Thank you for clicking through, I hope you enjoy your read! I need to state a few clarifications for the context of this story. The lore for Star Wars and with the changes Disney has made, confusing at times. So in my story, clones do not grow at an accelerated pace nor do they have an inhibitor chip. I might borrow from media outside the movies, but I'll be sticking the closest to the films.
I'll do my best to update as much as I can!
Chapter 1
The Fall of the Light
Notas - Jjannex Sector
10:51AM
The arrival of the ship was unannounced. Vleck was one of the first of the troops to arrive at the ship, following his commander's quick order to meet it's unexpected arrival. The sleek design of the ship gleamed in the rays of the sun, giving a few cause to squint. Not a moment after slowing his steps and catching his breath, the ship had landed with a rush of dirt and leaves swirling around it. With a curiosity, he watched as the door of the ship slide away. Master Scrhil appeared at his side, his steps silent and his manner all too similar.
The lithe figure of a human female, jumped from the ship, not waiting for the steps to extend. Ignoring the makeshift path extending from the landing pad, she leapt in to the dirt and ran towards his commander. Master Scrhil met the smiling woman, before being taken into her arms.
"It is good to see you, Senator," Master Scrhil said smoothly, stepping back after the woman released him. The senator had her blonde hair pulled in to an elaborate hairstyle, falling down her back and simple blue ensemble, with knee high brown boots.
"Of course, Master Scrhil," the senator replied, a warm smile gracing her face for the Jedi. Vleck stared probably too long. He didn't seem to be the only one however, as his fellow brothers cast glances in the newcomer's direction.
Vleck saw a movement from the ship. Another human female, younger, and waiting impatiently for the steps to safely complete their extension. Unlike her predecessor, she was short in comparison and curvy. As soon as it was safe to, she ran up to the senator, two data pads pressed against her chest. She too must have had an elaborate hairstyle, but amongst the brown thick curls, it was hard to see.
Remaining silent, she watched on as the two old friends talked, the senator being the more animated of the two. Without a word to the anyone, they walked down a worn dirt path. Following their suit, she followed a few steps behind the senator.
It was nearly unheard to see a senator in a warzone and here in the outer rim it was even more curious. But here one was, chummy with the Jedi commander, with …an assistant at the heels of her boots. The assistant continued to keep her data pads tight against her chest and barely moved her gaze from the senator.
Like any of his brothers, they had been disciplined in reading sentients. Anticipating a sudden action in the flurry of the moment or disingenuous attitudes, was just another tool. It armed them, just as the blaster he held.
In this case, there was nothing more than a bouquet of nerves when he observed the attractive human.
Attractive? He paused, baffled at his own thoughts. Beneath his helmet, his eyes easily strayed to the assistant again. Unlike his brother's on Coruscant, Vleck had not had the time to observe and appreciate the human female form. His eyes traced the curves of her form.
She must have sensed his gaze, as her eyes flashed around until she caught him, his head still in her direction. No frown formed on her face, but her lips thinned and her knuckles went white from the obvious tension.
Look ahead, Vleck, he told himself, readjusting his blaster and gaze, it's just another day.
Mari's hands were starting to ache, her tension only obvious to all those around her. Their schedule had been sidelined. Greatly. They were due back on Coruscant in 3 days and with her estimates, they were not going to make that date. Her mind was already buzzing with all the messages she'd have to send out, the shuffling around of all appointments.
Late nights.
Glancing around, she was struck by the number of clones. Despite the knowledge they fought for the Republic, she felt uncomfortable. Many seemed focused on their jedi commander, apparently also surprised by their visit. Well, thrown off? Did they feel surprised?
One of them was staring at her, she suddenly noticed. His helmet was in her direction, a polite distance away from Senator Tia Hastar and the jedi master. And then, he was looking away. Mari shook her head, looking down at her boots.
You are just on edge, no one is staring, she thought, as she inspected the newly acquired dirt on her shoes. She frowned.
The senator and jedi, underneath the fan of courtesies, seemed to be quite familiar with one another. There was a glow to Hastar, an excitement in her stance and movements. Whilst quite a happy woman, Mari hadn't seen this bounce in her steps before.
The apparent procession was moving towards the base, with Hastar now talking animately to her jedi friend. Mari followed suit, keeping close enough to her senator.
Back at the base, there was even a greater number of troopers. Mari couldn't help now but to stare, taking in the number of the troopers. She was reminded of her mother's words on the clone troopers. Robots made flesh. The army of the Republic, protecting all those who were part of it. Robots nonetheless, identical inside and out. And that's all Mari could and would see them as.
They might be humans physically, but no way were they in spirit or soul.
Standing at the centre of the base, they came to a stop at a large, makeshift table covered in large data pads and weapons, under an expansive cloth gazebo. Looking over her shoulder, she felt unease, as some of the troopers behind them came in close.
"Mari!" Senator Hastar yelled from the table, her face flushed with excitement. The Jedi commander beside her held a faint smile, his eyes trained on the items before him.
Hastily, she made her way up to the table, coming to stand beside her senator. The woman held out a thin data pad,
"Care to add that to your collection?" Senator Hastar asked, her eyes hinting towards Mari's chest. Mari blushed.
"Of course, Senator," she dutifully replied, slipping the data pad into the tight grasp on her chest.
"What has brought you to the Outer Rim, Senator Hastar?" Master Scrhil questioned, his tone kind but curious. The light caught the quick glint of his lightsaber, before his brown cloak moved to hide it again. Being a usual presence in the Senate Rotunda, Mari was no stranger to seeing Jedi. There was something to be said though, seeing a Jedi away from the grand halls of the senate and in the expanse of the galaxy.
"Trade, allegiances - the usual. It might be war, Master Scrhil, but life continues," Senator Hastar explained, the glimmer in her eyes fading some.
"Quite true," the Jedi agreed, stepping away from the senator. Mari adjusted the pads in her grasp, sparing another glance around the camp. There was a shuffle of boots and Mari could see an increased number of troopers, pooling in to the camp. If there was any warning, it had past before any could realise.
Master Scrhil had out his green lightsaber with a speed Mari had never seen before. And the troopers fired! Their blasters honed on the Jedi Master and inadvertently at the senator and Mari. The troopers cloistered together and moved in on the three.
Mari fell to the dirt, a blaster singing her sleeve and burning part of her shoulder. Crying out, she landed on the wound, the moist dirt cushioning only some of the fall. Looking around, she saw a weapon in her senator's hands, firing at the troopers too.
Mari crawled towards Senator Hastar but her shoulder crippled her pace. Launching her eyes to the Jedi, she could see sweat pooling down his face, his clothes burnt and pool colouring parts of clothes.
Suddenly, it appeared as if there was a rebellion of shots, striking down troopers. Raising her body in to a crouch, she made her way over to Senator Hastar. It was other troopers, pitied against each other. It was a confusion that rained fire upon all in the fray.
Doing her best, she ignored the pain screaming up her arm. The troopers that seemed to be firing back, moved in closer to the Jedi Master. They are fiercely outnumbered. There was countless groans and cries of pain. Looking up at the senator, Mari eyes widened. There was a wave of shots coming towards the senator. The troopers had seemingly expanded their target to the two, the senator and Jedi.
Mari screamed.
The burnt and bleeding body crumpled, meeting the dirt with a thud. Mari dragged herself over to the senator, her hands gathering tiny cuts from rougher bits of dirt. The senator was shaking, her wounds extreme and numerous.
"Senator!" Mari cried, finally meeting the wounded woman's side.
"Run, Mari," the woman gasped, the energy to yell having left her. The cloud of fire above them continued. Mari could sense the troopers returning fire were shrinking.
"Please, Tia," croaked Mari, her hands shaking above the senator's body as she attempted to comfort her. There was a wound on her chest and another bad one of her neck, having burnt away skin and hair.
"Run!" Senator Hastar grimaced, her eyes wide and afraid. Mari was stuck to the woman's side, to afraid to leave her and afraid of being hit.
The choice however, was taken from Mari.
Someone grabbed her, hoisting her up and away from the dying senator. Mari cried out, from the pain of her wound getting moved roughly and leaving the senator. It was a clone, the white of his armour unmistakable.
They bolted. The clone left the fight, dodging the hundreds of shots being fired. She wanted to scream, but her body refused her. The clone held her so close, his armour was digging in to her flesh, already having ripped some of her clothes.
A trooper ran beside them and slide his body to cause her clone to come to a near stop. Before the trooper in front of them could raise his blaster anymore, he dropped, a shot to the head.
Tia…Mari's chest tightened. The senator was probably dead now, her burns too severe. Mari shut her eyes, the realities of the current moment overwhelming. The clone's speed didn't falter and his hold on her was so firm. The pain in her arm did not abate and was only worse with every jolted step.
Turning her head as much as she could, she could see that the troopers were now just dots, with flashes of red lights between the two apparent forces. There was another trooper beside them, catching up to them. Mari's eyes widened, he was going to kill them! Scross his back was a long barrelled blaster and in his hands was another blaster. He looked different from the plain armour of the trooper carrying her now, with maroon shapes adorning his armour.
Sensing her elevating fear, the trooper looked to the side briefly, before increasing his speed. Mari couldn't help but to latch her arms around his neck, ignoring the pain, holding herself even closer.
Just don't look! Don't look, she told herself, as she looked ahead at the dense forest they were approaching. He took a sharp turn, stumbling some, but did not drop her. They were amongst the high trees now, the sounds of the ensuing battle have disappeared. There was just the grunts of the clone to be heard. Jumping over a small log, they fell under a large rock. The clone has mistaken the height of the drop, as the light was filtered by the high trees. Rolling over the moist earth, she fell beside her trooper.
He didn't move. Panicking at the possibility of him being unconscious, she grabbed at his helmet, needing to see a face. She could read that.
The clone's armoured hands leapt up, pushing her hands away. With a little struggle, he pulled his helmet off and dropped his head to the ground. Panting, the trooper dropped his helmet above his head.
Faced with a…face, Mari felt her earlier thoughts cloud with confusion. If this was a robot, it was all entirely too convincing. Sweat covered his deep tan skin, his eyes shut in exhaustion and his mouth hung open as he regained his breath.
"Are you okay?" She said after a moment. His eyes opened and landed on her, dark brown eyes full of adrenaline. Leaning up again, his pressed a gloved hand over her mouth. Shaking her head with a frown, she pulled away, only for him to lean close and grab her mouth again. He turned his head, his eyes focusing on something. Then she heard it too, hurried steps.
Pulling her closer to him, he dragged them under the hanging rock. The sudden movement had Mari whimper, the sound slipping through the trooper's hand. Seeing his helmet, he kicked it so it rolled in to the bushes ahead. The steps were louder now, the crunch of the earth under boots distinct.
With a swift movement, the trooper had landed in front of them and her trooper was pointing his blaster at the maroon trooper. Neither fired though. The air was caught between them, struggling to move.
The maroon tropper dropped his blaster in front of Mari and her trooper. Pulling his long barrelled blaster over his head, he too dropped that to the ground. Her trooper did not lower his blaster.
The last thing to land between them was a helmet. Mari's eyes widened. There in front of her laid a familiar face, weathered by the ongoing war.
The trooper had a large scar that traced the rim of his left eye, with another going down his left cheek. Two clones, yet each struck her with more differences then similarities.
"Lower your blaster, trooper," he gruffly said. His voice was rougher then her trooper's.
"Only if it's fired," her trooper replied, a biting edge in his words.
The maroon tropper in front of her, must have suppressed any reaction, as his face remained unmoved. Like her trooper, his sweat clung to his face, catching the light that peaked through the foliage. Unlike her trooper, he didn't show any sign of being worn out. Stepping over the discarded weapons, he bent down in front of the barrell.
Up close, the two troopers glared at each other. Mari found herself in the middle of a different kind of battle.
"Who did you think took down that trooper?" The maroon trooper finally said, his eyes unmoving. The barrel of the blaster stayed up until Mari swore she heard a grunt and her trooper dropped it.
Apparently it was a battle of egos.
"We need to get away," she muttered, but apparently loudly enough. The maroon looked sharply in her direction, his expression still unchanged.
"An obvious plan," the maroon trooper said sarcastically. Her trooper had loosened his hold some, so now his arms hung loosely around her waist. Rising on shaky legs, Mari rose to her full height, now above both troopers.
"You have a plan?" she said, with a hopeful voice, ignoring the harshness of his previous statement.
"Distancing ourselves," the maroon trooper replied, his tone low, "and as silently as possible."
The trooper behind her, past them both and grabbed his discarded helmet. It seemed the plan was starting now, no other words needed.
She'd never felt so truly afraid. Nearly every inch of her was caked in dirt, sweat and fresh tears. There was an all consuming tension in her chest, its hold so restrictive she could do little to breath properly. Standing in the middle of foreign forest, she was lost.
Peering between the troopers, despite their words and actions, how could she be sure of their agenda? She felt the weight of guilt at the thought. The memory of the Jedi Master and her Senator being shot at mercifully but the supposed army of the Republic was still fresh. Her trooper pushed his helmet back on and simply said:
"Let's move."
The three started their walk, with little to no clear path. Ever aware of her burdensome presence, Mari used all the energy swelling through her to keep up the pace.
There was a bubbling sensation in his chest, that took a hold of his mind and muscles. He wasn't going to stand there any longer, as that sniper spoke down to him. He was clearly a higher rank, even if he wasn't in his squad. Resisting the urge to turn around, he rested his comforts with the loud steps of the woman.
"What are your names?" She suddenly asked, her tone on the louder end of the spectrum.
"47-DF," the scarred one eventually replied, his voice low and hoarse. He did not turn, keeping his eyes ahead and his hands readily holding his weapon.
"Vleck, m'am," he replied, turning to face her. He could see her expression turn to confusion but a faint smile graced her lips before she spoke again.
"Well I can assume you know who I am," she declared. Met with silence and no sign of a reaction, a frown formed on her brow. "Did you know who the senator was?" She seemed to struggle on the last word.
"No, m'am," Vleck replied, turning to her again. Her expression was downcast, but she stood up straighter after a moment.
"My name is Mari Khif," she said with some pride, carefully stepping down some rocks. 47-DF paused, as she made her way down. Only at the last moment did he offer her his gloved hand, which she graciously took. Vleck turned away and continued at his original pace, the bubbling sensation in his chest abruptly more acidic.
The light was fleeting. As they waded through the increasingly denser forest, Vleck was trying to hatch a path that was both fast and not used by his brothers too often. With Mari, their pace was reduced greatly. The sniper was quiet and poised with each step. Vleck could almost forget he was there.
Mari didn't attempt another try at conversation, her thoughts more then enough company apparently. Vleck found himself turning back more and more, as the silence stretched out and only their steps made a sound. Stopping at a stream, Vleck pulled off his helmet to drink some.
"Is it safe?"
"Enough so, ma'am," he replied, before cupping some water in to his gloved hands. The woman rushed past him, no concern for the patter of her boots. She splashed her face and drank some water. The maroon trooper continued at the same pace and too had some water.
"My ship is back at camp," she finally said, after getting her fair share of water, "I understand the need to create distance, but I am concerned." She pauses. "What if the ship is taken in to possession. To be correct, it is not my ship, but the senators. And she is…"
"The troopers are no doubt searching it now," the maroon trooper commented, sitting on a rock by the stream.
"And then guarding it," Mari continued to trail of thought. Her eyes widened at the prospect.
"I cannot deny our plan is obvious," Vleck continued, "however its our only plan." 47-DF didn't wait any longer to hear of the plan. He pushed his helmet back on and apparently readied his blaster. That was the only warning.
Quickly looking down his scoop, he paused and fired. Vleck too put his helmet back on and readied his blaster. Mari jumped but thankfully didn't make a sound, dropping to the ground, her chin resting in the dirt. She was shaking.
Pointing his blaster in the direction 47-DF had fired, he tried to hone in on any troopers. His brothers.
In the dirt again, Mari found herself shielding herself from the fire of shots again. The reverberating sound of the blasters filled the air, clashing with the tranquility of the forest around them. Mari gulped in air.
Vleck moved with a great speed, dodging a shot that glided past his arm, hitting and burning the trunk of tree far behind him. Mari's once pink outfit was now a light brown and in ruins. She would not stay on the ground again, exposed like this. Rubbing more dirt on her body, ignoring her still aching wound, she rose up in her improvised camouflage. Running past the stream, she took cover behind a wide tree trunk.
Grasping on to the tree trunk, she looked around to see where her two clones were. Sometime, 47 had stepped back towards the trees and now was looking down the scoop of his long barrelled blaster. There was a shot and the sound of a body dropping. 47 was a deadly shot.
Vleck had taken down another trooper right at the front. A trooper was coming in on his left, as Vleck was facing down another in front of him. With a violent swing of his elbow, he threw the trooper coming in on his side and shot at the trooper in front. The flanked trooper then in turn dropped, another shot by the scarred clone.
With silence again, Vleck ran in her direction, calling for her. She stepped away from her cover, to reveal her dirty self. 47 ran up behind Vleck and took in her appearance. Shaking his head though, he stepped past Vleck and grabbed her wounded arm.
She hissed, her eyes watering instantly. Pulling her arm away she saw a dejected expression spread across his features and he uttered a quiet apology. Mari wasn't going to hold it against him, with all the dirt, it wouldn't be obvious. She forgave him, but cautiously kept her distance.
The two clones also kept their distance, but remained vigil, with her walking between them. Mari shivered, her thin and shredded garment no match for the night that lay ahead.