"Our mission isn't to kill Unim. It's to capture him. And to do that, we're going to team up with multiple other clone squadrons." Commander Rino pressed another button on the control panel and the image switched from the CCD threat to a holographic map of Unim's laboratory on Abbakinto. It was an impressive-looking structure that stood seven stories tall, complete with a fifteen-foot tall electric fence that surrounded the perimeter of the location. "In order to capture him, we'll need to sneak past the fence, break into the building, and get to the seventh level. All without us being noticed."

"Why do we need to sneak around? Can't we just bust a hole in the fence, blow up the front door, and work our way up from there?" Risk asked, genuinely curious as to why they weren't just going to blow everything up. What they all expected to hear from their new leader was a scolding, saying that you can't just blow everything up and that there's probably valuable information the Republic could use in that building. But Commander Rino surprised them. Instead, she smiled.

"I wish, Risk. That would be way more enjoyable in my book. But strict orders say that the building can't be too damaged by the time we're done with it. Next time, though." The clones exchanged quick smirks as she zoomed in on the back of the facility. The same thought was going through their minds: Not only is she a woman, but she's humorous and fun, too. They got lucky. Damn, did they get lucky.

"The One-Eyes will be patrolling the fence at all times, usually travelling in groups of five to seven." She continued. "We'll rendezvous with Black-Out, Serpent, Mutant, Bantha, and Terentatek Squadrons when we get to Abbakinto. The commanders and I will meet and discuss which of our squads will distract the patrols and which one will break in through the back of the building. After a decision has been made, we'll brief the squads and put the plans to action. Any questions?"

None of the clones said anything.

"Good. We'll be taking gunship 768-B. Make sure your blasters are fully loaded and you have plenty of extra ammunition before we leave. The armory is next door if you need to grab a spare plasma pack or two. We'll leave for the rendezvous point in five minutes." Her words were followed with a 'Sir, yes, sir', then she nodded and turned the hologram off. 

Commander Rino turned on her heal and headed for the gunships, while Risk, Breaks, and Tyson all started walking in the direction of the armory, wanting to be prepared for this battle no matter what their squad ended up doing. But Axel checked his blaster, made sure everything was loaded properly, touched his hand to his side where he always kept an extra plasma cartridge in case he ran out of ammo, then decided to follow the Commander instead of joining the guys. Would they judge him for this action and think he was trying to get alone-time with Commander Rino? Probably. Did he care? Honestly, no. Because it wasn't true.

Molindi didn't notice she was being followed until after she arrived at gunship 768-B. 

"Oh, didn't need the extra ammo?" She asked him as she held her helmet on her hip and examined one of her blasters with her free hand. Axel just gestured to the spare pack on his hip. "Good. I like it when my men are prepared. Says a lot about their intelligence. I'm not saying the other guys are unintelligent, it's just that it's good to be ready for anything."

"I get it." Axel told her and folded his arms. She nodded in understanding.

"So, Axel, the other troopers know each other, but you seem to be a loner." Commander Rino acknowledged. He stiffened slightly and nodded in response, his eyes finding their way to the floor of the hangar. "I read your file. This is your third squad." He held back a snarky response. 'Wow, you know how to read, great for you'. Just because she was a woman didn't mean she had the right to be so blunt about something so serious. It wasn't just one squad, it was two. He lost two squadrons, two sets of brothers, one of them he didn't even have time to get to know. She obviously didn't understa- "I just want to tell you now that we have more in common than you and those guys." He raised an eyebrow.

"You mean my brothers?" Axel questioned. "My fellow clones? With all due respect, Commander, how do you have more in common with me than them?"

"We're both survivors. The only survivors of our squads. You've lost two of 'em, and I had to fight on a cannibalistic planet watching the men I cared about die terrible bloody deaths." So the rumors were true, Ganta-Nego really was infested with cannibals. "We've experienced loss. Every soldier has, but our loss is different. You think you're bad luck. You believe that the same thing is going to happen with this squad as your others, that's why you've distanced yourself with the other troopers already."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Axel defended himself. She was crossing a line, something so new to his life usually wouldn't dare cross. But he knew, deep down, she was making pretty logical assumptions. 

"Of course, you don't." She rolled her eyes. Molindi knew she was being insensitive, but the Clone Army wasn't exactly known for being sensitive. "I'm just saying that it's not going to happen a third time. You're not that unlucky. Your squad is going to be fine at the end of this mission, and you don't need to avoid the other troopers. It's not healthy. Plus, if they don't get to know you, then they won't trust you. I've seen it happen before." Commander Rino put her helmet back on and made sure it was secure. "I understand what it's like, Axel. But you can't push other people away. And just because I'm a woman commanding a bunch of men doesn't mean I'm going to brush you aside like you want me to. I'm not that heartless."

Commander Rino looked past him to the other troopers as they approached, now carrying enough ammunition. 

"Commander, I never thought that-"

"I suggest you keep this conversation strictly between the two of us, Axel." She added before the others were in hearing range. "Alright, men. You have everything you need?" Another 'Sir, yes, sir' from Breaks, Tyson, and Risk, and the four placed their helmets over their heads. Commander Rino used her thumb to gesture to the gunship behind her. "Then get in, the other squads aren't going to wait for us if we show up late."

* * * * * * * * * * *

The ship-ride to Abbakinto was said to be around half an hour long. Which meant there was enough time for a perfectly awkward silence or a decent conversation. At least, that's how Risk and his buddies saw it. Using this as an opportunity to ask their new commander some questions about herself, Risk was the one to speak up first.

"So, Commander, how'd you end up in the Army?" It was a perfectly logical question that guaranteed an interesting answer. How the hell did an attractive young woman like herself end up in a completely artificial army? She could be living her life safely away from the front lines. Instead, she was there on that ship with them. 

Commander Rino stood at the front of the pack, holding onto one of the handle bars hanging from the ceiling while her four guys stood behind, her back facing them. She didn't turn around when she replied.

"I joined before the Cloning facilities were up and running. My parents were soldiers in the Republic army, honored for their service. They died on the front lines when I was fourteen. I signed up two weeks later. Four years of experience later, I get the news that the Jedi were in contact with a cloning facility on Kamino and that I could resign." 

"But you didn't." Tyson spoke up. She nodded and everyone watched her closely, waiting for her to keep speaking.

"I told them they could shove the resignation papers. I'd grown up, dreaming about fighting for the Republic, just like my parents did. There was no way I was going to resign, especially when I knew that the new people coming in for the job couldn't." Her honesty was intriguing and a little shocking. Tyson and Breaks looked at each other, their expressions shocked beneath their helmets, while Risk and Axel just stared at the back of her head in awe. "It's just my opinion, but I feel like people shouldn't be forced to do anything against their will. Not even clones."

"So you think we don't have a choice in this?" Breaks asked her. "You think we just fight because it's what we were programmed to do? Like droids?" Molindi actually laughed, her shoulders moving slightly up and down as she chuckled, then her helmeted head turned to face the four of them.

"You, Breaks, and Risk, and Tyson and Axel," she turned to face each one as she said their names, and it was amazing to think that she could already tell them apart so easily. "are not droids. You're human beings. You're individuals, not just numbers. You're all the same in some ways, yes, but you're all different as well. You have thoughts and feelings and emotions. Sure, your family consists of millions of siblings, but that doesn't mean you should be forced into battle against your will."

"But it's not against our will." Tyson pointed out. Commander Rino held up her hand, silencing him on the spot.

"That's just my personal opinion. I fight because I don't think it's fair to you, and you think I'm crazy for it. That's your opinion. I was just answering your question. That's why I joined the Army." Her back faced them once again and they all looked at each other, unsure really of how to reply to that.

It was a long ride to Abbakinto.