A/N - Hi friends! Sorry for the delay between uploads. Life got super busy this weekend and I was running into some creative direction issues as far as how I wanted to more the story forward. Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!

28 BBY

Cye checked herself in the mirror. Her brother's armor still fit well. Her feet were a little squished with the half inch booster she put in the boots. The adjustments to the helmet still worked to add the last little bit of height she needed to match Jango. The last thing they wanted was some overly observant acquaintance asking how he lost a couple fingers from his stature.

"You look good," Jango said as he checked her over. "It's been a while since we've pulled the switch. You think you're up for it?"

"Please," Cye said with a hint of sarcasm, the voice modulator making her sound just like him. "I have aliases far more difficult to pull off. Yours is the easiest role to play."

"Should I be offended?" His frown didn't quite mask his amusement.

"Feel however you like," she said, channeling her older brother. "It won't change anything. Now give me your blasters." Cye extended her hands and cocked her head just slightly to the left the way he did when he was dealing with clients.

His custom Westar repeaters felt good in her hands, light and balanced. She spun them the way he did when he wanted to show off a bit before holstering them with casual efficiency. Jango crossed his arms, his expression stoic and cocky at once. Cye was glad she didn't have to replicate that look.

"Your left hand is a little wobbly," he said at last. "You'll need to practice a bit if you're going to work with someone like Zam."

"I don't really like working with her in this getup anyway," she said as she drew the pistols and practiced his signature spin with his blasters. "I like her well enough, but not like that."

"Like what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, ori'vod." Cye re-holstered the blasters, feeling more confident as she worked with them. "She's into you."

"So she wasn't trying to bed you on Denon?" Jango snorted a laugh. "Because I'm pretty sure you were going to let her."

"Maybe, but we both know I'm not her first choice. When she sees this armor she's not going to be asking about Cye, I guarantee you."

"What does that matter?" Jango bristled.

"Her expectations of how you interact with her are far more nuanced. And I don't want to be the one that's leading her on."

"I'm not leading her on, Cye." His annoyance bordered on anger.

"I know you aren't," Cye said as she took off his helmet. "Which is why I can't work with her."

Her analysis would have held more weight if she hadn't heaved up the voice modulator from her throat. Cye coughed up the small, droid-like device, a string of saliva connecting the metal spider to her tongue. It was the worst part of the transformation to be Jango. She'd forgotten how uncomfortable it was to remove.

"I don't know what you're talking about." His indignant reply was all Cye needed to know she was right.

"Don't, Jango." She tossed his helmet to him. "I'm not saying you have feelings for her, but you know as well as I do that she's interested in being more than business associates." His frown deepened but he didn't deny it. Cye unholstered his blasters and set them on the table. "I'm not judging you, ori'vod. You know I would never do that."

Jango let out a long sigh. "I know. I guess I've got used to people not calling me out. My reputation is what got me here. Got us here," he corrected quickly. "We just have to be careful now that we're going to share my armor again."

Cye began to peel off the armor plates. "I don't take this lightly. I never have. We've survived this way long before you took the deal with Tyranus."

"Fierfek, Cye." Jango shook his head. "The only reason he contacted me was because he thinks I did all those jobs."

"You did the ones that mattered," she reminded him. Tyranus knew Jango as Jango because it was his turn to wear the armor during the bounty to find the force wielder that the former Jedi used to test his, no, their, abilities.

"It could have easily been you."

"You're right," she said as she pulled the flak vest over her head and set it next to his blasters. "But at this point, I'm glad it wasn't." He was about to protest, but she held her hand up. "It has nothing to do with the cloning." A lopsided grin spread across her face as she put her hand on his shoulder. "It's far easier for me to pretend to be you than it would be for you to pretend to be me."

He smiled flatly but the lines by his eyes crinkled with amusement. "You're not wrong."

"I know," she chuckled. "But if you really want to I can get another voice modulator."

"I don't think so," Jango said with finality as he snorted and shook his head.

"I dunno, I think it might be fun if y-"

Cye was interrupted by a hard knock on the door to their apartment. She looked at the door and then to Jango. He nodded towards his bedroom and she quickly picked up the flak vest and one of his blasters and moved silently into his room. He picked up the other blaster and held it behind his back as he went to answer the door. Cye stayed out of sight, blaster ready.

They didn't want anyone to see her in his armor. The last thing they needed was anyone even thinking it was a possibility. The door hissed open and Jango sighed audibly.

"What are you doing here, Skirata?" he asked gruffly.

"Hello to you too, Fett." Kal sounded tense. "Can I come in?"

Jango grunted after a short pause and the door hissed closed. Two sets of boots walked into the main living space. "What do you want? I'm in the middle of something."

"Is Cye here?"

That was strange. He sounded concerned. What could Kal'ba need to talk with Jango about that he couldn't come to me directly? Her nerves flared, but she stayed out of sight.

"No," Jango lied. "What's this about, Kal?"

"I wanted to talk to you first," Kal explained. "I think Cye deserves her own unit."

Cye's mouth hung open as she sucked in a surprised breath. This was unexpected. She imagined Jango putting on a deep-lined frown as he took in the words. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what brought this on.

"Huh." That was the only outward response of her brother's surprise. "Did she talk to you about that?"

"No. But the clones respect her," Kal replied. "Those boys look up to her, she's a natural leader." Her face heated up. She never thought of herself as a leader. Jango was always the one in charge, and she was comfortable with that. "I think her skills are wasted on teaching melee combat and grappling."

"Those are essential skills for commandos to learn," Jango replied.

"But they'll surpass her within the before the end of the year, Jango," Kal countered. "What is she supposed to do then?"

"Whatever she wants to do, I suppose."

"Then you'll talk to her about taking a unit?"

"No." Jango said it with finality that the conversation was over. Kal ignored it.

"Why the hell not?" Kal was getting louder. Cye could hear his face go red. "She could make a real difference with these boys. Cye's experience can help keep them alive."

"You know why not, Kal," Jango warned.

"She can't do what it takes to make sure those boys stay alive?" Kal asked, his voice equally threatening. She didn't want them to argue, especially not over her, but Cye was frozen in the corner of Jango's bedroom as she tried to figure out why Kal was so adamant. "Or you don't think she can? You can't keep coddling her like an ik'aad. You're treating her like-"

Cye flinched as a meaty crack cut Kal off. "You finish that sentence and you're dead, Skirata. You think you know what she's been through, but you don't." Jango was breathing hard, trying to control his rage.

She heard a soft grunt from Kal. "I know enough."

"You know nothing," her brother growled. Cye started towards the door. He sounded one step away from throttling one of their oldest friends. "I'm not going to ask her to relive the worst parts of her life, let alone inflict it on children. And neither are you."

What were they going to put those boys through? Memories of her own torture and torment as a slave flashed behind her eyes. Cye wouldn't wish her experience on anyone. Not even a Jedi.

"I think you underestimate her, Jango." Kal said at last.

"Maybe," he admitted. "But that won't change my mind on this."

Kal sighed defeatedly. "Fine. But you're making a mistake. Cye is stronger than you think."

"I'll consider it," Jango said after a long pause. "But I don't want her to be the one to hurt those boys, no matter what. I don't want her involved in that. Period. If you suggest it, I'll know."

"I won't."

There was a cold silence and then a pair of boots walking to the door. She heard the hiss of the door opening and then the lock, Kal's limping footfalls fading away. Cye took a deep breath, shaking as she tried to calm her nerves and keep her mind together. Jango walked into his room, his expression dark and his eyes smoldering. He looked at her and paused. His eyes closed and his head tilted down and left as he centered himself. A moment later he strode to the corner and enveloped Cye in a hug as he had so many times before.

"Ni ceta, Ika'vod," he breathed in her ear.

Cye put her arms around the middle of his back and rested her chin on his shoulder. Her mind whirled with dread curiosity. Those morbid questions kept the horror of her own memories an empty, detached haze.

"What are they going to do with those boys, Ori'vod?"

"That's not something you should worry about," Jango said as he leaned back. He rested his hands on her shoulders and stared her right in the eyes. He was looking for signs of panic and unrest, but she felt slow and aloof.

"They're going to be tortured." It wasn't a question. She focused on Jango's deep frown lines.

"Yes."

Cye nodded softly. "By who?"

"By their trainers, Cye." His eyes were the only part of him that betrayed his feelings. "By us. The commandos have to be able to withstand anything without breaking or becoming a liability."

"I see." She actually couldn't. Cye's vision blurred with images that she hated for coming unbidden. "Better coming from someone they know and trust, I suppose." Blinking didn't help. Her head spun like a holovid on triple speed. The nausea rose in her chest and she swallowed hard trying to keep the bile down. "I don't feel good."

Jango helped Cye get to the 'fresher just in time. She heaved up everything from old memories to last night's dinner. She coughed up stringy mucus and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before rocking back and collapsing against the wall. Her brother stood in the doorway leaning against the frame waiting patiently.

"Got it out of your system?" he asked.

Cye took a deep breath and focused on slowing her heart rate. She belched and nothing further came up. She felt like she was more in control, and she nodded at last.

"Good," Jango said and held out his hand to get her to her feet again. "Let's get the rest of the armor off and you can clean yourself up." He offered a flat smile. "I'll get us some caf made and we'll discuss this further."

It's incredible how much a hot shower could wash away. Sore muscles, emotional exhaustion, and a pounding headache melted away down the drain. The aroma of strong caf perked her up as she came back to the common room with a towel wrapped around her hair. Jango was sitting on the couch with Boba asleep in his lap. He ran his callused fingers through the boy's unkempt hair while taking a sip from his mug. He gestured to the cup waiting on the low table.

Cye picked it up and sat in the chair and crossed her bare feet up on the table. She wrapped her fingers around the mug, warming her hands as she took a sip. It was spiced and sweet and strong.

"Feeling better, vod'ika?"

Cye nodded, "Much, thanks. How's Boba?"

"He woke up wondering why his Cye'ba was feeling sick," he replied. She felt a twinge of guilt for making the little guy worry. "And then he proceeded to tell me about how Dipu's won a gar'shuk game against Gane's."

"Who?"

"His toys," Jango raised his cup towards the boys room. It was a mess with little figurines and toys. She'd never seen so many toys throughout her whole life. Jango chuckled and shook his head, then smiled down at his son. "l wonder if I'm too soft on him."

"He's four, ori'vod," Cye said with an eyeroll. "Not even you started that young."

"You're right." His eyes lost focus as he stared through the table, lost in thought. "The clones have to start that early though. A part of me doesn't want to let Boba fall behind."

Boba eyes fluttered under closed lids as he slept, his little fingers twitching as he dreamed. Cye thought of all the other young boys and wondered what they dreamed. Or if they could.

"I don't disagree with you," she replied. The caf was settling the last remnants of her nerves and clearing her head. "But it's the how that bothers me. I mean, we're not going to put a blaster in his hand and take him to the practice range tomorrow." Jango was still lost in his head, but she could see the wheels turning. "Right?"

"Maybe not tomorrow, but soon I think," he said at last.

Cye didn't know why that bothered her, so she set that aside. Boba was his son, not hers. He was raising him as Mando'ad and that was the important thing. She nodded and drank her caf, trying to find the words to ask unformed questions.

"You're going to train those boys a lot harder than you trained me, huh?" Jango eyed her cautiously, and offered a small smile as reassurance.

"Yes, they're going to be trained in ways that we weren't."

"We had to learn the hard way."

"We did."

Cye considered the possibilities and situations she had found herself in, and if she would have benefited from her buir or even Jango exposing her to the kind of physical and mental torment she'd survived before it happened. It was a twisted concept, and she couldn't imagine either of them capable of doing that to a young Cye.

"Don't go down that spiral again, vod'ika," Jango warned. "Or you're cleaning the fresher."

"We don't want that," she said. Her thin smile widened into a grin as he chuckled and shook his head. "They just look so young, ori'vod. I can't imagine putting them through- all that. You know?"

"I don't want to either, Cye." His exasperated sigh indicated he'd had this discussion with himself already. "But we need to give these boys every advantage we can. And if that means putting them through hell so they can come out the other side alive in the field, then so be it. That doesn't mean I have to like it though."

Cye sipped her caf, a flat frown her only acquiescence to his logic. It was pointless to argue. It was as much out of his hands at this point as much as it was out of hers. He provided the template, and from there the rest was damage control to contain the fallout of that decision.

"You're right though," she said after another moment.

"About?"

"I can't put those boys through what we had to endure." She set the mug on the table and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I think I'd be worse off than they would. There's only so much I can throw up before my throat melts."

"They'd probably spend more time cleaning up after you than anything else." Cye sputtered a hoarse giggle and that sent Jango into laughter. Finding humor in the darkest of situations was a uniquely Mandalorian trait. It had gotten them through many dark times, and she supposed it would get them through this as well. Boba shifted in Jango's lap and opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep away with his tiny fists.

"What's funny, buir?" The boy asked.

"I told a funny joke to Cye'ba," Jango said.

"Cye'ba feels better now?" Boba asked as he whipped around his head until he saw her then practically jumped away from his father and into her lap. "You're better!"

"I feel much better, Bob'ika," Cye said as she hugged him. "Your buir said you were playing gar'shuk with your toys. Is that fun?"

"Yes!" His eyes lit up excitedly. "Will you play with me?"

"Of course I will," she replied enthusiastically. Jango smiled and shrugged as if leaving her to her fate of being at the whims of a four year old for the foreseeable future. "Go ahead and get everything set up. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay Cye'ba!"

Boba hopped off her lap and scampered off to his room to get whatever game he had in mind set up. Cye watched him with a smile and wondered if Jango was the same way at that age. She pushed aside the creeping desire for a child she could never have. Boba was enough.

"Good luck, Cye'ika," Jango said. "He's relentless, and changes the rules on a whim."

"Oh I'm not playing to win on this one."

"How soon will you want to? Play to win, that is."

"Start putting feelers out now, ori'vod," Cye said as she stood. "I should even be able to fool Kal'ba by the end of the week." He raised his eyebrows as if to challenge her, but she held up her hand and grinned before he could. "I'll work on my left. Don't worry, I'll be so good at playing you you'll wonder if you're really Jango Fett," she said as she started towards Boba's room.

"Alright," he said with a nod, "I'll start looking for a job then. Have fun losing to Boba."

Cye paused and turned to see Jango's grin and returned it with her own. "Oh, I plan on it."