Chapter Thirty: Return to Kamino

The sun was orange, filtering through the dust that cascaded over the wasteland. I looked down, seeing myself in my armor, but the 501st blue was peeled away, replaced with unfamiliar designs of red and black. Around me were crumbling pillars of stone, a massive pyramid of smooth rock rising before me. It reminded me of the jedi temple on Coruscant, but it felt...darker. Somehow sinister.

I didn't know what it was, but something beckoned me towards it.

In a flash, I was inside, not remembering walking in. The room was dark, a single light flowing in onto what looked like a coffin of some sorts, made of pure black stone. Towering over it was a sculpture of a massive, imposing figure, his arms crossed over his chest. Other, smaller statues lined the room, some half-broken and decrepit.

I took a single step into the room, the hair raising on the back of my neck. I stopped, my eyes darting in the darkness, hearing nothing...but knowing something was there, slithering in the darkness.

I reached for my blasters but found a round cylinder instead. In shock, I lifted it to my face, seeing a lightsaber hilt.

"What?" I breathed.

A deep chuckled echoed through the room, making me jump. "Come find me," the voice whispered, seeming to seep from the very crevices in the walls.

"Who's there?" I called, brandishing the hilt before me, but somehow unable to will my thumb to engage the blade.

"You know so little, but have such...potential," the voice hissed, grating on my ears.

"Show yourself!"

"In time, my dear child. In time. First, you must come find me."

I looked around the room, fighting my fear. "Why?"

"Don't you wish to know of your past? Of who you are? What you could be?" I turned, seeing the shadows dance under the slow, melodic words.

I breathed slowly, my interest peaked, something tickling at my mind. "Where?" I breathed.

My vision began to fade, the sound of a lightsaber igniting filling my ears. It was warm in my hands, but I couldn't see it.

"Moraband," I heard whispered, the word echoing as the dream faded.

I sat upright, my chest heaving from the vivid dream. Could I even classify it as a dream? It was rather obviously a vision. Something was calling to me through the force, the connection still palpable in the room, though it was fading quickly.

Moraband. A planet, maybe? I didn't know it, but I was sure a quick search in the Republic databases would solve my issue.

How lucky that I had unlimited access to that now.

A knock sounded at the door of my private quarters aboard the Endurance. "Enter," I called, swinging my feet from my cot and trying to appear like I hadn't just heard someone talking to me that wasn't there.

The door hissed open, revealing a clone. "Captain," he said, standing straight and saluting.

I sighed through my nose. While I had appreciated the title given to me by the Chancellor upon my release from the med bay on Coruscant, I wasn't overly fond of the new formalities between myself and the clones.

"At ease," I sighed, standing. "And Kida is fine."

He cleared his throat uneasily, but nodded. "Kida," he started. I could feel the turmoil within him. He'd called me Kida, along with all his brothers, only a few weeks prior. But now… "Your presence has been requested on the bridge. With urgency, sir."

I hummed. "Thank you."

He left me as I quickly donned my casual gear, electing to keep the armor off for now. Simple pants and a wrapped three-quarter shirt were more than enough. I still had my communicator on my wrist and a pistol on my hip. What else did a bounty hunter suddenly enlisted in an army need?

I made my way to the bridge, banishing the thoughts of my dream, the circular doors hissing open to reveal Kenobi, Skywalker, Rex, and Cody. Obi-wan had never mentioned how I had spoken to Windu through the force, and it led me to wonder if the dark jedi had revealed anything. Had he kept my secret? Perhaps...after all that...he was beginning to trust me.

"You requested me?" I asked the room, crossing my arms as I approached the holoprojector they were huddled around. I did my best to keep my gaze from drifting to Rex. I hadn't seen him in a while, apart from the single sneaky visit he'd been able to make when I was in the medical bay.

I opened my eyes to the gentle brush of callused knuckles across my cheekbone. A smile cracked my lips when I saw two golden eyes staring into mine.

"Cyare," he breathed lowly. Again, that word I didn't know. The way he said it, like it was forbidden, yet sweet on his tongue. It made me speculate.

"Rex," I greeted back, my voice cracking from not using it. "How long was I sleeping?"

"They put you in a bacta tank when they brought you in," he explained slowly. "You'd lost a lot of blood."

I hummed. "Yeah, I felt like crap." I smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood, but my attempt failed. Concern flooded his usually stoic face. He'd been afraid. I dared to touch his mind, just briefly, and I was hit with a flood of images and emotion.

He'd seen me, floating in a bacta tank with an oxygen mask strapped to my bruised face. My stitched side and shoulder looked horrible through the bubbling liquid, my skin a ghastly pale shade. He thought I was going to die.

"I'm fine, Rex," I assured, pulling myself from his mind quickly. "I've had worse."

"I should've been there."

My eyebrow rose. "You weren't even on the ship," I argued, giving him a look. Despite his sudden protectiveness only further proving his affections for me, I wasn't about to let him guilt himself over something he had no control over. "In the end, I'm glad it happened anyways."

"You're glad you almost died?"

I chuckled, wincing at my sore body. "Maybe not the almost dying part, but without it...I wouldn't have been able to help Boba."

"I heard," he allowed, likely referencing how the young boy had rushed back to hug me before going into the prison. "I'm sorry," he offered. Despite him likely not feeling all that sorry, since the kid had led to a lot of death, I appreciated his attempt.

I only nodded as a response, looking around at the dark room, lit only by my monitors and the emergency floor lights. "Are you even allowed to be here?"

"No."

"Breaking rules, now, are we, Rex?" I teased, finally earning a small chuckle from him.

"It wouldn't be the first time you've made me break the rules."

"I hardly made you come visit me."

"Oh? Why'd you get stabbed and beaten within an inch of your life then?"

I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "You're right. You caught me. All of that was a ploy to get just a few moments alone with the good Captain."

"Bounty hunters," he mock scoffed, his hand slowly drifting to touch my wrist. "Always so deceptively clever."

"Deceptively? I don't try to hide it, soldier."

Rex laughed now, his thumb brushing over the back of my wrist, his fingers curling ever so slightly to hold my arm. My heart beat in my chest, threatening to blow my cool facade. I pulled my hand, a spike of fear resonating from him, the man thinking I was pulling away. To quickly quell that fear, I grabbed his hand, wrapping my fingers around his own, before settling them back onto the bed beside me.

He cleared his throat slowly, his face heating just enough for me to see it in the dim lighting. "Someone might see." He pulled his hand from mine, settling it in his lap, where he sat by my side.

I forced myself to sit up, making the worried clone stand and try to force me back down to avoid injury. I shoved him off, making Rex stand, disgruntled, at my bedside. "Someone could see you visiting me against protocol. You didn't seem to care about that."

"Clones visit comrades all the time. It's a regular break of regulation that we tend to ignore."

"Comrade," I grumbled, huffing out a breath. I turned my face away, my hands twisting into the sheets.

Rex sighed beside me, stooping to pick up his helmet from the counter. "You should get some rest. Both General Kenobi and Skywalker are shipping out on the Endurance soon. You'll be going with us."

"Wonderful," I mumbled, still frustrated with him.

He sighed again before wrapping his hand around mine, lifting it to his lips. He pressed a chaste kiss to my knuckles, his eyes downcast. "I'm glad you're alright," he whispered against my hand.

He set my hand back down, touching my cheek again briefly before slipping from the room silently. I was left dumbfounded. I hadn't seen him in some time, nor had the chance to really talk since we'd met Cut.

Maybe almost losing someone was enough to spur some expressions of affection. Sure, a kiss on the hand wasn't a confession of how he felt...but for Rex? It was quite the step anyways.

Rex didn't meet my gaze-likely intentionally, given our last interaction.

"We've intercepted a transmission from Grievous," Skywalker said lowly, gesturing for a clone to bring up the hologram.

I turned my focus from the clone I had developed such an attachment to and forced myself to watch the flickering images.

"We're decrypting the audio, sir," a clone officer explained, tapping away at the holoprojector.

"The clone planet of Kamino will be a dangerous target," a female voice said darkly, her figure hooded. I glanced at the room, all of them seeming to recognize her.

The image flickered to show Grievous' towering form. "Just make sure you hold up your half of the mission. We must stop the production of new clones if we are to win this war."

The images fizzled out, my gaze lifting to see harsh looks of anger and determination on Rex and Cody's faces. "Kamino," Anakin said beside me.

"They're going to attack our home planet," Rex breathed slowly.

Kenobi stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The Separatists are taking quite the chance even considering this."

"With all due respect, General," Rex spoke again, standing straighter than before. "If someone comes to our home, they better be carrying a big blaster."

"I concur with Captain Rex, sir," Cody butt in. "This is personal for us clones."

"We'll make sure Kamino is secure," Anakin reassured. "Tell your troopers in the 501st...they're going home."

"Yes, sir," both clones said dutifully. Rex's eyes darted to mine briefly before he left the room, the frigate beginning to shift into hyperspace.

"I suppose you're going home as well, Kida," Obi-wan mused, his gaze shifting from the hologram.

I shrugged, gesturing to the communications officer to ask him for control of the table. He obliged. I wasn't sure if it was because of my new rank or for the fact that he actually respected me. I shook myself mentally. Since when did I care which it was?

"I don't really consider Kamino my home," I responded finally, tapping away at the controls.

Obi-wan's eyebrows lifted, Anakin even seeming surprised. "No?"

I glanced up at the jedi, still aware of the intercepted message rewinding under my guiding hand. I lifted my shoulders again in another shrug. "I don't really consider anything home. I've never stayed in one place for long enough...that I liked, at least." I chuckled darkly, referencing my time as a slave easily.

Anakin hummed, crossing his arms. "Is that really a way to live?"

I smirked at him, rolling my eyes. "It's worked so far. But," I sighed. "I'll admit that returning to Kamino will be...reminiscent. Especially considering the latest events." I wondered if Boba ever wanted to go back to the cloning facility. Probably not.

"Perhaps this may be a challenge for you," Obi-wan reasoned. "Though I trust you'll still be of use in this battle."

I arched my eyebrow at his concern. "I'm a bounty hunter, remember? What kind of question is that?"

"Not exactly," Kenobi said steadily, touching his knuckle to his chin. "You're a captain in the Grand Army of the Republic now."

"I have that rank," I joked. "But I'm not actually in charge of anything, am I?" The hologram paused under my hand, showing the cloaked woman, her back to me. I turned the hologram so I could peer under her hood. I couldn't see much, but she was humanoid. And it looked like she had tattoos I'd seen on the females from Dathomir. Witches.

"I think that decision was made because the Chancellor knew you could lead, but also function well as a loner," Anakin reasoned.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't really care what the reasoning is, nor what my rank is. What I want to know," I said, tapping the table's controls to enlarge the holographic figure. "Is who this is."

"Ventress," Anakin growled, effectively distracted from the question of my rank.

"Asajj Ventress is Count Dooku's personal assassin," Obi-wan expanded. "Anakin and I have met her a few times now."

"And you haven't captured her?" I asked, earning looks from them both. I raised my hands in mock defense. "Hey, I don't mean to offend. But she's just an assassin. You guys have dealt with worse."

"She's been trained in the dark side of the force by Dooku," Obi-wan countered, rubbing his chin again. "She grows more powerful every time we face her."

I hummed, looking at the hologram. I wasn't surprised. The witches of Dathomir often dealt in the dark arts. It was no wonder this assassin was inclined towards the dark side. "Well, I suppose you'll be seeing her again soon," I mused, giving them a nod before leaving the bridge.

I made my way back to my room, taking my time to strap on my armor. After being completely geared up, I made my way to the hangar, wondering if I could find Rex again. He hadn't gone out of his way to see me since the med bay. I'd been nervous that he regretted what he'd done, so I dared to touch at the edge of his mind. He didn't regret it. He was just afraid.

Afraid of how I'd react. How things could change. How he was breaking the rules.

The hangar was bustling with excited clones, most of them painted in 501st blue. I looked around, trying to spy the Jaig eyes that painted Rex's helmet. Instead, the force rippled with two familiar signatures.

"Kida!" one of the clones called, immediately earning a smile from my face. I turned to see the two clones, their helmets held at their sides.

"Fives," I greeted. "Echo. You two seem rather chipper today."

"Why shouldn't we be?" Echo asked, watching with an almost childish glee as the hangar doors began to open. "We're going home."

I hummed, turning to watch the doors open. Immediately, the smell of Kamino hit my nose. I always loved how it smelled outside the sterile cloning facility. Salty and damp, but fresh. Clean.

"Come on then," Fives said, hopping forward with a wave of his hand. "Let's go home!" I smirked, watching them head towards the door. It was a wonder they were excited to be back. It's not like their childhoods were anything spectacular. Then again, knowing them, they likely wanted to walk through the halls as esteemed members of the 501st.

Everyone knew what it took to work under Anakin's command. How risky it was. How skilled they were.

"Aren't you coming, Kida?" Echo cleared his throat. "Captain?"

"Yeah," Fives added in, seeing me frown slightly at the title. "Coming with us, Captain?"

"Why would I? To see you two flaunt yourselves for the admiration of cadets?"

"What else?" Fives asked, laughing.

"Come with us," Echo pushed, sighing. "So he'll at least shut up about it." He nudged his brother playfully. "The captain doesn't want to spend time with you, vod."

"Would you stop calling me that?" I asked, chuckling slightly. I had dug my own grave. Both clones perked up-particularly Fives-a smirk coming to their faces.

"That's right, Fives," Echo said again. "Captain Fett doesn't like you." I frowned, raising my eyebrow at him.

Fives jumped right in on their little game. "I know, but Captain Fett dislikes you more. You're the reason the good Captain Fett won't come see Kamino from our point of view."

"Captain Fett doesn't want to see the cloning facility, or where we trained, anyways. The captain has probably seen it all before, anyways."

"Alright," I sighed, trying to hold back my laughter.

"Captain Fett," Fives continued, pushing his brother gently. "Thinks you smell like Bantha shit."

"Oh yeah?" Echo shot back. "Well Captain Fett thinks you-"

"Enough!" I pushed them both, making them dissolve into laughter as I tried to keep a straight face. "Captain Fett is going to shoot you both in the kneecaps unless you stop calling her that."

"Well, Captain," Fives started, a devious glimmer in his eye. "If you would just come see our home with us-"

I held up my hand, stopping him with a teasing glare. "If I go with you, will you both shut up and call me Kida again?"

"Yes, sir," they both responded, giving me a mock salute.

I rolled my eyes, walking past them towards the hangar doors. "Fine." I could feel their childish glee as they ran to walk on either side of me, escorting me down the gangway and onto the landing dock.

"You know," Fives joked. "You could have just ordered us to stop."

I hummed playfully, giving him a teasing glance. "You're right. I'll have to keep that power card in mind."

"Kida," I heard Obi-wan's voice calling from the edge of the gangway. He gestured for me to join him.

I sighed lowly. "I'll meet up with you guys, I promise."

Fives waved his finger at me. "I'll hold you to that, Captain." The two walked away before I could cuss them out, so I turned and quickly fell into step behind Cody and Rex, who were walking behind Anakin and Obi-wan.

We stopped, giving me a chance to peer through the gaps between their shoulders to see a Togruta in jedi robes. Beside her, was the towering figure of Lama Su. I shuddered, chewing the inside of my cheeks as the jedi greeted each other.

"Masters Kenobi and Skywalker," the Togruta said. "Welcome to Kamino." Behind us, the rest of the clones were marching down the giant gangway. I wondered why Fives and Echo hadn't been apart of that. Then again, knowing Fives, he probably worked out some deal to let them go off on their own.

"Greetings Generals," Lama Su said, his voice the same grating vibrato I remembered from when he would scold Boba and I in the halls. In his defense, we were often snooping around or playing somewhere we shouldn't have been. In our defense, we were kids.

"I wish our arrival wasn't under such circumstances," Obi-wan admitted, looking up at the Kaminoan. "We believe Grievous is planning a Separatist attack on Kamino."

"But the Republic blockade is far too strong," Lama Su responded steadily, his trademark being that he never showed any human-like emotions. "They would not dare."

The Torgurata looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nevertheless," she responded, her voice accented. "We must remain vigilant and prepared." Her eyes flickered up, seeing me peering between the clones. "And who is this?"

Obi-wan turned, gesturing me forward. The clones parted diligently, making me sigh slowly through my nose. I stepped up into Obi-wan's reach, letting the jedi guide me forward his hand. "This is Kida. She's a captain in the GAR."

Lama Su leaned down, staring intensely at me, his gaze drifting over the kyr'bes on my shoulder guard. "I know you. You're the slave girl. The source material for your clones brought her here to Kamino," he added, now looking at the jedi like I wasn't even there.

My pride flared, my cheeks heating with anger. "His name was Jango," I said lowly.

"Ah," the female added in with her smooth voice, obviously trying to ease the tension. "I've heard much about you, Kida," she said, offering her delicate hand to me. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"She's a bounty hunter," Lama Su voiced quietly, disdain in his voice. I always knew he wasn't fond of Jango. Jango was nothing more than a source of immense profit for the Kaminoans.

"Perhaps once," the Togruta responded dismissively. "I am Jedi Master Shaak Ti. Welcome back to Kamino. I understand you grew up here."

"Not for long," I allowed, giving her a grateful nod for being so kind.

"We should prepare," she said, now looking to her fellow jedi.

"I agree. Dismissed," Anakin said to his men, stepping forward to stand with Shaak Ti and Obi-wan. I followed Cody and Rex, glad to be away from the Kaminoan and the intense gaze of the Togruta.

"CT-7567 and CC-2224," I heard from behind us, making us all turn. Rex and Cody snapped to attention and it finally clicked that Lama Su had used their batch numbers to speak to them. I bristled as the Kaminoan continued. "Make sure the girl stays out of trouble. She has an inclination for it."

I growled as the clones both gave dutiful "yes sirs" to the prime minister. They moved to continue walking away, but my buttons had been pushed. I saw a warning glare from Obi-wan, but stepped back towards them with my arms crossed.

"It's Captain, actually," I said, my tone biting. "Not girl. And those two," I titled my head, gesturing to the clones behind me. "Have names. Maybe you should bother to learn them." Anakin fought a small smile, his eyebrow raised, but I earned nothing other than soft looks of concern and disappointment from Obi-wan and Shaak Ti.

I turned on my heel and stormed past Rex and Cody, leaving them floundering to keep up. As we entered the sterile white halls of the cloning facility, I only felt my frustrations rise. I hated this place. It was a horrible place for a child. It led my father towards his death. It generated mass numbers of men they sold like livestock, seeing them nothing more than a product.

Not to mention the Kaminoans and their practical lack of empathy left me wanting to punch each and every one of them.

"Kida," I heard Cody sigh. "We know we don't need to watch you. You didn't have to disre-"

"Do not say disrespect," I growled, earning a low chuckle from Rex.

"Leave her, Cody," the captain advised, clearly amused with my outburst. "She's not used to us being referred to by numbers. That's all."

"I'm plenty used to it," I mumbled to myself, remembering the times I'd heard the Kaminoans speaking to the young cadets. "I just think it's horrible."

Tactically, I understood why it was an efficient method, considering how many clones there really were. Morally, it still felt wrong.

"Care to get some grub?" Cody asked, allowing my little mishap to slide. "Rex and I were going to hit the mess hall."

I swallowed, still steaming about being back here, unsure how to handle the mix of emotions it was causing me. I had wonderful memories here, despite the few bad ones. But they were bittersweet memories now. Reminders of what I'd lost and would likely never have again.

"Thanks," I responded. "But I promised Echo and Fives that they could show me around."

"Show you around?" Rex asked, his eyebrow raised. "You know the facility. You lived here."

I shrugged, giving him a half smile. "I'm sure it's changed since I was last here." Rex gave me a small look of concern, but allowed me to walk away without a fight. I did my best to give him a real smile as I looked over my shoulder, but I couldn't say I sold it.

I departed from the brothers, making me way through the halls. I earned looks, all of the clones that hadn't graduated yet having not seen a female other than the Kaminoans and Shaak Ti. I ignored their curious stares, considering they weren't even able to know who I am, since they had no connection with their brothers who were deployed. News travelled fast with the clones, but anything about me wouldn't have made it this far.

I rounded a corner, glad to see the backs of Echo and Fives. Truthfully, while I was rather hungry, I knew I couldn't sit and discuss defense tactics with Rex and Cody. I was in a suddenly foul mood, and knew Fives and Echo could cheer me up again. I needed lightheartedness. Not Cody's intense seriousness and the never-ending question of Rex's affection.

"Fives, Echo!" I called, jogging up to meet them.

"Glad you could join us," Fives jokes, throwing his arm around me and dragging me through the corridors. I chuckled, listening to the boys reminisce, but stopped suddenly as we turned into a new hall.

"Woah," I muttered, looking out the glass walls. "I'd forgotten how massive this was." The clones joined me on either side, looking out at the gigantic pillars that housed thousands of tubes, each incubating a new clone.

"And you thought you wouldn't see anything new," Echo teased, making me roll my eyes as I rejoined them in walking down the hall.

"It's not new. Just...old memories."

"Tell me about it," Fives mused, adjusting the helmet under his arm.

"Look around, Fives," Echo sighed, switching back to nostalgia. "Feels like just yesterday we were here."

A group of cadets went by me, their eyes all lighting up with recognition.

"Heading to target practice," Fives chuckled. "Remember that?"

"Do I ever?" Echo laughed in response.

Meanwhile, the cadets burst into tiny fits of discussion, earning a sharp command from the young clone leading them, glad in his red fatigues, the Kaminoan cloning symbol on his shoulder.

"That's her!"

"She's alive!"

"I told you she would."

I gave them a small smile, averting my gaze. Fives gave me a look. "What?" I asked, both of the men chuckling now. "They were the cadets on the ship when Aurra took me, okay?" I refused to say Boba, especially here. They'd know the name.

It occured to me that, since the cadets were here on Kamino and had known me, that perhaps the clones still in the facility did know me.

Great.

A clatter sounded before us, all of our heads turning to see a clone in maintenance fatigues, a pile of guns sprawled on the floor. Recognition rippled in the force at me, but I couldn't see the clone's face.

"Hey," Echo said, clearly recognizing the clone before I did. "99!"

I stopped in my tracks, letting the men walk towards the clone. It had been so long...he had aged so much since I'd last seen the man. He was considered a failure in the cloning process-his DNA having been messed with in the wrong way, leaving him deformed. Thus, the Kaminoans put him on sanitation, since he couldn't be part of the GAR.

99 looked up immediately, smiling. "Echo! Fives!"

Fives nearly misstepped, seeming shocked. "You actually remember us."

"I-I remember all my brothers," 99 declared, looking between the two men. "Is Hevy here? Where's he?"

I was hit with a flash of images, silently cursing this new force ability. Damn it to the furthest parts of the unknown regions of space.

I saw a band of young cadets, each sporting the same cropped hair and red fatigues. I could tell who they were, though. Fives. Echo. Even the one they called Hevy. They were at odds. 99 helped them...like he helped everyone else.

Fives glanced at his brother briefly before responding. "There was an...incident...on the Rishi Moon Outpost."

A droid attack flare arcing into the sky.

"Looks like we got ourselves a couple of shinies," said Rex, pushing his bloodied hand onto Echo's chestplate.

"You didn't say please," I heard a gruffer clone say. Hevy, I knew him to be, bearing a Z-6 Rotary Blaster.

"He saved our lives," Echo jumped in, his voice sad. "But he gave up his own."

A room, with what looked like a makeshift bomb in the middle. Droids stood around a clone, barely holding onto life with his blaster wounds.

"Do we take prisoners?" one of the droids asked the group.

The clone-Hevy-responded for them. "I don't."

The room exploded, making me flinch.

The vision faded rapidly as I shook my head, forcing it away. I didn't want anymore, but I could feel more coming. 99 was rippling with emotion-I'd be sucked into his memories whether I wanted to be or not.

"Oh," 99 said, visibly deflating as he fished something from his pocket. "I see." He opened his palm, revealing a dazzling medal. It was the one cadets received when they graduated-before they went off to war.

I watched a cadet take his medal from his shirt, pressing it into 99's hand. "You deserve it," he said. "You're one of us."

"Hevy...gave you his medal," Fives commented, shocked.

"So, why have you returned to Kamino?" 99 asked, pushing away his sorrow. I was glad for it, because my head was started to spin from all the images.

"The generals received word of an impending attack here," Fives explained glancing at me.

99 glanced at the medal in his hand before doing his best to straighten his hunched back. "Well, how can I help?"

I couldn't help but smile, stepping forward as the two brothers glanced at each other, trying to think of an answer. "You know this facility better than anyone," I spoke finally, my hands behind my back. I didn't know if he'd recognize me. It was unlikely, but it was no lie that he could help. "We need to know the most defensible positions."

It seemed I wasn't going to be able to avoid tactical talk, after all.

"Of course," 99 started, stooping to pick up the rifles again. I knelt immediately, reaching to grab a few myself. In the action, I had turned my shoulder to him, letting him catch sight of the kyr'bes design there.

I lifted my brow at him as I stood, seeing him stare.

"You're-" he started, tilting his head to look at me better. "Why did you cut your hair, Kida?"

I laughed openly at his question, loving how pure the man was, inside and out. The clones beside me were shocked.

"You know her?" Echo asked, pointing to me with surprise.

"Well sure," 99 said bashfully, shrugging. "I remember always seeing her and little Boba running around the halls. I helped them out a of a few scrapes when they upset Lama Su," he chuckled.

"And we were no better for it," I said with a grin. "I cut my hair because it's more practical this way, 99. And it's nice to see you too."

He smiled, but shook his head, gesturing for us to follow him. "You can tie it back, like you used to," he tried before muttering, "You looked nice with it long. It was pretty."

I laughed beside him, giving him a raised eyebrow. "I'll keep it in mind, then."

"Wait, wait," Fives butt in again, waving for us to pay attention. "You seriously know her?"

"Kida Fett," 99 said with a shrug. "You became a bounty hunter like your father, right?" It was nice to hear Jango referred so casually as my father...especially from someone else.

"I did."

"Not anymore," Fives said, giving me a playful nudge. "Now she's part of the GAR."

"Are you?" 99 asked, his face hopeful.

"Yes," I sighed comically. "Somehow they trapped me into it."

"I'm glad," 99 confessed, nodding happily. "I always knew you'd find your way."

I didn't know what that meant, exactly, but I took it as a compliment anyways. I glanced between the other clones as 99 slowed ahead of us.

He gave me a smile, looking back at us. "I'll show you the best defensible spots, but you should all eat. Especially if you're going to be in a battle soon."

"Sounds good to me," Fives chuckled, pushing Echo and I after 99 with excitement.

99 led us to a rather empty mess hall, letting us all gather something to eat. I blanched at the meal, stirring at it with my fork uselessly.

"What's wrong?" Fives asked, shovelling more into his mouth. "It's way better than rations."

I hummed, looking around at the brothers. "I really need to make you boys some real food. You guys have no idea what you're missing."

Echo waved his hand, taking a long drink of caf. "Ignorance is bliss. I won't let you ruin my appreciation of the simple."

"It's not even qualified as simple. Try disgusting." 99 chuckled at me, still marking places on the layout of Tipoca city diligently. "Aren't you hungry, 99?" I asked, making him pause.

"No, no," he dismissed, still working. "I got to eat at a regular lunch time. Not like you guys."

I gave him a small smile, taking a few bites more because I knew it would make him happy than actually wanting or needing it. After I ate about half, I turned to nursing the hot cup of caf. That was one nice thing…it didn't matter where in the GAR you were, every clone could make a good cup of caf.

It was the little things.

"So," Echo mused, chewing his food slowly while he looked over 99's diagram. "The hangars are pretty exposed positions."

"But not impossible to defend," Fives countered, waving his fork in the air.

I hummed into my cup of caf, thinking. "The question still remains," I voiced finally. "How are the Separatist forces even getting here?"

"They won't," Fives said confidently. "They'd have to break through the Republic blockade."

"Maybe," I thought, trying to think about what I would do. Of course, I'd have snuck past the lines and made my attack, considering I was one person. An army was a whole other situation…

Or was it.

"What if they're already here?" I asked suddenly, cutting off the discussion that had continued while I contemplated.

"How could that be possible?" 99 asked, watching me with curiosity.

"Dooku has sent his assassin, right?" I asked, to which none of them responded. I realised they hadn't been in the war room. "Right, you weren't there," I backpedaled. "Ventress is working together with Grievous on this assault," I explained, thinking. "In the transmission we intercepted, the general told her to make sure she held up her end of the plan."

"That certainly implies they're working on separate goals," Echo reasoned.

"Or separate playing fields entirely," I took it even further. "What if Grievous is meant to attack the blockade and cause chaos and Ventress has a single mission she'll carry out alone? I don't doubt she could slip through our security."

"Neither do I," 99 added in. "Kida did it when she was just 14."

"You-" Fives started, curious, but shook his head. "Nevermind. We need to be sure that everything is locked down. Ventress can't get into the facility for any reason."

"I agree," I sighed, glancing around. I wasn't sure how I knew it, but the force told me that my ideas were at least on the right path. I took another swig of my caf, nearly spilling on myself when my comms beeped suddenly.

I tapped the communicator, Obi-wan's voice pouring through. "Kida," he said. "I need you in the command center."

99 looked confused, the other two clones apprehensive. I stood, putting my caf down. "What's going on, Kenobi?" I asked, feeling 99's surprise at the general's name.

"A fleet of Separatist ships have just come out of hyperspace. They're engaging the blockade now. Anakin is going to help the assault up there, so I need you here."

"Grievous?" I asked.

"Most likely."

"I'm on my way, General," I said back immediately, disconnecting the comms. I gave a shrug to Echo and Fives. "Duty calls, boys."

"Was that, the jedi master, Kenobi?" 99 asked, intrigued.

"It was," Echo responded.

"Why do you need to go to the bridge?" While the question could have been taken offensively, I knew that 99 was only trying to understand, rather than insult me.

To my dismay, Fives answered for me. "Kida's a captain," he said, smirking at me. "She has to go lead."

"Watch it," I fake threatened, heading towards the door.

"A captain," I heard 99 breathe. "I knew she'd do great things," he said to his brothers as I walked through the door.

Fives and Echo chuckled, the former saying, "You have no idea, 99. You have no idea."

MANDO'A

Vod- brother/sister