Surge Squadron: Defective

Chapter Three: A Promise

Four Years Later.

"Subtle! Ember's at it again!!" A young boy shouted.

Subtle, the boy summoned, opened his eyes with a groan, "I can never get rest anymore- Even when it's not time to train yet." He sighed, pressing a button on a panel inside his bunk, which slid it out so he could climb down the ladder to the ground.

On the floor sat one clone cadet with a match in his hand, furiously trying to strike it. Another attempted to wrestle it from his hands while the rest yelled, "EMBER! PUT THE MATCH DOWN, BROTHER!"

Ember, the youth trying to strike the match, paid no mind to his squad's petitions for him to cease what he was doing.

Finally, the clone trying to snatch the match succeeded, and he pocketed the object.

Ember didn't look thrilled in the slightest. He glared at his "brother," standing up, "Give that back, Vision!" He ordered.

Vision shook his head, "Don't you give me that look, brother. Remember what happened last time? You set fire to an entire Kaminoan mess hall. That didn't please Madam Lafa Re in the slightest now, did it?" He asked rhetorically.

Ember gave a small laugh, "It pleased me- the flames were fun to watch." He retorted.

"Ember, no..." Vision mumbled, facepalming, "That is BAD. VERY... VERY... BAD!"

Subtle groaned, "Ember- could you not? This behavior is getting out of hand! I'm losing sleep, the Kaminoans are losing their tempers, and the rest of us are losing our minds over this ridiculousness! It's not a good combo."

"I can't help it, Subtle-" Ember mumbled with a subconscious laugh, "I just HAVE to light a fire- my very being demands it!"

"I get it, brother." Subtle replied, patting his shoulder, "But setting fire to a city above water with electrical storms isn't the wisest- save the flames for the droids in the simulator, okay?"

Ember sighed reluctantly, "I'll try."

"Very good." Subtle smiled, "We like that."

The rest of the squad hugged Ember, "We'll be here to help you."

One cadet stepped away to work on a gadget.

"Watcha' working on, Circuit?" One boy asked, jogging in place. He looked fired up and ready for anything, like he had been sleeping for hours and just had three cups of caf.

"Just a gadget we had been taught how to use, Adrenaline- I want to see if I can replicate it... I remembered all the parts." Circuit replied.

"Of course, you remembered all the parts! You are intelligent and diligent with your listening!" Adrenaline complimented him.

Circuit blushed modestly, "Thanks, brother. I do try!"

Another clone cadet in the squad yawned, rubbing his tired eyes. He looked exhausted, although he had slept well that night.

"Are you ready for the day, Zs?" The energetic clone asked.

Zs nodded slowly with a yawn, "I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"I hope today will be just like a month and twelve days ago when we had full-on simulator practice and..." One cadet began nostalgically; before he was interrupted by everyone else saying, "WE KNOW, FLASHBACK!"

"Flashback- have you considered that we have experienced that memory and even after you have told the story from it several times over?" Another boy asked in annoyance. His skin had different pigment splotches all over it. That feature made him stick out from the rest of his clone squad.