Star Wars: Captain Rex

Chapter 4

"Whoever left this bacta dispenser here, he should get a medal." -RC-1262, Clone Commando "Scorch"

2 months later...

We had all been waiting for this moment. It was graduation time. We all thought we were ready for this moment. But we're we really?

We would be leaving our home. Our only home. The place where we had sweat, laughed, failed, and triumphed. We would leave Commander Alpha, our CO, our friend. He was like the father that we had never had.

We would leave and possibly never come back. Some of us could possibly be killed. But it was what we were destined for. It was what we were bred for. To serve the Galactic Republic.

We were all waiting in the barracks, nobody speaking. We all had gotten our nicknames in the past two months. Today we would get our special Commander-issue armor, and field assignments. What Jedi we would serve under. Where our first mission would be.

I glanced around at all of my brothers, all staring at the shiny white floor. This would possibly be the final time we were all assembled together in the same room. We would be sent out to all corners of the galaxy.

"Atten, hut!" Roared a voice. We all jumped to our feet and snapped to attention. "Today is your graduation day," said Commander Alpha. "You will receive your field orders and special-issue armor."

"Today you will leave Kamino, and you will be shipped to the front lines. Before we begin, I will walk in front of you and you will state your number, rank, and name," he said, the same thing he had said when we had first met him.

"CC-5052, Marshal Commander Bly!"

"CC-7567, Captain Rex!"

"CC-2224, Marshal Commander Cody!"

"CC-8826, Marshal Commander Neyo!"

"CC-3636, Marshal Commander Wolffe!"

"CC-1138, Marshal Commander Bacara!"

"CC-1004, Marshal Commander Gree!"

I had never understood why Alpha had not promoted me to the rank of Marshal Commander. But he had his reasons, and I respected them.

"Now, I will give you all your field assignments," said Alpha, holding a datapad close to his face. "Gree, you will be dispatched to the 9th Assault Corps, under the command of Jedi General Luminara Unduli. You will command the 41st Elite Corps, the top division of the 9th Assault Corps."

"Bacara, you will be sent to the 4th Sector Army, under the leadership of General Ki-Adi Mundi. You will head the elite division of the Galactic Marines."

"Wolffe, you will lead the 97th Assault Brigade, a division of the 104th Battalion, under the command of General Plo Koon."

"Neyo, you will lead the small legion of the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Group, under the command of General Stass Allie."No shocks there. Neyo was a master with vehicles.

"Cody, you will lead the 7th Sky Corps of the 212 Attack Battalion, under the leadership of General Obi-wan Kenobi. Decent officer, him," said Alpha. "Very instructive."

"Rex," he said," You will be leading the incredibly large Torrent Company, of the 501st Legion. Sorry about the rank though. The 501st is divided into companies, not brigades or battalions. By the way, your under the command of General Anakin Skywalker. He is also very instructive."

"Bly, you will command the 28th Artillery Battalion of the 327th Star Corps," he said, finally finishing.

"Now, if you will follow me, gentlemen," he said, leading us down a long white illuminated hallway. As we arrived at the end of the hallway, Alpha said,"Step inside."

The room was brightly-lit, and in an octagon shape. At each corner was a set of clone armor hanging on the wall. We all gasped and realized that this was our armor.

I slowly walked to a set of blue clone armor. Under the armor was a silver plaque that said "CT-7567."

I glanced up and observed the armor more closely. Two blue half-triangles were decalled on the top of the helmet, along with an antennae on the right side of the helmet. I paoldron protecting the neck and and upper chest. Blue stripes streaked on the tricep and gauntlet armor.

My gaze slowly lowered and I saw a black kama, outlined with a thin blue stripe on the outside. I couldn't believe it. My armor. Finally.

I glanced around at the others. They all had the same expression on their faces: amazement. Bacara had a Republic Naval Commando helmet and prototype Galactic Marine armor. Bly had a regular clone armor with a long range visor atop it, with a yellow stripe running down the helmet and armor. Gree had a green stripe running down his armor, and a black ammo bandoleer.

Cody had a basic orange commander set of armor. Wolffe had a white-and-brown set of armor with the shape of a wolf's head on the front. And finally, Neyo had a strange looking prototype BARC trooper armor.

"I trust your all satisfied with your armor?" Asked Alpha.

"Beyond, sir," I said, turning to him. Surprisingly, there was a proud, yet saddened, look on his face.

"Now suit up," he ordered. Shortly after he said," Come on, boys. Let's get your ceremony underway." He turned abruptly around and marched out of the room.

Outside the armory was the loading bay, and a several small walkways attached to the end of it, that were now connected to the hull door of an Acclomater-class cruiser.

The loading bay was filled with 100 men, counting my squad. 100 clone troops had been selected for Alpha's ARC program. Squad Seven, my squad, had been Alpha's "favorites." The ones that he thought were the best.

Neyo, Cody, Bacara, Wolffe, Bly, Gree and I all fell in line behind a Commander that I knew as Keller. He had Airborne armor with a thin blue stripe running down his armor.

"Nice armor, ner vod," I whispered to him as Alpha began his speech.

"You to, vod'ika," he replied.

"You," said a voice, amplified through helmeted speakers,"are the next generation." I glanced  up at the front of the line and saw Alpha standing there. "You will all become commanders and be shipped out to all your legions. You are the Republic's finest troopers, and you will lead your battalions to victory, star system after star system."

"The Republic may not know who you are, but they will know that you are the only reason that they are alive. Now get on that ship, and win the war." He finally finished.

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" He roared.

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" Roared a hundred voices, a hundred times stronger.

"COMPANY, MARCH!" He barked.

"SIR, YES, SIR!" Chorused ninety-nine voices, along with mine. And with that, we marched into the Acclomater-class cruiser, and to the future.