RC-1309 turned the familiar corridor and headed into Area Two Barracks.
He blew out a long breath as he entered the small room that housed only four bunks.
"Hey Sarge, sweet suit," Fi beamed over to his immediate superior as he entered.
He was followed in by another soldier wearing the same menacing black kit.
Atin looked up at the flippant soldier lying on his bunk and raised a middle finger.
"Right back at you brother," he smiled, looking at the open holovid before closing it down.
Fi had been bored waiting for his squad to return.
Niner and Atin had just spent the better half of two hours testing their new upgraded special ops armour. They were both tired and hungry, and it was only oh seven hundred hours.
"Where's Dar?" Fi asked.
"Just headed to the 'fresher," Niner replied as he carefully removed his new gauntlets.
Tossing his helmet onto his bed, Atin sat heavily and began pulling at the chest plate that was aggravating him.
They had given the upgrade the thumbs up, not particularly liking the colour, but the new advanced light weight armour had withstood a gruelling training regime provided by their old drill sergeant.
Niner blew out another breath and looked over at Atin.
"Hey, I'm heading to the Mess, anyone coming?"
"You changing?"
"Too hungry, can't think, just need to eat." Niner looked tired.
He had been hoping for some down time between Op's but it was yet to happen. Their last mission had been more difficult than he had anticipated. Fi had been injured, earning him a date with a Bacta tank. He had missed the trialling of the new armour and would be expected to get used to it on the next hop. Niner was yet to finish his report to High Command and knew that his afternoon would be busy sitting in front of a data pad rehashing a mission he would much rather forget.
"Come on lads," it was Kal, "my shout for breakfast," he said, popping his head around the corner of their quarters.
"I'm in!" Fi swung his legs over the end of his bunk and jumped down, and followed his two black squad members and former drill Sergeant out of the barracks and down the corridors leading to the Mess Hall.
They were republic commandos.
The best of the best.
Bred in secret on Kamino, they were larger than the average clone soldier and selected for their superior intelligence and ability to think independently in any situation. They had been trained by an elite group made up primarily of mercenaries and bounty hunters originally hand picked by Jango Fett known as the Cuy'val Dar.
Niner, Atin, Fi and Darman made up Omega Squad.
They lumbered into the Mess.
Other soldiers stopped eating and looked at the group as they grabbed a tray and stood in line to get their food.
They were used to being stared at.
Regular soldiers rarely talked to them. Fi was in his fatigues, but the two in black were joined by Darman as the men behind made way for another wearing the new armour to join his squad.
Atin had a long scar across his face that together with the black armour, made him look even more foreboding. His stood in front of the soldier serving the food, and just stared at him as he dumped the pale coloured mass onto the plate he held out. He continued to hold his gaze until another spoonful was heaped on top, and happy with the extra rations, he moved on to join the others at the first table.
