When the Cavalry Comes.

II

Outside the LAAT stood a young man and a togruta girl. She looked to be about Cavalry's age.

"Welcome troops. I am general Skywalker, and this is my padawan, commander Tano." He grinned softly to himself. A private joke, she guessed. "Other generals normally give some sort of really professional speech about how I'm glad I'll be fighting side by side with you and bla bla bla... I'll tell you this, as long as there isn't another jedi around, we don't really stick to protocol here. More like..." He trailed off. Commander Tano smirked at him.

"Loosely cling?" She said sardonically.   The general smiled.

"Yeah, sure. Captain Rex will show you the barracks, and debrief you on how things work around here." He jerked a thumb at the captain that stood at parade rest beside him. "I look forward to going into battle with you." Cavalry was very confused. This informality... She didn't know whether to be startled or to laugh. She liked these people. She liked her comrades. She didn't know if she could bear to watch them die.

Stop with the negativity. You're the Cavalry. You are above death. It was one thing to think that when she was blasting the target droids, or scaling the citadel wall, and embrace that fearless, reckless, wild joy that had got her her name. That same thought though, when she was standing with the other soldiers, felt weak and distant. Like a dream.

She fell in line with the others and marched back to the barracks. The bunk beds surprised her. They were actual beds. The containers that she and her brothers slept in were little more than plastoid slabs covered in a sheet.

She found hers, a simple bottom bunk with a blanket and a locker at the foot. A trooper sat on the top bunk. He took of his helmet revealing white-blond hair, and skin so pale it almost matched his armor. A rarity among clones, but the defect must have been so minor that the Kaminoans didn't care. 

"What's a little girl doing here?" He growled.

"I am here for the same reason as you. I suppose you are Whiteout?" She asked, trying to keep her voice level. Just like she told Neon, she would have to answer that question a thousand more times than she already had.

"So the republic was so desperate that they have started recruiting children? I thought the purpose of us clones is to be the army of the republic." He said, sliding off the top and standing upright. He had to be at least a foot taller than her. "So tell me, where's your mummy, does she have to give you a kiss goodnight." He glared down at her. So this is the way it would be. He would push her around until he found what made her tick. And then he would push at that. Two could play at that game.

"No, I never knew my mother. Maybe I could ask yours instead?" She growled, taking a step closer so that they were almost inches apart. His lips curled into a sneer. She knew most clones had a sore spot when it came to parents.

"Troops, what's going on here." It was the captain. Rex stood, leaning against the bunk next to them.

Whiteout looked away. "Nothing sir." Cavalry couldn't pass the chance up.

"Whiteout here had some questions about why I was here." She said, a smile teasing at her lips. Rex gave a small smile himself. So the stone cold captain wasn't ice all the way through.

"CT 5745. The Cavalry. Adoptive Daughter of Jango Fett who was released into the care of the Kaminoans to be raised among the clones. Trained to follow orders with the best of them and assigned later to Special Ops as a secondary major. Has emergency skills in first aid and heavy artillery operation. Also, as noted by her overseers, is not to be allowed to prepare anything more complex than a dry ration." He chuckled a little. Cavalry flushed, looking at the ground. Yeah, food was never her speciality.

Whiteout scoffed and climbed back to bunk."Look at her. She'd probably pass out at more than a cut from those little things on her arms. Gonna poke a clanker to death, kid?" She glared at him. She glared at him, but opted to simply dress down a little instead. She took off her major armor platings, preferring to keep her gauntlets and other smaller, less encumbersome armor on. She stored it in the locker, finding paint in the bottom of the locker. She decided to ignore it in favor of exploring her new home.

She found her way back to the main hanger, but got suitibly lost from there. She almost ran straight into Commander Tano.

"Sorry sir!" She yelped, jumping back and snapping to attention. Commander Tano seemed shocked, and took in her remaining armor and blacks.

"Oh, you're a... Clone?" She asked, obviously confused. Cavalry decided to just go with it.

"Yes sir, CT 5745, Cavalry." She said, still at attention. Commander Tano blinked.

"Uh, er, At ease, trooper. Please call me Ahsoka." She stuttered. Cavalry moved to parade rest. "I'm guessing that you're new?" Cavalry nodded.

"I just arrived today. I'm supposed to be new blood to help with the Umbara campaign." She said. Ahsoka gave a sad smile.

"I wish I was allowed to go, but I can't. They said Umbara was no place for padawans. Why don't you come with me, I'll show you around." She said, her face lighting up. Cavalry smiled and nodded.

"That'll be great. I'm thoroughly and horribly lost." She chirped, pasting on what she hoped was a happy grin. Thankfully Ahsoka bought it.

"Follow me!" She said, taking off down the corridor at a run. Cavalry jumped back, startled, but remembered the games she played with the rest of the clones as cadets. She took off after the togruta and let herself be thirteen again, if only for a few minutes. She could go back to the ice-hard trooper later.