Coruscant
Maze followed the street map displayed in his HUD, striding along the tree lined promenade to the University; the other pedestrians looks registered with him but he ignored them. The only other clones around Triple Zero were the Coruscant Guard with red marks emblazoned on their armour. Maze needed nothing so flamboyant.
He was an ARC, not a Shock Trooper, a subtle difference.
His fellow pedestrians had no way of knowing his face behind the T-shaped visor. It was intimidating, meant to be, and he used it; no one was going to get in his way. No wonder the CG were patrolling now, CSF and police droids weren't half as intimidating. His chest ached and his side still was giving him some problems, both injuries from Qiilura. He should be fully recovered by now. His mood was not good.
His HUD beeped —he had reached his destination. He looked at the building.
"Impressive." He muttered.
Similar to the Jedi Temple, in age and architecture but not as large, it was at odds with the modern architecture that surrounded it
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University Library
Reading Rooms
19:30 pm and the Galactic Political and Historical Library was empty; silence hung in the air like the micro particles of dust visible in the fading beams of light shining through the transparisteel windows. One of the oldest buildings on Coruscant and part of the original university, it held more historical and theoretical texts than anywhere else in the Republic, other than the Jedi Archives. It was not a popular place, not when you can see Real Time politics in the Senate enacted at a ferocious pace with machiavellian intent.
A lone woman, sat at the Reception Desk, organising flimzi sheets. It had been a long, day; an attempted slice on the security system led to one of the Clone troopers from the Coruscant Guard, questioning her at length, although she had no idea what the attempted hack had to do with her. The Clone Commander they sent, said his name was Thire, she didn't even realise they had names.
Glancing at her chrono, it was time to do her final rounds before closing up for the evening. It was only one late night every week but even then it meant she had to make special arrangements.
The Reading Room was full of soft yellow, orange and red hues from Coruscant artificial sunset, streaming in from the huge domed transparisteel ceiling; designed as a piece of art, in the distant past, rich Coruscanti residents had visited at sunset just to see that. She appreciated it, a beautiful place to work.
"Stang!" She stopped dead. It looked like a whirlwind had erupted in the room.
"Kriffing students." She muttered, irritably.
"The 'Rules of Use' specifically states to return the documents, in order, after use." She said irritably to the empty room. She sighed before she zig zagged randomly around the room, picking up documents and sorting them. She stopped in mid sort, looking around, as if she heard something then, shaking her head, she continued; several seconds later she heard the thud of heavy boots on the wooden floor.
Muttering to herself, she hurried back towards the Reception desk, dismayed when she saw another Clone Trooper, heading past it towards her in the reference section
"Not again." she said under her breath. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" she shouted.
"Looking for a document."
Stupid Kriffing question.
"Well, You can't just come in here. Wait over there by the desk." she pointed back where he came in.
"There was no one there."
"I know, because I'm in here."
"I can see that."
Karking Nat born.
Maze sucked in a breath.
She watched, as he walked back to the desk and she headed to return the texts she had in her hands. They were originals and needed to be treated better. She would check who requested them. As she replaced the last one the Reception Desk bell, an antiquated method of summoning someone in the silence of the Library, pinged. It was necessary with the older documents which needed special treatment and could not be near certain types of energy; it was the safest option.
The Clone Captain waited, not the most patient of men at this point, he rang the bell again, as advised by the notice and waited, again.
Finally he heard the clip clopping of heels. He stood patiently until she was back behind the desk. She looked distracted and anxious, dressed smartly in a business suit but her hair, although swept up in a bun, was now defying gravity in places, these wisps of hair she absentmindedly pushed behind her ears. He read her name badge,
"Estafania Devro - Librarian."
"Yes." she snapped.
Devro.
"We're nearly closed and I've already given a statement to Commander Thire, he said his name was. Why don't you check with him?" Her mouth set in a grim line.
His helmet hissed, as he broke the seal, removing it with both hands, he tucked it under his arm. Then he fixed her with a stern look.
She stared back. She had seen the massed ranks of the clones at the beginning of the war but she had never seen one without his helmet, Commander Thire had not removed his, barely acknowledging she was there. Not looking at her when he asked questions and no manners. You didn't see many others around Coruscant, even though the main barracks was here. She had suspected, they kept their helmets on because what was underneath was not pleasant to look at but she was surprised, as the face staring at her was definitely not unpleasant.
"It is now 19:37 pm and the Library guide states that it is open until 20:00 pm. Is the guide incorrect?" he asked in the same flat vowels that she had heard from Thire.
"Um… yes, no." she replied, distractedly.
"So what is it...um, yes or no?" he asked sarcastically.
"The Library is open until 8:00 pm."
"I want to look at a text."
"This is a reference library, you don't just 'look at texts,' you research your subject using them."
The clone looked away from her and back again.
"I wish to complete some research."
"On what?"
He opened his mouth and frowned.
"I thought so." she whispered to herself.
"Thought what?"
You heard me?
"Are you a member? You can only use the Library if you're a member." she snapped, her lips pressed together tightly.
She let it register with him and saw a slight twitch under his left eye.
"How do I become a member, ma'am?" he barked.
"I can do it for you." she seethed inwardly at having to be polite, "come in between 9:00am and 5:00pm. Reduced opening hours, due to the war. We have restricted times we can use the Holonet servers."
"Thank you, Ma'am, for all your so called help." He ground the words out, lifted his helmet and jammed it on his head in one movement.
"Oh, by all means, the pleasure was all mine…. Private."
He stopped for a second before striding out, his boots thudding, even louder, on the ancient waxed and polished hardwood floors as he strode out.
"Not worth my time, pedantic jobsworth!" irritated, Maze glowered into his helmet. She couldn't see his face or hear him but he felt better for it, although now the pain in his side was worse.
Maze headed back to ARCA Barracks, in double quick time, leaving it to the other pedestrians to jump out of his way. Despite the pain, he decided he would report for duty tomorrow.
Estafania Devro watched, as he strode quickly out of the Library, his boots clattering on the wooden floors.
Thank the Force.
He was trouble, and looked as if even Security would have had problems getting rid of him. She finished closing up the reference section, locked up with the new biometrics and headed out of the library towards the nearest EasyRide Train stop to go home.
.
The EasyRide Train was late as usual but when it came it was nearly empty. She found a seat near a window, not that you could see much but it announced the stops, hopefully if the PA system worked. She pulled her hair out of her bun, scratching her head, to relieve the irritation there; She closed her eyes for a few seconds then felt someone sit next her.
Why, when there are at least thirty other seats available does someone choose that one?
She pulled her bag closer, just in case.
"Hi gorgeous!" She smelt the alcohol fumes now. "I'm Rad." He leaned into her.
Oh great.
She nodded.
"Not many pee…..pee…people about." He slurred.
She shook her head, hopefully he would get off soon. She looked out of the window trying to ignore him, she had five more stops.
He leaned in even further, spreading his legs wider; she moved nearer towards the window.
"You doin' anything when you get off?"
"Going home."
"Where's that?"
"A few more stops." As if I'm going to tell you.
"Anyone waiting at home for you?"
"Yes." She'd hoped he'd get the message, as they zipped past another stop. She realised there were only the two of them on the train now. She felt him press in closer. She couldn't do anything here but when she got off, hopefully he wouldn't; he'd gone quiet, may even have fallen asleep. The next stop was announced and it was hers.
"Excuse me!" She nudged him. "My stop."
"Oh, mine as well." He rose and let her through, leaning against her, as she stood waiting to get off. This was another reason she hated the late shift, there was always someone like this and they seemed to gravitate to her despite the glares she gave them. The EasyRide slowed to a halt and she got off quickly, setting off at a pace.
"Hey wait for me." The voice wasn't slurred anymore and she sensed a purpose behind the hand she suddenly knew was about to drop on her shoulder, she automatically turned just before it made contact, and grabbed it, twisting. Dropping down into a lunge, she twisted the arm further outwards. He yelped as she dropped lower onto one knee, twisting his shoulder even more.
A deep accented voice came out of the dark, "Go. Leave this to me. Sol's waiting for you."
She ran around the nearest corner and into 'The Tualin Oola'; The middle aged human female, waiting there, dragged her into the back.
"You okay? Where's Nat?"
"I'm fine. He's on his way."
"Another drunk?"
Essie nodded.
The door bell rang as the shop door opened.
"She completed a perfect twist down on him." The deep Ryl accent came through the door first. "I took care of him."
"You didn't hurt him did you?"
"Pfft, I just pointed out the error of his ways, when he was drunk."
"Be careful, Nat, especially now with these Coruscant Guards, although they should be doing something about those people."
"The clones?"
"Yeah. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't love." He pulled his wife into his arms, his left Lek wrapping around her shoulders.
Essie smiled at them, she loved these people and what they had; all that love and they still had more for her and Del, although strictly speaking they weren't family.
"He's asleep."
"Thanks Sol. I'll just go and have a look."
"He's been fine. Such a happy baby."
"Thanks again , I …."
"Anytime, you know that. If we didn't have the shop and gym, we'd have him all the time. Picking him up isn't a problem."
Essie flung her arms around Sol, for some reason tears had welled up; even though in theory she could take care of herself, it had still shaken her.
"Come on, have something to eat and drink. Did you get any lunch?"
Essie shook her head. She was tired.
"Come on eat this. You need yo look after yourself. You'll feel better."
She did feel better, once she had checked on Del and finished eating.
"If you ask me they're slaves, just like we were." Nat declared, between drinks of his tea.
"We don't know what they're like underneath those helmets." Sol asserted. "Have you been talking to Dex again?"
"It was only a quick drink. The clones, they move like organics." He replied, reverting to his previous subject. He had been discussing the Coruscant Guard with some drinking friends.
"Hmm." Sol wasn't convinced.
"They're definitely human." Essie volunteered, "I spoke to one, no two today, at work." She sat nursing a herbal tea.
"You spoke to them and they're human?" Sol said, disbelieving.
"Oh yes. He took his helmet off. Looked about my age perhaps a bit younger, it was difficult to tell." She yawned. She felt tired all the time.
"Dex knows where they were cloned. He has links with the Jedi." Nat declared.
"Where?" Essie asked.
"Somewhere on the Outer Rim." Nat answered, " The planet wasn't in any of the star maps, the Jedi…."
"Don't encourage him." Sol interrupted, " Once he gets with Dex there's no stopping them." But the smile she gave him was indulgent. "Just be thankful that they're here and they're fighting, not you."
Sol didn't want her husband drawn into this. Essie had grown up with the stories, a fighter, born into a family of slaves, bred for generations to fight in the gladiatorial rings for the Cartels, until he broke out, with Sol, helped by her Father and Mother before she was born.
They had felt reasonably safe here until now.
"Slavery's against the law in the Republic." Essie was tired, she wasn't following the conversation very well, and she still had to get home. "So how come the Chancellor and Jedi agreed to it?" She yawned.
"Well perhaps we ought to ask them about that." Nat commented. "But now you're not in work tomorrow. It's late, so you both stay here tonight. Sol's got your old bedroom ready, made up the bed. In fact we ought to make this regular, when you're on lates."
She was too tired to argue and they both had to be up early for the shift in the bakery. She kissed them both on the cheek and retired.
.
Essie sat on her old bed; she was lucky when they took her in after her parents died. There was no other family that she knew of. Del was sleeping peacefully in the old cot they kept for him; she was fast following him. She climbed under the covers.
Her thoughts went back to the Clone, over and over the few minutes she spent with him. Replaying what happened in her mind like a bad holovid. She was rude and cringed at the memory. Although he wasn't much better, she should not have retaliated. Nat and Sol hadn't brought her up to be like that. Treat people like you want to be treated, they always said. She should have spent more time with him, given him an Appointment and sorting it for him, helped him. It wasn't his fault she was tired. Kriff! Like Sol said it was men like him fighting for her and her family. If it wasn't for him Nat might even have to go and fight. He was a trained fighter, a hard man.
She would have to apologise and sort something out for him.
If he ever came back.
.
University Library.
01:30 hours
"Kriff!" Maze glared at the biometric override for the entrance; he contemplated slicing into it but unless there was clone biometrics already in the system with their details on it, it wouldn't work and even then it was iffy.
He considered his options.
He could always kidnap Devro, cut her hand off and remove her eye; the thought appealed to him briefly. No this was not his best idea but he wasn't known for his patience, all this just to be able to read in a fekking library. This passive role and his injury was testing him; he was an Alpha, a clone of Fett, trained by Fett and with no alterations, and he had Fett's stubborn streak. He headed back to ARCA Barracks, nobody would question an ARC returning at two in the morning.
Not if they had any sense.
Not in his current mood.
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GAR Med Centre.
Coruscant
"Hope you're happy Captain." A clone voice broke through the fog that currently inhabited Maze brain. He dragged open his eyes and the unmistakable smell of Bacta hit him.
Not again.
"Why would I be happy?"
He finally focused on the originator of the voice.
"Ah!"
Corporal Jab of GAR medical was sporting two impressive black eyes.
"You're a difficult man to pin down." He fed something from a hypo into the line in his arm.
Maze didn't even bother with a body check, he knew he wasn't up to optimum efficiency and felt like he'd been attacked by a Rancor.
"What happened?"
"I could say, you brought it on yourself but no. It didn't help though."
"So what happened?"
"You collapsed on entering the barracks at 02:30 hours. I know this is the City that never sleeps but we do. We were called but you regained consciousness and were unwilling to be put in the bacta tank. Young Kix's got a dislocated shoulder for his trouble."
Maze was sorry for causing that, he really didn't like to hurt brothers, no matter what he thought of them and these were just doing their duty.
"Why did I need the Bacta again?"
"It appears the Gdan's are sneaky little buggers, to quote you and in addition to the bacteria they hold, they have nasty little parasites that they pass on. But not immediately. Your injury was from a dirty nail that had one of the parasites on it and it sprang into life in your Liver. The Bacta immersion failed and we had to replace it. Here."
Jab showed him a scan of what looked like a map of the EasyRide Train system. He looked at the medic expectantly.
"Captain Maze meet your old Liver."
Kriff!
"So Captain, are you going to be a good patient now. Or do I have to sedate you for the Duration?" Three clone medics appeared at the door.
They looked bigger than normal troopers.
Maze sank back into his pillow.
.
Maze was walking towards the University Library again; restricted duties on medical grounds following the set back from his previous injury, had not improved his mood.
Bloody Gdans. Bloody Qiilura. Bloody Devro.
He had just finished a further bacta immersion, which he hated and now the General was dictating that he was not to return to duty until fully healed and passed by Medical. With the appropriate papers.
So he resumed his reading, although he had never really stopped it, and reached an impasse.
He had decided that wasn't going to continue. He bit back the pain that hit the side of his back again, the one that still felt as if it was burning his insides, and through his skin to the outside. There better be none of those kriffing creatures still inside him. He had told the medic he was just going for short stroll, as part of his PT. He reached the doors, took some deep breaths, pushed the pain to one side.
"I hope that kriffin' Devro isn't here." He muttered as he pushed the double doors open and entered, preparing himself for the arguments, if she was.
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