CT-0637 "Stinger" (RP)

Stinger in his Phase 2 armour

## CT-0637 "Stinger"

CT-0637, also known as Stinger, was a clone trooper sergeant major in the 415th Exploratory Corps. Originally assigned to a research installation on Geonosis, Stinger was transferred to the 415th after the installation was shut down, joining them at the Systems Army Alpha base on Eriadu. Upon his transfer, Stinger was promoted to the position of sergeant, helping to lead new recruits like himself. Stinger would go on to fight with the 415th at the Second Battle of Korriban, and slowly rise through the ranks, being promoted to the position of sergeant major after the battle.

## Biography

### Early Life

#### Kamino

CT-0637 was born and trained as a rank and file clone trooper on Kamino. Slightly younger than the majority of the clone army, he did not graduate from his training until 21 BBY, a significant way into the war. As his first assignment, CT-0637 was assigned to guard a research installation established on Geonosis, shortly after the Second Battle of Geonosis and the Republic capture of the planet.

#### Geonosis

CT-0637 spent several months on Geonosis. The base was frequently assaulted by native wildlife, which at one point consisted a skirmish between the guards, including CT-0637, and a swarm of Geonosian lava wasps. During this encounter, his blaster was knocked out of his reach, and he was forced to use the discarded sting of a lava wasp as an improvised weapon, earning him the nickname Stinger. However, except for encounters with wildlife, he never engaged in combat against Geonosian or CIS forces during his time on the planet.

Eventually, the persistent attacks by native wildlife convinced the Republic that there were too many stations operating on the planet, and Stinger's was shut down. He was reassigned to the 415th Exploratory Corps, and landed on Eriadu with the 41st Elite Corps.

### Time with the 415th

#### On Eriadu

Stinger landed on Eriadu shortly after the 415th arrived at the base. He was welcomed into the Corps by Commando Sergeant Stew, and quickly befriended General Sights and fellow troopers Punch and Iden. His work on the base was mostly on various guard positions, or training with his new squad. At one point, Stinger would accidentally cause Sights to fall back into his compulsion to check the training blasters, something caused by a training incident Sights had in his cadet days.

Due to the lack of commanding officers in the newly reorganised 415th, Stinger, among with a number of other clones, was chosen to be promoted to sergeant to lead some of the new recruits. His lack of experience meant that he did not initially have the certification to lead his squad on the battlefield, but he quickly got to work forming and training the best squad that he could, with Iden and Punch as members, the latter being the squad's corporal.

Stinger quickly befriended many of the 415th, and learnt about their previous adventures. He met Sights's daughter, Tyhna, and his girlfriend, Lipaa. He also met Botboy's boyfriend, Soljay, who he helped to keep secret from Grand Admiral Tarkin by procuring him a lieutenant's uniform from the laundry. However, his time around Sights and Botboy started to make him reconsider what he had been taught regarding giving his life to the Republic. He started to be plagued with thoughts of what he wanted from his life, and he began to struggle to sleep.

During a training session, a plan of Stinger's failed, causing one of his clones to take an injury that would have been fatal, had it been an active combat situation. This further worried Stinger, forcing him to consider whether he really deserved his sergeant position, and exacerbated his insomnia.

However, this exacerbation was noticed by Sights and Botboy, who convinced Stinger to visit Lipaa for a therapy session. During this session, Lipaa proposed that Stinger's thoughts of a life outside the GAR weren't traitorous, and were instead natural and shouldn't be repressed. Additionally, she said that the training accident wasn't his fault, and that he shouldn't dwell on it, rather, that he should focus on continuing to train the squad.

After this, Stinger returned to focusing on his training. He took a short trip into town with Clu, and was surprised by the many differences between military and civilian life. Additionally, he grew closer with the other clones, who told him of some of the 415th's past, including Méra Dimitra's fall to the dark side and the time spent in the time loop.

#### Second Battle of Korriban

Soon, Stinger joined the 415th on a scouting operation on Korriban. As the troopers struggled to make their way through the planet's hostile terrain, they were attacked by a swarm of crablike Sith zombies. Stinger survived the attack, but nearly all of his squad was killed, severely demoralising the clone. While a discussion with Sights helped to convince Stinger to keep fighting, the experience traumatised Stinger, further pushing him to doubt his capabilities as a sergeant.

After making their way through the terrain, the group were assaulted by a droid army. During the battle, Stinger coordinated a Y-wing airstrike that was able to destroy the majority of the droid army. However, he and the rest of the clones were forced to take cover after Baines dropped a Munificent loaded with Rhydonium onto the battlefield, severely damaging both armies and killing one of Stinger's remaining squad mates. While Sights conversed privately with Baines, Stinger was temporarily knocked unconscious after a half-melted amalgamation of droids assaulted the remaining clones.

After Stinger had recovered, the droid amalgamation was destroyed, and Stinger joined Sights, Leslie Kryze (a Nite Owl who was assisting the 415th as an advisor) and the remaining clones in a confrontation with Baines. Stinger attempted to arrest Baines, blaming him for the death of his squad, but was stopped by Kryze, who convinced him to let Sights choose Baines's fate. As Klutz attacked Baines and the battlefield devolved into chaos, Stinger quietly asked Sights for his orders, and was told to stand down. While Stinger disagreed with his decision, he reluctantly stood down.

#### On Korriban

After the battle, Stinger was praised by Sights for his actions during the fighting, and promoted to sergeant major. Still injured from the fighting, he was forced to take several days of rest. During this time, he began to draw tallies onto his armour to represent the clones under his command lost in combat, so that he would remember his past mistakes and learn from them in the future.

During his time on Korriban, Stinger assisted Sights in his exploration of the remains of Zilti Irus's ship. While his methods accidentally damaged some of the ship's contents, he was able to ascertain that the ship's owner had been a Jedi. He didn't notice Sights recovering the ship's data, having been searching the living quarters while his commander was retrieving the black box.

## Personality and traits

Stinger was an ambitious clone, with a strong desire to succeed and to do his part for his fellow clones. His methods can be unorthodox, sometimes to the point of recklessness, but he obeys orders when lives are on the line. He cares deeply about his fellow clones, and hopes that he can rise through the ranks to better serve them, sometimes feeling like he can't contribute to the war as much as he would like from his lower rank. His loyalty lies with his brothers, not with the Republic, and will often go against military protocol if it means being able to help out another clone. However, this loyalty also meant that he would struggle to do things he saw as in any way putting other clones in danger.

Stinger suffered from imposter syndrome, not believing himself to be worthy of the positions bestowed upon him and blaming himself for any losses under his command. He would record tally marks on his armour to represent the clones he lost, in order to remember and learn from his mistakes. This also led to him questioning what he wanted for himself outside of the Republic, believing any personal desires to be anywhere from unimportant to selfish. His imposter syndrome caused him to suffer from insomnia, as his thoughts of whether he deserved his position kept him up at night.

After joining the 415th and meeting Sights and Botboy, Stinger would have recurrent thoughts about whether he too wanted a partner and a life outside of the military, which would often exacerbate his insomnia for their diametric opposition to what he had been taught by the Republic. However, he never verbalised these thoughts, satisfied with his choice to focus on his training and the war, until his therapy session with Lipaa, who encouraged him not to repress these feelings and to allow himself to make a life for himself outside of the 415th.

### Relationships

Stinger would form friendships with many of his fellow soldiers in the 415th. He became good friends with Punch and Iden, two other troopers in the 415th, and when he was promoted to sergeant, chose them for his squad. Iden personally volunteered, and Stinger chose Punch from a list of candidates as he was confident that he would make a good corporal. Stinger's likeable personality meant that he also befriended several other members of the 415th, including Botboy, Bread and Clu.

#### Sights

Sights looked out for Stinger after his transfer, seeing potential in him and eventually promoting him to the rank of sergeant major. He also supported Stinger when his imposter syndrome made him doubtful of his competence. Stinger respected Sights as a commander, and while he didn't always agree with his decisions, he followed them without protest.