//------------------------------// // Reassignment // Story: Rainbow Dash's First Trial: Clone Wars Year 1 // by Hikarikurai24587 //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty One: Reassignment     Once the Twilight had docked with the Resolute, Obi-wan sent for clones to give the ship a thorough sweep. Rainbow Dash was quickly removed, the energy surrounding her breaking away in flakes and vanishing when it got too far away from her. When she was off the Twilight, the clones as well as Ahsoka entered, checking the ship carefully.  “Do you really think that a battle droid hid in here?” Ahsoka asked as they searched the hanger. “Or even brought Rainbow Dash on board?” “We can’t take any chances.” one of the clones replied as they looked behind one of the crates holding spare parts. “Besides, you and I both saw the condition she was in. I doubt she could have moved a finger let alone crawled here.” Ahsoka thought about it before saying. “That’s a good point. But shouldn’t we be looking for sabotage? If a battle droid is on board wouldn’t they try to….” Ahsoka’s head turned, hearing something move. She knew that they were the only ones on the ship. The medical droid had even been removed. Eyes narrowing Ahsoka moved towards the source of the noise with the clones behind her. She rounded the corner spotting a lone B1 Battle Droid trying to exit the ship but had knocked over something. She activated her lightsaber and the clones readied their weapons only for the droid to bolt at the sound. Ahsoka leaped forward as the clones fired only for the droid to dodge heading out of the ship. “Master you were right, there was a battle droid onboard. It’s now on the Resolute.” Ahsoka informed Anakin as she and the Clones followed the droid. “It’s fast!” “Stay on it! We’re heading in your direction now.” Anakin ordered as the clones fired at the droid only for it to dodge again. Ahsoka gritted her teeth trying to maneuver the droid into a corner. She watched the droid skid to a halt before running down another hallway as Anakin and more clones followed suit. “Master, something isn’t right. It’s just dodging all of our attacks and hasn’t said a word.” Ahsoka told Anakin who frowned before replying. “We can figure that out once we’re down dismantling it.” The battle droid stopped in its tracks seeing that all escape routes were blocked as Master Plo Koon was standing there. It lifted its hands. “I surrender!”     “Now this is new.” Obi-Wan mused as Anakin moved forward. “Anakin wait!”     “It’s a droid, we don’t know what damage it has done or what it is relaying to the Separatists.” Anakin protested, the battle droid looking at Anakin and fixing him with a stare. “What are you looking at?”     “I have a name.” the droid told them and they all stared back. “Kyber.”     “How did you receive this name?” asked Plo Koon walking forward and the droid shifted back saying with a nervous tone. “I chose it after I was reactivated by the Caretaker.”     “I have heard this name a few times. Who is this Caretaker?” Obi-wan inquired and Kyber looked at him before answering. “The Caretaker is the Caretaker. The Caretaker travels to help those in need and brings them to a place where they can heal. I was found after the Control Ship was destroyed and my body dismantled on a planet years ago. When I came to, I had heard a humming sound all around me and the Caretaker’s companion found a hidden crystal formation. Hence the name, Kyber. The Caretaker offered for me to join and I agreed. The companion had fixed me and reprogrammed me to not rely on a command ship to function.”     “How are we sure you are telling the truth? You were on the Malevolence.” Anakin pointed out and Kyber shook his head answering. “I was sent to spy on General Grievous. The Caretaker keeps an eye on both sides in order to intervene when necessary.” Anakin moves off to the side, mumbling to Obi-wan. “I don’t trust it.” “I agree, for now we should deactivate it and….” Kyber interrupted his thought. “Pardon, but I should be going now. The Caretaker gets worried when any of the assistants do not report back on time or does not show up for the designated pick up. I had informed the Caretaker about my current location after moving the Senator’s security personnel aboard your vessel.” “You will not be going anywhere.” Ahsoka stated just before the power went out. Dim light filled the area as the Jedi activated their lightsabers. Anakin jumped towards the location of Kyber slicing downwards. Nothing. Lights came back on and the battle droid was gone. “Spread out and locate that droid.” Plo Koon instructed the clones as Ahsoka whispered. “That’s impossible, there is no way he could have vanished like that in seconds.” “Agreed, for now we should look at a possible spy aboard our vessel as well.” Obi-wan told them and Anakin looked at him. “I should check up on the Senator and….” “I’ll do it.” Anakin said moving past Obi-wan hearing him protest. “Anakin!” Anakin was already down the hall and Obi-wan shook his head. He looked at the clones before moving off to find the strange battle droid and the possible spy. Anakin found his way to the medical bay trying to quell his irritation about losing the battle droid. ‘We shouldn’t have let it talk.’ he thought internally as the door opened and Padmé turned around. A soft  smile grew on his face before he moved forward to embrace his wife. “Not even gonna say hello?” Rainbow’s voice asked and Anakin peered over Padmé’s shoulder to see her awake. He let out a chuckle saying. “Well this is a surprise. You have a habit of doing this.” “Not that I want to keep getting injured and winding up here.” Rainbow responded not even trying to move. “But I don’t want grunt work either. You look like you’ve had a day.” “Turns out there was a battle droid aboard. We had it cornered but, the lights went out and it managed to get away.” Anakin explained as he sat down. Padmé placed a hand on his shoulder as he shook his head. “I don’t get it, why did it save you? I can’t trust the droid but its actions make no sense. Why run? Why save you? Why actually surrender to us? What was its orders?” “Well if you find it again, you should ask it.” joked Rainbow Dash and Anakin’s eyes narrowed as he said. “Not funny.” “Calm down Anakin. Don’t tease him Rainbow Dash.” Padmé spoke up and both looked at her. “I wanted to speak to you. While you are recovering, I don’t think it would be wise to continue being on security duty. I know you don’t want to do basic work but perhaps… something that is not as strainful on your injuries.”     “Hey, I’ll be fine, just as long as you don’t get led into any more traps.” Rainbow protested and Padmé glanced at Anakin. “Besides, I can take a few hits.”     Padmé looked like she was going to comment when Anakin grinned. “We will see, I want you to rest. I doubt getting away from Grievous was an easy feat.”     Rainbow Dash nodded her head relaxing slightly as they walked out of the room.     “They are right, you do need to rest.” Cassandra’s voice echoed in Rainbow’s head causing her to groan. “It is not just physical wounds but those of the mind as well. You can not ignore them like I had done.”     Rainbow Dash blinked as she thought about the words before rolling over saying quietly. “I’ll be fine.”     It was like she was trying to convince herself of that truth. It wasn’t working.     Rainbow felt a strong sense of dejavu, being whisked back to her apartment the moment she had set foot upon the surface of Coruscant. She also had the feeling that Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-wan were plotting something. Yet when she got back to her apartment she saw Crossbones talking to an unfamiliar clone. “He just gets on my nerves!”     “What do you want me to do about it?” Crossbones replied and the Clone sighed before shaking his head. “We’re all in the same boat.”     “Could you talk to that friend for me, I hear they were in the same group together.” The Clone requested and Rainbow Dash cleared her throat causing both of them to look at her. She waved. “Hey, right here.”     “That’s her?” the new clone questioned as if not believing his eyes. “She’s so….”     “So what?” Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as the Clone walked up and placed a hand on her head saying. “Spunky.”     “Careful Joker, she’s spunky but she can also use her wings as a bludgeon.” Crossbones warned, though the grin on his face showed that even he was amused by the situation. “Rainbow Dash this is Joker, he’s one of the clones who does a lot more guard duty here on Coruscant.”     “Let me guess, there is a reason they call you Joker.” Rainbow grumbled, brushing his hand off with her wing. “Walk and talk, I’m hungry and I have the feeling two Jedi and a Senator are plotting against me.”     “I don’t know, could be the fact that you got injured.” Ash commented walking by and Rainbow Dash threw her hands up in the air. “Clones talk Rainbow Dash, especially when General Skywalker is involved.”     “Great.” grumbled Rainbow Dash finding her way to the fridge and peering in. “Good thing you guys went out shopping.”     “Actually, a friend of yours stopped by. Zenith, she brought food over because she assumed that we would have been rationing it while you’re gone.” Crossbones explained and Rainbow Dash looked at him. “We’re not ones for shopping, or cooking meals. Ration packs and maybe a few drinks.”     Joker chuckled as Rainbow grabbed something before flopping down on the couch. “Well to answer you somewhat of a question. I’m known for my good natured quips and general easy going personality.”     “For Joker to complain about someone is a rarity.” Crossbones added and Rainbow Dash nodded her head saying. “So this guy who was in my group. He wouldn’t happen to be a rather irritating Zabrak by the name of Xestu, would he?”     “The very same.” sighed Joker shaking his head. “I mean, he seems to get along well with everyone but the clones. Around us he’s arrogant, loud, demeaning… if it wasn’t for a few of our commanding officers we would have dogpiled him.”     “Did you report him to his commanding officer?” Rainbow asked and Joker nodded his head, his shoulders slumping. “What?”     “Colonel Pir… he didn’t show much of interest, or distaste for what I had to say.” Joker admitted and Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t think he’s going to do anything.”     “Actually, he’s going to do something. I’m not sure what, we found out that when Colonel Pir has that look on his face, you’re in big trouble.” Rainbow explained patting Joker on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Xestu is facing his punishment right now.”     “Uhhh, Rainbow Dash? Colonel Pir is here.” Rainbow Dash winced as Tank called out, she stood up heading to the door asking. “What does he want?”     “He didn’t say, he just says he wants to speak with you.” Tank answered back, Rainbow’s shoulders fell her wings brushing against the ground. She hesitantly walked down the stair approaching the elevator as Tank walked up. She poked her head into the hallway seeing Pir standing there his back as straight as ever.     “You wanted to see me sir?” asked Rainbow Dash as she entered the room saluting the colonel who returned the salute before answering. “Yes. I have received an unusual request. Jedi Master Shaak Ti has requested your presence on Kamino. She said that she was intrigued by Equestrians and wished to learn more and commented that you had shown a similar interest in learning about the Jedi. This would also help me a bit.”     “This is about Xestu isn’t it?” Colonel Pir looked surprised at Rainbow’s words. “I met Joker.”     “Ah. Then yes. I am sending him to Kamino as well. Either he actually learns that the clones are not ‘expendable drones’ as he puts it or, and I gave them permission to do this, he will learn to not to say that to their faces.” Rainbow Dash choked at his words, she and Xestu didn’t get along. He would always mock her for being friends with the clones and she would always attack him. She couldn’t imagine him surviving a day on Kamino without getting decked.      “I want you there to make sure things don’t get out of hand.” Pir explained and Rainbow Dash thought about it. She had only heard about Kamino from the clones and had always wanted to visit it. Yet she had the feeling that the request from the Jedi Master was due to some meddling from Anakin.     “What about Senator Amidala, who’s going to keep an eye on her?” inquired Rainbow Dash and Pir chuckled before saying. “Shae Lyrua, even though she’s been training to be a medic. Kory has stated that keeping an eye on a Senator would curb some of the restlessness she has displayed.”     “Not Koj?” Rainbow Dash joked and Pyr gave her a look saying. “No. Lyrua, Koj has her own assignment right now which is vital.”     “Alright, I get it.” Rainbow’s wings twitched. “When are we heading out?”     “In a few days, I have a feeling Xestu will not be as compliant with this new assignment as you are.” Pir shook head looking over his shoulder. Rainbow Dash frowned before asking. “So why tell me in person?”     “Because I know Zenith would listen in on our conversation, she was the one who suggested you get assigned to Senator Amidala. This is only a temporary reassignment.” Pir told her and Rainbow Dash nodded her head in understanding. “Good luck.”     Rainbow Dash and Pir saluted each other before he turned and headed back towards the elevator. She stood there wondering what kind of strings had been pulled when she felt a pressure on her head.     “So, what did the Colonel want?” Joker asked, Rainbow Dash knew that Crossbones wasn’t far behind. She took a deep breath before saying. “Well, I was reassigned to Kamino for the time being as a request from Master Shaak Ti.”     “That is interesting, I wonder why.” Joker mused and Rainbow Dash continued. “And to keep an eye on Xestu who was assigned there to either learn to respect the Clones or to keep his more… petty comments to himself. I’m there to make sure that he doesn’t get killed.”     There was silence, the arm slipping off her head.     “What?”