Chapter Text
CC-1010 had to be deficient.
He woke up with Commander Thorn plastered to his back, an arm thrown around him, holding his waist, palm flat to the front of his blacks, hand splayed over his stomach protectively. He could not remember when or how he had ended up in the position, or why the way Thorn puffed breaths against the back of his neck soothed the fear and confusion from his bones-
But it did.
He had to be deficient, because why else would he, at the sound of other troopers shifting and getting up from their bunks, lean back into Commander Thorn’s hold selfishly instead of escaping to do his duty. Still, his stiffening as he woke was enough to jostle Commander Thorn.
“Mhm, Fox,” Thorn grumbled against the nape of his neck and just nuzzled closer, his arm pulling CC-1010 flush against his chest. “S’too early, go back to sleep.”
CC-1010 stiffened further.
It wasn’t the first time Thorn had called him that.
Fox.
The name rolled so easily off of Commander Thorn’s tongue that it had to be his name… surely? CC-1010 could not remember having a name, he could not remember batchers or smiles, could not remember anyone telling him he had a name, let alone that he deserved one. He didn’t think that he would participate in such deficiencies.
But maybe he had.
The Coruscant Guard had already appeared to be much more under the professional surface that had even fooled him for a time, perhaps he had engaged in deficiencies more often than not. Perhaps that was why Thorn felt so comfortable snuggling onto him like he was some kind of domestic housecat and not his superior officer.
Fox , CC-1010 mulled over the name.
“Fox.” He tested quietly.
He had heard of foxes, seen them in the training module when they’d covered flora and fauna. They were medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. Often written to be crafty and mischievous, notoriously hard to trap, found in small family groups, but some species are known to be solitary. In many cases they sported a reddish-orange coat with few exceptions-
Oh.
That certainly explained it.
He glanced over to the armour rack that held his helmet. His red, visored helmet that stood out amongst the mostly white helmets next to it.
CC-1010 wondered who gave him the name, and whether or not Thorn had the answer.
Thump
Thump
Thump
“Wolffe named you.” Thorn said as he sat down in front of CC-1010, sliding a tray of food in front of him as well while balancing his own on his arm. CC-1010 glanced down at the unappetizing tray of food and questioned, not for the first time since he started spending more time with Thorn, why they as troops weren’t better fed. Surely more nutritious meals were beneficial for troopers to maintain in better shape-
What? Who named him?
He lifted his gaze from the tray of food to stare as Thorn didn’t touch the nutrition block on his tray.
“Your batcher? Wolffe. Commander of the 104th” Thorn elaborated when he saw the questioning gaze. “You got your name on Kamino. Alpha thought you were too much of a clever bastard, we had just finished the flora and fauna module when Wolffe said you acted like a Fox.”
It seemed far too simple for the way that Thorn revered the name that CC-1010 could barely remember. It didn’t seem right.
“Does that mean… you are my batcher too?”
It must be his deficiency that prevented him from remembering.
It’s the reconditioning, Thorn wanted to scream.
Thorn scoffed, which made CC-1010 feel stupid for asking.
“No, not your batcher. Those are Cody, Wolfe, Ponds and Bly. We,” Thorn said as he gestured to himself, and then to the rest of the command staff further down the mess table. “We’re batch-adjacent. Trained with you, fought with you on Geonosis, except for Thire there.”
This was information that he should have known, Fox realized as he glanced over to the rest of the command staff troopers. A lot of them were watching them, no- not Thorn, just him, as if they were waiting for him to say something. Their stares, all of them, in the same unnerving manner, had him looking away, feeling uncharacteristically cowed that he could not meet their expectations.
“I’m sorry I don’t remember.”
The words escaped him before he could stop them.
Thorn made a noise that sounded indignant, before the trays in front of them were pushed aside and Thorn was reaching out over the table to grab CC-1010 by the front of his blacks at his neck. He was hauled up, surprised by Thorn’s strength, before those golden eyes stared him down.
“Don’t you ever apologize for something that wasn’t your fault.” Thorn scolded him sternly, with a tone CC-1010 had never heard him use before.
“I-” CC-1010 started, only to be cut off by Thorn shaking him.
“They took you for our mistakes ,” He growled. “Do not ever think that you did something wrong, when you were the one that suffered because of us!”
CC-1010 thought he could hear whispers again, unintelligible things threatening his sanity, rough and desperate things that scraped at the insides of his eardrums. Thorn was staring down at him like he was expecting an answer yet CC-1010 couldn’t give him one. He nodded shakily in agreement, but even then it took Thorn another minute (and CC-1010 counted) to put him back down and release his grip.
Thorn exhaled sharply, stepping away from their table before barking an order for the troopers in the mess to go back to their food. To CC-1010’s relief, they listened, turning away from the scene that had caught their attention in the first place.
Thump Thump
Thump
THUMP THUMP
Later, Thorn caught up to CC-1010 in the corridor leading from their offices towards their barracks.
“Fox!” The commander called out before he could correct himself.
Still, CC-1010 turned instinctively.
The name was his, he had to reassure himself, he was allowed to react to it. He was allowed to approach the mould of a person that was left behind. The other command staff had been tightlipped about it, about why he had familiarity despite only just arriving on Coruscant, but Thorn? Thorn had told him everything after his outburst in the mess.
He was Fox. He was their brother.
He had been their every steady, always untouchable, always perfect Marshal Commander.
And he was taken from them-
He may not remember, but he could feel the truth in Thorn’s words, the sharp sting of hurt when Thorn talked about how they all felt like their foundation was crumbling when he was gone.
“I don’t remember.” CC-1010 had said, it felt like excuses falling from his lips. He should be better. He had to be better, for them.
“We’ll make you remember Fox. I promise.” Thorn had said, grasping his hands and looking into his eyes, stealing CC-1010’s voice away from him. “I promise.”
“Thorn.” CC-1010 tentatively greeted, still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Let me walk with you.” The blonde said, tucking his helmet from under one arm to the other so that he could walk next to CC-1010. CC-1010 allowed it, selfishly, enjoying the way Thorn bumped their shoulders together, armour clacking in a familiar sound.
CC-1010 felt his heart skip a beat in his chest when Thorn smiled, showing his teeth and the crinkle by his eyes.
THUMP
“My name is Fox.” CC-1010 said into the mirror.
The face that stared back at him was his own. He didn’t quite understand what Thorn had meant when he said ‘ they took you for our mistakes’ but he wanted to find out. If his deficiency was a result of punishment, then he needed to know how to make it right. A good soldier would make things right.
“My name is Fox.” He repeated, tilting his head to the side. His tongue curled around the syllables with familiarity that he could not quite place.
“My name is Fox.” He told himself. “My batch is Wolffe, Cody, Ponds and Bly.”
He does not remember those names, cannot place names to faces. Thorn reassured him that it didn’t matter, that the Marshal Commander was too busy with his work and men. That Wolffe did not come to see them, and Bly was usually stuck knee deep in mud to comm. Somehow, that did little to reassure CC-1010 about his supposed batch, yet he didn’t seem bothered knowing that they weren’t bothered about him .
“Thorn and Stone are batch adjacent.” He recited. “Thire came after Geonosis.”
Thorn, whose golden eyes stared deep into his soul, his slated second ever since they had received their postings. The one who had been by his side since the beginning (or so Thorn had said).
Stone, who CC-1010 could finally put a name to a face (who kept his identity hidden behind his designation since CC-1010 had returned to Coruscant and began reintegrating into his own battalion.
Thire, the youngest of the command staff, who as CC-1010 learned, completed his command modules while he was deployed to Coruscant to receive the subsequent promotion from lieutenant, to major and then Commander as the war dragged on.
“Blight.” Thorn had explained when he accompanied CC-1010 down to the med bay. “Was your medic on Geonosis. He demanded to follow you here to Triple Zero.”
When he closed his eyes he could put the name to a face of a soldier in medic colours and the sigil on his shoulder bell ordering him to stay awake.
“My name is Fox. My batch was Wolffe, Cody, Ponds and Bly. Thorn and Stone are batch adjacent. Thire came after Geonosis.” He watched the way his face seemed to recognize them in the mirror, mouth curling up to a hint of a smile as he mentioned Thorn, Stone and Thire. “Blight is the best medic I know.”
He blinked in surprise.
The words had left his throat like they were insistent and true, as if he truly believed in them. Whatever his deficiency was, it could not take away learned behaviours ingrained into him, no matter how many gaps had become clear. It couldn’t change what made CC-1010, CC-1010.
He smiled.
The mirror grinned back with far too many teeth.
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
CC-1010 woke up with Thorn pressed to his back, the firm line of his body connecting from shoulder to hip. Their legs tangled together. He felt a prickle of something clinging across his shoulders and a heavy weight wrapped low on his belly. Instead of getting up like he was supposed to, he sunk back further into the embrace of the blonde commander behind him and allowed his hands to drift down.
He flinched minutely when he felt sharp thorns prick his finger, blood beading and welling at the tips before the thorns receded and his hand was covered by another.
“N’epare.” Thorn whispered into the nape of his neck, breath puffed gently against his skin. There was a soft press of lips to the nape of his neck.
CC-1010 felt something wet trickle down his cheek as the firm as the arm wrapped low on his belly tugged him ever closer. Though he didn’t know how close he could get to Thorn plastered to his back.
He was so deficient. He had to be. He thought as he brought Thorn’s hand up to his mouth and lofting a gentle press of his lips to Thorn’s knuckles. It only felt right to do it, wrapped up in Thorn’s embrace. But was being deficient so wrong? How could he be deficient when this felt like coming home.
“N’entye.” He whispered against Thorn’s knuckles, finally allowing his eyes to crack open by a sliver.
“Fox.” Thorn shifted in their bunk, propping himself onto his elbow to reach over CC-1010, to turn them over to face him.
Through half lidded eyes, CC-1010 watched Thorn hover over him. His own cheeks were stained with red.
CC-1010 thought he should've been concerned or afraid, worried about the blood staining his cheeks, but as Thorn's fingers gently grazed his own cheeks, his worry left his shoulders.
“What's wrong with us?” He whispered. “Why are we deficient?”
“Not deficient.” Thorn whispered as he knocked their foreheads together and held them close. “Changed. Triple Zero changed us. We changed for the better.”
His lips brushed against CC-1010’s.
He chased the feeling, chased Thorn’s lips as he felt a pricking sensation on his arms.
If a natborn were to conduct an inspection on their quarters, if anyone were to see them like this now they would be taken back to Kamino for re-education. They would be cut open for the Kaminisii to find out where they went wrong.
You know us. Something whispered as Thorn kissed him. You know me.
His heart thumped in his chest. There was a song radiating though his soul. Thorn’s touch spoke volumes as the other commander touched him. CC-1010 felt warmth and love, all encompassing.
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
CC-1010 watched the troopers in grey enter the holding cell with loud and disgruntled protests. Most of them were out of regulation, helmets either clipped to their belt or abandoned completely. He wondered whether they had done it on purpose, or if they were so inebriated that they had forgotten.
He didn’t interact with them however.
A part of him felt as though he knew what would happen if he did. A vague impression of jeers and hatred, of disappointment and anger. He didn’t want to interact with them at all. Stone had patted him on the back with a knowing shake of his head before he had been redirected down to the Coruscant Booking Headquarters with a reassurance that he didn’t have to do anything. He was just there to pull rank if someone misbehaved.
“Sir,” Someone said from his right. “It’s alright if being here is too hard. We can handle it.”
CC-1010 briefly struggled to put a name to their face before a quick glance down at his rank card gave him respite. Designation 8395, spec ops, named Flock, if CC-1010 remembered correctly.
“No.” He shook his head. “I should be here.”
The doors to the headquarters slid open, CC-1010’s head swivelled towards it as, on the other side of the desk, another set of inebriated troopers were brought in, this time wearing a horrific shade of lime green. CC-1010 scrunched up his nose, thankful that his helmet hid his expression.
What a horrible colour. He mused.
Flock seemed to voice his agreement next to him, shaking his head as he stepped out from behind the desk to receive the troopers and escort them to an empty holding cell.
“Their commanders will be here shortly to release them.” Another trooper said from his left. They were in a set of greys, prison officer uniforms, however CC-1010 recognized them as the uniform meant for officers within the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Centre.
“Trooper.”
“Lieutenant Corinth, sir.” The trooper offered his name.
THUMP
Corinth . Brother, vod, Drawback.
Hands that touched Fox with familiarity, often laughing. Geonosis.
Fox watched as Corinth drew Drawback into an embrace, their bodies merging together and melting down into a puddle, joined by Hook and Bait as the shinies expressed their delight at being able to cling to their buire tightly. He hummed to himself, feeling Thorn press into his side, brambles sneaking possessively under the fabric of his blacks.
“Could get a few ade of our own.” Thorn whispered, nosing against the crook of Fox’s neck and shoulder. “When it’s all over, steal 'em right off Kamino.”
Fox snorted.
“And tangle with Colt or some of A-Class? Absolutely not.” He pinched what he could reach of Thorn’s side with the arm wrapped around Thorn’s shoulder.
Fox leaned into the embrace as Corinth and Drawback hummed their enthusiastic agreement from where they’d cuddled into Hook and Bait.
THUMP
He stared at Corinth, tilting his head to the side. If he looked long enough he could see the way Corinth's face morphed into something else. Something red, eyes not quite human, a shade too bright, a shade too wrong. Something in the back of CC-1010’s skull ached and throbbed.
“Sir?” Lieutenant Corinth asked, in a voice not his own, concern evident in the way he reached out for CC-1010.
Before he could even respond, he straightened, a feeling of alarm and fear rushed through him.
Incoming. Something warned in the back of his mind.
He had to be alert. He could sense almost a feeling of haste and urgency before the doors to their headquarters slid open and a trooper in grey, the rank on his chest indicating commander, familiar , stormed in.
“Where are my men?” The commander demanded from a trooper walking by, not even addressing the trooper by their designation, rank or name. “What kind of reg have you booked them for this time, having a personality?”
CC-1010 bristled.
He felt angry at the abrupt and rude manner that this commander was treating his men with.
They were his. The guard would always be his no matter what happened. No matter how much of him the Kaminisii tried to strip away. They were as much a part of him as he was a part of them. He would never allow someone to speak to his troopers like that, let alone another vod.
CC-1010 stepped out from behind the reception desk, earning a panicked look from Lieutenant Corinth and closed the gap between him, his own trooper and the commander.
“Commander.” He kept his voice deadpan and flat. “I would watch the tone you take with my men.”
“Fox.” The commander in grey said, his voice bland. “What, you’re too good for names now?”
Fox, FOx FOX FOX .
My name is Fox, my batch was Wolffe, Cody, Ponds and Bly. They don’t bother about us guards anymore. They never did.
“Get your troopers and get out.” He snarled, feeling oddly protective over the trooper in front of him. He reached out for the trooper and placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling them behind him.
The commander in grey stilled, his non-cybernetic eye widening imperceptibly, but CC-1010 had been trained to spot those differences. To read body language and to prepare. He made sure that his trooper was securely behind him despite the protest that both the trooper and Lieutenant Corinth gave.
“Getting the Wolf Pack from holding cell yirt.” Flock called out as he broke into a jog. “They’ll be out in a minute Commander.”
“Sir.” One of the troopers accompanying the grey reached out and clasped his own commander's shoulder. “We can just get Comet and Boost and go.”
“No.” The commander snapped, shaking off his trooper’s hand from his shoulder. “He needs to get off his high horse.”
“No one’s on any high-horse.” Lieutenant Corinth argued from behind CC-1010.
Flock returned with the troopers from the 104th. The younger of the two seemed sheepish, his shoulders having climbed to the same level as his ears while the other, older trooper made him walk forward.
“Once your men have been released. Get out. Don't think of bringing that attitude back into the building again.”
“Commander’s just taken a few too many knocks to the head.” The lieutenant tried to diffuse the situation as he tugged CC-1010 back.
“Maybe a few knocks to his ego. Being a pencil pusher really rotted his brain away.”
“Hey!” Flock shouted, just as he brought the detainees out into the lobby. “Watch your mouth.”
They didn’t seem surprised at the scene in front of them, however he didn’t care. Once the commander in grey spotted them. He reached out to snatch them both away from trooper Flock with a snarl.
“Commander Wolffe, we’ll forward the paperwork to your quartermaster. I really think you should leave.” Lieutenant Corinth interrupted whatever the commander was about to say.
My name is Fox.
My batch was Wolffe, Cody, Ponds and Bly.
CC-1010 blinked.
His vision narrowed directly onto the commander in grey.
THUMP THUMP
Wolffe was allowed a room in the temple. The lowers of his blacks were almost obscured by the tan, knitted blanket wrapped around him. His chest swathed in bandages, and most striking of all, was the already healed slash over his eye.
His missing eye.
Regulations dictated that the Coruscant Guard weren’t to interact with the Jedi but-
That was his batcher. Out of all of them, Wolffe had gone against a dar’jetii and come out with a missing eye and his jetii had advocated for him. Fox lingered in the doorway.
Wolffe either hadn’t noticed him, or didn’t care to notice that he was there, or maybe he was just still processing the fact that he had completely lost his eye.
“Wolf’ika.” Fox could barely raise his voice above a whisper, careful to not disturb the quiet sanctuary Wolffe built for himself in his rooms.
Still, Wolffe flinched.
Then slowly he raised his head from where he was sitting and his eye seemed to see right through Fox.
“Why are you here?” He didn’t growl, but it was almost a close thing.
“Wolffe.” What could he say? ‘I’m sorry’, didn’t quite cut it anymore, not after Abregado. “I’m glad you’re alive.”
Wolffe snorted.
“Go away Fox.”
“I’m serious. You’re my vod.”
“I don’t care. You weren’t there. You’ll never be out there! I lose my men, my kriffing eye, while you sit here safe on Coruscant!”
“Wolffe-” Fox frowned. “That isn’t fair.”
“What isn’t fair is that they’re dead! What isn’t fair is I don’t have an eye! You don’t get to talk about what’s fair!”
THUMP THUMP
What was fair?
He had the audacity to preach about fairness when he was treating CC-1010’s men with disgust and disrespect?
CC-1010 moved quickly, striking forward and landing a solid right hook against the commander’s jaw, sending him stumbling back into one of his troopers. He drew himself up to his full height, shaking a slight slouch from his shoulders.
“Watch your tone with my men and remove yours and yourself from the premises.”
“Commander. I think we need to take a step back.”
“I will not have him disparaging your roles in this posting. The protection of the heart of the Republic comes before all else. If the Heart falls the Republic falls with it. The Commander , seems to have forgotten his training.”
The sudden spout of propaganda that had been flash-trained into them since Kamino was so abrupt that the room went silent. CC-1010 inhaled, turning his head briefly to see that Lieutenant Corinth had come to stand by his side.
The lieutenant placed a hand on CC-1010’s shoulder and urged him to step back, putting himself between CC-1010 and Commander Wolffe. He squeezed CC-1010’s shoulder
“You need to go Commander Wolffe.” The lieutenant said sternly. “Now. No excuses. It is not a good day to start picking fights with our command.”
“He hit me first!” Commander Wolffe protested, pulling his hand away from his jaw.
“And there’s no blood.” Lieutenant Corinth snapped. “So get out.”
“Fine.” The commander huffed, giving CC-1010 one last glare before he turned swiftly on his heel, barked for his men to follow him and stalked out of the building.
THUMP THUMP
THUMP THUMP
THUMP THUMP
“You’re a nightmare.” CMA Blight muttered as he bustled around CC-1010’s frame. CC-1010 ducked his head sheepishly, holding the iced pack to his knuckles. The initial punch had felt vindicating, watching the commander, Wolffe, walk away had been a joy, right until he’d come to his senses and realized what he’d done. “An absolute nightmare. A mess. I don’t know why I ever asked to follow you to Triple Zero. Get recon’d and somehow you’re still getting into fights with the rest of the command class.”
“Because you needed someone to keep you on your toes.” CC-1010 replied instinctively, clutching his iced hand to his chest.
CMA Blight froze in his tracks, squeezing the sheet of flimsi in his hand so suddenly that it crumpled out of shape. His eyes narrowed, mouth turning into a brief frown, before he glanced up from the flimsi sheet to CC-1010.
“What did you say?”
“...Because you needed someone to keep you on your toes.” CC-1010 repeated with a little less confidence. It had felt right to say in the moment, like it was something Blight had been entirely expectant to hear. It was a feeling, a gut feeling and CC-1010 trusted his instincts. He was trained well.
“Yeah.” Blight said after a moment. “You’re right. Free to go Commander. Get out of here.”
The chief medical administrator released the flimsi in his hand and smoothed it out, before clipping it to the board at the end of the medical cot at CC-1010’s left. CC-1010 hesitated before getting to his feet, giving CMA Blight one last glance before he left the icepack on the bed and left the medbay.
His walk back to his office felt like an eternity, but for once CC-1010 didn’t mind wasting the time.
THUMP
THUMP
“Commander Thorn.” He greeted with more enthusiasm than he expected he could muster.
Before Commander Thorn could say anything in response to him, or even open his mouth in a greeting, he barrelled on.
“My name is Fox. My batch was Wolffe, Cody, Ponds and Bly. You, Stone and Thire are my batch now. Blight is the best medic I know. You wanted to steal ade from Kamino when the war was over.”
The way Commander Thorn’s eyes widened almost looked comical. Thorn’s mouth dropped open, he could see the way his throat was moving as though words wanted to escape but nothing left Commander Thorn’s mouth.
That was alright, Thorn didn’t need to speak, he had enough words for them both.
“I may not remember who Fox was.” He said. “But I will, I promise.”