Chapter 91 - Respect

Somewhere in the space.

Ragout and Dageer were walking alongside. It was the day after the battle of Mon Cala, and the padawan had asked Dageer to show him around.

The Togruta was still a kid, although his mind was much stronger than the one of a normal child. It was obviously something new to him, seeing all the military pieces of equipment, and the serious-looking soldiers.

"Here is the main hangar, where most of the Laats are stored."

"That is the weapon deposit. I'm afraid you can enter there. It is a controlled area."

"Why? I am a jedi padawan. Isn't my rank even above yours? When they sent me here they told me that I am only under my master."

"That is not how things work here, kid. You might be a jedi apprentice, but that doesn't mean much to us. We were trained to follow your orders, however, you still have to earn our respect. Of course, if you order me to take you to the deposit, I will have to obey."

Ragout frowned, obviously dissatisfied with the way Dageer put things. Dageer sighed. He forgot he was talking to a young and most probably full of pride padawan.

"I am sorry, I phrased that wrong. I didn't mean to diminish you. It is hard to explain just with words, you will understand way better when you fight your first battle."

Ragout expression got a little better. Dageer decided that it was time to show the infirmary to the padawan He was sure that when the padawan saw the injured clones, he would understand what Dageer meant.

He guided Ragout in the corridors, getting saluted by each clone they saw. Dageer's helmet was very distinctive and a symbol that he carried with pride.

Two clones were guarding the doors to the infirmary, but they gave passage to Dageer and Ragout without saying a word. Medical droids and some medic clones were walking amongst the beds.

The infirmary of The Sincerity was the biggest of General Di's fleet, and as such, it was the best equipped. Because of that, it was also where the most badly injured clones were.

Lost limbs, debilitating wounds, all of those were being treated there. No matter how good the medical technology of the Republic was, there were still some clones who lost their lives. When that happened, they were sent to the crematorium, and their ashes were later sent to Kamino, home of all clones.

It was on such an occasion that Dageer and Ragout arrived. One clone that was missing his left leg had lost too much blood before being brought to the medical base, and didn't resist. Medical droids put the body in a litter, and when they passed, Dageer took off his helmet and mourned for another lost brother.

Ragout had a serious face when they left the infirmary, and Dageer thought that maybe he was being too harsh, showing such scenes to the padawan. But when he thought about how a battlefield was, he knew the padawan would face much worse.

"Ragout, do you know the reason why we respect General Di so much? It isn't just because he is our general. Every clone legion has one, and we all respect them. The reason is because of what you saw inside there. General Di wasn't only commanding us. He fought alongside us, and saved many of us. In war injuries and deaths are inevitable. What a soldier respect the most isn't some hero who killed thousands of enemies, but some unknown person who did his best to save as many as possible. Of course, General Di isn't unknown."

"I... I think I understand now. At least a little. I guess... Ohhhhhhh! What is that?!"

The now-familiar alarms went off in the ship. Dageer put his helmet again, and ran, letting the padawan behind. He could recognize from where the alarms were going off, the cargo bay. He checked with Brain with he got something.

"Brain, it is the cargo bay. Do we have anything of value there?"

"Besides the AT-TEs worth millions of credits? I don't think so."

"Than it is probably a decoy. I am already near there, so I will go check anyway. Get Cell and Dab there too. Three-four is in the infirmary, keep him there. Find Tech and send him to the weaponry. You and Metal, I want you besides General Di at all times, no matter what he says. Also, any free trooper you can find, I want them patrolling five floors up and down from the cargo bay."

"Yes, sir."

Dageer ran, and other clones joined him. The cargo bay wasn't too far from where he was, but he was quite sure there would be no trespassers there.

Clank!

There was a loud sound above Dageer head. He looked up, but there was only the ceiling. He probably was imagining things. Dageer shook his head and looked forward while giving orders to the clones who were with him.

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In the ventilation ducts above Dageer.

A women's voice was scolding someone quietly.

"Idiot! You almost screwed everything!"

"It is not my fault! How did you expect me to pass through those ducts? Not everyone is as slim as you!"

Those last words were said in a low voice, so the female didn't hear it. There were also some traces of l.u.s.t on it.

"Shut up! I swear that I will kill you if you mess up."

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As expected, Dageer didn't find any intruders on the cargo bay. He did find, however, what set off the alarm. A lot of crates had fallen down to the floor, and one of them had crossed the invisible line the alarms had.

If it was just that, Dageer might have considered it to be an accident, maybe someone bumped into it, or the ship turned too fast. But on the floor there were also two dead clones, their necks snapped like twigs. Dageer cursed.

"Trooper, I want a full search on the whole ship. We have trespassers. I repeat, we have trespassers. Two dead soldiers accounted for, every trooper, confirm your position, follow standard procedure."

The last sentences were said in his comlink, and transmitted to the whole ship. Clones started to check-in, first to their squad leaders, who then passed the information to their sergeants and so on. That way there wouldn't be any chaos, and it was faster.