General in Training [ Star Wars ]

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Riona had spent a few more days off duty, per Kit's request, but still managed to interact with the cadets. She had talked him into going to eat in the mess, taking walks around Tipoca City. Any excuse that she could find to be out of her quarters, with the cadets and troops, she found it. Kit went along with all of it, just happy to see his little sister healed and getting around without issues. In the evenings they had holo-nights like they would before the war, contests to see who could quote more lines. She felt like a padawan again, but the time had come where she had to return to reality.

He had left that morning to return to Coruscant, the two sharing a bittersweet goodbye before she began her day.

Taking a deep breath and a moment to recenter herself, she stepped into one of the maintenance halls, brows furrowed as she glanced around. It took a moment, but she finally spotted the man she was looking for. He hand glanced up from the droid he was working on when the door hissed open, and upon spotting her, quickly look back down, shifting to put his back to her. "Really? You're the one who called this meeting."

All she was met with was the sound of metal gently clinking together.

"Alpha."

Clink, grind, clink, grind

"Alpha seventeen, I swe-" "You're late."

"You told me to meet you here at nine standard."

"It's nine-zero-two."

"I apologize for being late. Now, can you tell me why you called this meeting?" She raised an eyebrow, watching as he continued on with his work. Walking carefully across the room, she sat in a spot to ensure that she could at least see his face. He glanced up at her, watching as she sat down on the counter top across from him. She's a Jedi, isn't she supposed to be more proper than that?

"You were gone, General. Things happened while you were gone." He hummed, setting his tool down and reaching for another. Shifting the droid to get a better position, he began working again. "Where did you even go, anyways? You're usually pretty good at telling us where you go."

"That's classified. I feel I shouldn't have to remind you that we're equals here, Alpha. You don't need to refer to me as a superior."

"So you were with Colt."

"I-- Wha-- How do you--" She sputtered, completely caught off guard once again. Her face flushed and her brows were knitted together, eyes wide as she looked at him. He didn't seem to care much, though, not even looking up from his work.

"How do I know? Last time he was here. You walked by while were talking and I thought his knees were gonna give out. Kid couldn't shut up about you for the rest of the day."

"I swear I'm gonna hurt him." She breathed out, joking tone clear in her voice. "But no, I was not with him. The council needed me and sent Kit to fill my spot."

"The nautolaun Jedi?"

"Yes, him."

"Right. They didn't do that the other times you were gone." It was like he refused to look at her. She genuinely could not remember the last time she made eye contact with Alpha-17. This time, though, she was almost glad he wouldn't look up. It made it easier to lie about being in bacta.

"This time it was more serious, and they needed to ensure that I would have a sufficient replacement."

"No one would be a sufficient replacement for you." He mumbled, voice so low she was sure that she wasn't supposed to hear it. But she did, and it took everything in her not to properly acknowledge it. "Anyways, the cadets have been doing well. Had some complaints about some of the instructors, a few simulation injuries. Nothing too major."

"But?"

"But, Clone Force Ninety-nine. They had an assignment, came back, got in a couple big fights, left again on another assignment. The rest of Alpha class and I can't get through to them."

"Of course." She sighs softly, crossing her arms as she looked down at the ground. Sitting quietly for a moment, she pinched the bridge of her nose as she thought. "I can talk to them, see if we can get a hold on their behavior. They usually take well to my word."

"Oh, and Crosshair is smoking now."

"I'm sorry, he's what?"

"All I know is they spent a month on Corellia, came back, and now he's smoking. Stinkin' up the barracks."

"Got it. Anything else I need to know?"

"Bric is a scughole."

"I know he is, sweetheart. Trust me, I'm workin' on it." She hopped down from her place on the counter, moving to make her way out. As she passed, she rested a gentle hand on his shoulder on her way to the door.

"I hate him." He called out, the loudest she had ever heard him speak.

"So do I, Alpha. So do I."

——»»»»☆««««——

She sat in the barracks of the younger cadets, sitting cross-legged on the floor. It was well into the evening, and she leaned back against the wall as a few of the boys crowded in around her. One had managed to weasel his way into her lap, Tup, and she wrapped her arms around him. Holding him close, she grinned as she listened to one of the others ramble about how he had gotten to speak to an ARC trooper today, and how he wanted to follow the same path. "It was so wizard! He let me try on his helmet!" 

"Yeah? How'd it feel?" She matched the excitement in his tone, all of his brothers sitting with wide eyes as they listened intently. 

"It felt really good. It was like I was an ARC!" He grinned up at her, his presence in the force nearly vibrating. 

"Well, you just might be. You've just gotta work hard, sweetheart." 

"Did you work hard to be a Jedi?" Tup asked, tilting his head back to look up at her. She was quiet for a moment, chewing at the inside of her cheek as she thought of a way to easily explain. 

"I did, yeah. I'm still working hard, every single day." She hummed, gently resting her head against his as she spoke. "I'm only a knight, and I have a long way to go still before I can become a master."

"Is a master like a commando?" Tup's twin, who had yet to find his name, asked softly as he pressed into her side.

She nodded slowly, thinking. "To a degree, yes. A master Jedi.. could be compared to a commando, I suppose."

"So you're like a captain?" 

"And the Jedi kids are cadets!" They all began to shout and grow excited as they connected dots between the layers of the Order and those of the GAR, Riona grinning she watched a few of the boys break off into pairs. They began to play and pretend to be Jedi, throwing themselves and each other back as if they had the force, others acting as if they were in lightsaber duels. The entire group had broken out in shouts and giggle fits, and she leaned back against the wall as she watched them play, occasionally answering any questions they may have had. 

"General Orion?" A small, sleepy voice had asked after a while of playing Jedi versus Clanker. She knew that they would tire themselves out, but it had only been around twenty minutes.

"Yes, baby?" She hummed, holding arm out as she looked up at the boy. Stepping over, he gently leaned into her shoulder, rubbing an eye as he looked down at her. 

"Can you stay here until we're all asleep?"

"Please, General?" 

"Of course I'll stay, I don't mind." Smiling, she got to her feet and carefully helped each cadet into their sleep pod. Pressing a soft kiss to each of their foreheads, she hummed goodnight. 

"Goodnight, General." Tup yawned softly, the last pod in the row. 

"Sleep well, boys."