The Clones Are Human Too
Anika accidentally jump starts a clone revolution
Their starfighters jetted out of hyperspace, Kamino in the distance.
"There it is. Our missing planet," Obi-Wan comments.
"Right where it should be," adds Anika.
The two direct their starfighters to the surface of the blue planet. Flying over, they spot cities in domes, surrounded by massive waves.
"That's where we'll land," Obi-Wan diverts her attention to a structure in front of them. Part of the dome recedes as they fly closer to the city, allowing them to land.
"R2 start the landing sequence, but be ready to take off at any moment," Anika warns.
They land on an open platform, rain blurring the view outside their cockpits.
Anika pulls her hood on, shielding herself from the rain. She meets with Obi-Wan as they walk towards the doors at the end of the platform.
Sensing their approach, the pure white doors open to a sterile white corridor. A tall, thin Kaminoan meets them inside the corridor. "Welcome to Topica city, Masters Jedi," she says in a soft voice.
"Oh no, I'm Master Kenobi and this is Padawan Skywalker," Obi-Wan explains, pointing to Anika standing beside him.
The Kaminoan nods, blinking slowly. "Everything is ready Master Jedi. The Prime minister expects you."
"I'm expected?" asks Obi-Wan wearily.
"Of course! He is anxious to see you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way. Your padawan can tour our facilities with one of our staff," the Kaminoan gestures to another Kaminoan to lead Anika further into the facility.
Obi-Wan nods at Anika, before following the first Kaminoan.
'Be careful my Padawan, something isn't quite right here.' Obi-Wan sends through their bond.
'Is it a trap?' Anika asks, concerned.
'I don't think so. But if it is-'
'Spring the trap!' Anika interrupts.
'I was going to say be vigilant, my young Padawan,' Obi-Wan sighs. 'Just try not to get caught, I don't want to have to rescue you again.'
Anika laughs through the bond, 'If you recall Master, I'm the one who ends up saving you.'
Mentally shaking his head, Obi-Wan huffs. 'Just be careful.'
'I will,' says Anika.
Finished with their conversation, Anika looks around her as she walks.
Everything was the same sterile white colour. The floors, walls, ceiling, doors, even the furniture.
"It must be so boring with all this white. Why don't you redecorate?" Anika blurts out. She immediately tries to apologise. "I'm so sorry! That was out of line."
Amused, the Kaminoan next to her smiles. "It is alright Padawan Skywalker. Our society thinks colour is a distraction. White is a simple and non-vibrant colour. We will not be distracted with the colour white surrounding us."
Anika nods, the conversation dying down.
The two walk along another corridor before Anika speaks. "Anika."
The Kaminoan looks down, raising an eyebrow.
Anika flushes, twirling a strand of hair that had escaped her elaborate braid, around one finger. "You can uh call me Anika. Less of a handful to say than Padawan Skywalker and I feel like we'll be friends. So uh…." she trails off.
The Kaminoan nods with a deadpanned look.
Suddenly stopping mid stride and turning to face the Kaminoan, Anika frowns. "I didn't get your name."
When Anika stops walking the Kaminoan stops as well, looking at Anika. At Anika's expected face, the Kaminoan introduces herself.
"I am Ko Sai."
Anika holds out her hand. At Ko Sai's blank look, she elaborates. "It's called a handshake. People do it when they've first been introduced."
Anika sighs at Ko Sai's continued blank look. "I know we kind of already know each other, but I want to shake your hand because we've just been introduced. It's a custom in my culture."
Ko Sai nods, outstretching her hand.
Anika grabs the outstretched hand with her opposite one, shaking it up and down three times.
"Mind if I call you Ko?" Anika asks, looking up at Ko Sai.
Ko Sai tilts her head, contemplating why Anika would want to call her Ko and if she should allow it. In the end she internally shrugs, unable to find a reason why Anika shouldn't call her Ko. It did take less time to pronounce and Ko Sai wasn't strict on enforcing respect through names and titles. Though she couldn't think of why Anika would like to call her Ko. Anika is a conundrum.
"You may. Though I do not know the reason why you would want to call me Ko," allows Ko Sai.
Anika grins, bouncing on her toes. "It's a nickname. It expresses my affection towards the person that I call by a nickname. Think of it as a friendship title," offers Anika.
Ko Sai nods, pleased to know the reason behind Anika's request. "In return I shall call you Zoona after out trickster goddess. She is famous for tricking her enemies and springing her traps, leaving chaos and devastation in her wake. Based on what I have gathered from your interactions with everything around you, I deduce that you shall be as intelligent and devious as the goddess Zoona."
"Oh um…. I'm honoured," Anika says, hesitantly.
(That is the start of a beautiful friendship)
"We shall see the Clone's production in order," informs Ko Sai.
Anika and Ko Sai enter a small sterile white chamber. In the middle of the chamber situated on a platform is a tall glass covered cylinder. Inside the cylinder are rows of cylinder tubes.
Ko Sai walks into the chamber, headed for a console in front of the cylinder. She turns the console on and checks something, before beginning to speak. "This is the Clone DNA Room where we keep copies of the Clone Prime, a bounty hunter called Jango Fett."
Anika nods confused. "Why are you showing me this? I thought you'd, I don't know," shrugs Anika. "Show me around the city not the Cloning Facilities."
Ko Sai powers down the console, turning towards Anika. "You are observing the cloning process so you may report back to the Jedi Council and The Republic."
"O-o-k-a-y," draws out Anika, still confused.
Walking past Anika, Ko Sai enters the corridor and holds her arm out, gesturing for Anika to follow her. "This way please."
The two turn down another corridor and walk for some time before they reach a glass window, overlooking the large chamber below and to the side of them.
"This is the Egg Lab where the embryo's grow," informs Ko Sai.
Racks of glass spheres filled with liquid and suspended embryos are stacked up to the roof of the chamber. Kaminoan scientists walk between the racks, observing the embryos.
"They're tiny!" exclaims Anika. She presses up against the viewing glass window, peering into the Egg Lab.
"Yes, and with their growth accelerated, they mature in half a lifetime. Essential for their order schedule and they use less resources that can be used elsewhere," agrees Ko Sai.
She ushers Anika away from the glass window and onwards with the tour.
"But what about their childhood?" asks Anika, worried. Will they get to grow up and have fun? Find themselves? It troubles Anika that she doesn't know.
"They're born and breed as soldiers for the Republic. Their childhood is training to become the best soldiers they are capable of. The ones who don't perform to standard are indisposed of," Ko Sai says callously.
Anika's mind comes to a halt. Soldiers? The Republic? Indisposed of?
She puts the indisposed of thought away, coming back to it when she wasn't so confused and distressed.
She stops, holding her hands up. "Wait, back up. Soldiers? The Republic? What does that even mean?"
Ko Sai frowns. "Your Master Sifo-Dyas contacted us, ten years ago, ordering five million clone soldiers to be breed for the Republic."
Anika shakes her head.
Baffled, Ko Sai asks, "Surely you know this? Hasn't your Jedi council briefed you before you travelled here?"
"Master Sifo-Dyas has been dead for ten years and no, the council didn't mention any of this!" Anika yells hysterically, tugging on her padawan braid.
Kaminoans passing Ko Sai and Anika in the corridor have started to slow down, looking at Anika in confusion and alarm. Seeing that Anika is causing a commotion, Ko Sai herds her towards an unused alcove.
Obi-Wan sensing her alarm through their bond, reaches out. 'Are you alright my Padawan? Do I need to bail you out of trouble?'
'It's just some surprising news. I'll tell it to you later when we're in private,' Anika answers, distracted.
'If you're sure?' Obi-Wan asks.
'I'm sure Master,' confirms Anika.
Obi-Wan wraps his force presence around Anika in a hug, calming her before he reluctantly pulls away.
Ko Sai gives Anika time to calm down before explaining the creation of the clones. "Ten years ago, Master Sifo-Dyas ordered the creation of a five million clone army to be used by the Republic in the future."
"Did Master Sifo-Dyas say why he ordered the creation of the clones?" asked Anika, calmer than before.
Ko Sai blinked, shaking her head. "No. Only that a growing darkness is coming and that the Republic should be ready for it."
"I need to tell my Master," Anika mutters.
"I believe Prime minister Lama Su is briefing Master Kenobi on the clone army," informs Ko Sai.
"Right," nods Anika, taking a deep breath and letting it out.
"Would you like to tour the rest of the facilities or would you like me to escort you to where you are staying?" Ko Sai inquires, turning towards the corridor they were just in.
"I'll like to keep touring the facilities please Ko," Anika smiles shakily.
Ko Sai walks back into the corridor, waiting for Anika to catch up.
The two walk in silence before they reach another glass window, overlooking a classroom.
Thousands of identical boys are sat before a console, a three-piece headset wraps around their forehead. Two bands over their heads connect to a band that wraps halfway around their forehead.
Ko Sai stands next to Anika, gazing at the clones in the classroom. "The Classroom. This is where the clones learn their studies."
Anika points to one of the boys with a headset on. "What are they wearing?"
"It is a headset, allowing the clones to be flash trained. It enables them to accumulate knowledge, skills and competencies at an accelerated rate."
After Ko Sai speaks, one of the clones looks up. Seeing an unknown person with a lightsabre on their belt, the clones begin to whisper to one another. A Kaminoan walks over, silencing the boys and instructs them to continue with their studies.
Ko Sai turns from the viewing glass, beginning to walk away.
Anika frowns, tilting her head. "Flash training. Is that where information is rapidly shown to a person and they absorb the knowledge?"
Ko Sai nods. "Yes."
They walk in silence.
Upon entering the Clone Barracks, Ko Sai points towards cylinder shaped doors and ladders along the walls. "This is the Clone Barracks. Along the walls are cylinder pods where the clones sleep. With them sound proofed and light proofed, the clones have an eight-hour sleep rotation in order for them to be at their most efficient the next day."
"Wouldn't that be claustrophobic?" Anika frowns.
"Clones are not claustrophobic. We have bred such fears out of their DNA structure," dismisses Ko Sai.
They continue with the tour until they reach the corridor that overlooks the Mess Hall.
Thousands of indistinctive men in the same red and black uniform sit at tables, eating their meals in hushed silence.
"This is the Mess Hall. At their mealtime, all the Clones eat a mixture filled with vitamins, helping their bodies produce the nutrients that they need," lectures Ko Sai.
"They're all the same," whispers Anika in surprise.
Ko Sai frowns, "Of course, they're the same. They are clones and we pride ourselves on creating non-deformed clones."
Anika nods, surprised that Ko Sai could hear her nearly no existent mutter. "Right, right…." she trails off blushing.
If Ko Sai sees her blush, she doesn't comment on it. "There is still the Central Armory and Training Rooms to see."
Ko Sai and Anika walk to the lifts, going down to the next level.
Where everything Anika had seen fitted on one level, the Central Amory and Training Rooms were to big to be on the same level.
"The Central Armory and Training Rooms are connected due to convenience. To your left you will see the Shooting Range where the clones practise their aim and to the right you shall see the Hand-to-Hand Combat rooms. Further in is the specialised training rooms, such as the Citadel Challenge," points out Ko Sai.
"Citadel Challenge?" asks Anika, interested in how the Clones train.
"I believe you would call it a capture the flag type exercise. Cadets are to face guard towers, infantry droids and laser cannons while using crates and walls as cover to climb the hill and pick up the pole on top of it, disabling all the droids," explains Ko Sai.
Anika whistles, eyes wide. "Impressive."
She sees Ko Sai preen before Ko Sai clears her throat, walking to the left. "Here is the sniping range. Clones are to snipe twenty moving targets with perfect death shoots in thirty seconds."
Out of the corner of her eye, Anika sees the Clones glancing at her before turning away, pretending that they hadn't been staring. It seems word about a Jedi travels quickly around Kamino.
Ko Sai's communicator beeps, indicating a call. She picks it up from her pocket, walking away from the noise and for privacy before answering the call.
While Ko Sai is talking, Anika walks further into the Shooting Range. She sees a clone sitting down on a crate, greasing his gun.
Grinning, she walks over to him. Standing next to him she waits for him to lookup before talking.
Engrossed in his gun, he doesn't acknowledge Anika's presence.
Frowning, Anika clears her throat.
The clone jumps to attention, gun and grease rag abandoned on the metal floor.
"Sir!" he saluted.
His exclamation gets the other Clones attention. They turn, focusing on Anika.
Anika shakes her head, frowning. "There's no need for that."
The clone drops his arm.
Seeing Anika not berate the clone for being unaware of his surroundings, the other clones focus on their tasks, but keep their attention on Anika.
"Hello. I'm Anika," Anika greets.
The clone nods, standing at attention.
"What's your name?" Anika asks, trying to engage him in conversation.
"CT-4677 Sir!"
"No, I mean your name not your number. Do have a name?" Anika asks, frowning.
"CT-4677 Sir!"
Anika smiles, reassuring him. "It's alright, we'll work on it."
"Yes Sir," the clone nods.
Shaking her head, Anika frowns. "Please call me Anika. I hope we'll be able to be friends."
CT-4677 shakes his head. "It is against regulations to call a commanding officer anything except for sir or their rank, Sir."
"But I'm not a commanding officer," Anika points out, confused.
"All Jedi are commanding officer's sir. Padawans are Commanders while Knights and Masters are Generals sir," informs the clone.
Anika nods, brows drawing down. "I see. Well, I am Padawan Anika Skywalker."
"Commander Skywalker," nods CT-4677.
Wanting to change the subject, Anika looks around. "Is that a DC-15x?" she asks excitedly, nodding to the gun on the floor.
The clone bends down to grab his weapon and grease rag, propping them on the crate he was sat on. "Yes Commander."
Anika grins, inspecting the DC-15x. Her hands fluttered over the gun, afraid to touch in case she upset or offended CT-4677.
"I've only heard of them in rumours. They're not even on the market yet! How did you get one?" asks Anika, wonder in her voice. She looks up from the gun.
CT-4677 answers her. "The Kaminoans ordered them specifically for the GAR Commander."
"The GAR?" frowns Anika.
The clone nods, "The Grand Army of the Republic, Commander."
Anika nods, pensive. "Hu…. Also please don't call me Commander. I'm not in charge of any army."
"Yes Sir," CT-4677 nods.
Seeing CT-4677 salute to someone behind her, Anika turns around.
Ko Sai walks up to Anika and the clone. She nods at the clone, addressing Anika. "I have been called to attend a situation. I will leave you here and have someone escort you to where you will be staying," promises Ko Sai.
"You can't come back and show me around the facilities more?" pouts Anika, not wanting to say goodbye to her friend.
Ko Sai shakes her head. "I will not return in time to continue showing you around our facilities before the night cycle."
"Oh," frowns Anika. She holds her arms out, indicating a hug.
At Ko Sai's politely blank look, Anika rolls her eyes. "It's called a hug. It's tradition to hug a friend if you haven't seen them in a while or won't be seeing them in a while."
"I see," Ko Sai nods, not moving to hug Anika.
Anika sighs, moving to hug Ko Sai herself. "I'll miss you Ko," she whispers, flinging her arms around Ko Sai's middle, unable to reach her shoulders.
Stiffening, Ko Sai cautiously wraps her arms around Anika's shoulders, hugging her back. "In light of recent circumstances, I think I shall miss you as well Zoona," whispers Ko Sai softly.
Anika tucks a small commlink in Ko Sai's pocket as they part. "To keep in touch," she winks.
"Bye Ko," Anika waves as Ko Sai turns to walk away.
Ko Sai nods, smiling. "Goodbye Zoona. I hope we shall meet again."
Anika watches Ko Sai as she walks towards the Central Amory and Training Rooms entrance. After Ko Sai is out of sight, Anika turns towards CT-4677.
"Where were we?" Anika asks, smiling.
"I'm sorry Sir, but it's my time slot for the Sniper Range," the clone says.
"Oh. I shouldn't keep you waiting, then should I?" retorts Anika.
The clone stays silent.
"Goodbye CT-4677," Anika smiles. "I hope when I meet you next that you'll have a name I can call you by."
CT-4677 salutes, "Sir!"
Anika messily salutes back, unused to saluting. She turns around, heading for the Hand-to-Hand Combat rooms.
Behind her she hears CT-4677 murmur to another clone. "She'll be my General," he whispers determined.
A light smacking sound is heard. "You di'kut. She's a commander and the Republic has no use of us yet," a clone hissed.
"She'll graduate and become a General. And the Republic will need us sometime in the future, why else were we made?" another clone joins the conversation.
The rest of the conversation fades as Anika walks out of ear shot.
Anika frowned. He acted like a droid and I've met droids who have more character than him! Have the Kaminoans breed out every non-essential emotion? And why would they breed out non-essential emotions? Shouldn't soldiers have emotions so they have a survival instinct? With a survival instinct they would overcome every odd they meet.
Anika shakes her head, following another thought trail. I sensed that CT-4677 seemed uneasy. Have the clones been punished for showing emotion to their superiors? I know they have emotions, evident by the conversation I just heard.
She sighs, I'll just have to earn his trust so he's comfortable around me. I hope the other clones aren't afraid to talk to me.
She was still thinking when she came across a training room. A Mandalorian in full armour was overseeing several clones sparring with each other. Walking around the area, the Mandalorian barked commands at the clones.
Trying to be discreet, Anika stuck to the edges of the open space, watching the clones spar.
A whistle pierced the air, getting everyone's attention. "It seems we've got ourselves a visitor boys, and a Padawan Jetii at that," leered the Mandalorian.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to impose," Anika said, stepping back.
The Mandalorian barked a laugh. He sneered, gesturing to the clones watching their exchange. "If you're here, you might as well show them how to fight a Jetii. You know, in case they Jetii go rouge."
When Anika had arrived at the Jedi Temple, she had researched their Jedi's history. In doing so, she knew of the Mandalorian-Jedi War, of how the Jedi won and how Mandalorian's home planet Mandalore was uninhabitable due to the war.
Anika crossed her arms. "May I have the name of the Mandalorian insulting me?"
"It's Kal Skirata," he scowled. "Are you going to talk or are you going to show us how to fight a Jetii?"
Anika nodded, taking her boots, outer robe off and lightsabre off her belt. Turning to the nearest clone she held items. "Will you hold these for me?"
"Yes Sir!" the clone nodded.
"What, no fancy jetii'kad?" mocked Kal Skirata.
"You are a hand-to-hand combat instructor, there is no need for my lightsabre," Anika said serenely.
Kal Skirata scoffed, gesturing for her to stand in the middle of the training mats. He took his armour and weapons off, stacking them neatly to the side. Kal Skirata stood in the ring, wearing the skin-tight under armour sleeve.
"May I have the name of the Jetii I'm about to beat?" grinned Kal Skirata savagely.
"Anika Skywalker," Anika said, getting into a fighting position.
The two circled each other, trying to spot a weakness.
Kal Skirata lunged first, aiming a strike with his left hand towards Anika's middle. Anticipating the strike and the follow up punch to the head, Anika used the force and jumped over him. Using her momentum, she spun around, aiming a kick at Kal Skirata's undefended back. Hearing the rustle of cloth behind him, Kal Skirata leant to the side, just missing the strike. Reaching out and grabbing Anika's outstretch leg, he spun her around. When he let go, she tumbled to the ground, landing hard on her right knee.
"Ohmp," gasped Anika. Rolling to the side, she missed the foot about to stomp on her head. Instead of stomping again, Kal Skirata leaned over her, about to grab her in a chock hold. Lifting her feet, she force kicked him off of her, halfway across the training mats.
He landed on his back, winded.
Anika took that time to stand up and brace herself for the next attack. Around her she could hear the clones muttering to each other.
"Did you see that?"
"She jumped so high!"
"Trainer Skirata looks so angry!"
It was that comment that made Anika focus back on the spar and just in time. Kal Skirata charged her with his arms spread out.
Anika crouched, waiting for Kal Skirata to approach. When she was in reach, she pounced on him, pushing him to the floor and landing on top of him. He wriggled, flailing his arms to get her off him. One of his flailing arms backhanded her. Stunned, she fell off him, landing on the floor.
Not wasting his chance, Kal Skirata rolled onto her. Ready for her force kick, he laid on her legs, immobilising them.
With her arms free, Anika held out her hand and force pushed him to the other side of the training mats again.
Landing on his back he growls, standing up and charging her. When het got close enough he crouched, swiping his leg out to trip her.
Surprised, Anika flops to the ground, arms outstretched to break her fall.
Kal Skirata immediately follows. Having learnt his lesson, he immobilises Anika's legs and arms. Wrapping a fist around her braid, he jerked her head up and brought it down hard, dazing her. Unable to focus, Anika couldn't use the force. Instead she tried to get him of by wriggling her torso with her legs and arms pinned. To stop her wriggling, Kal Skirita wraps a hand around Anika's throat and squeezes.
Obi-Wan sensing her fear tries to get her attention through their bond. 'Anika! Are you alright? Anika answer me!'
Anika blocks Obi-Wan out, focusing on the spar.
Eyes widening, Anika struggles to push him of in vain. Just as her vision is going, Anika whispers weakly, "Ni dinuir."
Kal Skirita nods, letting go of Anika and getting up from her. As soon as his hand is off her throat, Anika gasps, and rolls onto her knees trying to draw in air through her bruised airways.
Walking away, Kal Skirata calls over his shoulder, "You should get that checked out verd'ika."
Anika nods, standing up and gingerly touches her throat. She hobbles towards the clone who's holding her clothes and lightsabre.
"Sir!" the clone says, holding out her items.
Anika nods, unable to talk.
After putting her boots and cloak on and clipping her lightsabre to her belt, Anika turns towards Kal Skirata. After a couple of tries she croaks out, voice cracking in the middle of her sentence. "That wasn't a bad fight old man."
"Old man? I'm only a decade older than you!" he yells indignantly as he finishes adjusting his armour.
Kal Skirata nods towards a clone stationed near Anika, "Commander Cody, escort Skywalker to the Medical Centre," Kal Skirata commands. He turns back to his class.
"Yes Sir!" Cody salutes Kal Skirata before turning towards Anika.
He gestures for Anika to follow him. "This way Commander Skywalker."
Anika nods, following Cody to the Medical Centre.
With her adrenaline crashing, her injuries begin to make themselves known. Her right knee jars whenever she bends it, her head aches and her throat stings. Anika straightens up, forcing the pain away and acting normally.
Walking next to her, Cody is unaware of her injuries.
On the way to the Medical Centre Anika tries to strike up a conversation. "What type of gun do you have? The Jedi Order doesn't allow us to have guns and Master Obi-wan thinks guns are uncivilised," she rasps, rolling her eyes.
"Clone Commanders are issued a DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System, Sir," answers Cody, looking straight ahead.
"It can change between a standard blaster assault rifle, a compact sniper rifle or an anti-armour grenade launcher?" Anika asks, her question ending in a whisper.
Cody nods, "Yes Sir."
To Anika's eyes, he appears to hesitate. "You shouldn't try to talk Commander," he says quietly.
"You do show emotion," Anika mutters to herself, amazed.
"Sir?"
Anika waves him of. "It's nothing. And yeah I shouldn't talk."
The two continue walking, before Anika groans. "My Master's going to kill me. Getting into a fight with a Mandalorian, what was I thinking?"
"Permission to speak freely Sir?" asks Cody.
Anika frowns, "You always have permission to speak freely around me Cody. I don't want you to think that'll I'll do something if you speak out of line."
Cody clears his throat. "For what its worth Sir, I thought you held your own against Trainer Skirata very well."
Blushing, Anika stammers, "Thank you Cody. I uh, I thought I made a fool of myself out there, getting beaten in the first fifteen minutes."
"Most of us don't last five minutes against Trainer Skirata," offers Cody.
"Thank you, Cody," Anika smiles.
A lull in silence continues as they head closer to the Medical Centre.
Just before the Medical Centre doors, Anika stops.
"Sir?" asks Cody.
Anika gathers her thoughts before speaking. Should I tell him that I want them to trust me and be their selves around me, that I want to be their friend?
"I want you and the other clones to know that I hope they can trust me. That I won't berate them for showing emotion. I hope they'll be themselves around me, whether that's boisterous, loud, inquisitive or silent, I don't care. You should be able to express yourselves without fear," Anika says in a rush. "I ah also would like to be your friends if you'll allow me."
She senses a maelstrom of emotions from Cody before it settles on gratitude and determination.
"No one has ever said that they want to get to know us, be our friend. The Kaminoan's don't think of us as people, only numbers while the Cuy'val Dar think of us as a job. I'm honoured that you think of us as individual people instead of names, Jetii ad'ika," Cody explains in awe, force presence radiating pleasure.
Astonished, Anika gasps. Cody had called her his little Jedi sister!
"Thank you, Cody," beams Anika. She turns towards the Medical Centre. "Goodbye vod'ika. May we meet again."
"Sir!" Cody salutes. He watches her for a minute before nodding, turning and walking the way they had come.
Entering the Medical Centre, it seemed some of the clones had overheard her conversation with Cody.
Walking deeper into the centre, every clone Anika had passed looks up and smiles at her before turning back to their tasks. Even the clone patients where secretly smiling at her behind the Kaminoan's backs.
Seeing an empty station, Anika walks up to it, looking around for a medical staff member.
She doesn't have to wait long before a clone wearing white armour with a medical symbol stamped on the side approaches her.
"What may I help you with Sir?" the clone asks.
"Trainer Skirata directed me here after we sparred together," informs Anika.
The clone reaches for a datapad tucked into his pocket, steering Anika to sit facing forward on an unused bed. "Anything hurting other than you throat? Don't speak, gesture," instructions the clone.
Defeated, Anika gestures to her right knee and head. She knows which medics she can downplay her injuries with and which medics she can't. By his demeaner, this clone is not one to cross lightly.
"Alright," the clone nods, beginning the standard health checks.
He holds a pen torch up, shining in into Anika's eyes. "Pupils are dilated and eyes bloodshot," mutters the clone as he works.
He straightens up. "Say ah for me."
"Ahhhh," Anika repeats, hoarse.
The clone sighs, "Slurred speech and hoarseness. That's two signs of a concussion and two signs of strangulation." Turning around, he grabs a stethoscope off a nearby table. "I need to check your lungs, lean forward for me," he instructs.
Anika holds onto the cold bedding underneath her hands, leaning forward and nearly tipping over the side of the bed.
"Woah!" the clone exclaims, holding on to Anika. After steadying her, he slips the stethoscope between Anika's tunic and her back, checking for fluid in her lungs. "Take a deep breath and let it out."
Doing as he says, Anika breaths in, breath stuttering.
"Difficult breathing," mutters the clone, making a note in the datapad. "Lay back, I need to check your knee," instructs the clone, hands on Anika's shoulders, guiding her as she lays flat.
"Ah!" Anika gasps, sweating as he straightens her knee.
"That's it," the clone encourages, letting go of her knee as Anika winced in pain.
The clone reaches for a pair of scissors next to him. "I need to cut your pant sleeve to see your knee. Rolling your pant sleeve up can cause more damage."
Exhausted, Anika nods, head lying on the pillow.
Running his hands over her right thigh, the clone snipped around the thigh, tearing the pant sleeve off. He began running his fingers over her knee, pressing on some of the bruises and gaging her reaction.
"What are you doing?" pants Anika.
Without looking up from his examination, the clone speaks. "I'm checking to see what type of knee injury you have."
After a while he pulls back, looking at Anika. "I suspect you have a moderate concussion, severe strangulation and a fracture, though I need to scan your knee to be sure," informs the clone.
He turns away calling out to a passing medical clone. "I need a bone scanner, knee brace, bacta patch and bandages, oxygen mask and painkillers."
"Yes Sir!" the clone salutes, walking away to find the requested items.
"You never told me your name," comments Anika.
"I never gave it," the clone says, not looking up from his datapad. "If you want to know so badly, it's Kix."
Anika nods, turning her head to look at Kix. "It's nice to meet you Kix."
The clone comes back with supplies in hand, saving Kix from answering Anika.
Kix grabs the bone scanner from the clone, unfolding it and setting it around Anika's knee. "It might be unpleasant," warns Kix, imputing data into the scanner. He presses a button and the scanner hums to life.
Anika fidgets in the silence, waiting for the scanner to finish. The scanner beeps, screen flashing. Walking over, Kix checks the results. "You have a displaced fracture that luckily is in alignment, so it doesn't need surgery, just some bacta and a splint."
Without waiting for Anika's comment, Kix unfolds the bacta patch. Wrapping the patch around her knee and sticking it in place, he then slips the knee brace under her leg, wrapping the straps halfway up her thigh and down to her ankle.
"Sit up, I need to wrap your throat and head," Kix commands.
With help from Kix, Anika sits up without jostling her knee.
Keeping his hands in her view, Kix begins to wind the bacta bandages around her throat.
Anika stiffens, relaxing when he moves away from her throat.
"Why do you need to wrap my head?" asks Anika.
"The bacta will accelerate the natural healing process," lectures Kix. He winds the bandage around her forehead and sticks it together, making sure it can't come loose.
Checking to see if any of her blonde hair got caught in the bandage, Anika brings her hands to her head.
Kix swats her hand, pulling an oxygen mask over her face. He turns, holding a glass of water and a painkiller, handing it to Anika. "Swallow this, it should help with the pain."
Anika grabs the glass and painkiller. Swallowing the pain killer, she hands the glass back to Kix and huffs. "Can I go? You've treated me."
"I'll have to keep you overnight to monitor the concussion and to make sure you don't develop brain damage due to lack of oxygen or have a seizure," Kix deadpans.
"Is that really necessary? Surely after a couple of hours of monitoring I can go?" pleads Anika.
Kix sighs and puts his datapad in his pocket. "If you move and keep talking you will most likely injure yourself further. Meaning you will have to come back later and delay your healing. I'm amazed you walked on that knee without fracturing it even further."
"If I can't move can I go to sleep then?" glares Anika.
"I'll get you a medical grown to change into and then you can sleep for an hour."
"What!" asks Anika, outraged.
"I need to monitor your concussion, making sure you don't slip into a coma," said Kix, turning away to find a medical gown.
When he came back, Anika was laying on her back, eyes closed having had taken her boots, cloak and lightsabre off, leaving them on a nearby chair.
Kix left the gown at the foot of the bed, moving away to engage the privacy forcefield around the bed.
Cautiously sitting up and sliding of the bed, Anika reached for the gown and unfolded it.
The light blue gown was one sided with ties on each end and two arm sleeves.
"How am I meant to put his on?" muttered Anika.
Shaking her head, she placed the gown down, shucking her tunic and the rest of her pants off.
Anika picked the gown up. She put her arms through the arm holes, reaching around to gather the two sides and tie them together.
After a couple of minutes and a lot of grunts, Anika gave up. "Kix! Could you uh. A little help here!" she called out.
Hearing her call out, Kix deactivated the privacy field and walked towards the bed. Anika stood next to the bed, facing forward and backside on display. Seeing her backside littered with scars, Kix flushed, adverting his eyes.
It was the first time he had seen a woman partially undressed. The only women on Kamino were the Kaminoans.
Looking ahead, Kix gathered the ties from Anika and began to systematically tie them together. After finishing he cleared his throat, "You should rest. I'll leave the privacy field on. If you need something call out, I'm stationed at the nearest desk so I should be able to hear you."
Anika turned around. "Can you leave the privacy field off please. I'd like to look around at what I can while I'm stuck here."
"Yes Sir," Kix said, turning back to his desk.
When Kix had gone, Anika let out a breath and began the tiring process of getting back into bed.
Settling down to sleep, Anika's last thought was, I should unblock my Master and tell him I'm injured.
A young boy is standing on the entrance ramp to a modified Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft. He is being handed cases to stow by a Mandalorian in full armour.
"Dad look!" the boy calls out to the Mandalorian, pointing in front of him.
The Mandalorian turns, seeing Obi-Wan charge out of the Kamino landing platform doors, turning on his lightsabre.
"Boba get on board!" yells the Mandalorian. He draws his gun, firing at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan deflects the bolts, approaching the Mandalorian. He tries to slash for the Mandalorian's feet, when the Mandalorian activates his jetpack, firing from the air.
Rolling to the side, Obi-Wan jumps out with his lightsabre ready.
The Mandalorian hides behind a pillar, readying a missile. He fires, hitting the ground in front of Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan flies back, lightsabre falling out of his hand and rolling away.
Boba activates the ships guns, firing at Obi-Wan while he's down.
Gasping, Obi-Wan rolls out of the way. He stands up and force jump kicks the Mandalorian flying at him.
The Mandalorian lands on his back, gun clattering away.
Running at the winded Mandalorian, Obi-Wan leaps, kicking him. Anticipating the kick, the Mandalorian rolls onto his shoulders, kicking Obi-Wan off him.
The two stand up, getting their bearings. The Mandalorian grabs Obi-Wan's arms, headbutting him.
Obi-Wan falls to the ground. Rolling to his front, Obi-Wan attempts to run for his lightsabre.
The Mandalorian actives his jetpack, flying into the air and shooting a wire around Obi-Wan's wrists.
He drags Obi-Wan around the platform until Obi-Wan wraps the wire around a pillar. The Mandalorian hits the ground, jetpack flying off. The jetpack still, activated hits a pillar across the platform, exploding.
Seeing his gun close by, the Mandalorian attempts to reach it. He rolls onto his knee, shooting Obi-Wan who's running towards him.
Obi-Wan kicks the Mandalorian of the platform into the ocean below. The wire still attached to the Mandalorian and Obi-Wan grows taut. "Oh, not good," Obi-Wan yells, falling of the platform as well.
The Mandalorian activates an arm blade, digging into the metal dome he's slipping down. His blade digs in, stopping his fall.
Obi-Wan slides past him, dangling over the ocean. "Agh!" he yells, arms taking the brunt of his weight.
Groaning, the Mandalorian brings the arm with Obi-Wan's weight closer to the arm with the blade stuck in the metal dome. He cuts the wire, letting Obi-Wan fall into the ocean.
Descending through the air, Obi-Wan untangles the wire from around his wrists. He swings the wire around a pole, lurching to a standstill.
The Mandalorian looks over the side of the dome. Unable to see Obi-Wan, he climbs his way back to his ship.
Obi-Wan swings his body weight, getting enough momentum to land on the walkway in front of him. Absorbing the impact with his knees, Obi-Wan stands up. He swipes his hand to the right, using the force to open the door.
While Obi-Wan is running through the Kamino facilities, the Mandalorian runs to his ship. Just as Obi-Wan runs out onto the landing pad again, the Mandalorian pilots his ship, flying off the platform. Activating a tracker, Obi-Wan throws it onto the ship's hull.
"Master!" Anika yells, jolting awake from her dream vision.
Her Master was fighting the bounty hunter that assassinated the Clawdite. She had to go help him!
Ripping the sheet off her, Anika sat up. She flung her legs to the side, wincing when she remembered her knee was injured. Gingerly standing up, Anika walked to the chair where she set her belongings down.
Hearing her yell, Kix comes over to investigate. "What do you think you're doing?" thunders Kix, seeing Anika out of bed and holding her cloak.
Anika looks up, smiling. "Kix! Do you know where my pants are?"
"Pants? Why are you looking for your pants? You should be in bed!" points Kix.
Frowning, Anika shakes her head. "My Master is in danger. I have to go help him!"
"You have a moderate concussion, severe strangulation and a displaced fracture! You should be resting!" protests Kix.
"No matter, I'll just put my boots on and cloak over the top of this medical gown," mutters Anika, clipping her lightsabre to her belt. She pushes past Kix, heading for the entrance.
Kix huffs, following Anika. "I strongly recommend that you head back to bed Sir!"
"No. I need to find my Master," Anika shakes her head.
All the clones she passes are gaping or whispering to one another. They probably haven't seen a Jedi in a medical gown with bandages and a cast around their leg marching towards the door with a clone medic following and yelling at them, thinks Anika wryly.
Seeing the Medical Centre entrance, Anika falls into a jog.
"I insist that you rest. Running around half dressed isn't rest!" Kix jogs next to her.
Anika shakes her head, nearly at the entrance. She jogs through the entrance and bounces back. Gaping, she turns towards Kix, seeing him smirk.
"Kix! Open this door!" she commands angrily.
"I'm sorry Sir, but you've left me with no choice," retorts Kix smugly.
Anika glares, "As a Commander I order you to open this door."
Kix crosses his arms, levelling an annoyed look at Anika. "In medical matters I outrank your Sir. And you said so yourself, you're not commanding an army so you're not a Commander."
"I don't have time for this!" Anika groans.
"You'll have time to rest," Kix pipes up.
Huffing, Anika turns towards the door. "If you don't open this door, I will cut it down!"
Kix shakes his head. "I can't do that Sir."
"You leave me with no choice," announces Anika. She pulls her lightsabre of her belt, holding it in front of her. Humming to life, the blue blade of the lightsabre emerges. Anika stabs her lightsabre through the top right side of the door. Grunting with effort, she begins to slash the lightsabre diagonally down, intent on making an X.
Freeing her lightsabre, Anika makes an identical slash on the other side.
"Sir!" gasps one of the clones, scandalized.
Anika closed her eyes, using the force to sense for sentient lifeforms outside the door. Sensing none, she force pushes the door into the corridor. It hits the wall, creating a dent. Falling to the ground, it makes an enormous bang.
"Opps," she winces, seeing the dent. "Sometimes I don't know my own strength"
"You're telling me," one of the clones whisper in the resulting silence.
Anika turns to face Kix and the other clones watching the spectacle. "I'm truly sorry Kix, but I must find my Master, he's in trouble."
Kix glances to the destroyed door and Anika, dismayed.
She laughs, saluting the clones. Dumfounded, they salute back.
"Bye boys! I hope we meet again," Anika grins, turning to the ruined door. She takes a couple of steps than turns around. "Tell Ko Sai to bill the repairs to the Jedi Order tab!"
The clones nod. One yells out, "Will do!"
Anika chuckles, running out the open space and down the corridor, rushing past confused clones.
"You shouldn't be walking let alone running on that knee! You'll injure yourself further!" yells Kix at her retreating back.
Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair. He turns around and promptly freezes. All the clones who saw Anika were grinning at him. One started clapping and pretty soon everyone was clapping, with some of the braver one's wolf whistling.
Kix glares at the clones, walking back to his station. "Back to work! And you lot," he points to the injured clones, "Back to bed!"
Groaning and grumbling, the clones comply. They whisper and tell each other stories about the crazy Commander Skywalker.
Word spreads about the gracious, courageous and crazy Jedi. About how she sparred with Kal Skirata and lasted fifteen minutes, how she stood up to Kix and slashed a door with her lightsabre, how she asked for names, not numbers and how most importantly, she wanted to be their friend.
All the clones were in awe of Anika, the Jedi willing to befriend a clone. Some of the more outspoken clones began declaring their wish to be in her battalion. Some made bets on when she'll be promoted and made General, while others tried to secretly get her comm number from Ko Sai.
(Ko Sai looks the other way when she sees a clone copy Anika's comm information from the comm she accidently leaves out. Not that the clones would be able to find an out of the way empty comm console to comm her.)