02x03 - The Solitary Clone

[bunniefuu]

[chattering]

[siren blaring]

[Imperial shuttle approaching]

On final approach, Governor.

[clears throat]

[siren continues]

[screaming, shouting]

[siren stops]
[screaming, shouting continues]

I am Tawni Ames, Governor of Desix.

State your business here.

[clears throat] I am here to relieve you
of your title, Mistress Ames,

by order of the Galactic Empire.

As I have told your government,

Desix does not fall
under Imperial jurisdiction.

Take your forces and leave peacefully.

Well, your request has been received,

reviewed and, as you can see, rejected.

How disappointing.

[music]

[shouts]

[whirring up]

I have a message for your Empire.

[grunts]
[dramatic music]

[ship flying over]

[alarm sounds]

[alarm continues]

[voice on PA, indistinct]

I heard the Defense Recruitment
Bill is up for a vote again.

Well, let's hope it doesn't pass,
for our sake.

[PA chimes]

[voice on PA] CT- , report to
Vice Admiral Rampart's office immediately.

CT- .

Congratulations. You've been
medically cleared for active duty.

Remind me.
How long were you left stranded

on that Kaminoan platform
before being recovered?

- rotations.
- Hmm. All that time.

Left for dead and yet you
still came back. [chuckles] Why?

- I'm a soldier of the Empire.
- I see.

Your loyalty and determination
are commendable.

Which is why I have a mission
for you on the planet Desix.

As far as Separatist worlds are
concerned, it's rather remote.

I normally wouldn't pay it any mind,
but an issue has arisen.

What are my orders?

The newly appointed Imperial governor
has been taken hostage

by insurgents demanding Desix
be recognized as an independent planet.

[scoffs]

But we do not negotiate.

You're being sent in under the guise
of discussing a diplomatic resolution.

Once you arrive, do whatever is necessary

to secure the city
and ensure Governor Grotton's release.

- What squad will I be leading?
- Oh. [chuckles]

You're not ready to play
commander again. Not yet.

Your new commander will brief you
on the details.

Report to the Battle Memorial
at hours.

You're dismissed.

[music]

[clone commander] Crosshair.

It's been a while. Good to see ya.

Commander Cody?
I didn't recognize you.

Yeah.
A lot's changed, as you well know.

When I heard you were cleared for duty,
I requested you specifically.

- You're lucky I was available.
- [chuckles] Word is,

the rest of Clone Force went rogue
after Order came through.

Surprised?

Not really.
Your squad was different by design.

- Regs have gone AWOL too.
- So I've heard.

Rumors are, more and more clones
have been questioning the Order.

Then they are traitors, like the Jedi.

- Well, good soldiers follow orders.
- Mm-hmm.

Intel is limited, but here's what we know:

separatist insurgents,
armed with a battalion of battle droids,

have seized the city
and taken Governor Grotton hostage.

Battle droids?
Didn't they receive the shutdown order?

They could have been reprogrammed.

The insurgents are expecting
a diplomatic envoy.

We catch them by surprise,
wipe out their droids,

- and locate Governor Grotton.
- Sounds easy enough.

[music]

[comm beeps]
This is Imperial Shuttle .

Requesting permission
to enter Desix airspace.

[tactical droid on comm] Granted.
You are cleared for approach.

[grunts]
Release me this instant!

Negative. The Governor said
to keep a close eye on you.

[grunts] I am the legitimate
governor of Desix, you scrap heap!

Mm-hmm.

You'll have your freedom
once we have ours.

[pants] The Empire will never agree
to your terms.

Precisely why I know that
"diplomatic envoy" they're sending

is anything but... peaceful.

Dooku was right in the end.
He knew the Republic was corrupt,

that it would collapse
and become something worse.

He saw it coming.
The Galactic Empire.

You lost that w*r.
You will lose this as well.

Governor.
The Imperial shuttle is within range.

Let's welcome them, shall we?

[tactical droid] Affirmative.

It looks like they've chosen
not to negotiate.

How unfortunate...
for you.

Air strike team, move into position.

[alarm blaring]
We've been hit!

Fire!

[alarm blaring]

Nice sh*t!

The Imperial vessel has been neutralized
and crashed in Sector Five.

Send scouts to the wreck.

- Check for any survivors.
- Yes, Governor.

That doesn't look good.

Yeah. For them.

We found the shuttle.
There are no survivors.

[tactical droid on comm]
Confirmed. Return to the city.

Roger, roger.

[battle droids grunting]

[Crosshair]
That buys us time, but not much.

[Cody] Without a ship,
we'll have to infiltrate the city on foot.

Half the squad's too injured to continue.

[Crosshair]
I've beaten clankers with far less.

First things first.

[music]

[groans]
There's not enough cover.

Any direction we come at that t*nk,
they'll pick us off.

[Crosshair] These tanks
all have the same weakness.

The droids operating them.

I'll draw their fire
while you move into position.

- Trust me.
- [Cody] You do make things interesting.

[yelps] Where did that come from?

It's there. Turn to .

[grunts]

[screams]

Direct sh*t down the barrel. Nice touch.

They're moving in coordinated waves.

There has to be
a tactical droid giving them orders.

Then let's divide their forces.

Wyler, Nova, you're with us.
We'll take the north access.

Team two, take the south.

[Tawni] They've breached our perimeter.

They've split their as*ault.
Recommend protocol four.

See it done. I'll secure Grotton.

[screams]

It's okay. We're here to help.

[whirring]

- Do you hear that?
- [Crosshair] Droidekas.

[whirring continues]

[screams]

[Crosshair] Hit him with a popper.

[screams]

[whirring]

[Cody] Find that tac droid yet?

It's in the bell tower,
but I can't get a clear line of sight.

Well, let's remedy that.

Oh.

[groans]

[droideka powers down]

[whirring]

[groans]

[Cody] Nova!

Secure the tower.

[beeping]

[whirring]

[powering up]

- [Cody] Any ideas?
- Just try and keep up.

[thudding]

[grunts]

[Crosshair] Cody! Cody!

[powers down]

[grunts, groans]

[coughs]

Hold tight.
I'll take out the tac droid.

I can make the sh*t from here.
[coughs]

Give me a line of sight.

- Where do you need the puck?
- Throw it.

- How far?
- [Crosshair] As far as you can.

Defend the governor at all costs.

[grunts]

[grunts]

[groans]

[powers down]

[battle droid]
We need more reinforcements.

Commander? [shouts]

- [Crosshair coughs] Nice throw.
- [Cody] Nice sh*t.

[clone trooper on comm]
Sir, the droid forces have been defeated.

- Scour the city. Find Governor Grotton.
- [Tawni] There's no need.

[grunting] Do something!

I'm Tawni Ames.
The rightful governor.

We have official Imperial orders.

Desix separated from the Republic
years ago, Commander.

We are an independent system.

Once your government acknowledges this,

Grotton and his soldiers
will be handed over.

Those are my terms.

We're not here
to debate politics with you.

If you did,
you might see how unjust your actions are.

Your droid army att*cked
two Imperial convoys.

We were defending ourselves
from a hostile occupation.

Your forces are the only thr*at
to my people.

We are not the enemy.
The Empire seeks to establish

peace and order throughout the galaxy.

- Peace?
- [grunts]

There was a time I believed in that.

So much so, my colleague
Mina Bonteri and I put forth a treaty

with Separatist and Republic
senators alike to end the w*r.

Your Supreme Chancellor rejected it.

I realized then,
peace was never an option.

It's an option now.

Listen, we both lived through one w*r.
Let's not start another.

Too many people have d*ed already.

We can resolve this
without more bloodshed.

Please, do this for your people.

[grunting]

[panting, grunts]

Nicely handled. Now execute her.

- Sir, I promised a peaceful...
- You did. I didn't.

Now execute her!

So much for peace.

I gave you an order.

Follow it, or face the consequences
for diso... [blaster fires]

[Tawni grunts]

[exhales]

[body thuds]

[music]

[chuckles]
Put her body in the square.

Let it be a warning to the rest of them.

[music]

[shuttle approaches]

Tell me something, Crosshair.

This new Empire...

are we making the galaxy better?

We're soldiers.
We do what needs to be done.

Well, you know what makes us
different from battle droids?

We make our own decisions.
Our own choices.

And we have to live with them too.

[music]

[alarm sounding]

[PA chimes]

[voice on PA] CT- , report
to Vice Admiral Rampart's office.

After your success on Desix,
I'm entrusting you with another mission.

- Report to CC- .
- Why not Commander Cody?

- Cody?
- CC- .

[scoffs]

Ah, yes.
It appears he has gone AWOL.

Clone loyalty does not seem
to be as advertised anymore.

Funny, isn't it?

How these clones around you
keep... disappearing.

- Problem?
- No, sir.

Hmm. Then you're dismissed.

[music]