Chapter 7 - ch7

Chapter 7: Episode 7: Names with Tup and WooleyNotes:(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter TextThe second Master Krell stepped onto the ship, Ahsoka had a bad feeling about him. Or, not really a bad feeling, more like a general unease that he was here on the ship and around the troopers. She couldn't place her finger on it, though.

He seemed gruff and aloof, but that wasn't uncommon for Jedi. After all, Master Windu wasn't exactly a walking ball of sunshine and fuzzy feelings. The sentences he spoke were quick and to the point. He didn't linger. He didn't make small talk. He didn't do anything that would suggest he was up to something.

But Ahsoka still didn't like him. She caught herself craning her neck to watch as he swept down the hallway. When she spotted him speaking to master Obi-Wan later, she stopped by the door to listen in on the conversation. She didn't actually care what it was about. She just wanted some piece of evidence that would explain why she didn't trust him.

She found nothing. There was nothing to suggest he was a bad person. She tried to explain away her feelings as 'after-battle' jitters. She was too hopped up on adrenaline and needed some time to cool down. Only, they hadn't fought a battle in several rotations. The trip through hyperspace had been almost pleasant. Picking up Master Krell had been uneventful. She shouldn't be this alert.

Rex once told her that when humans get a bad feeling, the hairs on the back of their necks stood on end. A concept that freaked her out to no end. Torgrutas didn't have hair so she had nothing to stand on end. But she did have teeth. Sharp teeth. Teeth that would bare themselves whenever she was threatened. A lip that curled and peeled back to show off sizeable incisors. And growling. She wanted to growl at Krell. Not a playful growl she sometimes emitted when sparring with the boys. But a proper, predatory, warning growl.

Thankfully, she had yet to growl or snarl at Master Krell. That probably wouldn't reflect very well on Master Obi-Wan or Anakin, even if the latter would likely find it amusing.

Something about Master Krell rubbed her the wrong way.

The only problem? She had no solid proof. All she had was a feeling. A desire to bare her teeth and give him a warning growl. A twisting sensation in her gut that kept her up at night until she finally gave in and wandered around the barracks to make sure the troopers were all right. An overwhelming desire to take to the vents and stalk him, ready to pounce the moment he stepped out of line.

Finally, she got so sick of this feeling she brought it up to Anakin. Tactfully, of course. Just because she wanted to rip his throat out with her teeth didn't mean she was a slave to her instincts.

"Master, how much do you know about Master Krell?" she asked one day while he tinkered around with the Twilight. Always best to bring up sensitive topics when he was working on a piece of machinery. That was when he was in the best mood.

"Not much. Why?"

Ahsoka bit her lip and looked around the busy bay, though it was much quieter than usual. The troopers weren't making loud jokes to even chatting with each other. It was like they were robots, mechanically going about their duties as they were programmed to do.

"The troopers seem… different, now that he's around. It's the only thing that's changed so I thought maybe he had something to do with it."

"Hmm, could be. They're probably less comfortable with an unknown Jedi aboard, snips. I don't know how much Rex and Cody have told you about their training on Kamino, but apparently, it was pretty intense. Doesn't help that they had a Mandalorian in charge of it all. Some… stories about the Jedi got passed around and from what I've heard, a lot of the gen ones thought Jedi were going to be these emotionless monsters."

"But we're not," Ahsoka exclaimed.

Anakin finally slid out from underneath the ship to look at her directly. "I know. I'd like to think most Jedi are pretty nice. But it's hard to undo nearly a decade's worth of that sort of programming. They don't know Master Krell well and he's got no other troops assigned to him so they can't get a good idea of what he's like. They're being cautious."

Ahsoka crossed her arms and glared at the ground as if it were the thing offending her. "I don't like it."

Anakin put a hand on her shoulder. "I know. But it's only for a week and then they'll be back to their old selves. I hear Master Krell is probably going to get a battalion soon. Maybe that will help him open up to the troops and vice versa. I'm sure it's nothing. If it was something, Cody or Rex would come to us. Okay?"

She nodded but didn't feel convinced. It felt like it went deeper than unfamiliarity. Her normally rambunctious brothers had all dialed back their personalities. Even Hardcase was less hyperactive than normal. She didn't think that was possible! And it went deeper than shifts in personality, too. Instead of loitering in the halls or mess, the troopers had all but fled back to their barracks when they weren't on duty. Most of them had taken to wearing their helmets when walking around the ship. Especially those with visible tattoos or hairstyles that went against the reg manual. It was as if all their defining traits, all their personalities, were drained from them.

She had never viewed her brothers as clones before now. They were too different to be mistaken as one giant mass. But with Krell on board, they might as well be everything the anti-clone groups said and more. All the exact same person.

And she wasn't sure she bought Anakin's theory that they were just nervous around a new Jedi. They had never seemed nervous around her. Maybe that was because she didn't seem like a commander given her age and the fact that she was much shorter than all of them.

"Anything else, snips?"

She sighed and shook her head. "No, master. That's all."

Anakin looked like he wanted to say something but then thought otherwise. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Thanks." She hopped off the crate and shuffled out of the bay. She hated how quiet the ship was now. Hawk should be recounting some of his more daring (and overexaggerated) feats of flight right now. Fives should be crashing into her as he tried to run away from an irate Rex. Hardcase should be bouncing off the walls! The 501st and 212th should be engaging in friendly sparring matches complete with shouting and jeering and cheering! The ship should feel alive and thrumming with the light side of the Force.

Instead, it felt like an empty tomb.

She wrapped her arms around her midsection and continued to wander aimlessly through the ship.

"I'm overreacting. Skyguy is right. It's nothing. They're cautious about having an unknown superior officer on board, that's all. Cody and Rex would tell us if something was wrong."

She heard shouts echo off the walls. Her hearing was much better than a human's so she wasn't surprised when no one else seemed to hear it but her. She bit her lip and looked around, wondering if she should go get Master Obi-Wan or Anakin.

They didn't sound like shouts of pain. They sounded like angry shouts. Maybe two troopers had gotten into an argument.

She took off down the hall, walking quickly towards her destination. The more she walked, the less busy the ship got. They were in a much less often traveled cargo section of the ship. Usually, only droids were down here.

"Guess they wanted some privacy," Ahsoka muttered to herself. Which, if it was an argument, made sense.

Should she really be busting in on something someone so obviously wanted to keep private? She tried not to use the Force or her enhanced senses to spy on anyone. If this was between two troopers, she should let them sort it out themselves.

Except, the closer she got, the more she realized that wasn't a trooper's voice she was hearing. It could only belong to one person, and one person alone.

She rounded the corner to see Master Krell berating a poor shiny who had just gotten his name, Colt. For several seconds she did nothing but watch as Krell continued his tirade against him. Colt looked like he was about to cry, standing in a stiff pose and keeping his eyes straight forward, not watching Krell as he bellowed and shouted about whatever had gotten his robes in a twist.

Should she intervene? She was a padawan and it wasn't really her place to scold a master Jedi. Should she go get Master Obi-Wan or Anakin? Did Colt want her to get Master Obi-Wan or Anakin? Was this even worth their time? What if Colt did deserve this barrage of insults? What if he had done something truly egregious and Master Krell, in a moment of weakness, had let his frustrations get the better of him?

She was frozen in place, her entire body tense. Another part of her wanted to turn on her heels and hide, to pretend like she never saw anything.

What should she do?

What if whatever she did made things worse?

What if she was overreacting?

Padawans did not berate masters. That had never stopped her before with Anakin, but that was different. She knew what buttons she could press and what was off-limits. Same with Master Kenobi. She didn't know anything about Master Krell.

Finally, Master Krell made the decision for her and finally finished his tirade. "Get out of my sight, CT-6012," he practically snarled. "I'm through with you."

Colt gave him a shaky salute and scampered off.

That made up her mind for her. She was going to say something. It wasn't right to call a trooper by their number, especially when they had a name. No matter what Colt had done to warrant Krell's wrath he did not deserve to be treated as nothing more than an emotionless droid.

Krell spotted her and looked briefly taken aback. He hadn't noticed her before.

"Padawan Tano, can I help you with something?" The way his voice shifted gave her whiplash. He still sounded cold and distant, but it was much more controlled than before. If she hadn't just witnessed him shouting, she would have never believed he was capable of it.

She swallowed and almost said 'no'. She didn't. These were her brothers and she was going to ensure they got the respect they deserved.

She didn't have to get Master Obi-Wan or Anakin for this. She could deal with it herself. Master Krell just didn't know the etiquette. He didn't know how important a trooper's name was. He didn't have men of his own. He wasn't used to interacting with soldiers.

She took a deep breath and collected herself. She would not react with anger. She would not match temper for temper. She'd be like Master Obi-Wan, a cool calm in a tumultuous storm.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, Master Krell," she said, careful to keep her voice light but neutral. She needed to be patient and empathetic with him. Like her master was with her. It was kind of thrilling, being in this position. Teaching instead of being taught.

She walked up to him and let the Force guide her. Let it radiate calming energy and light. "I know you don't have any troopers of your own," she started, "but it is impolite to refer to them by their numbers. You should use their names if you know them. And, if you don't, you can always just use 'trooper'."

She smiled at him. Krell did not smile back.

"I don't know what Colt did, but using his number was unnecessary. What did he do, by the way? If it was bad, maybe we should talk to An—I mean Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi about it. Mistakes are inevitable, but we can't correct what we don't know."

"I've already handled it," he said, turning and sweeping down the hall.

Ahsoka blinked a few times, her mind trying to comprehend what had just happened. He had just dismissed her! Completely ignored her concerns about the names and walked off!

She ran up to him. "I know you've handled it, but it's still good to let the other masters know just in case this is a pattern. And you should also apologize to him for using his number."

He stopped and turned to her.

Ahsoka didn't have hairs on the back of her neck, but at that moment, she swore they stood on end.

"I beg your pardon?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but there was something dangerous about it. Something that told Ahsoka to back off.

She almost apologized and excused herself.

She forced herself to stand tall and look him in the eyes instead. These were her brothers she was talking about! Men who would give their lives for her in an instant. Men who had adopted her as one of their own. Protected her as one of their own. Taught her to fight and live as one of their own. They loved her and she loved them back. What kind of vod left the others to the mercy of an outsider? How could she ever spend time with them again, how could she ever let them treat her as one of them again, if she didn't stand up for them?

She didn't care what Colt did. She didn't care if he was insubordinate. She didn't care if he cursed out Krell and flipped him off. No one deserved to be referred to as a number instead of a name.

She tilted her chin in defiance. "You need to apologize to Colt. He has a name. You need to use it. And there was no reason for you to speak to him the way you did. So also apologize for that. Your anger is uncalled for, master."

Krell towered over her, his shadow encompassed her. He had excellent mental shields so she couldn't tell exactly what he was feeling, but you didn't need to be a Jedi to know he was angry.

"They were given numbers, not names. I am referring to CT-6012 by his official designation. That is respect."

"It's dehumanizing!" Her voice was rising. The control she had over her temper was wavering. She could feel it flaring around the edges like fire, causing her voice to sharpen and her teeth to gnash together. "It is disrespectful no matter what you think."

"What would you know of respect, child?" His voice wasn't rising.

That made her all the angrier. She clenched her hands into fists until her knuckles were white. "I know your version is archaic and not actually about respect. You have no right to call yourself a Jedi Master if that's how you're going to treat people." She snapped before she could stop herself.

Something in the air shifted. In the blink of an eye, Master Krell grabbed her forearm and yanked her towards him. She let out a small cry as she stumbled forward. He had towered above her before. But now it truly felt like he was taller than anything she had ever seen. She had to practically bend backward to look him in the eyes. And the hand on her arm was locked in an iron grip. Squeezing it. Crushing it in his fist. It hurt. Distantly she was aware that it hurt, but she could barely comprehend the pain as her mind went blank. Only one phrase ran through her head. Repeating itself over and over and over again.

What was she supposed to do?

What was she supposed to do?

Master Unduli had grabbed her once when Ahsoka had threatened Nute Gunray. But even that hadn't hurt. She had kept her hand loose on Ahsoka's bicep as she pulled her out of the room. It was a guiding gesture, sharp but controlled.

This wasn't controlled.

He didn't seem to care how tightly he was squeezing or how much it hurt.

She was scared.

What was she supposed to do?

How was she supposed to react?

"I am not about to be lectured by you, padawan," Krell spat. "The clones were given numbers, not names. I will refer to them as such and you will not be disrespectful toward me or undermine my authority. Do I make myself clear?"

Ahsoka couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her heart pounded so hard against her ribcage that she thought it would shatter. Her entire body felt like jelly. She couldn't decide if she was supposed to fight back or accept the punishment.

What was she supposed to do?

"Commander Tano," an even voice said to her right.

Both she and Krell looked over to see Cody standing there. His helmet was on his head, making his normally stoic expressions even less readable.

"General Skywalker requests your presence immediately." His was still even. Unwavering. Solid. Unsurprised by the position Ahsoka and Krell were in. It was as if this was perfectly normal. Something that happened every day.

What's more, he didn't feel anything. There was a passive level of neutrality that flowed through his emotions and mind like cool water running through a babbling brook. It was the kind of neutrality that betrayed no emotion. He didn't feel angry, upset, scared, or anything. He was simply present in the situation. Observing, but not reacting.

Krell narrowed his eyes and studied him. Cody did not falter under his gaze. His emotions felt soothing to Ahsoka's own troubled mind.

He must be shielding, but also projecting calm.Ahsoka realized. Shielding his true emotions while projecting more pleasant emotions to those around him. Master Obi-Wan must have taught him. That was a very difficult skill to master and only came through a lot of dedicated practice. Even Ahsoka had trouble shielding her stronger emotions and could only radiate calm if she was feeling calm. If she had stumbled into a situation like this, she doubted she'd have the same level of control Cody had right now.

Finally, Krell dropped her arm. "Best move along, padawan. It's disrespectful to keep your master waiting."

She gripped her throbbing wrist and made her way over to Cody. She looked back at Krell, expecting him to be glaring at her or something. But, he seemed to be through with their conversation and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Come along, sir," Cody said. He turned and started walking. Even and steady. Still feeling as calm and collected as ever.

Ahsoka struggled to keep up. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking and she wanted to do nothing more than run and hide. How was she supposed to face Anakin like this? He'd know something was wrong and then he'd get angry. She had had enough anger for the day. Besides, she didn't know if she wanted him to know about this. She felt ashamed of everything that had happened. She had tried to help Colt out but instead made everything a thousand times worse. Why didn't she just keep out of it and wait for Krell to leave? Why did she have to get involved?

She glanced up at Cody, expecting him to say something about what he had just witnessed. He didn't.

A few hallways later, he put a hand on her shoulders and took off his helmet. The gesture served two purposes: to comfort her and to keep her from running off.

She furrowed her brow when she realized where they were heading. "Anakin's in the barracks?" she asked softly. Everything running through her mind screamed to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible. She didn't even like speaking out loud. But Cody's silence was also killing her.

"Hmm? No, he's not."

"Then why are we going to the barracks?"

"He's not looking for you. I figured it was the best excuse to get you away from Krell without questions."

His words were calm and respectful enough, but the fact that he said "Krell" and not "General Krell" spoke volumes. She didn't think she had ever heard Cody call someone just by their last name. He was very close with Master Obi-Wan and even then had never called him by his last name. Cody didn't respect Krell and he was not happy about what he had witnessed.

She swallowed and let him continue to lead her through the quiet, empty halls of the ship. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, duck under his arm, and scamper off, but the hand on her shoulder sent a clear message. Follow me. I want to talk to you.

That also made her nervous. She hadn't spent as much time around Cody as she had with Rex or anyone else in the 501st. That made sense. They were completely different battalions that weren't always together. She liked him well enough. He was level-headed, good at helping her with strategies, and willing to teach her how to be a better commander when he had the time. Rex trusted him as well. Actually, it went deeper than that. Sometimes, she got the feeling that the relationship between Rex and Cody was similar to the relationship between her and Rex. Deeper than friendship. She had heard Rex call him ori'vod on multiple occasions. Big brother.

Maybe trooper relationships were like Jedi relationships. If Anakin was her master, and Obi-Wan was her grand master, did that mean Rex was her ori'vod and Cody was her… ori'ori'vod? Ba'ori'vod? Mando'a didn't really have a word for that.

Still, even if Cody was some sort of grand-older brother that Rex trusted with his life, she didn't know how to act around him. Master Obi-Wan had taught him well (better than Anakin though that might be less a reflection on Master Obi-Wan's teachings and more a reflection on Anakin's personality). Cody was very good at keeping himself very neutral. He was difficult to read and she was never fully sure where she stood with him.

Did he view her as some annoying kid that got in the way? An equal? A younger sibling that needed to be protected? All of the above?

It was hard to say. Which was why she did not like the idea of having to talk about what had just happened. She knew how Anakin and Rex would react. She knew how Fives and Echo and Hardcase would react. She knew how Jesse and Kix would react. She even had a good idea of how Master Obi-Wan would react. Other than Master Obi-Wan, she could see the others all getting very angry and confronting Krell. Except for maybe Kix, who would just poison him and get away with it. But Cody was a different story. Would he fly off the handle? Would he keep control of his emotions just long enough for her to think he was okay only to later find out he had cut off Krell's head? Did he even care what had happened to her or was she only hoping he did because she was scared and didn't know what else to do?

What if he blamed her for getting Krell all worked up?

He directed her to the room he and Rex shared whenever they were together. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Rex wasn't in there. That was one less angry older brother she had to worry about.

"Sheber." Cody said, gently pushing her towards a chair.

She sat down without a fight while Cody pulled over a chair of his own.

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees so they were almost eye-to-eye. "Gar kadala?"

She swallowed and rubbed her wrist. She hadn't stopped since Krell had let go. "No, I'm fine."

Cody quirked a brow and glanced down at her arm. "So, if I take off your vambrace, that's not going to be bruised?

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, it's not. He just surprised me, that's all." For some reason, it didn't sound like the words were coming out of her mouth.

"I don't need to get Helix to come scan you?" He said, a playful undertone in his voice.

She rolled her eyes and relaxed a bit. "Helix isn't my medic."

"I can get Kix here in an instant too. Don't underestimate my power."

"I don't think it's your power. I think all the medics just like to scan people so they have an excuse to poke them with needles."

Cody laughed softly. "Maybe."

When he didn't keep speaking, she forced herself to break the silence. "I'm fine, Cody. Really. He surprised me. That's all. I'm not used to being grabbed like that. And I wasn't expecting to get so angry."

There was a crack in Cody's shields; big enough that she could feel just how furious he was. He smoothed it over quickly, returning back to a steady, neutral support system.

"You don't have to worry about it," she quickly added, desperate to not make the situation any worse than she already had. "It was my fault anyways. I lost my temper."

Cody frowned. "I have a hard time believing you did anything worth getting handled so roughly."

"No, really. I shouldn't have pushed him so hard." She had already made this entire situation into a bigger mess. She didn't need to make it worse. If she could just convince Cody that she was fine, then she could put this all behind her and avoid Krell for the rest of the week like the rest of her brothers.

Her blood turned to ice in her veins.

Had the rest of her brothers gone through something similar? Is that why they were all hiding in their barracks and doing their best to not get Krell's attention?

No. No, that couldn't be. They'd have told her if something like that had happened. Krell probably yelled at them, but he couldn't have grabbed any of them.

Right/

Cody continued to frown, studying her, trying to find any hint of deception. He seemed to give up and sighed. "Fine, then. What set Krell off?"

She hesitated. She wanted to say it was nothing. But, if she said that, Cody might think that Krell overreacted for no reason and then he really would get Anakin and Master Obi-Wan involved. But she didn't want to tell him the whole truth either. He'd be disappointed in her. She wasn't always the best at keeping her frustrations under control and this time she really lost it. She wasn't in the mood for another lecture.

"Ner vod'ika," He said softly. He took her hand in his and pulled it away from her forearm to stop her almost obsessive rubbing. "Gar atin. If you don't talk to me, I have no problem calling any number of people to help me out. Jesse's a great interrogator when he wants to be." He smiled at her, gentle but prodding.

Her shoulders slumped and she accepted her fate.

"He called Colt by his number, but not his name. And yelled at him a bit."

"Did he grab Colt?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. And I don't think he knew I was there." She didn't know why she felt the need to add that last part. But she felt like it was important. Like it gave more context to the problem.

"Then what happened?"

"I thought it was a mistake. He doesn't have troopers so he wouldn't know it's rude. But he just kept insisting and then I may have insulted him and one thing led to another and… well, you saw where we ended up." She stared at the floor, not wanting to look Cody in the eyes. She wished he had less control over his shields. Maybe then she could tell if he was annoyed or not.

She heard him shift and then saw in her peripheral vision him kneeling on the ground, right in front of her. He kept ahold of her hand and let his free one come up to her cheek.

"Vor entye," he said softly. "But you don't have to defend us. Especially not from him."

"You guys have names. He should use them. Especially since he knew Colt's number. That's even more insulting. But, I also shouldn't have lost my temper and yelled at him. If I hadn't escalated the situation, maybe he wouldn't have gotten so angry." She finished, still not looking up at Cody.

"I wasn't there for the whole thing so I can't say for sure, but he shouldn't have grabbed you. And as for the name thing, we survived years on Kamino being referred to by our numbers. One week with Krell won't hurt."

"It's not right though."

"Vod'ika, look at me please."

She finally looked him in the eyes. She didn't see disappointment or anger in his expression. Only understanding.

"You're already doing so much to help others see us as humans, but no matter what you do, there are always going to be people out there who don't understand. And who doesn't want to understand."

"He's a Jedi. He's supposed to respect all life. And that includes you. Especially you."

"I know you Jedi are big on the light side and dark side and all that, but real life is more complicated. There are shades of grey. People aren't all good or all bad, even a Jedi."

"But—"

"But nothing." He smiled at her and she felt herself relaxing more and more. "Krell isn't worth your time. Kaysh mirsh chkaaryc. Ori'buce, kih'kovid.Sometimes we have to let some battles go if we want to focus on winning the war. Krell will be gone in less than a week. We can survive being called by your numbers by then."

"It's not right, though. I don't even think I know you're number. CT—"

"CC-2224," Cody said; his tone light and teasing. "You really should know it. It's faster to get information or contact me through an official channel if you know my number. Please tell me you at least know Rex's?"

She shook her head.

"Jesse's?"

She shook her head.

"What am I going to do with you?" He still didn't sound angry.

"I know Fives' number," she grumbled.

"That's because his is easy to remember." He reached behind him and pulled out a datapad. "I'm sending you some official designations from the 501st. I'll also add in a few commanders as well. If you can't get in contact with me or anyone in the 501st, you can always get in contact with them. Fox, Thorn, Stone, and Thire are all on Coruscant so they should be your first point of contact if you're ever there. Keep an eye on battalions in and around your campaigns as well in case you need someone to come quick."

It took her a while before she realized this was his way of changing the conversation, of directing her focus away from the number thing and into another lesson on how to be a good commander. How was he so good at this? Was it all Master Obi-Wan's influence or was this just what Cody was like?

She wasn't about to let the conversation shift that easily. He was right. She was stubborn. "You can't be okay with getting called by your number. Even for a week."

"I'm not," he said lightly, dropping his hands and sitting back on the chair. "But I can handle it for a week. We all can. If the worst thing that happens to us on this campaign is getting called by our numbers for a week, then it will be a very good campaign. Alright, if you're really okay and you promise not to pick any more fights with Krell, you can go. I think Fives, Echo, and Jesse are hiding out in their barracks. They'd love to spend some time with you. But please, for the love of the Maker, do not play any more Sabacc with them. I do not need another love confession."

She stifled a laugh and stood up. He was done with this conversation and she didn't think talking about it anymore would change anything. Besides, she was done talking about it as well. She just wanted to spend some time with the people she cared about and forget this whole thing ever happened.

Before she left, though, she turned back to him. "You're really okay?"

Cody laughed. "I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me."

"Alright. Thanks for your help." She almost said ba'ori'vod but changed her mind at the last minute. "Cody."

She hadn't even called Rex ori'vod out loud yet and still wasn't fully sure how Cody felt about her. His shielding was too good.

"Any time, kid."

She left the room, still feeling unsatisfied with everything. She briefly thought about going to talk to Anakin about what had happened but decided not to. This was an overreaction on her part. There was no need to escalate this any further.

As she walked to where Fives, Jesse, and Echo were holed up, she rubbed her wrist absentmindedly.

*****

Cody stayed sitting at the desk for a long time after Ahsoka left. Fingers laced together. His face twisted into a scowl. She was probably far enough away or being bombarded by whatever strong emotions Fives was feeling at the moment. He could probably relax. All this shielding nonsense was exhausting.

He waited a few minutes longer. He didn't want to let his shields slip just yet.

He didn't want to scare Ahsoka. He didn't want General Kenobi or General Skywalker to sense his anger and come running. If they demanded answers, Cody would tell them everything. And Force help the man who dared hurt Skywalker's padawan. They would never find the body.

Unlacing his fingers, he started drumming them on the desk instead. His mind raced with thoughts as he argued and second-guessed himself. Had he made the right choice letting Ahsoka walk out of here without demanding she go speak to the generals? Was he making the right choice now by not going to speak with them himself? She looked so scared and small when he stumbled upon them. Smaller than she had ever looked before.

More scared than she had ever looked before.

This was a girl who had stepped off some cargo ship in the middle of one of the hardest battles Cody had ever had the displeasure of being a part of and immediately jumped into action. Even after the battle, she traded war stories like she were one of the boys.

Ahsoka Tano was not supposed to look scared.

She was not supposed to look small.

But was this enough to cause a fuss? Was this enough to potentially slander a general? A commanding officer? One he was supposed to obey without question?

On Kamino they were trained, had it practically beaten into them, not to question orders. Their generals and admirals knew best. If they said jump, you didn't even ask how high. You just did it. Everything they did was to be accepted without question. Every order they gave was to be followed without hesitation.

Krell was his superior officer.

He was a Jedi.

A general.

Maybe not Cody's assigned general but a general nonetheless. It was not Cody's place to question his methods or his handling of Ahsoka's insults and temper. And boy did that girl have a temper. But he could never imagine General Kenobi or General Skywalker doing such a thing. He couldn't even picture what it would look like to have General Kenobi grab her and tower over her like Krell had. It was like a mental block that stopped him from even entertaining the possibility.

Then again, maybe General Kenobi and Skywalker were not the norm when it came to Jedi and Padawan interactions. He already knew Skywalker defied many of the more traditional Jedi conventions. Maybe such harsh treatment was the norm. Maybe he just happened to have an especially even-tempered general who chose to solve issues with tea and meditation.

The thought alone left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He could not imagine the hell Gree would raise if he ever saw General Unduli treating Commander Offree the way Krell had treated Ahsoka. Then again, he couldn't picture General Unduli treating Commander Offree that way at all. Come to think of it, he couldn't imagine any generals acting the way Krell had acted.

Not General Yoda, or General Windu, or General Secura, or any of them. He hadn't met every Jedi, but the ones he did meet tended to be kind.

But, it was not his place to question Krell. He was a soldier. A clone. Krell was a Jedi. A general. Cody was supposed to accept everything he did without question or fight.

A sick and twisted part of his mind wished Krell had actually hurt Ahsoka. Then he'd be able to make a decision. Then he'd be able to go to General Kenobi.

Maybe.

Come to think of it, he wasn't so sure. How much injury was too much injury?

And if what Ahsoka said was true (and he was inclined to believe it was), then why was her well-being so much more important than Colt's? Why was he willing to risk going against his programming to show Krell's cruelty towards the clones when Ahsoka was injured, but not Colt?

Because she's a Jedi so her life is worth more than Colt's.

Was it, though?

Yes.

Ahsoka didn't seem to think so.

Ahsoka is an anomaly.

He groaned and buried his face in his hands. Of course, Ahsoka's life mattered more than his or Colt's or anyone else's. He was a clone. He was born to die in the war. So it made sense that Krell's treatment of her raised more red flags than his treatment of other troopers.

He still wished that Krell had hurt her. Or that he had assaulted (No, no. He didn't assault. He just grabbed her. Nothing as bad as assault.) Colt. If he had grabbed Colt, then that was an established pattern of behavior Cody could point to. Right now, all he had were petty complaints that sounded like a pouting child.

General Krell calls us by our numbers and not our names.

General Krell expects us to actually be in uniform and follow the reg manual and not have any visible tattoos and a standard issue haircut.

General Krell doesn't talk to us in a friendly tone of voice.

Fuck, he had gone soft since leaving Kamino. There was a time when an instructor could beat him until he lost consciousness. Then, he'd wake up with a stim to the neck and be ordered to get back to training. Afterward, when his brothers all crowded around and asked if he was okay, he'd give them a bloody grin and make some smart-ass comment about how 99 packed more of a punch than the instructor. Then he and Wolffe (though he was going by Wolf at the time) would compare their missing teeth or the sizes of bruises like they were battle scars.

There was a time when hearing his number was commonplace and actually a sign of respect, instead of just being called 'clone'.

There was a time when Krell would have been seen as heaven-sent because, though he might not be a fuzzy ball of sunshine, at least he wasn't torturing the troopers.

There was a time when he could take everything the universe threw at him with a cocky grin.

He had grown soft since being with General Kenobi. He had grown used to his name getting used. He had grown used to being treated like a human being and not a droid. He had gotten used to his life mattering.

Krell was what they had expected to serve back on Kamino.

He needed to toughen up and relearn how to take on the chin.

It was hard going back to that place. He didn't know if he could.

The use of the numbers bothered him. It bothered him a lot.

When they were cadets before any of them had ever left Kamino. Before any of them had seen dust or a Jedi Cruiser or anything other than those sterile white halls, names were a dream. A few of the more rebellious cadets had chosen names.

Wolffe was one of them. He was also one of the first to try and insist they call him by a name, not a number. The Kaminoans didn't like that. They sent him to be "punished". After he came back, he didn't make any more demands to be called by his chosen name. When Cody asked about it later, he just gave him a bloody, cocky grin and said "I added another f and an e. That way, it's not even spelled right." And that was the end of that conversation. He referred to Wolffe as Wolffe in his head, or sometimes at night when no one else was around to hear. Whispered to each other like it was some great secret.

Cody had also chosen his name early on. Unlike Wolffe, he wanted a nat-born name. One that you might find on any old planet. Nice and proper. Normal. He couldn't remember where he had heard the name 'Cody', but he liked it. And he settled on it. And that was that.

Rex was still in his Cody is the greatest or'ivod ever so I'm going to do everything he does phase (a phase Cody sadly missed given how reckless and wild his vod'ika ended up becoming) and followed suit. His name came from a story one of the nicer trainers had read them one time. Some action hero that Rex hoped to be when he got older. And probably the first sign that he wasn't as rule-abiding as Cody.

Gree didn't choose his name until after leaving Kamino. And, while he would never admit this, he only chose it because he panicked when General Unduli asked him what his name was. A glorious failure Cody got to see first-hand.

"And what is your name?" she asked.

"Name? CC-1004 stuttered.

"Yes. I do not wish to call you CC-1004. It is rather a mouthful. I heard from Master Koon that some of his troopers prefer to be called by names. Do you have one?"

Cody could see CC-1004's eyes go wide and his mouth went slack as his mind scrambled to come up with a name on the spot. Cody rolled his eyes. He could just say he didn't have a name. General Unduli didn't seem like she would mind.

"Gree?" he choked out.

Cody had to shove his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing.

General Unduli cocked her head to the side. "Like the planet? Or like the species?"

"Both?" he choked out again.

Oh, Cody was definitely going to be telling the others about this later. He'd never let Gree live it down.

Gree, the idiot, decided that instead of just shutting up and moving on, he would dig his grave deeper. "I'm a big fan of squids. Love em. Can't get enough of them."

If General Unduli found any of this strange, she didn't let on. "I see then. Commander Gree, I look forward to working with you." 

Of course, General Kenobi learning his name hadn't gone much smoother. To be fair, he was the first nat-born other than the Kaminoans and trainers that he had met. And he was his commanding officer at that. Cody had been drilled for years that there was a proper way commanders and generals needed to interact. Keep your salutes quick and sharp. Only speak when spoken to. Follow orders. Do not question them.

He was so focused on not making a mistake, he didn't even hesitate when General Kenobi asked him what his name was. After all, the general asked a question. He needed it answered immediately.

"Cody, sir." He said, still not dropping the salute. He hadn't been told he could yet.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his eyes widened. No one but Rex and a few of the other commanders knew his name. It was too dangerous. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time someone had spoken it out loud. It was more of a silent acknowledgment. What would the general do when he found out Cody was not adhering to his number? That he dared try and distinguish himself from his brothers? He was going to get decommissioned for sure. Barely a week off of Kamino and he was already fucking up.

General Kenobi frowned. "Cody? That's a nice name. Commander Cody. Has a nice ring to it. Anyways, Commander Cody, how do I get you to stop doing that?"

"Doing what, sir?" he asked, not daring to look the general in the eyes in case it was all a trap.

"Saluting. How do I get you to stop saluting me? It's weird. You've been holding that pose for five minutes now. Isn't your arm tired?"

It wasn't. He had once held a salute for nearly thirty minutes as punishment. He could go another ten before he started to feel it.

"No, sir. And you can tell me 'at ease' if you'd like me to stop, sir."

"Alright then, at ease. And how do I stop you from calling me 'sir' at the end of every sentence? It's a bit weird."

Cody dropped his arm and finally decided to risk looking toward him. "Um… I don't know, sir. No one's ever asked me to not call them sir… sir."

General Kenobi sighed. "Well, you don't have to call me sir at the end of every sentence. I'd actually prefer it if you don't."

"Very well, sir." He couldn't help it. It felt weird not to tack that on to the end.

General Kenobi rolled his eyes. "We'll work on that. Do other troopers have names or just you?"

"I don't know, sir," Cody said, lying through his teeth. At the time, he didn't know how the other generals would treat his brothers. And the last thing he wanted to was to reveal that most of them had names picked out.

General Kenobi sighed again. "We're going to have to work on your shielding. I can read every thought that crosses your mind."

Cody's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Sorry, sir. Yes, many of my brothers have chosen names. But I don't know them all, sir," he said.

"That wasn't what I was referring to." He studied him for a moment, expression unreadable. "There will be time for that later, Commander Cody. For now, let's put your troops to the test. We have a battle to win." 

The names had been one of the first pieces of evidence that the Jedi saw them as more than clones. They saw them as people. And, from what he could tell, every Jedi used names whenever possible.

Every Jedi except Krell.

Which brought Cody back to the problem at hand. Was he being weak? Had serving under General Kenobi stripped him of his training? Of his ability to not let the dehumanization get to him?

The image of him grabbing Ahsoka once more cause danger to flare up in his veins. He may not be as close to her as the rest of the 501st, but she was still his vod'ika. He'd be just as angry if he had walked in on Krell treating Waxer or Boil or Rex that way. Hell, Krell was damn lucky it wasn't Rex that stumbled on him in the first place. He would have been dead before his body hit the floor. And, if Krell was willing to assault Ahsoka so openly in the hallways when anyone could stumble upon them, what was he willing to do to the rest of his brothers? What was he willing to do behind closed doors? What was he willing to do to troopers that didn't have their generals onboard watching their backs?

He cursed and massaged his brow, another headache forming as his thoughts waged war against each other. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers do not question their generals. Good soldiers are disposable weapons that can be replaced at a moment's notice.

Cody was a good soldier.

But was being a good soldier the same as being a good brother?

The door hissed open. He looked up to see Rex.

"Hey, vod, everything okay?" he asked upon seeing Cody hunched over the desk, massaging his brow.

"Headache," Cody grunted.

"Want me to get Helix or Cas?"

"No, it's not that bad," he sighed, dropping his hand.

Rex studied him for a moment.

"Vod, I swear you do not have a leg to stand on when it comes to avoiding medics. I'll be fine."

Rex sighed and stepped fully into the room. "Fine. I won't press. I saw Ahsoka heading to Fives' and the others' bunks. She looked upset. Did you see her at all?"

He swallowed down the truth. Cody may be a good soldier, but Rex was not. And he was not willing to let his brother get decommissioned over someone as insignificant as Krell. But, at the same time, if Rex didn't get answers now, he'd go looking. It was better for Cody to give him a partial truth to control the situation than let him discover what had actually happened on his own.

"I did see her and I spoke to her."

"And?"

"She doesn't like that Krell calls us by our numbers and not our names."

"Ah. So she noticed that."

He nodded.

"To be fair, I don't like that he calls us by our numbers. Who does he think he is?"

"A Jedi and a general," Cody reminded him. "Rex, please tell me you are not looking for a reason to pick a fight with him. I already had to use every trick in the book to get Ahsoka to back off. I don't want to worry about you too."

Rex deflated. "No, I'm not. It's just… after being with General Skywalker for so long, I forgot what it felt like to not be treated like a person." He sat down heavily in the chair Ahsoka had vacated not long ago. "Is this all we're good for? Numbers instead of names? No one remembering us after we die? Just a faceless trooper that followed orders without question?"

"You're having a lot of dark thoughts because of someone as inconsequential as Krell," Cody replied.

Rex shrugged. "I feel like I should say something to the generals. Something about this feels wrong. But what would I even say? Krell isn't as nice to me as some other people? He uses my number instead of my name? What kind of complaints are those, Cody?"

"Pointless ones," Cody said. "Especially since we're kicking him out of the ship in a few days."

"Can it be literally? Just right out the airlock?"

He chuckled. "I don't think the Jedi would be too happy about that. I know it's hard, vod, but deal with it a little while longer. We've survived worse."

Rex nodded but was clearly not happy with Cody's words.

Cody wasn't happy with his words either. He wasn't happy with this whole situation, but he also didn't know what to do about it. He was a good soldier. And, at the end of the day, Krell hadn't done anything worth making a big fuss over.

*****

Episode 7: Names with Tup and Wooley

Two new troopers accompanied Ahsoka this time. She was smiling like always, but there was a darkness in her eyes. Anger that seemed out of character.

"Hi guys, today I'm here with Tup from the 501st and Wooley from the 212th."

The two troopers waved to the camera.

"Today, we're going to talk about one of the most important aspects of trooper culture, the names."

"Yeah, I'm so glad I missed the mess hall episode," Wooley said. "This is way better than talking about food. Names are so special to us."

"And a lot of them come with very unique backstories," Tup added. "You can really tell a lot about a trooper from their name and how they got it."

"Though, I did hear you hunt whenever you're planetside, sir," he said, looking to Ahsoka.

"Yeah! Want to come with?" She flashed her sharp teeth.

Wooley shuddered and shook his head. "Um, no. I think I'm good."

"Your loss," she shrugged.

They were silent for a few seconds. Ahsoka stared right into the camera, smiling. Tup and Wooley exchanged confused glances.

"Um… sir, you gonna say anything?" Tup whispered.

Ahsoka jumped and looked at him. "Oh, I guess I can. Usually, by this point, someone has started an argument so I was just kind of waiting for you guys to get it out of your system."

Wooley glanced at tup, brow raised in confusion. "I guess we could argue about something if you'd like."

They stared at each other for another beat then sighed and looked away.

"I got nothing."

"Yeah, me neither."

"Then I guess we can get started," Ahsoka said. "All troopers are assigned a number. But it's considered very rude to use their number if they have a name. Some might even say disrespectful! Dehumanizing! Maybe even downright abusive." She grinned, flashing her teeth. It didn't feel like a friendly grin. It felt like a threat.

Tup and Wooley glanced at each other once more.

"Um… sir, are you okay?" Tup asked.

"Fine, Tup! I'm super fine! I'm just letting the audience know that if you know a trooper's name, use their name!" For some reason, most watchers could swear Ahsoka had silently added or I will hunt you down and do what I did to that lizard that scarred Echo for life to the end. This was mostly speculation though.

"Right," Wooley said cautiously. "Um, so, yes, names. Now, some troopers will have picked their names when they're cadets. Others don't pick their names until much later, after a battle or two."

"Names can be anything," Tup added. "They can be normal names you might hear a nat-born called, personality traits, physical characteristics, inside jokes, or even just words you really like. There's no hard and fast rule as to what a name can be and that allows troopers to get really creative."

Ahsoka nodded. "Like Echo got his name because he'd always 'echo' the reg manual or orders."

"And Broadside got his name because when he was a cadet, he couldn't 'hit the broadside of a barn'." Wooley added. "I got my name because my hair's pretty curly. Like sheep's wool. So my batchmates started calling me Wooley. It's one of the reasons I usually keep it pretty shaved down."

"Oh, I wish it was longer so I could feel it," Ahsoka said, looking mournfully at Wooley's shaved head.

"Um… what?" He did a double-take before looking at Tup.

Tup just shrugged and said, "Yeah, she's got this weird thing about feeling different peoples' hair."

"I don't have hair so I want to know what hair feels like! Like, Rex's head is so fuzzy. And Tup's is really silky! But why is your face hair pricklier than your head hair?"

Wooley bit back a laugh.

Tup rolled his eyes playfully. "That's just how it grows, kid."

"I'm trying to convince Fives to grow out his face hair because I want to know what it feels like when it's longer."

"He's not down with that?"

She shook her head.

"Well, I guess if you're a trooper out there who wouldn't mind your beard getting pet like a loth cat, hit up the 501st," Tup said.

"Anyways, back to the names. Sometimes you're given a name by your brothers. Other times you choose it. It kind of depends on the situation," Wooley said.

"There's a whole process that most people go through, but not everyone." Tup continued. "You start by working through a couple of names that you like in your head. You try them out, call yourself them internally, and see what sticks and what doesn't. Then you might tell your batch mates or a few of your closest brothers a name that you like. They'll usually start calling you the name in private. That way you can see how it feels and if you want to change it. Once you feel comfortable, you go to your commanding officer and tell them your name. They'll update the registry so people can see who is where."

"It's all unofficial," Wooley said. "Technically, our numbers are our official designation. We don't have to have or use names."

"But again, if someone has a name, use it," Ahsoka said, once more putting on a warning smile.

"Right," Tup continued. "Another important thing to remember is that if you get assigned to a battalion that already has a trooper using your name, it's best practice to choose a different name. Especially if the trooper in question is older."

"We already look the same," Wooley said. "We don't need the same names too."

"Yep! Anything else you guys want to talk about?" Ahsoka asked.

"Well," Tup said, "a lot of the gen one troopers are very weird about their names. I'm pretty sure all of them have one, but sometimes they won't tell you what it is. Some of their commanding officers don't even know them."

"Really? Why not?" Ahsoka asked.

"I heard from Commander Cody that the Kaminoans used to heavily discourage the use of names. So, they were very private. You only told them to a handful of your closest vode and they were not to be repeated to anyone else. Sometimes. You'd have entire squads that didn't know each other's names." Wooley explained.

"That sounds awful," Ahsoka said.

"It makes sense," Tup said. "The more people that know about it, the more likely the Kaminoans and instructor were to find out. And then you'd get punished. And, let's face it, out of all the hills to die on, giving yourself a name is not one the gen ones cared about."

"They're okay with the names now, though. Right?" Ahsoka asked.

"I'm not sure if 'okay' is the right word," Wooley said. "More like they know they can't stamp it out so they just accept it."

"Yeah," Tup quickly changed the subject. "Another thing, we don't really use nicknames. You might if you're very close to a brother, but that is rare. When in doubt, use the full name and never assume you can use a nickname unless explicitly told you can."

"Sometimes you might get away with adding 'ika to the end of a name," Wooley added. "It's another nod to the Mandalorian culture. Again, use with caution."

"Oh yeah, Wolffe calls me Sok'ika all the time."

"Aw, that's so cute!" Tup beamed. "Maybe I should start calling you that."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "You can if you'd like."

He pulled her into a hug. "You got it, Sok'ika"

"But I get to call you Tup'ika too."

"I don't even care."

Wooley looked right into the camera. "Waxer, Boil, you are not allowed to add 'ika to the end of my name. Go it?"

Tup finally let go of Ahsoka. "I think that's about all for the names. Names are so important to us. We don't have much else to call our own so getting a name or choosing a name is sometimes the only thing we do get."

"Yeah, our brothers die all the time," Wooley said. "But there's something especially awful about them dying without a name. Just a number. A faceless number. One in millions. I mean, anyone can tell the difference between a trooper named Wiseguy and a trooper named Shark, even if you never met them. But who can tell the difference between CT-4492 and CT-7837? Those numbers don't mean anything."

Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, that took a turn for the depressing," Tup said, scrubbing his eyes. "Hey Sok'ika, want to know the dumbest clone name in the galaxy?"

Ahsoka quirked a brow. "I'm not sure. Isn't that a little mean to make fun of someone's name?"

"Oh, this guy totally deserves it," Wooley scoffed. "It's a rule that when you go out drinking, you stick together no matter what. If the Corries arrest one of you, they arrest all of you. But this guy, he ran away!"

"Claimed he didn't want to get a disappointment lecture from Billaba," Tup scoffed.

"Which is stupid because everyone knows that Commander Cody has perfected the 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed' lecture."

"Last time he made Krys cry," Tup said, shaking his head. "The only one who seems immune to it is Captain Rex."

Ahsoka laughed. "Alright, so you guys want revenge on this guy for leaving you to the mercy of Fox and his troopers. What's his name?"

Wooley grinned. "Flippity-flop."

She burst out laughing. "Flippity-flop?"

"That's what I said. Flippity-flop."

"Why is he called Flippity-flop?" she asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

Tup shifted on his seat, grinning from ear to ear. "Because, it's his first mission, right? He's all nice and shiny and ready for some action. Ready to show the general that he's got the right stuff."

"So," Wooley cut in, "they're in the gunship, waiting to land. Waiting for that green light. Door's open. He's the first one out. Ready to make a name for himself and….whoosh! He slips and falls right off the ship." He started howling with laughter.

"No!" Ahsoka gasped.

"Yes!" Tup said. "What made it worse was the fact that they were on a mountain. So not only did Flippity-flop fall off the gunship, but he flipped and flopped halfway down the mountain. Luckily, General Billaba caught him with the Force before he could bash his head open on a rock."

"But the damage was done. From there on out, he was known by everyone as Flippity-flop."

"I hear he goes by 'Flip' now," Tup said. "But to those of us in the know. He'll always be Flippity-flop."

Ahsoka wiped more tears from her eye. "I can't believe it. That's amazing."

"How about you, Commander?" Wooley asked. "Any weird clone names?"

She thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. "No. Most of the 501st, 212th, and Wolfpack are pretty standard. I do really like Dogma's name, though."

"Dogma?" Tup asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's very poetic, in a way. Oh, and I've never met him but I also really like Commander Neyo's name."

"I see. So, you like the more esoteric names. Not the descriptors or nat-born names," Tup said.

She smiled and patted the side of Tup's face. "I like all your names."

"But you like Dogma and Commander Neyo's a little bit more."

*****

Creche to Command had done things for politics that Padme never imagined. The constituents had been so outspoken lately about clone rights. And that in turn was making them more outspoken about other issues they had opinions on.

It was like this one little series, as insignificant as it may have seemed at first, gave people a jumping-off point for speaking out. A starting point for dealing with issues in the galaxy. Padme loved it. She loved that people were getting more involved in politics. She loved that people were trying to use their voices and get their representatives to work for them and not in their own interests. But sometimes it was hard knowing how to solve these issues.

Case in point: the last episode of Creche to Command.

When the public found out that some troopers died without a name, there had been a massive outcry. People were demanding that something be done about this. And she agreed. Only, no one could figure out how to address the issue. Her small group of allies, usually in agreement on things, were now fractured and arguing.

"I'm telling you, taking away their right to name themselves will not go over well with the troopers," Riyo argued.

"What else can we do? We can't just let them die without names. And, once they're dead, they can't choose one!" Senator Organa argued back.

"I do not trust the Kaminoans to name them properly. They'd probably just name them Tony 1, Tony 2, Tony 3, and so on and so forth until those names don't mean anything. Besides, we can't force the Kaminoans to name them anyways."

"But what other option is there? What is more important to them? The chance to choose a name, or the chance to die with a name? Both of those cannot be represented here."

Padme sighed and massaged her brow. They both had good points. The trooper culture was much different from any other culture in the galaxy. A trooper's name was not the same as hers. Her name was something given to her by her parents. It was a symbol of her family. Of her parents' tastes. A trooper's name was much more personal. It was a way to make themselves an individual. It was a way to mark their personality with a sound that identified them as different from the millions of other faces that looked just like them. It was a way to have something when you owned nothing. They couldn't, in good faith, take that away from them.

But on the other hand, if a trooper died before they got their names, what were they supposed to do? Were they supposed to require a name before the cadets graduated and were sent out into the field? And what happened if two troopers had the same name? What then?

Why was something as simple as 'figure out what to do about trooper names' so complicated?

Senator Mothma cleared her throat, causing the argument between Senator Organa and Riyo to quiet. "If I may, we do have a potential contact that might be able to help."

"Who?" Padme asked.

"Commander Fox. He is the one that wrote the food donation bill after all. He could probably find a solution that satisfies both trooper culture, and the public's desire for all troopers to get a name."

Riyo blushed at the mention of Fox. "That is a good idea. He does know the culture better than we do."

"I agree. Maybe we should bring him in for all future discussions related to the troopers," Senator Organa said.

Padme sent one of her guards to go fetch him. "Hopefully he's not too busy. In the meantime, let's go over this privacy act. I don't like how it might affect the welfare system."

They agreed and began talking about the bill and if they should try to add some provisions or block it altogether. Eventually, Padme got so lost in the conversation that she forgot she had even sent for Fox.

After about two hours, though, he came. If it was even possible, he looked even more tired and overworked than last time.

"Senators, you sent for me?" he said.

Riyo blushed once more. "Yes, we were hoping you could help us with something."

"Of course. I am here to serve after all." He bit back a yawn.

"Um, Commander, you've gotten some sleep, right?" Padme asked.

"Yes, sir. Four hours."

"This evening?"

"This month."

They all exchanged worried glances.

"Well, then, we don't want to keep you long. Have you seen the latest episode of Creche to Command?"

Fox's eye twitched. He turned around and muttered into his commlink, "Send more rats to Rex next supply drop."

The trooper on the other end confirmed and Fox turned back around. "I have not seen it."

"Okay, let me give you a quick explanation." She told him about the name situation and how they were trying to figure out a way every trooper could get a name even in death without taking away such an important aspect of the culture.

Fox listened patiently as she went over their different options. Predictably, he shut down the idea of forcing the Kaminoans to name them immediately.

"Any other ideas?" Senator Mothma said.

Fox thought for a moment. "Most troopers tell their names to their closest brothers, you can always ask them what names they were considering."

"And what if they didn't tell their brothers?" Padme asked.

Fox tapped his fingers on the desk. "You could always have the citizens of the Republic submit name ideas and have the troopers closest to them pick their favorites. It's a bit of a fluff bill but it would boost morale among the civilians and make it seem like you're taking their concerns seriously."

"That's a great idea, commander. Thank you." Padme wrote down his ideas. "But, this isn't just a fluff bill. We are trying to take this seriously. We want you and your brothers to be treated with the respect all citizens of the Republic have a right to."

"Then what is your plan for all these names?" Fox asked carefully.

"I beg your pardon?"

He hesitated, likely trying to decide if it was worth speaking his mind to them. If they were a threat. He seemed to decide that they weren't and explained.

"Let's say you bring this to the Chancellor and it gets passed. Then what? What does it matter if some commander logs a trooper's death with his name or his CT number? In the end, it doesn't change anything. A dead brother is a dead brother. You all have people who would mourn your deaths. Family, friends, and things like that. We only have our brothers and maybe our generals. What does it matter if a trooper dies before he gets his name? What does this whole 'citizens submit names' idea change about the circumstances of their deaths?"

She hadn't thought about that, but he had a point. Yet another kink in a deceptively simple problem.

Fox looked at them, sighed, then took a seat. "Alright, let's figure this out. I left Thorn in charge so hopefully Coruscant won't burn to the ground while I'm here."

Padme was almost taken aback by how easily and swiftly he took charge of the situation. She could see why his men respected him so much. And his confidence put her at ease. They'd figure this out. One way or another, no trooper would ever die without a name.

Not if she had any say in the matter.

*****

Palpatine's eye twitched as he read through the bill brought to him by Senator Organa.

"The Post-Humous Clone Name Act?" He didn't need clarification, but he could not believe what he was reading.

Senator Organa grinned. "Yes. This act would create a registry for all clone troopers and their names. An obituary of sorts. If a trooper does not have a name when they die, the citizens of the Republic can submit a name and the troopers can choose the one they think would best fit their fallen comrade. All names would be legally binding, just as your name. And the citizens can read about the troopers and their stories."

Palpatine's eye twitched once more. This was the second pro-clone bill brought before him in a short amount of time. It had to be that blasted series. "Creche to Command". Dooku said that it wasn't going to cause any more problems but here it was, rearing its ugly head.

"Senator, I don't think this is what you should be focusing on," he said.

"It's what the people want. They have been clamoring for some sort of standardized naming system for the troopers since the last episode of 'Creche to Command' came out."

So it was the fault of that Force-forsaken series. The people were supposed to despise the clones, not like them! He had a very carefully crafted plan and this was throwing it into disarray. What was he supposed to do with this? How was he supposed to react to this?

That girl. It was all that girl's fault. He needed to do something about her before she caused any more disturbances.

"Chancellor, are you okay?" Organa said.

Palpatine smoothed over his features and put on a sympathetic smile. "I cannot guarantee something like this would pass."

Organa's grin merely widened. "It's a pretty innocent bill. And, as I said, it's what the people want. I can't imagine we'll have much pushback. Besides, the citizens are already chomping at the bit to submit their name ideas. Maybe you should submit a few, sir. To show your support."

"First let's pass the bill, senator. Then we can focus on names." He forced himself to sound cheerful and happy about this turn of events.

Creche to Command.

Something needed to be done about that series.

*****

When Rex got the new directive, he almost couldn't believe it. He had been asked, or rather the entire GAR had been asked, to write short paragraphs about each of their brothers that had died. What's more, their names were now legally binding names. Just like any nat-borns. He was still CT-7567, but now he was also Rex. Legally Rex. Something that would never change. Something that could never be taken from him.

And the obituaries. So many brothers gone. At one time, he thought only the troopers would ever remember them. They'd be the only ones speaking their names and remembering their personalities. But now anyone in the galaxy could access the database and see his brothers. Their likes. Their dislikes. Their personalities. All out in the galaxy for everyone to see. No longer a number. A name. And a person behind that name.

Not only that, but no trooper would ever die without a name again. Their squad could choose one and citizens were submitting so many different names every day. Some were normal names. Some were weird. Some were beautiful. Some were strong. All were amazing.

He had never felt this accepted by the government or its people. He would die for the Republic, which had never changed. But the way he felt about dying now was much different. Before he was willing to die because that's just what a trooper did. Now there was a feeling of peace with it. A love for it. A fire burning deep within him that made him not want to die for the Republic, but to live for it. He wanted to come out of every battle alive because that meant he could fight for a system that saw him as a person. He could be a part of it.

And it was great. It was really great. Better than he or his brothers could have ever hoped for back on Kamino.

Except for one small problem.

On one hand, it was nice to be treated as a person.

On the other hand…

"Cloney McCloneface?" Rex deadpanned, staring at the shuffling troopers in front of him, trying to figure out if this was all some elaborate joke.

The group snorted with laughter.

The one in front schooled his features back into a serious expression. He didn't have an official name yet, but Rex had heard some of his brothers start to refer to him as Cato. He had already gotten the paperwork filled out so all that Cato had to do was sign it and then it'd be official.

"Yes, sir," Cato said.

Rex looked back down at the paperwork the men had submitted and then looked back up at the group.

"You want to name your dead brother… Cloney McCloneface?"

Once more, the boys all snorted and choked on their poorly concealed laughter.

"Yes, sir," Cato said.

"Cloney McCloneface?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, sir."

Rex sighed and massaged his temples. He looked back up at the shinies. "Did you hate your brother? Is that what this is?"

"No, sir! We didn't!" Another trooper cried.

"Because, if you did, you could have just named him Steve or something. No offense, Steve."

"None taken, sir," Steve said.

"We didn't hate Cloney, really!" Cato said.

Maker help him, he was going to murder these boys. "Then why name him something so ridiculous? You know this is going to be his official name. As in, this will be on his death certificate and in the public record for his obituary. And you're not going to be able to change it."

"Because…" Cato sighed. "Look, you didn't know him. Like, at all. We're all shiny. All fresh off Kamino. You didn't know what he was like. But he loved to make people laugh."

"That was his thing," a third trooper said. "No matter how bad things got, no matter how depressed you got over the war or whatever, he was always there to make jokes and make you smile."

"The name seems ridiculous to you, sir," one added. "But it's not far off from what he was considering."

"And what was he considering?"

The troopers all looked at each other.

"Bubbles."

"Bubbles?" Rex raised an eyebrow. And he thought Fives' name was stupid.

"Yeah," Cato said. "He thought it'd put a smile on people's faces whenever they said it. Said it was impossible to say it with a straight face."

"And, I quote, "It'll be really hard to take a CO seriously when they're yelling at me. Because, can you really say 'Bubbles' angrily?'. That was just the kind of guy he was."

"If anything, he'd probably be pissed he didn't think of Cloney McCloneface first," one grumbled.

"Yeah, you can't say Cloney McCloneface with a straight face, sir. Though, you are doing a really good job at disproving that theory."

Rex shot him an unimpressed look.

Cato took a deep breath. He opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking. "Nothing can bring back our brother. Not this name. Not this obituary. Nothing. He's gone. Forever. First battle off Kamino and he's gone. Didn't even have a chance to paint his armor or choose his own fucking name. His last words to me, with a fucking pipe sticking out of his chest, were 'bet you I'm the first trooper shish kabob'."

A trooper behind him wiped his eyes and shook his head. "It wasn't one of his better jokes. Let's be real."

"Even when he was dying, he was still trying to make us laugh. Knew he wasn't going to get out of there but still was trying to make us laugh."

Rex hated comforting troopers after deaths. And he especially hated comforting shinies after the first death of a brother.

Oh, who was he kidding, these boys weren't shiny anymore. Their armor was still streaked with mud from their last battle. He thought he could see a bloody handprint on one of their arms. He had to wonder if it was from their fallen brother, or someone else. Their faces were mired with stubble and dust and dark circles under their eyes. The eyes themselves were bloodshot. Their hair was messed up.

They were hurting. Just like any trooper who had just lost a brother.

"Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la," he said softly. "Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum"

"We don't know that one yet, sir," a trooper said.

Rex looked up at them. "Daily remembrance. "I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal." Then you say your fallen brothers' names. Alright, if you swear to me this is not some joke, I'll sign off on the name."

"We swear, sir," Cato said.

"Right. Then, I'll finish up the paperwork. Maybe for his obit, you can make a list of his actual best jokes," he suggested.

"Will do, sir. Thank you, sir." The men all shuffled out of his office. They still had an air of grief around them, but it was lighter than before. They were learning to move on. To remember the dead but keep on living. It was a hard lesson, but a necessary one.

Rex finished his paperwork and sent it off to be officially recognized as the trooper's name.

Yet another fallen brother to add to the list of names that seemed to grow every day. At least this time, people could search for him and read about him. He hoped whoever submitted the name got a kick out of seeing it on the registry. It's what Cloney McCloneface would have wanted.

*****

"For the last time, Fives, I'm not putting that as Hevy's greatest achievement!"

Ahsoka heard Echo's sharp voice from a quieter part of the ship. With Krell now gone, the men had started to come out, but the damage had been done. They seemed jumpier, less confident, and subdued. She wondered if she made the right decision by not telling Anakin or Master Obi-Wan about him.

She almost didn't follow the voice. The last time she went searching, she ended up making Master Krell angry.

But this was Echo and Fives and she missed hanging out with them.

She peaked around the corner to see them on the floor, a datapad between them and some bottles of dark ale around them.

"I let you write Droidbait's obituary," Fives said.

"And I let you write Cutup's. Now we're compromising. And I'm not putting that as Hevy's greatest accomplishment."

Oh, right. The obituaries.

A lot of troopers had been working on them since the new bill was passed; rushing to get their brothers recognition they had never had before. Ahsoka always thought she knew what the scale of the war was. She thought she knew how many troopers died. And she did know the numbers. She just didn't realize what those numbers meant until she was scrolling through the registry. The sheer amount of dead troopers overwhelmed her. She didn't even get through the A's before having to leave the site and go meditate for a few hours. All those people, gone. Some of them were gone before she had ever set foot on a battlefield.

"It's not my fault the bastard up and died before we could get off Rishi!"

"Then let's put the Citadel test as his greatest achievement."

"Oh, yeah! That's a great idea! Let's all describe in detail how one of our instructors tried to sabotage us so we'd get tossed into maintenance with all the other defective clones! I'm sure Hevy would love that."

She rolled her eyes and decided to intervene before Echo and Fives escalated any further. They weren't Krell. And she knew how to handle them.

They loved each other very much. She could feel it deep within their souls. But unlike Cody and Rex who seemed to agree with each other most of the time. Echo and Fives seemed to thrive off arguments and pressing at each other's buttons. She didn't understand it, but if it worked for them, it worked for them. Sometimes it was a good idea to step in, though. Just to keep the damage to a minimum.

"What are you guys up to?" she asked, coming around the corner.

"Trying to finish up the obits for Domino Squad," Echo said.

"We'd be done already if you'd just put Hevy's greatest achievement as blowing up the Rishi Base."

"That was our base! That's not an achievement."

"It is if you're Hevy."

Ahsoka shook her head and plopped herself between Fives' legs, resting her back against his chest. He propped his chin right in the dip of her montrals.

"I don't think I've ever heard you guys talk about your squad before," she said cautiously. Sometimes troopers loved talking about their fallen brothers. Other times they hated it. That mixed with the fact that Echo and Fives had been drinking (not a lot based on the smell but still a little) she might be setting up for another argument.

She hoped not.

Echo shrugged. "Never really any reason too. You never met them. You would have liked them, though. And they probably would have liked you."

"Droidbait especially would have liked you."

She wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that name a little mean?"

"It's not mean! I swear Droidbait swallowed a magnet in his growth chamber or something. Damn clankers were drawn to him," Fives said.

"One time during training," Echo said, "I was on my back. Blaster right out of reach. There was a droid standing over me, ready to fire. Completely focused on me. Then, Droidbait tripped and fell right behind the droid. Keep in mind, this thing's got me unarmed and on my back, its full attention is on me. Only, as soon as Droidbait's out in the open, it turns and shoots him instead! I was so surprised I didn't even think to go grab the blaster or even just duck for cover."

"Everyone was surprised, including the instructors," Fives added. "They shut down the entire simulation and ran diagnostics on the whole system to see if it had been hacked. Or if Tech was messing with it again."

Ahsoka laughed softly.

"Hey, Echo," Fives said.

"Yeah?"

"Hevy and Hardcase? Best friends or bitter rivals?"

Echo did a full-body shudder. "We should be very glad those two never met."

"What was Hevy like?" Ahsoka asked.

"Think Hardcase, but less hyperactive. He loved his guns. Especially the big ones." Fives explained.

"I think they would have been friends. But the kind of friendship where they're also rivals. They would have constantly been trying to one-up each other and doing stupid shit."

"Like Hardcase playing 'hot potato' with a live grenade and a droid?" Ahsoka grinned.

"Pretty sure the Captain damn near had a stroke when he read that report," Fives squeezed her slightly.

"I bet you guys were great as cadets."

"Oh hell no!" Echo said. "We were the worst!"

"We were so bad, that even though we were able-bodied and battle ready, they were still considering sticking us in maintenance because we had such a problem succeeding in training missions." Fives said. "You got Hevy running off to do his own thing. Echo over here unable to adapt without orders. Droidbait being, well, droid bait. And Cutup trying to be a peacemaker and failing miserably."

"What about you?" Ahsoka asked.

Fives scoffed. "I was perfect."

Echo flicked a bottlecap at him.

"So this arguing, that's always been a thing with you guys?"

"Wouldn't be Domino Squad without at least one argument a training session," Fives sighed. "We failed our final test. They let us take it again. I have no idea how they managed to swing that. Thought we were going to fail that one too."

"But you guys, passed, obviously," she said.

"Obviously. It helped that 99 talked some sense into Hevy. He was the only one that could get through to him."

"99?" she asked.

"Have we not told you about 99?" Fives gasped. "Oh, we are failures as brothers. Every trooper worth their salt knows about 99."

"He was a trooper?"

Echo shook his head. "No. He was too deformed for that. He was one of the firsts, back when the Kaminoans were still trying to figure out the cloning process. His growth was all over the place, he aged too rapidly, had a humpback and a bum leg. So, they stuck him in maintenance with the rest of the defective clones. Well, except for Clone Force 99, but they're supposed to be defective so I don't think that really counts."

"99 was great," Fives continued. "You could always count on him to give you some words of wisdom or to help calm you down after a harsh training session. Never set foot off Kamino but seemed wiser than any of us. He would have loved you."

"Really?" Ahsoka beamed.

"Oh yeah. You probably would have been his favorite vod."

"I doubt it. Besides, he had Hevy."

"That is true. He still would have loved you."

"I would have loved to meet him. He sounds like a great man."

"He was." Fives squeezed him again. "I think every trooper in the GAR is working on his obituary. As I said, he was a pretty common set piece around Tipoca City."

They lapsed back into silence. Ahsoka let them sit in it. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was the kind of silence you sometimes needed. A chance to think about things and come to a form of acceptance.

Echo groaned and flopped back. "Fine, Fives. We can put that Hevy's greatest accomplishment was a spot of domestic terrorism."

Fives chuckled. "When you put it like that, that does make it seem kind of bad."

"Well, I'm not going to phrase it like that," Echo said, flicking another bottle cap at him.

"How are you two holding up? Doing all these obituaries and whatnot?" Ahsoka asked before the argument could escalate again. And they were doing so well before! Although, now that she knew this was common even as cadets, she wasn't surprised. She was surprised that even with all the arguments, Fives and Echo were still two of the closest troopers in the 501st.

Fives shrugged. "It's hard, but it's also nice. I don't blame the Captain for not really caring about Droidbait, Cutup, and Hevy, he's lost a lot of people too, but it was hard. Moving on, completing the mission without them. And then we left Rishi and were introduced to the 501st and suddenly, you have a bunch of brothers who've never even heard of Hevy before. They didn't know Cutup's favorite food, or that stupid little song Droidbait would hum whenever he cleaned his blaster. Sometimes I worried that when Echo and I died, the rest of Domino would disappear with us. No one would ever know about them."

"Yeah. I don't know if anyone is ever going to stumble on these obituaries, but knowing that they'll be there after we're gone makes it feel like maybe they won't be forgotten," Echo said.

Fives squeezed her again. "Vod'ika, when I die, I want you to write my obituary."

"You're not going to die, Fives," she whispered, slipping a hand into his and squeezing it.

"We'll all die someday. And if you leave it to Echo, he'll just write something boring. Like, 'Fives scored in the top fifteen percent for target practice' or something like that. I need people to know about my coolest moments. I'll write you a list."

"Okay, Fives. I'll write you an awesome obituary. In like thirty years when you die of old age."

He didn't answer. He just squeezed her. She would do everything in her power to keep Fives and Echo and all her boys alive for as long as possible. She wanted to say that she'd work to make them outlive her, but she knew no matter how the war went, that likely wasn't a possibility. So, she'd settle on helping them live as long as possible. And when they did die, in whatever way it happened, she'd honor them by making their names known to the rest of the galaxy.

*****

CommanderBly: Hey, Hunter wants to remind you all that he wants the obits for 99 by next week.

CommanderWolffe: Copy that. I think my men are all done but I'll do another pass.

CommanderGree: Hey @CommanderThire @CommanderStone @CommanderThorn, how is Fox holding up? Has he cooled off from the last time we talked? More accepting of Creche to Command?

CommanderThire: He sent live rats to Rex so I'm going to say no.

CommanderWolffe: lololololololololololol. Again? Did Ahsoka finish off the rest of the last pack of rats he sent her?

CommanderThorn: Unclear. But Fox is actually doing okay. He helped co-write the Post Humous Clone Name Act bill, though his name's not on it.

CommanderPonds: Really? Didn't know he was interested in being a politician.

CommanderStone: He's not. But the senators keep dragging him into things and he can't say no.

CommanderGree: It's Amidala and Chuchi, though, right? I'm sure they'd leave him alone if he asked.

CommanderWolffe: That Chuchi senator still got the hots for him?

CommanderStone: Yes.

CommanderWolffe: And does he know about it?

CommanderStone: I don't even think he knows she's from Pantora.

CommanderGree: Hey @CommanderNeyo, how's it feel to know that Commander Tano likes your name the best?

CommanderNeyo: I didn't even know she knew I existed.

CommanderPonds: Rex or Cody probably mentioned you at some point.

CommanderNeyo: Nice to get a shout-out on C2C.

CommanderWilco: We should probably start screening the obits before they go out, though. Apparently, some kids on Salucemi found a trooper named Hevy's obit and now there are a ton of kids out there whose dream is to blow up a base on some backwater moon.

CommanderWolffe: Amazing. I love it. Inspiring the neverd'e like always, brothers.

CommanderCody: Hey, how many of you have spent time with Pong Krell?

CommanderWolffe: The asshole?

CommanderPonds: GAR network, vod.

CommanderWolffe: He is an asshole though. General Koon says I'm not allowed to be alone in a room with him.

CommanderStone: Because you'd probably kill him.

CommanderWolffe: I mean, yeah, but you can't tell me that asshole doesn't deserve it.

CommanderBly: Why do you care @CommanderCody? You dropped him off, right? No major incidents?

CommanderCody: He didn't hit any of us or anything.

CommanderGree: He did something, didn't he?

CommanderCody: Nothing that would warrant getting another general involved.

CommanderCody: I think.

CommanderCody: Look, just keep an eye on him. He hasn't done anything yet.

CommanderWolffe: "Yet" being the key word here.

CommanderCody: I know. I know. Just keep an eye out. And maybe make sure no troopers are alone with him when he's with your units. Okay?

CommanderGree: Fine, vod. You promise he didn't do anything?

CommanderCody: And maybe keep an eye on Commander Offree if he's ever around.

CommanderGree: Alright, now you're scaring me. What did he do?

CommanderCody: Just got into an argument with Ahsoka. Nothing bad. It's just… it rubs me the wrong way. That's all.

CommanderGree: Fine. I'll keep an eye on him if I ever have the displeasure of having to share a ship with him.

CommanderGree: But if he harms Barriss, he's a dead man.

CommanderWolffe: Don't worry, brother. I'll help you hide the body.

Notes:We got some nice Ahsoka and Cody bonding for you. Because Cody's the best ba'ori'vod in the world!

I've said before that I'd love an "Office" style series complete with confessionals and disappointed glances at the camera. So, I decided to add a few of the test confessionals here. These were me trying out what this would have looked like as an office style fic instead of a vlog fic.

Wolffe's confessional

Yeah, the Kaminoans told us Jedi were these master warriors, deadly and precise. Don't get me wrong, General Koon is definitely a force to be reckoned with. But, um, sigh he knocked over a droid and spent thirty minutes apologizing to it. And now every time he sees it, he apologizes to it again. It's been three days. I don't know when he's going to stop.

Cody's confessional

The Command Track did not prepare me for the amount of time I was going to have to spend hunting down my general's things. He just drops them everywhere. Robes. Lighstabers. One time he lost a boot? I don't know how that happened. I kind of wish he'd stop with the dramatic undressing. Long pause. That makes it sound like he's a stripper. Another long pauseWhat happens if he meets up with Count Dooku or General Grievous and doesn't have a Jedi robe to drop dramatically? Do you think he'd take off his shirt?

Mando'a Terms:

Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la: Not gone, merely marching far away.

Gar kadala?: You hurt?

Sheber: sit

ner vod'ika, gar atin: My little sister, you are stubborn

Vor entye: Thank you

Ori'buce, kih'kovid: All helmet, no head, someone with an over developed sense of authority

Kaysh mirsh chakaaryc: He is a rotten low-life

Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum: I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal.

Neverde: Civilians

Vod: Brother

Ori'vod: Older brother

Vod'ika: Little brother/sister

Ba'ori'vod: Grand-older brother

Ori'ori'vod: Older-older brother