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Trial by Fire	By : Jade_Max Category: +S through Z > Star Wars: The Clone Wars Views: 15246 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Star Wars is George's sandbox, which now belongs to Disney; I'm simply destroying the sandcastles and playing with the action figures. I make no money off of this.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Chapter 10
“Discipline is essential in the Army, gentlemen,” Rex’s voice cracked like a whip, Blaze beside him as they stood at attention, their eyes straight ahead, as their commanding officer paced before them deliberately. “Without discipline, there is anarchy and discontent; lawlessness. Do you understand?”
“Sir, yes sir.”
While the condition of the barracks had been impossible to hide and when the rest of the bitch carriers had returned to the barracks, it had been with several shinies on their heels that had been the issue. They’d returned to find Blaze and Traxis, already having cleaned up most of the mess, trying to affect a patch for the bunk that had been broken, the table and chairs a lost twisted cause in a pile by the door.
The evidence of their dispute had been unmistakable on both of them. Where the bitch carriers might have been convinced to keep their peace because of Blaze’s involvement, regulations were clear and the troopers were obligated to report it. It had, promptly, resulted in Sergeant Coric being called to the scene. Upon his arrival, the officer had no choice but to take it to the Captain.
Which had led them to now and the dressing down that had been sharp and succinct; Captain Rex ran a tight outfit and accepted no shenanigans. Not that busting up the barracks was anything except against every conduct regulation written and Traxis expected nothing less.
“Corporal.”
“Sir.”
“Wait outside.”
Blaze’s gaze darted to Rex’s stern expression before sliding to Traxis, who was on the same side of his body as the eye that wasn’t swollen shut. Traxis saw the look from the corner of his eye but didn’t return it, staying stiffly at attention.
“Sir?”
“Outside, Corporal; now.”
Inhaling evenly, Traxis resisted the urge to flex his fingers and ease the ache of the bruised and torn flesh as Blaze saluted crisply, turned on his heel and exited the room. There was a moment before Rex stepped back his way and stopped in front of him, his expression stern but neutral.
The door closed behind Blaze and Rex’s posture relaxed a fraction, a frown creasing his face. “Explain yourself, Trooper.”
“Sir. What would you like to know, sir?”
There was a moment’s pause before Rex replied. “At ease, Traxis.”
Traxis did just that, taking up the posture immediately even as confusion struck. At ease? It was not the approach he was expecting.
“How did the training go this morning?”
He blinked. “Sir?”
“The training. Coric tells me he had you in the sims.”
“Er… the training was fine, sir.”
“No problems with the shinies?"
"Nothing more than usual, sir."
"Then where were you when they got ambushed?"
"I thought this was about the barracks, sir; not shinies who can't do basic."
"They'll learn, same as you did. Where were you?”
“Circling around, sir.” Traxis kept his tone professional though he was livid inside; what else had Coric told the Captain that wasn’t any of his business? “The Sergeant had ordered me to take the left flank. By the time I reached them, they’d already been tagged and bagged. Nothing I could do.”
“I see.” Rex’s eyes narrowed fractionally. “Tell me about the barracks."
The abrupt change in topic was undoubtedly supposed to throw him off balance, but Traxis wasn’t about to hide what had happened. Initially anyway. The more… personal aspects of the encounter would stay between him and Blaze. “A fight, sir; I hit the Corporal."
"First?"
Trax had to think about it. He’d been angry enough at Blaze, he couldn’t remember off the top of his head and hesitated too long.
“I asked you a question, Trooper.”
“I don’t right remember, sir.”
“I see.”
Traxis straightened imperceptibly with that mild tone. In some ways it was worse than a sharp word or a screaming, something his instructors on Kamino had been big on. Waiting at attention, he didn't look at his Captain, fully expecting to be put on ship duty, or worse, thrown into the brig. Striking a superior officer was an offense punishable by court-martial; at worse, he could be sent back to Kamino for reconditioning.
"Wait outside, Trooper and send in the Corporal."
Blinking, for it wasn't what he'd been expecting at all, Traxis was less than crisp as he saluted, turning to go. Exiting the small office, he found Blaze cooling his heels outside. All business, he saluted the other man. "The Captain would like to speak with you, Corporal."
Blaze shot him a smirk before disappearing into Rex's office again. Traxis took up an at ease posture, using the time to flex his fingers and work out the kinks in the cramping muscles. His lip was still split and he ran the tip of his tongue over the cut, the memory of exactly how he'd gotten it a little hazy considering what had come afterwards. He still wasn't one hundred percent sure if he'd gotten it during the fight or kiss that had come quick on its heels.
He wasn't waiting long, maybe two minutes, before the door to Rex's office opened again. "Trooper."
Marching into the room with precise steps, he stopped next to Blaze and came to attention.
Rex paced before the two of them before turning to face them in the middle of the room, his hands folded behind his back. Despite the non-aggressive pose, Traxis tensed, standing that much straighter. Here it comes, he thought darkly. He wasn't one to shy from a deserved punishment, but Traxis hoped he wasn't solely blamed for this fiasco.
"Corporal Blaze."
"Sir!"
"Trooper Traxis."
"Sir!"
"The Corporal tells me that he threw the first punch in this little debacle, but you, trooper, instigated it by throwing part of your armor at him. Is that correct?"
Traxis inwardly flinched, the memory resurfacing with clarity. Telling Blaze to fuck off and, when pushed, goaded, losing his temper. "Sir, yes sir."
"Striking a superior officer is a serious offense, Trooper." Rex never took his gaze from him and Traxis felt the displeasure of his commanding officer acutely. "However, it takes two to fight, Corporal, and your actions in encouraging this behavior and responding to it with violence are not becoming of someone of your rank."
"Sir, no sir; they are not."
"Did I give you leave to speak, Corporal?"
"Sir, no sir!"
Traxis bit the inside of his cheek, enjoying the fact that Rex wasn't allowing Blaze to get away with his sass but, at the same time, feeling the need to step in and take most of the blame; he knew better than to strike a superior officer. All brothers did.
"Atten-shun."
Both he and Blaze snapped further rigid and Rex's frown was more felt than seen.
"I will have no dissention within my company, is that clear?"
"Sir, yes sir!" Traxis and Blaze spoke at the same time, clearly prompted and responding as they'd been trained.
"Troopers who cannot obey their superior officers are of no use to me; nor are Officers who cannot respect the men under their command and lead by example."
Traxis tilted his head up just a fraction as Rex’s words landed like a heavy blow. He deserved this; he knew better than to act so recklessly and his emotional state at the time was no excuse. Whatever punishment his commanding officer meted out, he'd accept gracefully.
"Trooper Traxis, you are forthwith assigned to Corporal Blaze. I expect you will learn some respect for his rank and orders, kid; he will be your commanding officer until your return. Corporal Blaze, while I've a mind to demote you, I expect you to prove you can give orders as well as take them. We've injured to be ferried to the Kaliida Shoals medical centre before we can commence operations. You will be in command of the escort to deliver the injured while collecting those men ready to be returned to active duty. You leave in one hour. Understood?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Good. Dismissed."
Traxis turned sharply on his heel and marched from the room, the punishment far more lenient than he'd expected. Assigned to Blaze for the duration of a mission? Stepping into the corridor, he moved aside and down the hall, Blaze behind him, only to whirl when the sound of a cough and a chuckle reached him.
Blaze had stopped a couple dozen feet from the Captain's office and had one hand on the wall, doubled over, trying not to laugh. They were alone, thankfully.
"This isn't funny, Blaze."
"Isn't it?" he looked up, grinning. "You've just been assigned to be my bitch, Traxis; how's it feel to be unofficially official?"

Blaze knew the moments the words left his mouth he probably should have picked them better but, he really didn't care as Traxis' expression darkened and closed. Traxis was too uptight about this; nothing like a good chewing out to make him want to screw. Come to think of it, damn near everything made him want to screw and the subject of said screwing didn't always have to be willing.
"Come on, Trax, lighten up; it's pretty funny he thinks you need to be assigned to me so we can learn to get along." Straightening, he gave the other man a cocky once over, completely disregarding the fact Traxis looked like he wanted to go for round two of what had landed them there in the first place. Blaze deliberately laced an invitation into his voice. "What do you say we find some place we can get along all proper-like some more?"
The alcove around the corner would have been Blaze's first choice, but Traxis was already shaking his head; surprising. He hadn't thought Traxis was quite ready to deny him yet.
"Is that all you think about? We've fifty mikes to collect our gear and get to the flight deck and you want to waste it screwing around."
"A good fuck is never a waste of time." Traxis stared at him and Blaze stared back before he flashed the scared clone a half smile. "Do I need to make it an order, Trooper?"
Traxis jerked, his eyes widening, and Blaze's grin widened as he watched the anger start to melt away. It was replaced by a kind of amused incredulity that only Traxis seemed to have mastered.
"Somehow, I don't think that's what the Captain had in mind when he said I was to learn to follow your orders."
But you like the idea, Blaze realized silently. Filing that away for later as he stepped up to join Traxis and let go of his quickie idea. It wouldn't take long, but the shower to clean up afterwards wouldn't be short and Traxis, much as he hated to admit, was right. They did need to collect their gear - that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun with it on the way to the barracks though. Stretching out one hand, he slapped Traxis on the ass as they were turning a corner.
It drew him a quickly masked glare from the younger man and a salute from the trio of Troopers who were stepping around the corner, having missed the love tap.
They were out of range before Traxis spoke. A single word that held a cautionary note. "Blaze."
He couldn't resist interjecting an innocent note into his voice. "Traxis."
Traxis sent him a veiled look as they continued to walk.
They had to stop by the Ret's division and requisition new body gloves and found a shiny at the desk they needed. The shiny wasted several minutes, unable to find what was necessary until a sour faced Ret appeared, dropped two precisely folded body gloves on the counter and disappeared, audibly grumbling about 'useless shinies' and 'no good help'. Traxis carried both, as was proper in the circumstance.
Departing the area for the barracks, Blaze lulled Traxis into a sense of complacency by leaving him alone for a few minutes, letting him relax and think that was the end of it, before teasing him again.
This time, he turned into Traxis bodily while stepping into a crowded lift, discreetly palming the front of his pants for a quick grope and rub before stepping away.
Traxis' sharply inhaled breath was lost in the chatter of the others in the lift and Blaze had felt the immediate, swelling response to his touch. Hmm. He needed to ensure they were both in fatigues more often. They were back at the barracks in no time, Traxis taking up an at ease position at the end of the bunk Blaze had chosen, his hands folded together in front of his belt. No doubt, Blaze knew, to mitigate the sight of his swelling erection.
Such a shame; just once he'd have to pick a playmate that was into exhibitionism.
For the sake of those watching, for there were several other troopers in the barracks who weren’t a part of Blaze’s squad, Blaze pulled out his 'professional' voice. "Yes, Trooper."
"Your orders, sir?"
"Collect your kit and suit up; we leave in thirty."
Traxis saluted smartly, handed over Blaze's new body glove, and marched over to his bunk to do just that.
"Leave in thirty?"
Blaze was shrugging out of his fatigues and peeling on the new bodysuit as Coil asked the question. A quick glance showed that Traxis was out of earshot, half way down the billet; the murmur of other conversations would make it so Traxis wouldn’t hear what he said to Coil. "A little side trip that means Traxis and I won't be here for the impending fun."
"Finally got caught, huh?"
Blaze chuckled, shaking his head as he sealed the suit and began snapping on the plastoid plates. "I don't get caught."
"Then why the side trip?"
"For busting up the barracks and hitting a Trooper." He cast Coil a rueful grin. "Behavior unbecoming of an officer."
Coil choked on a laugh, his expression sly. "For that? What'd he give you?"
Blaze's grin turned into a smirk. "Another blue milk run to a med centre."
"That's it?"
"And Traxis; who needs to learn the value of rank."
Blaze's words had the effect he expected when Coil curled over on himself, choking as he fought to contain his laughter, "He... you..." as Coil struggled to find the words, he rocked back and forth and just about fell off his bunk. "Fuck, Blaze; that's fucking priceless!"
Leaning down, he slapped his bitch brother on the back, managing to set his features into an almost stern expression. "It's my duty as an officer to teach these Troopers the value of the chain of command; if that means pounding it into them at all hours, who am I to-."
"Stop!" Coil did fall off his bunk this time, grasping his sides and laughing, but not. In trying to keep himself from laughing harder, he was simply making it worse. "Stop, man, just... fucking... stop!"
"Keep it up Coil and you'll be leading your own little jaunt for actions unbecoming of an officer," straightening, Blaze cast a glance around the room and offered an easy smile as he met the gaze of several other troopers around, including Traxis’. Traxis glanced down at Coil, gave his head a shake, and turned away.
"Bitch humor," Blaze offered with a shrug of his shoulders when no one else did, knowing the other would turn away; which they did, going back to whatever they were doing. Blaze took a moment to linger on the as of yet un-encased in plastoid ass in the tight black bodysuit that was currently bent over a bunk several over.
His codpiece hid the inevitable evidence of that look and he turned to finish with his armor as Coil collected himself.
"You're a fucking jerk, Blaze."
"Ah, but better the jerk you know than the asshole you don't," Blaze collected the rest of his gear and shouldered it. "You're with Rukas and Heli while we're gone, Coil. Keep 'em in line."
"When Heli so loves a sandwich, that's not exactly hard to do."
Blaze gaffed and raised his voice. "Traxis!"
"Sir!"
"Status."
"Ready when you are, Corporal."
"Excellent. Double time it; we don't want to miss our bird."
Blaze exchange looks with Coil as Traxis exited the room. "Watch their backs; rumor has it you could be headed to Ryloth."
Coil smirked. "A chance for a little tail is a chance for a little tail; doesn't matter if it's head tail or not."
"I said rumor, Coil," shaking his head on a laugh, Blaze followed Traxis. "If it goes, I expect to hear all about it when I get back."
Coil lifted one hand in acknowledgement and turned back to the maintenance he'd been doing when Blaze had walked in. Blaze barely gave his brother another thought as he exited into the hallway to find Traxis already well ahead of him. With a barked order to halt, he caught up lamenting that their hands were both occupied but looking forward to this assignment.
Soon, very soon, he'd have control of a medical frigate filled with brothers headed for possible reconditioning. And while Traxis would be with him, Blaze knew there would be many opportunities when Traxis wouldn't be around. Opportunities he intended to capitalize on.

The medical mission was a better punishment than Traxis had hoped for. While it took him out of the combat zone where he truly felt he should be, it didn't leave him feeling useless. Punishment it was supposed to be and punishment it was, in ways that Captain Rex probably hadn't considered.
He'd been where each of the troopers being transported were now not that long ago. Each face, identical to his own but not, each a mirror of the agony and loss that he'd suffered. Reminders of his own failures; reminders of his own imperfections.
Stowing his gear in one of the small rooms assigned to the crew - there were three with two bunks apiece - two pilots and two medics staffed the ship aside from he and Blaze - Traxis turned to do the same with Blaze's gear. Blaze, who had already gone off to introduce himself to the pilots and medics, would be bunking with him.
Traxis glanced at the door, which had a no visible lock, but did close, with a touch of trepidation. The transport was much smaller than the Resolute and would, undoubtedly, be less sound proof. Noise might not carry in space, but he had no illusions they wouldn't through confined spaces. Traxis had no desire for everyone on the ship to know what happened between he and Blaze behind their closed door.
And happen it would; Blaze's eyes had gleamed with anticipation when he'd spoken of the trip.
The ship wide comm. suddenly came on. "This is your pilot speaking. All hands prepare for departure; ensure all loose items are secured and passengers strapped in."
Traxis exited the room, going to see if he could help and was promptly put to work securing biobeds. Mere moments after the last one had been locked down, the comm. activated again as the dull roar of the engines reverberated through the deck plates.
"Engines engaged; commencing departure sequence. All hands to jump positions."
Directed to a jump seat, Traxis strapped himself in. The pilot's announcement that they'd be jumping was followed almost immediately by the slight surge forward of the ship as it entered hyperspace.
Unstrapping himself once he was certain they were on their way, Traxis went looking for Blaze.

Blaze looked up from the personnel and patient listing as Traxis entered the cockpit. He nodded to the pilots and motioned Traxis back out. Stepping into the hallway and with a glance around to ensure no one else was around, Blaze frowned at Traxis, waving the datapad. "Explain this."
"Sir?"
"This list, Traxis; I don't know any of the Troopers on it."
There was a moment of silence before Traxis held his hand out. "May I?"
Handing over the datapad, Blaze glared at the scarred clone as if this were all his fault. If there was one thing Blaze hated above anything else, it was to be made a fool of. Traxis took his time going through the list but Blaze didn't have the patience to wait and his name was a growl. "Traxis."
"They're other parts of the Legion, sir," Traxis offered the datapad back. "Torrent Company is currently rebuilding but the rest of the five hundred and first is still on active duty."
Which explained a lot.
Blaze knew, logically, that Torrent Company wasn't the only Company within the famous five hundred and first, but it was the only Company one heard about. They were, if rumor was to be believed, Jedi General Skywalker's best of the best and being assigned to the Company was a badge of honor. It was as unconventional as their leadership; no doubt why he and his bitch brothers had been brought in.
Its decimation at Teth, and current rebuilding, simply meant they'd seen no action as of yet as a Legion which was why, he concluded, he didn't recognize the names.
"Has a thing for water, does he, General Skywalker?"
"Sir?"
Taking the datapad, he checked the names of the other companies again and listed of a few. "Fjord, Potok, Resevoir, Monsoon, Schwall, Fleuve," Blaze looked up with a faint smirk and dry tone, "as a bitch carrier, I make a point to know what's bad for my baby."
"Yes, sir."
"Traxis, what did I say about the 'sir'?"
"Respectfully, sir," Traxis returned evenly, "the reason I've been assigned to you is to reinforce the chain of command."
"And this chain says 'drop it' when we’re not around other people. Understood?"
"Is that an order, sir?"
Blaze smirked. "It's not the only thing I'll order you to drop this trip, Traxis."
"Blaze-"
"As you were!" The words came out a snapped order and Traxis responded instantly, suddenly at rigid attention. This is going to be fun, Blaze inwardly gloated while affixing a stern expression on his face. "What were the Captain's orders to you, Trooper?"
"To demonstrate respect for your rank and orders, sir."
"And this rank has given you an order; what was it?"
"To dispense with the use of the term 'sir' when alone with you or the rest of the flametroopers, Corporal Blaze."
"Have you followed that order, Trooper?"
"Yes, sir."
"What was that?"
Traxis' expression darkened but he amended his answer. "Not always, Corporal Blaze."
"Captain Rex has assigned you to me so I may teach you the value of following orders and the chain of command," Blaze saw the dark amusement in Traxis' eyes; he was starting to know Blaze well enough to know his own personal use for the chain of command. "Continue to disobey my orders at your peril." Blaze knew he was laying it on a little thick, but part of him really wanted to see Traxis disobey him; he did so enjoy the reprimand portion of discipline. "Assist the medics, Trooper. Once you've assisted them with their rounds, I want updates on the conditions of the men, understood?"
"Yes, si-" Traxis caught himself this time. "Immediately Corporal Blaze."
"Dismissed."
Blaze watched Traxis salute and walk away, his lips kicking into a half smile before he turned his attention back to the list of casualties, shaking his head again at the Company names.
Step one complete; Traxis would ferret out an updated status on the troopers under his command and he would update the list. As per protocol, to deliver the most up to date condition of the men in need of medical care to the long necks. As an added bonus, he'd gain the knowledge of which men weren't likely to make it.
All his time on Kamino had served Blaze well in more than just battle tactics. He'd also learned that these men, the ones who were past all hope of recovery, were always more open to one last experience before reconditioning. Far be it for him to deny them that.
- 9
- 10
- 11
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Trial by Fire