Please be aware that parts of this chapter may be deemed M rated.

Eighty Six

"You know," her voice singing out from the other room, "I was thinking about Naboo."

Fives was just out from under the refresher. He was silent, so she decided to wait for him to digest the sentence before continuing. He walked out naked, rubbing his hair with the towel as he replied.

"You were thinking about Naboo for what exactly?"

"As a place to settle, when we leave here."

Fives looked at her while he continued to dry himself. "I'm not sure Naboo's a planet I would want to live on."

"Well," she thought carefully as she continued to brush her hair, "it's where I can get a job and accommodation through the hospital."

She heard him take in a deep breath.

He was safe on 27.

The mission to Casparar had almost finished his personal campaign to finish his war. Twenty seven was the recon mission with General Skywalker to Scillal.

He had three more to see through before he would resign his commission and leave Coruscant with her for anywhere.

Anywhere, but Naboo apparently.

Leaving was the one thing keeping him going, and she knew that there were difficult times ahead for the ARC; settling into a life outside the protective and all encompassing arm of the GAR.

He looked up and gave her a crocked smile.

She raised an eyebrow in question and her pulse quickened slightly at the thought.

"What?" she asked coquettishly, her golden hair falling innocently over a shoulder.

"Come here." It wasn't a question.

It never was with the ARC.

They were an excellent match; his quick wit and her beauty coupled with their combined intelligence equal pairing.

Tash stood up off the bed but decided to make a stand and wait for him to claim her. Moving slowly, his eyes mentally devoured her while her eyes were drawn to the few remaining water droplets that clung to his perfectly toned brown shoulders.

She giggled and playfully dodged him. Once to the right, then Tash attempted to fool him by pretending to move quickly to the left.

She should have known better.

His hand shot out so fast and grabbed the back of her hair, pulling it tight and exposing her neck.

She instantly felt vulnerable.

She knew what he was capable of.

Part of her induction in becoming a clinical psychiatrist for the GAR in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was to watch file tapes of their initial training.

Tash was au fait with how they were raised and the subsequent grueling physical and mental regime they endured before they were churned out as Republic fodder.

She would never forget the first set of holovids she watched from Kamino.

Small boys of five running through darkened tunnels, returning simulated enemy fire.

The recorded files of eight year olds being held and subjected to heinous acts of torture.

The turning point though, was seeing two adolescents leave another wounded boy on a training exercise.

They thought nothing of leaving him alone and in pain.

The Kaminoan scientists then interviewed the boys after returning to base, and recorded their individual reactions to the information that the other boy had perished.

Neither flinched.

Tash later learned from a collegue that, had they reacted, they would have been ordered to redo the sim, but this time, one of them would have been the boy that was injured.

It an interesting lesson in self preservation. The smartest of cadets learned very quickly what was required to move on to the next level.

She never mentioned any of this to Fives.

She would watch him as he slept, his face contorted with the nightmares of the atrocities she can only imagine he had learned to live with.

Learned to survive.

It tore at her professionally and went against every part of her medical training, but she was pragmatic.

The Republic would not require her services if she questioned their legitimacy.

No, her job was to repair the damage they had inflicted on these men from birth it seemed, unwind the mental scarring the war had selfishly bestowed them.

So there she was in his strong hold, his hot breath bearing down on her.

She knew he could snap her neck in a heartbeat. The mere physicality of him made her even more aroused.

Fives moved his lips up against her mouth and kissed her furiously. The searing heat made her feel as though she was about to self combust, his tongue pushing, dominating. Fives then broke the kiss, and shot her a rueful smile before he gently pushed her shoulders down in front of him.

Tash obliged, making herself comfortable on her knees.

Fives flung his head back and let out a low growl as he moved his legs slightly apart to centre his weight. He then enmeshed his hands in her golden hair, pulling and guiding her head as he closed his eyes, lost in his all consuming lust.

Fives was a complete sexual hedonist. Tash murmured something as she continued moving her head in a rhythm against his groin.

"Fek Tash, don't talk - just - keep - going," his body craving the release that was only seconds away.

With Tash he could just be a man; there was no war, the only thing he fought was his insatiable desire.

"Tash, oh fek," he repeated her name as he continued to hold her head against him, he could feel her nails digging into his buttocks, the sting only fueling his desire further.

Fives moved her head back gently and with glazed eyes looked down at her as she continued moving her mouth along him.

"Look up at me," he ordered, his voice sending shivers throughout her aroused body. Tash complied. Feeling overly confident she then slid him out of her mouth completely, performing a dalliance around the tip as he stared down at her, his chin jutted out in self control.

He was intimidating.

He then watched as she seductively placed one of her hands between her legs.

Fives couldn't help but smile.

Tash continued pleasuring herself, gently moaning as they both rocked against each other.

He shuddered, it was over. Fives pulsed his hips into her, as she supported his weight while regaining her breath.

"You won't get out of the bedroom, let alone the house when I quit the army." He pulled her up to her feet and into his arms.

"HHHmmmm," he growled, sending shivers throughout her hyper sensitive body.

"Well, one of us has to work," she said as she flicked at his arse and moved to get her dressing gown.

Fives stood still for a moment.

She was right.

What skills other than reconnaissance and killing could he offer a potential employer?

His resume was only two years long. Professional soldier.

He didn't even have a full name.

Fives could assemble and disassemble any military weapon. He knew everything about blowing up buildings, and how to fly almost any craft ever built. But other than what he had learnt in the army, he had no other life skills that would allow him to make an honest living.

He would be indebted to her.

A sudden level of anxiety crept into his psyche.

Tash saw it; the instant flicker of consternation cross his demeanor.

"Fives?"

"What am I good for?"

She pulled the gown over her shoulders and sidled up behind him, "well I could think of a couple of things you're good - ,"

He swung around wildly. "You know what I mean Tash," his voice angry at her insinuation.

She rubbed her eyes with her hands and sighed, her recently brushed gold hair now a mess over her face.

"I don't know Fives," it was loud and she saw him flinch slightly, "I don't know what you can do outside the army. But look at it this way. Aren't you interested in finding out?"

He looked down and nodded.

He really was the emotional adolescent.

Tash smiled and walked over to his black underwear. "Here, put these on before I have my way with you again."

"I'm not just a fekking stud!" He was insulted again, they stood off, his chest heaving and glistening with sweat.

"Yeah," Tash wouldn't indulge any of this self pity, "and I'm no porno star either! But what I am, is hungry. I'm going to make something to eat, you can join me if you want some?"

A smile crept across his perfect mouth, and the consummate polite trooper returned.

"That would be nice, thank you." He stood aside and let her pass, turning and pulling his black shorts on he couldn't help but have the last word.

"I think you'd make a great porno star."

.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you," he rushed out.

"Rex - ."

"I was just lying there. And all I could think about was where the men were, and you."

"You were so lucky to get through this time."

"You don't seem to understand!" She could sense his anxiety, his frustration of not being able to divulge fully what was on his mind.

Not allowing himself to be honest.

He clenched his left hand tight, the tremors were coming more frequently.

They came after the missions, when he was dirt side or in his quarters on one of the Republic transports in between assignments.

"I know Rex. I do understand, more than you think."

She reached up to touch his forehead.

Rex cast his eyes downward. He was embarrassed that he had shown weakness and had cried into his bucket like a cadet on his first live ammunition sim on Kamino.

It was beginning to get to him. The constant barrage of abuse on his body; the men dying under his watch. He had to maintain control.

At all costs.

"I, I feel old," he stammered out.

"Rex! Look at me, please," she implored.

He looked up into the blue holovid image of her. She was beautiful and he felt ugly and second rate.

Why had she chosen me again?

A man created, not born.

A man bred to fight, not educated and learned.

A man with the same face as a million others; he was nothing unique.

She smiled into the recording devise and moved the lens to her stomach.

"Look Rex. Look at your child, growing strong, just like her father."

"You're so big!" He couldn't help but be honest.

Gemma laughed, "Thanks, I think?" He watched as she moved her hand over the superior portion of her belly, "see, she's kicking! She knows her father's voice. It won't be long now Rex, this little one won't be late I know it."

Rex clenched his hand again and stared into the live holovid stream from Oriis.

She always knew how to make him feel better.

.

"Stoyan. Can I have a word?"

Stoyan put down the hydro spanner and slid down the metallic surface of the fighters wing. Wiping his hands on a cloth tucked into his pants he stepped inside the shift supervisors office.

"You wanted to see me Sir."

The middle aged human turned around and smiled. "Is that guy for real?"

He was talking about Stoyan's brother, Echo.

He had managed to convince his boss to employ his younger brother who was in a financial bind after losing his job on Coruscant.

Well, it was kinda true...

It was a perfect position for the ARC.

He could work on any part of the ships, from fuselage to the intricate computer systems put in place.

And that was exactly where his expertise was utilized; testing aircraft components.

Echo had always been hugely successful at whatever he turned his hand at. Working his way out from the assembly line, through the flight control systems panel and onto the computerised hydrolic test stand.

Every component had to be tested on the bench Echo worked on before it went into the craft. All valves, hydro motors and pumps, gun drives and even the main landing gear all had to be signed off by him before it was approved and implemented.

"Yep, he's a wiz at this sort of osik. Always has been."

The senior management were impressed by the efficiency of the young man. He had singlehandedly increased the turnaround time by 40%, something his co-workers would often complain bitterly about.

Echo was a perfectionist and expected no less from anyone else. It is how all the clones worked in the past, each just as physically and mentally capable of keeping up.

"What does he do in his spare time, wrestle gundarks?" The supervisor was commenting on the younger mans physique. Under the short sleeved shirt it was obvious that here was a man in the prime of his life.

Stoyan nodded and laughed a little. The lies had now taken on a life of their own, but it was a good way for him to keep a watchful eye on the young ARC after the death of Marlo.

.

Echo loved his new job.

Being a clone he needed a purpose and after the doctor passed away he allowed himself the indulgent past-time of self pity. Something he thought only the wealthy Coruscanti were privileged to.

Sleeping in till late, not moving or exercising his body - it was against all his training, but he couldn't, or wouldn't see a way out of it.

Stoyan had taken it upon himself to secure the position for Echo, giving his personal assurance that this was the man for the job.

And he was right.

He was enjoying getting to know the younger version of himself, spending hours in the evening over the fire talking and philosophising about the Jedi Order and life in general. Stoyan plucked up the courage one evening to ask what Echo knew about his identical twin brother, Jango Fett.

"Not much, I'm afraid. We do know that he was Mandolorian, well, it's what we were told. That he was a ruthless bounty hunter. Feared, and revered throughout the galaxy. He donated his genetic material to produce an entire army. We were created and genetically modified, enzymes switched on and off to manipulate things like our intelligence, physicality and ability to follow orders through to their conclusion. Through cloning the Kaminese have also managed to continue the flow of more soldiers by accelerating our aging, making us mature twice as fast as - ,"

"Aging? They genetically modified your aging, did I hear correct?" Stoyan was curious.

"Yeah," Echo smiled while he continued to chew on a piece of bread, "I am in fact only twelve years old."

"What!" Stoyan was shocked.

"We age quickly; even though I am biologically now, twenty four years old, I was born, if that's what you'd call it, just twelve years ago. We all age twice as fast."

"That's insane!" Stoyan stood, spilling his mug of caf on the ground in front of him.

"How else could they amass an entire army so quickly. They didn't have twenty years prior knowledge, although," he finished under his breath, "apparently they had ten."

"I can't believe this."

"Yeah, in a few years I will look as old as you ner vod!"

Echo began laughing, loud and carefree.

It was the first time he didn't care about anything the Republic had done.

He had changed, and in his eyes his life as a member of ARC trooper royalty was finally over and Echo now relished the new life Stoyan had allowed him to begin.

It was the third time lucky for the ex-soldier.

.