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

The Two Generals (Intro pt6)

The truth is often ugly.

Steele was falling in and out of consciousness. General Krell came a few minutes ago to throw him some rations. But he barely had the strength to get up and retrieve them.

He had removed his goggles to sleep better but it was impossible to do so in this cold. At this point, he's pretty much equivalent to frozen food.

Lying sprawled across his sleeping bag, and wearing nothing but his standard-issue red pyjamas, Steele forced himself to keep awake. Afraid that if he closes his eyes, he may never open them again. But it was difficult.

Just as he was about to fall unconscious again, he heard the door to the freezer slam open. And several voices shout.

"Commander!"

He quickly felt around for his goggles and put them on as soon as he grabbed it. General Korentayer and three of his men: Compass, Egad, and Kal rushed into the freezer.

The general immediately removed her brown Jedi cloak and wrapped it around Steele's shivering body. She held him close and felt the coldness radiating off of him.

Steele looked up at her. Despite his blurry vision, he could see the expression on her face. She looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"Commander! Are you alright?" Compass knelt in front of him.

Aliyah looked at Steele's hands, which were on the verge of turning blue. "Why are you here? Who put you here?" She demanded.

"Was it General Krell?" Kal asked venomously.

Steele felt his tongue slur whenever he attempted to speak. His vision was hazy so he waited until it cleared up. As soon as it did, he saw someone he did not want to see standing at the opened doorway.

"...go...now...!" Steele managed to say as he lifted a finger to point behind them.

Aliyah and the three clones turned their heads around to see General Krell enter the room. Compass stood up and pointed an accusing finger at his general.

"You! Don't take another step closer!"

Krell laughed. "Do you really think you have the authority to tell me that?"

He harshly Force-pushes the three clones back. But before they could hit the wall, they were Force-pulled back by Aliyah. She carefully set them in front of Steele before standing up to face Krell.

"General Krell, what is the meaning of this?" She demanded. "What did your commander do to deserve this kind of treatment?"

"Whatever he did, that's none of your business, Korentayer! You need to learn your place and stop messing with my clones!" Krell glared daggers at her. "Unless you want to mess with me."

Aliyah returned the glare. "Then mess with you I shall. If that's what it takes for you to stop torturing the men of your legion! Does it please you to see them suffer!?"

"It pleases me to see them not exhibit signs of weakness!" Krell shouted.

"Oh, so we retreated once out of all our battles since the beginning of the war! And you call us weak?" Egad crossed his arms. "The commander saved our lives back on Mustafar! I don't know what your definition of weakness is but that's not it!"

"I agree," Aliyah added.

Krell clenched his jaw. Then he looked at Steele who was sitting shakily on his sleeping bag behind General Korentayer and the three clones. He gestured for him to come over.