Ando

Chapter 28

"We need to talk about the baby clones."

There was no response.

"Travis, did you hear me?"

Karyn nudged the Marine. He was lying on his back underneath the food replicator in the galley onboard the pirate raider, trying to repair the badly battle damaged systems. She was never sure when he could fully hear her or not. She still tried to always fully face him when speaking. He always still read lips during conversations to ensure he didn't miss any words, but his last tests showed his hearing was still steadily improving.

"I heard you. I've been thinking the same actually," Travis slid out from under the panel and looked up at her. His face was smudged with bits of mech-grease and sheened with sweat. His hair was no longer the Marine burgundy it had been when he'd arrived on Ando, but grown out into a standard conservative clone cut. He looked older and more mature. She didn't think it was possible to love him more as time went on, but her heart swelled as she looked at him.

His brow furrowed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

She dropped to her knees and joined him on the floor. The room still smell burnt from the explosion which had ripped through it at one time during the battle. The entire ship had been scrubbed from top to bottom shortly after the clones had returned home. But, there was a slight battle smell to the entire ship which never seemed to go away. She ignored it and focused on the man in front of her. "You."

He sat up and gathered her in his arms. His voice changed into a husky growl. "Karyn." His arms slid around her neck, and he pressed her down against the floor.

He tasted of sweat and grease and the coveralls he was wearing were worn and stained.

It didn't matter because Karyn had expertly stripped him out of them in seconds. Travis grunted and slid off her pants and undergarments, tugging impatiently at her boots and socks as they got in the way. He didn't bother removing her thick coat and sweater. He locked her arms above her head, and immediately pressed into her body. She welcomed him, adjusting her hips up to take him in more fully. Something pressed into her backside. A tool perhaps. She ignored it, knowing she would likely have am imprint or impression from it later. It wouldn't be the first such unusual mark from their impromptu lovemaking. It was over quickly. Fast and vigorous. This was simply about need. They would likely make love again later at the house in the privacy of their bedroom, more slowly and sweetly. But, she loved that Travis still filled her with such burning desire everytime she saw him.

As he collapsed against her, gasping and catching his breath, he nuzzled into her shoulder. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Baby clones."

"Right, the vatlings." He used his impressive leg and abdominal muscles to lift both of them up so he could balance her bottom against the ruins of the counter. He shifted his body slightly and started stroking into her again. "What about them?"

Karyn gasped, finding it hard to hold a conversation and multi-task. Obviously, Travis had no such difficulty. "The townspeople… ah… mmmm…. they… wwww… wanttt…. to… meet."

Travis lifted her up again, and moved across the narrow galley, setting her down on top of the small crew table. He lay her back and sprawled on top of her. He stroked more deeply. "Alright, we can meet."

Karyn lost all train of thought, focusing only on Travis and what he was doing. She didn't give a frig about the townspeople at the moment. When they finished round two, she lay back exhausted. The small table might have been practical for the crew to eat meals, but not comfortable for lying on. "Ow, Travis, let me up."

He complied, sitting up with her.

She stretched her limbs, wondering if there was actually any food in this ruin of a galley. She was suddenly starved.

"What are you looking for?" Travis asked.

"Food?" she asked, hopefully.

Travis snorted. "Hasn't been any of that here since Rex's man, Kix, saw fit to turn this galley into a bomb." He lifted her up, easily, tucking her into his arms and settled back down onto the ground on their pile of clothes. He rolled onto his side, and curled her into the crook of his arms. He wrapped his limbs around her, holding her in the same position he did when they were sleeping.

"What were we talking about, then?" she said, snuggling back against him, with a resigned sigh.

"The fate of the vatlings. Focus, Karyn." His deep baritone voice rumbled against her back, but he sounded amused that he was able to distract her so thoroughly.

She felt safe and protected. And, very loved.

"You handle it," she murmured sleepily, "I'm going to take a nap."

"Karyn," he said, "you were the one who sought me out because you wanted to talk."

"I'm tired of being head of this town," she protested, yawning, curling up against him even tighter, "I've done it for five years now. You take over." She yawned hugely and fell asleep.

Travis held her, watching over her protectively as she slept. He stroked her hair, brushing it away from her face. He looked at the tired lines around her eyes. He thought of all the nights he'd stayed up with her as she tended to patients all night long, and then still had to deal with the issues of the entire town all day long. Fek. The town of Ando was all that was left of the entire friggin' planet. In essence, she was running all of Ando. And, she had been ever since the end of the war. No wonder she was drop dead exhausted. He'd only added to her stress when he'd left for Darkknell.

He wrapped his arms around her even more tightly and pressed a kiss against the top of her hair.

She stirred sleepily and gazed up at him.

"Wha…" she said.

"Nothing," he tightened his grip on her, kissed her brow, reassuringly and tightened his grip on her, "I've got your back."

He continued to watch her sleep, thinking about what she said.

Take over Ando.

# # #

"Blaze, what is your problem?"

The commando blinked in confusion, staring at the ship's captain standing in his path. "Excuse me, ma'am?" He adjusted the heavy ship's netting slung over his shoulder, and made a subtle hand signal over to Flex indicating he needed a few minutes.

"Don't be long," the scout shouted over to him, struggling to lift a net on his own one-armed. His other arm was still bound in a plasti-cast after his recent surgery to repair the arm by a Kazzie club on Darkknell. Flex was limited in the duties he could do on the docks, but like most of the clones, had too much energy to sit idly around so he was already back at work.

Blaze had fractured his humerus when he and Jade had crashed together to the deck. Bacta had healed most of it, but he was on light duty on the docks while the muscles continued to strengthen. So, he was teamed up with Flex, and the two of them together compensated easily for each other. It was the way everything had always been done with vode on Ando.

"Leave it, until I get back, Flex," Blaze shouted back.

"Put that down and come with me," Ashla demanded, pointing to the netting coiled over his shoulder.

"Ma'am?" he straightened up.

Blaze carefully eased the heavy netting down, careful not to tweak his back and straightened up again. "Alright, what is this about, then, ma'am?"

"My cousin has been trying to thank you for saving her life and you have rebuffed every effort."

Oh, fek it, this is about Jade.

Blaze sucked in a breath and turned away into the cold breeze coming in off the ocean, hoping the Captain's woman wouldn't see his blazing red face.

"Walk with me," Ashla said, heading down the docks at a brisk stride, gripping Blaze's arm. He scowled at her obvious manhandling. He would give her some leeway and respect since she was with the Captain.

She pulled him along until they reached the familiar bulk of the Manifest Destiny. Blaze flushed even further. He had not been back to the ship since they'd arrived back at port and he'd been carried off barely conscious by Mako and the Lieutenant. "Get onboard."

He walked up the ramp of the ship and turned around to speak to Ashla, but she was gone. He looked around in puzzlement.

"Blaze."

His throat went dry. Jade stood at the top of the stairs to the galley. She held up a battered durasteel carafe. "It's fresh. Come on below."

He took a deep breath and nodded. He'd been a coward. He needed to face this woman. He sucked in a deep breath and followed her belowdecks, although it was more terrifying than the time he and Viper had-

No. No. No. Don't think about Viper.

He stood rigidly at the bottom of the steps and watched Jade's every movement. She poured out two cups of caf into the simple battered durasteel mugs so commonly used on all the ships. She sat down at the small servicable table and pointed to the place across from her.

"Sit, please."

He hesitated and glanced back toward the steps. He could still make a strategic retreat. The movement was not lost on her.

"Blaze."

What was it about the way she said his name? He whipped his head around and studied her.

"Please… stay. Just for a few minutes. Alright? I only want to talk with you."

He was such a fekkin' coward. Viper would be so ashamed of him. In the back of his mind, he suddenly heard his vod's voice laughing and teasing. He could hear Viper telling him: 'Get your shebs over there, di'kut.'

He squared his shoulders and crossed the galley. Jade's eyes widened with pleasure and she held up a battered tin of caf toward him. "I don't make the best caf. I'm sorry."

He brought the cup to his lips and took a tentative sip. All Andoan caf was ghastly stuff, but he'd gotten used to it. He couldn't even tell what he was drinking at the moment, anyway. He drained the whole cup in one gulp and set it down. "It's… ah… fine."

She beamed at him with a pleased smile. "Would you… sit, please?"

He slid into the bench across from her.

Viper's voice whispered in the back fo his mind. 'Way to go, vod. That's it.'

She handed him a wrapped parcel. "I didn't know if you'd eaten. I stopped by Ella's and took the liberty of getting us sandwiches."

Caf and a sandwich.

Was this… a date? The strong urge to bolt hit him again.

Steady, Blaze.

He took several deep breaths, like he did when he was facing down multiple hostiles on the battlefield and trying to decide which to take out first.

He extended his hand out palm first and accepted the tentative offering of the sandwich. He unwrapped it and ate it mechanically without tasting anything. He didn't look up or make eye contact. He was too terrified. This was much worse than facing down SBDs, rollies and commando droids. How do civvies do this all the time?

"More caf?" her voice startled him, and he blinked.

"What?" his voice came out harsher and gruffer than he'd intended.

She held up the carafe and shook it, sloshing the contents.

"Uh… yes. Thank you… ma'am."

She poured him another cup of caf, and they drank in awkward silence. He drained his second cup as quickly as the first, nodded his thanks, and stood to quickly make his departure.

He was done, right?

Blaze turned and left, crisply walking up the steps leaving the galley.

"Thanks…" Jade called after him, "eh… can we do it again?"

Blaze didn't respond, too focused on beating a hasty retreat.

Jade sank down onto the bench. Alright, that was a complete disaster.

What was wrong with her? Why was she so undesirable? She curled her face into her arms. This was never going to work. She had to face this man did not want her. The tears flowed and she did her best to stifle her sobs. The last thing she needed was for Ashla to catch her crying again.

Blaze, I'm going kick your shebs.

Blaze halted halfway across the deck. He stared up at the sky.

He couldn't do this.

You also can't go through life alone, di'kut.

Blaze gathered up his courage and turned back around. He headed back below decks. Jade was huddled over the table, her small frame wracked with sobs. He slid into the bench next to her, and wrapped his arms around her. "Cyar'ika, what's wrong?" The endearment slid out without thinking.

Jade looked up in astonishment. Her arms slid around his waist, and she buried her face into his chest and kept crying. He didn't question it, and continued to hold her. Fek. It was good to hold her again, whatever the reason. It was a warm day, by Ando standards, and his roughened workshirt was opened at the collar. She buried her face into his chest. He inhaled sharply at the contact of her face against his bare skin. He hadn't touch her since they had lain together skin-to-skin the night they'd both nearly died in the frozen seas. As soon as she touched him, a jolt shot through him. He sucked in his breath.

"Jade," he groaned.

She nuzzled her chin into the hollow at the base of his throat.

"Gah, Jade," he closed his eyes against the pleasure of the simple sensation, and trailed a hand inside his shirt. He captured her hand. Her touch was like fire. If she didn't stop, and soon, he was going to press her up against the galley table.

She looked up at him, her eyes still glistening and tear stained. "Why wouldn't you talk to me?"

He flushed again. He sucked in a deep breath. He couldn't think when she was so close to him. He pushed her back. She resisted. He pushed more firmly, needing to put some space between them. He couldn't think when she was touching him. He finally succeeded in separating them. He untangled them, and slid to the other side of the bench across from her. He held up his cup, needing to distract himself from thoughts of her. "Can I have more caf?"

You need a cold shower, vod, or better yet to be thrown back in the seas for a bit.

Blaze ignored the voice in his head.

She nodded and busied herself pouring caf for both of them. She pushed a sandwich in his direction. He took several long sips of caf, and unwrapped the sandwich. He busied himself polishing off most of the sandwich before he spoke again. Jade waited patiently. He would not have thought she could be so patient. There was much he did not know about her, apparently. And, there was a great deal she needed to know about him.

She refilled his caf cup without him having to ask. He nodded his thanks. "Jade," he shook his head, not sure where to begin. "I'm sorry. I haven't handled any of this very well." He toyed idly with the dented handle of his battered cup. "When I first came to Ando, I was… involved with a woman."

Her eyes narrowed with an unspoken question.

It was obvious she wanted to ask who. Blaze hesitated, and closed his eyes, all the old shame coming back.

"Ja'nis."

"Ja'nis!" Jade almost leapt out of her seat, "you slept with that lying filthy-"

Blaze put up a hand to stop her tirade. "You know her, obviously."

Jade's lips twisted bitterly. "At my school, any guy who was decent looking or who could shower her with creds, knew Ja'nis. She was infamous for stealing guys away from us other girls, sometimes just because she could."

Blaze sighed, and rubbed at his eyes. "She did this to you?"

"Yes," Jade gritted her teeth, "more than once. And, somehow she survived the war." She spread her hands helplessly. "So, go on. What happened between you and Ja'nis?" She practically spat out the name.

"It ended… badly," Blaze said.

"Define badly."

Blaze sighed and flushed again, staring down into his cup. "She…" He touched the scars on his face and neck self-consciously. "She told me she only slept me with me because she heard I was some kind of super soldier and she wanted to know if I could pleasure her better than any of my brothers." He stopped, and didn't elaborate.

"And?" Jade prompted, knowing there was more.

He shook his head. His fist clenched in anger and he stared down at the table. He took a deep breath.

"Blaze," she prompted, she gripped his hand and stroked the back of his tightly clenched fist. He stared down at the hands.

"She slept with me one last time and then laughed at me. She told me she found someone better." He stopped, and didn't continued his sentence.

Jade stared at him, willing him to go on. Someone what?

What?!

This was the core of what was keeping Blaze from her…

"Someone 'what' Blaze?" she demanded, when she could stand it no longer.

The strong stubborn commando shook his head, his face burning red. She could see the obvious signs of hurt. He set down his cup and slid out from the table. He was halfway to the galley steps when her run voice stopped him.

"Stop running from me," Jade demanded. She stood and followed him, gripping him on the arm and pulling him about.

He whirled on her. "Why? Fek, Jade! What do you want from me?"

"Someone what, Blaze?" Jade demanded, her fingers digging into his arms so fiercely it was painful.

He looked down at her fingertips, his face still contorted with remembered anger. "Someone less damaged," he hissed out, pulling away from her and continuing on toward the galley steps.

Jade followed him and gripped him by the arm again to stop him as he tried to ascend the first step to ascend the old wooden galley steps back up to aft deck. Her eyes widened in understanding. "That's what this is all about? You think you're underdesirable? I've been gone mad every night thinking about you, and you've gotten it into your head that you're… " she snorted with disbelief.

"What?" Blaze stared at her, the fiery clone frozen in place.

"You heard me," Jade admitted, the words were out and she couldn't take them back. "Ever since I met you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head."

"But, there are other clones here who are-"

"None of them do anything for me," Jade said. "It's you."

He stared at her in disbelief. "I…"

To prove her point, she leaned in and kissed the ridged scarring on his burnt neck. He sucked in a breath. She followed it up with her tongue.

"Jade," he groaned.

Her tongue immediately started to drive lower, kissing ever bit of scarred skin she could see or reach. Much of it had healed from the bacta tank, and he was tanned from his time working on the docks. The scars suited him and worked on him. She had memorized all of his scars already and had dream of exploring every one of them, ever since the night they'd lain together on the ship. "Blaze," she murmured, her hand delving inside his shirt again, roaming and exploring.

"Jade, we have to stop," he said, his mouth saying the honorable thing, even as his lower body responded much less honorably. She pressed him back against the ladder, her body flush against his and there could be no doubt now how he wanted her. She shifted her hips and ground against him. "Jade, no," he protested, although his protests were definitely getting weaker the more she worked her hips against his groin. What was she doing with her tongue against his neck? And, her hands? They were tracing down his chest and headed toward his-

Blaze heard a sharp whistle from outside the ship, a second before his wristcomm buzzed. Both yanked him out of his passion-induced haze. Years of training kicked in and he immediately brought the wristlink up and glanced at it. He sighed.

Jade looked at him and then at his wristlink. Her face, flushed. She looked amazing. "Is everything alright?"

He glanced down at it and closed his eyes in frustration, banging his head once against the back of the wooden ladder. "Yes." He brought the wristlink up to his lips. "Flex."

"Blaze, where are you?"

"I'm on the Manifest Destiny. The crew wanted to talk to me."

"Tell them they can't have you again. Last time you worked for them, they nearly drowned you." He glanced over at Jade. She paled at Flex's words. "Hey, you nearly done there. I need you here."

"On my way, vod," Blaze gave her a quick tight smile and disappeared up the ladder.

Jade watched him go. She walked across the galley, and gathered up the carafe pot. She headed over the small sink, washing it out with furious scrubbing movements. Several seconds later, a hand on her shoulder startled her to the point she shrieked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" Blaze stammered out. He shook his head. "I should go." He turned around, and started to beat a hasty retreat.

"No!" she gripped by his worn workshirt. "What?" her voice came out louder than she'd intended, echoing around the small galley.

He stared at her, and then took a deep breath as if about to plunge into something extremely difficult. "I… was wondering… this evening… ater work… I'm scheduled to work on the barracks…"

She'd never heard him stumble on his words before. She waited patiently. His wrist comm went off again. She wanted to rip the thing off of him for interrupting.

He spoke into it very quickly in a language she did not understand. But, whatever he said, immediately silenced the clone on the other end. But, both Ashla and Xyra had told her the clones had a language they spoke amonst themselves. And, they both described it as… very sexy.

Weren't lying.

His deep low voice shot through her and she knew she had one more thing to keep her up at night.

Blaze turned his full attention back to her. "Jade… " He switched back to Basic, and she waited for him to continue. He didn't.

"Yes?"

He scratched at the back of his neck. He was sweating. "Jade?"

"Yes?" she prompted.

"Tonight, I'm…" he stopped again.

"Tonight you're going to work at the barracks," she filled in helpfully.

"Yes," he nodded, and the prompt seemed to get him going again, and the rest of the words tumbled out, "after I finish my shift there, could I take you out to the tapcaf?"

Jade's face lit up with understanding. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"I think so, yes. I've never done this before. Fek. I'm messing this up miserably. I'm sorry."

Jade grabbed him the collar of his worn workshirt and leaned up on her tiptoes so he could brush her lips against his in the barest hint of a kiss. "The answer is yes, Blaze."

He nodded. "Alright, then. Tonight." And, then, as if worried she might change her mind if he stayed any longer, he turned and disappeared up the ladder.

# # #

"I want to take over your duties as leader of the town," Travis announced as he helped Karyn locate her pants, undergarments and boots. He lost his thoughts momentarily as he studied her undergarments. Were these new? He ran his fingers along the lace. She tugged them away from him.

"They wouldn't fit you," she said, teasingly. She balanced gracefully and started to slide on the lacy black undergarments. He sighed in pleasure as he watched her. "Now, what were you saying?"

He wasn't saying anything. He was thinking of a thousand and one ways to get those black lacy things back off of her again.

Karyn snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Travis!"

He blinked. "Uh, eh, right," he tore himself back to the topic at hand, "I want to take over your duties as leader of the town." It seemed a bit less important than it did a minute ago before she distracted him with the black lace, but anyway, he was proud he could remember the topic at all, at this point.

Karyn blinked at him in surprise as if she hadn't heard him correctly. She stopped mid-tug, her underwear only halfway to her hips. "Say it again?"

Gah. Fek it. Karyn. Stop distracting me. This is why the Kaminoans made us all look alike.

He was tempted to forgot the whole conversation and drag her back out of her undergarments again. His body instantly hardened at the thought.

He closed his eyes to block out Karyn and most importantly, her black lace.

This was important.

"Karyn, you can go back to being a doctor. Catcher will lead the legion."

"And, you will…"

"Lead Ando." Even as Travis said the words, he knew it was the right course. In the same way when he was with Rex and they made decisions together and he was so sure the choices were the right ones. Rex would approve. He was sure of it.

"It's not that simple, Travis," Karyn said.

Travis peered one cautiously open.

She had her underwear back on. He heaved a sigh of relief. And, disappointment. She quickly slid on her pants, then her thick socks and boots, thwacking his naked bottom. "Get dressed. I can't have a serious conversation with your naked arse. As perfect as it may be."

Travis glanced back at the area in question, giving it an assessing look. "If I ever see the Kaminoans again, I'll tell them you appreciate their good work."

Karyn snorted. "You are never seeing them, or anyone else from your Republic again."

"If that's true, we need to start making long-term plans on Ando."

Karyn stretched, and Travis followed her movements. "I came here to talk to you about a town meeting, before you distracted me. Thanks for that," she tried to pull her long auburn hair back into a semblance of order. Travis slid in behind her and began to expertly braid it for her. She sighed in pleasure at his touch. "It's frightening how well you can do this," she murmured, sighing as he ran his fingers gently through her hair and expertly put the strands back into place.

"I'm a clone, I adapt," he said, turning her around and studying his finished work. He kissed her on the lips. "Besides, I am the one who is always responsible for messing it up," he said proudly. He turned his attention back to the topic at hand. "A town meeting. So, I need to bring this up to the citizens of Ando at a town meeting so everyone can vote on it? Is that how you were elected before?"

"I was never elected before," Karyn admitted. "It was pure chaos after the war. The people simply needed a leader and by default it became me. But, now it would have to be different, the citizens of Ando would expect…" her voice trailed off. She gave him an exasperated look. "Will you get dressed? I can't have a serious conversation with you about the future leadership of this planet when you are so gloriously naked."

He gave her a smug proud look, but quickly shrugged into his worn coveralls. He skipped the shirt and boots. "Better?"

"Not much," she said, "now you have sexy mechanic going on. Might as well still be naked."

He snorted. "Go on. So, we were talking about what the citizens here would expect."

"Your brothers aren't citizens," Karyn pointed out.

"So, what of it?" Travis shrugged. "We weren't citizens of the Republic, either."

"If you're going to be given full rights here in Ando, you will need to be made citizens."

Travis sucked in a breath. "Karyn…"

"What?"

"We aren't even recognized as sentients, Karyn. We aren't given the most basic rights of sentience under Republic law. If Ando were to grant citizens to clones, it would…" he shook his head, thinking it was dangerous to even consider such a concept.

"We are already sheltering all of you. So, why is it anymore of a stretch to grant all of you the full rights we can offer as a society? In return, you offer us protection and obey the laws of the land. If you aren't a citizen, you can't be elected leader of the land. Simple, Travis."

Travis sucked in a long breath through his teeth, thinking it through. He wanted to talk it over with Rex. His vod would know what to do. But, without Rex he'd developed a new support system. "I'll need to discuss this with the rest of the command team."

"Alright, and be sure to raise the issue of the baby clones."

Travis sighed. "Of course, I will." He alternated between adoring the thirty little mini clones everytime he saw them and cursing Rex for allowing them to ever leave the labs of Darkknell.

Karyn gave him a deep hard kiss which left the ship.

He tried to focus again on his repair work, but his mind was spinning. He wasn't going to get any more work done tonight. He needed to talk about the issue of clone citizenship with his vode.

# # #

A/N: Hello All. A long chapter. A bit of romance, but also some more serious issues mixed in as our town and our Legion start to blend in together as one.