Chapter Text
Alpha walks through the pristine hallways of Tipoca City. After facing battle, it was odd to return to a place so quiet. He stops to peer down at troops eating in the mess hall. He lets out a deep Hm.
“Alpha, you wanted to speak with me?” A voice pulls him from his thoughts. Shaak Ti stands with her hands folded in front of her.
“Yes, I was hoping to talk to you about the future training of the cadets.” He starts as they walk down the corridor.
“You think their current training is inadequate?” She asks. He shakes his head while placing his hands behind his back as he walks.
“No, but it worries me that with all troops learning to follow orders that they may be hesitant when the time comes to make the difficult decision themselves. We don’t just need mindless soldiers. We need leaders.” He explains. Shaak Ti lifts a hand to her chin.
“I understand your concern. Then what do you propose we do?”
Alpha stops so he can face her.
“I want to take the best cadets and train them myself. These cadets will go on to not just fight in the army but lead it.” Alpha says. Shaak Ti gives a soft smile.
“I see no harm in that,” She starts before eyeing him. “But these troops must be willing to follow their Jedi Generals. I understand you yourself have had issue with this in the past.”
Alpha gives a laugh deep in his throat.
“Don’t worry about that. They’ll be loyal.” He says. She raises her version of an eyebrow at him before they continue walking.
“Very well. I will compile a list of the highest ranking cadets.”
“Thank you.” He says making Shaak Ti glance at him.
“I believe that is the first time you’ve ever said thank you.” She grins.
“These are strange times.” He says giving her a small smile. When they reach the end of the corridor, they leave each other to prepare.
The Kaminoans were kind enough to give him his own training room for his cadets and their own barracks to set them apart from the rest. He spends the rest of his time going over his plans. Despite all his training he wasn’t sure if he was prepared to actually teach. When the doors to his room open, he lets out a small grunt when Fordo walks in.
“I didn’t think it would be true but here you are.” He says. He leans against the doorway with his helmet under his arm.
“Someone’s got to do it. Jango isn’t here anymore so it falls on us to make sure these cadets are trained properly.” Alpha says while shuffling some papers around. Fordo walks further into Alpha’s room and places his helmet on the table.
“So, you’re really going to train a bunch of cadets? I’m sure some of the Mandalorian bounty hunters wouldn’t have a problem doing it.” Fordo crosses his arms.
“You know they all cleared out after Jango died. Now it’s just regular bounty hunters who just want to get paid.” Alpha leans back in his chair. Fordo stares at the ground thinking.
“Then I wish you the best of luck.” He says finally. He takes his helmet before slipping it back on his head. Just before walking out of the room, he turns back over his shoulder and says “You’re gonna need it.”
Alpha stares at the doors a moment longer before returning to his training plans. By the time Shaak Ti has summoned him he’s already inspected all of the gear and training room a couple times over. He can’t keep feeling like he was forgetting something but chalked it up to just being his nerves. Alpha never got nervous when it came to battle. But this? This made him uneasy.
When finds Shaak Ti, she’s staring at a datapad deep in thought. She smiles when she sees him.
“Find me some cadets?” Alpha asks when he joins her. She motions for him to follow her.
“I have,” She says as they walk down a corridor looking down at different batches training. “The first cadet is CC-2224.”
They stand next to the window looking down at a cadet running through the simulation. Alpha watches the boy take out the training droids. He was impressed.
“Though, I would like to mention that he can be a bit…” Shaak Ti starts before the boy has his blaster shot out of his hands. Alpha stiffens when the boy continues to charge and lands a punch on the chest of the droid. The boy lets out a painful scream before cradling his wounded hand and ultimately being shot. “… reckless.”
“Let’s move on.” Alpha says still unable to take his eyes off the kid that thought punching the metal droid was a good idea. Still, he was impressed. They walk over to the next window.
“This is CT-7567.” Shaak Ti says. At first Alpha couldn’t tell which cadet he was supposed to be looking at until Shaak Ti points towards a pillar. A cadet climbs up the side before dropping down on top of a droid. While steering the droid into the other training droids he manages to hold onto his blaster taking out a sniper droid. Alpha lifts a hand to his chin as a smile creeps on his face. With the droid beneath him the only one left he leaps off it and fires a single shot. The droid falls to the ground. His batchmates cheer for their brother. The cadet wears a proud smile before turning and walking straight into a pillar. Alpha frowns.
“We can work on that.” Alpha says when Shaak Ti gives a worried expression. They move on to the other cadets listed. When they’ve inspected each cadet, Alpha goes over the list. He decides to only pick eight for now. No reason to start too big. He might not succeed in this after all.
“Have you decided which ones you will be taking?” Shaak Ti asks after a moment. They now sit in a room used for meetings.
“I have.” He says sliding her the datapad. She looks over the list and nods in agreeance.
“I will have these cadets report to your training room immediately.”
When she leaves, Alpha feels jittery. What he was about to do could make these boys into the most capable and feared soldiers in the army. He could possibly make them the most useless soldiers anyone has ever seen. He decides that he can’t think like that now. He makes his way to the training room. He paces on one of the platforms while waiting. When the doors open, he stands tall hiding any sign of insecurity. Shaak Ti leads the eight cadets into the room. They stand in formation at attention.
“CC-2224, CT-7567, CC-3636, CC-1138, CC-8826, CC-1010, CC-4477, and CC-1004,” He says already agreeing with the Skywalker kid. They need normal names. Not just numbers. “You eight have been the first selected to undergo the first ARC training program! Here you will not just be trained as soldiers but to lead soldiers!”
The boys are good. They show little to no sign of excitement or shock. Alpha places his hands behind his back.
“Now I’ve seen what you could do with your batchmates. Show me what you can do next to the other elite cadets!” He says. They are given training blasters before he and Shaak Ti clear the training course. They stand at the top looking down from the railings. He notices Fordo on the other side watching as intently as he is. He gives the signal for them to begin and holds his breath.
It first starts out well. They take formation and appear to be follow directions well. Until Alpha gives out the next set of orders. Each cadet is used to being the leader of the batch. Now in a group of eight equally competent cadets they started bumping heads. Literally. CC-1010 and CC-4477 run right into each other while trying to advance. They fall to the training room floor before breaking out in a fight. CC-2224 tries advance past the fighting cadets only to dive for cover when CT-7567 tries to commandeer a droid similar to the way he did in his last training course. This time he’s unable to take control of the droid.
“Watch it!” CC-2224 yells before the droid lands a shot stunning him. CT-7567 steers the droid into the wall knocking himself unconscious. Alpha winces when the kids hits the ground. CC-3636 and CC-1004 are the only two who seem to be capable of working alongside each other. They work along side each other but seem to not want to outdo the other. Alpha rolls his eyes when they pause not wanting to shove past the other resulting in getting stunned by a droid they failed to see. Alpha turns his attention to the last two cadets who have managed to get closer to the citadel then any of the others. Unlike CC-3636 and CC-1004, these two act like it’s a competition. They shove each other in attempting to be first. Alpha shakes his head when they break out into an all out fight. Alpha rubs his face tiredly. He can hear Fordo’s laughing from across the training course.
“It appears you have your work cut out for you.” Shaak Ti says giving him a light pat on his shoulder. She leaves him to stare down at four stunned cadets and four in all out fist fights. He lets out a painful groan before muttering to himself:
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”