Kal continued to calmly brush his hand through the young cone's hair.
Dark brown eyes drifted shut slowly.
Brook's world had been shattered this day.
The older man studied the bruised face of the young man in front of him. He had taken quiet a beating, physically and mentally, and would take time to recover.
Kal leaned back in his char as he heard heavy steps nearing the room.
Ordo stepped behind Kal's seat and watched his younger brother sleep.
"What now Buir?" He asked.
Ordo never questioned his father's actions, always relied on the belief hat the older man knew what he was doing and that all of his actions were aimed at the wellbeing of his sons, but Kal knew Ordo well enough to see the uneasiness in his stance. His precious son was questioning something.
"He is alright Ordo. He is tired, confused and concussed, but going to be alright. Kymerout is for every single clone who wants a real life, may he have come here on his own free will or not."
Kal had stopped his calming motions of combing through Brook's hair and turned to face ORdo. His son was teller than him, but he didn't bother standing up. Ordo stepped back to make the angle less awkward and shook his head.
"What if he wants to go back? What if he tries something?"
Ordo shifted his weight, legs at shoulders width and arms behind his back.
Kal winced, eight years on the wet hell hole, all the freedom in the universe could not change what he had done to them.
It was a position Ordo felt comfortable in and he desperately wanted his son to drop it, wanted him to be normal, carefree; although Ordo being the one he was made him so precious to Kal.
He turned back to the young clone and layed a steady hand on Brook's shoulder.
He could feel the warmth seeping through the soft shirt and nodded to himself. The Spaarti was finally warming up after his stay in the icy water.
"We will see about that when it happens Adi'ka. For now he has been betrayed by everything and everyone he knew. We will show him what aliit means, what the universe has to offer him."
Ordo stepped next to Kal, looking at Brook curiously. None of them had had much contact with the newest generation of clones.
Kal did the same.
Although physically Brook was the same age as any clone fresh from Kamino, he still seemed younger. It had shone though even in the few moments of half-lucidity. Where any Commando Kal had trained would have assumed capture and lashed out by instinct Brook had shown no sign of even studying his surroundings, not had not put up even a token of resistance.
A deep sigh escaped Kal as he Gave Brook's shoulder a firm squeeze and looked up to his son.
"He and you and all of your brothers, you have given the universe everything you could, you gave everything you had.
All we can do is show him what it could give him. If he doesn't want it…"
Kal shook his head, not wanting to admit to Ordo that otherwise he wouldn't have a plan. He had raised every Commando, heck every clone he could reach out to, as his sons and although they were grown up, tall and strong, more capable than even he himself Kal couldn't bear it to not be their rock, their foundation and their all-knowing, safe haven.
"He will want it." Ordo interrupted him. "We are aliit, he is our vod. No brother could walk away from this."
Kal smiled. He stood up and clapped Ordo on the biceps, wishing he could express just how incredibly proud he was of his son, of all of his sons, but he couldn't so he moved out of medbay, leaving the Null to hold vigil over his younger brother.
The Mando made his way through the house, listening to its sounds.
Kymorut was coming to life. When he had arrived it had seemed empty, but now it was starting to fill up, to feel alive.
The sound of a saw started up, howling before falling quiet again. Kal stopped, letting his thoughts wander for a moment.
Levet had started building a farm and his men, no his brothers, Kal corrected himself were diving right into everything.
It would do Brook some good to join them when he was able to Kal decided, to try if he liked farming, or woodworking.
He moved on, heading out of the door. Bright sunshine greeted him, warming his face.
Kal gave Levet a nod, breathing more freely as the clones just returned it and carried on with their work, easy banter flowing between them.
When they arrived they would drop everything, waiting for some command, some remark.
It had broken his heart then, and Kal knew it would break his heart anew with Brook.
Levet and his brothers, every clone who had come had made headway since then.
Kal allowed himself a thin smile, making his way to the river and fishing grounds, to see how Scorch was doing.
The task in front of them was daunting. Their entire lives they had been trained to live their lives in the GAR.
Their lives were controlled into the smallest little detail, right down to their nutrition.
The pure prospect of the ability to make choices froze most of them. The Commandos dealt better than the normal white jobs, but he could only worry about how a Spaarti would deal with everything.
The air cooled as he stepped under the trees, and Kal took another deep breath. They would deal with it.
Brook had family now and brothers, true brothers and all of them would guide him on the path to his own life.
A.N.:
So, although I had hoped for it, I had not expected this, but here it is, the first steps for Brook towards his new life.
I could not have started this fic without all the lovely, encouraging reviews I have gotten, so many, many thanks to everyone who has written one.
As you can guess this story will be carried by the question of how you choose a path in life and how and if someone can aid you during that process, because becoming who you are is just that, a long process, which never quiet ends.
This is a project I have been reluctant to approach, because of its complexity. (once again, a huge thank you to everyone who has written a review, otherwise I don't think I could have worked up the courage to touch this)
What I would like to ask for is your opinion. I am on to improve my writing skills, and would love to hear what you think (flames welcome) as I really want to get this story right.