Command Structure

The Republic Military Complex loomed against Coruscant's dawn skyline, its angular architecture a stark contrast to the Jedi Temple's flowing spires. Obi-Wan strode through the facility's main entrance, his steps measured and purposeful. Today marked the official formation of the 212th Battalion – and the beginning of his most delicate operation yet.

Commander Cody awaited him in the briefing room, standing at parade rest. The clone's armor gleamed with fresh paint, the orange markings of the 212th still wet in places. Seeing him here, loyal and whole, sent a pang through Obi-Wan's chest. Memories of Order 66 threatened to surface, but he pushed them aside. That future would never come to pass.

"General Kenobi." Cody saluted crisply. "The men are assembled for inspection."

"At ease, Commander." Obi-Wan smiled warmly. "And please, when it's just us, Obi-Wan will do. We'll be fighting together – formality shouldn't stand between brothers in arms."

Surprise flickered across Cody's face, quickly masked by professional composure. Already, this diverged from their first meeting in the original timeline. Good.

The barracks stretched before them, row upon row of identical troops standing at attention. Yet through the Force, each signature blazed unique – individual minds shaped by training but not truly bound by it. Obi-Wan walked slowly down the lines, reaching out with his enhanced sensitivity to gauge each soldier's potential.

"Your men show exceptional promise, Commander," he noted, pausing before a particular squad. "Especially these troopers. Their independent thinking scores are impressive."

Cody consulted his datapad. "Ghost Squad, sir. They've demonstrated... unusual initiative during training."

"Perfect." Obi-Wan turned to face the selected troops. "Congratulations, men. You've just become our first special operations unit. Report to Training Room 7 at 0600 tomorrow."

The clones exchanged glances, their Force signatures bright with curiosity and pride. Among them, Obi-Wan sensed something more – faint ripples in the Force. Candidates for his secret program, though they didn't know it yet.

"Sir," Cody spoke up, "standard protocols suggest—"

"We won't be following standard protocols, Commander." Obi-Wan gestured for Cody to walk with him. "This war will require new approaches, new ways of thinking. The 212th will be at the forefront of these changes."

Training Room 7 had been modified according to Obi-Wan's specifications. Traditional military equipment shared space with Mandalorian training devices he'd requisitioned through carefully cultivated contacts. The selected squad filed in, their curiosity evident despite identical faces.

"Your standard combat training is excellent," Obi-Wan began, pacing before them. "But excellence isn't enough. We need extraordinary." He activated a holoprojector, displaying Mandalorian combat formations. "These techniques have fought Jedi to a standstill for millennia. Master them, and you'll be prepared for any opponent."

The clones studied the projections with professional interest. Through the Force, Obi-Wan sensed their mounting excitement – this wasn't the standard military doctrine they'd been bred to follow.

"Sir," one trooper spoke up – Boil, Obi-Wan remembered. "Won't command have concerns about us learning... irregular tactics?"

"Command gave me full authority over your training," Obi-Wan replied. "But more importantly, they gave me soldiers capable of thinking beyond their programming. Show me what you can do."

The next hours proved grueling. Mandalorian combat forms emphasized individual initiative over synchronized movement. The clones struggled initially, their ingrained responses fighting against new patterns. But gradually, personal styles emerged. Each man adapted differently, finding unique solutions to tactical challenges.

Cody observed from the sidelines, datapad forgotten in his hands. "They're exceeding design parameters," he murmured. "The Kaminoans never predicted this level of adaptation."

"The Kaminoans," Obi-Wan replied carefully, "underestimated their own creation. These men aren't droids to be programmed. They're humans, with all the potential that implies."

Something shifted in Cody's Force signature – a subtle crack in years of conditioning. "The long-necks wouldn't like hearing that, sir."

"Then it's fortunate they're not here." Obi-Wan turned to face his commander directly. "Tell me, Cody. What do you think about the concept of absolute orders?"

The question struck deeper than intended. Confusion rippled through Cody's usually disciplined mind. "We're made to follow orders, sir. It's... our purpose."

"Is it? Look at them." Obi-Wan gestured to the training clones, now executing complex maneuvers with growing confidence. "They're adapting, improving, thinking for themselves. Following orders matters, yes. But understanding why you follow them matters more."

After the main training session, Obi-Wan gathered the five troopers he'd identified earlier. They stood at attention in a smaller adjacent room, confusion evident in their Force signatures despite disciplined expressions.

"At ease, gentlemen." Obi-Wan sealed the door with a wave of his hand. "What I'm about to share stays between us. Command wouldn't understand, and the Kaminoans..." He let the implication hang.

The clones exchanged glances. Through the Force, Obi-Wan sensed their growing curiosity warring with ingrained obedience.

"During today's exercises, each of you demonstrated unusual... intuition." He paced before them slowly. "Split-second decisions that proved correct, movements that anticipated attacks before they came, sensations you couldn't explain but trusted anyway. Sound familiar?"

Their Force signatures flared with recognition. One trooper – designation CT-2876 – stepped forward slightly. "Sir, are you suggesting..."

"The Force flows through all living things," Obi-Wan continued. "Including clones. Your Mandalorian genetic template carries certain... potentials. Most remain dormant, but in some cases..." He lifted a small object from the table without touching it. The clones' eyes widened.

"This is impossible," another trooper breathed. "We weren't made for—"

"You were made to be the finest soldiers in the galaxy," Obi-Wan interrupted. "But what that means... well, that's what we're here to explore."

He guided them through basic meditation exercises, techniques disguised as advanced combat focus training. Nothing that would draw attention from outside observers, but enough to begin awakening their latent sensitivity.

"Remember," he cautioned as the session ended, "this remains classified. Your new training regimen will officially focus on special operations and advanced combat techniques. The rest..." He smiled slightly. "Consider it personal development."

After dismissing the group, Obi-Wan remained alone in the training room, reviewing data on his pad. The day's progress exceeded his expectations. Already, patterns emerged that would help identify other Force-sensitive clones throughout the army.

A presence approached outside – Cody, returning with operational reports. Time to begin the next phase.

.....

...

..

Cody entered the command center, arms laden with holopads detailing troop deployments and combat readiness assessments. The room's strategic displays cast blue light across his face, highlighting the subtle tension in his expression.

"Sir, I've reviewed the proposed command structure." He laid out the documents methodically. "Some of these modifications are... unprecedented."

"These aren't unprecedented times, Commander?" Obi-Wan gestured to the galactic map dominating the central display. Red markers indicated Separatist-controlled worlds, their number growing daily.

"Point taken, sir. But creating independent squad leadership, specialized units with autonomous command authority..." Cody's finger traced the new organizational chart. "It goes against standard military doctrine."

"Standard doctrine didn't anticipate this war." Obi-Wan brought up tactical projections he'd prepared – battles he remembered, but presented as theoretical scenarios. "Look here. Traditional command structures fall apart when communications are jammed or leadership is compromised. We need units capable of completing objectives without constant oversight."

The commander studied the simulations, his tactical mind absorbing the implications. "These scenarios... they're incredibly specific."

"Based on thorough analysis of potential battlefield conditions." Another partial truth. "Now, about emergency protocols..."

Obi-Wan outlined his plans for contingency communications – hidden frequencies, backup channels, emergency codes that would prove vital if things went wrong. Each suggestion seemed reasonable in isolation, but together they formed a web of safeguards against future betrayal.

"The men will need extensive training in these procedures," Cody noted, adding items to his datapad. "And the security implications—"

"Will be handled personally." Obi-Wan pulled up another display – deployment patterns for the coming weeks. "I've arranged for the 212th to receive priority access to advanced combat simulators. We'll run scenarios until these protocols become second nature."

As they delved into operational details, Obi-Wan watched his commander carefully. Already, subtle changes appeared in Cody's behavior – more questions, deeper analysis, growing confidence in his own judgment. Small steps toward breaking the rigid conditioning that had once turned him against his general.

The briefing stretched into evening, Coruscant's setting sun painting the command center in amber hues. Obi-Wan and Cody stood before the tactical display, finalizing the last details of their new command structure.

"One final matter," Obi-Wan said, pulling up a secure file. "I'm implementing a special recognition program. Soldiers who demonstrate exceptional independence and judgment will receive additional responsibilities, specialized training."

"A merit-based advancement system?" Cody's eyebrows raised slightly. "The Kaminoans designed specific leadership percentages into each batch."

"The Kaminoans designed soldiers. We're building an army." Obi-Wan's voice carried quiet conviction. "Every man in this battalion has the potential to exceed his programming, Commander. Including you."

The words struck home. Through the Force, Obi-Wan sensed something fundamental shifting in Cody's worldview – like a crystal developing its first crack.

"Sir..." Cody hesitated, then pressed forward. "Why us? Why the 212th for all these changes?"

Obi-Wan turned to face his commander directly. "Because I believe in what you can become. Not what you were made to be, but what you'll choose to be." He extended his hand. "Partners in this endeavor?"

Cody stared at the offered hand for a moment before clasping it firmly. "Partners, sir. Though the men might need time to adjust to such... unconventional leadership."

"They'll have time." Obi-Wan smiled, remembering the loyalty these men had once shown, before it was stripped away by hidden programming. "We're building something new here, Cody. Something that will change the course of this war."

As his commander departed to implement the day's decisions, Obi-Wan remained in the command center, studying the galactic display. Small changes now, rippling outward. Each clone who questioned his programming, each soldier who developed independent thought, represented another chance to prevent the future he remembered.

The 212th would become more than just another battalion. They would be the first of a new kind of army – one bound by choice and loyalty rather than programming and control chips. And when the crucial moment came, they would make their own decisions about which orders to follow.

Obi-Wan touched the command display, shutting it down for the night. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new opportunities to reshape the future. But for now, he had laid the foundation for something revolutionary: an army of free men, not slaves to hidden protocols.

The first pieces were in place. Now the real work could begin.