Jango Fett had never been fond of medical centers and his current assignment as a clone template on Kamino had done nothing to bolster his enthusiasm. The sharp clinical scents stung his nose and the unsettling way the cloners eyed him as if he were a piece of meat to dissect made his skin crawl. The air circulated throughout the main cloning facility passed through so many filters it felt lifeless as Jango drew anxious breaths into his lungs.
Taun We, his Kaminoan liaison, as serene as ever walked alongside him and was mercifully silent during their trek to the small gestation lab that housed the only other stipulation for Jango's cooperation with Tyranus.
The first clone of an army crafted in his image, but unlike the rest of the batches brewing in the bowels of the cloning labs, this one would grow at the rate of a normal child and be gifted with the ability to determine his own destiny along with a father to teach him. It wasn't exactly what Roz had meant when she'd urged Jango to settle down and have a kid but it was the best he could do. The quirky Toydarian had stood by him through thick and thin proving herself to be an invaluable ally as well as a confidant. She deserved to have her last wishes honored in some form.
Now the day of his son's "birth" had finally arrived, a day that caused Jango's guts to twist with anticipation and dread. He was a maelstrom of emotions; feeling excited, anxious, and slightly ridiculous. The last of these roiling emotions was due to the fact that he was journeying to the gestation lab wearing a robe over his bare chest as well as his sleep pants and lab provided slippers. Taun We had wisely avoided questioning his appearance when she'd arrived to escort him to the lab already knowing that the bounty hunter would not have given her an explanation even if she had inquired about his wardrobe choices.
According to the parenting resources he'd consulted, it was essential that his son be put to his father's bare skin immediately following his "birth". It would help stabilize his son's temperature, set his breathing to a healthy rhythm, and reduce the stress of birthing on the infant. The more sentimental sources stated that the repeated skin to skin contact would help the newborn recognize his father as a source of safety, allow father and son to have a strong bond, and even give Jango more confidence that he could nurture life as well as he could take it.
The Mandalorian warrior didn't put much stock in psych droid babble but if it gave his son a good start in life he could suffer a few indignities.
Taun We came to a stop in front of a nondescript white door panel. Her ivory fingers danced over the locking mechanism to enter the code and grant entrance to a room that Jango had only ever seen via remote link.
The gestation lab was a small room with a strange pedestal, which the cloning tube containing Jango's unborn son rested upon, at the center. Several holo displays and monitors hovered around the tube including the small camera that had allowed Jango to observe the child as it developed from a cluster of cells to a full term ik'aad. Two Kaminoan doctors a male and a female along with a floating medical droid were off to the side preparing the receiving area for the infant while Jango kept his gaze focused on the tiny form inside the tube. The infant was currently upside down and curled up with his small feet twitching occasionally as he "slept".
A few moments later, the male doctor and the droid approached the pedestal and looked expectantly at Jango, who merely nodded allowing them to proceed. With the press of a few buttons the tube carefully rotated so that the infant was turned to his side facing his father. The tube swiftly drained causing the infant to float to the bottom, where he began to twitch irritably at the loss of his warm cocoon.
Jango's heart hammered in his ears.
"Sir, please come forward," the doctor instructed.
The bounty hunter obeyed and accepted a thin medical blanket from the medical droid.
The artificial umbilical cord detached from the infant followed by the withdrawal of the top glass panels. The medical droid moved in and quickly cleared the infant's mouth and nose of the remaining fluids before vigorously rubbing his back.
The newborn responded to all this attention by opening his tiny mouth and beginning to wail furiously. His tiny fingers and toes clenched and flailed in protest.
The droid scanned the infant and once it was satisfied with the results the droid scooped the newborn from the tube and deposited him into his father's waiting arms.
The bounty hunter nearly dropped the slick squirming infant from shock but managed to keep himself upright and his newborn son safe.
'A son. I have a son.'
"Hold him to your chest, sir. Pull your robe and the blanket around him. He will calm once his temperature stabilizes." the droid spoke in a gentle masculine tone.
"Per your request, we will give him a thorough examination in one hour then release him to your care. In the meantime, we will leave the two of you alone," the male Kaminoan said softly.
Jango felt numb as he adjusted the still screaming infant so the tiny body lay against his chest. He barely noticed the departure of the Kaminoans or the continued presence of the medical droid.
The medical droid directed the new father to a nearby medical cot, which he gratefully sank onto, then dimmed the overhead lighting. At Jango's request, the droid adjusted the bed to a reclining position allowing him to better cradle his son against his chest.
The newborn continued to cry even as he nuzzled against his father's warm skin. Jango tugged his robe over his son and rubbed the infant's back then nervously cleared his throat.
"Shhh it's all right, son. Dad's here. Dad will keep you safe," Jango said over and over trying to soothe the infant as much as himself.
To his relief, the infant's cries gradually subsided to soft grunts.
Jango gingerly adjusted his hold so that he could better see his son's face. Though he'd watched the boy's development on a daily basis the bounty hunter couldn't help but marvel at the full head of dark hair, alert sapphire eyes, and tiny nose. He was startled by the strength of the tiny fingers gripping his larger finger.
A rare smile spread across his face at the newborn's curious gaze, "Hello there, ad'ika. I'm your Dad. I never thought it would happen. Not in this lifetime."
He was sure Roz was having a good laugh where ever she was. She would have cooed and fussed excessively over this kid.
"Roz would've loved you, son. Spoiled you rotten."
The newborn hooted softly as if in agreement and settled his head over his father's heart.
"Son, I can't promise that I'll be there to see you get as old as I am. I can't guarantee that our lives will be easy but I vow that I will do my best to keep you safe and teach you everything I know. You will be surrounded by many 'brothers', but you are the only one who will be known as my son, Boba Fett. What do you think of that, Boba?" he said choking back his emotion.
Boba's name had been one of the most difficult decisions his father had ever made. Zam, ever the smart mouth, had jokingly referred to his unborn son as Junior while Jango had long considered naming him Jaster in honor of his Mandalorian mentor. In the end, Jango had resolved to give his son a name that would belong to him alone. Boba would forever grow up in his father's image and reputation. He deserved a chance to forge his own path whether as a bounty hunter or whatever else he decided to do with his life.
'As long as it's not a politician or a Jedi.'
The child in question was quiet as if considering his name and what lie ahead of him.
"It won't be an easy life but if anyone can survive it's you, Boba." Jango whispered kissing Boba's moist forehead.
Outside storms raged, plots were hatched, and the galaxy endured, as Jango Fett hugged his son close. For that single precious hour there was nothing but a son snuggling up to his father's scent, relaxing under his calloused touch, and listening quietly to his rugged Concord accent.
All too soon the spell was broken by the Kaminoans returning to whisk Boba over to the exam table for his newborn physical. The new father reluctantly released Boba to the doctors, who proceeded to poke and prod his son in an effort to confirm the success of the cloning process.
Boba didn't endure the separation from his father or the examination quietly. His pained frantic cries reverberated off the lab walls and tugged at his father's heart but the former Mandalore kept a silent vigil during the procedure.
With the examination complete, Boba was scrubbed clean, dressed, swaddled in a blanket, and given back to Jango, who tucked him inside his robe effectively ensconcing him in a cocoon of safety and familiar scent.
The Kaminoans observed the bounty hunter's actions with thinly veiled curiosity. Jango guessed it must be an unusual occurrence for a clone template to show such care and concern for their 'offspring'.
The female Kaminoan cleared her long throat, "Your clone is in perfect health, Mr. Fett. As you requested it is a pure genetic replication with no structural manipulation or accelerated growth. Should you find yourself unsatisfied you may return the product at any time."
Jango's fingers itched for his pistol to hear his child dismissed so casually as if Boba were a tissue to be readily discarded once it fulfilled a flippant purpose. The bounty hunter fixed the cloners with an icy stare and barely suppressed a defiant sneer.
'He may be a product to you but he's worth far more to me.'
Luckily, Taun We sensed his temper rising and quickly spoke for him, "That will not be necessary, Doctor. Please forward his birth records to Mr. Fett's private terminal."
Jango didn't fight her raised arm gently ushering him to the door.
"Very well. We look forward to seeing you next week for the upcoming sampling procedure," the female doctor said brightly.
'Bet you do, fish breath,' Jango inwardly snapped as he exited the lab ignoring the doctors' bowed heads and Taun We's wish for a restful night.
The damn cloners were a little too eager to cut into him and almost reveled if he ever betrayed a hint of discomfort, however, as long as his fees were paid and Boba was not bothered he would fulfill the terms of his contract.
The spartan surroundings of his Tipoca City apartment were a welcome sight to the weary bounty hunter. Boba had fallen asleep during the journey and remained so despite the activation of the overhead lights.
His son's continuous sleep cycle worried Jango. Shouldn't he be hungry? Shouldn't he be more alert? How long should Boba be allowed to sleep? A thousand other thoughts raced through Jango's mind as he headed for the small bedroom he'd prepared for Boba.
The austere décor of his dwelling ended as he crossed the threshold into his son's room. His extensive research ensured that Boba's room was well stocked with all of the essentials for an infant while Zam's extensive travels had provided an array of soft toys and model ships.
"A boy needs to know his animals and star cruisers," had been her justification whenever she visited laden with gifts usually during times when Jango was preoccupied with training regiments, conducting parenting research, or recovering from a sampling procedure.
Unsure of what to do next, the new father reluctantly put a still sleeping Boba in the crib, mixed a fresh bottle for his son and a cup of caf for himself, then went back to his son's room prepared for a long night.
Boba did not disappoint. Within a few hours, the infant awoke demanding first to be fed then changed, and raised quite a ruckus if his father even thought of placing him back in the crib. Jango held Boba close and weathered his first night of fatherhood with the same resilience and patience that had allowed him to become one of the galaxy's most successful bounty hunters.
A few days later, an eager Zam Wessell was granted clearance to land near Jango's private landing pad at Tipoca City. A willowy long necked alien greeted her pleasantly and dutifully escorted her to her partner's home.
The Clawdite bounty hunter was greeted by the sight of a weary Jango sitting in an armchair while feeding a tiny baby from a bottle.
"Jango?" Zam asked quietly.
"Come in, Zam," Jango said keeping his gaze on the baby.
Zam cautiously crossed the threshold, eyeing the bounty hunter and his precious burden with disbelief. Jango had told Zam of his plans and allowed his partner to be involved with his usual firm, "Do as you're told." Zam had agreed and complied with Jango's orders to get her vaccines updated and to handle as many jobs as she could without his direct involvement.
Zam had followed his orders but in her usual way nudged his limits. With her increased pay and travel, Zam supplied her unborn "nephew" with toys and brightly colored clothes and assuring Jango that his son could always count on Aunt Zammy as an alternative to his grumpy old daddy.
Now the child was born and hooting softly as his father fed him. It almost seemed ridiculous to see her badass comrade smiling warmly at the soft sounds.
Zam swallowed and nervously approached him.
"You actually went through with it," Zam said as she admired the baby.
"I couldn't let all the stuff you bought go to waste," Jango said as he extracted the empty bottle from his son's mouth.
Zam smirked, "How considerate of you. What name did you give him?"
"His name is Boba Fett," Jango answered as he burped the baby.
"That's a good name for him. How have you been holding up?"
Jango kept his expression cool, "I'm fine. Once I learn his signals and get him settled into a routine things will improve, which is why I called you."
"What do you need, partner?" Zam asked with a wink and a cocky smile.
"Next week, I need to report to the lab for a sampling procedure. They're going to take bone marrow this time and I'm going to be off my feet for a few days. I'd rather not leave Boba alone with a droid while he's so young," Jango replied as he rubbed the baby's back.
"You want me to take care of him while you recover?"
"No. I trust you to take care of him while I recover. There's a difference," he said firmly.
Realizing the magnitude of this statement, Zam found she was only able to nod.
A week later, Jango was lying on his side in the cold sterile confines of the cloning lab. A medical sheet was draped over his body, however, a hole in the sheet exposed his hip to the open air and an IV drip in his arm ensured that he couldn't have cared less about it.
The Kaminoans glided about the lab; prepping tools, checking his vitals, and activating monitors. The distant hiss of the lab door brought an end to the flurry of activity. Jango was half asleep when two cloaked figures moved into his field of vision.
While he recognized one of the men as Tyranus, who had recruited him, the second man was a complete unknown. The figure was garbed head to toe in black robes with a raised hood further obscuring his pale features. The air of menace and darkness emanating from the figure made Jango grateful for the sedatives keeping him calm.
"Master, I present to you the template for the clone army: Jango Fett," Tyranus said in his usual pompous tone.
"You have done well, Tyranus. He is a fine specimen, despite being blind to the Force," the hooded man hissed.
Jango couldn't help but wince as Tyranus' master gently traced a scar on his cheek with the tip of a gnarled fingernail. Once again, the bounty hunter silently yearned for his pistol.
"I am well aware of your exploits, Fett. You certainly proved yourself in the eradication of the Bando Gora. I was most surprised when you demanded to have the first clone for yourself. I must congratulate you on the recent birth."
Jango kept silent.
The aged hand snapped Jango's chin up making him lock gazes with a pair of sickly yellow eyes.
"Listen carefully, Fett. If you fail to fulfill your contract or overstep your bounds the clone will suffer. Do I make myself clear?"
Jango barely suppressed a defiant snarl.
"Yes, sir." was his cool measured reply.
"Good. Carry on." the man said amicably as he withdrew his hand.
The Kaminoans resumed their work as the two men departed. The Kaminoan assigned to monitor Jango's vitals noted a slight increase in his heart rate and blood pressure but not enough to halt the procedure.
The sedatives were increased and Jango slipped into a deep sleep with an image of Boba's face foremost in his mind.
Despite the intense throbbing in his side and sharp twinges from the various extraction sites on his body, Jango insisted on leaving the medical center sooner than the Kaminoans thought was appropriate. However, he was given pain meds, orders to go straight to bed, and a medical droid at the insistence of his mysterious benefactors. Tyranus was apparently most concerned for his template's health.
Jango grit his teeth as he slammed his fist against his door panel.
The door slid aside to reveal Zam walking a screaming Boba around the apartment.
The Clawdite smiled in greeting, "Look, Boba! Papa's home! I didn't expect you back till later. What's with the droid?"
Jango merely limped over and beckoned for Zam to give Boba to him. Boba's cries subsided to relieved coos as his small head settled against his father's throat. Jango also breathed a sigh of relief and inhaled the soft scent of Boba's skin.
Zam put her hand on his shoulder, "Rough day?"
Before he could reply the medical droid chimed, "Sir, you need to lie down. One of the conditions of your early release was that you would rest immediately."
Jango grunted but made his way to his bedroom with Zam following close behind. Under the medical droid's watchful sensors, the bounty hunter settled down to bed while still holding Boba, who had fallen asleep.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. How was Boba?"
"He was okay. He kept sleeping for a few hours after you left then woke up wet and hungry. He then wanted to be held and fell asleep for a few hours more. I caught a nap till he woke up. He was very fussy even after being fed and changed. He missed his papa."
"I don't know about that. Thanks for taking care of him, Zam."
"No problem, partner. I'll stick around to help you till you're back on your feet. You're no good to me worn out."
"Thanks. Can you give us a minute, Zam?"
"Sure thing. If you need anything just yell," Zam said before leaving father and son.
The bounty hunter laid back and gently stroked Boba's hair. He should have known better. Forming attachments always led to trouble. The faces of his birth family, Jaster, Myles, Roz, and so many others flashed before his eyes. All of them dead and all of them connected to him. Though as he smoothed Boba's hair and felt his steady breaths, Jango couldn't bring himself to regret asking for the boy, who in little more than a week had firmly established himself as the center of his father's universe.
Aware of the medical droid's presence, he kept his promise silent.
'I'll be damned if I let you join their ranks, son. I'll keep my contract but you will always come first.'
Author's Note:
Special thanks to chadtayor020 for your invaluable work as a beta reader. I greatly appreciate it! Thank you to EverandeverGreen for your help and introducing the two of us!
I hope you enjoyed my first fic in the Star Wars universe. The Fetts have always been among my favorite characters and I hope to do them justice in this story. Please leave a review!
Mando'a Translations (courtesy of mandoaDOTorg)
ik'aad: baby
ad'ika: little one
