CT-2020 (SWAU)

## Cloud Lawquane

**Cloud Lawquane**, born **CT-2020**, was a veteran clone trooper who served both the Grand Army of the Republic and the Imperial Military as a part of the 501st Legion, finishing his career at the rank of Captain. Born and trained on the planet Kamino, CT-2020 passed his training as part of Alpha Squad, led by CT-7567, and would enter into Republic service at the Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY under the rank of corporal. As the Republic's war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems intensified, Cloud became part of Torrent Company and served in several battles across the frontier, such as Christophsis and Teth, the latter seeing all but five of his other company members killed. Cloud was subsequently promoted to sergeant. Cloud would later replace Slick as lieutenant after his demotion, becoming the leader of his old platoon. While serving as part of the Grand Army of the Republic, Cloud would form a close friendship with Captain Rex and Anakin Skywalker.

When Order 66 came down, Cloud was wrapping up the campaign on Utapau, which was led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and conducted in conjunction with Commander Cody's 212th Attack Battalion. Unlike usual, Cloud would not be under Captain Rex's command; instead, Cloud and his platoon were hand-picked by General Kenobi to be part of the invasion, while the rest of the Legion spearheaded the Siege of Mandalore. On Utapau, the 501st was tasked with setting up a perimeter defence in Hangar 10, allowing for Cody's forces to come in and commence the full-scale attack. Not long after the death of General Grievous, Cloud received the transmission; Order 66 had been initiated. Cloud and his detachment were then discreetly transferred back to Coruscant, where he joined the rest of the battalion in Operation: Knightfall, the clone attack on the Jedi Temple, personally led by Anakin Skywalker. Cloud never questioned the order, marching into the temple and shooting all the Jedi he saw. Afterwards, Cloud integrated into the Stormtrooper Corps, receiving new weapons and armour and being put into the direct command of Darth Vader; he was eager to serve the New Order, hoping to bring stability and peace to the galaxy once more.

During his time in Imperial service, Cloud took part in several important mission. In 18 BBY, Cloud was part of the 501st's invasion of Naboo when the Queen broke off diplomatic ties and was discovered to be harbouring Jedi; Cloud was the soldier to fire the shot that killed Queen Apailana, winning them the day. In 15 BBY, Cloud and the 501st found themselves fighting droids once more; a Geonosian, Gizor Dellso, was building a droid army to fight the Empire, and when they found out about it, the 501st was sent in. After a space battle, Cloud and his brothers made their way to the surface, where they destroyed the battle droids, executed Dellso and blew up the droid factory. Three years afterwards, word reached Cloud and the 501st that their home, Kamino, was experiencing an uprising by rogue Kaminoan scientists utilizing a clone army bred to take up arms against the Empire. Under the leadership of Boba Fett, the 501st were able to defeat the clone "anti-troopers" and kill the rogue Kaminoans, quickly bringing Kamino back in line. Afterwards, Cloud was stationed across the galaxy on short-term postings until 8 BBY, when he was transferred back to Naboo to serve as head of security for Queen Kylantha, who was given a permanent Imperial security detail after an attempt on her life.

Cloud spent three years on Naboo; during his last year, he became acquainted with Senator Pooja Naberrie, the Nabooan representative in the Imperial Senate and Queen Kylantha's close friend. The two started off on rather bad terms due to their political differences, but overtime they became close. They would engage in a relationship for a time, but it ended when Cloud was transferred to the Death Star to aid in its construction. Simultaneously, Cloud was sent to worlds to put down minor insurrections. When the Death Star plans were stolen, Cloud and the 501st were transferred out to locate them, leading them to raid both Polis Massa and the Tantive IV. He took part in the Battle of Yavin, both in the air and later on-planet, and he lamented the loss of life when the Death Star was destroyed. Cloud's final engagement as part of the 501st was the Battle of Hoth, where the Imperials successfully destroyed Echo Base. During the battle, he was severely wounded at the hands of a Wampa that the rebels unleashed on his squad as they retreated. Cloud killed the Wampa in hand to hand combat in an adrenaline-fueled rage, but collapsed afterwards and would have bled out were it not for Darth Vader's own efforts.

Following the battle, Cloud was able to secure an honourable discharge from the military. During his time recovering in-hospital, he reconnected with Pooja, who visited him while he recovered. The two made amends and following his release from the hospital, Cloud went with her to Naboo and settled in her family's home in Theed. The two married in 6 ABY and had many children.

## Biography

### Early life

#### Battle of Geonosis

"*Geonosis was my first day as a member of the 501st. That was the day we got our first taste of action. We were all eager to go, eager to blast us some 'Seps. But when we got there, it was a different story. It was hot...sandy; nothing at all like the simulations on Kamino. All those years of training could never prepare us for what went down back then. One of my brothers put it best when he said that he was amazed we even got through the first hour, never mind the first day.*"
—Cloud speaking to his wife about the First Battle of Geonosis

In the opening stage of the Clone Wars, Cloud was surprised at just how different real battlefield conditions are compared to the endless hours spent in the simulations on Kamino. Under the leadership of Captain Rex, Cloud and most of his brothers did well in the battle and the clones made quite an impression on the Jedi. Cloud was on the gunship with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Organa while on the way to the Spire when a shell exploded near the ship, rocking it sideways and knocking him and Senator Organa out onto the sand below. After radioing in for a pickup, Cloud and Padmé attempted to go to the Spire but were too late and barely arrived in time for Poggle the Lesser to flee and the Spire getting bombarded from gunship reinforcements.

#### First Battle of Christophsis

At the Battle of Christophsis, as part of Torrent Company, Cloud participated in defending the Confederate invasion. He led the offensive against the second wave of droids. During the beginning of the attack, General Kenobi commanded a full scale attack. Cloud was the first one out of cover, and attempted to rally the other clones with a battle cry, but he was almost instantly shot in the head. Amazingly, he survived, but spent the remainder of the battle in the infirmary.

## Personality and traits

As a clone of Jango Fett with a specially modified genetic code, Cloud lived to serve the Galactic Republic and to protect its citizens, and to follow orders to a tee. As with most clones, Cloud gained a deeper personality the longer the war went one, and just like the majority of clones, he never disobeyed orders and kept his private disagreements to himself. As part of the 501st Legion's Torrent Company, Cloud served under Captain Rex and Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. He had a good relationship with Rex, and believed General Skywalker was a noble leader. This respect towards Skywalker continued even after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, as he personally witnessed his great leadership in battle on numerous occasions; he was one of the few people to know that Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker were one in the same, but he never made mention of that to anybody in the Stormtrooper Corps.

True to his programming, Cloud believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing as an army: the preservation of the Republic and the downfall of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, but when he wasn't fighting Separatists, Cloud could often be seen by himself, reading, writing, daydreaming (which is how he got his name), and watching dramas whenever the opportunity presented itself. As the war progressed and he naturally developed a deeper personality, Cloud took a very optimistic approach to life despite the hardships he faced in the army. He always envisioned himself being able to retire one day and raise a family. This was documented in his journal (which was taken one time by another clone as a prank) and was the main thing he was teased about by other clones.

## Possessions

### Blasters and equipment

For nearly the entirety of Cloud's career, Cloud made do with standard-issue blasters and used them effectively in combat.

However, following Cloud's retirement to Naboo following the Battle of Hoth, Cloud had built up a collection of firearms for his personal use. These include: ￼

* A DC-15A blaster rifle, complete with wooden furniture much like the variant held by the Republic's Senate Commandos.
* A DC-15S blaster carbine