//------------------------------// // Xestu // Story: Rainbow Dash's First Trial: Clone Wars Year 1 // by Hikarikurai24587 //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty Three: Xestu Xestu watched the Clones as they lined up in front of the two Bounty Hunters. His eyes narrowed as Bric began instructing them. Keeping himself at attention Xestu began to let his mind wander, almost not paying attention to the words being spoken. That was until Bric waved a hand towards him. “This one here is a prime example of people who see you nothing more as dumb drones who can’t do anything other than fight.” All eyes were on Xestu and his teeth clenched his eyes narrowing at Bric. El-les looked concerned as Bric continued on. “Well we’re going to prove to this paper pusher that you are the best soldiers the Republic has ever had.” Xestu’s pupils shrank to pin pricks, his fingers digging into his palms. He would have decked Bric right there and then, it took all of his self control not to. He was good in a fight, but he knew that Bric was goading him on. He wanted Xestu to start that fight, to give him an excuse to punch back. ‘Pride issues much?’ he thought glancing at Bric who sneered at him before going back to running the training exercise. El-les was about to say something to him, he could tell but Xestu chose to walk away. He didn’t need to hear words of pity. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle simple words?” Bric’s voice called out, causing Xestu to look over his shoulder at him. His lips curled into a snarl as he spoke. “No sir, I was going to the wall to get out of their way. After all, you’re the one who painted a target on my back.” “You said those words, paper pusher, not me.” Bric replied, causing Xestu to stop mid step before turning around saying. “Expendable is not the same as dumb sir. You should know.” The room got quiet as Bric glared at him, El-les quickly urging the Clones to get back to their exercises. Bric walked up to Xestu a fake chuckle escaping his lips. “You’re quite something aren’t you, paper pusher. I can see it in your eyes, you just want to punch me. Well what’s holding you back?” “Other than rank and personal hygiene, sir, orders.” answered Xestu, Bric paused staring the Zabrak in the eyes. “Got quite a mouth on you, runt.” Bric commented and Xestu moved forward his fist clenched and ready to nail Bric in the jaw. He felt something wrap around his wrist yanking him back and up slightly. His eyes glanced upwards seeing Rainbow Dash holding onto a glowing strand. Grabbing with his free hand Xestu yanked on what was holding him back. He watched as Rainbow Dash slid forward from her spot next to Jedi Master Shaak Ti. He took a deep breath before relaxing, he felt himself get lowered back down to the ground. The grin on Bric’s face told him all he wanted to know. Bric had known he touched a nerve. The only thing that gave Xestu some relief was that Bric had gone back to running the training exercise. He stuck by the wall for the rest of the training exercise and went straight back to his accommodations right afterwards. Xestu knew that Bric wasn’t going to pull his punches. ‘How many Clones did he tell to paint a target on my back?’ he thought, walking into the room that he claimed and shut the door. He paced back and forth trying to collect himself knowing that Rainbow Dash would be back anytime soon. She was most likely going to chastise him for what happened, defend the Clones. ‘She just doesn’t get it. She gets to fight, she gets to do something with her talents.’ he thought  bitterly sitting on his bed. ‘A lot of the others do, except for me, I’m just in analytics.’ He heard the door open and close, Rainbow Dash had returned. Unlike what he had assumed, she didn’t walk up to his door to get him to come out. Instead he heard her talking quietly. “Well that went smoothly. What was he thinking? He can’t just try to attack people that piss him o….” She stopped, as if interrupted, peaking Xestu’s curiosity he moved to open the door before shaking his head. ‘She’s just pondering out loud.’ He pressed the button and the door slid open causing Rainbow Dash to jump. His eyes narrowed as she hid something. From what he saw it had appeared to be a rock. ‘A trinket.’ He told himself before going to make some food. The rest of the night passed in awkward silence. The few days weren't any better, Rainbow Dash looked like she wanted to say something yet didn’t. Xestu was just fine with ignoring her. Bric didn’t say anything to him but would always seem to use him to antagonize the Clones. It was like he was doing this to say. ‘The only person picking on the Clones is me.’ ‘Arrogant son of….’ Xestu was pulled out of his thoughts when one of the Clones spoke up. “Does he really think he’s better than us, sir?” Bric looked at Xestu with his yellow eyes, a sneer was on his lips. Xestu glanced at the Clone who spoke, he looked just like the others. Bric’s reply caused him to move forward to deck him. “Runts like him always think they're better.”  It was his reaction that Bric was waiting for, the first swing and he grabbed Xestu’s arm and pulled it behind his back. “Quite the temper you have there.” Bric looked at the Clones saying loudly. “Show him what you’re capable of.” Bric shoved Xestu into the group, he took a step back as El-les gave him a wary look. “I still do not agree to this plan.” El-les told him as Xestu nailed one of the Clones in the face with his elbow.  Bric glanced over at him, not even interested in the fight, saying. “The only way he’ll learn is by being beaten down. I know the type.” “It seems like you have learned this yourself.” El-les replied as Xestu was doing his best to keep the Clones off of him. “I still cannot believe that Master Shaak Ti agreed to this.” Bric scoffed before glancing up to where Shaak Ti stood watching the fight with a stare that one would call unemotional disapproval. Her hand was on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder to keep her from interfering. Bric looked at El-les saying. “Colonel Pir told us to show him what this type of thinking could lead to.” “He will just end up hating the Clones even more.” sighed El-les, this earned an eye roll from Bric. “We shouldn’t be fostering hatred, we should encourage him to work with them.” “Then throw him in a simulation with a squad.” Bric told him as Xestu kicked away another Clone. “He’s holding out better than I thought.” The Clones weren’t ganging up on Xestu, but they weren’t holding back. Neither was Xestu, most of the Clones would pull him back the moment he went towards Bric. He watched for a little bit until he was sure that Xestu was tiring out. “Alright, that’s enough.” The Clones moved back as Bric moved forward to look at Xestu. There was not a thought in his mind that he went to far as he locked eyes with him. The hatred in there was still burning but now he couldn’t deny why the clones were fighting and not him. Xestu pushes himself off the ground and walks away growling. “Thanks for the fight, sir.” The air moved as Rainbow Dash flew down landing next to Xestu. She hesitated before asking. “Are you alright?” “I’m fine.” Xestu replied bitterly as he walked out of the room. “They got lucky.” “What is wrong with you?” Rainbow snapped, blocking his path earning a glare from Xestu. “You can’t sit there and brush off the fact that fighting this war is what they are trained to do. This is the life that they know.” “Don’t give me that Rainbow Dash, don’t try to stick up for them when they’re the reason why everyone but you is forced to have tasks that kind of suits them but isn’t what they signed up for. You got to protect a Senator, one who is known for getting into trouble. You get to fight.” Xestu rose up to his full height glaring at Rainbow. “Everyone can convince themselves that they’re happy where they’re at. I can't pretend.” Xestu pushed past Rainbow, neither noticing a deformed clone watching them. As if to add insult to injury Xestu uttered the same words Rainbow Dash had about the Changelings. “You know, there’s nothing good about having the same face.” Rainbow Dash stiffened as he walked away, her mind running around in circles. She had half a mind to go after him, yell at him, tell him he was wrong. Yet the other half was telling her to let him work it out on his own. Closing her eyes to hold back the tears of frustration she turned around and headed back to Master Shaak Ti. She needed advice. Xestu was unsure where to go, he didn’t know where the medbay was. Frankly he didn’t want to go, but knew that if Rainbow Dash knew the extent of his injuries she would drag him there. This caused him to roll his eyes slightly, his attention grabbed by movement. He looked over to see what appeared to be an elderly male struggling with some equipment. Xestu moved over to help, not even stopping to think why an elderly man was there.  “Need help?” He asked, causing the man to look at him, Xestu froze for a moment as he realized that it was a deformed clone. Xestu waited for the offer to be declined harshly. Yet the clone gave him a friendly smile saying. “Thank you.” Resigning himself to his fate Xestu picked up the crate that the clone had been dragging and waited for him to show the way. The clone wasted no time in leading him down the hall. “So… what’s your deal? I mean who are you?” Xestu asked, keeping pace with the clone. The clone glanced up at him before answering. “I’m called 99, I’m one of the few Clones deemed unfit for combat.”  “That can happen?” Xestu hid the shock in his voice, he glanced at the wall. “I didn’t know that was possible.” “It is, not all of us can do what we were meant to do, but we still have a job,” 99 said, glancing at Xestu who caught the gaze. “And we do our best at that job.” Xestu looked away as they walked before asking. “Don’t you ever feel irritated or angry that you can’t be where….” “I’m where I’m needed to be.” Xestu stopped as 99 spoke those words. “I’m proud of my brothers and I do what I can to help them.” Xestu glanced away as he thought about it. 99 watched him as they began to walk again. “Do you hate us?” ”I don’t….” Xestu corrected the irritated tone in his voice as they reached their destination. “I don’t hate you guys, it’s just a lot of you are a source of frustration for me.” Xestu set down the crate before sitting on it as he continued. “Ever since I was a kid I was told that my dream of fighting for the Republic, the way our ancestors did, could never happen. There was no military, the Jedi were always protecting us, there was no need for soldiers. When the war started I thought I would have my chance…. but they decided to keep using the Clones. I joined the Navy but they sent me to analytics where I’m nothing more than a delivery person. In some ways I guess I’m jealous of the Clones and I’m taking my frustration out on them. Back at home I would just fight one of my siblings until I get it out of my system. Can’t do that either….” Xestu looked at 99 before shaking his head chuckling. “Not sure why I told you all that. Best be going.” He got to his feet, wincing. “Mind telling me where the med-bay is?” Rainbow Dash paces back and forth near the door of the apartment. The rain was not doing anything to calm her nerves. She spun around as the door opened and Xestu walked in. “Where were you?” She demanded and Xestu glanced at her before shrugging. “Med-bay.” “How did you… never mind. Look I heard Master Chief Bric talking to Master Shaak Ti. He’s going to throw you into one of the simulations with a group of Clones.” Rainbow Dash revealed, Xestu walked over to the kitchenette getting a glass of water. “With the way you’ve been acting none of them would be willing to work with you. You’ve got to say no,” “Not going to happen.” Xestu replied after taking a sip. “I don’t really care what they think about me. If they can get the job done that’s good.” “You’re missing the point!” Rainbow Dash marched over to him. “You won’t apologize, Bric is being a jerk, and if the Clones are against you….” “Rainbow Dash, they won’t fail the simulation just because I’m in it. Their pride is on the line.” Xestu assured her by placing his hands on her shoulders. “Bric can say whatever the hell he wants. He’s just putting words in my mouth.” “Yeah and you don’t deny half of them. What were you thinking?” Rainbow moved around him. “Once someone’s made up their mind about you it’s not easily changed. No use trying to deny what you said and show through your everyday actions that you aren’t what they think. If they haven’t changed their mind after a year, that’s on them.” Xestu replied, glancing out the window. “Most of the clones won’t be around me, I’ll be forgotten because they’ll spend most of their time fighting in the war.” Rainbow made a few unintelligible words of protest and Xestu hid a grin. “You know you should tell Bric that we accept his challenge.” “That’s insa… wait, what do you mean by we?”