19. Research

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Fives and I have been detained for our attempt to save Tup. Apparently attempting to save a life is insubordination. Or at least disobeying orders and threatening a doctor to do it. Truly, we had only done what was absolutely necessary to save our friend, even if our methods were questionable.

Finally, General Shaak Ti and Doctor Nala Se enter.

"General, what did the Chancellor say?" Fives asks.

"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine wants the tumor and all of the intel gathered sent to the Grand Republic Medical Facility on Coruscant," the general explains.

"So then we'll be going to Coruscant as well?" Fives questions hopefully.

"You were not part of the Chancellor's request," Nala Se answers bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Fives," Shaak Ti says, "but this is a matter best left to the medical professionals. There is still so much we do not know."

"Perhaps we would know more if these clones had not taken matters into their own hands," Nala Se points out, and I hang my head a little, biting my tongue.

"We were trying to save our friend," Fives spits, and I can no longer keep my mouth shut, standing beside my brother.

"You were the one that wanted to kill Tup," I accuse the Kaminoan doctor.

"And yet perhaps by removing this tumor, it was you two who killed him," Nala Se answers calmly.

"What do you care," Fives asks. "You were gonna kill him anyway, and dissect him, too. He's a soldier. He deserves better!"

"Stand down, Fives," General Shaak Ti orders. "Blitz, do not say any more. Doctor, there is no proof of your claim. I want this specimen and all the data prepared for transit to the Jedi Temple."

"The Chancellor said the tumor and data was to be sent directly to the Medical Facility on Coruscant," Nala Se reminds. "Not the Jedi Temple."

"And it will get there," Shaak Ti assures. "But after the Jedi have run an analysis on it first."

I smirk at the doctor. I should have known General Shaak Ti wouldn't let the government run everything. Not when she disagreed with them.

"I protest," Nala Se insists, glaring at me. "I must personally deliver the tumor to the Chancellor as ordered."

"You can protest all you want," Shaak Ti states. "My word is final."

The door opens again, and another Kaminoan- a leader, I presume- and clone guards enter.

"You have one more physical to pass," General Shaak Ti tells Fives and I. "If you are cleared, you will be sent back to the 501st."

"Thank you, General," Fives says as we get up to go with the Kaminoans.

"It will be good to put this whole incident behind you, trooper," the general tells him. But I watch Nala Se in the background.

We are lead away and pass none other than the droid, AZ.

"Hello, Clone Trooper Blitz and ARC Trooper Fives," the droid says, emphasizing the 's' in Fives. "I regret that we were unable to heal your friend."

"Yeah, me too," Fives sighs.

"Are you going to be reprogrammed as well?" AZ asks.

"No, AZ, we're going back to the front," I answer, smiling softly. Droids. And they're supposed to be so smart.

"That is not what I heard," AZ tells us. "I heard your minds were going to be wiped and that you would be reassigned here and placed on sanitation detail. We can still be friends, assuming we all remember each other after our memories have been erased."

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