Bounty Hunter P.O.V

As the cliff door slid closed behind me, I heaved a sigh of relief. To be honest, I had not thought we would make it in time.

I quickly and quietly walked to the kitchen and laid Rex down on the table. I turned around and gathered all the equipment I would need for the surgery that was about to take place.

As I set down the final tools for the surgery, I noticed that the two younglings had followed me into the kitchen and were watching my every move.

I gestured towards the other table in the room and said, "Put Cody there." I turned away from them and quickly but gently slid off Rex's helmet. When I realized the two females hadn't done as I'd asked, I turned to them and said, "What?"

The twi'lek roughly dropped Cody's armoured legs on the ground and crossed her arms. "First of all, I don't know who you are, but you can't expect me to do what you tell me to just because you possibly just saved my life. Second of all, why did we bring these two to here?" She said, pointing to Rex and Cody.

I sighed. I knew that, sooner or later, I would have to tell them. "Alright." I said. "I will tell you. But first, please deposit Cody on the table."

With obvious reluctance, the Twi'lek girl and the human girl placed the clone on the opposite table.

"Thank you." I said. The younglings gave me an expectant glance, waiting for me to begin. I paused a moment to gather my thoughts. Where to start... I thought to myself. I sighed. "I brought these two clones here because they are commanding officers in the Empire's Army. Also because..." I trailed off. "Because each clone has a tuber in their brain."

I looked at their blank faces. "A what now?" The human asked.

"A tuber. It is implanted in their brains at birth. They were designed to make the clones obey the Emperor when he ordered them to execute Order 66."

I saw them shudder all over. I mentally shuddered myself. Order 66 was not a fun time for anyone, especially for the Jedi.

"Once the Emperor ordered it, the clones immediately obeyed the order, and killed as many Jedi as they could, Masters and younglings. But there is a way to stop them. By removing the tuber, the clone will be freed from the Emperor's control. I want to help these two. They don't deserve to be slaves. None of the boys do." I recalled the time when I had once stood beside them and called them friend, family. But those times were long gone.

"So you want to free them of the Empire's control because you think it's not right?"

"Yes, you are correct." I answered the Twi'lek's question. "Let us begin."

Rex P.O.V

I awoke with a start, and a searing pain in my head.

Jeez, what hit me?

I recall seeing a slab of stone fly towards me, then nothing. That's right; I remember now. I had been chasing the younglings, then, right when we had them, some mysterious bounty hunter had shown up and killed half of my troop.

Sitting up, I took in my surroundings. I was sitting in a cavern-like room with a high ceiling and curved walls. Medical equipment surrounded me, and I looked down towards myself and saw that I was sitting on top of a table. I looked to my right, and saw Cody laying likewise on a table.

Only then did I notice the three other figures in the room. I studied them carefully. One of them was a blue-green twi'lek girl wearing brown Jedi robes, clutching a lightsaber hilt in her right hand. Next to her stood a human girl, obviously wearing similar garments, with a silver hilt clipped to her left hip.

I realized with a start that these were the two youngling Jedi I was meant to bring in. On the other side of the room stood a dark figure, lean and dressed all in black, complete with a metal mask covering their face.

I took a brief moment to collect my thoughts, then spoke to them. "Where am I? Who are you?"

The last question was directed at the figure in black, but it was the twi'lek who answered, "You know perfectly well who we are. We're the people your kind tries to kill!"

The human girl quickly shushed her friend and said, "What Aritchia means to say is we're the two Jedi you were trying to...apprehend."

"I know that." Rex said, not unkindly. "I was actually asking him." He gestured in the direction of the bounty hunter.

The Twi'lek's face flushed a shade of blue in embarrassment, while the hunter just stood there silently.

Rex turned to face him and said, "So, who are you?" The person in question simply stood there for a moment or two, not answering the Captain.

Finally, he spoke, "That is information I do not wish to reveal." Rex sat in momentary surprise at the sound of the voice. He thought he could recognize it. But underneath all the mechanical noise, it was difficult to tell. So he shrugged instead. "Okay, then."

Everyone sat or stood in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, until the Hunter spoke up. "The Commander is waking up."

Sure enough, Cody was groggily sitting up. He took a quick look at his surroundings and said, "What did I miss?"

I stared at the ceiling again. For three hours, I had been lying here, thinking over what had happened. After Cody had woken up, I had filled him in on the details, with the twi'lek, whom I learned was Aritchia, adding unnecessary comments here and there. I had kept a watchful eye on the Bounty Hunter, whom betrayed no emotion. I kept wondering who he was.

He had told Cody and me that we could stay the night, as well as the Jedi. He had showed us to our rooms, right across from each other. After a quiet, quick meal of warm stew and hash-browns, I had gone to my quarters and stripped off my armour. I had placed my blue and white helmet on my nightstand, and had gone to sleep-or tried to, anyways.

I couldn't fall asleep. I kept having this nagging feeling in my mind that I knew the Hunter. From where, I don't know. I'm pretty sure I would remember someone that good. After debating with myself and making up my mind, I threw on my armoured boots and stepped out of my room. Looking down the cave corridor, I noticed the door at the very end was slightly ajar.

Creeping as quietly as I could, I made it to the end of the hall. I pushed the door open slightly, surprised it didn't make any noise. I stepped into the room, and silently closed the door behind me. Turning around, I saw moonlight seeping through a gap in the rock wall, and the Hunter himself standing in front of the hole. I sneakily walked up behind him. Before I had gone more than two steps, he spoke.

"You have questions." It was more a statement than a question. I simply nodded my head in response, and sidled up next to him.

The Hunter sighed and turned to me. "I will warn you beforehand, I will not be able to answer all of them. But the ones I can answer, I will try my best to."

I took a deep breath and asked, "Why did you save me and Cody?"

He just sighed and said, "You needed help. I could provide it."

"But you're the one that knocked us out in the first."

"Technically, that was Melory and Aritchia who knocked you out. I simply handled everyone else."

I decided to try a different approach. "Are you a bounty hunter?"

He wasted no time in replying, "That depends on your definition of 'bounty hunter'. Sure, I take jobs that pay, but before you ask," he said as I began opening his mouth, "I don't kill. I can severely injure people, if it is absolutely necessary, but I'm not a killer."

I decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for the whole day, "Who are you?"

I swear I saw him smile under his black mask. "A friend. When the time comes, if it ever does, you will discover who I am. But before then, don't go digging."

I just nodded in response, seeing as there was no room for argument.

"You should get some sleep, Rex." I looked around in surprise. That was the first time I had been called Rex by the bounty hunter. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. You'll need your strength."

I asked, "Why's that?"

"Now that you're no longer under the Empire's control, you don't have to listen to them. Tomorrow you can make your decision to either stay here, or you can leave. I won't force you to do either one."

I was taken aback at the emotion I thought I heard in the Hunter's voice. But instead of replying, I simply nodded and complied. After shutting the door to my room, I lay back down on my bed. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, thinking over what the mysterious Hunter had told me. Who is he? Where is he from? How come I have the nagging suspicion I know him?

Cut it out, Rex, I told myself. All my questions will be answered in due time. There's nothing to worry about.

But even as I thought this, I was sure that there was more to come in the near future, and I would need to be ready for it.

Hi! Sorry, it's been forever since I updated. I've found I have no room in my day for FanFiction. But I will not abandon this story. It's just taking more time than I had originally planed. I'm also mainly focusing on one of my other storied, The Legacy Fulfilled. As usual, follow, fav, review!

-NinjagoZaneLover