Some A'den at his best or worst depending on your point of view.

CHAPTER Twenty Four

Outer Rim Hyperspace Lane.

En Route to Jerrist.

"So, Den'ika" Prudii started to question his brother with an unusual sensitivity; they were normally blunt with each other, as only brothers could be but he could tell that A'den was on edge and he was in a small craft with him, in hyperspace. They may have been brothers but they could still argue viciously and the results were not pretty for either of them, as they were evenly matched in build and ability. They had finished their joint mission and had taken a detour at A'den's request.

"Why are we here?"

"Unfinished business." A'den replied tersely.

"If it was Mer'ika saying that, it would normally involve a female of the species, any species, but I know you're a little more conservative than that."

Silence.

Prudii pressed on.

"You're not as bad as Ord'ika, though. I often wonder how he will cope the first time."

"Shut it. D'ika." A'den turned on him with a stoney glare that should have warned him off.

Prudii snorted a laugh.

"So, it is a female. You sly dog"

A'den rose from the pilot seat, moving menacingly towards his brother, who put his hands up, palms facing outwards indicating compliance and shook his head but continued to smirk.

A'den huffed and sat back down, facing the control panel.

"We're coming out of hyperspace now" announced A'den and the stars through the transparisteel windows of the craft, suddenly became dots, rather than streams, of light; the ship lurched violently; Prudii grabbed a handrail and jerked himself back into his seat.

"Udessi! A little more notice would have been good." he grumbled.

His brother snorted.

"We can land at the Spaceport, it's under Republic control now."

"Kandosii. Ner vod. You did a good job here."

"Yeah."

The com burst into life.

"This is Jerrist Atmospheric Traffic Control, please state your call sign, destination and reason for your visit." a professional sounding voice requested.

A'den replied." This is Sigma 159, destination Harab Station, currently looking for work. We have the appropriate permits."

"Thank you, Sigma 159," came the response. "Your transponder code is verified please transmit your visas."

There was a blip as A'den pressed the key and a silence as the electronic documents were checked. The brothers waited patiently and finally, the reply came back. "Visa's accepted, good luck in your job search and have a good day."

"Thank you" replied A'den, it always paid to be polite with officials or they could cause innumerable problems.

The Nulls were expert splicers, it was unlikely that they would have been caught out in that way, but they were going nowhere near Harab station.

A'den put them down in their designated Bay, set their not insignificant security measures, and set off through the spaceport; if anyone looked at the security footage, it would show two easy going young men with overnight bags

Two clicks from the spaceport, in downtown Solen City, they donned their Beskar, Prudii liberated a speeder and A'den programmed its Nav Com. Still not telling his brother exactly where they were going or for what. Prudii was getting a little tetchy by now; he had been asked for his help.

"A little heads up as to what we might face would be useful."

A'den snorted.

"Is that the only noise you're going to make? I think the Aiwha bait snuck a tiny piece of ugnaught DNA into your vat."

A'den finally sniggered. Prudii had never known him be so secretive. They always knew everything about each other...until recently.

"Just follow my lead Vod. A little housekeeping."

"Thought you did that on Corrie."

A'den smiled again. After an hour and forty five minutes they arrived at a dusty, small, nondescript town, where the buildings were all old brick and wood, indicating pre-republic architecture. The streets were surprisingly empty, as the brothers moved towards their objective, a grubby looking Cantina at the end of a sparsely built up road. They blended into the shadows effortlessly.

The brothers entered the Cantina, as any other patron would; a few heads were raised but soon returned to their drinks, after seeing the two now fully armoured Mandalorians in their midst. They weren't going to get involved in any of the business the two newcomers had, for they deduced it had to be bad. You didn't mess with Mando Boys.

"I'll keep my Buy'ce on, Den'ika; I don't think they would accept us as twins."

Prudii got a glare from A'den.

Kriff. He's really strung out about this one.

"Two Corellian Ales, one to go." Prudii ordered and they took a seat at a table in the corner.

"So, who are we waiting for Vod?" asked Prudii.

"She'll be here soon; she already knows I'm waiting."

"Ha, I knew it was a she." he smirked.

"Shut it."

"Boz, you came back" a female voice shouted from behind the bar. "You took long enough."

The voice belonged to a slim, red haired, pale skinned woman, who had a line of tattoos down the outside of her right arm, detailing a vine.

She brought the ales to the table.

"I should be mad with you; leaving a girl like that."

"You knew the rules."

"Yeah." she shook her head and looked him up and down.

"Nice outfit, Mandalorian?"

A'den nodded.

"Your friend not introducing himself? I could fetch one of the other girls but ..."

"No, he never takes his bucyc off."

"What?"

"Helmet."

"Never?"

"That's what he says."

Prudii cursed inside his helmet but he had said he would keep it on.

When she got closer, he could see her finely wrought features. Features more at home on an antique oil painting, than on a Bounty Hunter, resistance fighter and occasional prostitute from an outer rim planet. Prudii had been around the block a few times and could tell when a female was approachable. His blaster was already drawn, primed and pointed under the table. Although you wouldn't have noticed anything different in his demeanour.

"War work," replied A'den, "its busy and cramps me style."

He went back to the accent he had used when he had come out here months ago with Mereel, to organise the resistance fighters against the Separatists. They had needed help following the invasion by Count Dooku, on the death of the old First Minister, who had been a staunch Republican.

"Well, you're back now, handsome." and she pulled his face, with both hands and kissed him passionately. A'den responded enthusiastically, from what Prudii could see. He felt almost voyeuristic when she then straddled his brother on the chair he was sitting on and started undoing his shirt.

"Whoa, Mae" said A'den. "Give a chap a chance to get his drink down his throat before ya start on him."

"Spoilsport." she pouted.

A'den emptied his glass of ale in three large gulps and lifted her off him but kept hold of her hand and dragged her towards the wooden stairs.

"Let's take this somewhere more private."

Mae shouted to the Barman, who was polishing a glass with a less than clean cloth. "See you in the morning, Hal, can you lock up for me?" He grunted in agreement, while they practically ran up the stairs, with Prudii's hard stare following them.

And I thought Mereel was the stud. Mused Prudii.

As soon as the door was closed, on the large bedroom they entered, she threw herself at him with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Carrying her, he walked both of them over to the bed and then laid her on it with him on top of her.

"Aw" she said "Are you going to be old fashioned about this. Have you forgotten everything I taught you."

She twisted him over on his back and ran a sharply pointed finger nail down the side of his face.

"On no. I never forget." With that he rolled her back over and straddled her, holding her arms above her head with his one hand wrapped tightly around her wrists.

"Ooh, this is more like it. Are we getting into hurting now? It works both ways you know."

She giggled.

He never liked the giggle; it was too high pitched, nasal. Ner's was deeper, throaty; there was no comparison between them for anything.

A'den spoke softly, his face close up to hers

"I have a problem darlin'"

"Can I help?" She frowned slightly.

"It's You". He replied.

A flash of worry crossed her face.

"I'm married now." He explained

She cocked an eyebrow.

"I won't cause you any problems, Boz. I can keep our little secret."

"Yes, you will cause problems. I remember what you said when I left." His spoke the words from memory.

"'Boz, you even look at anyone else and I'll slit 'em', were your exact words."

He had only been there a few days, returning after his mission; he should have seen the warnings signs and then someone had attempted to slice Ryssa's com.

He'd traced it.

"No, I promise, I won't do anything, not even tell her. I don't even know Ryssa." She was pleading now, trying anything. She knew what he was capable of; she had seen him in action, when she even become an informant and admired him, all of him.

"What did you say?"

"You talk in your sleep."

It was a plausible explanation.

"You won't ever get the chance to know her."

Her eyes widened and she tried to open her mouth to scream but just as she did he put one large, powerful hand around her neck.

And squeezed.

Tight.

She squirmed, wriggled and bucked; he tightened his thighs either side of hers, still holding her wrists. She couldn't move against that weight of solid muscle.

He stayed immobile until she lost consciousness, he was at least doing that for her, calculating the optimum point of entry for his vibroblade and with it primed, his mind was focused on the kill. He examined her for the 'sweet spot', as his trainer had called it, where his blade would stop her heart immediately.

He found it.

He activated the blade.

Ssshhhtt.

He heard a tiny insignificant groan.

He remembered his training.

Wait.

Count.

Twist for maximum destruction to the flesh; he twisted his blade 180 degrees to the right.

He waited.

There was a little blood.

He waited and removed the blade, wiping it clean on her jacket.

Always check they are dead.

No pulse. No retinal movement.

He got off her and took out a small package from his pack.

Wiping her down with anti-forensic wipes removed all trace of his DNA plus any other traces and covered her with the bed sheet. He set up a small detonite charge next to the old fashioned gas pipe feeding the equally, old fashioned gas fire and then climbed out of the window, dropping to the street below. This, he knew would take him to an unlit side street and he called Prudii on his comlink for pick up, telling him where he was.

They made their way back to their ship the same way they came out; A'den didn't even look back as they walked down the street. After five minutes he pressed the remote detonator and a loud whoomph, followed by the sky being lit up by an almighty yellow and orange explosion.

The remains of several buildings rained down afterwards.

Prudii looked at his brother.

"There should be no evidence...of anything ...left after that, Ner vod." Explained A'den.

Back on the ship Prudii thought that his brother seemed a little calmer than before.

"What was that all about?"

"Like I said, unfinished business."

"She didn't seem like a threat."

"She was an extremely capable Bounty Hunter and could have found me and Ryssa, if she wished. I cannot afford for that to happen."

"Are you sure?"

"I have my reasons."

"Reasons."

"For Ryssa...and the baby!"

Prudii's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Ik'aad?"

A'den nodded.

"Ryssa yaihadla?"

"Ner Vod." he slapped A'den so hard on the back he moved forward several inches, "I'm going to be an uncle?"

His grin split his face.

"Does buir know?"

.

GAR Medical Facility.

Treatment Room

Two days later.

A'den surprised her, coming to the Treatment Room. Sargeant She didn't know when he was going to be back on Coruscant, she never did until he commed her.

He hadn't.

He stood at the door and said. "Hey." In that soft voice.

"Hey" she replied, before even turning, she recognised the different inflections in his voice compared to the other clones now. It had taken a while.

Without warning he came straight for her and enveloped her in an embrace.

"Cyar'ika, I've missed you." His kiss was hard and demanding.

"I need you now." He muttered thickly; that need was mutual. Luckily the team had finished for the night, as, after the first hard, rough, deep kisses they enjoyed, A'den had put his hands under her thighs and picked her up to put her on the old gurney. She protested, inadequately. He knew what she liked and quickly negotiated undoing her tunic and bra and now had one nipple in his mouth twirling it around his tongue, whilst fondling the other breast. Her head dropped back, savouring the feelings he was producing in her.

Ryssa removed his codpiece; it had been getting uncomfortable. He was never sure whether the Kaminoans had deliberately made those pieces ill fitting to prevent any attempt at romance; if they had they had underestimated the clones ingenuity.

Ryssa could feel him pressing against her and a horrible thought crossed her mind that the door was unlocked but what A'den was doing pushed any further coherent thought out of her mind.

Theirs was pure unadulterated lust. She couldn't wait for him any longer and pulled him towards her, wrapping her feet around his thighs. He stopped, looked at her and grinned; then he entered her roughly and held her tightly against him. They both gasped when he did; this was going to be quick and dirty but he was still going to satisfy her; he always made sure he did. He liked to see her enjoy him.

Ryssa bit his neck and heard him growl in response, as she tightened her grip on him. She missed him every second, of every day. She felt one large hand holding her neck and the other at the bottom of her back, holding her in place; she wanted this and more. She unwrapped her feet from him and spread her legs wider.

"Cyar'ika" he growled into her neck and positioned himself further inside her, causing her to shudder as she relinquished herself totally to him, oblivious to anything else.

.

Coric was researching shrapnel injuries, on new ways of triage, prior to surgery; also looking at if stims caused more problems in shrapnel injuries. He had foregone 79's and seen Ryssa instead but she was different, distant. He was on his way back to the Treatment Room, there was something he needed to check; when he caught muffled groans coming from there, he thought there was a brother, ill in there alone and quickly entered but stopped dead just inside the door.

His mouth dropped open.

He didn't believe what he was seeing.

He was mesmerised.

He recognised the armour, an ARC; his huge fekking hands at the back of her head, in her hair and in the small of her back, trapping her.

Coric took a step forward and then the ARC saw him; he looked directly at him, his eyes black and he almost growled when he said…"Ner… Ner…Ner" and bit her throat, as she bared it for him, letting out a low, guttural groan of her own pleasure.

Coric felt as if he had been kicked in the gett'se. He turned on his heels and fled down the corridor. He just couldn't get that image out of his mind.. the ARC's hands.

Coric thought Ryssa liked him; she treated him differently, to Kix and Tod; after D.T.s, she had touched him and talked to him, when they were alone. She had let him touch her hair; it was soft like silk, and he could feel it now. Her eyes were so different to his and his brothers, pale and grey, cool. They had kissed and things may have gone further but he had held back.

I held back, I didn't do anything, when I could have.

Regret punched him in the gut.

He felt sick and could see it all again, that hulk was all over her. Inside her. Touching her, touching her hair, biting her, like an animal.

He didn't remember how he got to his quarters but he rushed straight to the fresher in there and punched the wall. The nausea left him to be replaced with pain.

Kix woke, when he heard his brother come back, and the "wumph" a few seconds later; he headed straight into the fresher after him.

"You ok Vod?" He asked and stood in the doorway, whilst Coric was leaning over the basin, blood dripping from his knuckles. "Too much Ale?"

Coric shook his head.

Kix fetched his medibag.

"Finished Vod?" He asked, as he took his hand wiped first with antibacterial wipes and then put a Bacta patch on it.

Coric got up, walked to his bunk and sank onto the thin mattress.

Kix sat on the opposite bunk and put his hands on his thighs. Looking at Coric he said.

"So, ner vod, what's the problem?"

He had an idea what it was about but Coric didn't say much about his feelings. Kix wasn't blind and had seen how he had looked at Ryssa recently. Secret small looks, when she wasn't watching. If she did catch him, she just smiled at him and Kix thought, it may just have something to do with her. They had also entered and left D.T's together, that night.

"Nothing, l'm fine."

"Rubbish. You've just tried to demolish part of the Barracks. So tell me what's the problem."

Coric looked at him, all wide, dark brown eyes, his cynicism gone.

"Ryssa. She was with an ARC trooper - the Null N12, I think."

"Yes?"

"She was having sex with him; in the med bay on the gurney."

"Oh….unhygenic, vod."

Coric put his head in his hands and sighed.

.

"You ok?" A'den had murmured into her neck when they finished.

"Yes." She replied breathless, A'den sniggered.

"Let's go home."

He didn't know when he first thought of her apartment as home, he had nowhere else apart from Arca Barracks and he didn't spend much time there. On reaching it A'den made Caf; Ryssa stood and watched.

"You look at home there."

"Kal had his own apartment on Kamino and we would get involved in cooking with him."

He smiled, to himself, at the thought.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile about anything that happened on Kamino."

"There wasn't a lot to smile about except Kal'buir; our lives began when he took us over." His eyes defocused for a few seconds and she knew he was remembering, the Nulls remembered everything that the Kaminoans did to them.

"Den, I'm your wife, you can talk to me about it anytime, I mean it."

She went up to him and wrapped her arms around him wanting to take all the bad memories away from him, but she knew she couldn't.

"Cyar'ika, just having you is enough. I've won just by being here with you and her." He placed his hand protectively on her belly, it was feeling hard now. Her eyes watered but she didn't let him see and made no sound, or so she thought.

"Hey, don't cry because of that or I'll have another reason to kill every last piece of Aiwha-bait left alive."

He rested his chin on the top of her head and held her close.

"Can you imagine six hyperactive two year olds, who continually ask questions and had ferocious appetites and Kal? We must have pushed him to his limits and then some, and we grew, boy did we grow, twice as fast as normal kids. And he had his other Commando squads to train. He was amazing."

"I can't imagine. I have trouble with one Null let alone six." She was smiling when she said this and A'den, lifting her off her feet replied." Oh you do, do you. Let's see about that" and practically ran with her to the bedroom, Caf forgotten.

.

Later...

"I think you just coped with me very well, Cyar'ika." A'den said teasingly, Ryssa punched his arm. He sniggered "and that wasn't much of a punch."

"You can be very aggravating, A'den Skirata, but I love you."

"I know."

She punched him again in the same place.

"It still isn't much of a punch. Perhaps we need to build up your muscles."

"Perhaps we do, I sometimes have to ask Coric or one of the other medics to help with lifting or moving items, if the repulsor lift is on the fritz."

"Ah, Coric. He's a good medic."

"Yes, he is. He's really helpful, a bit grumpy sometimes and hates tinnies." She replied. "Why?"

"He saw us tonight, in the med Bay?"

"What?" She looked shocked and then blushed at the thought of someone else seeing what they did. "I need to talk to him, to explain….."

"He can keep a secret can't he?" Asked A'den, he had assumed as a vod, he would but her reaction worried him.

"Yes, yes. He would but I work with him, it's … I need to explain it to him. It would be better that way."

####

yaihadla - pregnant

Ik'aad - baby