Chapter Text
Cody slid off the cot and straightened a bit stiffly, conscious of the judgmental gaze of his chief medical officer. "Am I cleared, then?"
Stitch typed something into his datapad and glanced up. "You're cleared for medical leave, but that's about it, Commander."
"What?" Cody sidled around to look over Stitch's shoulder. "Wait, how can I be cleared only for medical leave?"
With a sigh, Stitch held up the datapad and pointed to the screen. "This is your name, Commander – and here's your rank and your number – okay, got that?"
Cody eyed him meaningfully.
Stitch continued, probably in revenge for all the trouble he seemed to think Cody had been giving him lately. "Now, right next to your number, there's a yellow mark. I've developed a system, see? Green means you're completely cleared and back to active duty. Blue means you're cleared for light duty only. Yellow shows you're cleared for medical leave, meaning – listen carefully, now."
Cody rolled his eyes.
Stitch smirked. "Medical leave means that you are not cleared for any sort of duty whatsoever. Got that?"
Cody lifted his hands in surrender. "Is there anything I am allowed to do? Or do you suggest I spend the next standard week wandering around the Negotiator?"
"I suggest you bring that up with General Kenobi or Command," Stitch told him unsympathetically. "I am sending my report in – now."
The datapad beeped faintly.
Cody sighed. "How did you get to be CMO, anyway?"
"You promoted me," Stitch pointed out, following him to the door.
"I must have been on pain meds."
Stitch grinned. "I have the records, and you were in perfect health at the time."
Cody buttoned the top half of his uniform up to his throat and straightened his rank bars. "I hadn't been drinking, had I?"
"We were nowhere near Coruscant," Stitch informed him. "And none of your batchmates were around, either."
Cody smirked and rested a hand on his medic's shoulder. "Thanks for your help."
"You're welcome, sir," Stitch told him sincerely.
Cody nodded and turned to leave. Stitch cleared his throat, and Cody glanced back.
Stitch gave him a threatening smile. "Commander, if you ever come in here again with a close-range laser burn through one lung . . ."
Cody tilted his head. "I didn't ask to be shot, Stitch."
"No, sir. But you wouldn't have been shot if you didn't insist on getting into fist-fights with droids. What possesses you, sir, honestly?"
Cody didn't really have an answer for that one, so he just sent Stitch an apologetic grimace and then beat a hasty retreat.
As he walked steadily towards the bridge, Cody reflected a bit on Stitch's words. He didn't actually remember getting shot – or, if he did, he'd registered it as a blow to the chest, not a laser. The next thing he knew, he was waking up in medbay with no memory at all of the past few days. Judging by Stitch's hovering over the next while, Cody's condition had been pretty much touch-and-go.
Maybe he should lay off punching droids – well, if he could remember when he was actually in battle. Cody nodded to a passing trooper and wondered if perhaps Rex was right. Cody, he'd always claimed, was a lot less cool-minded than he liked to pretend.
As Cody neared the lift, the doors opened to reveal Rex, wearing his newly-painted armor. It looked odd, at first, seeing the helmet's jaig eyes in blue instead of yellow, but Cody supposed he'd get used to it.
"Hey," said Rex with a grin. "I was just coming to see you. You got out."
Cody stepped in beside him. "On medical leave," he said, then sighed. "Stitch already sent the files to General Kenobi and Command."
"Hm." Rex hit the control for the bridge level. "So, you're basically complaining because you can't cheat your way around it."
Cody rolled his eyes. "I probably could, but it's not worth the trouble. We're still over Coruscant, and it's not like there's much to do besides offload cargo and run drills."
"We'll be getting the go-ahead for a new mission soon," Rex told him. "While you were recovering, the new legion was formed. It's almost ready for deployment."
"Ah," said Cody. "Judging by the new paint job, I presume General Kenobi took my recommendation."
Rex eyed him sidelong. "I've been transferred to the Five-Oh-First, if that's what you mean."
Cody inclined his head. "The Five-Oh-First will be working under the command of General Kenobi for the duration of the war. Because Skywalker was just promoted, and because we're forming a new legion entirely from our already-existing battalion, command structure will be a bit odd for a while. You won't have a commander specifically, unless Skywalker gets a padawan –"
"He won't," Rex told him, looking a bit concerned. Probably because without a padawan or a special transfer, the 501st wouldn't be getting a commander. "At least, he's said he won't five or six times."
"Right," said Cody. "Well, considering that General Kenobi and Grandmaster Yoda were placing bets on that very fact last week, I wouldn't be too sure."
The doors opened, and the two clones headed for the bridge.
"Jedi placing bets. . .?" Rex said. "Wait, did Kenobi think General Skywalker would take a padawan, or not?"
"They both thought he would," said Cody, stepping aside to let a patrol of troopers run past. "Thus why I wouldn't be too sure that he won't."
"So who was betting against them?"
"No one. I guess whoever gets the timeframe more accurately wins."
Rex shook his head, looking amused for a moment, but then the thoughtful expression returned to his face.
Cody eyed him. "What's worrying you?"
Rex rubbed the back of his head. "I'm General Skywalker's acting second."
Yeah, that's what I thought. It's a lot of responsibility all at once. . . Cody elbowed Rex reassuringly. "You'll be getting a commander, eventually, if we get the chance to transfer one. Right now, though – well, you're the most experienced captain in the Five-Oh-First."
"That's what General Kenobi said. But I've been the CO of a company so far. Even if the Five-Oh-First is only the size of a regiment at the moment – well, effectively, I've got sixteen companies to look after."
"You'll have help," Cody said. "Your fellow captains are good officers, and you'll still chiefly be in command of Torrent Company. You're the right man for the job, Rex. Just don't get carried away. The men need a captain, not a dead hero."
Rex cast him a criticizing look. "You were just laid up for a week because you got carried away, Commander."
As the two of them entered the bridge, Cody jostled Rex with an elbow. "Just giving you an example of what not to do, Rex, old boy."
Before Rex could reply, General Kenobi turned to face them. "Ah, Cody! I just received Stitch's report."
Cody joined him at the holotable and came to attention briefly. "Yes, sir. It looks like I'm out of the action for a week."
Obi-Wan glanced around the quiet bridge. "What action, Commander?"
A few of the nearby technicians seemed amused by this, though they stayed focused on their jobs.
"Eh . . . good point, sir," Rex allowed. "I was telling Cody that we'd be getting a new assignment pretty soon."
"You and Anakin will, at any rate," Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard. This particular trait of his was what Cody mentally referred to as his general's 'thinking pose'.
Cody hadn't been assigned to his Jedi for all that long, but he was so used to automatically remembering hundreds upon hundreds of brothers by noting movements, patterns of speech, and nervous tics that categorizing General Kenobi's characteristics had taken him less than a day.
"What about us, sir?" Cody asked. "Surely we're not staying in orbit."
Obi-Wan blinked at the rotating planet beneath them and turned to regard him. "I'm afraid that's exactly what we are doing. The Chancellor wants the Two-Twelfth to operate as a backup force, at least until the other fleets are in position. We must be prepared to leave on a moment's notice, in case any Republic forces call for aid."
"Yes, sir," said Cody. "I'll check in with my officers and make sure everything's squared away."
"We've already done that," Rex said.
"Yes," said Obi-Wan. "Rex, Anakin and I met with them this morning. And wasn't there something in Stitch's report about you not being cleared for duty?"
Cody stared straight ahead. "Well, General, what else is there to do? Sit around and play sabacc?"
"We could, I suppose, once my shift is over."
Cody locked his arms behind his back, winced at the pull in his chest, and settled for folding them instead. All the men would be occupied right now, and if there was any action, it would be on the bridge. "Right," he said. "I guess I can be off duty here as well as anywhere."
Rex, who had always been rather dramatic, rolled his eyes at Cody's stubbornness, then saluted the general and stalked off to wait near the door – a silent message that he could be just as stubborn and knew perfectly well that Cody wouldn't keep him waiting there all day.
Cody narrowed his eyes at Rex's retreating figure.
Obi-Wan hummed thoughtfully at his datapad, then looked up. "Commander, perhaps there is a way for you to fill your time productively."
Cody perked up. "Yes, sir?"
"We have to pick up new troops for our battalion, since so many have been reassigned to the new legion. Initially, I intended to send Anakin to Kamino, but since he could receive orders at any moment, it would probably be best if you could go instead."
"I could, sir," said Cody. "That'll fill a couple of days, anyway."
"It's mostly a formality, though I'm sure you already know that," Obi-Wan said. "The new troops will be joining us in an entirely new cruiser, which will replace the Defiant."
Cody gazed out the viewport at the cruisers hovering around the Negotiator. "The Defiant is General Skywalker's cruiser now, I take it?"
Obi-Wan pointed it out. "It was that one or the Steadfast, and of course he couldn't have a ship with a name like that."
Cody huffed a faint laugh. "It fits, sir."
"Yes," Obi-Wan said dryly. "At any rate, if you travel to Kamino, you could come back with the cruiser, or spend a few extra days on Kamino, whichever suits you better."
"Thank you, sir," said Cody. "I'll probably stay on Kamino for the duration. There are several things I could keep occupied with there."
"Oh?" Obi-Wan turned and paced the length of the bridge, with Cody accompanying him. "Things you can keep occupied with while being off-duty?"
"Yes, sir," said Cody.
The general cast him a half-amused look. "Come now."
"It's not being on duty if I volunteer," Cody said unashamedly.
"Ah, I see." Obi-Wan lifted his comlink. "I'll clear it with Stitch, and then you may leave whenever you are ready."
Cody saluted sharply, managing to contain his wince, then left. He reached the bridge door and continued through without pausing to glance at Rex, who fell into step beside him.
"Kamino," said Cody. "If Stitch clears me, I'll be gone the whole week."
"Good," said Rex, then seemed to realize how that had sounded. "I mean, good, you'll have something to do."
Cody smirked. "Don't get yourself into too much trouble while I'm gone."
"I would never," Rex said, much too quickly. "And same to you, Cody. I'm not going to have to abandon my new legion to come haul you out of trouble, am I?"
"Unlikely," Cody said, grimacing. "Colt will probably hover over me like a wingless aiwha the entire time I'm there."
Rex snorted at the mental image.
Cody smirked. Colt was one of the gruffest ARC troopers in existence. Those who did not know him personally were convinced that his only volume was shouting, and his only tone of voice was scolding.
That was, in fact, untrue. Colt was older than most of the other ARCs, including Cody, by a few weeks. Somehow, he had decided this meant he was personally responsible for his batchmates and the remainder of the command class; and, eventually, for every clone – trooper or officer – who came into his sphere of influence, even those who were of higher rank.
Yes, Cody was definitely looking forward to seeing him again. Hopefully, Colt now being a commander might mean that he didn't have much time to yell at Cody for his foolishness. . .
Cody's comm beeped. "You're cleared, Commander," Stitch said. "Have a safe flight, and don't do anything I might regret."
"Don't you mean 'anything you might regret'?" Cody asked with a smile.
"No. I mean anything I might regret, Commander."
Rex laughed. "He's got you there, Cody."
Cody turned towards the hangar, not bothering to dignify Rex's comment with a response.
Two days later, Cody found himself standing with the quiet and dignified Shaak Ti on a balcony at the peak of Tipoca City. The sublight engines of the new cruiser Victory glowed blue through the heavy rain as it pulled away, slowly lifting out of atmosphere.
As it disappeared into the heavy clouds, Shaak Ti turned away from the window and walked back toward the door. Cody joined her, a little to her left and one step behind her, as they entered the spotless white halls of the city.
"Commander Cody," she said, tucking her hands into her wide sleeves. "What will you do, now that the new troops have left?"
"I'm not sure yet, ma'am," Cody said. "Initially, I intended to talk to ARC trooper Colt and offer my help with training cadets, but he's currently off-planet."
"Yes, he took his new battalion with him for an extended training campaign," she said. "If you have no other plans, Commander, and if you are interested in teaching, I might make a suggestion."
"Please," said Cody, gesturing for her to continue.
"I received a report last week from another ARC trooper, Havoc. Do you know him?"
Well, not really, except for the fact that he'd faced off with Cody on the sparring mat and completely flattened him, but Cody didn't think that needed to be specified. "Not very well, General, but I've seen him around. Doesn't he work with Colt?"
"He does," she affirmed, glancing at a Kaminoan as he moved past. Her grey eyes remained cool and almost impersonal, but there was an underlying warmth to her tone when she said, "He has been invaluable in keeping me apprised of things here in Tipoca City. As for the cadets I spoke of, though, they are . . . particularly troublesome."
Cody frowned. "Troublesome in what way?"
"He did not give me details," she said. "I believe he only mentioned them to me because the Kaminoans are becoming concerned. Havoc said they are exceptional troopers, though, so I am unsure as to why . . ."
Cody glanced sideways at her. "Usually, that means the troopers in question are dysfunctional in some way."
She paused and turned to face him. "Commander, perhaps these troopers are not perfect, but just because they do not perform to the Kaminoans' expectations does not make them dysfunctional."
"No, ma'am," Cody agreed, clasping his hands behind his back. "But if Havoc says the Kaminoans are becoming concerned, that means they've either listed the troopers as dysfunctional, or are about to."
Shaak Ti's even gaze flickered for a moment. "Yes. . ." She looked as though she were about to say something else, but then shook her head slightly. "As for your part in this though, Commander, you have been spoken highly of by Colt as a teacher. Would you be willing to speak to Havoc?"
"I'll do that, ma'am," said Cody. "Where is he right now?"
"Havoc trains and oversees the troopers in Sector D. As for the commandos, I do not know where they are based." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I've already been here several weeks, but have only seen part of the city."
"Not a problem, ma'am," Cody told her. "It's a big place. I'll go speak to Havoc and see if there's something I can do to help."