Chapter 106 - Phase Two Armor

/// Author talking. Well, because there are too many characters in one single place, I won't name them every time they talk, or it would be boring. So, imagine them as the one you want.///

START OF THE CHAPTER

The one who explained the changes in the military was Commander Gree.

"Rex, see if you can follow my line of thought. You weren't on Geonosis, but what happened there was at the same time a failure and a success."

"Yeah. We gave the seppies and the bugs a good blow, but most of their leaders escaped. The moment Count Dooku left the system, it was already decided that this would be a long and tiring war. After one month of war, when that became even more certain, Cody contacted us, with the authorization of General Kenobi, of course."

Commander Fox took over.

"He said something on which we had been thinking for some time. Since it was clear that this war is going to last, we felt that giving each legion an identity was important."

"That is how all those rumors about new armor and colors started. The legions already have numbers, and some even names, but there was one thing that made us step up and talk with our respective generals."

"And what was that?"

"Our names. Initially, only captains and above received a name from the kaminoans. That was so we could distinguish ourselves, and to get the chain of command clear. But on our first battle, soldiers, sergeants, lieutenants and even medics started receiving names. Some were like Thire here, granted his name by a jedi."

Dageer interrupted Commander Fox, something he would never have done if he wasn't slightly drunk.

"I was the same. General Piell was the first to call me Dageer."

"You see what I mean? But there those named by generals were only a few. The majority of our brothers received their names in the middle of the battle, or right after it, and the one who gave them their names was none other than ourselves. And by that I mean that we, clones, looked at our brothers, and felt that we didn't deserve to fight and maybe die without a proper name. The fact that the higher-ups didn't stop that, gave Cody and us more reasons to make our claim."

"When Appo and I left Kamino, some cadets also had names."

When Rex said that, Dageer remembered the young cadet that he met after the Battle of Kamino ended. He had given the cadet the name Cutup in a whim. He wondered if he had influence over the changes that were taking place in Kamino.

Commander Fox approached the great conclusion, and every clone in the room stayed quiet, even the commanders who already knew about it. Reveling it to Dageer and the others in the room was the same as making it official.

"As you probably know, the claim Cody made to the Senate was that identity that each clone was acquiring little by little, was represented by a new armor. We were quite successful, and the result is that each legion, independent of new or old, will have it color on the armor. Now, not only commanders, but sub-commanders, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, soldiers and staff will have their own mark."

"In most of the legions, that is purely an aesthetic measure, but the morale boost will be huge. Or so we expect. My legion, the 41st, was chosen to be the first to receive the new armor because we fight in forests. The white color is quite conspicuous, and have caused more than a few casualties."

"And that new armor is being called Phase Two Armor. I think that makes the one we are wearing the Phase One. Don't lose it, boys. When that war ends, we can hang it on the wall and say we were the first."

"Hahahahaha! For the clones, and for the Republic!"

-------------------

Five hours later, Dageer woke up to find Hell Squad still sleeping. Even though he had slept only three hours, he felt renovated.

The last day, after the meeting on the second floor of the Revontre was over, Dageer found his men leaning on the counter, trading war stories with other clones. It took just an order from Dageer for them to form up, although they tripped a little.

Dageer decided to tell them the news later, and he had yet to decide if he would do that.

"Wake up. I don't want the 303rd men to become lazy because of one night of fun. Brain, call the captains and see them do the same. We get up as if we were on hostile territory."

"Whommm!!! Yes, sir."

Dageer sent Hell Squad in their exercises, so they wouldn't get lazy. He felt that this routine would be the same for the next six days. Until a voice came through his comlink, bringing bad news.

---------------------

"Commander, I came as fast as I could."

Dageer, wearing his full armor, his helmet and carrying his blaster, stopped in front of Commander Keeli on the meeting room of the headquarters of the clone army on Coruscant.

In the room were not only Dageer and Keeli, but most of the clones Dageer had met the day before.

"We are still waiting for Fox. Step aside, and be prepared to move out at any moment. Things aren't good."

Dageer did as he was ordered, and waited behind Commander Keeli. Less than a minute later, Commander Fox arrived.

"Commanders, please make your reports. We need to confirm the news we received. Cody."

"Yesterday, three troopers of the 212th Attack Battalion didn't return to the barracks. Neither their squad members, nor any other clone knows what happened to them."

"Keeli."

"It was the same with the 303rd, but only one soldier is missing."

"Monnk."

"No SCUBA trooper unaccounted for."

"Gree."

"Five missing."

"Bly."

"Also five. No trooper have any intel on why or where they went missing."

"On our side, more than ten Coruscant Guard members went missing last night. We don't know who or why, but we are working on it. Meanwhile, our, and your, order are to not disclose anything, but keep your men at the barracks."

"Fox, we won't stay locked in while we have men missing. Besides, how do you expect we to tell them that their leave time is to be spent in the barracks?"

"Honestly, Bly, I don't know. But orders are orders. This is a Clone Army matter, so there will be no jedi interference. That means no loopholes. Don't be rash, and follow orders."