Starkiller sighed. The children crowded closer around him.

"Please?" One of the clones asked.

"No."

"Pretty, pretty please?" Another almost identical child pleaded from somewhere around elbow height.

Starkiller sighed.

"Fine." He growled, "Give me some space." The clones eagerly backed away, lining the walls in neat lines, giving Starkiller the majority of the mid-sized room for his demonstration.

With a click and a hiss, his blue blade sprung to life, casting the room in searing light.

"A lightsaber," Starkiller said, finding that he rather enjoyed the looks of awe, "Is the weapon of a Jedi Knight." With a quick motion, he flipped the blade, holding it backhand as was his preference.

"It's not as clumsy, or random," He said, sliding through forms with exaggerated precision, "As a blaster. It is-" He tossed the blade into the air and caught the hilt.

"-an elegant weapon for a more civilized age." And the blue light cast his face in odd shadows, but the children didn't quite seem to notice.

"Can I hold it?" One asked, before hiding behind his nearest brother. Starkiller briefly weighed his options, then-

"Come here." The boy, hesitant, but unafraid, walked up to Starkiller.

"How do you call yourself?" The jedi asked.

"CT-5555, sir." The boy said, saluting primly. It could almost be called cute, Starkiller mused, if it wasn't such a tragedy.

"Alright then, CT-5555," Starkiller gently guided the clone's hands around the grip, "Careful, the hilt has weight, but the blade does not." Starkiller withdrew from CT-5555 and let the boy swing the saber around.

"Careful." Starkiller snapped when one of CT-5555's swings came a little too close to another clone's head. Starkiller snatched the blade from the boy and deactivated it.

"That's enough." He said bitingly, then gentler, "That's enough for today. Go do," Starkiller waved his hand in a vague 'everywhere' motion, "Something." Several of the clones laughed at that, which earned them a halfhearted glare from the bad-tempered teen.

A warm, hearty chuckle drew Starkiller's attention. Master Ti stood just inside the doorway, smiling fondly at both her padawan and the young clones as they herded past her. Starkiller turned his head away, blushing furiously.

"Starkiller," Master Ti greeted gently, "Was that as harrowing and torturous as you thought it would be?"

"Yes." Starkiller muttered, but his face was set in a small frown, a telltale improvement from his usual scowl.

"How did your meeting go?" Starkiller asked before his master could reply. Those words drained the humor from her eyes.

"The Kaminoans- Nala Se, in particular- are not very inclined to acquiesce to certain ideals they believe are beneath them; Sentient Rights, for example." Master Ti's voice was delicate, but held an undercurrent of anger. Starkiller wet his lips.

"I could always..." he said, his voice low and controlled. To his surprise, Master Ti actually seemed to consider it.

"I think," She said, after a moment's contemplation, "That might cause more harm than good, in the way things are now." Starkiller silently conceded the point.

"What about the clones?"

"I have brought in a few more bounty hunters to help train the cadets..."

"That's not what I was asking." Starkiller said roughly.

"I have not yet found a solution. There is a reason I came for you, my dear padawan, more urgent matters, the Council has need of your... Expertise," Master Ti cleared her throat, "There are rumors of an artifact that we believe may be of interest to the Separatists, to Dooku, in particular." Starkiller scowled and crossed his arms.

"What's the catch?"

"It's located in a Sith temple, on Korriban." Starkiller sighed and walked away, before turning sharply on his heel and stalking closer.

"Why send me?" His voice was soft and dangerous.

"I did not wish it; I was overruled." Starkiller snarled.

"Padawan," Master Ti called as he turned to leave, "Please be careful, and may the Force be with you."