A/N: When we last left our Cody and Windu, the Jedi Master was pinned down by a heavy piece of wreckage and struggling to breathe.

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Cody was elated he'd found Windu. But, his elation evaporated when the General started making crazy suggestions.

OK, he's a General. That makes it a crazy order.

Windu was repeating the same odd command in-between pained and wheezing breaths. "Focus… on my voice. We can… lift the wall… together."

I'm focusing on your voice and it's not making it any less crazy.

Somehow the General had gotten it into his mind that Cody could be of assistance with Jedi osik. It's not that Cody didn't know a thing or two about Jedi and their odd ways. He'd been healed by a Jedi. And, slept with a Jedi. (OK, that was the same Jedi.) But, he'd learned a lot from Kenobi, too, (without sleeping with him.) During battle, he often instinctively knew what Kenobi wanted him to do. So, as strange as Jedi and their ways were, Cody prided himself on being very good at figuring them out. But, that didn't mean he understood what Windu wanted of him now.

"General, I want to help, sir. I can see you're in a bad way. But, I don't understand-"

"Envision- the- wall."

That's no clearer than 'focus on my voice.'

"Please Cody, I can't…" Windu broke off, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled for air that would not come.

Cody was completely thrown off by the General calling him something other than 'Commander.' He was further thrown by the High Council member asking him nicely. He expected such behavior from Kenobi, but not from the Jedi who'd had him arrested and thrown into the RMB.

"I'll do my best, General." He stared intently at the wall. It was unremarkable as far as destroyed buildings went, and Cody had seen a lot of them. "Nothing is happening, sir."

"You're not… trying to… intimidate it." The general sounded annoyed now. That was an improvement. He sounded more himself now. Maybe Cody needed to keep annoying him. "You must envision the wall."

Well, that is entirely not helpful.

"Yes, General, envisioning the wall, as ordered." He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, and then regretted it as his head pain and nausea increased. He took several deep breaths to avoid vomiting.

Gah, his head hurt.

Yes, well, buildings coming down on top of you will hurt. But, it would've hurt a lot more if it hadn't been for the General. Windu had gone out of his way to save him.

And, the person who saved me wants me to envision a farkin' wall.

Fine.

He zeroed in on the image of the General trapped under the debris. And, once his mind locked hold of the image, it wouldn't let it go. It was as if he could observe the General, even with his eyes closed.

–Well done. You are focused.

Cody could feel Windu's words in his mind. He was not unfamiliar with the sensation as he'd connected to Barriss during their healing sessions. And, he'd already connected briefly with the General before the building had come down. Adrenaline could do wonders for a man. But, this was much more complex. He tentatively reached out knowing if he were to help Windu, they'd have to combine their strength.

-You learn quickly.

It must be the concussion, because it almost felt as if Windu was pleased with him. But, he was quite sure Ponds' General despised him, so he pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.

Everytime Cody had been around Ponds' General, he got this impression of a whirlwind of power, or maybe more of a vortex where energy was entering and exiting. Swirling bits of mad light. Brilliant hues clashing against a dark backdrop. He always seemed to radiate power, barely constrained. Skywalker was the same way, but with less constraint. There was something different about Windu now. The lights were… subdued. There was something… holding back his usual vortex of energy. And, it was critically important that he remove this obstruction. Alright, fine, that he could do. It was clear to him what he needed to do. It was exhausting work and even in his semi-lucid state, Cody could feel himself tiring. But, he would not give up until he had completed his task.

The vortex suddenly snapped back stronger as several strands of light broke free. Cody was dimly aware of something heavy settling down beside him and the dust kicking up again. He coughed violently, almost passing out from the pain, but then felt a warm pressure against his chest. It was not unlike Barriss when she was helping him.

The General. He was getting stronger. Whatever they had done was working.

Encouraged by their success, Cody focused intently again on the sensation he'd conjured up before. As the lights around the General strengthened, he could picture the General once again clearly in his mind's eye. He was partially freed. The wall was no longer pinning down his chest, but there was still the matter of the girder atop the General's legs.

Yes, well, there's no way I can help with that thing.

Cody, focus, I need your help. You did it before. Keep going.

I'm too exhausted to do this… No…

Do what you did before. Envision what it is you want to happen.

Cody wanted the girder off of the General. He could see it clearly now, as he'd seen the other debris before. The girder trembled but did not move.

I don't think I can… It's too much… Too heavy…

–The size does not matter, Cody. Picture something smaller.

Like a t-det?

The General sent back an image of Cody grasping a thermal detonator laying on the ground. T-dets laying around were trouble. Without putting too much thought into it, Cody lifted the t-det and tossed it aside.

The resounding crash startled him so much his eyes shot open and a fresh plume of dust rose in the air from the movement of the girder.

Both Cody and Windu coughed hard from the additional particulates in the air. Cody was still coughing as he slumped sideways. He was too exhausted to keep his eyes open…

Windu's voice brought Cody back to the present. "You did well, Cody." The General's voice was less pained, and he was breathing more easily. "But, you cannot sleep."

Cody blinked hard, trying to chase away the fog of exhaustion.

Ponds' General was exhausting.

Gah. All he wanted to do was sleep. But, orders were orders.

"Yes, General…" Cody pushed himself so he was sitting in a more upright position. His head swam, and he blinked hard in an effort to stay in his current position. He couldn't imagine struggling to his feet, and had no idea how he'd managed it before. Staying upright was hard enough. But, the General was right. This was not a time to rest. He dragged himself by his arms over to the General's side. "I should take a closer look at your injuries."

He studied the General's midsection, trying to figure out what injuries he may have sustained from the girder and what he could do to treat him.

The Jedi General shook his head. "It's alright, Commander. Leave it be." He gave a dismissive wave toward his bloodied midsection where Cody was sure he had a mess of broken ribs and likely other internal injuries. Maybe even a fractured pelvis. "It's less critical now that I don't have a piece of building crushing down on my chest." He gestured to Cody. "If you have any injuries that need tending, you should do so."

Cody shook his head and then regretted it. He waited as the dizziness subsided, taking deep breaths to contain the nausea. He made the same dismissive gesture about the state of his health as Windu. He gave a small smile. "I think I'll leave it be, as well, sir."

Windu gave a small nod, his eyes crinkling slightly at the sides with humor. Kenobi did that when he was amused. But, he had no idea Windu also had a sense of humor.

Cody turned his attention to checking for emergency messages on his comlink.

No messages. Fek it all. He'd hoped Ponds, Wolffe or Rex had received his call for help. Something along the lines of: 'Hey brother, we haven't forgotten you. There's no way we'd leave you under that building.'

Realistically, though, Wolffe was on the other side of the planet with a mission of his own. Rex and the 501st were in charge of taking Fort Anaxes. Ponds and the 91st were scheduled to take out the shipyards.

Unless that had happened already?

There may not even be anyone looking for us.

The mission comes first, and not a commander who wasn't fast enough to get out before the building came down.

"How long have you known?" The General's voice interrupted his spiraling, and he was grateful for it.

"Known what, sir?"

"That you could access the Force."

Cody blinked hard, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. No, no, no. He was no different than his brothers. He slowly set his arm down, looking away from his comlink. Staring at it wasn't going to make a message appear from Wolffe, Rex or Ponds. "Sir, what you're suggesting is impossible."

"And, yet I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. The impossible is only so until it becomes possible." He studied Cody for so long it made him uncomfortable. "How many others are there like you?"

"Three million, not counting the Spaartis."

"Cody." There was no censure in the General's tone. Cody thought perhaps it was easier when Windu only called him commander and didn't ask these sorts of questions.

Was the air getting thin in here? Cody felt light-headed and not quite in control of himself. "Sir, you're asking questions I cannot answer," he replied softly. It was as close to the truth as he could manage.

Windu frowned. "You have no knowledge of clones being able to access the Force?"

Um… best not to mention the deep connection he felt with Barriss during their healing sessions, or the way he often felt he was of one mind with Kenobi. "No, sir. The Kaminoans told us we have no such abilities. Prime was Force null, and so are we."

"Prime?" Windu grimaced. "Oh, Fett. You were given misinformation. All living creatures are part of the Force. Some are more sensitive to it than others."

Cody had no doubts the Kaminoans had lied to them. Repeatedly.

"If you say so, General."

Windu made a deep thoughtful hum in the back of his throat. "You are a command-class clone. What does that mean beyond your rank?"

Where was this line of questioning going?

"We receive a higher-degree of training than other clones and specialized training in the skills required for command. Additional logistical support training, communications skills, leadership training and management skills. Most of our training is separate from non-command clones since we have to do so much more of it."

"Forgive me if I word this improperly, but is your genome different?"

Cody wanted to shut this conversation down. Fox and Wolffe insisted command clones were different. And, not just by training. They both believed their genes had been tampered with and there was something unique about them. Their crazy talk was starting to get to Rex'ika. It was exactly what Windu was insinuating. And, they were all wrong.

"I… I… I'm not sure I'm the best one to answer such questions, General."

Windu made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. "How's your head?"

Cody startled slightly at the sudden change of topic. But, he was grateful for the opportunity to talk about something other than his genome. "Eh… I think I hit it hard. Or, something hit me."

"You look concussed."

"I feel concussed." Headache. No, it's more like a Wookie is trying to crush my skull between his giant hands. Nauseous. Dizzy. Groggy. In short, I feel awful.

"Your irises are two different sizes. It's important that you stay awake. We will talk."

Cody didn't want to talk. But, the General was right. Falling asleep right now would be a bad idea.

As long as the General didn't want to talk about Force osik.

Windu lifted one arm slowly and carefully, in the manner one did when they were injured. He made a vague gesture toward the wall, now off to the side, and broken into multiple pieces. "How do you explain that?"

But, of course he wanted to talk about Force osik.

"That was you, sir." Every clone knew being different was a one-way ticket to Kamino. If Ponds, or Rex, or Wolffe, was out there working to rescue them, he wished they would hurry the fek up. "Sir, you should have some water and then rest. You don't need to talk to me. I'll be fine." It was a complete lie. Cody was far from fine, and in danger of passing out at any second. But, he'd rather take his chances with the concussion than saying something that would get him sent to Kamino. He had a chance of surviving the concussion.

Windu opened his mouth to protest, Cody decided now was a great time to give the Jedi some water.

"You must be thirsty, General. Best for you to stay hydrated." Ignoring the pain it caused him to do so, Cody shifted so he could tilt the injured Jedi's head back slightly. He slowly gave him water, careful not to give too much at once. He'd done this time and again for injured brothers on the battlefield. "I've set my bucket on a repeat loop for a code red, but I don't know if the message is getting through. Ponds has my locator and hopefully, he's locked on. The locator beacons embedded in our armor don't work well when there's interference."

After Windu drank he settled back and eyed Cody again.

I need to stall for more time, before he can think of any more questions.

The General's voice was stronger now that he'd had water and the stim he'd been given before seemed to be kicking in. Either that, or he was doing some of that Jedi healing on himself. Unfortunately for Cody, the General was looking more alert as time passed on. "Why does this topic make you so uncomfortable?"

Cody shook his head, and then regretted it. He waited until everything stopped spinning before answering. "I'm just a clone, sir. Nothing more."

"Cody," the Jedi Master's gaze was intense on his own, "your mind combined with mine to lift the wall. I know you felt this happen. Why do you deny it?"

"Sir, you're exhausted and injured. The medics will give you a thorough check-over when they get here."

"You're trying to convince me I imagined it."

"If you say so, sir. I'm sure getting that beam off yourself was exhausting. Rest now. I'll wake you up if I hear anything on the emergency beacon."

Windu gave him a surprisingly stern look from a man so injured. "We are both staying awake until rescue arrives."

Cody was afraid of that. He eased himself into a more comfortable position, trying to take pressure off his injuries. He rested his blaster across his lap, so he could guard the General.

Maybe they could stay awake and not talk.

"Tell me about your childhood."

Or, the General could pepper him with uncomfortable questions.

Cody frowned. "Childhood?" He turned the unfamiliar word over in his mouth, trying to figure out the meaning from the context. He only wanted to sleep. He sighed quietly, at least he hoped he'd been quiet about it, and then took his best guess at answering the question. He opted to use a technique taught to him by Fox and stall for time by asking for further clarification on the original inquiry. "I'm not sure I understand, sir. Is this another question about training?"

"Mmmmm…. I see."

He sees… what?

"Clones don't have a childhood," Windu said simply in his deep baritone. Cody hadn't said anything out loud, had he? He didn't think he had, but it was getting harder and harder to think.

"I was a cadet once," Cody blurted out, seizing upon what seemed like a safe topic.

"What does it mean to be a cadet?"

"Training for younger clones differs in structure from training in later years." This at least was a stupidly easy question, although he suspected he was walking into a verbal trap.

"Give me an example."

Every part of Cody's training was clearly imprinted in his pysche, whether he wanted to remember it or not. "Year 2s focus on strength-building, hand-eye coordination and visual acuity."

"You mean they're allowed to play?"

"Play?" Cody frowned, trying to figure out the word in context to their early training. "The training blasters are sized down to compensate for the smaller skeletal structure of year 2s. The power settings are turned down as well, since younger clones lack the visual and physical acuity they gain in later training."

"You were given a blaster as a two-year old."

The General somehow managed to sound completely calm and furious all at once. It made no sense to Cody. "Of course. Our advanced training keeps us alive. I may have been two in standards years, but with my accelerated aging, I was already the size of a human four-standard. Maybe even slightly larger due to our training regimens and carefully monitored nutritional intake."

The General did not seem mollified. "Alright, you were the size of four standard. So, that is when you began your training?"

"No. We start to train immediately upon decanting." It was an odd question. What else would cadets do other than learn the skills they needed to be a soldier? "All clones stay in their growth chambers until they are old enough to train. We are in our growth chambers for 18 months Coruscant standard. Everything about our growth process is designed to produce the most effective units in the least amount of time. Permission to speak freely?"

"Proceed."

"If the Jedi ordered the creation of the clone army, why don't you know all this already? Wouldn't you have been the ones to dictate the course of the training regimen before deployment?" These were questions he and his brothers had debated amongst themselves many times. There were many things about the Jedi that didn't add up. It made no sense to him to order an army and then not specify the requirements of what you wanted. Or, how you wanted them trained. Why would the Head of the Council not know all of this information?

There was a long pregnant pause and Cody thought perhaps Windu was not going to answer.

Maybe the General is done talking.

He eased himself down carefully on his side beside the General, his blaster still clutched in his hand. He would rest for a bit, but if any droids happened upon them, he'd be ready to defend the General. His head was only about a meter from Windu's head. If he had the energy, he would remain sitting up. But, his strength was flagging. It had been flagging for a while now. He would guard the General from as close-by as possible, and shield him with his own body, if need be. If more debris fell from the ceiling, Cody could protect him. At this rate, he didn't think he was going to survive long enough to be rescued, (assuming they were even mounting a rescue.) But, perhaps he could still be at least of a little more use to the Republic before his body completely gave out.

"Stay awake, Cody."

Mmmmwah what?

"Commander Cody, stay awake. That's an order."

Cody blearily opened his eyes, not quite remembering when he had closed them. "Gennn'ral?" He felt a tugging at his mind, a warmth that was not altogether unfamiliar, like when Barriss was healing him. It was a stronger sensation when Barriss did it, and she usually hovered her hands close to his injured area. But, his mind cleared somewhat and he had the strength to open his eyes again. "Sorry, sir."

"It's quite alright, Commander. You've done well considering your injuries."

It was a backhanded compliment, but Cody was grateful for the newfound truce with Windu.

When he'd first woken up after the blast, he'd had enough adrenaline to keep going for a while. But, he'd been steadily declining since he'd assisted the General with the wall. Whatever he'd done, it had taken a great deal out of him. He was feeling exhaustion on a level he'd never felt before.

"Commander Cody, you asked me a difficult question."

Cody stared at the General trying to remember the question.

"You asked why the Jedi were unaware of the training techniques used on Kamino." Windu sighed and it was a heavy sound, full of regret. "Truth is, Commander, we were unaware of the creation of the clone army. The Jedi Master who did so acted on his own without informing the Council."

Cody chewed over this information. It did explain a lot about how ill-prepared the Jedi had been to lead them at Geonosis and in the days following. "How is that possible?" His tongue tripped over the words slightly. It was getting hard to speak through his exhaustion. "General Kenobi has to request funds when he is sent out on a mission. I don't see how a single Jedi could fund the clone army."

"Yes," General Windu agreed simply.

Cody chewed his lip thoughtfully. The Council knew the army was created under mysterious circumstances with suspicious funding. "Sir, if none of this made sense to you, why were the Jedi so eager to accept delivery of the clone army?"

Windu sighed heavily again. "It was not a decision we made lightly. At the time, we thought we had no choice." His naked honesty surprised Cody. Maybe it was because they had saved each other's lives. Maybe it was because neither of them was sure they were going to make it alive. But, the General who had clashed with Cody upon his return to Coruscant, was now more upfront with him than any Jedi have ever been, even more so than Kenobi. "I'm still not sure we made the right decision."

Maybe it was his head injury, but Cody blurted out his thoughts. "From a strategic point-of-view, it sounds like a trap."

"A trap?"

He'd definitely piqued the Council member's interest with that one. Cody struggled to get the words out. He wished he had more energy. This was a topic that actually interested him greatly. "Yes, sir. Someone tailor made this army for you, paid for it, and dropped it in your lap just when you needed it the most?"

Windu made a long, thoughtful noise in the back of his throat. "I have often thought the same,, but never heard it explained so clearly. Thank you, Commander."

Cody had done nothing but point out the obvious.

"But, who would set a trap and why?" Windu mused out loud.

"Who are your enemies?"

"The Sith," Windu's reply came without hesitation.

He didn't bring up the Separatists. He immediately went to the Sith. Interesting.

"Like Dooku? Maul? Savage? Ventress?"

Windu spoke in a low voice, as if revealing something to Cody of both great significance and confidence. "I do not think they are operating alone."

"Other Sith?" Cody thought this through, a chill ran through him. Ventress had brutally burnt out Woffe's eye. She'd killed most everyone in Torrent Squadron on Teth and ripped into Rex's head. Cody had seen the terrible aftermath. Maul and Savage cut through brothers like they were targets on a cadet training range. Kenobi said Dooku was the most dangerous of all because he was once a Jedi and knew so much about them. "But, someone must be coordinating all of it."

"You are very perceptive, Commander."

Cody thought this through, glad to have something to focus on rather than dizziness and pain. "You're looking for a Sith-in-charge?" It was the logical end conclusion.

Windu made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat that neither confirmed nor denied the Council thought such an enemy was out there.

Cody didn't let it go. "If there were a Head Sith, he'd be more powerful than all the others?"

"The term would be Sith Master."

The term made sense. "Like a Jedi Master, except working for the enemy," Cody mused.

"It's more," Windu's voice was deep and low, the same way he spoke when he was angry. But, Cody did not think the anger was directed at him. "He would be a Master of the Dark Arts."

"And, this makes him more powerful than the Jedi?" Cody asked bluntly. Kenobi had tried to explain the fine balance of light vs. dark to him many times. Cody didn't get why it had to be one extreme or the other.

"That is a complicated question," the General admitted. "The dark side has many seductive powers. But, those of us in the light have kept the peace now for a thousand years."

"Except you don't know why or how someone dropped an army into your lap."

"That's… not entirely true," Windu admitted. "Master Sifo Difas had visions of a great war. He spoke of it many times to the Council. It seems he… took matters into his own hands."

"It doesn't explain how he did it." Cody wasn't satisfied at all with this explanation. "His actions in creating the army made part of his vision come true." Cody wasn't trying to argue against his own existence. He was glad he was born. He wanted answers, and this discussion was deeper than the ones he had with Kenobi.

"You are correct again, Commander. All of this is troubling and we have not had time to properly reflect upon any of it since we were thrust into the war at Geonosis. We are fighting an enemy without clarity of whom we are actually fighting, and we are using an army of men who have no say in the matter."

Cody was shocked speechless. He'd never heard a Jedi acknowledge the reality of their existence so plainly. "No, we don't, General. We are not free men."

At the pained look on the General's face, Cody felt obligated to continue.

"Sir, I consider it an honor to serve the Republic, as does Rex, and all of our troopers in the Open Circle fleet. General Kenobi is good to us, but not all clones are so fortunate with their Jedi. And, Fox, he doesn't even have a Jedi to protect him." Cody blinked again, to try to push away his grogginess. Was he making any sense? Should he stop talking now? "And, I think he could use one."

"Why?" Something he'd said had piqued the General's interest.

Cody could barely keep track of his words, but he tried to answer the General's question. "Things are bad with the Coruscant Guard. Fox wouldn't say what it was, but something is going on there. If he had a Jedi, like I do with Kenobi, maybe and the Guard would be protected from-"

Cody wanted to continue the discussion further, but he sensed activity in close proximity to their location. He tightened his grip on the blaster and pushed himself up to a sitting position, trying to suppress a groan. "We're not alone here, General."

"At ease, Commander. I believe those are friendlies."

Cody closed his eyes in relief, and then regretted it, as it was exceedingly difficult to open his eyes again.

"Stay awake, Commander."

He heard Windu's voice calling to him and was vaguely aware he was listing off to the side. Strong arms gripped him from behind and kept him from crashing over.

"Commander Wolffe, we found him!"

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