Mandalore.

Kom'rk led her down the small ramp of the ship; the landing area was empty but almost immediately people in armour emerged from the undergrowth.

Mandalorians.

Essie looked for Maze, he appeared from the side, after landing the other freighter, she wanted to talk to him but he avoided looking at her. Understandable while they were escaping the Empire but now he was talking to them.

She desperately tried to piece together what was happening from the conversation.

"You've got gett'se, I'll give you that." The older man addressed Maze, who stood in front of him, looking down, arms crossed.

"Sergeant!" Maze glared back.

"At least it isn't a Jedi this time." The old man muttered, staring around Maze, at the woman. She wasn't what he expected of Maze. Although he supposed she could be reasonable looking if he could actually see the face under the makeup plastered on but the dress left very little to the imagination, if you could call it that. He'd seen more material on strippers on Canto Bight.

"Get her some warmer clothes!" He barked out. A Twi'lek turned away.

"You okay son?" He addressed Kom'rk before pulling him into a hug.

"Yes, Buir." He replied as they pulled apart.

"Why?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do." He nodded to the child.

Kal stared for the first time at the young boy with the woman.

Maze watched them closely, Kom'rk was different when he spoke to Kal.

Jaing snorted.

Ordo watched, then turned away.

Essie felt something, as a young human female and an ancient kaminoan stood with Zey at the door but then they stepped back.

The young woman's eyes followed her.

They knew.

Zey stepped forward but the Kaminoan held him back.

The Jedi. They were here because of her; she was aware of them, just as she had been of her Aunt.

Essie dragged her eyes from them, as she was ushered into the house by a Twi'lek; she looked for Maze, it was as if he had forgotten about them. She stood in the warm house, unsure what to do or where to go. She looked around.

"You okay love?" A woman's voice asked.

She recognised the hint of a Twi'lek accent and turned to the one who had led her into the house.

"Let me take him. You look done in." she held out her arms.

Essie pulled Del in closer.

"Okay!" The Twi'lek backed away, "Let me at least get you two something to eat, then you can freshen up, get some warmer clothes. No offence but you look as if you need it."

Essie pulled the coat around her and forced a smile, she could feel no ulterior motive from her and if she didn't smile she would cry because this was someone being truly kind since before Fradian.

She sat with the caf, unable to face anything more than a couple of slices of hard bread with some spicy meat on it. Del was eating some type of oatmeal or meal grain and blue milk, the Twi'lek gave him. He was watching a younger boy, with dark brown curly hair, watch him eat.

She kept glancing at the child, his large dark eyes watching them both; he looked about two standard years and came to stand in front of her. He put a hand on her knee and patted it, trying to comfort her. Then he toddled over to Del and gave him his ball. Del looked at it, then her. She nodded. He threw it; the little boy giggled and ran after it. Then came back and held out his hand.

The two boys just looked at each other, then Del smiled.

She blinked back the tears; he was smiling.

"Can I go play, Mammy? I've finished eating."

It was the first time he had spoken like that since before Fradian. It sounded so mormal.

She looked at the Twi'lek.

"They can't get out of the yard. I promise no one will hurt him."

She felt the sincerity in her reply; everything was so much clearer, force wise here.

Essie nodded at her son, she couldn't speak.

"You can go with them if you want. Sit and watch them." the Twi'lek said.

"Thank you." Essie finally managed.

"I'll let you know when we've found somewhere for you to sleep. And I'll get Fi to look at your head."

Essie rose to follow the children outside, then turned.

"Fi?" She asked, it sounded like a clone's name.

"He was a medic."

"Was?"

"He's good. I'll fetch him."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked.

The Twi'lek looked surprised, "It's the right thing to do. I'm Laseema, by the way."

Essie wanted to like her, she needed to find someone here to like other than Maze.

"Essie."

"Good to meet you….Essie. Here," She pushed another caf in her hand. "You'll need this. Keep you warm. And this." She draped a blanket around her shoulders, as she walked outside.

Essie found a tree stump to sit on watching Del and the toddler play. Amazed at how resilient her son was, although he kept glancing nervously back at her.

"Su'cuy. I'm Fi."

She looked up and saw a clone walking towards her.

"Laseema said you were injured. Ooh! They look nasty. Let's have a look."

He was next to her now, not quite as well built as Maze but just as tall and the same face, well not quite the same.

"Let me see." She looked up to him, baring the side of her face. It was healing now.

He dabbed some Bacta gel on it; she flinched in reply.

"Still hurts?" he asked.

"Yes."

"How did it happen?" He continued to check it, feeling the bone with his fingers. He seemed to hesitate in his movements. She hissed in pain.

"A Stormtrooper hit me in the face twice and then…..."

He leaned on her shoulder; she hissed again.

"Something else?"

"Bruised shoulder."

"How?"

"I tackled him and after that he hit me but the armour is harder than it looks. We didn't have time to treat them properly."

"Fi pulled out a portable scanner and passed it over her."

"Bruised shoulder. Some more bruises as well from what I can see."

"Some people stunned me. And when Maze…..there was a fight."

"So I heard. But that cheek. Looks like the cheekbone is broken. It will only be Bacta, we haven't got a bone knitter that small that fits the face.

The Bacta was already starting to work, the pain was reducing.

"Thank you."

"I'll do the other side."

"Other side?"

"The cut." he dabbed bacta on her other cheek. She hadn't realised she'd been cut must have been Dreya.

He stood for a few seconds debating whether or not to mention if there was anything else he needed to check but decided against it. He'd let Laseema pursue that angle and get back to him, especially after where they found her.

"If you need any painkillers, let me know. I'm over there." He pointed to a small building. Turning, he walked towards it, ruffling both toddler's hair, as he passed. Del watched him curiously.

.

Kina Ha and Scout walked slowly around the perimeter, discussing their companions and the new arrivals.

"How are you feeling now my dear?"

"The clones, they don't seem so bad. I know they're not going to hurt me."

"We must rise above that fear. Put it behind us."

"But Order 66?"

"These men have risen above it and made their choices. So must we. We must not be bound by the mistakes of the past."

"Yes master."

"Not Master. Those days are gone. Simply Kina, my dear. If we cannot accept that ourselves then we cannot help others. The past is past we must move forward in a different way."

Scout nodded, still unsure but always wanting to learn.

Kina Ha stopped walking. "I see what we need to do now, what our purpose is."

Scout looked perplexed.

"What's that?"

"We need to help them, not simply with the ageing problem. We can leave that in the Doctor's capable mind and hands, and my DNA but with help to move on."

She laughed that tinkling laugh at the irony, that her own manufactured longevity may help these young men.

"How then?"

"They need to adjust to a different life. A life of choices. That will be difficult for some. They need to let go of their anger and despair at the galaxy before they can move on."

"You sensed that too."

"Yes my dear. Zey's companions are both conflicted. If they are to survive this war they need to move onto a different purpose, as do most other inhabitants of this diverse community that Sergeant Skirata has founded."

"You sensed…."

"Of course my dear. But I will need to speak to Zey about that first. I feel he knows more. We need the history there."

"I couldn't sense whether she was more frightened of Skirata or us." Scout hated that. "I haven't had anyone that frightened of me in a long time."

"No one should ever be frightened of us."

"No. And the young boy…Del?"

"He is different. Something I have never seen or felt before. He was so open to us and yet….."

"I know."

"We must think on this, meditate."

.

Essie sat at lunch, observing everyone. She filled a plate for Del, who sat at the table with wide eyes watching all the different clones and other members of this place, who should scare him but he was taking it in his stride.

She watched the short, older man with piercing blue eyes, Kal, they called him, Sergeant, Maze had said. He appeared to be in charge; the clones deferred to him.

The young, ex - Jedi, with the lightsaber swinging from her belt, who looked as if she would be blown over in a strong wind and an ancient Kaminoan, sat at the table. She saw the Kaminoan, her head swaying and eyes following her around the room; she shivered and looked away.

Laseema sat with a scarred clone, then there were some other females. A tall one who looked familiar and appeared to be with the one called Ordo. Then there was a woman who, when you looked at her you saw exactly who she was related to—the Sergeant. And a brown haired woman with a Coruscanti accent. Essie didn't know her but she looked and felt angry all the time. Then there was an older woman who Kal kept glancing at —his wife?

She tried to get them straight in her head, know what she was dealing with.

Essie searched the room for Maze, unable to find him in the sea of faces, then on the periphery she saw him helping himself to food, she edged around the room to speak to him but by the time she reached there, he had disappeared, not staying to sit and eat. She returned to Del; he was eating and watching everyone, as if he belonged here.

.

Essie always felt better by doing something, so helped to clear the table, then noticed some of the clones watching her. They hadn't dispersed with the rest. Laseema carefully pushed her from the room; they were probably talking about her and Del, or Maze, or all of them.

"I'm taking Kad for a visit to Rav's. I can take care of Del if you want to rest." Offered Laseema.

"No it's fine." she couldn't bear to have him out of her sight for more than a few minutes at a time and she didn't know this Rav.

Laseema found some flimzi and pencils for him, so he was happy sitting outside, wrapped up against the elements in every piece of clothing he had, drawing; she brought a fresh Caf out with her and sat watching Del scribbling away and looking around. She kept away from the clones, the feelings she picked up on from them were a mixture of interest mostly, and curiosity, about her and Maze.

She needed to find him.

.

Kal watched as the others left the room then sank back in his chair; Laseema handed him a caf.

"Thanks Ad'ika."

She stood waiting, she had something to say and he valued her insight. Everyone has something to contribute. She had been with Atin for a while now and he trusted her.

"She's scared." She said.

"You like her?" He asked, it shouldn't make any difference.

"Yes. Kal I do and Kad does."

He patted her hand and waited until she left the room.

"So Zey is ensconced with the other Jedi. Did you see how they looked at her? Bard'ika?"

"She's force sensitive but not a Jedi."

"Dangerous?"

Bardan shook his head. "I don't sense that but a bit like Kad untrained?"

"Ordo— Maze?

"Yes, Buir." He looked at Mereel.

"She's been with him for a couple of years from what we know." Kal turned questioningly to Mereel, "We kept tabs on her Buir. Maze never let anything slip." He continued, "Worked at the University Library then with Skeenah, the Senator. She represented him on the Committee for Clone Rights. Palps tried to shut him out of it. He did eventually, permanently."

"He's dead isn't he?"

He nodded.

"The child?"

"Normal." Bardan interrupted.

"His father was a Separatist, from Jabiim. Perrive. Yes, the same family Buir. There was a kidnap attempt. It was foiled by Maze." Mereel continued, he'd watched it all.

Kal realised they had kept more things from him.

"We need to know more about her."

"I'll get onto it." Mereel said, "I …"

"No!" Kal ordered, "Let Kom'rk do it."

Kom'rk's head shot up. He had expected that little job to go to Mereel or A'den. Before his little escapade, he'd been out of circulation for a while. He could interrogate easily enough, he was trained but this wasn't the same as that. He wasn't going to be using fear or pain for this. There had to be a little more finesse and he could be a abrupt and sarcastic.

And he thought he had upset Buir.

"Yes, Buir." He accepted the task.

"Don't push her too hard. She'll pick up on that and find out from her what's happening with Maze. He's been ….."

"Enigmatic?" Kom'rk finished.

"It's as good a word as any." Kal took another sip of his caf and leant back, so many things to consider, this was getting complicated.

.

Essie finished her caf; the clones were walking around so the meeting had finished but she was happy sitting outside. She looked around properly for the first time since they arrived, that had been a haze. She felt surrounded by green. Essie had never seen so many trees in one place, except on Raxus but they didn't have a chance to get up close to one there. The only other time was in the Arboretum on Coruscant but they didn't grow there naturally and some were fake.

There was no one around, she felt safe enough to close her eyes; she inhaled through her nose and smelt the musty earth. It was so different from Coruscant, and from Raxus. She was surprised, she thought all plants and dirt would smell the same but it didn't.

She pushed thoughts of Coruscant, Raxus and Fradian away —bad memories. She was never going back but she didn't have to like it.

Del concentrated on his drawing, nose nearly touching the flimzi, so she walked over to a tree, and rubbed her hand along the bark, feeling its rough texture, all the different indentations. She had never touched a real live tree this large before. All the real ones on Coruscant, in the Arboretum, were behind fences, protected. Looking up, she backed away, trying and failing to see the top of the tree; it was a mass of leaves with the weak sun's rays peeking through.

But she could smell it. She leaned in closer, sniffing. Surprisingly, it smelt clean.

"Su'cuy!"

She whipped her head around, startled. She recognised a clone voice but disappointingly, it wasn't Maze.

"They're impressive aren't they?" He said. She recognised him from Fradian. He looked thinner than the rest but still larger than a trooper. He had said very little on the journey.

She checked on Del. The clone saw her glance towards him.

"He's fine. He's drawing the trees. Veshok, they're called."

"They are amazing. I've never been so close or touched a real tree like this before." Her hand remained on the bark. It was solid. Eveything was solid in this place.

"Never left Coruscant?" He asked.

"No. Unless you count being on the run." She shook her head. "We saw trees there but could never touch them. Not real ones."

The clone shook his head.

"That word you said—suck…." She needed more information, needing to understand. She couldn't feel anything from him.

"Su'cuy. It means Hello. It's Mandoa, Mandalorian."

"That's where we are, isn't it. Mandalore?"

She couldn't remember if anyone had said.

"Yes. It's Mandalore but I can't tell you exactly where, Buir wouldn't like it and I would have to kill you." He grinned. "No offence. It's not personal. Oh. Buir, it means Father."

Sargeant Skirata, she heard people call him that, or Buir or Kal. And he hated Jedi. She picked up on that.

"Is this a language lesson then?"

"It can be whatever you want it to be." The clone smiled, put his hand high on the tree he was standing next to and leaned against it. She backed away, feeling closed in; he was leaner than Maze but had weight and height on his side. She could probably get away. It would be difficult as he was trained like Maze.

She couldn't manage that with Del, the thoughts of Bracca came to mind.

Maze had't spoken to her since they arrived and she didn't know where he was. Zey was with the other Jedi, she could sense that, relying more on the Force she had not wanted and been afraid of.

So where exactly did she fit in?

The clone snapped his fingers in front of her face; she looked up.

"Ah! there you are? I've never bored anyone so much that they've fallen asleep standing up—yet! Although there's time I suppose."

He moved closer, further into her space, "My brother tells me you're a wrestler, perhaps we could wrestle one day."

She looked up, he was smiling. She shook her head.

"No!"

"No, you're not a wrestler? He was adamant. He's never wrong." There was a slight frown. "But it would be great to prove him wrong."

"No, I am not going to wrestle with you as you put it, or whatever else you thought it might be."

He put on a stern face.

"I, sorry, I didn't mean —I was only suggesting some sparring."

He had forgotten what that place was where they found her; it meant nothing to him and he hoped nothing to Maze.

Essie blushed.

"I was a wrestler but not any longer. I worked for a Senator as a researcher."

"I know—Den Skeenah. He's dead."

"Yes."

"Anything to do with you?"

"No! Is that what you think, that I killed him? Never! He was my friend."

"And?"

There was something she left unsaid.

"I found them."

"Them?"

"Den and his partner— shot by troopers. All in black."

She could see them now, Den and Rik's bodies.

"Sparring! It would be a good way to spend an afternoon, there's not much else to do around here." He tried again, changing the subject.

"No!" This was said less vehemently.

"Aw. It was worth a try."

He stood there smiling.

"Is there anything else you want to know, as you appeared to have been sent to interrogate me?"

The smile never wavered.

"So —Maze?"

"What about him?"

"I thought…"

"We were together?"

"Yes, after Fradian….."

"I don't know. He was angry with me but…..."

"You really don't know?"

"We've not spoken."

"And?"She frowned at him.

"I'm….. I was angry with him but now…."

"Why and why?"

"It's personal."He looked around, "Not much is personal around here."

"I didn't tell him something….about me….for a long time."

"And he found out, how?"

"Zey."

"Ah! He never said anything."He looked towards Del, still scribbling away and smiled.

"What was it about you?" He prompted pausing.

She considered refusing to answer but they probably already knew, they had Zey and the other Jedi.

"I'm Force sensitive and never told him."

"Why would that cause a problem?"

She shrugged, "It did, I think."

"And you?"

"He left my parents behind."

He opened his mouth to say something and decided against it from the look on her face.

"Alphas!" He shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Planks!"

"What?"

"We, my brothers, called them planks."

"Why?"

"As in 'thick as two short planks' of veshock."

She bristled.

Kom'rk thought only Ordo could bristle like that, he was proved wrong.

She walked around the tree, hand trailing around and was not as easy to read as he first thought.

"He's not. He's as intelligent as anyone I've met."

"Except us?"

She stared at him."Maybe you should ask Ordo, is it? About Zey."

He snorted. She'd heard the story.

"Who's Rav?" She asked, as she appeared from the other side.

"A neighbour."

She nodded. He seemed happy to answer some questions.

"Your name?" He hadn't said.

"Kom'rk."

"Oh yes!" She should have remembered but everything happened so fast on Fradian, "I'm Essie."

"I know. Estafania Devro. It's a mouthful."

"It is, that's why I answer to Essie. Thank you for getting us off Fradian." her eyes filled up.

"My pleasure. Are you alright?"

"It's just…..I can't imagine what would have happened to us if you and Maze hadn't turned up."

"Maze was coming after you alone. I just tagged along."

She looked past him thinking she felt someone watching them but couldn't see anyone. She shivered.

"Are you cold?"

"A little."

"Time to get in then."

"Del!" He looked up, "time to go in."

She picked up his papers, and looked at them, all pictures of trees,

"These are great. Pick up your pens and come inside, okay?"

"Yes, Mammy."

They walked inside, and the warmth hit her; she hadn't realised how cold she had been standing outside.

"So, what are you going to do with us?"

He shrugged. "We don't know yet."

The smile had gone but returned in moment.

It didn't reassure her.