My eyes slowly opened up as I leaned up.
Looking around I found myself within the Venator Barracks.
I stood up and after a quick walk into the refresher I came out and dressed into my Clone Armor.
I now had a large blue stripe going down both of my arms, similar to how Rex has his.
My visor enhancer was also blue, it being the same as Cody's only in blue instead.
3 weeks had passed since the Battle of Christophsis.
I had officially became the second in command of Torrent Platoon and a member of 'Anakin's Squad' an unofficial squad including the most elite members, currently only I, Denal and Typho had a permanent position.
These last 3 weeks had been spent quite well, I had focused on training.
I had began receiving hand-to-hand combat training by Captain Rex himself, although I was getting my ass handed to me, Rex had been quite impressed with my improvements.
I had also taken basic Jump-pack training, the jump-packs was a new jetpack prototype, it would be used by a lot of Airborne Commanders later, it essentially allowed you 5 minutes in an airborne state in one go.
It had a fast activation process allowing it to be used as jumps.
Additionally to that I had begun training with the DC15S.
Throughout my training at Kamino, everyone was given basic training on both weapons, but you could choose one to specialise in.
My choice of the DC15A was due to the fact most of my initial squad chose the DC15S and as so I took one for the team.
Later when I became an officer I never found the time to get my skills with the DC15S equal to the DC15A.
Although both weapons were quite equal, the DC15S had a little more recoil and power, requiring me to learn how to calculate the distances again.
And with that I headed out, we had recently participated in the Battle of Bothawui, where Rex outflanked the Munificent's in the mine field with AT-TE's.
During that time I had spent my time in the f command Center, where after the Battle Anakin was shot down and R2 was lost.
And after that I realised the 'Mission to Skytop Station' would happen soon.
And as I did not want to be sore for that shit I had stopped most of my training, but I intensified my training with the DC15S, wanting to use that for the Battle.
Ever since my appointment as Sergeant and further Lieutenant I had kept a routine of training with my DC17 Pistol, and as such my skill with it was quite up to date.
2 days later, Anakin woke up and a few hours after that he left.
Following that I spent my time in the command centre, getting used to it.
I was considering taking a Naval course, it could be given by any Commodore+ to a Clone Captain+.
Commander Wolffee had taken that road and was an accomplished naval officer.
Soon enough, Anakin's tracking beacon was activated.
"That's Master Skywalkers tracking beacon. What's he doing?" Ahsoka asked while looking at it.
"Rex get a hold of as many men as you can." Ahsoka said as she turned to Rex.
"Right away, sir." Rex said as he turned around, looking at me while walking away.
"Come on, Vaughn. Gather Typho, and meet us outside General Skywalkers 'personal' ship." Rex said and I nodded.
It was a well known fact that Rex considered Anakin's little project a scrap.
But I could not help but admire the fact that Anakin had gotten that original super dump into a functional dump.
And with that I began walking.
"Typho, we're going to rescue General Skywalkers, meet me outside the 'Twilight'" I said through my comms.
"Sir, yes, sir!" The response was.
Knowing I had a bit of time, I headed to the quick-cantina.
It was essentially a small vending machine where you could get snack-bars, which tasted shit but a single one would amount to a breakfast in my previous life.
I grabbed 15 of them into my bag before heading to the Twilight.
I arrived just in time for Ahsoka to run into the hangar.
"Hungry, Commander?" I asked as she ran towards me.
I had entered through the closest door to the 'Twilight' and therefore stood right beside it.
She looked at me curiously and I threw a snack-bar at her that I had in my hand, unopened.
She quickly recognised them and made a face of disgust and I chuckled at that.
But either way she ate it.
"Got any more?" She asked as I took the backpack off.
It was just hanging on my right shoulder with one of it's strap.
"Got enough to feed a squad." I said with a chuckle as we walked onto the Twilight.
On the ship 5 Clones awaited me, including Typho and Rex.
"I got 3 times as many men as you, how come you're last, Vaughn?" Rex asked with an amused smile.
"Well, someone had to get us lunch." I said as I showed the food bars stacked into the backpack.
A resounding groan came out but they all eventually came forward and took 3 each.
I had already eaten 4 out of my hands on my way here.
While everyone was eating we headed to the cockpit.
2 of the men had actual pilot training and Rex had basic.
"I'll be in the hangar, Commander." I said and walked out with Typho and another clone.
…
I found myself leaning over the railing overlooking the hangar as Anakin Skywalker crashed into the hangar.
"Never a normal landing, eh, General?" I asked as Skywalker stepped out of the cockpit.
"Eh, I'd say this one was relatively normal." Skywalker said with a chuckle.
"Perhaps in Skywalker standards, but not for anyone else. I'm sure General Kenobi would agree." I said with a smile, my helmet being off right now.
"Yeah, he would." Anakin said as R3 chirped happily beside him.
But I knew this fucker was a Seperatist Spy, but I wanted R2 back so I'll let it slide for now.
"You be quiet, you can be happy once you make up for almost killing me." Anakin said angrily as he climbed up the ladder to my elevated area.
"Not liking the, shiny, General?" I asked sarcastically while he climbed up.
"Don't tell me you like his gold colour too, Vaughn." Anakin asked as he got up to the top.
"Nah, he's like the rookie clone. But instead of Clone he's a rookie droid." I said and Anakin chuckled.
"All too right, Vaughn. Now let's go and say hi to Ahsoka." Anakin said as I walked after him.
I was only carrying my DC17 on my waist and my Helmet under my arms.
My DC15S that I had brought with me still being in the armory.
Soon enough we arrived.
After some chit chat between Ahsoka and Anakin, Goldie came in.
"Hey, Goldie. What did you think of your first adventure?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'll tell you what I think. I think I'm lucky to be alive." Anakin said angrily and after some chirping R3 turned around and rolled out.
"Great, now you hurt his feelings!" Ahsoka exclaimed while sitting down in her seat.
"His feelings? What about R2!?" Anakin exclaimed, a bit too emotionally if you ask me.
And with that their conversation was over.
…
I once again found myself within the hangar again.
I sat on Anakin's fighter as I heard Rex.
"We're bringing the droid?" Rex asked Ahsoka.
"We need goldie to open secure hatches and chess the stations computer for us." Ahsoka said before smiling in a way that promised pain.
"Oh, and, Rex. You get to carry him." She said before walking away.
I began chuckling, a bit too loudly as Rex looked at me.
He then looked back at the droid.
"Aah, that's just great." He said.
Soon enough we formed at the hangar door.
All 5 clones and the 2 Jedi.
One of the Clones were left to pilot the ship.
Rex stood beside Ahsoka with another Clone I didn't know, meanwhile I stood beside Anakin, with Typho on my right and Denal on his right.
I had my jump-pack and DC15S with me.
As we waited Ahsoka couldn't keep her excitement hidden.
"Follow me boys!" She shouted as she jumped headfirst over the ship.
We all looked at her for a few seconds falling down before Anakin jumped and the rest followed.
We flew through the atmosphere, passing by a single window, where 3 B1's stood, but they were too busy watching their comrade fall and stumble on the ground.
The two Jedi landed first, as they did I activated my jump-pack.
The others had to activate their jet packs visibly earlier than me due to the short-power of the jump-pack.
I landed second, followed by Typho, Dengal, the other Clone and lastly Rex.
Rex pointed at me.
"Next time, you're lugging this astromech around." He said and we all began laughing.
Ignoring us, Anakin crouched down and began to cut a hole into the observation post walls with his lightsabers.
As it opened Anakin and Ahsoka jumped first, followed by me, Dengal, Typho, the rando and lastly Rex and the droid.
We landed in the middle of a corridor, at the next intersection stood two B1's.
While Rex was getting the droid disconnected I sneaked up behind them.
"Go get it checked up on level 8th." I heard one of the B1's say.
I grabbed my DC15S I one hand and as I grabbed the neck of the closest one and dislodged it from his body, I aimed my DC15S with one hand and shot the second.
We quickly moved through the corridors and stopped at the next droid-connection interlay, where Goldie would need to work.
"Go on, studdy. Get to work." Anakin said as the gold R3 interlocked his extended connection device into the console.
A map of the listening post appeared.
"We are here, the reactor is 30 levels down, here." Rex said while pointing at different areas of the Hologram.
"Alright, Ahsoka. That the squad and blow up the reactor, we'll meet in the landing bay.
" Anakin said while handing her the explosives.
"And where are you going, Master?" Ahsoka asked, but we all knew why.
"I'm going to have a look around." Anakin said while walking away.
"I hope you find R2 in one piece." Ahsoka said as Anakin disappeared.
And with that we began running down the corridors, heading to level 30.
While running I spotted R3 lagging behind.
This fucker.
I was tempted to shoot him right now, but I wanted R2 to get his revenge properly.
A few seconds after Ahsoka headed back while telling us to continue.
And soon enough we found the reactor shield, being ray shielded.
Holy fuckity fuck that was annoying.
Rex contacted Anakin through the comms, don't know why you would use comms in a station focused on intercepting them.
"We found the reactor room, sir. The alarm triggered another security door, ray shielded." Rex said.
"This could take a while to bypass." Ahsoka spoke.
"Good luck with that." Anakin said before cutting the connection.
"Go ahead Goldie. Make me proud." Ahsoka said.
But I knew R3 would do everything but make Ahsoka proud.
Oh well, what happens happens.
————
Publishing the entire reserve I've got for ya'll