Chapter 24: Whispers
"So the brass said we're headed to Christophsis again?" Shrik asked Anakin, peering over the wing of Rhett's interceptor.
"My squad at least. Not sure what will happen to you guys with all of your guys injured." Anakin responded, not looking up from the inner-workings of the rear of the ship, turning a wrench. Rhett's voice echoed from underneath the ship, where he was fiddling with some wires.
"How did we fuck that one up? Isn't that where I dropped you guys off before I left for the temple? I guess that's what happens when I don't go on mission with y'all." Rhett joked.
"Ease up kid, the only reason we made it out was because you weren't there to fuck it up for us." Shrik responded. The three laughed. "Speaking of fucking things up, what is taking you so long down there?" Shrik asked. Rhett groaned in response before rolling himself out from under the ship.
"Yeah I don't know, man. That whole thing is just a birds nest down there. Might need R-2 to take a look at it, if you don't mind." He replied, shifting his head over towards Anakin.
"Yeah that's fine. I'll probably need him to put the program in to reroute your power distribution anyways." Anakin responded.
"Why does he need to do that?" Shrik asked, eyeing Rhett. He shrugged.
"Well," Anakin started to respond slowly, concentrating on his work. "Without it, sure you'll be able to go faster, but only by dumping a bunch of fuel into the ignition chamber. You'll burn through it inefficiently." He explained. "If we divert power into the ignition chamber when you want it to, we'll be able to fine tune the pressures and air comps for it to burn more efficiently. Faster speeds, without tearing through the fuel."
"Yeah, Rhett. obviously." Shrik said sarcastically. "Why didn't you learn all that in Jedi-school?" He joked.
"I didn't grow up there like he did!" Rhett said defensively.
"I didn't grow up there either. Only about half my life." Anakin said with a smile. "They said I was too old when I first came in, too."
"Well, if you were too old, how the hell did they let this man-child in?" Shrik asked smiling.
"I still don't know." Anakin said with a laugh.
"It must have been my good looks and charm." Rhett said confidently.
"Yeah, definitely not that." Shrik replied.
"Well it couldn't have been my knowledge of the force. I still don't know anything." Rhett joked.
"Well do you know how to reinforce the nose pieces? We don't want those shearing off when you go super-sonic in a thick atmosphere. Can you two get working? Or are you going to make me do everything?" Anakin sarcastically asked.
"Exactly how fast do you think this thing is gonna go when we're all said and done?" Rhett asked.
"To be honest, I'm not totally sure." Anakin laughed.
"Well don't break my ship, I just got it." Rhett responded lightheartedly.
"It's not fun until it feels like it's going to break." Anakin replied.
"Well then we'll strap your ass to this homemade rocket on the first test flight." Rhett snapped, while starting to strip some pieces off the nose of the ship.
"Gladly." Anakin replied smugly. "Are you actually going to do any work? Or just insult the free labor I'm giving you to make your ship the best interceptor in the order?" Anakin asked with a smile.
"He's right. I don't think I've ever seen you goof off so much while working." Shrik said behind a smile and a hint of sarcasm, but he really was appreciating Rhett's enjoyment and friendship with Anakin.
"At least I'm working!" Rhett argued. "What have you done in the past 20 minutes?" Rhett asked.
"I don't know this stuff! This is miles past small speeders and tractors." Shrik said in defense. "And I have no idea how you know this shit, I thought I taught you most of what you know, and we never had Jedi interceptors on the farm." Shrik said.
"Well I know you know how to flush out and replace a fuel line, do that so we can replace it." Rhett snapped. Shrik rolled his eyes with a smile and got to work. He had just picked up his wrench when Rex walked in.
"General Skywalker, Corporal Kysn, Private Byra." He addressed.
"At ease, Rex. We're just tinkering on Rhett's new interceptor." Anakin said,
"Very well. I have more details about our mission." He said.
"Lemme guess. General Skywalker goes in and saves the day while the farmers sit back and watch?" Shrik asked.
"They're shipping the 501st in to reinforce the front line. They want whats left of Ardees to escort a supply run to the city." Rex explained.
"Pretty much nailed it." Rhett said with a shrug and a smile, looking at Shrik.
"Yularen wants to brief you." Rex reported.
"Alright, I'll be right there." Anakin responded, before Rex walked away. He quickly tightened one last bolt, and shut the access panel he was working under. He slowly backed away from Rhett and Shrik. "Relax, guys, you guys know you are still valuable to Republic." Anakin reassured. Rhett and Shrik mumbled some in a hesitant aggreement. "…Just not as valuable as me." Anakin said with a big smirk, before turning all the way around and walking away.
Rhett and Shrik grumbled and boo'ed Anakin mockingly behind laughs before throwing a wrench near Anakin's feet, shooing him away. They laughed. Shrik turned back toward Rhett.
"It's good to have you back." Rhett said, happily.
"Back?" Shrik asked.
"Yeah. We kinda lost you there for a bit. You were just a shell of your old self." Rhett said.
"Oh yeah." Shrik said, humbly.
"It is better, right?" Rhett asked.
"It comes and goes, I guess." Shrik explained, not really wanting to talk about it.
"Well, once this thing is over, we can get you some help. Get ya back to your old self." Rhett said, optimistically.
"No, Rhett." Shrik said. "A part of me will always be out there. Once you go through that, you can't put yourself back together." Shrik said, somberly.
"We can try, right? We still have good times." Rhett asked.
"We can try to minimize it, kid. But there will still be a shadow." Shrik admitted. Rhett frowned. He didn't like to hear his friend talk like that.
"Does anything help?" Rhett asked.
"This helps, yeah." Shrik admitted, gesturing towards the ship, referring to his spending time with his friends. "Takes my mind off everything at least. Hanging out with you and the boys helps."
"Well there ya go." Rhett said with a smile. "I don't plan on goin' anywhere."
"Anyways…" Shrik said, wanting to change the subject. "If we're on an escort mission, someone is gonna have to keep an eye on us from above." Shrik suggested. He patted Rhett's ship. "And I happen to know a pretty good pilot who just tricked out his ride, and needs to test-fly it."
"Trust me, I'd love to." Rhett said. "But you and I both know we're just gonna have to do what the orders are."
"Eh. Don't worry about that. I know a General who is just as curious to see how that ship will perform, we can have him pull some strings." Shrik said.
"I like the way you think." Rhett said with a smile.
Later, on the surface of Christophsis, Shrik and the remaining healthy members of Ardees were walking alongside of a convoy. The convoy was headed toward some of the main cities, to deliver some supplies from the landing ships away from the frontlines of the battles. The body language of the soldiers was relaxed. Being a non-military target, and walking further and further from the frontlines, the men were relieved and content being on a low-stress mission.
"Where 'ya at kid? We've already gone 4 clicks away from the LZ." Shrik asked Rhett through the com link.
"Yeah, I know, I know. I'm coming. I'm not sure what R-2 was doing on the power diverter, but we had some trouble getting this thing to turn over." Rhett explained. R-2 began whistling, from the astromech socket from the wing. "Relax, buddy, I never said it was your fault. And I never could have started it without you."
"That little droid sure is something." Shrik said.
"Might even say he has too much personality, but I don't mind havin' him around." Rhett joked.
"You better keep him safe. I think Skywalker might kill you if something happens to it." Sheik said.
"Oh I know. Trust me, I didn't even want to take him, but I need him to run the diagnostics and check systems. I have no idea what kind of shit he did to this thing, but it sure flies different." Rhett admitted.
"Different how?" Shrik asked. Rhett chuckled.
"Turn around and I'll show ya." Rhett said arrogantly. Shrik turned around and eyed the sky. He didn't see anything. The squad was on a long straight road, so there was nothing blocking his view of the sky behind him. He stood scanning for awhile, until he noticed a small dot, hovering just above the horizon. It grew in size, slowly at first. It was almost surreal looking at first, from Sheik's perspective, it barely moved, and didn't make a sound. Suddenly the dot got bigger and bigger, its silhouette against the sky grew exponentially in size, then almost all at once, Shrik could finally make out the details of Rhett's ship. It passed overhead, flying low and fast.
For just a moment, there was no noise, an eerie void that hung in the air before a deafening, boom, caused the troop to all flinch and duck their heads, before breaking out into some grumbles and some cheers. The sonic boom ripped through the air, a sharp crack that reverberated in the chest, followed by a thunderous roar as the jet's afterburners burned through the atmosphere. The sound was deep and guttural, a metallic growl. A massive gust of wind rushed in its wake, and its echoing engines forced Shrik to shout over the sound into his com link. "God dammit, kid!" He shook his head, although annoyed, he said it with a smile.
"Woo! Did you like that one?" Rhett yelled over his head set.
"Alright that was cool, I'll admit, but stop messing around, let's get to work." He said, still smiling. For a moment, he was happy, proud of Rhett and happy for what he had become. He always felt bad for the little kid next door that was stuck on his tiny farm, so young. For a moment, he didn't feel like just a farmer, he had purpose. He had Rhett, he was fighting for a cause, and with the tide of the war turning to the Republic's side, he felt accomplished. He watched as Rhett piloted the interceptor up and around, it glided smoothly through the atmosphere, slowing down and repositioning overhead the convoy making sweeps around the area making sure there were no threats.
The escort mission on Christophsis was complete. The mission was straightforward—no enemy interference, no unexpected surprises. For once, everything went according to plan. Back on the cruiser, Rhett finally felt some peace, a relatively calm mission was just what he needed to gain some confidence and level his head.
Rhett made his way through the corridors of the cruiser, feeling the familiar hum of the ship's engines beneath his feet. The atmosphere is quieter than usual—the clones are preparing for the next phase of the war, but for now, there is a rare moment of stillness.
Rhett went to go check in with Anakin, who he had not seen since they left for the Christophsis mission. Anakin's quarters were dimly lit when he arrived. The door slid open, and inside, Anakin leaned against a console, arms crossed, lost in thought. R2-D2 beeped at Rhett from the corner, acknowledging his presence.
Anakin looked up, a faint smirk appeared. "You finally decided to show up. Thought you were avoiding me." He gestured for Rhett to sit. The playful edge in his voice was present, but something felt…off. There was an intensity behind his eyes, like a sadness, something deeper than casual conversation. After a moment, he spoke again, more serious this time. "You been doing okay? I know, lately things have been okay, but we haven't been able to talk too much since I had to come pull you off Chandrilla."
"Yeah, I don't know, man. It's just…a lot of chaos. A lot has been thrown at me the past few years. Training at the temple, accidentally finding my dad again, then I get tossed back into the war. Y'know…Faroch. It's just, every time I feel like I've got something figured out or into a routine, a new wrench gets tossed in, y'know? How could I ever stay the same when a new life changing event goes down every couple of months?" Rhett asked.
Anakin still looked agitated. Rhett didn't need to feel his emotions through the force, Anakin wore them on his face. "But I honestly thought things were getting better, we've strung together a couple of successful missions with no casualties, and without the formal training I feel less stressed, I honestly feel like it helps my connection to the force. Figuring things out on my own? That's what I'm used to." Rhett explained.
Anakin's head sunk. "I know, I just…" he struggled to find his words. There was a brief pause while he mustered up the courage to speak. "Ahsoka…" he lifted his head, and twisted it, finding his words. "Left."
"Left?" Rhett asked.
"Yeah." Anakin said, sharp and defeated. He sighed. "That's where I've been the past couple of days. There was an attack at the temple."
"I heard." Rhett admitted.
"People died, Rhett. It was bad." He explained, stressed "Somehow, Ahsoka got tied up into all of it. She lead us on a chase, she was a fugitive. It took a lot to finally get her name cleared. The Jedi expelled her from the order. And when we finally got them on our side… She left."
"What do you mean?" Rhett probed.
"She's not a Jedi anymore. She left. Took off. The Jedi offered her spot back into the order, and she denied it. I don't even know where she ended up." He said reluctantly, as he plopped down, sitting next to Rhett.
"Shit." Rhett let slip out, not even knowing what to say. All he did was place a hand on Anakin's shoulder, its all he could think to do.
"I don't know, I just feel like it's my fault, for some reason, and then I think about how the council didn't trust me, or her, and jumped to wild conclusions without due process. It wasn't fair!" Anakin snapped.
"It never is, kid." Rhett admitted.
"I don't know, it's just…I don't know. I thought hearing from you would help. Everyone just looks at them and takes their word because of their status, and I know—you're different."
"Well, yeah. I don't know. I think there's just a disconnect between them and us that they don't consider." Rhett admitted. "We came in old. They have a hard time acknowledging having a past life, what that means. When they all grow up the same, it's easy to kind of hive-mind." Rhett explained. "I guess it's made me question some things."
Anakin tilted his head, studying Rhett. "What kinds of things?"
Rhett hesitated, then decide to redirect the focus slightly. "How do you deal with it?" he asked. "The doubts, I mean. The things the Jedi tell us to believe... but don't always feel right?"
Anakin's expression darkened slightly. He's quiet for a long moment, looking past Rhett, as if he was debating how much to say.
"I don't know if I'm the best person to ask," he finally says. "The Council already thinks I question things too much." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "But I'll tell you this—every Jedi struggles with doubt, whether they admit it or not. We're supposed to be above attachments, above emotions, but that's not how people work. That's not how we work."
"So what do you do?" Rhett asked.
Anakin leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I focus on the people who matter. The ones I can trust. The Jedi talk about serving the Republic, but in the end? The Republic is just politics. What really matters is the people beside you. My men in the 501st. My friends…" He slowed as his gaze dropped to the floor "Ahsoka," He gave Rhett a meaningful look. "You." He said, with a shrug towards Rhett's direction. Rhett opened his mouth to speak, but before any words fell out, a sharp beep from R2-D2 interrupted. Anakin sighed, rubbing his face before standing up. "Listen, Rhett," he said, his voice lower now, more casual. "I don't have all the answers. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me. I just wanted to make sure you don't end up like she did. I guess that's why I wanted to check in with you." He said, walking up to R2, avoiding eye contact with Rhett, almost like the moment got too personal. He changed the subject "I should check in with Obi-Wan before he starts thinking I've gone rogue again." His smirk returns, but his eyes still hold that seriousness. "You sure you're good?"
Rhett humbly nodded his head. He lied. He deflected with humor, ""I'll be fine," he said, waving a hand dismissively. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "So, what does Obi-Wan want? It's been a minute since we pissed him off. Want me to go with you?"
Anakin chuckled, shaking his head. "Tempting, but I think I've already tested his patience enough this week." He crossed his arms, smirking. "Besides, if you came with me, he might drag you along with us to Ringo Vinda. Trust me, you don't want that." Anakin joked,
You shrug. "I like to think I could keep up."
"You could, but we're meeting the Mikkian twins, they're always a handful." Anakin replied.
"Oh I gotchya. Don't worry, Walker, I won't tell Padme you've been hanging out with the twins, Rhett said with a wink. The tension from before eased slightly, and Rhett could tell Anakin appreciated the humor—maybe even needed it.
"Oh shut up." He said through a smile, "Alright, well, don't go getting into trouble while I'm gone," he said as he moves toward the door. "Actually, never mind. I know you will. Just don't get caught." As he left, R2-D2 let out a low whistle, almost as if he was agreeing with Anakin.
Rhett leaned back in his chair, and let out a small chuckle, as he returned to being alone with his thoughts again. Although he was happy to have such a good friend, and a Jedi he could relate to, the disconnection between what the Jedi preached and his role model made it all the more confusing. Anakin was supposed to be the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, and his words directly contradicted what every other Jedi master told him. He could feel something in him start to shift, it made him uncomfortable. Uncertainty, anxiety, and dread —the feelings surrounded him and extended beyond him. Whatever it was, it was bigger than him. He sat for a moment in thought, and then did the only thing he's ever known when something is weighing on his mind, get back to work.
A few days had past since Anakin left, and Rhett was starting to get restless. He had plenty of work to do on board the cruiser, but was starting to itch to leave again. There was some buzz around the cruiser that they were mobilizing, so Rhett started to investigate. The hangar on the cruiser was alive with the sounds of maintenance crews working on starfighters, clone pilots running pre-flight checks, and the occasional bark of an officer keeping everything in order. The scent of engine fuel, scorched metal, and freshly welded durasteel lingered in the air. He made his way to his own fighter, he wasn't sure what exactly he was going to do. He was just looking for something to do. He ran his fingers over the sleek hull, until he heard a clone's voice behind him.
"Didn't think you flyboys actually did your own maintenance." He turned to see Corks, grinning as he leaned against a supply crate.
"I don't," Rhett joked, "I make Skywalker do it. I'm not sure what I'm doing here." He admitted.
"Figures. So, what brings you down here?" Corks asked.
"Y'know I'm not too sure. Figured I'd find something to do. You got anything for me?" Rhett asked.
"Our fleet's heading into the Outer Rim soon—big offensive push. We're just waiting for the brass to send the orders."
Rhett frowned. "The Outer Rim? That's Separatist territory."
Corks noded. "Yeah. And word is, we're not just hitting some backwater skirmish. They're mobilizing entire fleets. Jedi, clones, everyone."
That caught Rhett's attention. "A push that big? I knew we were starting to win, but I didn't think we were ready to start invading the Outer Rim like that. Are they thinking we're almost out of here?"
Corks gave a half-shrug. "Maybe. Or maybe they're just throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks. Either way, command's being tight-lipped. Only the generals know the full plan." He leaned in slightly. "Though, rumor is the Chancellor's calling the shots personally on this one."
That made Rhett pause. Chancellor Palpatine? Directly controlling a military campaign? He thought. "Great. That guy gives me the creeps." Rhett joked. He tried to gauge Corks' reaction, but his expression remained neutral—just another soldier following orders. "So what's Ardees Squadron doing?" Rhett asked.
"Recon and escort duty for now, but once the push begins? We'll be in the thick of it." Corks smirked. "Hope you're ready for some real flying." Rhett smiled.
"That's always the plan, isn't it." Rhett chuckled.
"You'll be alright. Hey, I think Shrik was looking for you, actually. He's down in the troop quarters." He leaned in close to Rhett. "Word on the street is he snagged a little something for you." He said with a wink. Rhett said goodbye to Corks and started toward the lower decks, where the troop quarters were located.
Unlike the sterile halls of the officers' sections, this part of the ship felt lived-in to Rhett—clone armor stacked in lockers, gear bags thrown onto bunks, the occasional sound of maintenance tools clanking made it feel more casual and homely. Rhett found Shrik leaning against a supply crate, drinking from a metal canteen, looking as grizzled as ever. His eyes flicked up when he saw Rhett, and for a moment, there's silence. Then, a slow smirk. "Just the man I was looking for." he says, grinning.
"Big words for a guy who flies like a drunk Kowakian monkey-lizard," Rhett shot back, grabbing a crate and flipping it around to sit across from him. Shrik huffed a laugh, but there was something in his posture—something heavier than his usual rough sarcasm. Rhett gave him a once-over. "How you holding up?"
Shrik took a swig from the canteen before answering. "Still breathing. Though this Republic food paste is about one bite away from convincing me that death might not be so bad."
Rhett nodded toward his canteen.
"Drink up while you can. Sounds like we're all getting shipped to the Outer Rim soon."
Shrik paused mid-sip, then slowly lowers the canteen. "Yeah. I heard." He said before taking another swig.
"Speaking of which, are you gonna share or what?" Rhett joked. Shrik handed him the canteen. Rhett took a small sip. Its bite made Rhett huff. "What the fuck even is this?" He asked with a laugh.
"Some local on Christophsis gave it to me when we made out supply run as a thank you. Good shit isn't it?" Sheik raised an eyebrow.
"It'll do." Rhett said between a chuckle and another nip of the canteen. "Anyways…Any idea what we're walking into?" Rhett asked, handing the canteen back to Shrik. He exhaled through his nose, shifting against the crate, after he leaned in to take the canteen.
"Not much. Just that it's big. Command's keeping it locked down, but when clones start getting rotated off mid-deployment for 'classified briefings,' you know something's up." That got Rhett's attention.
"Briefings? What kind?"
Shrik shook his head. "No idea. But I've seen a few troopers from the 501st and 212th pulled aside. They come back quiet. Focused. Too focused." Rhett's stomach dropped. The clones are already bred for discipline, but this sounded like something else. Something deliberate. "And it's not just grunts," Shrik continued. "Some of the officers too. The kind that don't normally get pulled for meetings unless it's coming from the top."
That lined up with what Corks said—Palpatine himself was directing this campaign.
Shrik took another swig, watching Rhett carefully. "You hear something I haven't?"
"No. That's what's bothering me. I feel like I'm usually pretty in the loop. Not that I think I deserve special attention or anything, but why is it all the sudden so cloak and dagger?" Rhett asked.
"Who knows, kid?" Shrik conceded. "Why? You worried about something?'
Rhett shook his head. "Nothing solid. Just trying to get ahead of whatever's coming." Shrik eyed Rhett for a second. He knew Rhett well enough to tell when he was holding back. But he didn't push. Instead, he took another swig from his canteen and lets out a tired chuckle
"Figures. Always thinking one step ahead. That's how you survived this long, huh?" He said, as he pushed the canteen towards Rhett.
Rhett shrugged as he accepted and took a swig. "That, and sheer dumb luck."
Shrik smirked. "Mostly the second one." They laughed together. "Anyways, I thought you came here to relax a bit, huh?" Shrik laughed. "Whatever's happening, we've had a few days with a lighter workload. Let's take advantage!" Shrik said.
Rhett smiled. "You're right." He lifted the canteen towards Shrik "To Christophsis?"
"Good enough for me." Shrik said, before he took the canteen back. The conversation drifted into lighter territory—old war stories, the worst rations they've ever had, which Jedi are the worst at flying. Rhett talked more about life at the temple, filling in gaps of time on how he kept himself busy while Shrik was stationed. They talked about the farms. For a little while, it almost felt normal. Almost.
But even as he joked around, Rhett couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the campaign in the outer rim. Why are certain clones being singled out for briefings? And why is Palpatine himself so involved? He thought.
After an hour or two, Shrik tossed his empty canteen aside and stood up, he clapped Rhett on the shoulder. "Whatever happens next, we stick together, yeah?"
"That's the plan" Rhett said with a half-hearted chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Shrik asked.
"I just told Corks something similar." Rhett said. Shrik could still read the stress on his face.
"Look kid, if it's bothering you that much, I'm sure Lowe will fill you in — on what he can." He said, after a pause.
"Yeah I planned on it." Rhett admitted. "I don't know, this one just feels, different, y'know?"
"I know, kid. Maybe we're just close to the end?" Shrik said, trying to optimistically justify the feeling.
"I think you're right." Rhett admitted. "I'm just not sure I'm gonna like the ending."
Rhett carefully waited a few hours to sober up, before he made his way toward the officers' briefing area, where senior clone commanders and Republic strategists worked behind the scenes. The atmosphere there was tighter, more controlled—clones walking with purpose, no wasted movement, no unnecessary chatter.
Rhett saw Commander Lowe near a holotable, analyzing troop movements with a few clone officers. His blue-marked armor was polished and precise—just like the man wearing it.
He noticed Rhett approaching but doesn't look up immediately. Instead, he finished his conversation with his men, then dismissed them before finally turning to face him.
"Kysn," he greets you evenly. "Didn't take you for someone who liked hanging around command. I thought you liked the lower levels a little more."
"You're right, sir. I'll be honest with you—I've been hearing things. About this upcoming push into the Outer Rim. About clone officers being pulled into special briefings."
Lowe didn't react at first. His expression remained stone-cold and neutral, unreadable.
"And?" He asked.
Rhett pressed on. "And…it sounds like there's more going on than just another military operation. Clones coming back from these meetings—different. Focused. I know you've noticed."
Lowe exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin. He steps away from the holotable and motions for Rhett to follow. The two walked toward a quieter corner of the room, away from prying ears.
"I have noticed," Lowe admitted. "And I don't like it." His honesty threw Rhett off. He was hoping for a simple explanation. "I've been a soldier since I took my first breath, never once questioned an order. But lately? The way command's been handling things? It feels different. Feels… final."
"Final?" Rhett asked.
Lowe nodded. "Like we're being prepared for something bigger than just another battle."
"What do you mean by 'final'? What are we being prepared for?" Rhett asked.
"I don't know," he admitted, "but I have a bad feeling about it."
"These briefings—are they for strategy, or something else?" Rhett asked. Lowe's jaw tightened, as he scanned around the room for anyone eaves dropping.
"They're not sharing operational details with us like they used to. Usually, when we get briefed, it's about battle plans, supply lines, enemy movements. Now? It's different. More... personal. Direct orders from the Chancellor himself."
Finally, Rhett got the confirmation he was looking for. "Palpatine is briefing clones personally?"
Lowe nodded. "Not face-to-face, but through select channels. We're told it's for security reasons, but it's unlike anything I've seen before."
"I don't like that. Even as a kid, my dad was not very fond of him as a Senator. I stayed out of politics, hardly knew what was going on. But what does he know on military strategy?" Rhett asked, rhetorically. Lowe could tell there was more behind his voice.
Lowe's expression hardened. "What are you trying to say, Kysn?"
Rhett shrug, keeping his voice calm. "I'm saying Palpatine is making calls personally now. Dictating military strategy, briefing clone officers in secret. That's not normal."
Lowe's fingers drummed against his armored forearm. "I know," he muttered. "I don't like politicians, either. Never have. But at least before, the Jedi were the ones handling strategy. Now, it's all coming from the top. And soldiers like me? We're just expected to obey." His voice dropped even lower, Rhett could tell he didn't want to talk much more. "Look, I'm not about to commit treason over a gut feeling. But you're right—something isn't sitting right with me. If you're smart, Kysn, you'll keep your head down. Asking questions like this in the wrong places can get you killed."
That made Rhett lower his voice even more, "Alright, one more. What about the Jedi? Have they been involved in these briefings at all?"
Lowe's expression darkened. "No. And that's the thing that really bothers me. The Jedi used to be at the center of every battle plan. Generals, strategists—hell, they practically ran the war. Now? They're being cut out. Every major movement in this campaign is coming straight from Palpatine's office, and the Jedi are just… reacting."
Palpatine's consolidating control. Rhett thought. His stomach turned. Something felt off. He couldn't pin it, but was always on the look out from that moment on.
"So what do you think we do. What do I do?" Rhett asked.
"That's the million-credit question, Kysn." He stared at the holotable for a long moment, the blue glow reflecting off his armor. "I don't know what's happening," Lowe finally said, voice low. "But I know how this ends for soldiers like me: with orders. And when the time comes, we follow them."
"Even if those orders don't feel right?" Rhett asks. Lowe's eyes flick back, sharp and assessing. He doesn't answer immediately.
"What about you?" he countered. "What are you gonna do if the Republic starts giving orders you don't like?"
The question was heavy, there were a million responses in Rhett's head, but all he could do was deflect.
"I dunno, Lowe. Maybe I'll just go back to the farm, and finally get some decent food for once." Rhett said, an empty joke.
Lowe chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah? You gonna grow your own rations? Because if so, I might have to defect."
"Anything to get away from Republic food paste," Rhett said, feigning deep contemplation. The tension eased just a little. Lowe saw right through the dodge, but he lets it slide. Rhett knew he didn't want to talk about it much more, either. He exhaled and straightened up.
"Well, when you figure it out, let me know. Until then, try not to get yourself killed."
"I make no promises." Rhett joked.
Lowe smirked. "Didn't think you would."
Alright, Chancellor, what the fuck are you playing at?