A/N: I waited 25 chapters to finally use this gif. I love them sO mUcH.
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All three of the officials in the room were frozen in place as Commander Cody held up the blinking communication link. This means that everything that had just been spoken about in secret inside of the control room was being listened to by someone outside. The amount of deceit was astonishing.
Dakota looked over the 212th Commanders shoulder to peer down at the communication link. Rex was by the exit of the room, and the doors automatically slid open at his presence. That's when he noticed a shadowy figure all the way down the hallway, and it was undoubtedly up to no good "Hey, stop!" The Captain ordered, yelling out to the person who started to run away once being caught. Dakota stood still as Cody set the comm link down on the table and ran out of the room after Rex, who had gone after the spying figure.
She walked towards the door without urgency and poked her head around the corner, just in time to see the two soldiers disappear down the hallway in pursuit of the spy. In her head, the pieces began to click into place. Who else could this trader be but a fellow clone trooper? They have access to the plans, the intel, the comm links, and the means to get away with it all. That means, one of her own men are working for the Separatists. The thought alone sparked the slightest bit of anger in her chest.
She followed after Captain Rex, scanning the halls as she went just in case the spy was out and creeping around. The halls were empty, with all of the clone troopers recovering from today's battles. She rubbed her fingers along her jaw, wondering where in the world her Captain could have gone in such a short amount of time "We think we encountered the spy, but he must have gone in the mess hall" Rex spoke out from behind, and Dakota briskly turned to see him.
"So, it's one of the clones?" she asked, coming to a stop in front of him with her arms crossed. The lightsaber dangled at her hip. She already had a feeling that- that was the case.
"We believe so"
"Where's Cody?"
"Still in the mess hall"
Dakota ran her fingers through her stark dark hair at the back of her head, closing her eyes for a long moment in slight frustration "okay" she breathed out heavily "looks like it's going to be a long night, Captain. Tell Cody to get in contact with Kenobi and Skywalker, and fill them in on everything. Let's get back to the control room" she paused as Anakin's small astromech droid glided around the corner, beeping in greeting as he came down the hallway "Artoo" she bent down beside the droid, resting her hand on the blue of his head. A sudden thought popped into her mind "Come with us, bud. We may need you"
~
Artoo plugged into the bases' computer transmission system located back in the control room. She leaned up against the table, waiting patiently as the droid checked through the system for a potential interference. If the spy was able to send a message out to the Separatists, it would be spotted by an interference in communication "What's Artoo doing?" Cody asked.
"Whoever we're looking for got his messages out there somehow, and Artoo is scanning the frequency for a weak spot, an irregular occurrence in transmission. Anything that we can use that'll tell us what in the hell is going on" Dakota replied, patting the droids head "I wish I had a droid that's as cool as you" she whispered, smirking at how Artoo beeped happily.
"I just can't believe it's one of our own" Rex shook his head in disappointment "I can't imagine what the reasoning would be for him to want to betray his brothers"
Dakota didn't respond to that, she wasn't all that sure as to how to respond. The relationship that the clones have with each other is far different compared to the relationship that she has with them. She studied his profile as he stood motionless with his eyebrows furrowed together. Artoo alerted the trio once his internal search was complete "R2's found something"
"What is it? Is it the traitor?" Cody asked hastily.
"It could be" she passed the handheld screen over to Cody who took a look at it.
"Look here, the frequency" he pointed to the distorted wavelength on the screen "See, how it shows up every few days then disappears? Day to day, you wouldn't notice it. It's the pattern. The band's only coming off one terminal in the whole base. Slick's barracks... Only Slick's men would have access to that terminal"
Dakota nodded her head as she listened.
"Slick's not gonna like that" Rex said in a low tone to Cody.
"No, he's not"
"But if one of his men is giving away our intel, we have to find him and sort this out" Rex turned to his Jedi leader "General, how should we approach this?"
Her hand rested on the dome of Artoo's head "I beg your pardon, Rex. But I'm afraid I'm not the one to ask" she started "You all know your soldiers better then I ever could" she said to Rex and Cody "And I feel confident that you will be able to handle this situation in the most efficient way possible. I will be by your side, of course, giving an occasional mean glare if one deserves it, but I intend to leave you in charge of this"
"Y-yes, sir" he replied hesitantly.
"Come on" she shook his shoulder reassuringly "Let's go figure this out"
~
"No way!" Slick denied harshly, swiping his hand in the air. He was a polished clone sergeant, with the sides of his black hair freshly shaved, leaving the standard military cut. Dakota remained silent in the back of the grey room as Rex and Cody questioned Slick in the barracks that same night. His reaction had been strongly negative against the suspicion. The clone trooper had become quite stressed at the thought of one of his men being traders "My guys are the best. No way they're capable of something like this!"
"Something like what?" Another voice asked, and that's when several of the men in Slick's clone squadron strolled into the room through the sliding mechanical doors. Their eyes immediately gravitated to the Jedi who stood present off to the side. They gulped in slight apprehension.
"You called them here?" Slick asked in an anxious tone. Dakota made a mental note of the Sergeants behavior, something in her gut twisted in an odd way. Her facial expression remained neutral.
"Of course we did. We're getting to the bottom of this. Now" Rex said sternly, his Captain-like voice beginning to make an appearance.
"Look, let me have a few minutes with them first. It's gonna hit them hard" Slick explained "They trust each other, and if one of our own betrayed us"
"I don't think that's necessary" Rex cut him off. The Captain began to walk in front of the men who were standing up-right at attention, and he was scanning their facial expressions and postures with his hands linked together at his back "Your men are tough, right? Take a seat, gentlemen. We have a turncoat in our midst, and we think it's one of you" Dakota closed her eyes to listen.
"Let's start with you, Jester. What were you doing after the battle today?" Commander Cody questioned the young soldier who sat separate from the rest of the group.
"I don't know, I was doing the things I always do after a mission" the trooper replied nervously.
"Things like what?"
"U-uh, I'm sorry, sir" he apologized, fiddling with his fingers "I'm just a little nervous. You're my C.O..." he glanced between the two clone officials.
"The way I figure it, you tell the truth, you got nothing to be nervous about"
"Jester is telling the truth" the trooper who sat a few feet away from him spoke up in his defense "He cleans his weapon after every mission. First thing, every time. He's kind of obsessed that way"
"Is that right? - You were cleaning your weapon?" Cody asked.
"Yes, sir"
The next few clones gave honest enough answers. Two were in the mess hall getting some food, and there were other clones present on the base to vouch for them. The fourth trooper had been in the infirmary because of an arm injury that he received from earlier in the day. However, the last trooper did cause for Dakota's eyebrows to raise "So, Chopper, old boy, - what's your alibi?" Rex went to the last trooper who sat in the darkest area of the barracks. Scars were scattered along the side of his face, and up the sides of his head which was fully shaved.
"I was in the mess hall" he replied gruffly in an unconvincing manner. Dakota pushed off from the wall and walked a few steps closer, stopping five feet behind Captain Rex.
"No, you weren't!" the trooper named Sketch stood up swiftly, pointing out the lie "Chopper came in a lot later. After everyone else"
"Where were you before you went to the mess, Chopper?"
"Nowhere. Walking around" he said, not meeting their eyes. Dakota separated herself from the group, hanging back by the wall as the clones began to circle up around Chopper. That feeling in her gut wasn't going away. While everyone was focusing on Chopper, she was staring at the back of Sergeant Slick's head.
"Son" Cody shook his head "you know we'll need a better answer than that"
Chopper sighed, seeming to give up his little act of playing dumb "I was hiding at the south exit" he admitted, then reached under the bed that he sat on, pulling out a necklace string with various metal parts attached to it "I didn't want anyone to see me string these together" he showed the group.
"Battle droid fingers" Cody observed, looking slightly disgusted.
"I just... I just wanted something back" pain-filled emotion grew in Choppers voice as he thought of all the brothers who had lost their lives to the droids today, and every other day. Dakota felt much empathy towards him "I guess I felt like they owed me"
"It's not him" Dakota whispered only to herself, the rest of the group not being able to hear.
Slick approached him slowly, his eyes narrowed "This isn't good, Chopper. Lying about where you were, taking forbidden items from a battlefield. I put up with the attitude 'cause you have skill.
But if you could break these rules, your whole character's in question here"
"Wait, no!" Chopper jumped up from where he sat, dropping the chain of battle droid fingers and bringing his hands to his chest "Hang on. I'm no spy, sir" he defended himself "I'm telling you, I did not-" he then turned to the Jedi standing a ways away behind, who had been quiet this entire time "General, I am not a spy, I-"
"It's okay" Slick held him back, regaining Choppers attention away from Dakota "We'll get you a proper investigation. You don't have to say anything till General Kenobi comes back to talk to you"
Dakota sucked in a breath, her eyes sharpening at what Slick had said. Till General Kenobi comes back. Her jaw shifted from one side to another as she placed her hands on her hips "and... there it is" she said out loud, wishing that this day could have just been another normal day. The Sergeant had just given himself away there.
"Sergeant..." Rex said hesitantly "what did you mean, "Till General Kenobi comes back". How did you know the Jedi were gone?" Slick's demeanor changed as the entirety of his squadron circled around him. He had been caught.
"Yes" Dakota crossed her arms "please elaborate, Sergeant"
"I really wish you hadn't noticed that, sir" Slick pulled back his balled up fist, taking a cheap punch at Commander Cody's face. The surprise sent the officer falling back. Dakota mentally swore, dropping her hands to her sides. In the sudden chaos, Slick made a run for the door and rolled out of sight and outside. Rex steadied Cody on his feet.
"It's Slick? Slick's the traitor!?" Rex said in disbelief, chasing after the fallen trooper. Cody growled in aggravation and ran out the door as well.
"What do we do, General Ky?" Jester asked in shock.
"Whatever the Captain says" she walked out the door, but paused and looked over her shoulder to Chopper who stood with a hurt expression on his face "You are all good soldiers" she complimented all of them sincerely, and then specifically to Chopper "all of you"
~
The entire weapons depot of the Republic base had been blown apart by Slick in a rain of fiery shards of metal. He knew where all of the key areas of the facility were, and he crippled them, which sent everyone into disarray. The power had been cut off as well, leaving many defenseless. Soldiers were scattered as they tried to regroup and search for the trader. Rex and Cody seemed to be running all over the place in attempts to track him down. After being informed by a rookie, the two learned that Slick had been spotted making his way to the command center.
His cover had been blown, and he would do anything to get away clean. Rex searched around the command room with Cody, circling around the table with his gun raised up "Think, if you were Slick, where do you think you'd be?" Rex asked Cody, then, almost as if on cue, they acquired the idea to look up towards the ceiling of the control room. Slick was undoubtably hiding in the ventilation shaft inside of the compounds ceiling. The two officers shared a subtle nod and acted as if they didn't know.
"Go to the south exit, see if you can track him over there" Cody told Rex, and purposefully set his gun down on the table at the center of the room. It was all a part of their act in catching the trader "I'll stay here, get the power back up"
"Got it" Rex agreed and pretended to leave the room. He slipped off to the side and out of view.
When Slick had thought that the Captain was gone, he dropped down from his hiding spot in the roof and landing lightly on his feet by the table. He silently reached for Cody's blaster that he had left on the table, and he brought it up to the back of the Commanders head "Hey, there, Slick" Cody greeted sarcastically, already knowing that he was there to begin with "Gun's empty" he raised up the compartment of bullets that was clenched tightly in his fingers to show he had outsmarted him.
"You know what's funny, traitor?" Rex asked as he came up behind him, pointing his gun up at Slick as well "We knew you'd never take a chance on the exits while they were blocked. I'd stay here to open them myself first. Just like you. Don't do a job till you've guaranteed the best odds, right?"
"You knew I was here" Slick grumbled.
"Of course we knew" Cody scoffed "You think we wouldn't have a plan?"
"I'm not the traitor" Slick turned on his feet "You are!" He knocked his head back against Cody's chin, then lunged forward to shove Rex hard to the floor "All of you just blindly following orders, for what?" he yelled out, wresting and throwing punches with the two clones "At least I got something out of all this suffering!"
"I bet you sold out your brothers for some real shiny coin" Rex spat in the middle of the fight, grabbing him around the neck in a choke hold.
"Yes, she offered me money" Slick twisted Rex's leg around hard, loosening up the grip on his neck "But she offered me something more important. Something you wouldn't understand. Freedom!"
Slick had managed to knock Cody and Rex off from him, and he got up roughly to his feet. He saw his opportunity to escape once again with both of the officials down on the floor. He jumped away from Cody and bolted, coming face to face with a very intimidating-looking Jedi once the doors slid open to the hallway. The lightsaber was extended out in front of her and positioned parallel to the floor. Slick slid to a halt as she ignited the double green sabers to stop him from leaving, her head to cocking to the side. He gulped, not knowing where to go "Do not make me use this" she ordered, her fingers tightening around the handle of the saber.
Rex pulled himself back up to his feet, then helped Cody become steady as well. It only took Slick a couple of seconds to accept his defeat. Dakota sheathed her saber and attached it smoothly to her belt. Her feet moved to walk away, but not before lifting her hand up to force push him back, and send him smacking against the wall. There, that felt better. He grunted at the impact and slumped to the floor, nearly knocked out. The doors slid closed, and she walked away.
~
"Slick? - It was you?" Obi-wan was in complete shock upon returning back to the base with Anakin not too long after Slick had been captured, and learning of the nights incidents. The Jedi stood in the hallway, with a trooper holding the handcuffs of Slick. Cody and Rex stood by the Generals.
"He gave us a bit of a chase, sir" Rex pointed out.
"You couldn't be a greater disappointment" Anakin shook his head slowly "How could you do this to your brothers?"
"Only a Jedi would ask that" Slick narrowed his eyes to Anakin "It's the Jedi who keep my brothers enslaved. We do your bidding" Dakota stood leaning against the wall, every word that he said felt like the cut of a knife in her chest. Is this truly how he feels? "We serve at your whim. I just wanted something more"
"And all you had to do to get it was put the rest of us all at risk" Rex concluded.
"I- I love my brothers" Slick stammered "You're too blind to see it, but I was striking the blow for all clones."
The troopers hauled off the spy towards the prison wing of the base, where then he'd be transported back to Coruscant. Dakota waited until he was gone to speak "Is he right?" she found herself questioning Obi-wan turned, giving her a surprised look "What he did was wrong, of course, no question. But..."
The words of the Duchess Satine Kryze replayed in her mind "You serve mindlessly under the Republic, do you? Under the Jedi? Master Ky, you're just another one of those expendable clones in their eyes-"
"What are you saying?" Obi-wan crossed his arms.
"I... don't know, just thinking out loud. It's nothing" she stepped away "We need to prepare for tomorrow. Anakin" she looked to her co-General "we need to strategize"
"On it"
~
She knocked her knuckles against the door later that night, finding herself unable to fall asleep. The same thoughts had been plaguing her brain for hours. It didn't take long for the doors to slid open "G-General?"
"Sorry" she apologized swiftly, as if suddenly coming to her senses "it's late. I had a question but it can wait until tomorrow"
"Wait, uh, what is it?" The Captain rubbed his eyes, pretending not to be tired.
She looked away, trying to think of how to ask this "What happened today" she said slowly "What Slick said... Do you feel that way?"
For a split second, Rex hesitated. He wasn't sure what she meant, but it soon made sense. He stood up a bit taller "No, no sir" he said truthfully "Fighting for the Republic is who I am, what I do"
"Being a soldier shouldn't be your only quality. You're a man, first and foremost. But your answer does bring me some peace" she rested her chin on against her fingers "Rex if you know of anyone who may have the same thoughts that Slick does, then please let me know. I will..." she shrugged "maybe find a way to remind them of their worth here"
"Will do, sir"
"Oh, and I want for Sketch, Jester, and that whole battalion to be promoted. In the morning, see to it that it happens"
"I'll speak with Commander Cody first thing"
She gave a small smile "thank you, have a good night"
When she disappeared around the corner, he allowed himself to finally breath out, not realizing that he had been holding his breath. The question still lingered in the air. Without a doubt, he is content here in the army. He understands the fact that he was bred in a laboratory, made to look like a million other men. They were born to fight. She also knows this, and she wants for them to feel as individual as possible, because they are.
It's true, the Captain does prefer his position here in the 501st. He holds his title with honor. But, there is another unspoken reason as to why he'd choose the military life over a regular life. That if the opportunity to step down and become whatever he chose to become presented itself, he would refuse it. And that unspoken reason just walked away.
Serving at her side is the highlight of his life. The epitome of all that he could hope for. He wouldn't give that up for the universe.