Death's Choice

By Ammie Hawk

Disclaimer: Not mine.

AN: So this chapter was such a bitch to write. Truthfully, this was actually supposed to be where this fic started, before it was hijacked by a couple of pushy clones… There is also a bit of a time gap here. Also, there is quite a bit taken directly from Attack of the Clones, sorry, but I thought it was necessary. Anyway, enough of that, moving on to the actual point why ya'll are here…

Mando'a

English

Chapter 7: Obi-Wan Arrives

Rain pelted the hull of the red and white Aetherspite as it made its way down to a landing pad of a large city structure in the vast ocean that was the planet of Kamino. As the ship settled on the platform the pilot, a rather average humanoid male with shoulder length red hair and beard, jumped down from the cockpit. The heavy rain quickly soaked him through, causing an involuntary shiver to rake his lean frame as he drew the hood of the long brown robe over his head in a vain attempt to keep the water out.

Lowering his head to keep the rain out of his blue-grey eyes, he made his way across the platform to the building in front of him. As he approached, the door slid open, spilling bright white light from its depths. He steeled himself and then stepped inside.

As he entered the stark white interior and removed his hood, he was greeted by a tall, white, gangling being with large bulbous eyes.

"Master Jedi," they greeted kindly, "the Prime Minister is expecting you."

"I'm expected?" he asked in some confusion.

"Of course," the being nodded. "He is anxious to meet you. After all these years we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way."

He quickly schooled his features and followed the taller being down the corridor. They arrived at a door that slid open at their approach. Inside was another being similar to the first he met, only with a small fin running down the middle of their head. He could only assume they were the natives. They gracefully rose from their seat at the pair's entrance.

"May I present Lama Su," the first being indicated the other, "Prime Minister of Kamino."

The redhead bowed respectfully in greeting, which the Prime Minister returned.

"And this is Master Jedi…" the other continued, leaving the introduction open.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," he supplied easily.

"I trust you are going to enjoy your stay," Lama Su nodded.

A second chair descended from the ceiling and Obi-Wan took a seat at the Prime Minister's insistence.

"And now to business," Lama Su returned to his own seat, while the other remained standing. "You will be delighted to know we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready with a million more well on the way."

"That's…" he hesitated slightly, "good news."

"Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas his order will be met on time."

"I'm sorry," the redhead frowned, "Master…?"

"Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago," he informed them.

"Oh," the Kaminoan's expression did not change but there was a slight note of sympathy in their voice, "I'm so sorry to hear that. But I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we built for him."

"The army?" Obi-Wan pressed.

"Yes, a clone army," Lama Su nodded. "And I must say one of the finest we've ever created."

"Tell me, Prime Minister," he took a subtle breath, steeling himself for an answer he was sure he wasn't going to like, "when my Master first contacted you about the army, did he say who it was for?"

"Of course he did," the Prime Minister answered readily. "This army is for the Republic. But you must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself."

"That's why I'm here," he plastered on a smile.

Lama Su rose to his feet and the other Kaminoan motioned for Obi-Wan to head to the door. As they made their way through the facility, with the Kaminoans explaining as they walked, the Jedi expanded his senses in the Force, helping to get a better read on the whole situation. The Force wasn't unsettled, per se. The Kaminoans were cool and methodical, nothing overtly malicious about their intentions at all, even if they were playing with sentient lives. The clones, though the term made him cringe a bit on the inside, were varied points of life and emotions, just like any community he had encountered throughout the galaxy. And while he didn't sense anything dark or foreboding from any individual, there was a sense of wariness about the entire place, as if some unseen force was watching from a distance.

Just as he was bringing himself back to the conversation at hand, which had turned to the obedience of the clones, he felt an unexpected surge in the Force. It was only there for a moment, but it was strong, almost as strong as his Padawan's signature, and he almost stumbled from the intensity. He managed to keep his composure, barely, and he was about to question his hosts about it but the Force itself urged him to keep his silence on the matter.

"Who was the original host?" he found himself asking instead.

"A bounty hunter called Jango Fett," Lama Su answered.

"Where is this bounty hunter now?"

"Oh, we keep him here," the Kaminoan sounded pleased with that fact.

The tour continued, but Obi-Wan's attention was once again divided. He needed the information on the bounty hunter, that was the real reason he was here after all, but his mind and other senses kept drifting, trying to find the source of that strange Force signature.

"Apart from his pay, which is considerable," Lama Su droned on, "Fett demanded only one thing—an unaltered clone for himself. Curious, isn't it?"

"Unaltered?" the question slipped out automatically.

"Pure genetic replication," the Prime Minister explained. "No tampering with the structure to make it more docile, and no growth acceleration."

"I would very much like to meet this Jango Fett."

"I would be most happy to arrange it for you," the other Kaminoan bowed graciously.

Obi-Wan bowed to the Prime Minister and followed after the other. They made their way further into the facility, away from the areas utilized by the clones. They walked for several minutes until they came to an apparently deserted hallway and stopped in front of a closed door. The Kaminoan pressed their hand t the panel on the wall, causing a chime to sound behind the portal.

A moment later the door hissed open. Blue eyes stared down the newly revealed corridor before shifting downward, following his companion's gaze, to land on the boy who had answered the door. He looked exactly like all the others he'd seen that day, so he assumed this must be the unaltered clone they had spoken about.

"Boba," the Kaminoan greeted, "is your father here?"

"Yep," he answered, glancing between the pair.

"May we see him?"

"Sure," the boy finally said after a moment.

Boba turned and led the pair down the hall, with a call of "Dad, Taun We's here!" The Jedi took the time to assess his surroundings. The space they were in was small and utilitarian, and he could tell there was more to the apartment, but he had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing any of it.

A door off to the side slid open and a man stepped out to join them. He was around Obi-Wan's age, if he had to guess, perhaps a bit older. His face was liberally marked with scars, but that was not surprising, considering his profession. His posture was relaxed as he came to a stop in the hallway, but his dark brown eyes held nothing but suspicion as he studied the redhead.

"Jango, welcome back," Taun We said pleasantly. "Was your trip productive?"

"Fairly," he replied, his gaze not leaving the Jedi.

"This is Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi," the Kaminoan continued, oblivious to the tension between the two. "He's come to check on our progress."

"Your clones are very impressive," he plastered a congenial look on his face. "You must be very proud."

"I'm just a simple man, trying to make my way in the universe," Jango shrugged.

"Ever make your way as far into the interior as Coruscant?" Obi-Wan countered.

"Once or twice," the brunet held his gaze.

"Recently?" he pressed, shifting slightly and his own gaze caught on a distinctive suit of armor in the open doorway the other had just come through.

"Possibly," the bounty hunter moved further into the room.

"Then you must know Master Sifo-Dyas?"

"Boba," Jango glanced at his son and switched languages, "close the door. Feisty here?"

"Not today,"the boy replied, moving down the hall to do as told.

Obi-Wan's grasp of Mando'a had always been tenuous at best, and he was rather rusty, but even still, that made little sense to him. Was it some strange, roundabout way of Fett seeing if the boy had behaved? Though that made less sense, since it had appeared they'd been in the apartment together.

"Good," the brunet nodded before turning his attention back to the Jedi. "Master who?"

"Sifo-Dyas," he brought his own thoughts back to the matter at hand. "Is he not the Jedi who hired you for this job?"

"Never heard of him," the bounty hunter stepped closer, almost getting in his face.

"Really," blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"I was recruited by a man called Tyranus," Jango continued, "on one of the moons of Bogden."

"Curious…"

Silence followed for several moments as the two men eyed each other, trying to gain the upper hand.

"Do you like your army?" the bounty hunter decided to change the subject.

"I look forward to seeing them in action," the redhead hedged.

"They'll do their job well," the barest hint of a smirk crossed the darker man's features. "I'll guarantee that."

"Thank you for your time, Jango," he bowed politely.

"Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi."

With that, he turned and made his way out of the apartment, followed by Taun We.

888888

Harry sniffed wetly as he slid to the floor of a currently abandoned training room. It had been months since he had met Jango and subsequently been adopted by Rex and Kote, his dads, and things had changed rather drastically. Not that they were bad changes, mind, and he was happier for them, but it was still different.

He was allowed to move a bit more freely among the vod'e, as Ninety-Nine called them, but he still had to be careful. He wasn't sure what or who he was supposed to be hiding from, since most everyone knew he was there now, but he didn't want anyone to get in trouble so when he was told to hide he did. He knew more of the vod'e and quite a few of the trainers who weren't, the Cuy'dal Dar his ba'buir (Trainer Kal Skirata had insisted he call Jango that, much to the other man's annoyance) called them.

He still had his lessons throughout the day. He still went to Alpha's physical training, and Fordor's weapons class, but his Mando'a lessons were now taken over by Trainer Skirata, and he was also being given minor medical training by Trainer Mij Gilamar. The rest was still done through modules, which he was now allowed to do every other day with Boba in the apartment.

He still spent his nights between Echo and Gamma Squads, but it was now more regulated. There were times when he had to be randomly shuffled due to something coming up unexpectedly, but that wasn't very frequent anymore. And he was allowed one night a week, as agreed to by his dads and ba'buir, where he could spend the night with Boba.

But he was too upset to care about any of that right now. Which was why, instead of going to his lesson, he found himself in a training room that was down for repairs due to a lightning strike during the last major storm, curled in on himself, silently crying his little heart out.

It had all started at first-meal. No, that wasn't right. It had started a couple days ago when his ba'buir had returned from a trip that had taken him away for a long time. His return had heralded a shift and not just one he could feel, the vod'e had picked up on it as well. A tense sort of anticipation had fallen over the entire city.

That morning, at first-meal, it had broken. All anyone was talking about, no matter where he turned, was the war. The war they had been training for their entire lives. The war that they were sure would be starting any day now. And everyone seemed to be excited about it.

But not Harry. He didn't want there to be a war. Especially not one that his newfound family was supposed to be involved in. People died in war! He didn't want his family, especially his dads, to go off and possibly die on him. He couldn't be left alone, not again.

A sob escaped him at the thought. He couldn't just let them do this. There had to be a way to save them from dying on him.

888888

Obi-Wan made his way back into the platformed city after his fight with the Fetts, intent on getting to his ship and following after them. His plans were derailed, however, as he rounded a corner and was almost knocked off his feet by the same Force presence he'd sensed earlier. Only this time it wasn't just a brief flash, it was now all encompassing and frankly overwhelming. Whoever this was was in pain and emotional anguish.

He took a deep, fortifying breath and let his eyes fall closed as he searched out the source of the disturbance. A few moments later he opened his eyes and found himself facing a closed door. This was where it was coming from, he could feel it with absolute certainty. He waved his hand in front of the panel next to the portal, unsure of what he would find on the other side.

Only, it didn't open.

A frown marred his features as he tried again. He received the same result. His frown deepened and he reached out with the Force to try and override it. He let out a relieved sigh as the lock clicked and the door slid open. He took another deep breath and stepped inside.

His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. The room he entered appeared to be a training room of some sort, only there was a hold in the roof at the far end that was letting the rain pouring outside in. Oh, and everything that was not bolted down was floating about a foot in the air. His gaze darted quickly around, cataloguing everything and trying to pinpoint the cause. For a Force displacement of this magnitude it could only be caused by one thing.

Ah. There.

Against the wall adjacent to the door a small figure clad in blue sat huddled in on themselves, with their face buried in their knees. He couldn't tell much else, but he could hear the faint sound of sobbing coming from the figure as well as feel the grief and distress that permeated the Force around them.

Very carefully, so as not to spook the child, for that was obviously what they were, he made his way over to them. He stopped about a foot in front of them and hunkered down to make himself less imposing.

"Hello there," he greeted quietly.

The little head shot up, revealing wide, tear-filled green eyes, as all the items in the room clattered to the floor.

"I'm sorry," the child sniffed. "I didn't mean to."

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed at the unfamiliar words, but he could feel the panic beginning to rise in the Force.

"It's okay, little one," he soothed, doing his best to project calm through the Force. "You're not in trouble."

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, he was almost bowled over by the force of the youngling launching themselves at him. His arms rose automatically to cradle the once again sobbing child protectively against his chest.

888888

Harry wasn't sure how long he sat there, alone with his thoughts. He had half expected to be found by one of his dads or Ninety-Nine when it was time for second-meal. But when he had finally been roused he could tell it was much later, he could tell by the lack of light coming in from the hole in the roof and the empty feeling in his tummy, letting him know he'd skipped at least one meal. Only the person in front of him wasn't a vod'e or even one of the trainers.

"I'm sorry," he said automatically, as everything around the room clattered to the floor. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, little one," the man's voice was nice, and he didn't sound mad. "You're not in trouble."

There was something about this man. It wasn't his appearance, though there was a sort of sense of déjà vu about it. He was kinda scruffy looking, with his long hair and rather scraggly beard. It also didn't help that he was soaked through from the constant rain outside. But there was something about the way he felt. There was something almost… familiar about it. It was warm and comforting. It was almost like… drinking hot chocolate… It reminded him of…

Before the thought could fully form, he was launching himself at the man, as his tears began anew.

"Moony, you have to help them," he sobbed. "You can't let them die. Not again. We have to do something."

"Shh," the man reached up and started stroking his hair, just like his dads did. "Hush, little one. I don't know what you're saying. And I would love to help you, but I can't. I have to go."

"No, you can't leave!" he wrapped his arms tightly around the man's neck. "Don't go, please!"

"Shh, shh, shh," the man soothed, projecting that calm once more. "I'm sorry, but I really do have to go. Is there somewhere I can take you? Your parents, perhaps?"

Harry just shook his head and held on tighter. He couldn't let this man leave. This man who reminded him so much of Moony. He had to do something. Convince him somehow. He knew, felt that this man could, and would, actually do something to help his family.

They sat there for a few moments, and he could feel his eyelids begin to droop. He tried to fight it, but the urge to sleep was so strong. And he was so drained from all his tears. It was no use. Still holding tight to the man's neck, he had no choice but to succumb to his body's demands and fell fast asleep.

888888

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what to do. He had managed, barely, to use a Force suggestion to get the boy to sleep. Oh, he had tried to fight it, and any other time he might have succeeded, but his own exhaustion had allowed it to work. But now he had to figure out what to do with him.

He couldn't, in good conscious, leave him where he'd found him. The room, whatever its intended purpose, was rather out of the way and it had been locked. Obviously, it wasn't in use, so why would anyone think to look for a child there.

He could take him to the Kaminoans. Like before, however, when he had first sensed him, the Force was practically screaming at him not to do that.

The boy wasn't a clone, though. That much was obvious with his physical appearance. But his Force presence was also another good indicator. None of the other clones radiated as strongly in the Force as he did. So taking him to them seemed a very strange choice.

There had to be trainers of some sort. The Kaminoans just didn't seem to have the capacity to be able to effectively teach military maneuvers and formations at the level he had seen. But even if there were, he had not been introduced to any of them. Except perhaps Fett, but he'd already left.

Blast! Curse his bleeding heart! He may not have understood what the child was saying but he could feel his distress and desperation in the Force. It was obvious he needed help. And Obi-Wan had never been able to ignore a sentient in need, much less a child.

With that in mind, he pushed carefully to his feet and began making his way toward his ship. He would just have to take the boy with him. If he had the time, he would wait for him to wake up and then try to find a language they shared to hopefully get some answers. But as he didn't, he would just have to figure that out as they traveled. If he had to, he would bring him back later, because he knew that he would be returning to Kamino in the near future. Though, with the boy's Force sensitivity, he should take him to the Temple to be tested, and possibly trained. But that was something for later, and only if the boy's guardians agreed to it.


Ammie: Okay, so there it is. I hope it makes sense. But in the grand scheme of things, this is how the story is supposed to go... even if the characters fight me at every turn. Anyway, hope ya'll enjoy and please let me know what you think.

Translations

ba'buir-grandparent