. "Captain Rex won'tbreak up squad brothers so, unless you request otherwise, he would assigned you to the same new squad." Chopper slowed his walk then stopped in front of the mess doorway. He thumbed his lower lip and chewed at the inside of his cheek. "He might leave you like me, assigned to no one on a permanent basis but able to shift where needed and reporting directly to him. Being bunked with me makes me believe that."
Echo nodded though his attention was on the door of the mess hall. "That does sound like a good idea; having some men to reassign or go anywhere on a moment's notice."
"I'm hungry," objected Fives. "Why are we just standing here?"
"I want to let you know that I'm not the most popular trooper on the ship," began Chopper, deciding to tell them rather than let them find out on their own. "I'm not social. I usually sit in the corner. Alone. You can join me or you can take your own table or join anyone else you might know or who you might like to know. Just a warning that if you join me it might let others think you don't want to join them." He frowned, chewing his inner cheek. "Might make them think you're like me."
"And how is that?" ask Echo.
Deficient, said Slick's voice.
Chopper shrugged. "Sit somewhere else and you'll find out."
The two men glanced at each other, passing a silent message. Chopper strode into the mess. Both men followed him as he picked out one of the dinners and a cup of caf. Echo followed him to his table, the back corner, looking to neither side while Fives paused and glanced around the mess. Someone waved and Fives went to that table.
Echo was quiet while they ate. Like most of the troopers he removed his gloves and set them next to the tray. He noticed Chopper's gloves stayed on but didn't say anything. Chopper set up the data pad and pushed the tray aside.
"Is that a command data pad?" Echo's eyes lit up, his soup forgotten, as he noticed the markings on its face.
Chopper nodded his head, absently cutting the steak. "Special assignment. I look for droid weaknesses." He flipped the pad around so Echo could see the screen. It was a droideka, a rollie, with the tripod partially set as the fire of a round spurted from the barrel. Yellow markings and disjointed notes were Chopper's contributions. Echo looked it over closely, reading Chopper's notes.
"Bronzium-armored plate, twin blaster cannons and a shield projector. Non-visual composite radiation sensors." Echo murmured. "What does 'fire pre-set' mean?"
Chopper sighed. "It can fire those blasters before the tripod is fully set. I think that's a recent modification. So far, though, I don't think it can set up its shields until the tripod is fully set and I'm sure that it requires level ground to do so. Ever see one in action?"
Echo shook his head. "No. Only B1s and commando droids."
Chopper raised an eyebrow. "Commandos? I'll want to see your helmet vids."
"We ran." Echo looked down at his empty plate and Chopper recognized that expression of shame. "We did fight later. When Captain Rex and Commander Cody came. I have those." He pushed the data pad back to Chopper. "Captain Rex took on one bare handed. I've got it as peripheral but Fives, I think, has the entire fight."
"Bare-handed?" Chopper asked, realizing the captain hadn't sent all his vids. Suddenly there was a burst of laughter at one of the tables and Chopper glanced up noticing the men there; Fives with a grin and his shoulders back in a position that said he'd just delivered the punch line, Jesse, Conjure, Lake and Hardcase. "Your brother must be very entertaining."
Echo nodded. "He is. He's probably telling them about his trip to Zeltros."
"What?" exclaimed Chopper, his eyes wide in surprise.
Echo gave him a wry grin. "When we were assigned to Rishi and catching the transport, the deck officer insisted he had the wrong transport and put him on another ship. What could he do but follow orders? That shuttle was bound for Zeltros and he was stranded there for a week arriving at Rishi barely in time for Grevious' attack."
Chopper gave a soft grunt of amazement in the back of his throat.
"Fives was stranded there for a week. He came back with very interesting stories. However, none of it was his fault." Echo had a smile for his brother at another table. "He'd kept the orders and they did have him on another transport." Echo shrugged and turned his face back to Chopper. "The printer stuttered."
Chopper sighed and Echo caught that soft envy. "You and me and the rest of us." Echo glanced over at his brother with a smile. "It makes him very popular, like if he tells the stories enough, they'll come true for another trooper."
Fives was on his bunk, a towel around his neck, wearing only the nightshorts. Chopper envied him the lack of scaring on the legs though there was a burn streak on his arm and Chopper wondered at what point did scarring become 'too much', at what point had he differentiated from the other clones sufficiently to be 'ugly'. When had he become deficient? How would he tell when he was no longer deficient?
His eyes snapped into focus as he realized that Fives was observing him, his eyes moving from the scars on his face and head, over the longsleeve nightshirt and nightpants. Echo slept naked and was sitting on his bunk with a data pad reading some regulations.
"Most of them don't like you, Chopper." Fives voice was non-committal, relaxed. Chopper had heard some of the stories of Fives, but only second hand from Caber and only the barest bones. Fives had barely spoken to him, even in the privacy of their barracks and only about duties. "Some of them think you're a traitor and the captain's just giving you enough rope to hang yourself."
"Not gonna happen." Chopper's face went hard and he pulled out the data pad, pretending interest in the screen, turning away from Fives as he sat, one leg bent in front of him, the other against the wall, on his bunk. He should have figured that Fives wouldn't like him; not after listening to the other men.
"Some other troopers just think you're too good, too arrogant, to talk to them. And some think the scars make you a bad trooper; too slow to duck, they say. Others think you're responsible for the death of a trooper called Ten."
"Fives!" It was Echo's voice, sharp with a rebuke.
Chopper glanced up with an angry glare to see Fives watching him and Echo watching Fives. Echo wasn't bad. He didn't stare and he usually ate with Chopper, often bringing the data pad of regulations to read while Chopper scanned the battle vids. Chopper's heart sank. He hadn't realized how much he enjoyed having the younger clone there; pointing out some vid to him or listening to a particularly odd regulation. He didn't count Echo as a friend but Echo had allowed the possibility. Still, Fives was his brother more so than Chopper and if Fives requested different barracks, Echo would go with him.
Fives stood and turned to Echo with a smile. "Echo, you're the one always saying you can't make a good decision with bad intel." He turned back to watching Chopper. "But it's interestingly divided; the ones who don't like you and the ones who think you're a good man to have at one's back," continued Fives. "And have you noticed the captain marks you as a sergeant?"
Chopper stared at Fives and Fives nodded.
"'S true. You rate a small nod from the captain, same as any sergeant, when he sees you. I've done my courtesy calls on the general and commander. Both of them remarked on my being in the same barracks with you. The general said you're one of the best men in Torrent and I could learn a lot from you. The commander," Fives face softened as did all the troopers when talking about the little Jedi padawan. "The commander considers you an honorable man and said she prefers you as her second over any man in the company after Captain Rex."
Chopper lost his hard look. "The general said that once in my hearing, that I was one of Torrent's best. I didn't know about the commander." He stared down at his data pad, not seeing the droid on the screen.
"I'm sociable, Chopper, and I'll always be moving around the tables with no set group." He grinned. "Makes my Zeltros stories last longer."
Echo chuckled. "Probably why you don't hang around me. I've heard them all."
"Heard them? I polished them to perfection based on how you reacted, Echo." Fives retorted with an amused snort then turned to Chopper. "I'll tell them to you one day when Echo isn't here. He interrupts."
"I do not!" But Echo blushed, giving lie to those words.
Fives pretended not to hear him. "I wouldn't object too much to the interruption except he gives away the punch line."
Chopper glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, nodding his head thoughtfully. His fingers trembled as he set the data pad on the bed shelf. He turned to face the two men, turning so his feet were on the floor. Fives had given this to him; a gift and, like Echo, the possibility of friendship.
"Would you like a game of sabacc before we turn in?" Chopper offered.
Echo set down his reg manual and turned on his bunk. "Sounds good. Do you have cards?" Chopper nodded and pulled out the deck Coric had given him after Naboo.
"I don't know how to play," said Fives as he pulled a chair near Chopper's bunk and sat.
"I can teach you," Chopper said softly as he flipped the deck face up and began going over the cards one by one.
Thus starts another chapter in Chopper's life...
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