Chapter 10: Episode 10: The Elusive Captain RexNotes:(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter TextCody had to bite back a laugh as he watched Ahsoka pace; occasionally disappearing off the holoprojector as she walked out of its range only to appear a few seconds later. He heard her muttering to herself more than once. The whole spectacle made him smile.
He was glad she wasn't on the ship with him. She would have clocked his amusement in a heartbeat and would likely be embarrassed, even though there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone got nervous sometimes. Obi-Wan also wasn't on the ship to clock his amusement either, instead at some boring political thing that Cody didn't have the honorof being invited to. This meant that Cody didn't have to shield any of his emotions. He wasn't sure if the practice of shielding was exhausting to the Jedi, but it sure was to him. It was a lot of work to make sure his general didn't have unrestricted access to every thought and emotion that flickered across his mind. So he had to thank the Force no freaky mind readers were on the ship because that meant he could watch Ahsoka in fond amusement as she paced and worried and hyped herself up. It was a very endearing picture and he was almost sad Rex wasn't here to witness it.
He should probably help calm her nerves, though. As fun as it was to watch her, he didn't want her working herself up.
"Vod'ika, relax," he said gently.
"What if he hates me?" she asked, not slowing her pacing in the slightest. She had started gnawing on her nail now.
Alright, he definitely needed to calm her down before she gnawed the finger right off. "Why would he hate you?"
Cody had dealt with many anxious and stressed brothers over the years. While he didn't have as much practice with Ahsoka, he figured similar tactics would work. Or at least help.
Step One: Get them to acknowledge the perceived problem out loud.
"Oh, I don't know, because I ruined his life, overloaded him with work, and made him take a position he didn't even want!" She cried, waving her arms around.
At least she stopped chewing on her nails.
Once more, Cody had to bite back a laugh. The 501st was well known in the GAR as being one of the more… melodramatic battalions. From their generals all the way down to their droids, everyone seemed to have flair for the dramatic. It was something that made Ahsoka right at home with them. A match so perfect Cody wondered if the Force helped assign troopers to the perfect battalions, or if the troopers adopted their general's mannerisms.
He thought about how similar Rex and General Skywalker were.
Definitely some Force osik there.
"Ahsoka, do you really think you made him take the job?"
She nodded.
Step Two: Get them to realize the ridiculousness of their worries.
"If he didn't want to do it, he wouldn't have done it."
"But the videos may have made him feel like he had no choice!" Ahsoka cried.
"That is not true. Besides, you had never mentioned Fox before except in passing. If he didn't want to do it, he could have sent Thorn, or Thire, or Stone, or any of the thousands of Corries he's got working for him. Trust me, I've known Fox a lot longer than you. He wouldn't do this unless he wanted to."
Ahsoka nodded and seemed calm by his words. That calmness disappeared almost immediately as she went back to pacing and chewing on her fingernail.
"What is it now?"
"Oh, he's going to be so mean," she said.
This time, Cody couldn't help the laugh. He did a good job at smothering it before it got out of hand, though. "Who told you he was mean?"
He had a feeling what the answer would be.
"Fives, Hardcase, Jesse, Tup, Wooley, Waxer, Boil, Wolffe, Sinker, Boost, Hawke, Gree, Bly, Gregor, Flippity-Flop, Cato, Dogma, Denal, Cas—"
"And did you think about why they think he's mean?" Cody cut her off before she rattled off every trooper in the GAR.
"No. But they wouldn't lie!"
"Why didn't you ask a trooper that doesn't get drunk on shore leave? Like Ponds. Or Kix."
Ahsoka turned to him, brow furrowed. "That implies that Rex gets drunk on shore leave."
Perceptive. He'd have to be on guard to ensure she didn't trick him into sharing any of Rex's… less than stellar moments involving alcohol. Rex would kill him and Ahsoka would get ideas.
"Don't even think about it, vod'ika," he said. "Besides, I mitigate the disaster that would be Rex if left unattended with too much alcohol."
Ahsoka pouted.
"Remind me to be the one who takes you out for your first drink when you're at the legal drinking age."
"Jesse already gave me some," she said.
"Haar'chak! Does Rex know?"
"He was there." She shrugged.
"And Jesse's still alive?"
"Yup." Her worried expression once more settled over her face. "You're sure he's not mean?"
"Fox isn't mean, he's overworked."
"Then we should let him sleep!" she said. "Unless you're lying to me and he actually is mean.
"He's only mean if you get on his bad side," Cody said, smiling at her.
This was, apparently, the wrong thing to say as she let out a wail and buried her head in her hands. "I'm totally on his bad side!"
"Ner vod'ika, you don't have to be so dramatic. You're not on his bad side. If you were, he would not be meeting with you. Gedet'ye, relax. I promise you, he doesn't hate you."
She looked up at him. "Promise?"
"Of course."
"Still don't know why you wanted to meet with him in the first place. I feel like you could have helped me out just as much."
Cody had been surprised when, a few days ago, Ahsoka messaged him asking if he had any thoughts on how to use Creche to Command to influence people into being more supportive of trooper rights. He was impressed with her proposal and her admittance that Denal and Dogma's video on the barracks had been done with the purpose of gauging how influential the series was. And now that she had a proof of concept, she wanted to take it further and extend her reach to even greater issues.
Getting people to donate blankets and soap was one thing.
Getting the government to recognize their rights as sentient creatures was another beast entirely.
And, while he was flattered she went to him for help (and forever grateful she didn't go to someone like Hardcase who had his heart in the right place but whose plans weren't always solid), he was not the right person to talk to about this.
That right person was Fox, especially now that he was a representative. If Ahsoka really wanted to use her platform to influence politics and change on a much larger scale, she and Fox needed to be on the same page. Cody could give her all the suggestions in the world, but large-scale change didn't happen through social media alone. You needed someone in the government to distill those voices into a single, strong argument.
This was why Cody set up this meeting between the three of them. Ahsoka was the political activist. Fox was the political representative. And Cody was the bridge. The mediator. He wondered if Obi-Wan would be proud.
"You know why you and Fox need to talk," Cody said. "You need to have a strategy. There are a lot of problems with how we're treated by the GAR and the Republic at large. Those problems cannot be mitigated through you alone. Having Fox on your team and you on his can guide and focus both the bills he writes and the videos you create. This is just like any other battle. You don't go in with two people and expect it to be a success. You have a team, each with their own strengths."
"I know," Ahsoka said. She crossed her arms, her foot now bouncing up and down.
Cody was starting to wonder if she even wanted to be here. Or if she was only here because she felt like she had to be. Like she wasn't allowed to have a simple hobby.
"You do want to do this, right?" he asked.
"Of course, I do!" she replied. "I want to help the brothers!"
She sounded so earnest. But sincerity and guilt could often read the same, especially over a fuzzy, pixelated hologram.
"Are you sure? Because it's one thing to make silly videos with Jesse and Fives that just happen to help us out. It's another thing entirely to start making propaganda. I promise you, no one will blame you if you stick to the original idea. Not everything needs to serve a greater purpose."
"No, I want to do this," she said. "I want to help in any way that I can. You're my brother. I… I love you. All of you. Sitting by while you get mistreated isn't right. It's not right with me. It's not right with the Force. It… it twists it. I know you and the others make fun of how Jedi interact with the Force and how we sense the world around us, but I can feel how wrong the galaxy is right now. It hurts sometimes."
He noticed she had grabbed her wrist and started rubbing it. He froze, staring at the repetitive, almost obsessive motion, and thanked the Force once more that Obi-Wan was not on the ship as he did not have to hide the guilt, fear, and shame that crashed into him.
Ahsoka continued, oblivious to his sudden change in demeanor. "Sometimes, I feel so helpless. I feel like anything I do is so small and stupid and insignificant but I have to do something. Even if it doesn't end up helping, I can't just sit by and do nothing. You don't deserve it."
Cody swallowed thickly and forced himself to calm down. Even though Ahsoka couldn't feel him in the Force, she could still read his body language and he was not going to distract her.
Krell had left a dark, ugly mark on Cody's soul. So dark and ugly that it surprised even him. He had assumed the matter was resolved when Ahsoka left the room and Krell left the ship. But it had stayed with him. It had stayed with him just like any especially hard, bloody battle had stayed with him. It had stayed with him like the first time he experienced death on the battlefield. It had stayed with him like his first forced retreat.
He kept trying to convince himself that nothing had happened. He had reacted to the situation appropriately and given such a minor incident the care and attention it deserved.
His mind, his subconscious, seemed to disagree.
He had always been prone to nightmares. One did not fight and lose as many brothers as he did and not have a rotating set of nightmares at the ready every time he closed his eyes. But, they had warped now. Instead of the usual 'battlefields full of clankers that killed everyone he loved', another figure had joined in the chaos.
Always on the side of the Separatists, a lightsaber ignited, shining through the dust. Sometimes blue. Sometimes green. Sometimes both. A hand reached out and grabbed someone he cared about. Sometimes Ahsoka. Sometimes Rex. Sometimes Obi-Wan. Sometimes another trooper. Sometimes he grabbed more than one person. Then, before Cody could blink, that lightsaber would slash through them. The dust would clear and reveal Krell standing there, saying his number and not his name. Then, he would turn and start cutting down the rest of Cody's brothers, all strung up with targets so he could 'practice'. Cody always woke up sweating, with the sounds of his brothers screaming in his ear.
Obi-Wan had clocked that something was going on almost immediately no matter how hard Cody tried to shield. He tried to push him to talk. Cody remained steadfast and told him they were simply bad dreams. He hoped the general respected his privacy and didn't peek in on them. Could Jedi do that?
It didn't matter, ultimately.
What mattered was Krell. Despite him being far away from both the 212th and 501st, despite the fact that no one else had reported him assaulting another brother or padawan (No. No, he didn't assault. That wasn't assault. Assault meant something serious. Assault meant he needed to talk to Obi-Wan. Krell didn't assault anyone.) Cody could not shake this feeling. Krell continued to loom over him, wrapping his visions and shadows and causing his gut to twist with anxiety.
Sometimes he lay for hours at night, unable to sleep and wondering if he had made the wrong choice. Obi-Wan was just a call away. Or a short walk.
"Cody, are you okay?" Ahsoka asked, cutting off his quickly spiraling thoughts.
He shook himself out of his musings and cursed himself for not regaining control faster. Krell was off the ship. He was far away from Cody and his brothers. He was overreacting. He didn't need to tell Obi-Wan anything.
"Yes, kid, I'm fine. And you're going to be fine," he said, smiling at her. "Fox wants to help. That's why he's sitting out there on the Senate floor. That's why he agreed to this meeting. And that's why he doesn't hate you. You trust me, right?"
Ahsoka nodded.
"Then trust me when I say there is nothing to worry about. Okay?"
Ahsoka nodded. "You're right. You're right. I can do this."
"That's my girl," he said.
The holoprojector beeped, signaling an incoming caller.
"Speak of the devil." Cody grinned and accepted the call.
Fox appeared, yawning and downing yet another cup of caf that his medic probably didn't want him having.
"Fox, how are—"
Fox held up a finger, cutting Cody off. He then pulled out a charger can, pulled the tab so it opened with a satisfying hiss, and then started chugging, holding back up his finger to keep Cody quiet.
Cody and Ahsoka exchanged glances and he couldn't help but smirk at Fox's antics. This was the man Ahsoka was so nervous to meet.
"You better not be drinking what I think you're drinking!" a trooper shouted.
Cody assumed it was one of the Corrie medics. Probably Dice.
Fox didn't even hesitate as he kept chugging down the energy drink.
For several seconds, no one said anything. The only sound Cody could hear was the humming of the ship, and Fox chugging down more caffeine in thirty seconds than any man should ever have in their entire life.
Finally, he finished the can, crushed it on the table, and threw it off to the side. Cody and Ahsoka winced as it sounded like it crashed into a pile of more cans, causing them all to crash to the ground.
Fox didn't even flinch. "Let's do this thing." He grunted. "I got put on another committee today so I don't have a lot of time."
"How many committees are you on?" Cody asked.
"Too many. I think I run more of the government now than Palpatine does."
"Why does he keep putting you on committees?" Ahsoka asked.
"Do you want to talk about that? Or do you want to talk about using the series to promote bills? I don't have time for both."
Ahsoka shrank back slightly, still unsure of how to act around Fox.
Cody decided to start the meeting off, then. Give her a little push. "Right, let's talk about how to use Creche to Command to promote Fox's legislative efforts. Ahsoka, what are your goals?"
She jumped and looked at him with those big, pleading eyes she used on the boys to get them to do what she wanted. Right now, she wanted him to take over this meeting. To take charge of this project. But that wasn't his job. He was the mediator. The bridge. This was her and Fox's project, not his. She needed to be the one that ultimately coordinated and spoke with Fox. He smiled at her encouragingly. She seemed to get that he wasn't going to do this for her and turned to Fox.
"Well… um… so, I've done some testing with the last few episodes and I have a pretty good theory that anything I do an episode on will get people talking. And, well, if it's related to politics, even just tangentially, we can… um, we can use that to garner support. People can call their senators and whatnot. So, I was thinking that instead of us operating independently, you and I… we could… plan… and… talk?" she finished weakly, wincing at the end.
Fox was not deterred by this rather weak starting point. His expression was as solemn and serious as ever as he nodded. "That would be helpful. I can't work on everything at once so if we could guide the public discourse that would be of help. That way senators aren't getting inundated with calls about issues I don't have time for."
Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief and she continued, much more confident than before. "I was thinking of maybe doing a video on armor. Your guys' armor is awful. It doesn't stop blaster shots at all. I know it slows it down which can be the difference between life and death, but one shot from a B1 shouldn't be enough to kill you. It needs to be better."
Fox shook his head. "The armor discussion has already come up multiple times. Our current armor is cheap to mass produce. Any alternatives aren't as cost-effective and our lives just aren't worth the increased cost."
"Not worth the increased cost!" Ahsoka cried. "Your lives are priceless!"
"Thank you for thinking that," Fox said. "But the fact still remains that the armor discussion would be a waste of time until we have an alternative that is more cost-effective. Organa and I are working on that now. If you do a video on it too soon, the public pressure might die down before we can get the bill drafted."
"Oh." Ahsoka deflated slightly. "Um, what about medical supplies? Kix never seems to have enough. None of the medics do. We can try and increase the budget for medicine and not just weapons and ships."
Fox shook his head. "Chuchi's brought that up at almost every budgetary meeting. It's never managed to pass."
"Which is why we can use the series to increase support."
"Hmm, maybe, but I don't want to risk that as your first attempt to directly influence a bill," Fox said. "Besides, when the budget has expanded for medical supplies, it ends up so stripped down it hardly matters. But, it still could count as a win, which doesn't help us very much."
"What do you suggest, then," Ahsoka said.
Fox muttered to himself and scrolled through the datapad. His eyes narrowed for a second before looking back at them. "Pensions and job training for after the war," he stated.
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
"I mean, war is unpredictable but I know two things for certain. One: The war is going to end. Two: We will eventually be too old to fight. Right now, there is nothing to deal with that. Not even temporary solutions. If we win the war tomorrow, there is no legislation or contingency plan about what to do with the troopers. Technically, we are Kaminoan property so we might be returned to them to do with as they wish. But, the Kaminoans have no need for millions of warriors. Nor do they have the space to house all of us. So, what happens to us then?"
They decommission us. Quietly. Cody and Fox shared a knowing look.
"It's been a big talk amongst the commanders," Cody said before Ahsoka caught on to what Fox was implying.
Any gen one was already achingly aware that their bodies couldn't keep up forever. Even though he wasn't that old (chronologically and biologically) he could already feel himself struggling to keep up with the shinies. It took him longer to heal from injuries even with bacta. Sometimes, he didn't even need to be on a battlefield for things to hurt. One day he turned his head just right and ended up with neck pain for a week. Of course, his aches and pains weren't helped by the physical labor he put his body through every time he stepped off the ship. Battle aged you faster than any Kaminoan scientist could.
And that was why Fox's point was a valid one. What happened after the war? What happened after Cody was no longer able to fight?
Even if he was given the option to live out the rest of his life as a commander, did he want that?
Sometimes he thought he wouldn't mind serving with Obi-Wan until he eventually kicked the bucket. But other times he wondered. If he had a choice, is this what he would choose? And what would happen if he didn't even get to stay a soldier until he died? What then?
"I think I could work in a video about the future," Ahsoka said.
"I don't know," Cody said. "It's a big issue to us, yes, but is this what you want your first test to be, Fox?"
"I want it dealt with sooner rather than later," Fox said. "It's an issue that we feel like we can put off, but one day we won't be able to. And it'll be too late then."
Cody was unsure. "You just got your position. This is much bigger than a fluff bill to manage food and knitted sock donations. The Republic would actually have to put time, energy, and money into managing the pensions and any job training programs."
"Exactly," Fox said. "Every other bill I've introduced has been an easy pill for them to swallow. A shallow bit of publicity so they could point and say they listen to their constituents. Even my election didn't require that much of them. I'm only one voice. I can be easily drowned out if the Senate wanted. But if we're going to start making impactful changes, I need to have a better understanding of the data. I need to know exactly who is on our side, who we can sway, who will never be swayed, and how far this holo series influence can extend. If we fail, then that only gives me more information to work with."
"You want to introduce a bill to the Senate that you know will fail? Ahsoka asked.
"I want it to win. I will do everything in my power for it to win. But, sometimes you have to let the enemy get a win so that you're in a better position to strike later. Right now, it's easy to get senators on my side. I'm not asking them to make any tough choices or expand a lot of energy. How does that change when I actually start fighting for our rights?"
"But, if you don't pass the bill, won't that hinder your efforts? And if it gets stripped down, won't the outcome be the same as the medical issue?" Ahsoka asked.
Fox shook his head. "Not necessarily. Like I said, aging and the end of the war isn't an immediate problem. I have time to pivot if need be. And unlike the medical bill which is a reoccurring budgetary issue, if I get this one passed, even a stripped-down version, that's a permanent change to the legislation I can mess around with later."
Ahsoka didn't look convinced. Cody wasn't either. He understood the need to sometimes take a few hits so you knew what you were getting into, but this felt like a big risk.
"Let's look at it this way," Fox continued. "Option A: I introduce the bill and it succeeds with the same ease that the others have. That means the Senate is largely on my side and is willing to do more work if it comes to protecting our rights. Option B: I introduce the bill but it is largely stripped down of what we originally wanted. It's still a success because now we will have something that thinks about our future and it will be easier to add legislation to it in the future. Or, Option C: I introduce the bill and it fails to pass. Still, a success because I can see all arguments for and against it. I can see how many people called in from your series and what influence they had on their senators. I can see who was on our side and who wasn't. I can see how much I had to compromise to get people on my side. Then, I pull back. I go back to writing fluff bills and slowly introducing bills that have more and more bite to them. Priming the Senate to accept my proposals. Then I reintroduce the bill and it gets passed on much more favorable terms. Regardless, I am going into this work blind and without training."
"We have never done something like this before," Cody agreed. "More intel would be helpful. Are you okay with the risks? It might not pass and then we might not get another chance to pass it before the war is over."
Fox nodded. "If the Senate is truly hostile towards us, we need to know now rather than later."
"Alright, then. Ahsoka, you still up for making a video?"
"Of course!" she nodded. "Do you want to introduce the bill first and then have a video about it?"
Cody shook his head. "No. We don't want the series to seem reactionary. We want you to lead the charge. Or, at least appearing to lead the charge. Not the other way around."
"I'll wait a week or so after the video goes live," Fox said. "That should give the neverd'e enough time to call their senators. And I get the bonus of looking like I listen to them."
Ahsoka nodded. "Okay. I'll figure out a way to make it seem natural. I'll also ask around and see if anyone's interested. Maybe Vaughn?"
"Hold on, ner vod'ika,," Cody said. "If we want this to work, we need to get as many views on your video as possible. You're going to need someone a little more eye-catching than Vaughn. No offense to the guy."
"Who, though? I guess I could ask Wolffe or another commander. But most people don't know who they are so they wouldn't care. Unless you have time, Fox? Not sure when I'll be in Coruscant next, though."
Fox shook his head and started chugging another cup of caf.
"That wasn't who I was thinking of," Cody said, deciding to ignore Fox's addiction for now. Who was he to judge how the man managed to keep himself awake? "I was actually thinking Rex would be a co-host for this one."
"Rex?" Ahsoka furrowed her brow. "Why him?"
"Well, he's been in the background or mentioned in almost every video. People have a sort of cult following for him. His video's on 'Best of' are some of the most viewed. But, because he's hardly ever seen without his helmet, people are curious what he looks like."
"He didn't have his helmet when Fives was giving you the love confession," Ahsoka pointed out.
"Yes, but the focus was on Fives and me. People couldn't get a clear shot of him. He's almost like an urban legend. You get him on, and that's going to drive up the views."
"I don't know if he'll say yes. He agreed to be on one episode. Technically he was on Jesse's slang episode. He says that counts."
Cody grinned at her. "Kid, you're looking at the guy who single-handedly wrangled him through basic training on Kamino. Trust me, I can get him to do just about anything."
"It's true," Fox said, finally finishing his latest cup of caffeine-filled liquid. "Cody's damn near a miracle worker. He kept Wolffe in line too."
Ahsoka laughed. "Then I'll leave you to it, commander. Thanks for the meeting, Representative Fox, I'll let you know when the video gets posted so you can be prepared. Maybe get some sleep in the meantime?"
"Sleep is for the weak," Fox muttered before shutting off his holoprojector.
"Take care, ner vod'ika," Cody said, shutting off his own holoprojector.
He shot Rex a message letting him know that Ahsoka wanted him to be on an episode and the basics of what it was about. A proper episode. Not just in the background chasing Jesse around or shooting at Fives.
Message sent he leaned back and closed his eyes. Ahsoka's words to him about the Force echoed in his mind. It hurt because of their treatment, eh? He wondered if Obi-Wan could feel it. He wondered if he should ask.
Rex responded in the affirmative, proving that he was willing to do just about anything for Ahsoka.
Cody hoped that this video would help the Force or whatever Ahsoka was sensing. He couldn't help but feel like it was strange, though. It almost sounded as if what was good for the troopers was good for the Galaxy and what was bad for the troopers was bad for the Galaxy. Funny, he never thought theirwellbeing and treatment was so heavily tethered to peace. He'd have to keep an eye on it. Maybe it was time he did more than observation.
Maybe it was time he started acting.
*****
Episode 10: The Elusive Captain Rex
It was clear that Ahsoka was hiding. Or, at least attempting to hide behind what looked like a chair. At a desk, tapping away on a data pad was a trooper with buzzed blond hair. Though his back was turned, his armor was recognizable enough that most people know who he was.
"And this," Ahsoka whispered dramatically, "is the elusive Captain Rex. Not much is known about this strange and mysterious trooper. Unlike the rest of the troopers, the elusive Captain Rex is shy. And, therefore, has yet to appear on an episode of Creche to Command. However, his markings are very distinctive. He's one of the only troopers with blond hair. And his armor has distinctive jaigs' eyes on the helmet. Let's see if we can't get a little closer. We'll have to be quiet, or else we'll startle him."
Captain Rex stopped tapping away and turned towards her. "Kid, the room is not nearly big enough for you to hide and narrate like this is some sort of nature documentary."
Ahsoka let out a soft gasp. "The elusive Captain Rex has spotted me. If I stay real quiet and still, I shouldn't startle him."
Rex quirked an eyebrow. "How long are you going to keep this up?"
"Let's try and get a little closer for a better look. Gotta keep low to the ground so he doesn't feel threatened."
"You don't even come up to my shoulder."
Ahsoka stood up. "Do too!"
Rex stared at her.
"Don't you lie! I'm getting taller."
"Really? I think you're getting shorter. Now come on out from behind the chair."
"Fine," Ahsoka said. "This was the only way to get you on camera, though. It's kind of fun, sneaking around, trying to get shots of you."
Rex rolled his eyes and pulled another chair next to him. "Alright, I yield. I'll be on an episode."
"Yes!" Ahsoka chirped, bounding up to the chair and setting up the camera so both she and Rex were in the frame.
"I can't believe you went behind my back to get Cody involved," He said, pushing the datapad away.
"So he was telling the truth. He can get you to do anything."
Rex rolled his eyes. "I do what I want to do."
"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Alright, this is your episode. What do you want to talk about?"
"How about why you should wear armor," Rex said, poking at her chest.
Ahsoka batted his hand away. "I don't need armor. I got the Force and my lightsaber."
"Mmm, I don't buy it," Rex said.
"People don't want to hear about me and armor. They want to hear about you. So, come on. Tell us about yourself. Wolffe said to make sure to tell everyone that you are single."
Rex turned a brilliant shade of red. "Quit talking to Wolffe!"
Ahsoka laughed. "Look, we match!"
"Match?"
"Yeah, we're the same color now." She poked his cheek.
"We are not!"
"Are too! Are you embarrassed cause you don't have a girlfriend or boyfriend?"
"No, that's not it," Rex said. "Let's change the subject to something other than my love life. What do you want me to talk about?"
Ahsoka stopped laughing. "Why does it matter what I want?"
"Cause it's your series."
"Yes, but everyone else more or less chose what they want they wanted to talk about. So, come on. There must be something on your mind."
Rex looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, vodi'ka, I'm afraid I'm not very good at this sort of thing. I could complain about paperwork but that's so boring I think your audience might finally draw the line on what they're willing to watch."
Ahsoka didn't seem put off by his answer and smiled at him. "That's okay. Um, how about the war? Any thoughts on that?"
"You want to talk about that? Maybe paperwork would be the better option."
She shrugged and began tracing patterns on the table with her fingers. "I don't know. It feels weird not ever mentioning it. Like, not really mentioning it, if you know what I mean."
Rex shook his head. "Enlighten me."
She sighed. "It's just… this whole series is about the war, right? It started because the initiates were worried about being commanders. Most of our videos are specifically tied to the war. But, even with all of that, it's like we never directly talk about it. Maybe the closest we got was with the names and how much it sucks to lose a brother before they get one."
Rex smiled sadly at her. "Yeah, the war. I can't speak for every brother, but I do know a lot of our feelings are… complicated."
"Complicated?"
He shrugged. "Without the war, none of us would be alive. Most natborns out there would be alive with or without the war. Sure, maybe it indirectly influenced their conception or whatever, but that's indirect. You can't always control or predict indirect impacts. But there is no way I would be alive if some Jedi hadn't hired the Kaminoans to create an army. So, in many ways, I feel grateful for the war because I'm alive. But, then I feel guilty because so many people's lives have been destroyed because of it. I've lost so many brothers because of it. And even though I'm alive because of it, I'll also probably die because of it."
"I think it's fine to have complicated feelings," Ahsoka said softly. "I'm glad because I never would have met you or any of the other troopers if it weren't for the war. But, sometimes I feel like my time as a padawan was stolen from me. I listen to some of the older Jedi, the ones that were knighted before all this started, and I feel jealous because I don't get that. I'll never get that. Sometimes I go weeks without seeing my master because he's off on another mission. Or I struggle to meditate because I can feel all the troopers dying and injured in Kix's med bay. And it's awful. It's all awful."
Rex's eyes burned with an intensity that took the audience aback. "If I could, I would make it so the war never happened."
"Even though it means you never would have been born?"
Rex looked away from her. "I'd be willing to make that sacrifice."
"You can't change the past," she said softly.
"But I can change the future. We're doing our best to finish this war up as fast as possible. Preferably in the next five minutes."
Ahsoka laughed. "I don't think that's going to happen."
"You never know, kid."
"What about after the war?" she asked.
"After?" Rex frowned.
She nodded. "It's going to end eventually. And we're going to win because you guys are the best soldiers ever."
"You think so?" he laughed.
"I know so. Come on, out with it. What are you going to do after the war? Stay with the military? Maybe set up a farm somewhere?"
For a brief moment, Rex seemed overwhelmed by Ahsoka's words. It was as if he had, at one point, witnessed what it would be like to not be a soldier. As if he were seeing a possibility he never allowed himself to dream of before. That expression was gone in the blink of an eye.
"To tell you the truth, kid, us clones aren't really long-term planners. Not really a skill you need when odds are you'll die tomorrow."
"But there must be something you want to do," Ahsoka urged.
Rex shook his head. "Sorry, little one, that's not really something I like to think about. It's not like the Republic is planning for it either. We don't get a pension and my skills are pretty limited to war. If this whole mess ends tomorrow, I don't where my brothers and I will go. Or where we'll be accepted. No one at the top has ever thought that far ahead."
Ahsoka, surprisingly, seemed happy with the answer. "Then we'll have to fix that. I'll see if there's a career aptitude test of something you can take. And then we can plan your future! It'll be a whole series! 'Rex's Future Career Training'."
"I only agreed to be on one episode."
"One episode of 'Creche to Command'. You never said anything about 'Rex's Future Career Training'."
He laughed. "I would hate to see what a career aptitude test would give me."
"Maybe you could be an author."
He made a face. "No thanks. I hate writing."
"An actor? It'd be super easy to get you a stunt double."
"Try again."
"A fashion model."
"What is with all these careers?" he asked. "What about something practical like a mechanic or teacher?"
Ahsoka tapped her chin. "You would be a good teacher."
"You think so?"
"Yeah! You taught me everything I know."
"Then what exactly is the purpose of General Skywalker?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Fine," Ahsoka sighed dramatically. "You didn't teach me everything I know."
"What did General Skywalker teach you?"
"How to crash a ship."
He threw back his head and laughed. "Alright, I'll give you that one, kid." He reached out and rubbed the top of her head. "Think that answers all your questions, vod'ika? Think your viewers will be satisfied?"
"I do have one more." She grinned.
"Oh?"
"Are you a natural blond?"
"Tell Fives he's never going to find out."
She snickered. "Darn, so close."
*****
Even though it was always planned that Ahsoka's video would garner some public support that would lead to constituents calling their Senators, Fox was still surprised at just how well their plan had worked. Within an hour of the video dropping, the calls to the senators started rolling in.
At first, though, he was worried. He hadn't received any calls or messages asking for him to do something about the lack of future planning for the troopers.
Then, Senator Mothma stopped by. "There seems to be an uptick in people wishing to provide the troopers with some sort of after-war support, Representative," she said, an almost coy smile on her lips. She had clocked onto their game.
"Oh really?" Fox said, pretending to be surprised, just in case someone was listening in.
She nodded. "I've already received fifty calls. I estimate they're going to get much more numerous as the day goes on. As the representative for the troopers, would you like to take the lead on this?"
He handed her a datapad with the bill already drafted. "Of course, senator. Please, feel free to look this over and make any comments. Can I assume the support from Senators Chuchi, Amidala, and Organa as well?"
"As always. I will also be bringing Senator Lezien in on this."
"Perfect. Let's wait a few hours and see if anyone else is in immediate support."
"That sounds perfect, Representative Fox."
Several more senators had immediately signed onto support the bill, with several others stating that they might be willing to support it if a few concessions were made. All in all, it seemed like Fox's plan to use this bill and corresponding video to start gathering data was working perfectly.
Cody's prediction that Rex would draw in the views was also proving to be startlingly accurate. "The Elusive Captain Rex" was the highest-viewed video on the site to date. The views were so high that it crashed the site several times. Which just further fueled public interest as people wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
And then public interest was fueled further when the celebrity Sari Mundalan, who had previously spoken out about the sock and soap issue, had once again used her social media to promote the video.
Even before Fox hit the floor to debate floor, he now knew several things he didn't before.
Ashoka could use her series to influence politics. That was solidified. More importantly, it proved that people weren't immediately turned off by the more serious topics. If anything, the serious nature of the conversation between her and Rex had only improved public perception of the troopers. They saw that these men took their jobs seriously and even though their future was uncertain, they were still working to end the war as soon as possible.
He did finally watch the videos. All of them. After all, if he was going to be using them as a tool, he needed to know exactly what was going on. He knew that Rex knew the general idea they were aiming for, but he was still surprised by how earnest and unscripted the conversation was. If Fox didn't literally take part in planning this whole thing, he would have never guessed the conversation wasn't entirely spontaneous.
Still, listening to his brother speak about the future brought up a lot of emotions in Fox. As a Corrie, he always felt a bit more certain of what his future looked like. He wasn't a soldier. At least, not like his brothers. His job was to maintain the peace on Coruscant. That was a job that still needed to be done even if there was no war to be fought. But there was not room on Coruscant for every trooper in the GAR. They needed a plan. They needed a future. Even if the plan was to stick every clone in the Coruscant Guard and call it a day, they deserved to have the choice.
And he was going to do everything in his power to give his brothers that choice.
Ahsoka's viewers were willing to watch heavier topics. They were willing to call in for their support. And Fox had forty-six senators that were immediately willing to sign onto a bill that required more time, attention, and money.
Now came the uncharted territory. Now came the intel gathering.
Fox had five questions he needed to answer by the end of this.
1. How much were the senators willing to listen to their constituents? At what point did they decide that appeasing their voters was less important than lining their pockets?
2. Who was definitely on the side of the troopers? He already had forty-six senators that showed their immediate support, but did he have any others that were maybe less vocal?
3. Who was definitely against the troopers?
4. Who was in the middle and could they be swayed to his side? If so, what did it take and was it worth the effort and compromises?
5. Finally, how much was Palpatine willing to let them get away with before he finally stepped in and put a stop to this whole thing?
That last one was probably the most important. Fox could get all the support in the galaxy. Every senator and representative could vote in favor of him. But, if Palpatine decided to clip his wings, it would all be over.
Those questions would all be answered in due time. Right now, he was focusing on the debate at hand. Unlike his first debate, however, he felt much more in control. Much calmer and more relaxed. This was partially due to the fact that he was more prepared. Partially due to the fact that this wasn't new. And partially due to the fact that winning support for the bill wasn't the main issue here. That alone took a huge weight off his chest and put him at ease. His thoughts flowed better and he didn't feel as nervous when a hostile senator started to argue against him.
It also seemed to have the added bonus of throwing off his opponents. They didn't seem to like how sure of himself he was, or how little their words seemed to matter to them. He had already reduced two senators to stuttering messes when they failed to get a rise out of him.
And now he was going toe-to-toe with Yarlix, who was doing a much better job at not being frustrated by Fox's demeanor.
"I do not see why we need to provide pensions and job training for the troopers," Yarlix argued. "We already pay for all the training on Kamino. All your food. Your shelter. Your clothes. How much more will your people demand of us? We are not made out of money."
"Need I remind you, senator, that we did not ask for this training? We cannot opt out of this training. And the food, shelter, and clothing are our payment as soldiers. And we cannot stop being soldiers." He argued back.
Even though he was much calmer during this debate, it was still exhausting going back and forth like this. Sometimes, he wanted to leap into the other person's pod, shake them and scream 'Why are you fighting this much? You know this makes you look like a fascist dick, right?'
Amidala said he wasn't allowed to do that. Or threaten them with his blaster. Or stun them. Or have Archer stun them. So, he opted to use his words instead.
Not all his words, sadly.
She also said he wasn't allowed to call them whiny little baby bitches.
Or shitheads with asses for brains.
Or cock-sucking bantha fuckers.
He still called them all those things. Just not to their face. Only in his office. And on the inside. Where it mattered the most.
"Besides," he continued, "it is common to give natborn soldiers some form of pension for their years of service. And many militaries around the galaxy already have programs to help soldiers transition to civilian life after they've completed their service. These usually include job training, housing assistance, and access to medical services. I am not asking for anything unreasonable. I am asking for what is already provided to soldiers. Your home world has similar programs for your domestic military. Or, do you not think such a program is beneficial? Shall we bring up your history of voting for or against domestic troop support?"
This finally got Yarlix off-kilter as he opened and closed his mouth several times before finally pulling his pod back, looking pissed.
Sadly, Senator Burtoni had yet to be thrown off kilter and was more than happy to continue the debate.
"I do not know why we're worrying about this now," she said. "The war is still going on. And you have promised that as long as we are still at war, your men would continue to serve the Republic."
"A promise that I have no intentions of breaking now," Fox said. "But the war will end one day. Preferably with us as the victors. That's the plan anyway. It would be kind of stupid if we didn't plan on winning."
Laughter echoed throughout the chamber at his little joke. That seemed to help bolster his support.
"Senators," he said, "you have passed a military spending budget that is over ten quintillion credits. If you truly do not think the troopers can win the war, then why are you wasting your money on us? Why are you spending all this time and energy training us and housing us if you don't believe that we will end the war?"
"It is not that we don't believe in your capabilities, commander," Senator Burtoni said.
Oh, how he hated when she called him commander. Before, he would have been thrilled to hear her call him by his rank and not his number, but now it was another snide comment. A way for her to show she did not see him as a representative. As an equal.
He swallowed down his anger and frustrations and focused on the task at hand. He would not allow this woman to throw him off. He was in control here, not the Senate.
"It is that we feel there are other issues to deal with," she said.
A murmur of agreement rippled across the floor.
"What happens if we win the war tomorrow?" Fox asked. "What happens if Grievous is electrocuted, Dooku is shot, Ventriss is arrested, and Desix negotiates a treaty because all the major players of the Separatists are dead or in custody? Do you think we'll have time then to figure out what to do with the troopers? We need to act now so that when the end of the war comes -and it will come- we can be ready."
"Senator," Palpatine spoke for the first time in the debate, "Representative, while I do enjoy watching your lively verbal sparring match, we do have other things we need to discuss. We'll continue the conversation tomorrow," he said.
He smiled at Fox and suddenly everything tilted on its axis. He felt as though the wind had been punched out his lungs and a sharp, shooting pain pierced the right side of his skull. It was only thanks to years of training that he did not react to the sudden pain or weakness in his legs. But his mind was not so calm.
For the first time, he realized that he had been so caught up in the debate that he hadn't had a chance to monitor Palpatine and how he was reacting to all of this.
One of his goals was to figure out how much Palpatine would let him get away with, and he hadn't focused on him at all.
That was because he had been prepared for the barely concealed disdain and fury that radiated off the man whenever troopers acted in ways he didn't like. He was prepared for him to interject himself into the debate like when Fox had been arguing for their right to representation.
Palpatine hadn't done that. He hadn't said anything. He hadn't felt anything. He had blended into the background. He had been observing Fox. And now that his observations were over, Fox felt something unexpected from the man.
Palpatine seemed almost smug. As if this were all part of the plan. As if he was the one in control of the situation and not Fox. Fox had assumed that only he knew the true intention behind the bill, but it seemed like Palpatine knew it too. And Fox was playing right into his hands. He was doing exactly what Palpatine wanted him to do.
But he couldn't have known that this was what he, Ahsoka, and Cody were planning!
Unless…
They had the meeting on the GAR network using GAR equipment. It was too difficult for Cody to send a coded message to him and Ahsoka and get all three of them off-network for the conversation. And he didn't seem to see the point. They weren't doing anything illegal. Hell, Palpatine himself had wanted to use Creche to Command as propaganda since he first heard about it. And it wasn't like Fox wasn't allowed to talk to the people he represented to get their input. Besides, everything was recorded. Why would his conversation with Cody and Ahsoka be what Palpatine finally looked into?
Out of all the calls, all the chatlogs, all the messages, why did this raise red flags?
Because you're not the only ones who recognized the influence Ahsoka's series had over the public. And now you're an official representative in the Senate. A representative he didn't want.
Of course, a conversation between Ahsoka and Fox would have immediately raised a red flag for Palpatine. He probably started monitoring both of their communications as soon as they started becoming a problem.
But that still didn't explain why Palpatine didn't seem bothered by this blatant attempt to use propaganda to influence the neverd'e.
Did… did Palpatine agree with Fox's idea?
If he did, then something was very wrong. If Fox and Palpatine were on the same side, then that meant Fox was on the wrong side. Something else was going on here. Fox was a fool to think he ever had control of the situation.
He had forgotten one of the basic tenants of battle the Prime had drilled into him. The first lesson they had ever been taught.
Never assume you have the upper hand.
Always assume the enemy is one step ahead of you. Always assume they have another trick up their sleeve. A sniper on the roof. A battalion of droids hidden around a corner. A knife hidden on their person.
Forget this rule, and you will end up dead.
He looked up at the chancellor as he called to order the next topic of conversation. Instead of getting clarity with his plan, the waters had gotten muddier. Now he had no idea what his next moves should be or what sort of intel he could possibly hope to gather.
"Is everything alright?" Amidala asked. Despite the fact that he was a representative for a special interest group on Kamino, he could not bring himself to share a booth with Burtoni. He might just shove that pretentious long-neck over the edge and watch her body splatter on the ground.
Fox turned to her, mouth cottony and dry. The sharp pain in his head had reduced to a dull throb. Annoying but manageable. He felt Palpatine's gaze prickle the back of his neck. As much as he wanted to bring her into this immediately, he couldn't. There was no telling what Palpatine knew or what his plan was.
Fox needed to keep things tight and the number of people involved small. He needed to rethink his strategy. Whether the bill passed or failed would still give him useful knowledge. The whole point of this exercise was to stir the pot and see what floated to the surface as a result. And he got what he wanted. Palpatine had shown that he was potentially monitoring him and Ahsoka and was not threatened by their collaboration. Either because he was playing right into his hands or he had something else up his sleeve. He could work with this information. Right now, Amidala didn't need to get involved.
He turned to face her fully. "I'm not sure the bill will pass," he lied. "And I'm worried I may have bit off more than I can chew jumping out of the gate with this one."
She put a hand on his forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Remember, sometimes just getting the conversation started is enough."
He nodded and turned his attention back to the debate floor. She was right about that. Getting the conversation started was enough. He'd have to figure out a way to relay his findings to Cody without arousing more suspicion. And he was starting to wonder just what he had gotten himself involved in.
What greater game was Palpatine playing, and how were the clones involved?
*****
The rest of the day had dragged on forever, in Fox's opinion. Not only did he have to read bills, vote on bills, debate bills, and write bills, but Palpatine seemed to think he needed to be on every decision-making committee the Senate had to offer.
He said that since Fox seemed to want to take a more active role in policy-making, then he should be involved in as much as possible.
Fox thought that Palpatine was trying to overload him with work until he had a nervous breakdown and quit.
Ha! Jokes on him, Fox was too dead inside to have a nervous breakdown!
Still, despite the initial positive response to the pension and job training bill he had introduced that day, Palpatine's reaction had soured everything.
Fox could barely focus on any of his work as his mind continually mulled over how to deal with the situation. He needed to call Cody, but he also shouldn't contact him immediately since Palpatine probably was monitoring him now that he had gotten himself involved. Maybe he could ask Thorn to message Gree to message Cody to message him? Or something like that?
He frowned. Somehow, he felt like Palpatine would still somehow manage to trace it back to him. Maybe he should let the pension bill play out first and then report to Cody. Or maybe he should purposefully seed something incriminating that would force Palpatine to act to prove he was watching him?
No, that was a stupid idea. Anything incriminating could get him decommissioned. And, it wasn't like Palpatine was breaking the law. Technically, he had every right to monitor their communications. It was a matter of security. Fox wouldn't prove anything by getting evidence that Palpatine was spying. Was it even spying if you knew the person was doing it?
Before he could make a decision, a message came through the chat he and Blitz had set up specifically to talk about politics.
He groaned, debated if he could ignore it, decided that he couldn't, and looked at it.
CommanderBlitz: Great Speech today, Vod. You were really ON iN there.
Fox groaned once more and tossed the datapad down. He dug out the shiny armor they used when they didn't want to be recognized and put it on. While anyone else might look at that and think it was a simple typo, Blitz had capitalized other letters, it was a coded message. "ON iN" stood for "Off Network Now". That was worrying. Blitz didn't usually need privacy away from prying eyes. Did he realize what Fox had realized? Or did something else happen?
He couldn't bring Cody in on this now. It would look too suspicious. And the same typo repeated in such a short amount of time by two different troopers would raise more red flags. Fuck, they needed a better system to talk to one another. Something that didn't require going to dive bars and switching up codes every month so people didn't get suspicious.
He stepped out of his office and walked by Stone's desk, knocking on it twice as he did so. Another code. Do not acknowledge me. I'm not Fox right now.
Stone did exactly as they practiced and didn't even look up from his work. Two taps of his left index finger indicated he got the message.
So many codes and sneaking around. One would think he and his brothers were planning a coup or something. It should not be this difficult to get some privacy. He should not have to work this hard to talk to his brothers without worrying about who was listening in.
Complaining about it wasn't going to change anything, though. He had to accept that.
He stalked through the streets of Coruscant to the worst place in the entire galaxy, 79s.
He had been to 79s many times in the past. More times than he had ever wanted to be there. Mostly to help round up drunk troops who were making fools of themselves. But, because Cody was a paranoid bastard who insisted they needed a way to talk away from the prying eyes of the GAR, it was also a place for clandestine meetings. Wolffe managed to get them some sort of holoprojector. Fox didn't ask where he got it. He had a feeling that asking too many questions would lead to answers he didn't want to know. And the owner of 79s agreed to let them use the little room in the back. For a fee of course. That coupled with a spare set of shiny armor to disguise themselves and viola! A place they could talk without worrying about anyone listening in.
Fox had initially thought the whole setup was stupid and overkill. Anyone using it was probably doing something they weren't supposed to be and they would find out.
And now he was trying to figure out ways to expand this enterprise so he didn't have to jump through so many hoops.
When had being a clone trooper become so complicated?
He paid the bartender a portion of his meager stipend and said yet another code word. He was led to the back, idly wondering how the hell Blitz managed to find a secure place on Kamino to talk. He had to have found a secure place. Why would he send a coded message otherwise?
He pulled up his datapad and sent another coded message.
CommanderFox: Thank you. I hate Politics.
The call came in a minute later.
"How'd you get something off-network while on Kamino?" he asked, eager to hear his answer.
Blitz shrugged. "I asked Tech to whip something up. Couldn't follow his explanation worth a damn but if he says it works, then I trust him."
He paused, looking thoughtful for a second. "Do you think I should be worried about how quickly they all are to commit treason? Is this even treason?"
Fox shrugged. "I have too many problems to worry about your defective batch of clones."
Tech, huh? That was an option. He'd look into it later. Right now, he needed to find out what Blitz wanted.
"Alright, out with it. Why'd you want to talk? I have more meetings than there are hours in a day. What's so important you needed to talk to me now off the network in some dirty dive bar?"
"Where did you get the numbers for the military operations?" He cut straight to the point.
"The budget reports from last fiscal year. That was the amount they signed into law. Why?"
"Because those numbers don't make sense," Blitz said.
Fox furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
He looked around, checking to make sure no one was listening in, and then leaned in close, keeping his voice low. "I only know this because when I saw you were planning on mentioning it during your speech, I dug around the Kaminoan budget. Unless there is a huge chunk I'm missing, the cloning and training operations are only about an eighth of what you stated in your speech. Where's the rest of the money going?"
"It's not just cloning and training, though. They've got contractors for medical supplies, ships, munitions, and bases. Not to mention food and other gear we use. Plus contractor fees for all of that."
"I know, I know. And I didn't have time to dig around into all of that, but it still feels like the number is too high. I don't like it, Fox. Something else is going on here."
"Embezzlement, then?" Fox said. "Maybe Burtoni and Lama Su are skimming some off the top. Corruption is rife in the Senate. I'm sure others are getting in on the action. And because the cost of the war is so high, no one bats an eye."
Blitz didn't look convinced. "That's a lot of money to be embezzling. What would they even spend it all on?"
Fox thought about it for a moment. He did not believe in coincidences. Palpatine feeling threatened by Fox and Ahsoka and now this? Something big was going on here. Something intertwining all of these issues together. And no matter how they intertwined, it all seemed to connect back to Palpatine.
"Let's assume that you're right and the military spending budget isn't just going towards the war but something else. Something that we aren't privy to. What do you want us to do about it? I guess I could bring it up to Amidala and see what she suggests as her next course of action."
"I don't think that's a good idea either," Blitz said. "Amidala is known for going off on her own and getting in over her head. She's good at what she does, but we need to be in control as much as possible. Besides, we don't know how high this goes."
"Palpatine," Fox answered immediately.
"Okay, but who else is involved? What if Senator Amidala is just playing you to keep an eye on you? What if they all are? The Senate is corrupt, Fox. This whole galaxy is corrupt! If we make one wrong move, if we tell the wrong person, it will be very easy to wipe us off the map. Frame us as crazy conspiracy theorists working to usurp the government."
Blitz's accusation that Senator Amidala might not be as morally just as she appeared hurt Fox. He felt strangely defensive of her. He wanted to argue that there was no way she was playing Fox; getting close to him so she could stop him before he uncovered something.
But, someone was monitoring him and Ahsoka.
More money was being spent on the war than they could account for.
Palpatine was not the kind, grandfatherly figure he appeared to be.
Fox was not as powerful as he wanted to be.
Never assume you have the upper hand on the enemy.
Trust no one but your brothers.
Padme Amidala was a senator in a corrupt government. She could play the act of a charitable politician very well. She could be a plant to keep Fox from getting too close to the truth. Blitz was right. Until they knew what was going on here, they had to keep information to themselves.
"Then we're just going to have to follow the money trail. And we're going to have to see what the government officials talk about when we're not around." Fox said. "Do the Kaminoans have meetings without you?"
"They're not supposed to. But let's face it, we all know they hold secret get-togethers and do everything in their power to keep me as far away from the government as possible."
He thought about the GAR network. How everything was monitored and recorded, even if there wasn't someone actively watching it. Just passively gathering information to be used at a later date.
"Maybe it's time we do to them what they do to us," he said. "See if you can't plant a listening device or something."
"Is that legal?"
"Eh..." Fox shrugged. "Look, you're supposed to be privy to all talks related to the government. It's not your fault if they don't invite you. You're just making sure you get all the information you're entitled to."
Blitz wasn't convinced. "I'll… I'll think about it. This is probably the only chance we're going to get at this. I don't want to be caught illegally recording them. Besides, they're allowed to have meetings with just a few of them. I'm sure you have private meetings with senators all the time."
Damn, he was right about that. "Fine, I won't pressure you. I'm still going to look through the budget breakdowns and see if I can't find where this money is going."
"If they're to cover it up, then won't they have erased the evidence?" he asked.
Fox shook his head. "No. If this was something sanctioned by Palpatine or the Senate, there has to be a record. It's a bureaucracy. Nothing happens without a paper trail. Somewhere along the line, someone mentioned it in a memo, a message, a recording, or something. And someone somewhere forgot to delete it."
"You're going to get this information legally, right?"
"Of course. As a representative, I have access to the Senate archives." He groaned and scrubbed a hand down his face. "Of course, I don't really have time to be looking and I don't want to take things out since they track that. I'm already being watched by Palpatine. If I start digging around the budgetary reports it might raise even more red flags."
"Palpatine's watching you?" Blitz asked, shocked by his casual admission. "Like, actively monitoring you?"
"I don't have proof, but I do have reason to believe he gained access to the conversation Ahsoka, Cody, and I had last week. He wasn't surprised when I brought the bill up and didn't seem that bothered by it."
"Haar'chak! That's not good."
"I know that. Which is why I need to be careful."
"Can you switch your armor with another Corrie? Most people can't tell us apart."
"I might have to do that to keep up with my work. I'll try and do it on my own at first. Maybe start with the contract for the Kaminoans and work my way from there."
Blitz nodded. "Be careful, vod. Look, I know you want to rock the boat and see what happens, but doing that might get a hit put out on you. And, no offense, but I think it'd be easier to kill you than it would one of the senators."
"No, I'm too high profile at the moment. They wouldn't want to risk it." His brow furrowed. "You, on the other hand, all the way out in Kamino, are a different story."
"I'll be fine, Fox."
"No, no you're too isolated. It'd be too easy to kill you. Don't go anywhere alone, Blitz. I don't care if you have to share a bed with Wrecker and have Hammer put a leash on you. Have someone watching your back at all times."
"General Tii is here," he said.
"The Jedi can't protect you from everything," Fox replied.
He didn't have particularly high opinions on the Jedi. Actually, he didn't have opinions in general on them. He knew the rest of his brothers were very protective of their Jedi and seemed to generally think highly of them. But, as Fox didn't have a Jedi General to watch his back, he didn't trust them like he did his brothers. Blitz might think Tii could protect him from a Kaminoan assassin, but Fox would rather put his faith in his brothers.
"Watch your back," he said.
"Fine. As long as you watch yours," Blitz said. "I know you think you're too high profile, but that might be exactly what Palpatine wants."
"Fine," he conceded. "I'll talk to you later, brother."
"Ret'urcye mhi." Blitz turned off the holoprojector and left Fox alone with his thoughts.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. All he wanted was to help his brothers. How did it turn into this? He stood up and put on his helmet. Yet another thing added to his to-do list. No matter. He was getting to the bottom of this whether Palpatine liked it or not. Palpatine may be watching him. But he was not going to defeat him.
*****
CommanderWolffe: I saw Howzer's new haircut the other day
CommanderCody: No
CommanderWolffe: You don't even know what I was going to say next!
CommanderCody: No, you are not getting a fade like Howzer.
CommanderWolffe: But I would look so good with it.
CommanderGree: We know. That's the problem.
CommanderWolffe: How is that a problem? It's not a problem when Howzer looks good!
CommanderWilco: Because Howzer's not a slut.
CommanderPonds: I shudder to think what the galaxy would look like if Wolffe was more attractive
CommanderWolffe: It's like the controlled 5 o'clock shadow debate all over again.
CommanderCody: Look, you already have the scar that makes you rugged. We can't have you looking even better. That'd make it too easy for you.
CommanerWolffe: Then how come no one is worried that it's going to be "too easy" for Howzer?
CommanderGree: Because Howzer is a gentleman. A busty twi'lek could throw themselves at him and ask if there's any way they could repay him. And he'd look down at her all serious-like and say, 'Serving the Republic is payment enough'
CommanderMonnk: Busty twi'leks throwing themselves at your feet is a fantasy of yours, eh Gree?
CommanderGree: Shut up, you know I'm right.
CommanderWolffe: Y'all can't stop me if I want a fade.
CommanderCody: Oh we couldn't. But Sinker and Boost would be all for shaving the rest of your hair off if I asked nicely
CommanderWolffe: Traitor! Turning my own men against me.
CommanderPonds: It's for the good of the Republic.
Notes:Drums Fingers on the table. Looks at chapter word count. So…. I think we're going to need to update the format just a bit. Don't get me wrong, I love posting massive chapters but it is exhausting to try and write and edit all of it and I feel like I don't explore things as deeply because I don't want to post a 40K word chapter. The original gimmick of this whole series was that every chapter would have a video and then some action would happen that was directly influenced by the video. But, in the immortal words of AnotherInternetUser, "We are way beyond videos now". So the next few chapters I'm going to play around with things a bit. On the upside, this might mean more frequent uploads. And I'm sure we would all love that. Anyways, thanks for sticking around for the ride! Things are heating up now and I can't wait for the next chapter.
Haar'chak: damn
Gedet'ye: Please
vode: brothers
ner vod'ika: My little sister
osik: shit
neverd'e: civilians
ret'urcye mhi: goodbye