Commander of Wolves

Chapter Two: War Beginning

A/N: Once again, I recommend listening to the song while you read. 

At four years old, Nya was taken from her home on Krownest to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by Jedi Master Plo-Koon. At thirteen she returned home to take her verd-gotten. The year before she was taken as a padawan by the same master who brought her to the Temple. Now though, Nya is a senior padawan in the last few years of her padawanship. But the Clone War has begun, so things may go differently than anyone had foreseen.

Nya and Plo-Koon are currently on Coruscant, waiting to meet their new battalion of clones. In fact, the two of them are walking toward the hangar where their new battalion is waiting. Nya walks respectfully behind her master, but even though she has her outer robe drawn up around her, she shivers.

Plo notices, and shrugs off his own outer robe holding it out to her. She gives him a smile, and takes it, wrapping it around herself.

"Why do they have to make it so cold in the hallways?"

Plo laughs lightly. "To most people it isn't that cold, dear padawan."

"Yeah, well most people didn't have their hypothalamus damaged as a newborn."

"Fair enough. I've made sure that there are plenty of blankets on board."

"Ori'vor'e, master."

"Ba'gedet'ye. I can't have my padawan getting hypothermic... Again."

"And I'd like to not be hypothermic again. It isn't fun."

"I know."

The two Jedi stop their conversation as they enter the hangar, and are met with a battalion of clones, most in blood red painted armor. They all stood at attention. The man in front calls them to attention.

"At ease," commands Plo. "I am Plo-Koon. My padawan and I have been told that many of you picked out names, could you tell us what they are?"

The feeling of shock radiates outward from the troopers. For many, it was a good thing that they were wearing their helmets. If they weren't, most of them would have their jaws on the floor. And for most of the troopers, their body language betrayed them. It wasn't just in the Force. But the only one who didn't react was the commander. At least, not externally.

The commander does speak up first though. "Commander Wolffe, sir."

The rest of the troopers, inspired by their commander's bravery, begin to introduce themselves. It ends up getting Nya to smile a little as she introduced herself. Plo had told her that the clones were cloned from a Mandalorian, Jango Fett, and that Obi-Wan told him that the clones had been taught Mando'a. So, she used her own native language to introduce herself.

"Su'cuy, ni Nya. Bic jate bah urcir gar."

Once again, shock radiates out from the troopers. This time, not at being treated nicely, but at being spoken to in the language of their prime. Their own language. As the command batches had been taught Mando'a, and in turn, they had taught their little brothers, then those little brothers taught their own little brothers. So the language had been preserved throughout the Vode.

One of the sergeants, who introduced himself as Sinker, says, "You know Mando'a, ma'am?"

"I do, or at least I should, considering it is my first language. And gedet'ye, don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old."