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Clementine stood there, waiting for Violet to attack her. Instead, Violet extinguished her lightsaber and dropped it.

"I don't wanna fight you." Choked Violet, making Clementine frown and lower her own lightsaber.

"What changed?"

"Marsh." Clementine glanced a Plo, "Stand down."

Clementine briefly scowled, before deactivating her lightsaber and placing it on her belt, "The Padawan and the men with her, where are they?"

Violet shakily pointed at the entrance to the basement, prompting Clementine to stride over, ignoring the others. Without another word, Clementine slashed the lock with her lightsaber and vanished below.

H

"You want me to what?!"

"The Jedi here need an experienced leader." Said Obi-Wan, stroking his beard, "You've more than proved yourself, even while restricted by a space suit."

"But surely Skywalker would serve better here." Argued Clementine, scowling at Obi-Wan.

"You and the 751st are already here." Countered Obi-Wan, getting a sharp sigh from Clementine.

"Fine, I and my men will remain here." Muttered Clementine, turning on her heel and stalking away.

Louis watched Clementine stride over to a clear space near the gate and sit on her knees, before she started meditating.

"You're going to have to speak to her some time." Said Violet, getting a sigh from Louis.

"I know." Answered Louis, taking a deep breath, "but, I caused her to miss out on Hope's milestones. And she didn't even acknowledge her last night."

Violet sighed, glancing around, "It's strange having so many people here."

While they were talking, AJ slowly approached Clementine. Stopping a couple of feet away from her, he opened his mouth.

"What's wrong?" Asked Clementine, not opening her eyes.

"I, I wanted to apologise."

Clementine opened her eyes and looked back at AJ, "Sit with me."

AJ copied her sitting position, as Clementine closed her eyes again.

"What can you feel?"

"The animals, everyone here," AJ swallowed, "the hunger."

"I'm going to be straight with you," Said Clementine, "after all of you left me for dead, I hated you. I wanted nothing more than to come back her and kill every last one of you."

AJ swallowed.

"What hurt me the most was you and Louis." Continued Clementine, "The two people I thought would've had my back in that situation and instead you were leading the charge."

AJ looked down.

"Had I not gone to the Jedi Council," Said Clementine, "there is a high chance I would've fallen."

Clementine let out a sigh, before wrapping an arm around AJ's shoulder, "I forgave all of you when I was knighted. It may take a while to fully regain my trust, but you've made a start."

"General." Clementine twisted and looked up at Thunder, her Clone Commander, "We've cased the perimeter, I've got men posted at every entrance and assigned some of our techs to getting the droids back in working order."

"That's good." Said Clementine, getting to her feet, "I'm sure the walkers will be a decent asset when they arrive."

"Walkers?" Frowned AJ, getting up as well, "How're the dead gonna be an asset?"

"Different kind of walker, sir." Corrected Thunder, "Our walkers are combat vehicles, all of them operating on legs rather than repulsorlifts."

Clementine examined AJ, before frowning, "Where's your lightsaber?"

AJ froze, before responding, "I don't have one."

Clementine's frown deepened, before glancing at Thunder, "I'll go over the rest with you later, Commander."

Thunder nodded, making Clementine grab AJ's arm and pull him towards the Admin building.

"What do you mean you don't have a lightsaber?" Demanded Clementine, looking at AJ.

"It felt wrong."

"How?!" Clementine stopped and stared at AJ, "AJ, I taught you how to extend the hilt, you could've lengthened it if you found it uncomfortable."

"That's not what I meant!"

Clementine straightened up, frowning down at him, "Then, what did you mean?"

"It was yours." Answered AJ, "W-when we caught that thief, I-I couldn't use it. N-not a-after-"

AJ started to break down, prompting Clementine to pull him into a hug.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry," Sobbed AJ, "I-I'm s-s-sorry, M-mom."

Clementine sighed, resting her chin on AJ's head, while the boy sobbed.

H

Mace looked at the holograms in front of him, Master Madrigal was currently stationed in a small village in a country called Colombia, while Master Fu was calling from France, his padawan a couple feet behind him. He looked at the third Jedi, Knight Potter, who was in a small island country near France, Mace couldn't remember the name, but found he didn't care.

"The dead," Said Fu, "are particularly vulnerable to lightsabers. However, lately, it's not the dead we have to worry about. It's the living."

"Master Fu is right, Master Windu," Said Potter, "Most of our losses have been caused by the living, as opposed to the dead."

"I too, have experienced such issues." Said Master Madrigal, her blindfold covering an old saber wound, "Some from people I would consider friends."

Mace frowned, "What of the other Jedi on planet?"

"I've got a few in the community I'm protecting." Answered Madrigal, getting a nod from Windu.

"I have mostly Padawans, but they are quick learners." Said Fu, while Potter frowned.

"Unfortunately," Potter looked at them, "most of the Jedi here are dead."

"How many strong are you?" Asked Mace, looking at Potter.

"Six." Answered Potter, "Nineteen if you include the younglings."

"I'll attempt to contact any other surviving Jedi across the rest of the planet," Said Mace, after a moment, "We'll need to co-ordinate our efforts if we're to combat the dead effectively."

"We've tried." Sighed Fu, "But, the majority of the satellites and Jedi Outposts have fallen. We three are, seemingly, the only ones still in possession of a transponder signal."

Mace sighed, he's dreaded as such, "I'll have some men scout around, search for any other surviving Jedi."

The holograms of the three Jedi glanced at each other.

"May the Force be with us all." Said Mace, making the other Jedi nod, before they signed off.

Mace stood in silence, letting it wash over him. He'd always believed that the Jedi's place was with the Republic, he'd defended that motion in several arguments. But, seeing how Sol was literally left to rot, he found himself doubting that belief. He'd always pegged Marsh as a cynical pessimist, given her low opinion on both sides of the war, but now, he saw that, in her own way, she was being realistic. This world hadn't been touched by the Clone War, yet the people had been forced into survivalist roles, with Everett, Garcia and Marsh admitting to killing unarmed opponents to prevent any harm coming to others. Mace felt a small chuckle rise out of him, remembering the face Skywalker had pulled when Marsh said she wouldn't hesitate to remove his head if he got bitten.

Part of him wondered what his peers on the Jedi Council were doing, with three of their number confined to a planet with an undead virus on the loose. Were they having the healers work on a cure? Were they discussing the course of action with the Chancellor? Had they replaced him, Obi-Wan and Plo?

Mace shook his head, dispelling the thought. Part of him refused to believe that they would go on as if nothing had happened, but they had done just that, after they sent Everett to locate that missing medical frigate.

"How'd the meeting go?" Asked Skywalker, jerking Mace from his thoughts.

"The Jedi are more divided than initially believed." Said Mace, looking at the younger man, "Only three others had transponders with them."

Anakin frowned, "But there could still be Jedi leading communities, since the Ericson's community is just the Ericson's Jedi Outpost."

"Manned almost exclusively by Padawans." Mace reminded him, "You've seen the report on what happened there."

"The master's all abandoning them?" Asked Anakin, "or how one of them sold his peers to survive?"

"Both." Sighed Mace, as Plo and Obi-Wan entered the room.

"Knight Marsh has agreed to remained at Ericson's with her men." Said Obi-Wan, "She was against it, at first, but she agreed in the end."

"How'd she take training the Jedi there?" Asked Mace, looking at Plo.

"She agreed," Answered Plo, "but, she kept what reservations she had about it to herself.!

"And Ahsoka?" Asked Anakin, crossing his arms.

"She's with the rescued members of the 501st outside." Answered Obi-Wan, "She's unharmed, Anakin."

Anakin frowned, but nodded, before going walking out of the room. The three Jedi masters shared a look, before following after him.

H

Clementine ran her hand down her face, as Willy fell off the balancing beam for the seventeenth time in a row.

"Commander." Clementine called over to Thunder, "Cease fire."

The yellow training bolts stopped, as Clementine walked over to Willy, "The purpose of the exercise, Willy, is to avoid being hit."

Willy had the decency to look ashamed, as Duck and Sarah walked around the other trainees.

"Sorry."

Clementine sighed, before looking around, Louis, Violet, Mitch and Marlon were doing fairly well with blocking blaster bolts, while Brody and Ruby were working on medical techniques with Stitches, the medic for the 751st.

"Maybe," Sarah spoke to Clementine, "we should see how they are with the training sabers."

"Do you really want to look for more sticks? Considering what happened last time." Asked Duck, looking between the two.

Clementine sighed, before glancing over at AJ, who was rolling modified training lightsaber over in his hands.

"You know," Sarah got Clementine's attention, "after we got here, looking for you, AJ was the first to express doubt about your guilt."

"And you've practically already forgiven him." Added Duck, folding his arms.

"AJ's different." Dismissed Clementine, "I raised him."

"What about Hope?" Asked Sarah, making Clementine freeze, "After they tried to kill you, she stopped progressing, sure, she can walk and we're fairly certain she knows how to talk, but she stopped responded to the others, even Louis has trouble getting her to open up to him."

"I'm not sure if she remembers me." Said Clementine, as she looked back over at AJ, before looking past him as the five year old playing with some flowers. Hope, seemingly able to feel Clementine staring at her, got up and toddled past AJ toward Clementine.

The little girl looked up at her, before holding a messy flower crown up, "Mommy, look."

Clementine felt her throat get tight, as she crouched down, allowing Hope to clamber up and awkwardly put the flower crown on her head. Instead of getting back down, Hope positioned herself so Clementine could carry her.

"Er, General?" Called a trooper, "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Clementine frowned, trying to place a name to the trooper.

"That's Tip," Said Thunder, suddenly appearing by Clementine's side, "he's one of the shinies, straight from Kamino."

"Okay, why's holding her a bad idea?" Asked Clementine, as Hope stared up at the antenna on Thunder's helmet.

"She, er, bit him, General." Answered Thunder, coughing to cover a laugh, "He screamed like he was going to die."

"Why'd you all sound the same?" Asked Hope, looking at Thunder.

"Well, er, ma'am," Thunder shifted, "We're clones."

"What's that?"

"It means they're all identical." Answered Clementine, "They all look, sound and fight the same."

"Did their mommy have all of them at once?"

"Er, no." Answered Thunder, "We were grown by Cloners, people who make identical copies of people. We don't have parents."

"No mommy?" Asked Hope, frowning.

"No, ma'am."

Hope frowned, but before she could say anything, she yawned. Clementine adjusted her, before looking at Duck, Sarah and Thunder, "Can you take over here?"

Duck nodded, going over to where Clementine had been watching Willy, while Thunder went back over to Louis and the others, leaving Sarah to re-examine Brody and Ruby's work with Stitches. Glancing around, Clementine frowned when she couldn't spot James, Aasim, Minerva or Omar. Deciding to shake it off, Clementine walked towards the Admin building as Hope started to doze in her arms.

H

Grievous growled, glaring down at the horde of dead. The Cyborg had been sent by Dooku to investigate the situation on the planet. Dooku thought they could weaponize this virus against the Republic.

He growled, spotting some form of militia and a Jedi cutting apart the dead.