#also to my darth maul vs. alpha anon

[ace-oreos]

Fordo being protective of his batchmates, that’s it that’s the ask please

Fordo being a good brother is just...  🥺 🥺 🥺

I really love his relationship with his vode okay 

I broke this down into three little snapshot type things so we could squeeze in some other characters besides just Fordo and Alpha. :D Borrowing Vortex was entirely necessary and I am SO DOWN to do it again - 

Anyways. Hope you like it! And I hope I didn’t write Fordo too similar to Alpha. XD

Tags: @dudewhynotthis @delta-the-mando @merspots @the-mandalorian-clone-lover @or-te-ka-ra (taglist is open!) 

17’s distracted frown has become a common sight lately. Fordo can only guess its cause this time around - it could be anything from cadets not performing to standard to another report of high casualties from another pointless assault ordered by a nat-born officer. 

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t take him long to decide that someone ought to broach the subject. It’s hardly likely that 17 will decide to do it himself, so Fordo takes the initiative.

“Me’vaar ti gar?” he asks, keeping his tone casual.

“The usual.” 17 looks tired. He’ll never admit it, of course, but it just so happens that Fordo knows him better than most. You weren’t always like this.

The usual could mean any number of things. 17 isn’t keeping him in the dark deliberately, but Fordo never liked having to guess and prod for details.

“Performance scores,” his brother clarifies as if he sensed the incoming question. “They’re lower than they should be, and I’d be lying if I said I knew why.”

“New batch?” Fordo guesses.

17 shakes his head. “That’s the problem. They’re halfway through the course.”

“Have you changed anything lately?”

“Nothing that wasn’t planned for.”

“Give them some time,” Fordo advises. It’ll likely do little to placate his brother, but on the whole 17 tends to take such things better when it comes from Fordo. A nat-born or a shiny wouldn’t stand a chance.

“We haven’t got time,” 17 mutters, more to himself than Fordo. 

“If you’ve done your job, you’ve done everything you can,” Fordo says bracingly, hoping a more direct approach will resonate with 17. “The rest is up to them.”

“If they’re not up to standard, then that’s on me,” 17 says flatly. 

It’s not a matter of their lackluster performance reflecting poorly on 17, Fordo knows; it’s the difference between life and death. For all that 17 insists on separating himself from his cadets, he wouldn’t have bothered taking training detail if he didn’t care. 

“You’ll figure it out,” Fordo assures. “Or it’ll work itself out. There’s bound to be some trial and error along the way.”

17 doesn’t look convinced, but his chin dips in a nod.

You’ll see, Fordo promises, wishing he could better articulate some sort of reassurance, if 17 would tolerate it. It’s not always down to you. 

He’s always pushed himself too hard, 17 - always burdened himself with carrying the weight of Jango’s legacy as though he couldn’t entrust any of the man’s ninety-nine other sons to do the job themselves. Fordo shouldn’t count himself grateful, but he can’t deny that he would be all too happy to pass it up, given the choice.

Better you than me, ner vod.

Fordo doesn’t pretend he always understands what goes on his brother’s mind, but if he can share that burden, even temporarily… well, he’ll have upheld his end of the deal. 

______________

For all that they’re soldiers, the near-constant disquiet lurking in Vortex’s eyes is a stark reminder that there are some obstacles even Jango Fett couldn’t overcome.

Fordo prefers to have a target in front of him, himself - an enemy that has the decency to identify itself from the start. He’s never grappled with things that can’t be seen when he can avoid it; those are Jedi matters, the likes of which Fordo doesn’t have any problem ignoring so long as it’s not an imminent threat.

He doesn’t bother asking Vortex if he’s okay. In short, he’s not. His brother is fearless and cunning and strong-willed - but he’s vulnerable, too. He’s on guard far too often for one to wonder if there isn’t a reason for it.

You don’t have to protect yourself from me, Fordo wants to say. But the invitation to lower those carefully crafted shields will only drive Vortex away. It’s a complexity Fordo doesn’t fancy he’ll ever unravel, so he navigates the situation as best he can.

“I have some stuff to take care of if you want to join me,” he says. “Mission reports and the like. Nothing exciting, but I’d welcome the company.”

The answer in Vortex’s eyes is plain. The hesitation isn’t far behind. It’s almost painful, to see how clearly his brother longs to give in, only to be held back by some inhibition that isn’t entirely of his own making.

“Hey,” Fordo presses gently. This isn’t his territory at all, but if he doesn’t try, who will? 

“You don’t have to explain anything to me if you’re not ready. But you don’t have to be alone, either.”

Vortex wavers.

“Besides, someone has to keep me on track,” he continues, opting for a route that’s kinder all around. “As Seventeen so kindly reminds me, I’ve been lagging in the paperwork department.”

Vortex’s first instinct will always be to turn to Alpha, but Fordo likes to imagine he’s a suitable alternative. He doesn’t think he’s imagining the gratitude that smooths the creases of his brother’s frown. 

It’s not quite a smile, but it tells Fordo everything Vortex doesn’t yet know how to say.

_____________

Plenty of their brothers dismiss Maze out of hand for being too uptight or too rigid, but there are times when Fordo finds his methodical manner oddly reassuring. It’s almost comical, the contrast between their respective approaches, but Maze is as steady as they come. 

“Sounds messy,” Maze opines when Fordo gives him a rundown of the situation that’s brewing in the Ryloth system.

“Got it in one.” Talking to a grainy holo of his brother isn’t half as satisfying as holding a conversation face-to-face, but Fordo takes what he can get. “Guess who’s on standby.”

“Why not send an infantry battalion?” Maze says critically. “Your squad shouldn’t be used as front-line troops.”

“Tell that to command,” Fordo says, unable to hold back a sigh. “We go where sent.”

“Go careful, though, yeah?”

“With the way things have been going this could blow over in a few days. I’m not too worried.”

“Or it could get out of hand,” Maze cautions. “I wouldn’t assume anything if I were you.”

It’s nothing Fordo hasn’t figured out for himself, but he doesn’t berate his brother for it. Maze doesn’t get too many field missions anymore; Fordo can only imagine how frustrating it must be to watch the rest of the Special Operations Brigade come and go on any number of high-risk assignments. 

“You ought to see if Zey will let you loose for a while,” he suggests. “Field ops take priority over paperwork.” 

Desk duty is a waste of Maze’s skills, too, but even Fordo knows better than to say that.

Maze’s jaw tightens. “I’m sure someone will need a new assignment soon.”

Not that they have the numbers for that; the first year of the war did a number on the commando squads. Even with the combined strength of the cross-trained ARCs and Republic commandos, they’re operating at less than half the original strength of the brigade. Fordo doesn’t see the sense in keeping Maze tied to Coruscant, and he can’t fathom why it’s so difficult for General Zey to puzzle out, either. 

“We’ll watch our backs,” Fordo promises. “You promised me a drink a while ago, remember?” 

Maze cracks a smile. “So I did.”

“I’m holding you to that. Gotta have something to keep me going out here.”

“K’oyacyi, ner vod.”

#captain fordo #arc-77 #alpha-17 #alpha 17 #captain maze #alpha-26 #alpha-71 #the clone wars #star wars #fic prompt #thanks for the prompt! #i really really liked this one #also to my darth maul vs. alpha anon #it's coming i promise