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Chapter 2: Everybody's fighting

Anakin was furious with his student, Ahsoka had a habit of going her own way and disregard her masters teaching. When it came to Ahsoka following her feeling on something she rarely gave up until she was satisfied of the finding for herself. "AHSOKA!!" Anakin snapped at his student.

"But Master!!" Ahsoka pleaded trying to get him to see she point of view.
"You should not have put that Trooper to sleep using the Jedi mind trick" Anakin said folding his arms in front of his chest.

"He was being a complete jerk!!" Ahsoka folded her arm just like her master had and turned away.

"Never the less you should not have done that to that particular clone!!" Anakin tried to be more convincing.

"So Rex does have a favorite" She smiled.

"No Rex doesn't, but they are clones that is true, but with unique personality's" Anakin was trying to make a point but even he seemed to lose sight of it.

"Master I talked with him, Drooler is no killer!!! I felt his sincerity; he's a soldier yes but not a mass murderer!!" She looked at her teacher with such earnest. If only she could convince him of what she felt.

"So what would you have me do Snips?" Anakin's pet word for his student was Snips because of her snippy attitude.

"Allow me access to the detention block; give me chance to see for myself. If Drooler is innocent and being manipulated by Ventress then it's not his fault!!" She explained part of her plan.

"Is that all?" Anakin was being sarcastic after all Rex was going to be more then pissed because of what Ahsoka did to one of his men.

"Well not that you mention it, is there a way you can put a muzzle on Rex's guard dog?" Ahsoka knew she was asking a lot at this point. After all Anakin never involved himself directly in the affairs of clones that was always Rex's reasonability.

War dog walked into the mess hall is was good to get out of that dungeon even if it was to get something to eat. The mess hall was always busy it was a place for Troopers to relax and kick back in large numbers. Unlike the recreation center that was a place where clones could blow off steam with friendly games of computation.

War Dog got his food and walked over to an available table and sat at open seat. The young clone trooper took off his helmet and placed it next to his food tray.
"UH-UH-UH" Bull waved his finger back and forth.

War dog just looked up for a moment.

"Hey Shark what's one of the main rules of being on guard duty?" Bull said to his friend, it was clear that the veteran clones wanted to tease War Dog about being put to sleep by Ahsoka.

"You don't fall asleep while on duty!!" Shark laughed

War Dog looked down and began to try to eat his food, but Bull had other ideas.
"NO!!" Bull Scolded pulling the young trooper plate away from him. "Bad dog!!! Very bad dog!!!" Bull and Shark laugh but so did many other clones inside the mess hall.
The young trooper looked up his eyes were narrow, and he wasn't in the mood to be laughed at by the whole battalion.

   "Ooohh!! look Shark I think Rex's puppy dog wants to cry!!!" Bull laughed out loud.

"The only one crying is you!!!" War dog leaped up hitting Bull with a uppercut right to the jaw. The young trooper knew Shark was going to get into the fight so he grabbed his tray that Bull was still holding and spin around and connected the metal food tray with Shark's face.

War Dog was many things, a dedicated trooper, a soldier who would follow Rex's orders to the letter. But he was still a shiny a rookie clone trooper, and Bull and Shark had 18 months of combat experience on him and they also had  a room full of friends.

Cody and Rex were walking down the hall both officers had their hand full. Cody had to deal with the fact that a clone trooper murdered 15 clones on the Resolute to say nothing of what else he might have done on Coruscant.

Rex had the security matter to deal with; War Dog was pulling more than his weight. The young trooper was pulling 16 hour shift for him, Rex would send 6 clones to the detention block just so War could leave to get something to eat, bath room breaks and sleep. The young trooper was geared for head on attacks and Rex knew he wanted War Dog at his side in that kind of battle. But Trooper War Dog had a very bad habit of not thinking he often focused on the present situation and forgetting about the rest of the battle. This made War Dog a great sentry and guard and good for a head on attack. But the kid clearly had no leadership skills, and hoped that he never had desire to be put in charge of anything.

Cody and Rex both stopped dead in their tracks they could hear a loud commotion coming from the mess hall.

"Now What!!" Rex growled as he and Cody ran toward the mess hall.

The scene in the mess hall was bad for War Dog  he was being held from behind by 3 troopers from Bull and Sharks squad.  One trooper holding each of his arms out stretched, and the third behind the young clone holding him in a full nelson hold.

"Yeah show this shiny who's boss!!" Shark cheered Bull on as he watched the young clone get taught a lesson in manners 501st style.

Bull came around with one haymaker after another, after the 2nd one War Dog's legs buckled. "Oh no you don't!!" The Trooper holding him in a full nelson hoisted the young clone up and back on his feet.

"Hey Shark take over my arms are getting tired" Bull laughed as he stepped back to let his best friend take over.

Shark stepped forward his eyes narrow as he advanced on he pounded his left fist into his right palm. And indication to the unstart rookie that the beating was just getting started. Shark earned his name for the vicious way his fought, he started with a right cross then a left cross then 2 quick uppercuts. Then he begen beating on War Dog's chest plate and abdomen, even though War Dog was still in armor it was a way for Shark to show the rookie clone that he wasn't afraid to get himself hurt. Shark waited until War Dog looked down then Shark struck hard with his famous right cross it almost knocked the rookie clone completely out.

Blood ripping form the rookie clones mouth his legs collapsed beneath him and he was only standing because the other clones from Bull and Sharks platoon held him up.

"TROOPERS!!!" Rex voice echoed inside the mess hall. Rex watched as each trooper snapped to attention.

As they did even the 3 clones holding War Dog up let the rookie go to stand at attention when that happened War Dog fell flat on his face. The rookie clone heaved and mustered the strength to push himself up on all fours. He heaved and tried to catch his breath.  Spitting out the blood in his mouth he stared down at the ground until a pair of highly polished white boots caught his eye. His eyes followed the armor until he saw those infamous double holsters of Captain Rex.

"Well, do any of you grunts want to explain what going on here??!" As if Rex already didn't know.

"Nothing sir, I tripped that's all" War Dog said still spitting up blood.
"You don't say" Rex was pissed morale was breaking down and he couldn't have that aboard ship. He had to put a stop to this and now. He looked at Bull and Shark "You two meatheads want to tell me what happened?" Rex snarled

"It's like the shiny said sir!! He—" Bull started by his commander cut him off.

"Tripped? Is that what you expect me to believe Bull?"  Rex asked the trooper. Rex got within inches of Bull, "I can smell fear, Bull, and I know you have a lot to do with whatever going on here"

"It's the truth sir" The rookie clone tried to get up but his legs didn't even have the strength.

"The only way I'm going to believe that story trooper is if you tripped into a ditch and Grievous himself was in there" Rex snapped

"It's the truth sir" War Dog didn't like lying to his boss but what other choice did he have.  What would the other troopers think of him if he did tell the truth?

Rex turned from Bull and he knelt down on one knee and looked at War Dog. It was clear there was a fight and the young trooper was the target. "I don't like being lied to soldier, now I'm going to ask you one more time and if you lie to me I transferring you out of the 501st and back to the 212 do you understand me?" Rex didn't expect an answer.
War Dog felt trapped the only thing he ever wanted was to belong to the 501st if he told the truth about what happened no trooper in the battalion would trust him again. And if he didn't he would be kicked out..  The young clone remained silent and said nothing.

"Fine!!! Sprinter, Crosshair get him over to the medical bay" Rex ordered two clones to help War dog out. Rex leaned over to the young trooper's ear. "I never been so disappointed in you solider" Rex sneered.

War Dog shut his eyes tight, the phrase itself hurt more than any blaster bolt coming from a battle droid.

The briefing room was a buzz Admiral Yularen had called in a specialist all the way from Coruscant to help with the Separatist droid. "I like to introduce Edi Gladys she has some information for us. Admiral Yularen turned the briefing over to the expert droid computer programmer.

"This footage is quite disturbing General Skywalker" Edi began

"Ahsoka perhaps it would be better" Anakin began to say

"NO!!!" Ahsoka snapped but quickly change her tone. "Master please I want to help Drooler, and in order to do that I need to know everything"

Anakin just nodded and looked at Edi to start the footage.

The 3d hologram started they showed an alley were two Riot Clone Troopers were standing guard in the under city of Coruscant. Armed with stun batons and riot shields there job was simple keep the crowd under control.

Drooler walked forward "hey guys how it going?" the clone trooper smiled
"What are you doing down here?" One riot clone extended his hand to give a Drooler a friendly handshake.

"I always wondered what you guys did down here." Drooler smiled.
"Same as you brother, except we don't kill clackers we just get cursed out by ungrateful civilians" One riot clone said it not in anger by more like he was stating his job description.

"Sounds like a vacation compared to some of the things I seen." Drooler said.

" I bet" One riot clone commented.

"Geez I should have hit the John before we went back on duty." The other riot trooper commented.

"I told you, but you never listen to me, you had to down those 3 cups of that Jawa Juice" His partner laughed.

"Hey I'd be happy to stand in for you" Drooler smiled

"Really are you sure?" The riot clone smiled

"Hey we're brothers right?" Drooler smiled

"Man you're the best" he handed Drooler his riot stick and shield and hurried off to find a bathroom.

His partner smiled "He's gonna be a while." He looked over that the clone trooper "So what kind of combat have you seen? I bet you can tell some stories heh?"  The riot trooper said looking at the clone.

"Well to tell you the truth you have remember the main rules of survival" Drooler began
"Oh like what?" The riot trooper asked

"Well first off" Drooler flexed his wrist and a knife dropped down from inside the armor that covered his forearm. "Never let down your guard" as Drooler lunged for the soft black rubber neck part of the riot trooper armor.  The knife cut through the armor as blood squirted out of the clone's neck.

Instinctually the wounded clone trooper reached for his neck but his wound was so deep and so wide red blood squirted out from the cloned black gloved hand. The clone gave out only 2 short gasps and dropped to his knees then collapsed face first on the ground.

Drooler eyes narrowed and he had the most vicious smile as drool seeped pit off his mouth and on his chest plate. The clone then looked down at his knife and licked the blood off the blade. "Hmmm that's good riot clone blood!!!"

The 3d hologram ended "That all I have so far I'm working on retrieving more." Edi explained.

"Well that settles it for me" Rex commented

"No!!" Ahsoka objected

"Ahsoka!!" Anakin interjected "You just saw Drooler murder a riot clone trooper in the lower city with your own eyes." He didn't mind going along with Ahsoka this far but this time it was an open and shut case.

"Master no!!!" Ahsoka wasn't wrong she felt no evil in Drooler, but how could that be she saw him just kill another clone in cold blood. Maybe she was wrong, poor Drooler if he wasn't conditioned by Ventress. Ahsoka eyes widened "That's it!! Master please he was conditioned by Ventress!!"

"Ahsoka what's your point?" Anakin shrugged with his arms he didn't see where his student was going with this.

"If Drooler was conditioned by a Jedi mind trick maybe he could be reconditioned" She looked at her master

Anakin stared at her intently "Snips I don't even know if such a thing is possible" he explained. When he saw her head drop he continued "I'll give Obi-Wan a call and see if he or the council know even if such a thing is possible"

"Thank you master" Ahsoka smiled it wasn't a victory she knew she simply won time for Drooler.

Inside the barracks area of the Resolute War Dog packed up his gear he had orders to report to Captain Rex's office at 1700 hrs.

Many of the clone from his squad walked over to hand the young clone hand and off their good byes.

War Dog nodded and fought back the tears, he was losing everything that was important to him.  He picked up his bag and headed out.

But before he got to the door a corporal stopped him. "Hey War Dog" as the young trooper turned the corporal looked at him. "You may be part of the 212 kid but you'll always have a place with the 501st"

The young trooper nodded and hurried out the door before anyone saw him begin to shed a tear.

The walk toward Captain Rex's office seemed like a walk into an abyss. War Dog let out a heavy sigh then knocked 3 times on the door.

"Come" Rex said from inside his door.

The door opened and there was Captain Rex sitting behind his desk but even more important was Bull and Shark both clones were in full armor standing at attention with their helmets tucked under their arms. War Dog marched in the room standing at attention he proclaimed "Sir CT 8723451 ready to be transferred off the Resolute and back to the 212th sir!!"

Rex was silent he just sat there typing away on his computer, then looked up at War Dog then at Bull and Shark. "CT 8723451 do you have a problem aboard ship?"

The trooper was confused his eyes darted back and forth he wasn't sure what was happening.

"I asked you a question Trooper" Rex looked annoyed

"Um, yes, uuuhh, What?"

"CT 8723451 what is your problem?" Rex snapped

"Sir, no problem sir!!" War Dog was quick to answer

"Then answer the question soldier!!" Rex Stood up from his desk.

"Sir yes sir!!" there was a long pause. "What was the question? Umm sir?"

Rex looked long and hard at Bull "You want this 212ie in your squad Bull?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way sir" Bull said with a smile.

War Dog just looked back and forth between Bull and Rex he still was completely clueless as to what was going on.

"CT 87233451 why are you not on guard duty?" Rex snapped

"I, uuh what? Guard duty??" The look of surprise was obvious but War Dog was finally beginning to get the picture.

"Did you have something you wanted soldier?" Rex asked

"No sir!! I mean Yes sir" the young trooper began to walk out of Rex's office but he failed to notice the coffee table. And went he finished falling over that he was still looking at Rex  "I won't let you down sir!!" he then turn but tripped over the couch. And ran out the door like a solider that had just been promoted from private to Major General