A/N: When I wrote this, I was basing it off of the beginning of the novel by Karen Traviss, Republic Commando: Triple Zero, the sequel to Hard Contact. It was when Kal Skirata fist came to Kamino to train commandos, and the first group he was to train was the Nulls. The poem takes place when they were a little older than two chronologically (biologically four), right after what the book showed us. There are also translations at the end if you don't know Mando'a or a couple of other things I put in there.
Disclaimer: Characters, Mando'a, and anything else related to Star Wars is copyrighted by LucasFilms.
Ner Ade, haar Nulls
Another day with my trainees
And I tell them, "Kandosii!"
They became my perfect sons
"Endex! Endex!" The exercise is done
In single file, they stand in line
I tell them to prepare to dine
And they scramble to the chair
All alike, with dark eyes and hair
But they each have tiny differences
In posture and expressions on their faces
They know so much in their short lives
Yet they know nothing, they are so deprived
Have never seen the outside world
Only in battle, will the mysteries be unfurled
For this, I train them all I can
For when I can no longer hold their hand
In their fist taste of battle
They'll be only boys holding a man's mantle
I watch my sons as their food disappeared
I know that with their skill, I have nothing to fear
But they are my boys, and they always will
Even when their hands are dirty with their kills
My Ord'ika looked up at me
He asked, "Kal'buir, why do you worry?"
They notice everything, these boys
When at their age they should think of toys
I never lie to them. "I'm afraid for you
That I can't teach you for things you need to do"
"Impossible. You are Kal'buir"
Papa Kal. I smile at what I hear
I lean over and scruff his hair
We're all a big family, one that cares
Translations:
Kandosii! (Mando'a) – Nice one! Wicked! Well done! (kan-DOH-see)
endex - end exercise
-ika (Mando'a) – for affectionate usage (example: Ord'ika – Little Ordo) (actual definition – diminutive suffix used written as 'ika – also added to name as a very familiar or childhood form) (EE-kah)
buir (Mando'a) – father, mother, parent ( can be used as suffix for affectionate usage on a name. Example: Kal'buir – Papa Kal) (boo-EER)
ner (Mando'a) – my, mine (nair)
ade (Mando'a) – (plural) children, sons, daughters (AH-day)
haar (Mando'a) – the (har)
Null- Null ARCs – "failed" experiment to enhance Jango Fett's genetic structure in clones – Nulls can only be commanded by their sergeant and "foster" father, Kal Skirata (ARC – Advanced Recon Commandos)
