The Clone's Hero (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

The Last Piece (Investigating Fives's Death pt6)

The bigger picture isn't always pretty

Steele slowly inched away from view as the newcomer clone walked into the warehouse. He weighed his options between escaping or fabricating a story convincing enough for the clone on duty to accept. The clone on duty entered Steele's field of vision. It was the Commander of the Coruscant Guard Division.

"I saw movement! Come out and make it easier for both of us!"

Kriff, I do not know his name... Steele anxiously looked at the distance between his current hiding spot and the back exit gate. Then he looked at the blaster holstered tightly on the guard commander's side. He ultimately decided to step out.

"Sorry. Sorry I was just retrieving something from the surveillance room," Steele said while keeping his hands out in the open. The holorecorder was sitting safely in his pocket. "I was told no one would be here."

The guard commander looked at Steele suspiciously. "Why were you hiding?"

"Like I said, I was told no one would be here. So I thought it meant I shouldn't be seen by anyone while coming in and out—mistake on my part," Steele plainly explained.

"Who do you report to?"

"General Aliyah Korentayer. 304th division. I'm her commander."

"'Commander', eh? Where's your gear?" The guard commander crossed his arms.

"I was on break when she told me to come here and retrieve a security footage from last week." Steele fought hard to keep his apprehensions at bay. He couldn't afford to slip up. "But I guess she didn't get the word that all footages from last week have been deleted. So I was gonna head back out and tell her of this update but then you came in. And, well. Here we are now."

The guard commander did not relax one bit. Despite having his helmet on, Steele could tell this guy was not fully convinced. In fact, it looked like this guy was actually starting to get a little anxious himself. Though for what reason, Steele did not know.

"Can I leave now?" Steele asked cautiously.

The guard commander was mute for a brief moment. Then he nodded only once. "You may go."

A small weight lifted off of Steele's chest. He slowly turned around and took a miniscule step towards the front gate. He didn't think he'd be let go of this easily, not that he was complaining about it or anything it's just that—

Steele's blood ran cold.

He snapped around in time to grab the guard commander by the wrist. The blaster shot that was meant for him redirected to the far end of the warehouse instead, leaving a burn mark on the wall. He twisted the weapon out of the guard's hand before being violently shoved back into a pile of crates. What ensued from there was a desperate brawl for control over the firearm.

Steele didn't know it was possible to feel this much anger again. Had I turned a millisecond later, I would've became Fives 2.0! He tackled the guard commander down, pushing the blaster a safe distance away from them, then threw out the second one holstered on the guard's belt.

The nameless guard immediately retaliated. Steele felt a flash of pain reverberate through his skull as the guard's helmet connected with his jaw in a backwards headbutt. He made a lunge towards the blaster. But he wasn't fast enough.

Recovering quickly from the jaw hit, Steele sped across the floor and kicked the blaster out of the guard's grip. He stomped on it hard, breaking its trigger. The struggle continued.

They crashed into stacks of crates and equipment, making a mess of the ground. All sorts of industrial items were strewn about. It was now more difficult to move around. Then in one sharp motion, the guard commander aimed for Steele's goggles, using a metal bar he picked up off the ground during their scrimmage. Deja vu hit Steele well before the bar of metal did.