Star Wars The Clone Wars: Cuy'Val Dar#Wattys2016

Eighteen

Coruscant, 1500 hours

After Null's departure, Sarge gathered his men together, seeming to notice a definite hole where the charismatic and often grumpy medic had once stood although there really wasn't one. He ignored such false observations for now and explained to his men that they were meeting the Jedi and her Padawan at the spaceport and returning to the Vengeance. They all replied in the affirmative, and so Sarge turned, waving form them to follow.

"Alright men, head out," he said with a little less of his usual vigor.

They all headed back to the spaceport, and there met the Jedi and her padawan as they awaited the drop ship. A few minutes later, an LAAT/i transport landed and they all loaded in. The entire ship was silent, excepting for the commands of Sarge and the pilot. Eventually all fell silent and Sarge caught even the Jedi's usually hard and stoic expression softening a bit. They reached the Vengeance quickly, although the silent seconds seemed to stretch into hours and the hours into years.

Finally, they set down in the hangar of the Vengeance and everyone cleared off the LAAT/i, spreading out. Sarge dismissed his squadron to their barracks. General Fas called him aside, however, before he could follow his men out of the hangar.

"Sergeant," she began, "I need you to come with me to the bridge. Master Windu has informed me that the Clone Marshal Commander for your Corp has been assigned and you are scheduled to meet with him and Commander Risk on the bridge with me."

Sarge nodded, and followed her to the lift, her padawan trailing behind. That kid always had a dark look on his face, Sarge sometimes wondered if he was really a Jedi. Once they were abaord the lift, General Fas punched in the floor level and the doors closed. A few seconds and they were jolted upwards at high speed. Sarge could imagine the floors flashing past, much like the episodes of ones life.

Is it true that men see their life, no matter how short or long, flash by their eyes as they die? He wondered, then shook it off. He shouldn't think about such things.

Fas shifted beside him and he moved his weight to the other foot to allow the Jedi room. Then he realized she was looking down at him.

"General?" he asked.

She moved her gaze away from him slightly. "Do you ever find it strange that your name is an abbreviation of your rank?" she asked. Sarge thought it a strange question, one he had never thought to much about. It was a good question, though. After a moment he answered.

"I actually never thought about it."

"How did you get your name?"

"From my men," he paused, and added with a small laugh, "I actually hate my name."

The Jedi cocked her head slightly and raised one eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered with a small smile now playing across his lips. He could remember the first time the twins learned that he hated that nickname. It had been all they ever called him until he got used to it.

"Did you ever go by another name?" The Jedi questioned. She was being chatty, but Sarge didn't mind. He nodded in response to her inquiry.

"Yes, ma'am, I did. When I was a cadet my name was Legend and when we got onto the battlefield I tried to keep it, but my men insisted on my changing it and I became Sarge," he said.

"Most interesting," Fas mused and fell quiet again, leaving Sarge to silently relive those days in his head. He had protested to the change so much, yet in the end, he had lost to the force known at the Twins. He shook his head a little. At least, "Sarge" was better than some of the other suggestions those two had thought up...