Chapter 104 - Changes

Most of the clones felt the same way as Dageer, and when he arrived at the barracks destined to the 303rd he saw most of his brothers sleeping. Only a few had gone to explore the surrounding bars, most of them being those who were idle before they arrived at Coruscant.

After taking a much-deserved bath, Dageer dropped at his bed without trading words with anyone. Maybe because he was too tired, that was the first time in months that he slept without having the usual nightmares.

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Dageer woke up with Cell tapping his shoulder.

"Uhhmmm... what is it? Whaahhh..."

It took some time for him to fully wake up, but after washing his face he became smart enough to understand what Cell wanted.

"Sir, Hell Squad requesting permission to go to Revontre."

"You are in leave, Cell. Unless you are about to do something really stupid or really important, there is no need to request permission. But since you woke me, I will go too."

"That is good. Berro and Frit already went there, and they say it is awesome. Besides, everything is on the Republic. There was one time when Dab and I were cadets that our squad got the chance to go to a bar during a visit to the moon of Kamino. We want to see how it is here."

"All right, all right. You are behaving like you are a cadet again. Hahahaha!!!"

Cell laughed freely, not ashamed at all. After all, although they joked about it, they had been in life-and-death situations one after another. No matter how good they were, the chances of they dying on some random planet weren't small.

"I assume everyone is coming? Yeah? Then, Hell Squad, let's get going."

There was a happy 'hurrah!' amongst Hell Squad, and they boarded a transport that would take them to the Revontre.

They had all traded their armors for the loose brown cloths that represented the 303rd. Dageer at first was in doubt between using his old, soldier-rank clothes or the new, almost commander like clothes. In the end he decided for the old ones. Clones had discipline on their blood, and if they knew he was an officer they wouldn't fully enjoy themselves.

The transport arrived quickly, and contrary to what Dageer thought previously, what waited for them was a bustling area of the city. The majority of the people he saw were clones, but there were also mon calamarians, Twi'leks, Niktos, Togrutas, Sull.u.s.tians, and dozens of other alien species that Dageer didn't recognize.

The Revontre was pretty easy to find, and Hell Squad only had to follow the stream of clones. Many of the men of the 303rd Attack Legion were there, but Dageer also recognized the uniforms of the SCUBA Troopers, the 212th Attack Battalion, the 327th Star Corps and the 41st Elite Corps. Those were basically all the legions that were able to leave the battlefield that was the Outer Rim.

Hell Squad also met a good number of Coruscant Guard troopers, wearing their red-striped armor.

As they approached the Revontre, the music got louder and louder, and the noise of laughs drifted towards them. Soon, Dageer saw clones carrying bottles and glasses, and some of them were so drunk they couldn't even walk normally. Dageer frowned when he saw some of the 303rd members amongst them.

"Sir, should I go...?"

"No need, Brain. We are on leave, and the men are stressed. Just make sure none of them break the rules, or they will be dealt with as Commander Keeli said, all right? And I hope I don't see Hell Squad amidst them, or you will face my punishment. Okay, Cell?"

"What? Why did you line me up, sir? Do I look like I would do something like that? I am more serious than Dab and Three-four."

Cell put one arm around the shoulders of each of the clones he mentioned, and both Three-four and Dab immediately pushed him, making him trip.

"Hahahahahaha!!! Okay, okay... let's get something to eat and drink, boys."

The inside of the bar was even bigger than Dageer thought, easily able to accommodate hundreds of clones. Hell Squad went to the counter, and ordered a couple of drinks.

"Hey! Dageer!"

A sharp voice called for Dageer. When he looked up he saw a clone with no armor waving to him. It took a while for him to remember who he was. Dageer grabbed his drink and nodded to Hell squad, to indicate he was going.

"Lieutenant Thire! I haven't seen you since Geonosis."

"Unless you move to the Coruscant Guard, it will be a while before we can meet again. After Geonosis I received a promotion, and I have been on Coruscant since then."

"Congratulations, then. Wahhhh... that was one hell of a fight, wasn't it?"

"It sure was. Now, come on! I want to introduce some brothers to you."

"Actually, my squad is over there."

"It is all right, they will do fine. And, I wasn't the only one to rise, was I? You should meet the other officers, Sub-commander Dageer."

"Okay then. Boys, behave yourselves while I'm away. I don't want General Di complaining on my ear."

"Yearrey!!!"

Dageer shook his head. His words had passed straight by his men without they capturing a single one of them. But he couldn't complain, since he also wasn't being formal. If he was in duty, there was no way he could have said what he just said.

He followed Thire to the so-called officer's room, a room upstairs where they could sit and talk. Meanwhile, Dageer was thinking about how things had changed in just four months. When he first met Thire, he was a lieutenant and Dageer was just a soldier. But Thire received his promotion to the Coruscant Guard - although his rank stayed the same - and Dageer performed many meritorious deeds, enough for him to become a sub-commander.

In a way, Thire, who was out of the battles for a long time, was much safer than Dageer, who fought in the frontlines. But in another, unless Coruscant was attacked, Thire would never have the chance to battle again.

Throwing away the unnecessary thoughts in his head, Dageer passed through the door that Thire had opened, and faced the twenty or so clones on the room.