ESOC Trooper: Experimental Special Operations Clone Trooper
Designation: ESOC Trooper 9295; 'Zenith'
Age: 9 (Clone Years) 18 (Human Years)
I Am an Experiment
She's dying. Simple as that. Dying because I can't help her, because no one can. But she's happy, joyful, with huge blue eyes. I can't let her die but it's all I can do. She's so damn brave. She knows she's dying... but she knows how to live it up. Fuck. I'm tearing up. She comes up to me, "Um, Mr. clonetrooper, can you play with me. Please?"
I only nod, grabbing my helmet as I stand up. She points towards a forest. "There's a clearing out there. We can play there. She says. I walk after her. We find her clearing and she tells me to pick up a rock. She picks one up to. "Here, throw it at that tree. If you can hit inside the hollow, you win." She instructs.
"Sure kid, let's do it." Her eyes widen from happiness. The clone said something other than, "Yes sir or ma'am."
We spend hours throwing rocks at the hollow. I lose 73 to 95. She has a hell of a throw.
It's late and I know she has only so much time left. We walk through the Turu grass back to the village. We head to her house, the smell of some unknown creature wafts through the air.
"Hello mama, papa, this is my friend," She introduces me to her parents. "Mr. Clonetrooper."
I guess I have a nickname now.
"I hope I won't be a bother here," I say timidly.
"It's all good, come sit with us, eat. It is an honor to have a soldier in our home, " He leans over to me as everyone digs in. "And thankyou so much for keeping our daughter occupied these past two days, you have made this easier on us and softened the blow it gave her. Thankyou." He whispers.
I can only nod, my eyes teary.
Dinner is now over. Her parents are cleaning and preparing tomorrow's meals. Sadly, only for two people.
She sits me down and says, " I am so glad you've been with me for the past two days. Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou! I know I'm dying but I was so happy when you said you'd stay with me rather than go out into the town with your friends. Thankyou." She's sobbing now.
"I-it's okay kid, I'm right here." I stutter. I hug her and she hugs me back so hard that I can feel it through my chest plate. I feel so terrible, unable to do a thing about her death, but I think, 'I can't be depressed. I have to support her... Even if it's until her dying breath.'
She pulls away. "Come here Mister," She picks up a small jar of some orange substance and unscrews it. "I don't know much about clones but I do know that you like to be different, even if it's by a tiny bit. I-if you let me, I can make you different and I can make it so you never forget me." Her eyes are pleading. Clones aren't supposed to 'feel' but to hell with it, it's a dying girl's last damned wish.
"Go ahead kid, anything works." Her face lights up and she smiles.
"Thank you." She chirps also telling me to put my helmet on. She sticks her opened palm into the jar getting the substance on her hand. Her left hand. She brings it up to my right triceps and wraps her and has far as she can around the gauntlet. When she takes her hand off, I can see an orange handprint. "That's how you'll remember me, and this," She dips both her pointer and middle finger into the orange stuff. "is the mark of our friendship." She utters softly while drawing two diagonal lines across my helmet, starting from the top right corner of the visor all the way down to the bottom left of my air filter."
Thanks," I hug her against me. "Really."
"Your welcome Mr. Clonetro-," A hacking cough rips through her body making her fall over. I catch her whispering, "It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be fine," I dash into the house. One look at her in my arms and her parents open the door to her bedroom. I set her down on her bed softly. We all gather around her. Cough, cough, cough, she looks at us, then just at me, " Thank You Mister, for everything you've given me. For your time and care. Thank You. Please, can I see your face- Cough -one last time? I can only nod. I take off my helmet and attach it to my belt.
"Mr. CloneTrooper, I want you to know that I care about you. I don't want you to grieve over my death. I want you to use me as a tap to life and happiness, please, do this for me."
"I promise that I'll do it, I promise." I can barely hear myself whisper the phrase. She coughs up blood. Lots.
"Trooper, what's your name?" She asks.
"My designa-." I'm cut off by her voice.
"Not your number, your name." She's demanding it.
"My name I-is Zenith. It's Zenith." I say softly. She falls into another coughing fit.
After recovering she says in a hushed voice,
"That's a nice name… Zenith. Thank You, all of you for everything. Goodbye mom, dad, Zenith... Thankyou."
She's gone. I fall to my knees while her parents hug and cry over their ten year old, togruta daughter.
Atrana Tieveri. I will forever cherish your memory.