A/N: Yay, a new chapter!
I think that by now you already know I don't own any characters except the OCs and that my grammar and spelling might be of.
Anyway, on with the chapter and happy reading.
Chapter 5: Names with meaning.
The room they were led to was spacious and airy, with a balcony so they could see out over the forest. To the left there was a sitting area with comfortable looking chairs and a coffee table made out of white wood. To the right you had the sleeping area, but instead of several beds there was only one big round bed that looked like it could fit up to twenty people.
"You can find sleep clothes in the cleaner room over there." Amiik pointed to a door Obi-Wan hadn't seen when they walked in, then she turned around and walked out. "Someone will come and get you tomorrow for high-day meal."
As they were all making themselves ready for bed, they took turns to explain to Oddball what had happened while he had been taking his 'long ass nap', Waxers words. After that they were all too tired to do mush more and crawled into bed to sleep. The last thing Obi-Wan thought before falling into a deep exhausted sleep, curled up on Codys chest with Crys at his back was, 'I could get used to this.'
When Obi-Wan woke up the next day he felt fully rested and content. He decided to get up and meditate to let the others sleep some more. Once he had managed to wriggle his way out of Codys embrace he made his way to the balcony. For a few minutes Obi-Wan just stood there looking out over the forest, if the forest was beautiful at night then it was breathtaking in daylight. Green stretched out as far as the eye could see, interspaced with color here and there.
Obi-Wan sank down to his knees, closed his eyes and just breathed. He let the calm and tranquility of the force of this place fill his entire being. He let himself drift in the force, minutes or even years could pass him by without him noticing. he had never felt such light before, it was almost intoxicating.
"Obi-Wan." Codys quiet voice and his hand on his shoulder brought him back.
"Cody." Obi-Wan smiled as he took Codys offered hand.
"Cyar'ika" Cody bent down to place a chaste kiss on Obi-Wans lips.
Obi-Wan lent into his embrace and just stood there for a while, knowing that none of the others would actually care. It wasn't often that they got time to just be with each other, to enjoy the others presence.
They separated with one last chaste kiss and went to join the others inside.
Obi-Wan noticed that everyone was touching Oddball every now and again, almost as if they were reassuring themselves that he was okay.
There was a knock on the door and Crys, who was closest, went to open it.
"Darjam, beka sej mikoda shantom." The being on the other side bowed his head. "Satara wonders if you would like to meet her for high-day meal?"
"We would be honored." Obi-Wan smiled after he had looked at the others for confirmation.
"Come, I shall lead you there." The man smiled back.
"What can I call you? If you don't mind my asking." Obi-Wan inquired.
"Oh, apologize, my name is Karaam." Karaam introduced himself. "My name means kindness in our language."
Before Obi-Wan could introduce himself, they had arrived and Karaam showed them to a table were Satara and Amiik was already sitting.
"Darjam." Satara called out to them with a big smile.
"Good morning." Obi-Wan smiled back.
They all sat down around the table with Satara sitting in the middle opposite Obi-Wan with Amiik on her left and Karaam on her right.
"I think introductions are in order." Satara decided. "You have already meet and been introduced to Amiik and Karaam but I don't think Solan introduced himself yesterday."
The leader from yesterday came in and took a seat by Amiik. "I did not and for that I apologize but we are so unused to strangers and I worried you did not have the best intentions."
"That is understandable." Obi-Wan said. "As most of you know my name in Obi-Wan Kenobi, to my left starting at the end we have Trapper, Wooley, Boil, Waxer, Longshot and Cody. Then on my right from the end we have Gearshift, Threepwood, Bones, Oddball and Crys."
At their name the clones nodded to help the Astorians see who was who.
"I asked yesterday but I never really gave you a chance to answer but why do you have the same face?" Solan asked curiously.
"We are clones." Cody answered.
"But what is a 'clone'" Solan and the other Astorians looked confused.
"We are genetic identically copies from the same person." Bones tried to explain.
"But why would someone want eleven genetic identically copies of themselves?" Amiik asked with a frown.
"Jango Fett, who is the original template, didn't do it for himself. He was hired to provide genetic material for the clones." Cody told them as he tried some of the fruit on the table.
"But what could anyone want with eleven identical men?" Amiik looked so very confused.
"I don't just have ten brothers." Waxer began. "I have a couple of millions of them."
"You see each other as brothers then?" Satara looked happy at that.
"Millions?!" Amiik choked on her drink.
"We were created to be an army for the Republic." Bones said with a shrug.
"I don't understand." They heard a small voice say.
"What don't you understand, Garnapa?" Satara ask a young child that climbs into her lamp.
"You said 'identical'." She turned towards Cody. "But you are not identical. You are all so very different."
"They meant that they are physically identical, camas." Satara patiently explained.
"Ohh okay." Garnapa nodded in understanding.
"Garnapa cannot see the way most people do." Satara told them. "She sees trough the mikoda and no one looks or feel the same there. Everyone's soul is different even if the containers are identical."
"I have a question, if that's okay?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Of course. And if it's something we can't answer then I'll tell you." Satara smiled encouraged.
"Yesterday when we meet in the forest, Solan had an accent that was easy to hear. Today it's almost gone, how is that possible?" Obi-Wan wan lent forward with curiosity.
"In some ways we learned through you. You know the language and speak it fluently and through that the mikoda provided us with help to understand and be understood." Satara replied. "The mikoda can teach you a lot if you just know how to listen and learn."
"I'm a bit curious." Waxer began. "Karaam said his name means kindness in your language, does that mean all of your names has meaning or is it just some?"
"Every name has meaning. My name for example means truthful." Amiik smiled at them.
"Solan means protector." Solan offered.
"Garnapa means happiness." Garnapa called out between bites of food. "My older sibling are called Novat, which means star born, and Mino, which is the name of the brightest star in the sky and means to shine brightly."
"What about your name Satara?" Waxer turned to her.
"That's a bit complicated." Satara started with a smile. "The name Satara I gained when I became the leader of our people, it means she who leads and guides. The name my parents gave me was Kolonia, it means mischievous spirit."
"You're the leader of the Astorians then? I had my suspicion but I didn't want to assume." Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes, I was chosen to lead our people two years ago." She explained.
"How about your names?" Amiik interrupted any more talk of leading when she asked sounding very curious.
"Well I don't know if Obi-Wan means anything but Kenobi is the last name given to unwanted children on Stewjon." Obi-Wan shrugged.
"Unwanted? I'm so sorry." Amiik apologized.
"No need to apologize, I was taken in by the Jedi Temple and grew up with others that shared my ability with the force. I can't really imagine any other life." Obi-Wan reassured her.
"We clones either choose our own names or given them by our vod." Cody jumped in to take the attention of Obi-Wan.
"So, your mama and papa don't choose your names?" Garnapa sounded confused.
"We are not born like you are ad'ika." Cody told her kindly. "We are decanted and then we are basically aged up until we reach full grown."
"But how do they call you then? Then can't just call 'Hey, you!' and except that you and your brothers will automatically know who they are talking to." Now Garnapa almost sounded insulted on their behalf.
"We are given numbers so the longneck can tell us apart." Cody patiently explained. "But one of my vod gave me the name Cody from the mandalorian word Kote, which means glory."
"Okay as long as you are happy than that's all that matter." Garnapa nodded decisively.
"What does 'vod' mean?" Karaam asked.
"It means brother." Bones informed him.
The rest of the meal was spent talking about the clones name and how they got them. At the end of the meal Obi-Wan turned from his conversation with Satara when he felt Cody stiffen beside him. As he looked to his left he saw why, Garnapa was doing her absolute best to climb into Codys lap. After many tries, she finally succeeded and looked really proud of herself. She turned and smiled a big toothy smile at Cody and Obi-Wan could practically see Cody melt.
"Satara would it be possible to contact our people who are in orbit above your planet?" Obi-Wan asked as he turned back to Satara.
"Yes of course. I will show you to the communication station after the meal." She nodded at him and then smiled when she noticed Garnapa in Codys lap. "I think you've been adopted Cody."
"I don't mind." Cody reassured her as he looked down at the half-asleep child in his lap.
A/N: And the chapter is done!
The Astorian language is something I've completely made up.
Here are the translations:
Darjam, beka sej mikoda shantom – Greetings, may the force bless our meeting.
Darjam – Greetings.
Mikoda – The Force.
Samathe – Healer.
Namakan – After life.
Kalix – Circle of healing.
Karaam – Kindness.
Camas – Dear one.
Amiik – Truthful.
Solan – Protector.
Garnapa – Happiness.
Novat – Star Born.
Mino – Name of the brightest star in the sky.
Satara – She who leads and guides.
Kolonia – Mischievous spirit.
Until next time
XOXO
RL