Star Wars, The Cooper Chronicle's, Book 1: The Rise

Chapter 11: Padawans

Narrator: A campaign concluded! Reinforcements have arrived to relieve the worn units on the planet of Chrysopsis. Now freed from the jaws of defeat, Jedi Padawan Jerome Cooper must decide his next course of action with the coming news from Master Yoda.

A thunderous roar filled the air as hundreds of marched feet pounded against plasteel, the whirl of engines filling the air with the swarms of gunships descending from the sky as Republic reinforcements disembarked from the massive Acclimator-class transport. Waves of white descended from its hull, relieving those who had not rested in days. Though away from the developing base stood three men staring upon a captured AAT. One, the pilot who had brought it to the 717th's temporary staging grounds. The second was the captain of the armored company, and lastly, with a large grin on his face, Commander Jerome Cooper, who had requested its transport from the captured CIS equipment.

Jerome: Heh, well, what do you think?

He asked, looking over at his two captains, both sharing a sideways glance from their visors before looking upon their commanding officer.

Midnight: I'm not sure why we took a separatist tank for ourselves. I mean, it's like any other you'd turned to scrap?

He muttered, gesturing to the inactive tank with a hand resting on his hip. His large companion nodded curtly as he spoke too.

Titan: Agreed, and unless you want us to take it apart for spares, none of our ATTEs were damaged beyond repair during the battle, and we have all the needed equipment to repair what damage they did take.

He stated as the towering figure took off his helmet and met the young man's gaze, to which his visage fell with a frown upon seeing the young man's disappointed expression.

Jerome: Oh, come on, it's more than just spare parts. We can use it for training, like if we ever need to hijack a few in battle or have it as a backup in case we need the extra firepower.

He replied with a sigh before crossing his arms, his gaze shifting away from Titan and upon the topic at hand, muttering to himself just loud enough for the two to hear.

Jerome: Plus, I thought it was a cool trophy after our first successful ground campaign with my command.

Titan: Mm, you have a point. But we can't go around just stealing CIS equipment for our own. We're members of the Grand Army of the Republic, not scavengers looking for anything to use.

He said as the young man shrugged before a familiar mechanical voice called out from behind the three, alongside a whirl of beeps and boops.

Niner: You are stating this to your commander, who has previously reprogramed me as his bodyguard. This fits well within Commander Cooper's modus operandi from all accounts.

Midnight: I guess, but will we end up with a corner of the hangar full of captured stuff by the war's end?

Niner: Potentially, calculations on that matter cannot be determined at this time.

The two exchanged as the three humans turned to look at the droid and the R4 unit alongside it. Upon which, with a burst of speed, R4 nearly rammed its chassis into Jerome when the young man kneeled. Bracing himself as he caught the droid, Jerome patted his droid as it released a flurry of whistles.

Jerome: Yes, it's good to see you too, bud.

He said, rubbing the top of his droid's 'head' with a soft chuckle. The two captains watching on behind the boy grew small smiles before Titan looked back at their 'trophy'. The tank out of place among the few available tanks to the unit.

Titan: Well, I guess it could be helpful in training. We'll keep an eye on it, sir.

Jerome: Thanks, Titan-mm, hold that thought.