It's one thing to say that they're going to let the Jedi in on their secret. It's another thing entirely to stand in front of General Skywalker and Commander Tano and realize that within moments some of the things that they've hidden for so long will come to light. General Kenobi is there too, via holoprojector. They're only missing General Ti now.

The full weight of the decision they're about to make has settled heavily over Echo's chest. He can't shake the nerves that flicker uneasily through his gut as they wait for the Resolute to secure a comm channel to Kamino. There's no telling what this will change. There's no telling how the Jedi will react or whether or not Domino squad will even be believed—but Echo thinks that it's necessary. They've been playing it safe ever since their reset. If they truly want things to change for the better…this is a necessary risk. It's time to make a move.

Echo glances at his batchmates around him and takes a deep breath. Next to him, Cutup offers Echo a weak grin. Droidbait is chewing on his lip. On Echo's other side, Hevy stares thoughtfully at the floor, fists balled at his side. Fives meets Echo's gaze and flashes a careful okay? at him that Echo thinks about for a half second before responding with a quick affirmative. He's nervous, but the importance of this moment far outweighs his stress.

There's a satisfying hum as the holoprojector in front of them connects with Kamino. A moment later, General Shaak Ti appears alongside General Kenobi. She looks over the inhabitants of the room with a regal turn of her head. Finally, she faces Domino squad. Her gaze settles on Hevy. A small smile graces her face.

"Greetings, Masters Kenobi and Skywalker, Padawan Tano. Domino squad. Hevy... I am relieved to see that the reports of your death were exaggerated."

Hevy huffs out a laugh.

"Won't be getting rid of me that easily, sir. There's work to do."

"Indeed," General Ti says, brow raising just a little. "And would I be correct in assuming that this work has something to do with why you asked to meet with me today?"

General Skywalker clears his throat.

"Yes, Master. Domino squad told us that they… weren't actually under your command before joining the 501st. They suggested that we call you so that they could explain themselves. We haven't heard what they want to say yet. We decided to wait for you."

General Ti's eyes widen just a little, but then she nods.

"If they have decided that it is the right time," she tells them. General Kenobi strokes his beard.

"You were aware of their odd ties to the Cosmic Force, Master Ti?"

"I sensed that they had a great purpose in this war, nothing more. It was for that reason that I chose to support their story of being under my command," General Ti explains.

"And we're grateful for that, sir," Echo declares slowly. "It wasn't time yet. But now we think it is. We hope it is."

General Ti inclines her head. "Very well then, Domino squad. We await your explanation."

There's a beat of silence. Echo opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly can't think of what to say. Even though they've already discussed what their explanation will be, it's still hard to find a place to start. It's just… so much.

"Right," Fives eventually mutters. "It's complicated. We don't even understand it fully. To put it bluntly, Generals… this isn't the first time we've fought this war."
"What?" Commander Tano blurts out immediately before Fives can go any further. "What does that even mean?"

Fives shrugs. "This is the second time we're experiencing these events. The first time, we lived our lives, and one by one we died because of this very same war. Then we all just… woke up back on Kamino. As cadets. Each of us retained all of the memories from our first lives. We thought they were just dreams, but all of us having the same dream seemed impossible. It didn't make sense… and then everything started happening just how we remembered it."

"You came back in time?" General Skywalker asks incredulously. Commander Tano's eyes are impossibly wide.

"I guess so, sir," Fives says, and then lets out a long exhale. "More like our memories returned to our old bodies, I think. We don't know how or why."

General Kenobi arches an eyebrow. General Ti frowns.

"Wait a second. You suggested to me that we use turbo tanks on Geonosis," Commander Tano gasps loudly. She rises up on her toes. "You were the ones to warn me that it was wiser to listen to the advice of my Master during my first piloting mission! Fives… when you jumped out of the gunship to find Cutup during the Naboo mission… it was because you knew what was going to happen!"

"You knew about the chips, too," General Skywalker contributes quietly. He still looks half-stunned by the realization.

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Commander Tano demands suddenly. "So many men died on Naboo! We could have saved them!" Droidbait flinches at that. Echo exhales.

"We wanted to tell you," Hevy says quietly. "But we were afraid of what it would change if we did. We needed the advantage of knowing exactly what was going to happen, and we couldn't risk changing too much too soon."

"What exactly is it that you were so intent on changing?" General Kenobi asks.

"Outcomes of battles, the tide of the war." Echo shudders. "Fives and I survived for a long time during our first lives, sir. The Republic wasn't exactly winning. We were trapped in a stalemate with no way out."

"There were too many secrets. Too many betrayals. Too many good men lost, and it wasn't getting us anywhere," Fives hisses bitterly. Echo tenses. Careful, careful.

"We knew about things like the biochips," Hevy says quietly. "That's part of what we're trying to change, sirs."

"Wait. You said that just you and Fives survived? What about Bait, Cutup, and Hevy?" Commander Tano asks suddenly. Cutup rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"We, uh… we didn't make it that far, Commander. We didn't get off of Rishi the first time. We changed that, thankfully."

"You died?"

"Yeah," Cutup says, and the grin slides off of his face. "Wasn't very fun. I wouldn't recommend it."

"That's—you didn't make it to the 501st?"

"That's a second-life experience only, sir. But don't worry, I'm enjoying it so far." The wry answer doesn't calm the Commander at all.

"We didn't even meet?" she chokes out, horrified. Cutup shrugs guiltily.

"Forgot to look up," he mutters by way of explanation, which is… a mild way of putting it. Echo can't decide whether or not it would be inappropriate to roll his eyes.

"This certainly wasn't the explanation I was expecting. But it is an interesting one," General Kenobi says pensively.

"You believe us, sirs?" Droidbait asks carefully, looking up at the assembled Jedi nervously. The General of the 212th turns to meet his gaze.

"We have no reason not to believe you, Droidbait. The explanations that your story provides are believable, especially when one considers several other details concerning you five. Your odd presences in the Force and your knowledge of the chips are just as convincing."

"I believe you," General Skywalker says grimly. "I can feel it, Masters. Their conviction is unshakable. It's no lie."

"Fives can't lie anyway," Commander Tano quips weakly, her smile wavering just a bit. Fives wrinkles his nose and shoots her a mock-disgruntled look.

"Neither can anyone else in this squad," he mutters under his breath in a petulant voice. Despite everything Echo stifles a grin.

"Who else knows about this?" General Skywalker asks. Cutup winces.

"Beta squad, sir. All members, present and past. Ninety-nine, back on Kamino. Also the Captain," he answers. General Skywalker makes a face.

"We could have helped you," the Jedi tells them. There's a flash of hurt visible in his expression. Echo meets the General's gaze carefully.

"We know, sir. But we needed to be careful. Some of the information that we have is dangerous. There are some things that we can finally tell you, and other things that we can't. There could be serious repercussions if we tell you too soon, or without the proper evidence. We're trying to figure these things out as we go."

After all, Palpatine activating the chips while the majority of the GAR is still under their influence remains a terrifying possibility.

"I was killed because I tried to bring the evidence of the chips to light, and lots of people who should have been trustworthy didn't like that. Nala Se included," Fives states candidly. "It was hard to know who we could trust, even among Jedi. We're telling you these things with the hope that you'll keep it quiet for now. This information can't be spread to the wrong people." General Ti's eyes narrow.

"You were killed because of that? Why weren't we there to help you?" General Skywalker thunders. He crosses his arms firmly across his chest. "The Jedi Council would never have stood for it!"

"I never made it to the Council. Too many people wanted me dead. I was killed before I could effectively present my evidence," Fives grits out. General Skywalker's fists clench, and his expression darkens. Fives sighs long and low. His gaze roves over General Ti and General Kenobi before settling on General Skywalker. Something mournful flashes across his face. "You, sir… you weren't in the best place to help me at the time."

It comes out smooth enough. It's not a lie, but it's not the exact truth either. General Skywalker probably could have helped. He just hadn't been in the right state of mind to do so, especially not after the Commander had left the Order. General Skywalker blinks in confusion at Fives' words. Echo bites the inside of his cheek.

"If I may," General Ti interrupts suddenly. "You've mentioned something about a chip several times now. To what exactly are you referring to?"

Echo pauses, mouth hanging open for a moment before he closes it with a frown. Sithspit. General Ti doesn't even know about the chips still.

"Sorry, sir," Droidbait tells her. "Maybe it would be better if we just… started from the beginning."

Domino squad had decided to tell an abridged version of their first lives that withholds some of the more sensitive details from the Jedi for now. Palpatine's involvement, for example, will not be mentioned. Neither will the Commander's decision to leave the Jedi order. Those things shouldn't be discussed yet. If Commander Tano decides to leave the order again, she should be able to make that choice freely, without anyone else influencing her. If they play their cards right, maybe she won't even feel the need to leave at all.

"How much time do we have?" Fives asks. "Bait is right, it would be easier if we could just start from the beginning, so that everyone is on the same page. It… might take a while, though."

"We could leave out things that have already happened?" Cutup suggests, but General Kenobi raises a hand.

"Time is of no importance, gentlemen. You have our full attention. Please, tell us everything you can."

Echo swallows in apprehension. Definitely no turning back now.

"Yessir."

The more tragedies they reveal, the more deaths they recount, the more furious General Skywalker becomes. It's a slow-growing anger. In the beginning it's nearly unnoticeable. As Echo recounts his capture by the Separatists at the Citadel he becomes aware of a strange pressure surging against his skin. It intensifies when Fives carefully describes Umbara, then Ringo Vinda. When he gets through the compressed version of his discovery of the chips and reaches his own death, Commander Tano winces abruptly, pressing a hand to her forehead.

"Master," she complains softly. Echo lets out a breath as the pressure in the room is sucked away in an instant. Echo hadn't even noticed how it had been slowly becoming harder and harder to breathe.

"Anakin," General Kenobi reprimands, but when he looks over and sees the conflicted look on General Skywalker's face, General Kenobi's expression softens a little.

"It's fine," General Skywalker says through gritted teeth. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opens them again, he seems more in control. Echo recognizes a quick attempt at meditation and offers General Skywalker a nod of support.

"Sir?" Fives says, worry audible in his voice. General Skywalker sighs roughly.

"Please continue, men," the Jedi invites. Droidbait takes a deep breath and picks up the story to explain how they'd woken up on Kamino after their deaths.

It's easier to describe the things they've done during their second lives, and it goes by faster. They spin the story that they do tell to revolve around the removal of the chips instead of the treachery of the Supreme Chancellor. The Jedi have lived these events as well, so there's no need for quite so many details. When the story catches up to the present, Echo steps forwards.

"According to what we remember from our first lives, the 501st should be headed to Malastare next. I can't recall an exact date—things are starting to change, so anything could happen in theory. But if everything plays out like we expect it to, that's where we'll go next."

"This is… a lot to consider," General Ti says, brow furrowed. "Did we ever become aware of the chip's existence during your first lives?"

"Yes, sir. You were aware of them. But the Kaminoans tried to pass it off as a way to curb our aggression. I don't know if the Jedi ever realized what the chips are actually capable of," Fives answers slowly. "But I hope so."

General Kenobi's hand hasn't left his beard for some time now. "Besides the 327th, the 212th, the 104th, and the 501st, no other battalions have been freed from the chip's influence. Perhaps it's time we spread that knowledge to more battalions."

Echo exchanges a look with his squadmates. One by one, he sees resolve form in each of their gazes. It's time to be bold. It's time to change things.

"We agree, sir," Hevy affirms. "Who else would be safe to tell?"

"Master Fisto, perhaps. Master Unduli. Master Tapal," General Kenobi suggests.

"Master Billaba as well," General Skywalker says. He smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "When I promised my mother I would free the slaves, this wasn't quite what I was expecting. I guess it's a start, though."

That makes everyone go silent for a moment. Eventually General Ti nods gravely.

"We will right this wrong, one way or another. I would suggest Master Windu's battalion. He cares a great deal for the men under his command. His help will be vital if we are to eventually manage the de-chipping of the entire GAR as well."

"As long as it still stays quiet," Echo says uncomfortably. General Windu is quite often found on Coruscant, in close proximity with the Chancellor because of his seat on the Jedi Council. Echo doesn't doubt that the Jedi can keep the secret, but it's still worrisome. As if sensing his concern, General Ti gives him a comforting look.

"We will preserve this secret, Domino squad. We understand the gravity of this situation. In the meantime, what would you have me do to assist you? Hundreds of chipped cadets leave my care every day. There is little I can do to aid them without revealing myself."

"When we needed information, Ninety-nine helped us gain access to the records containing information about the biochip from Kamino," Droidbait proposes quietly. "Perhaps you could do something similar, sir. There are still so many things that we don't know."

"It would also help to keep an eye on Nala Se," Fives growls. "If we can find out who she's in league with, we'll find out who else could activate the chips."

"I will investigate as much as I am able," General Ti says with a nod. Echo feels a surge of gratefulness.

"Sir, I—could you…" Hevy starts, breaking off with a self-conscious look. "Can you tell Ninety-nine that I'm not actually dead?"

General Ti smiles.

"I will take great pleasure in doing so," she tells him. Hevy relaxes.

"Thank you, sir."

"Generals… is there any way to explain this?" Cutup asks quietly. "This is just… impossible. And sometimes we feel things that we shouldn't, like something is suggesting that we do something. All this… magic with the Force never makes any sense. Is there anything you could tell us about how to figure this out?"

"Quite frankly, Cutup… the Force rarely makes sense. But it does guide us for the better," General Ti says, sounding vaguely amused. Cutup grimaces. General Kenobi smiles.

"We will continue to investigate the matter. In the meantime, removing the chips from the other battalions should be our main priority. I will get the word out, along with a firm order to keep the operations hidden from any outside party."

"We've got the beginnings of a plan, then." General Skywalker crosses his arms over his chest. "And the information that Domino squad has could be used to our advantage as well. If they can describe to us the strategies used during the different battles they experienced, we could gain the upper hand over the enemy. If we strengthen our defenses where we know they'll attack, we can catch them off guard. We could be more than prepared for whatever the Separatists decide to throw at us if we use their information wisely."

"I agree," General Kenobi says. "Would you be opposed to a second briefing in order to discuss the finer details of those events, men?"

"Not at all, sir," Fives answers. "We'll tell you everything we can remember."

Echo feels a surge of adrenaline. They have a plan. Things are advancing. He can't quite decide if the shiver that runs down his spine is excitement or anxiety. Probably both.

"Very well, then. I shall contact you if I uncover any pertinent information," General Ti says. She offers them a short bow. "May the Force be with you, Domino squad."

Her hologram ripples and flickers out. General Kenobi turns to look at General Skywalker and Commander Tano.

"Anakin, Ahsoka. May the Force be with you as well. And for Force's sake, be careful."

"Aren't we always careful, Master?" General Skywalker responds without missing a beat. His grin is infectious. "Good luck, Obi-Wan."

General Kenobi is gone a moment later. Echo exhales slowly into the silence that falls, practically numb with relief. It's over. And now the Jedi are in on the secret.

"Well," General Skywalker begins carefully, "It definitely wasn't what I expected, men. But—I understand why you didn't tell us this sooner. I'm… I'm sorry that you went through all that. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."

"It's… alright, sir," Cutup says hesitantly. "You weren't even on Rishi, you had no control over that."

"No, but there were other things I could have done to help later on," General Skywalker says, gaze shifting over to Echo and Fives. His expression crumples. "I failed you. I'm sorry."

Echo swallows. Fives is stiff next to him, holding his breath. He lets it out in a long exhale.

"Sir... I trust you with my life." Fives' admission catches Echo off guard, but Fives sounds absolutely sincere. Echo can't resist a proud smile.

"I do as well, sir. Things are different this time. We can make sure those tragedies never occur."

"It won't happen again. I'll do everything in my power to help you fix this," General Skywalker vows. His voice gains strength as his resolve strengthens. The Jedi straightens his spine, determination rolling off of him in nearly tangible waves. A thrill runs through Echo's body.

This is the General Skywalker that he best remembers, the one that had existed at the time of Echo's capture by the Separatists. This General Skywalker is bold and fearless, fierce and powerful. He is loyal to a fault and would die beside his men without a second thought.

"Sir… thank you," Echo says gruffly. He's surprised at the emotion that finds its way into his own voice. His words are echoed by the rest of his squadmates. General Skywalker grins at them.

"Nothing to thank me for," he responds easily. "Ahsoka? You alright?"
The Commander has been oddly quiet for some time now. She glances up at the sound of her name.

"Just… trying to understand. Processing, I guess. I didn't even think something like this was possible, but I'll do what I can to help, too." General Skywalker puts a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone. We'll be here to help," he reassures them all. "And that… actually reminds me of someone. Hang on." He steps towards the holoprojector and types in a code with the ease of longstanding familiarity. He steps back a moment later. The holoprojector pings a few times before connecting. A new hologram materializes in front of them.

"Oh—Senator Amidala!" Hevy gasps, taking a step forward and practically sagging in relief. "Are you alright?"

"Hevy!" Senator Amidala cries, equally relieved. "Everyone said you and Flak were dead—I thought you were dead too until Anakin told me that you were alright!"

"Flak and I are just fine, ma'am," Hevy responds with a grin. "No need to worry about us."

"I can't—I won't be able to talk long, I'm in between meetings—" Senator Amidala says in sudden frustration. She glances behind herself nervously. "And… they're watching me, still. I have to be careful about when and where I answer."

"We'll leave you to your own agenda, then, Senator. I just wanted to let you two talk for a moment," General Skywalker says worriedly. Hevy inhales sharply.

"Wait, wait—Sabe. What happened to Sabe?" he asks urgently.

"She's alright, Hevy, I promise. She was taken to be questioned by Senator Burtoni in the Senate Building, but while she was there Chancellor Palpatine actually came to see what was going on—he'd seen the commotion from his office somehow, I suppose, but he managed to get her out of there before she was questioned too much. He had no idea it was Sabe, but I'm grateful for his intervention regardless."

Echo tenses. That's… odd. Chancellor Palpatine had acted to spare Senator Amidala's decoy from Senator Burtoni?

"Thank the Force. Give him my thanks, Senator," General Skywalker says gratefully. Echo's eyes go wide.

Safeguarding Senator Amidala is just one more way for the Chancellor to gain favor with General Skywalker. Echo's chest contracts in disappointment. Even though the General has sworn to help them, Echo is glad they withheld Palpatine's involvement from him. That likely wouldn't have ended well. General Skywalker is going to have to see proof of the betrayal for himself if he's going to ever believe it without lashing out recklessly.

"I'm glad she's alright," Hevy says even as his eyes flash in anger. He hides it quickly. "Please, ma'am, stay safe."

"I'll do my best, as long as you stay safe as well. I… don't have much time," she says, frowning in annoyance.

"Go. We'll comm you if there's anything else you need to know," General Skywalker tells her gently. Her gaze lingers on the Jedi for a moment. Echo gets the distinct feeling that there is something that remains unsaid in her eyes. General Skywalker smiles at her, and then she disappears. Hevy wipes a hand across his brow in relief.

"Thanks, sir. I'm glad she's alright."

Echo is glad that she's safe, too, but he's also concerned. Palpatine had gotten involved, and that can't mean anything good. The news makes the victory of finally telling the Jedi seem muted, somehow, as if they've gone two steps forwards but one step back.

Hevy lays his armor out along the floor with care, eying the white pieces pensively. He can already envision the fire curling up his chestplate, just as it had last time. He pulls a paintbrush from the bucket of paint at his side. A quick tap against the rim clears it of excess liquid. He can hear the rest of his batchmates starting an enthusiastic game of sabacc on the other side of the barracks. He keeps his hand as steady as he can as he gently lowers the brush to the plastoid—

"Hey!"

Hevy jerks in surprise, barely managing to pull his brush up in time to avoid accidentally painting a blue streak across his codpiece. Holy kriff. Crisis narrowly averted. He raises his head and glares at the door, half-prepared to chew out the newcomers, but he stops when he sees the three new brothers standing in the doorway.

One of them is vaguely familiar. Hevy has seen him around before—he's been with the 501st for a while. A blue line of paint drops from his t-visor to the bottom of his helmet on each cheek. The other two men are shinies who seem vaguely disconcerted. Their blank helmets are tucked under their arms.

Across the room, Hevy's batchmates go completely silent. Hevy glances over at them and narrows his eyes in confusion when he realizes that each of his brothers are watching the new clones in surprise. Fives' expression is a mixture of elation and restraint.

"Sorry to interrupt, boys," the more experienced brother says in a light tone. "I heard you guys still had a bucket of paint, and I'd say these two have earned their colors."

Hevy runs a critical eye over the white armor.

"Sure they've been in a fight? They still look pretty shiny," he comments dubiously. The shinies don't meet his gaze, shuffling their feet. One of Hevy's batchmates makes a strangled sound from the other side of the room. Hevy can't quite tell if it's amusement or embarrassment. He glances over at them and glimpses the tail-end of a hastily signed conversation. He doesn't quite see enough of it to understand what's being said.

Fives sets down his cards and gets to his feet with a smile. Despite the newcomers' presence, Cutup still tilts his head to try and catch a glimpse of his hand as he does.

"You and your men are welcome here, Sergeant Denal," Fives says firmly. Just like that, the moment of tension dissipates. Denal grins. The shinies relax.

"Alright, what am I missing?" Hevy asks, raising an eyebrow. Denal's grin widens.

"Only that your squad was these shinies' first battle," he says, a little amused. Hevy blinks.

"Oh," he manages. He looks over the shinies again. So these were the kids that had gotten the drop on his squadmates. The rest of Domino had filled him in on what had happened once Hevy had returned to the Resolute.

"You two feeling alright?" Echo asks kindly. "How were the surgeries?"

"Successful," one of the shinies says carefully, still a bit wary.

"We're so sorry!" the other blurts out in the same moment, expression crumpling."Force, we're sorry! We had no idea what was going to happen, the pilot said there was a transmission for our squad and then it just—it's hard to remember, but we woke up and they said that we attacked you and—!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Cutup interrupts hastily, scrambling to his feet as well. "Seriously, it's alright! We don't blame you at all!"

"It isn't your fault," Fives tells them, a sincere weight to his words. "You aren't responsible for what you did while Nala Se controlled you. You're with us again, so you're brothers without a doubt."

Cutup makes his way over to the shinies who are watching with wide eyes and thrusts out his hand. "I'm Cutup," he tells them cheerfully. "And you are…?"

"Tup," the one with the bun says, gratitude evident on his face as he shakes Cutup's hand. The other shiny tilts his head as he reaches for Cutup's hand.

"The name's Dogma," he says.

"Great, great. Since you've got paint, can I leave them with you for a bit?" Denal asks them. Hevy nods.

"Yeah, it's fine. I've got enough for three sets." He gestures at the bucket next to him and glances at the shinies. "It might be a tight fit in this room, but you're welcome to find some space and get your armor all set. I think DB's got some more paintbrushes that you can borrow—"

Droidbait leaps from his seat to rummage in the tiny drawer by his bunk. He comes up with two more brushes as Fives approaches Tup and Dogma to lay a hand on each of their shoulders. There's a fond look on the ARC's face.

"We've got 'em, Sergeant," he says. He tugs the shinies a little bit further into the room. His expression slides from sentimental to mischievous in an instant. "We'll even give them back to you in one piece."

Denal laughs and tosses them a two-fingered salute as he leaves. Fives guides Tup and Dogma towards Hevy. There's something peaceful and at ease in Fives' body language that makes Hevy smile. He pats the floor beside him invitingly as the three other clones approach, sitting back on his heels.

"There should be some space over here. Just try to keep your equipment in this corner, though. The rest of the squad will be getting back from the mess eventually and we don't want to block their path to their bunks."

The sabacc game gets abandoned as the shinies start to strip away their armor and lay it on the floor. The shinies are still a bit skittish, like newborn fathiers. It's endearing. Hevy can tell that he isn't the only one thinking that either—Cutup's eyes are bright as he watches them accept the paintbrushes from Droidbait.

"Thanks," Tup says. Dogma nods. Out of the corner of Hevy's eye he watches as his batchmates position themselves closer so that the newcomers are more included in the group.

"So, what are you guys going to paint?" Cutup asks curiously. Tup frowns.

"I-I dunno yet. I really haven't given it much thought."

"What about you, Dogma?" Echo prompts.

"We can paint anything?" Dogma asks. Hevy nods at him.

"Pretty much, as long as it isn't offensive in some way. Something to set you apart on the battlefield. But you've gotta do it yourself. We can't tell you what to paint. It's your armor, your identity."

Dogma frowns pensively. "Let me think about it."

"Take your time," Fives urges. "There's no rush. Cutup took ages to paint his armor. His helmet was blank for weeks."

Tup's eyes wander back to Cutup. He perks up a little in curiosity.

"How did you pick, then? What helped you decide?"

Cutup grins. "Oho. Now that's a story."

Tup shifts so that he's sitting cross-legged and Dogma kicks his legs out as their attention fixates on Cutup. Hevy's batchmate launches into the story of the blue shadow virus and his first experience fighting alongside Commander Tano. It doesn't take long for the shinies to become engrossed in the story.

Hevy would normally listen, but he wants to get started on his armor while he still has plenty of free time available. He dips his paintbrush into 501st blue again and lets the voices of his brothers wash over him as he finally draws a careful line of blue across the plastoid.

He starts to draw flames over his greaves, but hesitates. After a moment of consideration he lets his hand move of its own accord to paint them entirely blue instead. It feels solid and sure. More grounded, somehow. The flames expand upward then from the tops of his shins, curling up his cuisses and continuing across his chestplate. The lines are bolder than he had made them last time. They gather into solid licks of fire instead of the sporadic designs that Hevy had used before. Hevy is far more certain of himself now, far more aware of his motivations and his potential. That knowledge makes each stroke of his paintbrush confident and full of purpose.

He leaves one of his boots clear of any paint. He wants to ask if it's possible to get his hands on 212th orange—not to do anything unprofessional, but to pay a small remembrance to the brother that lost his life on Felucia. Hevy made a promise, and he intends to keep it, regardless of whether or not it's allowed.

That being said… if he's honoring the brother from the 212th, there are other men that deserve just as much respect. The least Hevy can do is add something to his armor that reflects his gratitude.

He reaches for a pauldron and carefully starts to sketch the teeth of a gear. After a moment of consideration he begins to shape the outline of another form over it—the hilt of a sword, as if waiting to be unsheathed. Hevy can't stop a grin from springing to his lips. Instead of filling it in with color, he paints around the design until a stark-white symbol of the Guard stares back at him, cradled in a sea of 501st blue.

"What is that?" Dogma asks abruptly. Hevy looks up at him. Dogma has inched closer without Hevy really noticing to peer curiously at Hevy's armor.

"The symbol of the Coruscant Guard," Hevy answers, swallowing down the worry that rises in his throat. "They're good men. I can't do much for them right now, but—at least this way I can honor them. Carry them with me, in a way. They deserve that much, at least."

"Wait, what?" Fives interjects, craning his neck to see. Hevy winces in anticipation. Kriff. He hadn't even thought to consider how Fives would take that symbol—

Fives' expression closes off almost instantly. Hevy tenses.

"I—sorry," he says carefully. "I can remove it." Fives hesitates.

"No. Leave it," he grunts. His eyes don't leave the symbol. "It's fine."

Hevy doubts that. "You sure? I can just fill it in—"

"It's fine," Fives repeats. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, then meets Hevy's gaze. "You know them far better than I ever did. They… they aren't what I thought they were. Leave it."

"Alright," Hevy tells him, trying his best to hide his relief. "Thanks, Fives."

Dogma looks back and forth between them curiously as Hevy reaches down to work on his helmet. He draws flames up the side and then adds two tiny white lines in the hollow of each cheek—one for each of his batchmates. It makes him grin. Even if he gets separated from them again, he knows that he isn't ever alone. Dogma opens his mouth as if about to speak and then snaps it shut again. Hevy quirks an eyebrow at him patiently.

"Yes?"

"Why did you go to the Senate?" Dogma asks. There's an honest curiosity in his tone that makes Hevy stop and turn to face him, taking in the shiny's expression. It isn't the question that he expected.

"Because I wanted to help my brothers," Hevy answers. He offers Dogma a smile. "To me, there's nothing more important. My brothers are my family, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect them. All of them, whether they're in the 501st, the Coruscant Guard, or a battalion that I've never even heard of stationed on the other side of the galaxy."

"That's not how they tell us to think on Kamino," Dogma says. He hunches his shoulders. "In Tipoca City everyone looks up to you. Except the Kaminoans."

Hevy snorts. "I can't imagine they would. I can't imagine they'd tell you it's okay to think like that, either. They just want us to follow orders and not think twice about it."

Dogma frowns.

"We're supposed to be loyal, though. We—we aren't meant to question what we're told. Besides, it's… safer with orders. Easier. If you follow them, there's no chance of making a mistake." He scuffs his knuckles over his blank armor as he talks. Hevy hums.

"Sure, you won't make a mistake, but what if those orders go against what you believe to be right? You could be ordered to do anything. That kind of robotic compliance can be dangerous sometimes. Take the Kaminoans, for example. They put the chips in our heads so that we'd be their mindless tools. It was… forced blind obedience. You couldn't choose whether or not to obey, and they used you against your brothers."

"Yes," Dogma confirms, expression souring. He shudders. "I don't want that again." Hevy puts a hand on his shoulder. Dogma leans into the touch.

"It's good to have orders. Good to follow them, too, but only when the person giving them deserves that respect. We're men, not droids. That's why I went to the Senate."

Dogma hesitates.

"...And if the person giving orders… doesn't deserve respect?" he asks. Hevy pauses, suddenly unsure of how to answer—

"You've got to learn to think for yourself," Fives says suddenly. Dogma turns his head to look at the other clone. Hevy had forgotten that Fives was even listening. "You need to decide for yourself what's right and what's wrong. Come up with your morals, what you believe in, and stick to them. Fight for them, if you have to, even if it means disobeying. Choose where your loyalties lie, instead of giving them away freely." Dogma frowns again.

"That's… treason," he says nervously. Fives nods grimly.

"Yeah," he answers. "But we're under General Skywalker now, and he does deserve our respect. We won't have to worry about treason. That's part of the reason why Hevy went to the Senate, too—so we could defend ourselves if needed without that risk."

That seems to calm Dogma's unease for the time being, even though his brow is still furrowed. He takes a deep breath.

"So then, what if I were to decide that my morals include not fighting anymore, or something like that?" He sounds curious more than anything. The question seems hypothetical enough. Still, Hevy tries to tread carefully.

"If Senator Amidala gets her way, one day we'll be able to make that decision," he says. "Until then, we'll keep fighting."

Dogma nods, eyelids flickering. He seems to be thinking hard. Hevy catches Fives' gaze.

Ok? he signs rapidly. Fives gives a silent sigh.

I hope so, Fives signs back. Hevy drums his fingers against the floor anxiously.

There's a clatter of boots as Hardcase, Jesse, and Kix sweep into the room. They don't seem at all put off by the presence of the newcomers. Hardcase has his Z-6 in hand. To Hevy's surprise, Jesse is also lugging a Z-6.

"Hey, Hevy!" Hardcase says cheerfully, voice cutting across the chatter in the room. "Got something for you!"

Hevy raises his eyebrows. Jesse lowers the Z-6 in his hands gently to the floor and motions for Hevy to join them. Hevy feels a jolt of excitement, clambering to his feet.

"Hardcase, you son of a Hutt. Is that—"

"For you? Of kriffing course," Hardcase says, a grin practically splitting his face in half. "I thought you of all people would appreciate a nice shiny model to replace your old one."

Hevy leaves his armor to dry and steps over Tup's still-blank armor to get a better look at the weapon in between Jesse and Hardcase. Kix laughs as he sets his medpack on his bed.

"You wouldn't believe what he had to do to get his hands on that, Hevy. It's brand new. We don't get unused models very often." Hevy almost asks what, exactly, Hardcase had done, but then he runs a hand over the barrel of the Z-6 and loses that train of thought.

"Oh, hello beautiful," Hevy breathes out. He curls his fingers around the gun. "It's been a while. Sithspit, I missed this." The grips feel solid in his hands. He hefts it experimentally. The weight is familiar and comforting. He hasn't held a Z-6 since Geonosis. He hadn't realized how odd it had been to be without his weapon of choice for so long until now. It feels as if he's greeting an old friend.

"Will she work?" Hardcase asks, an understanding gleam in his eye. Hevy grins.

"She's perfect," he replies. "I can't wait to take her to the range."

Across the room, Dogma is saying something to Echo, who is listening with interest and nodding his head. His attention seems to be all the incentive Dogma needs to keep talking even as he starts to sketch out a V shape across his chestplate. Cutup chimes in every so often, managing to coax a laugh out of Dogma. Tup is fully immersed in a rapid-fire conversation with Fives and Droidbait, armor completely forgotten. The three of them seem half a moment away from bursting into uncontrollable laughter. Jesse and Kix are quick to make their way over to join in.

There's a sudden flurry of loud greetings as the rest of Beta squad return as well. Del blinks at the sight of so many people crammed into his barracks, but just shakes his head fondly a moment later. Nax laughs in excitement. Tipper and Zeer are unsurprisingly right behind them. Tipper is quick to dart over to Cutup and elbow him in the ribs. The motion sparks a shoving contest between the two of them that quickly escalates while Zeer rolls his eyes and Echo facepalms.

Hevy sets his new Z-6 down slowly, letting his gaze shift lazily from one brother to the next. All at once he feels himself relax. He'd missed this. The shenanigans, the teasing, the sense of family and peace and joy. Contentment rolls over him like a wave.

Hardcase slings an arm over Hevy's shoulders. The other heavy gunner doesn't say anything. He just watches their brothers and sends Hevy a knowing look. Across the room, Droidbait lets out a disgruntled sound, raising his voice.

"No, come on! You two don't have any idea what you're talking about!"

Fives grins in a clear taunt.

"We've been arguing about this for literal cycles, Bait. Besides, Tup agrees with me, so you're clearly outnumbered—"

"But you kriffing knew that he would—ugh!"

"I mean, just the idea of a gutkurr-sized tooka is motivation enough. I'd love to see that," Tup comments cheerfully.

"I dunno, DB makes some good points," Jesse says with a quirk of an eyebrow. "I think I'd fight the ten tooka-sized gutkurr instead of the gutkurr-sized tooka—"

"Really, Jesse? It's one large tooka. One."

"But that's so much effort, Fives!" Droidbait counters. "It's big and it's fast and it can bite your head off in one go! The tiny gutkurr are like, uhhh, little one-kick wonders! One good hit and they'll go flying! That's way easier to deal with and they won't do nearly as much damage!"

"But gutkurr also have teeth. They jump, too. If they swarm you, you're done!"

"They won't swarm me because I'll have kicked half of them to the closest moon before they can get close!" Droidbait casts his gaze around desperately and meets Hevy's amused gaze. "Hevy! Back me up here!"

Hevy smiles. He'd really missed this. It's such a simple joy, to be surrounded by his brothers again, and yet Hevy feels it deep in his bones—here there is safety and warmth. Here is where he belongs.

"Well, if you want my opinion..."

Senator Amidala truly is a force to be reckoned with.

Half of the 501st is crammed into the port side mess hall. Every man's attention is firmly fixed on the holograms in front of them. General Skywalker and Commander Tano are there as well, just as engaged as the clones are. General Skywalker has rigged the projector so that it broadcasts the holograms larger than normal, allowing large numbers of men to view it at the same time. Cutup is seated in between Nax and Tipper, neck craned so that he can see what's going on over the sea of brothers in front of him. The rest of Beta squad are all around him.

The Senate probably hadn't expected Senator Amidala to continue pushing the bill for Clone Rights after Hevy's supposed death. She's doing so anyway, with a righteous fury and a determination that makes Cutup's eyes go wide in awe. He keeps stealing furtive glances at Hevy, who is on the edge of his seat a few spots over in between Del and Flak. Hevy looks proud, and also worried.

"I was not proposing this bill for the sole purpose of appeasing a friend," Senator Amidala says firmly. "I proposed these changes because it is the right thing to do. The accident that took the life of trooper Hevy is a tragedy, but it does not change the fact that these men that fight and die for our cause, that were born for battle and know nothing else because we can't manage to end this war, deserve justice!"

An unseen brother whistles long and low. A few impressed mutters ripple through the watching crowd. Cutup grins.

"I know that if Hevy were still alive, he would be standing here today to plead with you, once again, to listen to the voices of his brothers. Instead, the task falls to me to do so. And I will not sit in silence while these men suffer."

Cutup glances around the room again and blinks in surprise when he sees General Skywalker's proud grin. His gaze is trained intensely on Senator Amidala.

"You are not alone, Senator Amidala!" a young voice calls determinedly. A Pantoran Senator steers her platform into the center of the chamber. "Pantora will support your proposal!"

"As will Alderaan," Senator Organa says immediately, cutting over Mas Amedda's drawl of "Senator Chuchi of Pantora."

"And Chandrila," a woman with auburn hair adds gracefully. Cutup grins. Next to him, Tipper fidgets and taps his foot in anticipation as Senator Mon Mothma is introduced.

"Holy kriff. We're getting even more support than I thought was possible. Maybe we actually have a chance!" Tipper whispers. Both of them look up when Commander Tano suddenly appears next to them.

"Scoot over, I can't see from the back! You're all too tall!" she demands, nudging Cutup's shoulder. He shifts to oblige her and make room on the bench so that she can sit next to them.

"Have the Senators who support this bill put any thought into the extreme burden that a bill of this kind will place on the Republic?" a new Senator challenges with a sneer as his platform surges out into the open.

"The Senate recognizes Senator Mee Deechi of Umbara," Mas Amedda supplies. The Umbaran man glowers at Senator Amidala.

"Does the Republic have the manpower and available resources to even accomplish such a thing? There could be thousands of clones seeking this kind of support. How could they all be accommodated? It would be a drain of the Republic's resources, nothing more. Would Senator Amidala suggest that we fund these trials instead of other critical projects, or does she intend to force the Republic to turn to the Banking Clans in order to financially support her trivial ideas?"

Hevy snarls, half-rising to his feet. Some clones shout angry comments at the hologram of the Umbaran. On screen, the Senate grows restless. Some Senators cry out in agreement, others in offense. A few shift uneasily, breaking out into whispered conversations amongst themselves. Senator Amidala draws herself up, glaring at her opponent.

"If you had read the full draft of the bill, Senator Deechi, you would have seen that the funding will be provided by those who are willing to support this idea."

"And what kind of ulterior motives does this bill hide, Senator Amidala? Your association with the clones has obviously warped your manner of thinking. What would future amendments to this bill require that the Republic sacrifice?"

Senator Organa raises a hand. "Senator Deechi, the purpose of this meeting is to discuss bills that are currently being proposed. If a bill does not specify a certain action, then that action does not merit discussion right now. We are debating the possibility of Senator Amidala's draft, not what might be proposed in the future," he interjects firmly before the Umbaran Senator can go any further.

"But I believe that Senator Deechi brings up several interesting points," Senator Burtoni says smoothly as she joins the crowded chamber center. Her appearance provokes hissed insults and jeers from the assembled clones. Cutup clenches his jaw. He glances over at Hevy again—his brother's glare is downright murderous. "The clone armies have functioned optimally for some time now without the proposed additions to the military system. I see no need to alter something that remains functional, especially not while the war should be demanding our full attention. This funding could be used for far better purposes."

"If these men were anything but clones, this Senate would be rushing to their aid," Senator Amidala says, eyes blazing. "But because they are clones, you insist that we ignore their mistreatment and deny them the justice that they deserve!"

"They deserve whatever the Kaminoan government deems fit to give them, as our products and property," Senator Burtoni hisses. Commander Tano lets out a particularly nasty word in Huttese. Cutup shouts in anger along with the rest of his brothers, balling his fists. Piece of scum—!

Senator Deechi shakes his head, nose upturned. "This is an utterly fruitless debate! This Republic spends far too much time discussing these pointless issues. This war is draining Umbara dry of resources, and instead of doing something to fix this, you are more concerned with appeasing laboratory-grown life forms who were only purchased so that we could fight this war without risking our own civilians! Their comfort has never been a priority, nor should it be!"

"If that is what you truly think, then you have forgotten the moral foundations that this government was built upon," Senator Chuchi interjects, narrowing her eyes. "This Republic was not created so that we as Senators and leaders of the people could be distant and dispassionate. A time of conflict should not change the fact that we value the lives of all life forms who serve this Republic!"

"Senators, we cannot allow the testimonies of so many men, Jedi included, to go unrecognized!" Senator Amidala cries. "Will we sit idle as the beginning strands of slavery weave their way into our history? Will we let fear of change stop us from helping those in need?"

"Give it to 'em, Senator Amidala!" a clone shouts from across the mess hall. Several other men eagerly voice their support.

Senator Burtoni and Deechi start talking at the same time, and so does Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, soaring forward to shake his fist at Senator Amidala. He nearly collides with Senator Chuchi's platform as he does. At the same time Senator Mon Mothma begins to speak, and everything devolves from there. Within moments the Senate is in an uproar. Cutup shakes his head in awed disbelief.

"She always did have this kind of effect on people," Commander Tano says with a snort, barely audible above the din of clones and Senators shouting their opinions. Cutup grins.

"Senators, Senators! Please!" a voice implores, rising above the din just enough to be heard. Cutup sneers at the hologram again as Chancellor Palpatine comes into view. His hands are raised in an attempt to pacify the diplomats.

"We will have order!" Mas Amedda booms. It does no good—he has to shout several more times and bang the tip of his staff on the floor repeatedly before the commotion finally begins to subside. The Senators are slow to quiet themselves again, reluctantly pulling away from their arguments. At Mas Amedda's continued urging, those who had piloted their platforms into the center of the room return to their original spots along the side of the chamber. Senator Amidala determinedly remains where she is.

"Senator Amidala, you have given this Senate much to think about today," Chancellor Palpatine says kindly. His voice is pleasant enough, but it still sends uncomfortable shivers down Cutup's spine. "In the interest of time, we would ask that this debate be continued in the next session so that all those who wish to voice their concerns or support may consider their arguments and do so in an orderly fashion. We will not accomplish anything with this amount of arguing."

For the briefest of moments, Cutup is sure that Senator Amidala is going to stand her ground. Technically there is no limit to how long this session could go on for. The debates could continue for as long as needed.

Eventually, however, the Senator inclines her head gracefully and moves her platform back. Cutup wonders what she's thinking.

"Sleemo," Fives growls. "He's putting it off. He can't stop it, there's too much support, but he can delay it for as long as possible." Commander Tano shoots him an odd look but doesn't comment. Cutup winces. General Skywalker is thankfully too far away to have heard the remark.

Hevy exhales long and hard as the meeting continues, but most of the clones have lost interest now that the section involving them is over for the day. "It could have gone better, but it could have gone worse, too." His entire body is still tense. "I wish I had been there."

"Can't be helped," Cutup reminds him gently. Hevy heaves a sigh and nods.

"She's winning more sympathy, though. It's definitely progress," Nax contributes optimistically.

"Yeah. If they thought it would end by killing you, they were dead wrong," Tipper comments in a smug tone. "If anything, your death has made other Senators rise to the occasion."

Hevy smiles faintly. "I guess that is one perk."

"Nothing was settled, though," Commander Tano says uneasily. "How long will this go on? So many systems were angry at just the idea of seeing you as anything more than… products." She seems upset. Cutup offers her a shrug and a comforting smile.

"We'll keep pressing this for as long as we need to, sir. Besides, with Senator Amidala and General Skywalker on our side, we're putting up a good fight."

Commander Tano nods. "And me," she amends with a quick grin. "You're my friends, and I'll be fighting with you no matter what." Cutup returns the grin.

"We appreciate it, sir," Echo tells her, smirking. "Though I don't think you'll be of much help yet, considering you can't even see over the tops of our heads when we're sitting down…"

Commander Tano yelps in offense at the teasing.

"I'll grow! Kriff off, you've seen the future! You know I'll grow!" she protests loudly. Fives snorts.

"Hmm… I don't really remember her getting that much taller. Did she get taller, Echo? I can't recall…"

"Huh. I dunno, Fives. It's all kind of hazy, after all—"

"Hey!" Commander Tano looks like she can't decide to be annoyed or seriously worried, raising a hand to skim over her montrals fearfully. Cutup can't hold back his chuckle. She glares at him too, which only makes him laugh harder.

The laughter is a good distraction from the worry of the Senate meeting. With Hevy here again, they can't influence what goes on in the Senate. It's a little frustrating, but there's nothing they can do except trust in Senator Amidala's abilities and wait.

Fives is halfway through a live-fire exercise in the range when his comm starts to beep. He ignores it the first time and takes aim again, annoyed at the interruption, but whoever it is comms a second time in a row. Fives huffs.

"What?" he grunts irritably into the comlink.

"Fives," Captain Rex says, and Fives immediately straightens, cursing inwardly. He should have known better. Fortunately the Captain doesn't call him out on the unprofessionalism. "We've got news. Can you and the rest of Domino get up to the bridge as fast as possible?"

"Of course, sir," Fives says, feeling a flash of concern. "What's going on?"

Rex hesitates.

"There's good news and bad news. It's better discussed with all of you. Get up here."

"Copy that, sir. We're on our way," Fives says, abandoning his spot and heading towards the door. He steps into the hallway and comms Echo in the same moment.

"Echo, head up to the bridge. The Captain needs us, he's got news."

"Sithspit. Good news, or bad news?"

"Both, he said."

"Yeah, we're on our way there."

Fives picks up his own pace almost involuntarily as he makes his way through hallways and takes a lift up a few levels to get to the command deck. Nerves jitter down his spine. When he makes his way onto the bridge Captain Rex greets him alongside General Skywalker.

"Sirs," Fives says, snapping off a quick salute. "The rest of my batchmates are on the way. What's going on?"

Captain Rex returns his salute and sighs.

"Honestly, I can't tell you if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet," he says. Fives raises an eyebrow.

The door slides open to admit the rest of Domino. They go to salute, but General Skywalker quickly waves a hand to set them at ease.

"Thank you for coming up here, gentlemen. We just received a briefing from Coruscant. There was plenty of news, but also new orders for the 501st. We're being sent to Sullust as part of a defensive blockade that will be positioned around the planet."

There's a beat of shocked silence. Fives gapes at him. What—that wasn't right. How—?

"Oh," Fives eventually manages, just because he feels like someone should say something in response to that. A sudden jolt of fear clutches at his stomach. "Sir, I swear to you we aren't lying. Something must have changed that directed us to Sullust instead of Malastare—"

"I still believe you," General Skywalker reassures him steadily. Fives swallows down a lump in his throat. The General has no idea how much those words mean to Fives. The Jedi meets each of their gazes as he continues. "Nothing is going to change that. I know you were telling us the truth. But from what I understand, this means that things are going to play out far differently than we expected."

"Probably," Droidbait affirms in a small voice. He shuffles his feet nervously.

"How is this possible?" Hevy blurts out suddenly. "We haven't changed that much! Most of the battles we've been in have had the same outcomes as before!"

General Skywalker shakes his head. "I'm not sure. Regardless, the orders stand. We'll be heading to Sullust next cycle."

Fives wracks his brain, struggling to think of a change they've made that's big enough to send them to a completely different planet this time around. Hevy has a good point—they've de-chipped a few battalions, but that hardly seems like something that merits such a difference. Most confrontations with the Separatists have had the same outcomes as well. The only other thing that has been completely different in this timeline is—

Oh.

"It's you," Fives blurts out, turning to look at Hevy. "You're the change."

Hevy blinks at him. "W-what?"

"We always assumed that the changes that would alter the timeline would be battle-related," Fives says. "But I don't think they were this time. The only massive change we've made is what Hevy did on Coruscant."

"But I didn't actually change anything, I just said my piece and then pretended to explode," Hevy says in confusion.

"We saw some of your legacy today in the Senate, though," Captain Rex says thoughtfully.

"Is that enough?" Hevy purses his lips doubtfully. "The bill hasn't even been passed yet."

"It's done something, apparently," Cutup says.

"That's not the only thing that could have played a part, either," General Skywalker says. "The undeniably good news is that Pong Krell was arrested by Master Windu and Master Unduli. They took him to stand trial before the Jedi Council yesterday. He was publicly stripped of his title as a Jedi Master and sent to serve out a sentence in the Republic's best Force-suppressing facility on Coruscant."

Fives punches the air in excitement. Holy kriff.

"Finally! Give that slimy traitor what he deserves!" Fives doesn't think any amount of time in prison is enough to make up for the nightmare that Krell had put the 501st through on Umbara, but this is still enough vindication to satisfy him for now.

If they do ever make it to Umbara, things won't necessarily be easy, but they'll certainly be a lot more bearable without Krell.

Hevy also makes a sound of deep satisfaction, nodding his head.

"What happened to his men?" he asks.

"They were folded into the 91st under Master Windu," General Skywalker answers. He grins, and there's something just a bit wild in the expression. "From what I understood, when Masters Windu and Unduli went to arrest him, there was a brief skirmish. The clones got involved, and Krell's own men were the ones to stun him."

"I bet that felt good," Cutup mutters. General Skywalker's eyes gleam.

"I bet it did," he agrees quietly.

"Things are changing, but that's probably a good thing," Droidbait says suddenly. "I think… I think it's necessary if we want to save the Republic. What happened last time didn't work, and we can't afford to keep playing it safe."

"I agree. That… doesn't make change any less nerve-wracking, though," Echo huffs. Fives frowns. Echo is right. The assignment to Sullust's blockades does mean that they won't have to lose so many men on Malastare or to the Zillo Beast, but it does mean that they're going to be completely blind for the first time since their second lives had begun. They'll be part of the blockade, which means they won't necessarily be deployed on the planet's surface—but Fives feels a sense of growing dread anyway.

What else is going to change?

A/N: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA A;SDKLFJAS;DLKJASD;FKAJS GUYS. THIS IS CHAPTER NUMBER 40. FORTY. HECKING CHAPTERS! WOW WOW WOW! Seriously, none of this would be possible without your incredible support and love. I'm so grateful to you all for reading this story and fueling me with ideas, inspiration, and motivation! You guys are the BEST! 3

Also, unplanned side-effect of this fic: The Zillo Beast lives I guess haha!

Don't yell at me because Shaak Ti calls Anakin a master I'm not making that up hahahaha! In the beginning of the Kamino episode she totally goes "Master Skywalker" and um. Yeah I dunno why she does, but it's hilarious anyway ha!

Sigh... now I must go stop procrastinating my project. All right, all right. Until next time, guys! meridiansdominoes on tumblr for more! Love y'all!