"Plexes are much better than Verps, in my opinion," Lurk said. "Bigger explosion, more bang for your credit. Don't get me wrong, Verps are great if you need a silent takedown, but for maximum damage, you can't beat the plex."
Slicer shook his head. "Maybe plexes are good for those of us who don't have the greatest aim. Just get it in the general direction, and you've got a kill. Takes a true marksman to use a Verp, though. It's a warrior's weapon."
"Maybe," Lurk replied, "but I still prefer multiple kills with one shot."
Jedi Master Nesuul Semaj watched the conversation back and forth like a nerf-ball game. He raised an eyebrow as he studied Lurk. "You're an awfully violent young man."
"Thank you, General," Lurk answered proudly.
"Has your programming been wiped?"
Slicer turned slowly, staring in disbelief at the Jedi. Prime tightened his hold on his Deece and clenched his jaw, trying desperately not to show too much emotion. Stealth stopped chewing his food and fixed the Jedi with a look.
"Excuse me, my what?" Lurk asked, dangerously calm.
"Your programming. It doesn't seem to me like the Kaminoans would have programmed you with such a violent personality. I'm assuming something went wrong. If you turned out so violent, though, wouldn't they just erase your current programming and give you a new personality?"
Lurk took a steadying breath. "Programmed with a different personality? What am I, a droid? I was grown in a test tube, not on an assembly line. I'm no less human than you."
"I know that, but you're just a clone. Wouldn't--"
Lurk snapped. He lunged forward, knocking the Jedi off his seat. Semaj's eyes widened as he raised his arms to protect his face. Lurk raised his fist. "Prime, if you're gonna call me off, do it now, 'cause I won't be able to stop once I've begun punching his head in!"
Prime stood up and moved toward the two men. He pulled Lurk away from the General. "Stand down, Lurk, you'll kill him."
Lurk clenched his fist, but did as he was ordered.
Prime reached down and pulled Semaj to his feet. "My turn," he said in a low growl. He suddenly swung a right hook to the General's face, once again knocking the man to the ground, breaking his nose in the process. He knelt and yanked Semaj up close so the man could see the fire in his eyes. "I am sick of aruetiise like you assuming that we're expendable. I have watched my five year old brothers killed in live fire exercises. I have been through black ops training where I experienced things that would make a Mandalorian cry. I've seen good soldiers go insane and kill themselves because the pressure is too much to handle, and I've watched a man snap and kill any Kaminoan in his path. I shot him myself. I'm only twelve years old, shebs'kovid, and I've been through more horrors than you will ever see even if you live to be a hundred. Believe me, we do not come programmed with generic personalities, and even if we were, there is no way that any of us could stay 'generic' after even one day of being on Kamino. Don't you ever assume that we are in any way programmed to be loyal, to follow orders, or to fight. Loyalty is something we have learned. Not one of you aruetiise have stood by us, so we've learned to rely on each other and no one else. We follow orders because we have been trained, not programmed. And we fight because we have nothing else. Without the war, we would have no purpose, and would be useless to the galaxy. Have you ever felt useless? Well, believe me, you are. You Jedi just sit on your fat shebse all day, discussing what to do in the galaxy, but you never take action. We are out there every day fighting your battles, making the galaxy right, yet not once have we ever been thanked for it. There are no medals of honor, no funerals for the dead. We're just droids to you, nothing more than a number. Maybe thanks is too much to ask for, but a little respect is not. Got it?"
Prime let go of the Jedi, letting him fall back against the ground, stunned. Wisely, the man didn't try to stand up. Prime gave him partial credit for that.
"Come on, squad. Let's go back to our tent and leave the Master to think about what he's learned today."
Lurk hung back to kick Semaj once before jogging to rejoin his brothers.
"Prime," Slicer said, patting the squad leader on the back, "somewhere, you made some Mando woman proud. You are officially my hero."
"Vor'e, Slicer. It certainly is nice to be considered a hero by someone."