Motto: Embrace Others for Their Differences, For That Makes You Whole.

News Reel: The Battle for Anaxes! Following the conclusion of the Clone War, one of the Republic's largest shipyards is under attack from a Separatist remnant led by Admiral Trench. Jedi Generals Plo Koon and Anakin Skywalker lead a two-pronged assault on the ground and in the air. But after weeks of heated battle and mounting losses, the Republic's grip on Anaxes begins to slip away...

Fort Anaxes was in chaos. Almost every five minutes saw the arrival of more gunships, offloading even more wounded clones. Not only that, but the Republic itself was losing several fronts on the ship building planet. The situation was becoming desperate for the Republic, and Master Plo Koon knew it. Anakin could sense the Kel Dor master's worry as he stared solemnly at the projected global map on the holo-table.

"Trench's Remnant has overrun our main assembly complex," Plo sighed, earning a look of worry from both Anakin and Commander Wolffe, the later standing just behind his general. "It won't be long before they take Anaxes, compromising our entire reserve fleet." The sound of footsteps pulled the three men's attention to the approaching figures of Captain Rex and Commander Cody, who were accompanied by ARC Fives, whose hair had finally grown back after the inhibitor chip fiasco a year earlier.

"Pardon the interruption Generals," Cody apologized before motioning to the two troopers who accompanied him, "But Rex and Fives have a good theory as to why we keep, uh, losing." Plo, his interest now peaked, leaned in with keen interest.

"You may proceed, Captain," he addressed Rex, who quickly stepped forward toward the holo-table, swiftly typing in a code as he spoke.

"The Separatist Remnant uses analytics to predict our strategies," he began, the holo-table now displaying multiple codes and strategies, as well as outcomes of recent campaigns on Anaxes, "The first time we use a new tactic, it's very effective. The next time, less so. They learn our tendencies and use that data against us. To counter them, Fives and I are constantly working out ways to vary our attacks."

"But the losses we are experiencing on Anaxes, are not commonplace?" Plo inquired.

"Exactly," Rex confirmed, "the droid counter attacks are so specific, it's our strategy the droids know."

"Fives, is this possible?" Anakin inquired, his attention now on Fives, who stepped forward so that he was now right beside Rex.

"Well, as you know, General," Fives began, "Rex and I have studied our battle lines for some time." Pausing briefly, Fives entered a new code into the system, which brought up a display of different, and noticeably unorthodox strategies. "We have developed an algorithm to counter all our tactical tendencies, with the hope we could use it to shore up our weaknesses. Since this battle for Anaxes started, the Separatist Remnant has always been one step ahead of us. If I'm right, Admiral Trench has our algorithm, and he's using it to predict our strategies." Upon hearing this, Anakin cast a worried glance toward Plo. It was at this point, Cody spoke up.

"My concern is that Rex and Fives are two of our best," he stated, "if the droids can learn how to defeat them, we may all be vulnerable."

"What do you propose?" Plo inquired, greatly unnerved by the three clones' hypothesis.

"Let Rex, Fives, and me take a small squad behind enemy lines," Cody proposed, "There's an old Separatist Cyber Center which relays all battlefield intel to Trench's command ship. If we are going to find anything, it'll be there." Plo nodded thoughtfully, clearly indicating that he considered the plan to be structurally sound.

"If you think it will turn the tide of this battle," the seasoned master finally said, "get going."

"Thank you General," Rex responded. But instead of immediately turning on his heels, he lingered for a moment, almost as if he were contemplating saying something. this did not go unnoticed by Anakin, who also took into account that fives also seemed to be particularly tense.

"Rex, Fives, is there anything else?" Anakin finally inquired of his two best men. Just as it appeared Fives was about to speak, Rex beat him to it.

"No, General." With that, the three clones left to put together their team, while a suspicious Anakin looked on.

Later on, Fives found himself alone in the mobile barracks reserved for the 501st. Such circumstances were actually very welcome to him, as it allowed him time to think in relative peace. But what he was thinking about was tearing at his soul. On instinct, Fives reached into his ammo belt, procuring a personal holo-disc. Typing in a specific sequence, Fives placed the small device on the cold durasteel floor, waiting for the person at the other end of the transmission to pick up.

"She always knows what to say," Fives told himself. after a few more moments, Fives's transmission was answered int he form of the blue projection of, in his opinion, the most beautiful red skinned Togruta he had ever seen, dressed in a tan dressing gown that stopped just at the middle of her thighs, which, save for brown leather boots were exposed. Her long montrals and lekku, as Fives observed, give an air of regalia, making the beautiful creature before him look like a queen. But then again, any husband thinks that of his wife.

"Fives, sweetling," the togruta finally spoke, "it is so good to see you." Fives smiled at his wife's beaming face.

"And I'm so happy to see you, Ti," Fives responded somewhat sadly, which of course did not go unnoticed by the ever insightful Shaak Ti.

"What's wrong, dear?" She inquired with a frown, earning a sigh from Fives who, after a moment, finally revealed what he need to talk about.

"I think Echo is alive." Upon hearing this rather farfetched statement from her husband, Shaak Ti's shock quickly turned into concern, thinking Fives's might be going crazy.

"Fives," she began tentatively, "it is not possible. Echo died at the Citadel." Fives had to admit that he did not expect his wife to believe him, even though a ridiculous theory he had a year earlier practically saved the Jedi Order and brought down the Sith Lord plotting it's demise. But just like back then, he had to push his luck if meant anyone would believe him.

"Ti, hear me out," he began, "the way the droids are countering our plans, the strategies they're using, they're all old battle plans Echo and I drew up together."

"Fives," Shaak Ti interrupted, shaking her head in disbelief, "I want believe you, but it's just not possible." Feeling rather dejected, Fives allowed his shoulders to slump as he let out a long sigh. Seeing her husband in this state, no matter the situation, was enough to make her heart bleed for him. "But," she finally began to admit, catching Fives's attention as he looked at her flickering image, "it wouldn't be the first time you may be right about a ridiculous idea." Fives couldn't help but laugh at his wife's statement. It was at that moment he took int he very noticeable bulge around her stomach.

"How's Ashla doing?" Fives inquired about their unborn daughter. Shaak Ti let out a forced laugh as she answered.

"Kicking up a storm," she said, which succeeded in getting a bigger laugh out of Fives, who kneeled down so that he was face to face with Shaak Ti's holographic baby bump.

"Now, now, kid," he cooed, earning a small giggle from the soon to be mother, "take it easy on mommy, alright? At least until I get home." Rising to his feet, Fives took a few moments to stair longingly into his wife's eyes, with said togruta returning the gaze. "I love you, Ti," Fives whispered.

"I love you too, Fives," Shaak Ti answered back, waiting a few seconds before ending the connection, leaving Fives alone int he barracks once again. But not for long. With a hiss, the door to the barracks opened, allowing Rex and Cody to enter, wrapped up in what appeared to be a very interesting conversation.

" I didn't want to tell the Generals cause they would have thought Fives and I were crazy." Just from that one sentence uttered by Rex, Fives instantly knew what the two were talking about.

"You talking about Echo being alive?" Both commanding officers, who had only just stopped five feet short of Fives, looked at the latter in shock.

"How did you..." Cody began before being cut off by Fives.

"I just talked to Ti," Fives said sadly, looking to Rex "I think she thinks we're cray, too." Even taking in his brother's dejected expression, Cody knew now was not the time to be thinking of ridiculous theories.

"You two have to admit what you are suggesting is a long shot," he quipped, "and most likely misplaced hope. I need you both to be focused." Realizing he was goign to get nowhere with is theory, Fives let out a loud sigh as he relented.

"I know, I know," he conceded, "don't worry." Satisfied with the answer, Cody turned toward the door to the barracks. But before he could get too far, he was topped by Rex.

'What squad are we taking in?" he inquired. With a sly smile, Cody turned toward the duo as he answered.

"Clone Force 99."

"I've heard mixed things about these guys," Jesse told Kix as they both sat on the ramp leading to the barracks.

"they have a one hundred percent success rate," Kix responded as Cody, Rex and Fives exited the barracks, made their way down the ramp, and started walking toward the airfield. Jumping to their feet, the two clones followed close behind their brothers.

"It's not THAT they win," Jesse began as a rebuttal, "it's HOW they win that concerns me." Just as Jesse made that statement, an unmarked shuttle rapidly descended onto the airfield, causing machinery, crates, and clones to go flying from the the sudden, powerful draft of air that was thrown at them. Raising their arms to shield their faces from the blast of air, accompanied by the dust it kicked up.

"Certainly know how to make an entrance," Fives sarcastically commented.

"So why haven't I heard of this squad?" Rex inquired gesturing to the, what appeared to, modified Nu-Class Shuttle.

"Experimental Unit Clone Force 99," Cody began, "they're defective clones with, uh, desirable mutations."

"99, eh?" Fives inquired, a reminiscent look on his face, "nice touch." Cody smiled at his brother before turning his attention back to the shuttle.

"They call themselves The Bad Batch." Just as those words left Cody's mouth, a hatch located on the side of the shuttle suddenly opened. Stepping down the ramp, the group of clones took in what could only be described as a team of Clone Commandos, only their armor appeared modified, almost as if it could take a direct hit from the main canon of an AT-TE.

"THE CALVARY HAS ARRIVED!" Upon hearing a loud and very brash voice, the clones on the airfield looked to see a hulking figure begin his descent down the ramp of the strange looking shuttle. But the shuttle wasn't the only thing that was strange. Once the new arrivals had taken off their helmets, Rex and the others, save for Cody, could see what the latter meant about "defective."

"These guys are clones?" Kix inquired, shocked at how unlike the rest of them, these clones faces seemed to have different structures all together.

"They don't look like clones to me," Fives chipped in, quirking an eyebrow as the commandos drew closer.

"Genetic modifications," Cody said over his shoulder, a matter-of-fact tone in his voice, "they're clones, but they all don't look alike. Obviously."

"Yeah," Kix replied with sarcasm, "obviously."

This is certainly going to be interesting, Fives though to himself. And he was right. After being introduced to the Bad Batch, which consisted of the long-haired, tattooed-faced leader Hunter, the muscular demolitions expert Wrecker, the goggled, electronics wiz Tech, and the lithe, grey-haired sniper Crosshair, the group set off toward the Separatist cyber-center. Unfortunately, before they were even halfway to their destination, their gunship was shot down by spider droids, killing the pilots and critically injuring Cody, who was rescued thanks to Wrecker's super-human strength. After dispatching a patrol of droids charging the crash site, the group of clones decided to continue their journey on foot. But, when night fell, it was too dark to continue.

Unfortunately, with Cody's injuries, Rex realized time was of the essence. After calling an evac for Cody, who would be looked after by Kix, Rex assumed command of the operation. However, a brief scuffle broke out between the two squads after Crosshair insulted Rex's tactical expertise. But, after a scolding from Hunter, the group realized that they should not be fighting each other, as it was counter productive to the mission. The next morning, after Cody and Kix were taken back to base, the remaining clones came upon a towering structure; an outpost.

"Should we take it?" inquired Hunter as the group took cover behind some trees.

"Probably easier than going around," Fives conceded.

"All right, How do you guys wanna do this? Pick off from the treeline line by one?" Thinking it over, Rex came tot he conclusion that a more unorthodox tatcic was needed.

"Actually," he began, a bit of mischief in his voice, "I was thinking we take a page from your book; rush 'em head on." Hunter liked the sound of that.

"I like your style." Needless to say, the squad managed to successfully capture the outpost before moving on tot he cyber center and, thanks to some brilliant tactics, managed to infiltrate the complex. Unfortunately, the group was forced to retreat after discovering that the algorithm was not being relayed through a program, but through a live signal from Skako Minor. But Fives had to know something before leaving.

"Tech, find out who is sending that signal," he asked the young hacker, "ask who that is." With a few adjustments and newly imputed codes, Tech found what he was looking for.

"CT-1409," a voice repeatedly sounded over the central computer, making Fives's eyes go wide in disbelief.

"No," Fives rasped out, a few tears coming to his eyes, "it can't be." At that point, Rex had entered the room to retrieve Fives and Tech, only to freeze when he heard what was being played on the computer. But, with droid reinforcements closing in, Rex knew there was no time to dwell on this discovery.

"Fives, come on," he silently urged the still in shock ARC Trooper, finally succeeded in pulling the latter away from the console. Now, the team was on their way back to Republic Lines on a Separatist Speeder commandeered by Crosshair. The ride back was in relative silence, that is until tech inquired something of Rex.

"That number, Cap," he began tentatively, his intuition telling him it was a touchy subject, if Rex and Fives's reactions were any indication, "what does it mean?" Before Rex could answer, Fives began to speak in a pained whisper as tears ran down his cheeks.

"CT-1409. That was Echo's number. He's alive."