Alpha-26 "Maze" (RP)

## Alpha-26 "Maze"

"*Zey's here. I'm responsible for that, the war's over, and you need to change the recording, Sergeant, because it's getting kind of monotonous.*"
―Maze
Alpha-26, also known by the nickname Maze, was a member of the Alpha-class batch of ARC Troopers. Cloned from the Jango Fett template in 32 BBY after the "failure" of the Null-class ARCs, the Alphas lacked the standard genome modifications of regular clone troopers, and thus were made to be much more intelligent and independant. Like the rest of the Alphas, Maze was personally trained by Jango Fett on the hidden planet of Kamino. It was during this time that he developed a preference for close-quarters combat and befriended Alpha-66.

Along with the rest of the Alpha ARCs, was first deployed when the seperatists first invaded Kamino and got dangerously close to the planet's cloning facilities. In a last ditch effort to save the planet, Lama Su released the ARCs from stasis, almost completely halting the advancement of the seperatist forces and saving the planet from separatist control.

In 20 BBY, during a mission on Hoth, Alpha-17 received a distress signal from the Muunilinst 10, who revealed that they were trapped on Kamino by Lama Su. Alpha-17, Nate, and Maze took an ARC-170 to the planet and assisted the Muun 10 in thwarting the Kaminoan rebellion, with Maze being made a member afterwards, A short time after the 10 arrived back on Coruscant, Atris was appointed as Director of the Brigade, and she promoted Maze to commander of the SOB.

## **Biography**

#### **Early Life and Training on Kamino**

Cloned on the ocean world of Kamino, Maze was a member of the first "successful" batch of ARC Troopers, referred to by the kaminoans as the alpha batch. Designed to be highly skilled and more independent than standard clones, the Alphas were all personally trained by the elite bounty hunter Jango Fett. It was during this time that Maze befriended Alpha-66, who would later come to be known as Muzzle.

#### **First Deployment and Invasion of Kamino**

Along with the rest of the ARCs, Maze first saw action when the separatist alliance invaded Kamino. As the droid army pushed towards Kamino's cloning facilities, the Alpha-class ARCs were released from stasis and deployed over Kamino in a last ditch effort to save the planet from separatist control. Under the leadership of Shaak Ti and help from Obi-Wan and Anakin, the ARC troopers advanced through the enemy lines and prevented droid forces from further entering the city.

#### **Hoth and the Blazing Sun**

Not long after Maze was stationed on the Havoc, the ship received a distress beacon from Hoth, signaling that the republic forces had encountered hostiles. The Havoc quickly arrived at Hoth, only to discover several derelict republic ships floating above Hoth, including *The Arquitens*. Maze went out to investigate a T-6 shuttle along with Perry, Vulpes, Tarre Vizsla, and Bo-Katan. The squad discovered several mutilated clone troopers, and they were able to track an escape pod from the ship and found a traumatized surviving clone, whom they promptly took back to the Havoc.

A few days later, Maze, Muzzle, and Alpha-17 went out to investigate a tracking beacon, during which Muzzle was critically injured due to Alpha's indecision when being told to retreat to the shuttle. Muzzle was quickly brought into quarantine with ARC Trooper Checkers, Bo-Katan, and Commander Cody, where he developed a chest growth and gained regenerative abilities. When Maze came to check on Muzzle after his surgery, Muzzle was forced to attack Maze due to the influence of the chest growth.

### **Meeting the Muunilinst 10**

#### Kamino

While trapped on Hoth, The ARCs managed to repair an ARC-170 Starfighter, and Alpha ARCs Alpha-17 and Nate planned to go to Kamino to assist the Muunilinst 10. Maze insisted on coming along to provide assistance, and they departed soon after. When they arrived, the ARC-170 was shot down by the Kamino defense fleet, and they crashed into the ocean near Timera city. They were soon after recovered by the Muunilinst 10 and later participated in the System Army Dorn's invasion of Kamino. Near the end of the battle, the Muunilinst 10 infiltrated Tipoca city, and Havoc made his way to Lama Su's office, the Kaminoan shooting himself to deprive Havoc of his revenge.

#### Coruscant

The Muunilinst 10 was later assigned to Coruscant, specifically, the Arca Barracks, where Maze came into conflict with Havoc multiple times due to his increasingly standoffish nature. Eventually however, they came to a mutual understanding, and began to respect each other. A couple days later, the Muun 10 were assigned to a stealth mission to recover important data from a probe droid manufacturer's headquarters. They were able to bypass the security measures, but while they were downloading the data, a prisoner of the Muun 10, Spar, went rogue and held Fordo at gunpoint, threatening to ruin the entire mission by sounding the alarms. Null ARC Kom'rk attacked Spar, and Spar escaped the building on jetpack.

Soon after, Spar returned to the Muun 10 to a collectively disinterested reaction, and the creature who was thought to be Hawkeye revealed themselves by teleporting Spar, and seemingly curing his clone madness. After this event, Maze set out to discover who this creature really was through questioning and various antagonizations, though his efforts were only partially successful. He would later find out that according to the creature, the real Hawkeye was not dead, and rather "on vacation" with Etain Tur-Mukan.

It wouldn't be long before Xesh and Tau were sent by Bendu to the Muunilinst 10's ship to find the void swimmer Omega. This led to various realizations once they arrived, one of which being that "Hawkeye" was actually a creature from the void who took the real Hawkeye's form, and came to the Muunilinst 10 to find omega, just as Xesh and Tau had. This off course led to multiple conflicts between it and the ten, although tensions eventually settled and the team came to discover that "Hawkeye" seemingly had a compassionate side as well.

##### Underworld Assignment

"***Advanced Recon Commandos, There have been suspicious dealings in the lower levels of Coruscant, You are to in the following days monitor said lower levels, plainclothes, discreet body armour, no full plate, and weapons concealed. This is not to be reported to the Coruscant Security Force or Coruscant Guard. Do not act now, wait until further instruction. Stay put on the Kandosii.***"
―***Captain N-12***All of the ARCs on the Kandosii and Investment received a communication from N-12, also known as Commander A'den. The Null ARC reported suspicious dealings in the lower levels of Coruscant and gave orders to the ARCs to monitor said lower levels in the days following. After multiple patrols in the underworld, Maze came across an abandoned weapons cache belonging to the two suspects who according to A'den, were rogue clones. After more routine patrols, Maze and Alpha-53 Gin took a stop at a seedy bar, where they were mistaken for the very criminals they were tracking by the pub's bartender. After getting some information out of the man, Maze and Gin left the bar and concluded that the rogue clones were most likely either members of the Alpha batch, or Republic Commandos.

Not long after the bar incident, ARC Trooper Limber and Perry the Platypus discovered the two suspects and engaged them in combat. Unfortunately, Perry was stunned multiple times, leaving him in cardiac arrest, and Limber didn't fare much better. Both suspects escaped, but were fortunately tagged with the tracking tool known as D.U.S.T. before they got away. The ARCs tracked the two to an abandoned apartment complex in the lower levels before the D.U.S.T. signal went dark, and a platoon of ARCs along with some additional troopers were sent to take the building. They were successful in this endeavor, but suffered multiple casualties due to being completely outgunned by the enemies, who were equipped with an E-WEB, a Trandoshan blaster rifle, and various other heavy weaponry. The two suspects escaped, but one thing was for sure; these were members of the alpha batch without a doubt.

##### Director Atris

"***My name is Jedi Master Atris, and I shall make sure this Brigade once again gets organised.***"
―Atris upon arrival at the Arca BarracksJust 3 days after the underworld sting, a shuttle landed outside of the Arca Company barracks, and Jedi Master Atris stepped off of the ramp, clad in white robes. She walked throughout the barracks towards the director's office, only when she reached the elevator did she turn to address the confused republic forces. She identified herself as Jedi Master Atris, and clarified that she was assigned to be the new director of the Special Operations Brigade. After a trip up the elevator to the director's office, RC-0709 "Jez" had a conversation with her regarding a confrontation with Covert Ops Troopers.

Directly afterwards, Atris summoned the Muunilinst 10 to her office. Once there, she explained that Alpha-Ø2, aka Spar, had been pardoned of the crime of desertion, and furthermore that the Muunilinst 10 as well as the other ARCs would have their base of operations relocated from the Investment/Kandosii to the arca barracks. It was clear that for better or for worse, sweeping changes would be made to the SOB now that she was in charge. After the meeting, she sent the Muunilinst 10 back on their way down the elevator, telling only Maze to stay behind. She asked him to take a seat, and explained that she required a Commander to help her lead the SOB, having decided that Maze would fit the bill perfectly. After processing what he was just told, Maze excepted Atris's offer, and took up the role of Commander of the Special Operations Brigade.

### 50 Moons of the Winding Bridge

Following up on the data the Muun 10 had recovered from the probe droid manufacturer, they infiltrated the probe droid storage facility located on Coruscant, racing against the CIS. With the help of "Not Hawk", the 10 were wiped from all footage taken by the security cameras inside of the facility, making infiltration much easier than it would have been otherwise. Once they retrieved the probe droid, the Muun 10 boarded an LAAT and flew back to Arca Barracks. During the flight, "Not Hawk" secretly made an exact copy of the probe droid, and returned it to the storage facility for the CIS infiltration team to find, along with a note attached.

With the coordinates of the resource planet leading outside of the known galaxy, Grand Admiral Thrawn amassed a fleet and a taskforce to go with it, including himself, the Muunilinst 10, Revan, and Lana Beniko. The first stretch of the trip was an uneventful one for the most part, save for the Muun 10's confrontation with the stowaway clone assassin, Dagger, after discovering that she had previously killed Alpha-01. Once the fleet crossed the galactic barrier to reach the outside of the galaxy, everyone on the ship was blinded by a bright flash, after which they were met face to face with alternate versions of themselves. Most were forced to engage their doppelgängers in single combat, including Maze, who quickly discovered that the alternate version of himself was highly competent, highly strategic, but incredibly lonely, never having formed any meaningful relationships. Towards the end of the fight, Maze confessed that he felt he had wasted his life and attempted to eject himself out of the airlock. After being stopped by Maze and reassured that his life had not been wasted and he could still go on, the alternate Maze disappeared in a flash, with one final message.

"***Don't waste a perfectly good life.***"
―⠀
## **Personality and Relationships**

Maze can often come off as humorless and stubborn to those around him, but above all extremely persistent. In his actual off-duty hours, although few and far between, his demeanor is more casual, with him showing genuine amusement at times. Although seeming unquestionably loyal to the Republic at first glance, Maze is actually somewhat jaded, and occasionally contemplates the future of the GAR's troopers, especially the Special Operations Brigade, when the war does come to a close. Often stubborn and never afraid to voice his disagreements.

**Gin**

Maze holds a great deal of respect for Alpha-53, recognizing his care for others, as well as appreciating his role as a voice of reason within the Muunilinst 10. Considering the man to be a close friend, Gin is one of the first people Maze will call whenever he needs assistance.

**A'den**

Considering N-12 to be a trusted ally and friend, Maze respects A'den's skills and tactics, and appreciates being able to work with him on occasion.

**Epsilon**

Maze is often annoyed by the impulsiveness and lack of finesse that Epsilon displays; however, knowing that his intentions are pure at heart and the trauma that he has gone through, Maze is willing to cut the alpha more slack than he would in most other cases.

**Spar**

Having once hated Spar for his actions taken against the GAR and his brothers alike, Maze's distaste for the rogue alpha has mellowed significantly. Given that the cure for his clone madness has mostly abated his undesirable qualities, he has forgiven the man for most of his past actions.

**"Hawkeye"**

At first being highly standoffish towards the void being, Maze still remains cautious around it due to it's chaotic nature and Maze's limited understanding of it's power. However, he has seen "Hawkeye" commit various good acts and even display empathy, and as such, does not consider it an immediate threat.

## **Combat Abilities**

Maze has developed a preference to facing his enemies in close quarters, being masterful with close to mid-ranged blaster weapons and various styles of hand-to-hand combat. He prefers using the environment to his advantage in a combat situation rather than engage in a straight firefight. Tending to abuse flanking tactics to catch his opponents off guard, Maze will use any tools at his disposal to disorient the enemy and gain a tactical advantage.