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)