Trooper Station, Friday Afternoon

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

There was post from Ankh-Morpork waiting on Vimes' desk today. One with the seal of the Patrician firmly afixed to the front of it to let him know this wasn't from Sergeant Angua should she be feeling the need to write.

It would seem that his presence was being requested back in his city. Finally.

Now it was just a matter of making sure Ralph could handle the various problems the island threw their way. Not that Ralph was much of a whiner that Vimes heard about. Mostly because he didn't listen to the man all that much.

Shhh.

[[For one in particular]]

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[sith_happened]

Yes, it was a few years late, and yes, Anakin fully realized how pathetic it was to check in on Clone Troopers because he missed Jaina and Ben, but...

But shut up, that's what. He'd come up with a better excuse if someone asked him, but right now, he was walking into the Trooper Station (for once, not to bail a student out of jail) and looking around like he owned the place.

"Ralph," he said, nodding.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

Which worked well for Vimes as he was busy packing things up. All... three things he cared about packing up.

"Did you need something?"

[sith_happened]

"I used to work with your troopers," he said, "a very long time ago."

Not that the clones remembered that.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

Well, wasn't that a bit of serendipity? "...here?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin shook his head. "Different galaxy."

Pause.

"One far, far away."

There! That would help.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

Riiiiight. Vimes managed to not give him a second glance at that. "Well then, I think you'll be perfectly suited to the job. Welcome aboard."

Why yes, yes he was planning to fob this off on poor Anakin. He had experience with the troopers after all.

[sith_happened]

Anakin blinked. Wait, what?

"Wait. What?"

See?

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

"Don't let Ralph backtalk you and keep the coffee fresh," Vimes said, giving priceless words of advice from one professional to another.

[sith_happened]

"Oh, Ralph knows better than to backtalk a Jedi general, don't you, Ralph?" Anakin replied, glancing directly at Ralph.

One nice thing about Anakin: clones wouldn't bother him.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

Ralph did the smart thing and sighed at everyone ever.

"Then you're well on your way there, General," Vimes said, patting him on the arm.

[sith_happened]

"I don't suppose telling you I already have a job at the school is going to make the slightest bit of difference," Anakin replied.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

"Not at all."

[sith_happened]

He sighed. "Do I get doughnuts?"

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

"Get here early enough, and you just might." The Troopers were greedy little buggers.

[sith_happened]

Anakin would have to investigate the clones further. Certainly one of the orders before 66 had to involve bringing pastries, right?

"Right," he said, sighing again. "Any cases pending?'

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

"Unless you count the mysterious case of teal deer outside MHA... no."

IT WAS YOUR FAULT, MISS PORTER.

[sith_happened]

"Good to know," Anakin said with a quirk of a smile. "Sounds like an easy job, then. Where are you going?"

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

"Back home," Vimes said, cracking a genuine smile for a moment. "Less chance of traveling to another time and place there."

[sith_happened]

"Think you take a couple Vikings with you anyway?" Anakin asked, mostly kidding.

[solesofmyfeet.livejournal.com]

Well, considering it was Ankh-Morpork... "I doubt anyone would notice. As long as they don't have problems with Dwarves."

[sith_happened]

"I haven't asked them," Anakin said. "I don't really speak...Viking. But I'm sure it would be fine."

To kidnap Vikings. What an amazing sheriff he would be.