Many liberties were taken in writing this and it's a little all over the place but I like it. As you can probably tell if you've read all the other wonderful Foxiyo fics out there, much inspiration was drawn from those. Force Sensitive!Riyo

    If Riyo had learned one thing about the Force while under the tutelage of Master Shaak Ti, it was that the Force was completely and utterly perplexing. Why was it practically screaming danger to her as she disembarked from the shuttle? 

    She glanced over at her Master who was the picture of tranquility. She didn't sense anything off, so why was Riyo so on edge? 

    Her Master had been assigned to oversee clone trooper training, and Riyo had been honored that her Master had allowed her to accompany her to Kamino. Now, the padawan wasn't so certain she would call it an honor. Kamino wasn't quite like Riyo had imagined, so clinical and foreboding. The continual stormy conditions were not helping matters.

    She worked to soothe her unease as Master Shaak Ti exchanged formalities with a tall emotionless Kaminoan before following him further into the facility. During the tour, Riyo allowed her gaze to wander, tuning out the monotone voice of the Kaminoan as he boasted about their facilities and their "products."

    The halls were a stark white and only the stray Kaminoan ambled through them. No signs of any clones. At least, not until they came across the observation deck with a wide window overlooking the training room. Riyo watched with keen interest as the clones stood out in the grey room with their white armor covering them from head to toe as they ran through the simulation with a curious strategy. It almost looked as though they were competing against each other. 

    She blurted before she could stop herself. "What are they trying to do?"

    "These are some of our commander class clones. Their objective is to free this outpost from Separatist control with as little civilian casualties as possible." Was that annoyance in the Kaminoan's voice? With her or the clones?

    The clones certainly had different styles. Multiple clones appeared frustrated, trying to reign in the others and direct them. Two were getting in an argument, completely forgetting about the task at hand. Others were rushing forward with reckless abandon, taking out droids and civilians alike. At least they appeared to be enjoying themselves. From the sidelines, the drill sergeant was losing his mind trying direct them. These were the Republic's illustrious troopers?

    "I would like to meet these troopers," declared Shaak Ti after the training room went red, ending in a failed simulation. 

    "We will deal with this less than satisfactory performance," assured the Kaminoan, threat evident in his tone.

    "Prime Minister, harsh punishment is not necessary," said Shaak Ti coolly. "I would just like to get to know them."

    The Prime Minister balked at this odd request, but Shaak Ti's insistence won out.

    At the sight of the Jedi, the clone troopers immediately snapped to attention, and their roaring drill sergeant fell silent. 

    Riyo studied them as her Master bestowed patient instruction to the troopers. Now that she was closer, despite them all appearing the same with their armor, she could sense that they bore distinct signatures in the Force. The foreboding feeling she sensed in the hanger bay returned full strength as she stared into the darkened visors of the soldiers lined up before her.

    The clones commanders gave a respectful salute as Master Shaak Ti and Riyo turned to leave. Just as she exited, she could hear hushed conversations of the troopers. Despite the Force blaring warnings at her, she couldn't help her amusement as she heard a clone excitedly celebrate a little too loudly, "We finally met girls with normal length necks! They're hot!"

    A few whumps were heard as multiple of his fellow soldiers cuffed him on the back of the head. Their drill sergeant resumed his berating with renewed vigor.

    Her amusement quickly died off as they were shown the nursery, as cold and clinical as the rest of the place. A strangled breath lodged itself in her throat. Row after row of cradles lined the room, each one filled a tiny lifeform with the same chubby cheeks and black curls, blissfully sleeping away. 

    A foul taste filled her mouth as their guide droned on, "Within just a few short weeks thanks to their accelerated aging, these clones will be ready to begin their training."

    He was speaking of the troopers as if they were little more than droids.

    Shaak Ti shot her padawan a concerned look, sensing her inner turmoil. She gently rested a hand on Riyo's shoulder as she looked out over the babies with saddened eyes. "I wish there were another way. War is costly. We must do our part and help guide them through their journey here."

    The Jedi Master allowed Riyo to linger and recollect herself, but the Pantoran lingered a little too long, a deep sadness curling in her gut as she stared out over the sea of children. Being relatively young herself, she didn't see herself as particularly maternal, but being a Jedi, she was taught to value all life, and there was so much life abundant here.

    When she finally pulled herself away, she realized that she had no idea how to navigate the halls of Kamino. They all looked the same. The Kaminoans sure had an affinity for order. She sought her Master out through their connection and walked toward what she hoped was the general direction of her Master. However, while looking through the Force, she forgot to see with her eyes.

    A rather undignified squeak escaped from her lips as she ran into the plastoid covered chest of a clone trooper.

    "Ma'am! Are you okay?" The trooper's voice had an edge of panic. Gaining the ire of a Jedi was a sure fire way to get him reconditioned.

    A violet flush bloomed across her face as she picked herself off the floor, taking the clone's proffered hand. How embarrassing. It was akin to running straight into a brick wall and the trooper had barely flinched when her body connected.

    "No harm done. Are you okay?" questioned Riyo reflexively. She wanted to shrink away from the trooper, but it seemed he was as startled as she was.

    The trooper straightened into a stiff parade rest. His voice betrayed surprise at being asked so casually, "...Yes, ma'am."

    "Riyo," corrected the Padawan. 

    His helmet tilted slightly in question.

    "I'm too young to be a 'ma'am'" explained Riyo with a laugh, taking note of the blast marks on his armor. This must've been one of the clones from the training course.

    If possible, the clone trooper went even more rigid than before. "That would not be proper protocol... ma'am."

    "Chuchi?"

    Silence.

    "Then how about Miss Chuchi?" bargained Riyo. Jedi weren't meant to be fighters first and foremost but peacekeepers, and Riyo was rather proud of her diplomatic skills.

    After a moment's hesitation, the clone acquiesced, "Very well."

    "And what is your name, trooper?" asked Riyo.

    He rattled off instantly, "CC-1010."

    He felt an odd twinge when the Pantoran seemed to deflate at his answer. "Oh, are you not given names?"

    "No ma— Miss Chuchi, we are clones. We're supposed to indistinguishable from each other, like droids."

    "You aren't!" The ferocity of Riyo's voice surprised them both. "You're not like droids. I can tell. The Force runs through you like every living being in the galaxy. You deserve names! You..." Words seemed to fail her as she motioned in the vague direction of the nursery, hoping he would understand.

    He seemed to. Sort of. In spite of himself, CC-1010 had to fight to keep the amusement out of his tone. While this was his first interaction with a natborn, he could say it was most certainly his strangest. Did all Jedi have this same spitfire attitude? If so, then the Clone Wars weren't going to last long at all. 

    He was unfamiliar with the warmth that spread across his chest. It was nice being treated as a human for once in his short life and he said as much. "It is kind of you to see us that way."

    A Kaminoan approached with long purposeful steps. Her large eyes narrowed as she looked between the Padawan and the clone, who snapped to attention under her scrutiny. "Clone, you were meant to be–"

    Riyo hurriedly intervened, not wanting the trooper to get in trouble on her account. The clones might've made her uneasy, but the presence of the Kaminoans was even more unsettling. "He was just helping me find my Master."

    She turned and pulled the bewildered trooper along before either he or the Kaminoan could protest.

    As she whisked him away, he asked in a low tone, "Do you actually need an escort?"

    Riyo's expression turned embarrassed. "Yes... I was seeking out my Master, but I forgot to use my eyes."

    The clone trooper managed to help her navigate the facility, easily locating Master Shaak Ti. He was pleasantly surprised when she paused to thank him. 

    "Thank you for your help. I hope I'll see you around."

    The words slipped out before he could stop them, "I doubt you'll be able to tell who I am within a few days. Just another face in the crowd."

    That sharp spark returned to her eye. "I take that as a challenge. I will be sure to check up on your progress specifically, mini commander."

    Mini? Mini? She was the mini one here, standing at least full head shorter than him!

    "Well, I hope you don't forget to use your eyes as well the Force, Miss Chuchi. Can't have you running into all my brothers can we?" As soon as the teasing words were out, he was already turning on his heel and power walking down the hall as far away from the Padawan as he could get.

    Why were his cheeks burning under his helmet? And why had he said that? Stars, he hoped she would forget him now.

    Blasted Jedi magic.

~~~~~~~

    Riyo was not exactly overjoyed at the prospect of being stationed on Kamino with her Master. She was almost ready for her trials and feared that this would pose a setback to her progression. Not to mention the perpetual haunting sensation that loomed over the facility made her want to crawl out of her skin. 

    Yet, little by little, she found herself settling into life on the water-covered planet and becoming as invested in the clone troopers as her Master, one trooper in particularly caught her eye. She and CC-1010, later named Fox much to her joy, made it a bit of a game for her to point him out among the others just to prove she could tell them apart. 

    For once, she had to respectfully disagree with the Force. There were no enemies, no danger on Kamino, only friends.

    "Commander, I don't think this is a good idea," protested Fox, checking for the umpteenth time that his blaster was set to stun. Shaak Ti was a gracious woman but he doubted she would take well to him blasting her Padawan.

    "I told you, it'll be fine," assured Riyo, igniting her lightsaber. "I need to stay sharp. Our first mission is tomorrow."

     "I doubt those tin-cans will have half as good aim as us," grumbled Fox.

    Oh great. Now she was fixing him with the "sad eyes." His other commander brothers didn't have to put up with this.

    Fox withheld a sigh as he barked out order to his troopers to double check their blaster settings. When he had first been assigned under General Shaak Ti, he had despaired that he would never get to see the glory of the frontlines like his brothers. Wasted potential, forever doomed to be stuck on Kamino. 

    However, he couldn't be truly upset at his General or Padawan because for one, they treated him and his brothers like living beings. Second, ever since he first met the blue-skinned Padawan, he knew he would follow her anywhere, be it the heat of battle or the gloomy halls of his homeworld.

    He signaled to his men as Riyo raised her luminescent blade. A small smile of challenge played on her lips. Behind his helmet, Fox's expression matched hers.

    "Now!"

~~~~~~

   Fox felt incredibly out of his element as he approached the crying Padawan in the twilight hours of the snowy planet, Orto Plutonia. He had been bred for battle not emotional comfort. Though she didn't even twitch in acknowledgment to him, he knew that she sensed his presence. She was always unnervingly good at that.

    "It's not your fault, y'know."

    His sorry attempt at comfort was met with a sniffle and more silence. He shuffled closer, his feet crunching against the powdery ground. 

    Riyo kept her gaze on the icy plain in front of her as she felt Commander Fox settle down next to her. She wished she could make herself believe his words, but she could still make out dark patches where pools of blood had marred the pure snow. It was hard to believe that just hours ago she had been playfully teasing her troopers about their bulky winter wear, unaware of the horrors the day would bring.

    Now, for the first time, she had been exposed to true war. She hated it. Their first mission was supposed to have been simple. A Republic outpost had gone quiet and Riyo had been charged with reestablishing a connection since Orto Plutonia was near her home moon Pantora. Instead, she had walked into a bloodbath. Dead Separatists, dead clones, dead Talz. 

    Peace had finally been restored but at the cost of so much life. Chairman Cho's vicious pride had made a mess of things and it was all the Padawan could do to make amends. Victory didn't always have to consist of the side with the highest kill count. Honor could not be found in murder.

    "Thank you," she said quietly to the clone commander. "You were very brave today."

    "So were you," said Fox automatically, and he meant it. His heart had been thundering in his chest when Riyo had stood weaponless before the Chieftain, trying to mend the bridges that had been burnt by Chairman Cho's insolence. 

    It had taken a sharp stare from Riyo to stop him from knocking that arrogant man's teeth in. He had been so dismissive of Riyo, treating her like many people treated the clones. It made Fox's blood boil.

    Panic gripped him as tears welled up again and her voice broke as she spoke. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. So many were killed. I..."

    Somehow, Fox knew his answer of 'We're meant to be expendable' would not help in the slightest.

    Without knowing why, Fox shifted so he was directly in her line of view and opened his arms as invitation for an embrace. He only knew in theory that hugs were a soothing gesture.

    She leaned forward, her small form shaking as she settled against him.

    Oh, was this what comfort was supposed to feel like?

    When she calmed down, she asked him in a tremulous voice, "How do you manage to stay so calm?"

    "We're bred for killing. We're clones."

    That dangerous fire glowed in her eyes as it always did whenever he brought up his lowly status or spoke of himself demeaningly. Her voice left no room for argument as she still leaned into his sturdy embrace. To her, this was unarguable fact. "No. You are so much more. You are my friend. My best friend. And if I have to fight in a war, then there is no one else I would rather have at my side than you."

    In contrast to the cool air swirling around them, his heart warmed. Friend. Riyo must've been extra strong in the Force or however that worked because no other Jedi made him feel like this.

~~~~~~

    Years passed. More battles were won and lost. Republic versus Separatist. 

    Throughout that time, Commander Fox couldn't help but be drawn to Riyo. She was no pacifist like the Duchess of Mandalore, but unlike many of her fellow Jedi, her hand flew to her lightsaber as a last resort. Only a handful of times had he seen her truly wield her power with intent to harm. One such occasion was the Battle of Kamino where Asajj had dared to show her garish face.

    Time and time again, Fox watched in amazement as she let the Force guide her, ringing through her voice as she made peace and resolved conflicts without a drop of blood being spilled. In a different time and place, she would've made an excellent orator.

    Along the way, he came to the terrifying realization. He loved her. 

    Before and after this devastating revelation, he fought it. Clones shouldn't, couldn't, have such fantastical feelings, especially for a woman of such rank. Love? They were in the middle of a war. There was no time for such trivial matters. And after? There was no guarantee he would survive, and even if he did, he wouldn't have much of a future. He had nothing worthy to offer her. 

    And she? She was a Jedi, bound by rules against love and attachment. 

    So, he kept his emotions locked away. A difficult task considering he had fallen for someone Force sensitive. The only person he ever told was his ori'vod, Cody. He had been no help considering he told Fox to just "go for it." No. Fate would never be so kind as to let such a love blossom between them.

~~~~~~~

    Riyo's question caught Fox off guard on their nightly security sweeps of the Kaminoan facility. "When the war is over, what do you want to do?"

    'Follow you,' was the first thought that floated through his mind, though it was hardly an appropriate answer. He felt her gaze on him as he floundered for a response. "We're not programmed to think about such things."

    "But you have thought about it, haven't you?" she pressed.

    He shrugged in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner. "I s'pose I'll keep on fighting whatever enemy is out there."

    "And what if there are no more enemies to fight?"

    Quite frankly, Fox found that idea completely ridiculous. He'd never been the philosophical type but his answer came out more eloquently than he expected. Riyo and Shaak Ti's Jedi nonsense must've worn off on him. "There will always be enemies. Where there's light, there's shadow."

    She nodded in acknowledgement. "True. But light doesn't have to hate shadow because they are opposites. Differences can complement, bringing people together instead of tearing them apart. Sometimes, an enemy is just a person you haven't made a friend yet."

    Fox arched an eyebrow. Without his helmet—a bad habit he had picked up since becoming her Commander—she could see his full doubtful expression. 

    "It's true!" protested Riyo, beginning to list the number of Separatists she'd managed to make peace with as they stepped outside. 

    A few distant stars managed to peak through the cloudy atmosphere. They both paused in their patrol to bask in the surprisingly peaceful night and continue talking where their words were less likely to be overheard.

    Fox hated to put a damper on her spirits as he murmured, "And sometimes friends are enemies you never knew existed in the first place."

    His hands twitched at his side, feeling the weight of the DC-17 blasters at his hips. Fives. That foolish brother. He'd been insane, babbling nonsense. Fox had his orders. He had to—

    Riyo placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression filled with understanding. He knew she knew a similar pain. Ahsoka and Barriss Offee had been close associates of hers, seeing as they were all around the same age. Both were now gone from the Jedi Order due to... complications.

    "Even if there are enemies all around, I'd rather treat them as friends," declared Riyo resolutely. She knew it was a foolish idealist statement but she didn't care. 

    Brevity slipped into her tone as she commented, "You know, I was scared of clones before meeting you."

    "You? Scared?" A part of him would've been proud to be an intimidating figure if it were anyone but his commander.

    "Okay, maybe not scared, but definitely apprehensive," amended Riyo. "The Force was giving me all kinds of warnings as if you were some kind of enemy, but I didn't listen. And I'm glad I didn't."

    Fox's must've been decanted wrong. His heart shouldn't be fluttering madly at the sincerity in her tone and the way her intense eyes warmed his very soul. 

    Riyo opened her mouth to blurt something, but the words got stuck in her throat. The wild admission of, 'I want to leave the Order.' remained unsaid. It wouldn't do well to wrongly get her Commander's hopes up. He tried being subtle and respectful but she easily picked up on how he felt for her. Truthfully? She felt the same. In fact, she felt and concluded a good many things.

    Barriss had been wrong in many respects and her actions reprehensible but there was a shred of truth to her final words that chilled Riyo's heart. 'This Republic is failing! It's only a matter of time.' Every time Riyo returned to Kamino, she was heavily reminded of the ways the Republic was failing its constituents. Fox and his brothers were sentient beings. Brave men who deserved far better than what the Republic offered. 

    Becoming a Jedi Knight had lost its allure, not if she would continue to be a general for an army of slaves. She was heavily considering leaving the Jedi Order as Ahsoka had. Fox need say the word and she would. Yet, she knew he respected her too much to ask what he thought to be a selfish request. The only thing holding her back was her duties on Kamino. She couldn't flee with Fox as much as she longed to. All his brothers, every single trooper, deserved better. She couldn't, wouldn't, abandon them.

    They hadn't realized they had become locked in an intense staring contest until they blinked as if coming out from a wonderful dream. They turned bashful and stepped back out of each other's space.

    "I suppose it was foolish of me to ever think you would hurt me," chuckled Riyo, hoping the nighttime shadows would disguise her violet blush.

    "Me? A danger to you? Never," vowed Fox.

    He was a clone trooper, designed to be tough in battle, but functioned as little more than cannon fodder.

    The Jedi, on the other hand, were something special. Whenever he watched Riyo in action, she appeared nigh invincible.

~~~~~~

    "Execute Order 66."

    The Force cried out, practically knocking the breath from Riyo's lungs. The hands that reached out to steady her grasped her arm in a cold, iron grip.

    She jerked her arm away but froze as she heard the sound of multiple blasters being charged up and aimed at her. It was not an unfamiliar scene, but it lacked the challenging, playful atmosphere of their training sessions. This was different. This was real and this was terrifying.

    Dark visors bored into her soul as she slowly turned, her hand slowly edging toward her lightsaber. Her pulse roared in her ears.

    Understanding drove a new dagger deep in her chest. The Force had been right from day one. The enemy had never been in front of her, but always at her back. No longer was it her dearest Commander Fox who drew his blasters to protect her, but an unfamiliar enemy intent on destroying her.