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“Oh, come on.” Jesse muttered under his breath as he stepped over another large root from the equally large trees in this millennia old jungle. Next to him Fives snickers in to his vocoder at the brothers struggles.
“Man, you’re an ARC trooper and even Dogma has a better handle on this terrain.” The man with the goatee laughed, having two sets of visors glaring at him immediately. Appo next to Fives just shook his head at their antics. “Man am I glad I’m not really your Commander.” He muttered, picking up his pace. His tone was teasing but still fond, as fond as he could be of little brothers like Fives and Jesse.
The second brother, who glared at Fives, looked back forward with a small sigh that was barley picked up by his vocoder. He, too, picked up his pace getting out of Fives and Jesses hair. The latter slightly shook his head, looking after the younger trooper. “Did you really have to say that?” he asked his fellow ARC. Fives just shrugged and continued forward, hoping to get of this wet rock rather sooner than later.
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Dogma had not spoken a word since they departed from Umbara, keeping to himself and worrying his older brothers. Well, at least he thinks they did but he also wouldn’t put it past them if they didn’t.
He tried to rip himself out of his thoughts, focusing back on climbing over the roots of trees and boulders overgrown with moos. Here and there he saw a few insects flying around them and small mammals running away from their noise. He filed away what they looked like so he could research them later, when they were back on the Resolute.
Somewhere he heard the Captain relaying an order but he didn’t get it, because at the same moment the voice in his head screamed at him to move. His blaster clattered down into the mud of the jungle floor as something creaked under his and he lost his footing under himself.
He heard someone scream his name and a yelp, that came from himself probably, as the darkness and dampness of the cave engulfed him. After a few seconds of falling he landed on the stone hard ground.
A while later he dragged his eyes open with a groan looking up into the light that streamed into the cave. Dogma struggled to sit up looking at his surroundings, fumbling with his comm, as he tried to reach someone.
“Dogma? Are you okay?” the voice of a brother answered, but he couldn’t guess who it was. Dogma pressed out an affirmative sound and looked straight ahead. Noting the weird statues and crumbling pillars. “I think I found the temple.” He told the brother on the other end of the comm.
“Stay awake we’re on our way.” His older brother commanded him before cutting the connection. With a groan, pain splitting his skull open and making black dots dancing in his vision, he pulled himself to his feet. Cradling his left arm to his chest, slowly his eyes scanned every inch of the cobblestone of the old temple.
He carefully walked a few steps forward, reaching out towards the warm presence. Setting one foot in front of the other, as he was possessed, not in his own body. His right foot sends something clattering away from the entrance but he doesn’t care, as he reached out into the darkness with his uninured hand.
Something cold brushed against his fingertips, making him flinch back slightly. But the warm honey voice lured him deeper into the temple.
“Come now, my child. You are the key.” It whispered into his ear.
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Rex was gently lowered down by Attie and Tup, alongside Jesse, Echo and Fives. The General already waiting down in the cave with Ahsoka. The Captain worried his lower lip between his teeth, wondering if Dogma was badly inured and why he fell down here.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he freed himself from the hook and jogged over to his superior officers kneeling on the cobblestone floor. His ARCs fanning out behind him, securing the area.
General Skywalker squatted as he dipped his fingertips in something wet on the stone, rubbing it between them. As Rex moved closer, he could see that it was fresh blood. “He moved, but why?” he murmured, his eyes still on the small puddle. Fear clawed up it’s way in his mind and throat.
“Maybe he was moved?” Ahsoka suggested with a shrug, “I mean the force feels weird here.” She added hastily, her eyes snapping towards the Entrance. Jesse suddenly appeared next to him, an extra blaster in his hand. “Captain, the perimeter is clear. Also, we found his blaster and a trail of blood splatters leading directly into the temple.
“I don’t like this.” The Captain breathed out harshly, but still he squared his shoulders and clipped the blaster to his hip. Ana- General Skywalker picked himself back up from the position and moved in, Ahsoka and his troopers hot on his heel. “Fuck, it’s cold in here.” Echo cursed into his vocoder, making his brothers snort in agreement.
“And we are as blind as moles down here.” Fives added moving to activate his helmet flashlight, his brothers following his lead. They found themselves in a large entrance hall, tall statues adored the high ceilings and walls and everything was held in earthy browns and beiges. “It looks just like the temple on Coruscant.” Commander Tano said, her voice full of wonder, while her eyes sprung from every corner inspecting everything to the last detail.
“Feels like that too.” General Skywalker added to her words, still walking towards where ever the force was leading him. They were walking down endless hallways and twisted corners until Rex felt like he’s back at the entrance. The only difference he now sees was the huge door carved from wood, decorated with stories about the force and Jedi that long marched somewhere far away.
And then suddenly both of the Jedi stiffen and draw their sabers. Jesse let out an unnatural screech as blue, bright something just swished and circled around them. Hovering in front of the door and molding into someone.
A young woman, almost transparent and dipped into a blue light, smiled at them. She has pearly skin, sea green, hip long wavy hair and emerald eyes twinkling with happiness and appreciation. Her hands were clasped in front of her stomach as she bowed towards them. The clones stared at the woman, flabbergasted and also a tad bit afraid.
General Skywalker spoke up first, deactivating his lightsaber again and hanging it back onto his hip, his Padawan following suit, bowing with his words. “Milady, I am terribly sorry for intruding into your home like this but I followed the blood splutters of one of my beloved man until here and I would like to ask you if you may have seen him.”
“Knight Skywalker, Padawan Tano.” She acknowledged the two Jedi, both with a small bow of her head, turning to the clones. “Captain Rex, Sergeant Jesse, ARC Fives and Arc Echo. Welcome to the home of the force.” She greeted them; the troopers looked at each other shellshocked.
As if she could, and probably also can, read their minds or at least their feelings she smiled again parting her lips to speak, “Yes, the force acknowledges all its children.” With one last head bow her eyes wander back to the Jedi Knight.
“Yes, indeed, Knight Skywalker your lovely Trooper Dogma is here. He soon will be finished with his task I have given to him, even I did not intend for him to be so tattered or arriving like this to his trail.” The Force told them, letting her eyes wander over the small group, noting the various states of confusion in their faces.
Until Echo spoke up, his voice barley above a whisper. It almost wasn’t picked up by his vocoder in his helmet. But the halls where so quiet you could hear the force silently hum, even as a force-null. “Clones cannot be force sensitive, Ma’am.”
Her eyes softened and began walking towards her, signaling for them to take their helmets off. “My dear children, the force, I, flow through everything. Every stone, every animal and every sentient being. Be it human, Togrutan or a Clone. You all are my Children and I love you fiercely, my dear Echo. I will guide you through life and death, always by your side.” She promised them, laying a gentle hand against Echos cheek, stroking away a single stray tear. As she did so all the fight, all the dread and all the negative emotions drained from the young man’s posture.
She took her hand from his cheek and looked at Jesse and Fives, both had wide blown pupils and a shocked expression on their faces. They flinch away from the touch of her cold hands on heir cheeks. “Do not be scared, my children, your brother will come back to you. But do promise me that you will protect him.” She asked of them, looking eyes with them, waiting for them nodding their heads as yes.
Then she stood in front the Captain, taking his gloves hands in his, locking eyes with a kind and warm smile on her lips. “It’s on all of you now to safe the galaxy, on the Jedi and the clones. You are the only chance the galaxy gets before the darkness takes the reign from our cold bloody hands. You’re all so bright in the force and the light bringer will be your key to find out about the course, the path you must avoid taking.” Rex only could nod as she let go of his hands, now prickling with a new found purpose and hope.
Then the door opens with a loud creak, “Welcome home your little brother, my children. Welcome home the light bringer.” The woman held out her right arm towards the trooper walking out of the room, his armor on the right side crusted with dried blood, helmet nowhere to be seen and his right hand was clenched to a tight, white-knuckled fist.
“May the force be with you, my children, always.” The woman inclined her head before disappearing into a slight mist, leaving a crushing silence in her wake. Fives was the first one to move, his helmet and blaster clattering to the cobblestone floor. He ran up the stairs to his little brother, evolving him in a bone crushing hug. “Don’t scare me like that again, vod’ika.” Fives whispered into the silence.
Dogmas posture stiffened before relaxing into the warm hold of his older brother, “I’m sorry, Fives. Won’t happen again.” He murmured into the ARCs shoulder, slinging his arms around the older clone’s middle. Jesse and Echo ran into the hug as well, throwing the other two off balance, making Dogma laugh in a long time.
Rex walked towards them, ignoring his three ARCs and holding out his hand for the youngest Torrent to help him up, pulling him in a hug. “Thank you, Captain.” Dogma mumbled, “But uh, I don’t think I can walk. It hurts when I do.”
Without further ado he lifted the kid into his arms bridal style and gestured to Echo to gather up his helmet, walking towards the jedi. Skywalker smiled at them, warm and understanding, as did Commander Tano.
“Come on, let’s get you to Kix.” Rex mumbled, only receiving a nod from his Youngest. But something worried Rex, something about how Dogmas brows pinched together in pain and how labored his breathing sounded. How he seemed a bit smaller and lighter than before. “It’s going to be okay kid; we will be out of here soon.” Rex reassured, a slight panic gripped his voice, making the others pick up their speed, as Dogma just pressed himself more into his Captains arms with a pained whimper. As the Captain ran towards the entrance, Fives yelled into his vambrace com for Kix to get a stretcher and his med kit ready.
The kid suddenly cramped up in his arms, a blood curling scream fell from his parted lips, making everyone in the hallway flinch away. Ahsoka clamped her hands over her montrals to dampen the noise a bit, keeping up with the running. But it did nothing, not with the next scream being louder, shriller and higher. Tears fell from Dogmas eyes.
Anakins comm link beeped, his own beeped and Ahsokas too.
“What is happening down there, General?” Kix voice yelled through the comm, the General seemingly picked up the call. “We don’t know, I suspect it had to do something with the Force.” He answered, but Rex didn’t catch Kix’s replay, no, he was way to focused trying to calm down Dogma. His ears ringing with the kid’s screams, his muscles ache from the marching, running and carrying but he pushed through. The fingers of his vod fisted the blacks that were exposed between armor plates.
The screams and panting were echoed by the walls around them. “Dogma, hey, it’s going to be okay. Kid, we’re here and nothing will happen to you.” Rex tried to calm the, now, wailing trooper down. But to his shook the kid only seems to be getting worse, smaller, lighter.
“General!” he yelled for his superior, then a yelp from his brother Fives as he was launched across the cave in front of the old temple. “Why did you do that?” Jesse growled at the jedi, who just lifted their hands in defence next to their heads. “We didn’t do anythi- ahrg.” Commander Tano collapsed to her knees pressing her hands to her forehead.
Anakin, next to her but still on his feet, stumbled to a stop, clenching his jaw and grabbing fistful of his hair. His eye lids were screwed shut tightly. As Dogma in his arms began shaking and shaking and shaking.
“Is he having a seizure?” Echo asked his Captain, not getting an answer out of him. The man stopped running and laid down his kid, just as a bright burst of light erupted around them and something flung them through the room, pinning them to the walls. All the while Dogmas screams and cries were getting softer and softer.
“Push more comfort and calm towards him, ‘Soka.” Anakin said to his Padawan, and she answered with a grumpy ‘I’m trying, Master!’
Not soon after that happened the Force grip around them loosened, setting them back down on their feet, this time gently. Rex did not lose anytime and sprinted towards his little brother, kneeling beside him.
“Do’ika? Are you okay, is it better now?” he asked his voice even and full of concern, he ignored the harsh takes of breath as the others catched up and saw the young trooper lying on the floor. Not in is standard gear or height, no, in front of them laid a clone cadet the equal to a nat-born toddler.
The small boy looked up at his Captain reaching out with his small hands and big doe eyes, which were filled with tears to the brim, almost spilling over like an overflowing sink. “Captain.” He said, his little voice hoarse from all the screaming and wailing, breaking at the strain the word was putting on his vocal cords.
“Oh, kid it’s alright. I’m here and I won’t leave you behind.” He whispered as he scooped the scared boy into his arms, pressing his small head into the crook of his neck. “Do you promise?” Dogma asked, and Rex nodded his head firmly before the kid even had finished his sentence. “Haat, ijaa, haa’it.” He said, whipping a stray tear from his cheek.
“Come on, the others wait for us and Kix wants to check on you.” He said to the small trooper in his arms, “But I will stay with you, okay?” he added hastily as Dogma peeked at him through his wet lashes. With a small nod he nuzzled back into Rex’s armor. Echo hooked the Captain up to the rope that lifted them down as he looked around his small squad, a now sleeping Dogma in his arms.
He raised an eyebrow and asked; “So, who’s going to explain this one to Kix and the Council?”
All eyes landed on Skywalker, who just groaned and hid his face in his hands.