Dedicated to my real brothers - for their birthdays. . .
One Hundred and One
What the fek am I going to do?
For the life of him, Fives couldn't see a way out of it. He had worked through every possible scenario and each time he drew a blank.
It wasn't in his training to fail but this time there simply was no foreseeable answer.
Mission twenty nine had been a complete and utter disaster for ARC-27-5555.
A Jedi was dead.
A clone was dead.
Palpatine wanted him dead.
All because the ARC had figured it out.
The Kaminoans were perfectionists, the main reason they had been chosen to produce the clone army. They had excelled at their commission and made sure the soldiers they churned out were the best at whatever they put their minds to, and Fives had done exactly that.
He had discovered that the war was a sham, contrived well before the first trooper ever saw the red dirt of Geonosis. The Jedi were being manipulated as much as the soldiers they fought alongside, but their betrayal ran deeper.
A Sith.
The truth had finally reared its ugly head, and the man pulling the strings was in major damage control.
Imagine the ramifications if they all knew the truth?
The implications would be felt throughout the entire galaxy.
Thousands upon thousands of men had died to defend this lie.
The manipulations, the deceit, the underhand deals were teetering on the verge of a precipice.
And all because a clone went rogue.
Unbeknownst to Tup, the behavioural changes his brain tumour had caused had opened the proverbial can, setting in motion a calamity of events that had seen the ARC in a fight bigger than any Separatist battle.
A fight for his very existence; a fight for the truth.
He wanted to contact Tash and tell her everything. She was the one person who would understand and believe him, but Fives had become paranoid; worried that he would inadvertently lead the Chancellors cronies straight to her; putting her at risk also.
No, he had to do this alone.
I can do this, I'm an ARC for feks sake!
He'd stopped reciting his mantra. The useless words wouldn't get him through this mission.
But despite the gravity of the situation he now found himself in, there was a small window of hope.
Fives knew there was one man he could trust.
Rex was coming, he'd listen to him. The cap would fix everything.
Didn't he do just that for Kix?
Yeah, all will be OK, Rex will see to it.
.
Rex looked down at his hand, the one pressing the buzzer on her door. Standing back, he clasped his other hand over the top, trying to quell the tremor that was coming more frequently.
He sagged slightly before removing his helmet, waiting for the door to open.
Tash looked at him through the security monitor. She put two and two together and figured out who he was, and why he was at her door.
She knew she had to open it, but as long as it remained closed, it wasn't true.
As long as she kept that door shut, Fives was still alive.
This was the day she thought would never come. She turned her back and slid down the door before the uncontrollable sobs of a woman in mourning darkened both their worlds.
History was repeated itself. As he listened to the heart break Rex closed his eyes and remembered that Fives had done exactly this for Echo.
His ARC's deserved no less.
Rex felt as though he was in no man's land; the longer the door remained locked, the longer it would be before he had to say the words, the anguish multiplying and increasing in its intensity. Then he would then have to do it all over again back at the barracks; informing Torrent and unleashing another fresh round of grief.
So he continued to stand until he quietly heard the latches being worked and fate caught up with them both.
There she stood and Rex was immediately struck by her beauty.
Typical Fives.
She kept shaking her head, walking backwards as he slowly entered her apartment, holding his helmet close to his chest.
For dear life; for fortitude.
There was no easy way around this, it just had to be said.
He stood straight at attention and began, his voice sounding strangely loud and cold.
"Ma'am, it is with much regret that I am here to inform you that ARC Trooper 27 dash 555 - "
"Fives," she blurted out, "HIS NAME IS FIVES!"
He watched as her legs gave way and she crumpled onto the floor. Still dealing with his own grief, he automatically bent down and helped her to a chair. He then methodically and without intonation recalled the Republic version of the demise of the ARC.
All the time acutely aware of the woman's pain.
He wanted to run, vomit, scream, do anything, be anywhere other than in the apartment she shared with Fives.
"He was at 29 – we were at 29," she whispered.
She stared at him to respond, but Rex wasn't prepared to be questioned.
Tash continued her soliloquy, "he had almost finished with the army. One more to go, just one more," trying to convince him that he was wrong.
Trying to convince herself.
"No!" She shook her head. "No, this can't be happening? This isn't supposed to happen this way."
She looked around her apartment, frenetic and discordant.
"Nothing!" she screamed, "I HAVE NOTHING OF HIM!"
Her eyes were wild, pleading, searching, begging and Rex, for once, was at a loss of what to say or do that could make any difference.
"I'm sorry," he said finally before turning and leaving the apartment in a hurry, no longer capable of keeping up the façade. He heard a female scream as he broke into a run down the corridor, continuing on until he was well out into the street.
.
"Dr Boll," his voice had an air of insincerity; a level of mistrust filled her as she turned to face the Chancellor.
He seemed older, and more malignant than she previously remembered.
Dr Boll was spending her time working on the cloning of the Zillo beast, as requested by the Republic's elected leader. She was dragging her heels though, and being a medico, she had never been questioned. Sionver was still trying to crack the Kaminoan code for the accelerated aging in the clones, her lack of success more than frustrating.
The Chancellor then went on to explain that he needed a certain issue 'taken care of,' and how she alone, was helping the poor souls she was in secret, trying to save.
"I can trust in your, how should I put it, your discretion regarding this matter Dr Boll?"
She had no choice other than to agree.
.
Fives was wheeled into the medical suite bleeding and moments away from death.
The men knew the plasma injury to the chest was in all likelihoods fatal, but Rex had called for a medic, and out of respect for the captain, Fox had obliged.
It would only be a matter of time.
Dr Boll was requested to euthanize the trooper quickly and quietly before signing and issuing the official report the Chancellor had already prepared for her on a small disk.
There was no need to get 'all grubby and perform the actual post mortem,' he had said.
No, this could be handled swiftly without suspicions being raised; no one would be any the wiser.
Except her.
Dr Boll was initially a medical doctor before studying her post doctorate in molecular genetics.
The dilemma she now faced was what to do with the trooper with the shaved head lying in front of her. She closed her enormous eyes for a second, the distorted face of Palpatine and his repulsive smirk made the decision for her.
She had to try.
Fives was fortunate enough that the shot hadn't ruptured the aorta, but the mess it left behind made her doubt her ability to repair the damage. It was delicate surgery, way beyond her limited operative ability, but somehow they pulled through.
Together.
She did as best she could, resecting his left lung and hastily suturing his chest back together.
There would be no bacta tank for this injured soldier. She placed several of the gelatinous healing patches over the wound and quickly comm'd Reed.
"I need a large crate, approximately 900L capacity. Now Reed! You think you can do that?"
There was never any doubt that he couldn't.
Reed arrived, pushing a crate into the room, thinking she had 'procured' more equipment to be sent to Oriis and the lab hidden under the ground.
Nothing could have prepared him for what she was planning.
"You mean to tell me," he asked incredulously, "you want me to put him into this crate and then fly him to Oriis? Without a bacta tank he'll be dead before I hit hyperspace." Reed was used to both Gem and Dr Boll's outrageous requests and up until this moment had never questioned either of them.
But this, this was treason.
"Do it," she snapped as she opened up the durasteel rectangle and moved towards the limp body.
"Does Gem know?"
"No, the less people involved the better."
"What are you going to say?"
"That he died, just as the Chancellor requested."
"Fek! Fek Sionver, they could put me in front of a firing squad for this!"
"You've done enough for them to execute you ten times over Reed, why is this any different."
"Fek!"
"Can you stop saying that and do something. We don't have much time."
He looked at Fives ashen face and said, "He has no time."
"Well it's better than the alternative!" She yelled at him. Sionver was exhausted and wanted the body out before anyone from the Chancellors Office arrived and caught them mid-act.
"Did you remove his chip?'
"What chip?"
"The one in all our arms! Fek!"
"Reed!"
"Here," he grabbed Fives' arm and located the microchip. The signal was still transmitting as normal, unaware of its owner's predicament. The chips only stopped working when the troopers they were implanted in died, and given the state of the soldier on the gurney, it wouldn't be long.
Once the microchip was removed, Reed smashed it under his boot before flinging it into the container that should have been taking Fives down to the mortuary.
Reed didn't look at Sionver once as he gently lifted the damaged ARC into the equipment container and pushed it out the door. With gritted teeth and dogged determination he continued on to the Hanger Bay and the consular cruiser that would soon complete yet another run to the mid-rim planet.
He kept the container closed. Inside it, the trooper was safe from any scanner picking up a life form, but with the injuries sustained coupled with a limited oxygen supply, Reed had to high tail it out of Coruscant air space.
And fast.
"Lieutenant," Reed was riveted to the spot, "I need to see your flight manifest."
Things were changing within the Grand Army of the Republic. It seemed more troopers than ever were being shipped in to Coruscant. The stalwarts had noticed the difference in the new units. They kept to themselves more and seemed, different somehow. Rumour had it they weren't from Kamino and that they had been accelerated even faster than the original Fett clones.
Reed nonchalantly handed over the data pad resting lightly on top of the crate. With his bucket on, the deck officer couldn't see the beads of sweat forming on his top lip.
He watched as the Sergeant went over the information, looking from the device to the trooper to the crate several times.
"I might need you to - "
"Sargeant 53-8271. We have a problem over in Cargo Bay four. An RTT is leaking hydraulic fluid all over the tarmac." The sergeant simply handed the data pad back to Reed, "you're clear to go."
Reed waited a few seconds in an attempt to look inconspicuous before he pushed his precious cargo up the ramp of the craft.
Throwing himself into the pilot's seat he began the take-off sequence.
Slowly lifting off, he turned the ship around and headed for Oriis.
Getting into hyperspace took precedence but as soon as the stars began streaming he unbuckled himself and ran to the cargo hold, opening the crate. Placing two fingers on Fives' carotid, he smiled feeling the slight pulse against them.
"You've got a long road ahead of you buddy," he said as he looked at the pale face of the unconscious man, "a long road ahead."
.
Dr Boll began typing away, downloading the request from the Chancellor before pressing 'save,' electronically signing her name to the fake post mortem report. Sionver couldn't help but smile broadly; she had done it again, secretly saving another soldier. She was becoming a minor force to be reckoned with, but knew she had to keep herself in check. All her work would be for nothing if she were to be discovered. Her thoughts were interrupted from a familiar voice from behind.
"Dr Boll, is this the body you need taken down to the mortuary?"
"Yes," she composed herself quickly and turned to the orderly.
The same face, again.
"Oh," she added, "tell the technician to place the entire capsule in the furnace. This trooper died from a highly contagious virus. I don't want to take any chances with contamination.
"Copy that ma'am."
The Chancellor would be happy that she had eliminated all evidence of ARC Trooper 27-5555.
It would be her secret.
And Reed's.
For the time being anyway.
.
Rex walked without thinking back into the barracks.
He was exhausted.
Confronting Tash Belling was one of the hardest things he had ever done.
He didn't know what to do, but he knew he didn't want to talk.
Words couldn't bring back Fives. Words couldn't end the war.
But they kept coming, splintering his mind and interrupting his thoughts.
Her voice and haunting words kept repeating in his mind.
'I have nothing of him.'
There it was.
The irony of all the men walking through the barracks, going about their orchestrated lives.
Nothing, they had nothing.
But he didn't, he had something.
And so did Fives.
Rex swung into the caf through no alternative other than he needed something to wash away the bitter taste of reality. It was there when he saw them sitting at the front table.
Coruscant Guards.
Shock troopers.
Kix saw it, his captain clench his fists before removing his helmet.
"Sir," he said. Kix had heard the news and was one of the last 501st to see Fives down at the Bunker earlier that night.
"Not now Kix," Rex replied as he systematically walked up to the formidable men seated.
Right then he knew he had to find the words, and he spoke for Tash.
"Captain Rex," it was Commander Fox, helmet off and caf in hand.
Rex showed the higher ranking officer no such respect.
"WHAT THE FEK WAS THAT?" He didn't mince his words, he'd been diplomatic enough for one evening.
Fox placed his mug on the table, "watch your tone captain," he warned.
Rex wasn't intimidated and continued his verbal assault, "you could have aimed for his leg! But a kill shot? Fek! He was unarmed!"
The cafeteria went quiet, all men watching the altercation between two of the finest in the GAR.
Fox stood and moved aside from the table, flattening his hand as a gesture to his own men who were beginning to rouse at the notorious 501st captain.
His voice remained level and calm as he continued, "you know as well as I what an ARC is capable of? He reached for the weapon and I did as I was trained. You would have done exactly the same."
"No I wouldn't!" Rex boomed. "Don't justify your own actions by saying we're all the same. I am nothing like you!" the look of disgust as visible as his words.
Kix had quietly moved up behind his captain as a display of cerulean unity. This was now about honour.
And colour.
Fox remained firm, with the anger came the realisation, "that's it, isn't it? I know what you all think of us. How you all think that you're better than the Guard. You lot fly around the galaxy without a fekking care in the world, sauntering back here as if you own the place. But who makes sure you have a home to come back to huh? Who makes sure everything is where it should be when the mighty 501st rolls back into town? Think what you want. It was my call and I stand by it."
Rex didn't say another word. He just moved forward and sent the left side of Fox's jaw right.
He then turned and had a go at one of the Shock troopers, sending him, and his chair flying backwards. Kix joined in, releasing all his pent up frustration on the two at the far end of the table. For the first time he didn't care about the bodily damage he inflicted. The bacta could look after that. This was for Fives, and Echo, Hardcase and Waxer and every other trooper no longer able to swing an arm in defense.
And he was surprised at how good it felt.
Rex was systematically thumping another trooper's face before more Guard arrived and finally controlled the two in blue. Fox stood, wiping the blood from his mouth and holding his injured jaw.
Rex and Kix stood defiant, chests heaving with the exertion, both arms held uncomfortably tight behind their backs.
"Let them go," the commander said quietly through gritted teeth.
"But sir?"
"You heard what I said."
Fox then walked up to Rex and stood a millimetre from his face. The punch along with the pain had knocked the chip right off his shoulder. These men were battle hard, it was no excuse for their behaviour, but most likely a reason.
"I deserved that."
"You deserve a lot more. He was a fine soldier."
"I'm sorry Rex, I had no choice."
"You always have a choice," Rex replied as he bent down and picked up his helmet, "you always have a choice."
.
Reed waited for the hidden platform ceiling to open and set the craft down as he had done a hundred times before. This time was different however, this time he really had no idea what to do next. But he owed this to the ARC, who through some miraculous twist of fate had survived the flight. Fives had woken, moaning in pain, and Reed had calmed him with two shots of Morpha. Dr Boll had thrown a bag of the stuff in with the soldier once they had him in the crate, along with a bag of medical supplies; fresh bandages, bacta patches and IV fluids. Reed looked down at the meagre supplies with apprehension. At the rate Fives was using them, they would be gone in less than a day.
Reed sighed.
He needed help.
"Come on ARC, let's get you inside," he grunted out as he lifted the man onto his feet. Fives couldn't hold a gram of his own weight and buckled, crying out again as the pain from the surgery cut through him for a second time.
Inside the house, Reed took him to the master suite, knowing it was the one room with easier access and immediately turned on House Droid.
"We have a new guest HD, one that's going to keep you nice and busy."
The droid bustled around the patient, turning on the house heating and setting the kitchen to work.
Reed looked at Fives, red was beginning to seep through the bandages down his chest and his breathing had become more laboured from the exertion of getting to the house.
"Fek," Reed knew he had to do something and thought of the one person who would know what to do.
Picking up a Holo-transmitter, he called the Representative hoping upon hope she was able to help another brother in need, just as she had done for him on that tiny Mid-Rim moon. She listened quietly as he succinctly informed her of what he and Dr Sionver Boll had executed.
"Where are you Reed?"
"At the house on Oriis. Sionver didn't know what else to do with him."
"I see, and does anyone else know?"
"No, just the three of us," he sighed, "as usual."
Gem's tone became more hushed as the conversation continued, understanding the gravity of the situation. Parliament were asking questions about what had happened to the Jedi and why exactly the soldier had killed her outright in the middle of a Separatist battle. It was unheard of and the politico's were worrying that there was more wrong with the Clone Army than just one soldier going battle crazy. The incident with Fives hadn't even reached the hallowed halls of the privy.
"I'll contact Øvet, she will know someone who can continue treatment. Standby for further communication." The line went dead.
"Great," he muttered, looking at the trooper on the bed, "just great."
It was just another long hour, listening to Fives labouring breaths before the perimeter alarm sounded. Someone was coming, and Reed scrambled to get his weapon and wait by the front door.
Two people entered the house. One Reed remembered as the obstetrician who helped deliver Piia and another male, who he gauged carefully.
"Lieutenant, it's good to see you again."
"Ma'am," he replied, his eyes still fixed on the unknown man carrying a large black case. Øvet could tell that the soldier she had met on previous trips to see Gem during her confinement was wary of her colleague and promptly subdued his fears. "Gem told me everything Reed. This is Dr Mathias Tremblay. He is a general surgeon at the hospital in town and he's one of the finest on the planet."
Reed nodded his head, embarrassed that she had noticed his apprehension.
"Can you take us to the patient?" Dr Tremblay asked, fascinated in the clone standing in front of him.
"He's in here."
They followed him into the room where Piia was born.
"Oh dear," Øvet said quietly as she moved past Reed to the side of the bed.
"I can't stay, I have to fly back tonight. Now."
"Thank you," she said without looking at him and began fussing over the fallen ARC.
Reed turned and left faster than he had ever done in the past. The last eight hours had reminded him, for some reason, of Mav and the night they tanked near on two years ago.
He sat in the pilot's seat and wiped a tear that had escaped along with his memory. Fives had hit a raw nerve.
"Fek it. Fek it all," he said under his breath as he guided the ship off Oriis, setting a flight plan back to Coruscant. Reed never felt as though he was missing out being assigned to the Diplomatic Core of the Republic Army. He spent every day grateful that after surviving the crash he wasn't reassigned to Kamino. Besides, the two woman he worked primarily for were keeping his adrenaline on high alert without a single blaster being pointed at him.
.
After the altercation with Rex, Fox went to medbay to have his jaw looked at. It wan't broken, only bruised and swollen. He was offered a dip but refused, instead placing a bacta gel patch up against the left side of his face and ordering a stim on top of the Morpha.
Walking fast through the barracks to his post in the Senate Building, he felt as though every trooper was looking at him.
The GAR gossip mill was worse than a group of nursing mothers. He knew what had happened would be spreading around the barracks like wildfire. After the much publicised murder trial involving Commander Tano, all eyes seemed permanently turned to the men wearing red. Instead of returning to his quarters though, he went to the one person who wouldn't judge.
"Fox! What on - ?"
"Don't," was all he answered as he moved past her and sat down on the living room couch. Placing the patch back up against his jaw he physically slumped and looked up at Olphina, for the first time out of depth.
She walked over slowly and knelt down in front of him.
"Fox, what happened?"
"I did something terrible today Phina," he whispered.
"No. No Fox, that's not possible," her eyes searching his face for an explanation.
Fox nodded his head, his mouth turned down as he struggled with the reality of what he had done. Dropping the patch he placed his hands up to cover his face, he didn't want her to see him break, to see him battle the war with himself.
He knew what Rex had said was right. The words, again, just kept repeating. And more importantly, Fox knew he should have known better.
It would be something he would have to learn to live with., but right then, he couldn't see past the truth of what he had done.
You always have a choice.
.
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A/N: We haven't had the final season in Australia, some place I guess the powers that be overlooked. A special thank you to Sly for meticulously picking up grammatical errors and editing this chapter; even with a head cold on the other side of the world, you never let me down, now that is true friendship..
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