~Side notes~

Things get confusing here. Sorry it's a hard scene to write. Anywhos...Enjoy.

Cesario woke up to an empty bunker. The others had already left for training. Feeling abandoned he looked about the bunker until spying a note written on flimsy. On it was a short quickly scrawled instruction to head to the training facility where the others were running through some drills. With his spirits lifted, Cesario hurried to get ready so he could see his new commander, he hoped Gash wouldn't send him away like so many of the other commanders had.

He ran to get there faster, the white halls were flying past him as he ran. His heart pounded so hard he felt it would burst. Cesario had to see Gash again, he didn't want to be forgotten. He kept running until he reached the doors were a tall figure caused him to stop. He couldn't tell who the trooper was at first until he saw the scar he had seen briefly the night before it was Gash.

The commander turned and nodded for the kid to come closer "Glad to see you up and about. How's the stomach? I'll admit the food last night was gross." he said leaning over a rail watching the other members of his team sparing with vibro weaponry. Fang was sparing with a droid programmed to mimic a Jedi.

Cesario hopped over to Gash with a smile on his face. He still couldn't make a sound when he opened his mouth.

Gash straightened up "Alright boys, run the track! Show the new kid what you can do!" he ordered turning to Cesario "Welcome to Blade squad, the team that can take on force users and win."

Cesario watched the others with interest. They were joking at each other as they ran the terrain track. He tapped Gash's shoulder to get the Commander's attention.

"What is it kid?" the commander asked.

Cesario pointed at himself then to the others. "Oh you want to join in? Go ahead, I'd love to see what you're capable of." Gash said nodding "If you're not up to par I'll have to discipline you." he said darkly.

The cadet only grinned and ran down to join the others. He was quite a bit shorter than his brothers, though part of it was age. He was the youngest one in the room. He started from the beginning of the track and swiftly caught up to his teammates and passed them easily. When they moved on to the shooting range, no one could out shoot the kid. Brand frowned muttering to himself that only Snipe had been that good, but the famed sniper was dead as far as anyone knew.

Gash laughed and called Cesario back. The cadet beamed and eagerly ran up to his commander. He was happy to see his new commander smile.

"Good job kiddo. Never seen anyone so willing to fight." he praised clapping his hand on Cesario's shoulder "Think you're up for a little game? I'm pretty sure you'll like it."

Cesario nodded and mouthed "Please!" as he followed Gash out of the training facility. He was rather curious as to where the commander was taking him, they had already past the bunker. He run in front of Gash and mouthed "Where are we going?"

Gash wasn't the best at mouth reading but quickly figured out what the kid was trying to say "I thought we could play in my room since we wouldn't have interruptions there, that alright with you?"

Cesario nodded. He didn't mind as long as he was with his commander. He didn't know why but he didn't want to leave his side, his chest hurt whenever Gash wasn't nearby. He was though, very curious why Gash didn't sleep with the others in the bunker.

Gash then opened a door leading to a small room "I don't normally bring people here, but I can make an exception for you." he said letting the kid in and closing the door behind him. "It ain't much but it'll do." he said removing pieces of his armor "You may want to take the armor off, it's hard to play with it on."

Cesario did as he was instructed and stripped down to the body glove under his armor. He noticed that Gash wasn't wearing the top half of the glove or any of his armor. The commander's back was heavily scarred, the largest spanned over his spine across the mid back. The muscles under his skin didn't move quite right on one side.

The commanders sat down on the bunk that served as his bed and patted the mattress beside him wear Cesario immediately sat. "What happens now?" the cadet mouthed silently.

Gash smiled "The game begins. I'm just trying to find where it tickles most, if you feel uncomfortable, just tell me ok?" he said wrapping one arm behind Cesario and rubbing his side "Don't be scared." he whispered before nipping Cesario's ear.

The cadet shifted as he felt Gash's hand trace each rib. It tickled, but he felt nothing else. He'd heard someone say if someone nipped your ear, you were supposed to feel Horney or something like that. Cesario felt nothing which made him sad. He felt Gash's hands slip under his shirt and tease his nipples but he felt nothing else nothing that he should be feeling. He saw Gash frown at the lack of response that he was getting from the kid beside him.

"I'm sorry. I can't play the game right. I can't do anything right." he mouthed sobbing.

The commander sighed "Nah its ok, I doubt it's your fault kiddo." he paused for a moment "How long have you been like this?" he asked never having encountered an impotent brother before.

Cesario shook his head before clutching at his heart, silently screaming in agony as memory came back to him. Memories of being a captive in a Separatist prison with a number of other clones. The cruelty they suffered at the hands of their captor. He was a sick man, breaking the bones of his captives, healing them only to break them again. Many died of their wounds, the rest were starved. Cesario alone survived the ordeal but now relived it.

Gash held onto the clone who was all but incapacitated. He kept mouthing words Gash couldn't understand and tears streamed down the kid's face. "What did those kriffing Long necks do to him?" he growled gently shaking Cesario "Snap out of it Cesario!" he yelled.

Cesario finally came out of his spell and clung to Gash terrified "I-it hurts..." he whispered quietly.

"What does kid?"

Cesario pointed at his chest, before mouthing "Don't ask again, please don't. I don't want to go to the white place again."

"Hey slow down kiddo. It's ok I won't ask again." he said holding Cesario close. "You won't be staying with the others."

Cesario stared at gash shocked "Don't send me away!" He mouthed throwing himself on Gash.

"I didn't say you were leaving you just won't be staying with the rest of the squad."

"Where will I stay?" Cesario mouthed looking sad again.

Gash gave the kid a small smile "Right here with me. I'll have your things moved in here, but only if you want to stay here."

Cesario's face lit up with joy as he hugged Gash. He was so happy that Gash wasn't going to send him away. He looked up at Gash and his stomach growled causing the commander to laugh.

"Sounds like you're hungry, I think that's the first time I've heard a sound come out of you. How long has your voice been like that?"

Cesario shrugged "Since I left the white place." he mouthed sadly.

"Well I'm ok with that. Normally I like hearing people but I'll get used to quiet." gash said putting his armor back on.

Cesario smiled. He liked Gash a lot and nothing would ever change that fact. He hoped one day his voice would return and that he could maybe play that game properly with Gash. He just wanted Gash to be happy with him so he would never be sent away again.

~Author's note~

Hey all! Hope I didn't melt your brains here, such a hard chapter to write. Well does anyone picture Cesario as a neko? I drew him once. My post the pic but for the fun of it I added kitten ears and a tail...and made him a little older than the story version. The result was rather cute. Teeheeeheee. Lots of lovin! ~Rogue