"Commander, that won't be a problem, will it?" Obi-Wan Kenobi's eyes narrow. "Commander?"
General Kenobi's voice rings through Cody's ears. The General's latest instructions to travel to Florrum and escort Hondo Ohnaka – the pirate lord – to an unknown destination seems unusually strange. Why the Republic needed Hondo's help delivering supplies is beyond Commander Cody, but he nods with affirmation nonetheless. "No, General, no problems here."
"Good," Kenobi confirms, "Remember, try not to cause too much trouble. Last time, I was imprisoned with Count Dooku and held for ransom, no thanks to Anakin."
"That sounds...interesting," Cody comments.
Kenobi shrugs, a smirk flashing across his face. "Yes, it was."
"I'll schedule our departure at once," Cody responds.
The General shakes his head. "Oh, no, Commander. I'm afraid I will not be joining you this time. You are to bring a handful of troops and escort the pirate back to Coruscant without me. I have an urgent matter to attend."
"Yes, sir," Cody pauses, unsure about this new assignment, "I'll, er, bring my best men, General."
"Yes," Kenobi agrees. "Take one of the frigate ships. Hondo should be at Florrum when you arrive."
Commander Cody salutes the General before turning back to his men - the 212th Battalion. Orange stripes and patterns line their helmets, concealing their expressions. He points towards a few standing at the front of the group. "Helix, Waxer, Boil, Gearshift, and Longshot - prepare the frigate ship. Looks like we've got another escort mission."
"Alright!" Waxer exclaims, followed by Boil's grumbling and complaints.
Transport ships and frigates line the hangar from beginning to end. Clone troopers pace across the bustling floor, transporting crates from ship to ship. General Kenobi joins Skywalker and some of the 501st further down the hangar, leaving Cody and his clones by themselves. The crew assembles their gear rather swiftly before leaving for the transport frigate.
"Where do you think we're headed this time?" Waxer questions.
"Nowhere good," Boil comments.
Gearshift hogs his heavy machine blaster up the loading ramp somewhat effortlessly. He rolls his eyes. "Probably another droid-infested stinkhole," he groans, slamming his gun against the rack.
"Alright, enough of the chatter, let's get this transport loaded," Cody commands, silencing the clones.
The clones make good time loading up the ship. Before long, they are ready to leave on their mission. After boarding the frigate, they enter the deck of the cramped ship.
Worn seats line the inside of the vessel along with windows along the the length of the walls. A few stray crates lie in the cargo hold, visible from the main deck. Two clones pilot the ship behind a closed door. Cody disappears behind the cockpit door, leaving the clones to themselves.
Gearshift rubs his bald head before dropping himself onto one of the chairs. "It's going to be a long night."
Waxer joins him, followed by the rest of the clones.
"Tell me about it," Boil grumbles, "Last time I was in a piece of junk like this was on-"
"Cut it out," Helix snaps, laying vertically on a row of seats. "I'm trying to sleep."
The ship creaks and turns as the engine starts, propelling it off the ground. The frigate slips through the blue ray shield and maneuvers out of the Republic Cruiser. Within moments, blue streaks fly by the windows as the ship enters hyperspace.
Time seems to slow as the frigate makes its way across the star systems. Sleep comes rather easily to the clones after their last battle, save for Gearshift who tosses and turns most of the journey.
After half a rotation, the ship jolts out of hyperspace, awakening the clones.
"Get up!" Cody states firmly, "We're here."
Dark billowing clouds cover the windows as the ship enters the atmosphere. A misty green hue lines the sky, making it difficult to see through. The transport breaks through the clouds. A harsh desert lies beneath them; the barren wasteland houses nothing but dust and dead wildlife.
On the horizon, a group of buildings come into view; metal spires tower over the rest of the waste. The frigate swoops down beside them, sending sand flurrying around the landing pads. As the engines cool, the pilots lower the entry ramp.
Commander Cody leads the way out of the ship, followed by the rest of his team. The infamous pirate lord - Hondo Ohnaka - saunters towards them; a kowakian monkey-lizard rests on his shoulder, chittering its beak at the incoming clones.
"Well, well, if it isn't Kenobi's transport!" Hondo greets the arrivals in a strange voice. "Clones, eh? Well, as my mother always said, 'better a late crew than a dead one,'" he lets out a chuckle, followed by the rest of his pirates.
"Anyway," Hondo pauses, eyeing up the troopers, "I don't suppose Kenobi told you what I was bringing him, did he?"
Cody shakes his head. "No sir, we're under strict orders to escort important cargo."
"Sir?" Hondo lets out a dry cackle. "I have not been called that in a long time. No, no, Hondo is my name, and it is what you shall call me. Tell me, clone, should is your name?"
"Commander Cody, si-" he cuts himself off before continuing, "these are my men: Waxer, Boil, Helix, and then Gearshift."
Hondo rubs his chin as if in thought. "Strange names, but, who am I to judge?"
"Where do you need us?" Cody questions, eager to get to the point.
"On my ship," Hondo grabs his shoulder and turns Cody towards his mothership. The ship lies stationary on the ground. Unlike most frigates, it is completely round. "You will be stationed with the rest of my men. Come along now, we wouldn't want to keep the Republic waiting, would we?"
"Get a load of this one!" Boil nudges Waxer as they follow the pirate.
Hondo and his pirates lead the clones into his ship through a long metal ramp and inside the pirate mothership. Inside the ship is remarkable spacious. Strange plants grow from slots of dirt in the ground - scattered around place. Sliding doors lead of to corridors and rooms all around the clones. Hondo leads them straight ahead and down one of the hallways.
"Up ahead is where you will be staying. My men will show you around the place. Unfortunately, I must go to the deck. With any luck, we'll be arriving at the drop zone in three rotations - if everything goes according to plan, not that it ever does!"