The Varactyl Squadron Commander (A Star Wars: The Clone Wars Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Two

Molindi walked down the hallway, her helmet on her head now, hiding her face, as she approached the room where she'd be meeting the new members of her squad. Her hands were clammy inside of her black and white armored gloves. Meeting new people was always something that made her nervous. Sure, she never showed it when she was in public, but on the inside, she would freak out like a squealing little girl. Molindi had never been a real social person, but she hadn't been exactly anti-social either. Talking to people and communicating was an essential in battle and during war, so she usually shut the squealing little girl inside her up when things got important.

Like now.

Her feet were heavy as they thumped against the hard ground of the facility hallway. Troopers would walk by and cast curious glances, noticing her feminine figure and the faint whispery strands of long blonde hair that had come loose from her tight braid up inside her helmet, thinking that that couldn't be a regular clone-trooper. Well, guess what, boys. It isn't. 

Of course, they hadn't said anything about it. The troopers that would walk by just minded their own business. At least, until she was out of hearing range. Then they'd gossip and whisper about it like teenage drama-queens in high schools all across the galaxy, 'OMG! A female-trooper? When did that happen? And why weren't we told about it?'

Once she reached the right room, she stood outside and took a deep breath.

It had been a full year since she had been on the battlefield. A full year since the terrors of Ganta-Nego and its inhabitants raided her nightmares like a storm. A full year since her men had been savagely murdered right before her eyes. 

A full year since the love of her life sacrificed himself for her.

Molindi took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself and her emotions. She couldn't get choked up about it now. Bren wouldn't have wanted that for her. He made her promise that she'd move on from him the night of....

She shoved the thought away from her mind with heavy blow as if it was an enemy trying to attack her. 'No.' Molindi thought. 'Not today. Let's just get this over with.'

And with that, she pounded her fist against the panel on the wall that controlled the door.

* * * * * * * * * *

The door suddenly slid open, the sound causing the four men to quickly stop talking and stand in a line, at attention. Their helmets were off their heads and on their sides, their eyes locked on the new person that had just entered their meeting room. Breaks, Risk, Tyson, and Axel didn't move a muscle or bat an eyelash as the door slid closed behind the figure.

As soon as that door closed, the four immediately realized something that was off about this clone. He was wearing his helmet, which hid his face quite well, and stood a few inches shorter than the rest of them. Strangely enough, his armor was different from theirs as well. It was slimmer around his stomach and more filled out around his chest. Almost as if he had a figure....

"Are you Commander Rino?" Axel dared to ask. The helmetted soldier turned his attention to the clone on the farthest right of the line who had spoken, taking in his appearance. It was a few seconds before the new clone trooper spoke after being addressed.

"What's your number, trooper?" The new clone asked. His voice sounded weird underneith his helmet when it came through the microphone inside. It was slightly higher, and.....Axel couldn't put his finger on the last part. But he knew that the highness wasn't the only thing off about this man. Axel stood a little straighter and answered.

"CT-58175, sir." He replied.

"Well, CT-58175, the answer to your question is yes. I am Commander Rino, leader of Varactyl Squadron." Their new leader said to him, then scanned the other troopers in the row. "What are your numbers?" Breaks spoke first, since he was farthest down the line. He stepped forward and held his hand up to his helmet in a soluting gesture. 

"CT-58095, sir."

Breaks put his arm down and stepped back in line. Next was Risk, who copied Breaks's previous movements and took a step out of their row, then soluted.

"CT-58276, sir."

And lastly was Tyson.

"CT-57957, sir."

Commander Rino nodded his approval of their formality, which didn't exactly sit lightly with the other troopers in the room. They didn't want to be called by their numbers constantly. That was just too serious for them. Sure, you needed to be serious in a battle. But you also usually connected easier with your fellow soldiers through nicknames like the ones they already had, not numbers. Was this what it was going to be like in Varactyl Squadron? Axel prayed that that wouldn't be the case, and he was sure that the others were hoping for a different outcome to their situation as well.

"Good. Now, I have some questions for the four of you. Starting with how long you've known each other." Commander Rino said. "CT-57957." When Tyson was called on, he spoke, but didn't step forward this time.

"CT-58276, CT-58095, and myself have all known each other since our training began, sir. We have just gotten aquainted with CT-58175."

"Very good, trooper." Commander Rino stated with satisfaction after he had answered. "Now, considering that piece of information, I'm assuming that you all have made nicknames for each other?"

"Sir, yes, sir." The four of them all said at the same time.

"Then step forward and tell them to me when it's your turn. We'll start with CT-58175 and go down the row like you did before." Their commander told them. Axel did as he had been instructed to do and went through the motions he had done less than two minutes earlier.

"Axel, sir."

"Breaks."

"Risk."

"Tyson."

"Those are some interesting names." Commander Rino stated, then walked over so that he stood infront of the four, only a few feet away in the small room. "And since you've all told me yours, I believe that it would be rude of me not to tell you my own." Before anyone could ask what the Commander meant, he put his gloved hands up and removed his helmet, exposing his face.

But he wasn't a 'he'.

"My name's Molindi." The woman said. "Molindi Rino."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Sorry for the short chapter. I promise the next one will be a little longer, I just needed to get the intros done before we got into the big action. Thanks for your patience, guys! You rock! :D

~Madness