SWRC: Tales of the Clone Wars (Book 2.5)

Chapter 13 Designated Meetings.

"What an odd pair of planets," whispered Tye as he looked out the window of the ship down onto the half darkened world of Gorse. It was definitely a rare astronomically couple, Gorse looking like the bleak twin of its sole glittering moon Cynda.

But Tye was really trying to distract himself from what he'd learnt recently and the sudden reoccurrence of a long forgotten dream turned nightmare.

And it wasn't working.

"Problems Tye?" asked C.T, looking up from his data-pad.
"What you told me on Kamino," said Tye. "It won't leave me alone. And the dream's back."
"The one that everyone sees?" asked C.T, concerned. "The mission?"
"It's been gone for so long and with your sudden revelation of that information, the dream just as suddenly came back."

"Any idea what it means?" asked C.T, going back through the data recorded on his data-pad.
"None," Tye said shaking his head. "I don't think anyone really knows."
"Would the Jedi know?" asked C.T suddenly.
"Why would they care?" asked Tye. "You saw how the General changed. Most of them are probably like that."
"What about the old commander Neeran?" asked C.T. "She seemed different."
"She was probably the only exception," muttered Tye as their current commander entered the room. C.T suddenly seemed to be distracted by something on his screen.
"What is it?"
"Could this work?"

Tye looked at the complex formulas littering C.T's screen and shook his head.
"I'm no good at this stuff C.T. You'd have to talk the Hawkeye or Trapper. Hack, Neo and Talon may also have an understanding of it. I'm just a soldier."

"You're a better soldier than some of us," replied C.T as he got up. "I'll go check with Hawkeye and Trapper what it is."
"See ya," replied Tye as he returned his gaze out of the ship and coming to a decision in his mind.

"We need to get out..."

<Gorse, planet side...>

Tye stood planet side watching his mismatched company assemble. Felix had finally recovered enough to be allowed by Tye to join in their missions, much to the troopers delight.
"What's the mission commander?" asked Tye, annoyance creeping into his voice for not being trusted enough by his commanding officer to have been told beforehand what was happening.

"There's a potential Separatist meeting being conducted on this planet," informed Neeran in a voice that called for no questions from Tye. "Our job is to stop that meeting."
Tye remained silent as Neeran took that as a signal to continue.
"We'll stay together as a company. Just follow my lead."

Tye turned away and called for his company to fall in as Neeran began to lead the way into the city.

It didn't take too long for Neeran to locate the meeting. The Chancellor's information had been accurate after all.
Not that she'd really doubted him. He'd proved himself a trusted ally and friend over the course of the war after the Invasion of Mykapo.

It was in fact the Chancellor who had told her that her own company may be turning traitor and it was that suspicion which had kept her from revealing what they were to be doing on Gorse to Captain Tye until absolutely necessary on his behalf. She herself had begun to suspect his loyalties weren't where they really should have been and had been trying to keep a close eye on him since the Chancellor had revealed his suspicions about the Company around the time of Tye's awakening after being comatosed for almost a year.

He was a loose cannon in their opinion.

He wasn't as battle hardened as some of the other clones but he was as, and in many cases, more dangerous than most clones.
But he never openly showed it around others.

Neeran had also noted that he didn't seem to age right after she had helped heal him after he'd been injuries on Jedha.

She'd even noted that among the entire company.

Clones were suppose to age twice as fast as normal humans but since their incursion on Jedha, Neeran had noted they only really seemed to age at almost a quarter of an age less than other clones. Considering Tye was supposed to be about 9 years old, it was as if he was ageing to ~16.5 instead of 18 years.

But Neeran pushed those thoughts aside as the company approached at appointed meeting. She signalled Tye, who in turn signalled the rest of the company.

Voices could be heard from within.
And Tye was sure he'd heard those particular voices before.

"You're certain?" asked the first male.
"Positive," replied the second, who sounded identical to the other.
"There's no doubt about it," came the only female voice that the company heard come from within the room.

"This is serious," said the first voice. "How far has it spread?"
"Almost everywhere we looked has been affected in some way," reported the female. "It's only a matter of time before the Jedi are either infected or realise what's going on."

Neeran suddenly broke into the room and the startled company swiftly followed after her.

Only to be met with an unexpected surprise.

"No way," whispered Tye and Neeran saw C.T react as well.
"Teacher," whispered C.T, looking at the male closer to them, though there were no physical differences between the two males.

"How-" started the male who then seemed to recognise the pair of clone commanders before him.
"You're," said Tye, stopping himself. "A Jedi."

"Traitors!" yelled Neeran, igniting her lightsaber and rushing head on into the fray. Tye and the rest didn't know what to do. Before them were three Jedi, two of which looked like more than identical twins, and their commander rushing in to slaughter them.

The other male who had not spoken, stepped in front of the other two and pushed them back slightly and, completely unfazed by the 149 blasters pointed at him, said,
"Sloppy."
Neeran was agitated and swung wildly.
"Irresponsible," continued the man as he caught her hand with the loghtsaber firmly held in it. Neeran yelled and took another wild swing with her free hand at the man.
The man didn't even flinch as he caught her fist.
"Predictable."
Neeran was on the ground in the blink of an eye, her lightsaber flying up in the air and the man who had beaten her in three moves simply raised his hand and caught it without even looking or batting an eyelid.
"Exactly like my female apprentice."

"What do we do Tye?" asked C.T.
"Open fire!" came the response from their commander on the ground amid the onslaught.
Tye hesitated again and sighed, begrudgingly ordering, "Do as she says."

Blaster fire from the 149 members of Orange Company 49 entered the room and at least one life was to be at an end.

But it was not to be from the clones blaster fire.

"Tefeal!"