Hela's
Zur suppressed his urge to laugh out loud at the picture in front of him of the two sitting together on the settee; Hela head back, eyes closed, mouth open catching flies, made up to look like an ageing Tooka, ears and all, and her red haired kit lying next to her. Her hands grasped tight around a small electronic keyboard.
The makeup looked impressive even though he had not done it.
Hela had surprised him with how good she was with the child, patience was not what he would have said was one of her virtues; even now after all this time, she still surprised him.
He checked the time; the child's mother would be here soon from what Hela had said and if she wasn't, Hela was to call her. He had not been privy to all the arrangements made and that irritated him. He didn't like her keeping secrets from him but while they were playing he was investigating the mother.
Cara had what some would call a chequered past and had been burned by the old boys network but she was legal. Over qualified for the job she did but that was often the case when you upset someone high up.
He knew that from his own experience.
He nudged Hela's shoulder and she blinked, startled, she jerked forward. He kept out of her way.
Lilli grumbled at being disturbed but stayed asleep.
Zur cursed inwardly, he should have taken a holo; it was a priceless picture.
"When's the kids' mother coming to pick them up?"
Hela blinked, still slowly waking up and looked at the chrono, "Fifteen minutes."
"You'd better wake her up."
Hela turned to look at Lilli, she looked so relaxed, so at ease, so cute. Hela blinked again, "Leave her a little longer. She's tired. I'll get her a drink ready for when she wakes up. She pushed herself up and fetched a glass of juice, nothing fizzy; that had been part of the instructions she had been given, now she was anxious. The child had eaten fried food, ice cream, sweets; she had make up on her face, although it would come off quickly and had learnt how to play an irritating tune. And she had given her the old keyboard to play it on for her mother.
Cara was going to kill her.
She jumped, startled when the door chime played.
"I'll get it." Offered Zur.
Cara looked surprised when Zur answered the door and smiled at her. She had never met him and his smile could be taken either way, if you didn't know him.
"She's asleep." He whispered, and showed her in.
"This is Zur, my dresser and PA." Hela introduced him, she couldn't remember if she had told Cara about him. Cara stared at her. Then stared at her daughter, sleeping peacefully on the settee.
"We did face painting." Explained Hela, realising what staring was for.
"I can see that. You didn't let Lilli do any painting did you? She's always trying to get into my makeup."
Hela stroked her face, "No."
Cara looked at the small keyboard lodged on her daughter's hand
"She learned a tune for you." Explained Hela.
"She didn't want to watch the Holonet all night?" Asked Cara.
Zur raised an eyebrow.
"She did at first, then we found other things to do."
Cara smiled and touched the Tooka ears buns on the top of her daughter's head, formed from her hair; the same colour as hers.
"I'll make you two a Caf." Offered Zur.
Hela gestured to the other settee.
"So she wasn't too bad."
"No but I am so tired," admitted Hela, "I don't know how you do it."
"I have to."
Hela glanced at the kitchen door.
"How did your date go?" She lowered her voice.
"I'm not sure. He was polite, interesting, and listened to me. He didn't take over the conversation like some do but…."
"But?"
"He didn't try anything with me."
"Did you go out?"
"No, I cooked at home. He doesn't get paid. I don't have a lot of money left over, so it seemed the best idea. And you knew he was going to be there."
"He may just need to get used to the idea of you and him. Assuming you want there to be a 'you and him'?"
"I would like it. He's fascinating and….." Cara coughed.
"And?"
"Nothing."
"So even though you're working closely together, you would still like to take this further?"
"Yes. He's different to anyone else I've known and he knows his area. He's as good a Doctor as anyone or any droid I've met."
"Invite him again. I'll have Lilli."
"Would you? I would like to try again."
"It's settled then just let me know when and I'll make arrangements."
"Can you do that?"
"Of course."
.
Zur watched the child hug Hela and wave at him, as they walked out of the door; that was a first for both of them. He shook his head in disbelief, as he walked to the kitchen. He still didn't understand it all, as he made another caf, he needed it. He made one for Hela too.
"So how are you going to arrange that?"
"What?"
"Looking after Lilli, if you're performing."
"You heard?"
He tapped the side of his head, "Falleen exceptional hearing."
Hela rolled her eyes in disgust.
"I'm going to insist on my contract. My one night off per week, where they use the understudy. I could ask for Taungsday."
"You can do that?"
"Yes. I haven't but then I didn't have anything else to do."
"And what if Mayday comes home on leave?"
Hela stared at him frowning.
"I'll think of something."
.
Hela sat in front of her make-up mirror and looked at the Tooka face staring back at her. Suddenly, her throat tightened, the tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks.
She let them roll and drip onto the table, sniffing.
Eventually she wiped them away, as she took the makeup off. She thought she had gotten over this. Accepted it. It had happened a long time ago. She had never thought about it recently, or even considered it again until tonight.
Perhaps that was why she had kept away from children as much as she could all these years.
She should have said no to Cara, made some excuse but then she heard herself say of course she could look after Lilli. And then again tonight.
It had been a mistake.
She looked around the room, it was bigger than a lot of apartments; she had all this and yet she would give it all away to go back twelve years. To change the past.
Excepte Mayday, she would never change him.
Hela wiped away the last of the makeup and the tears, neither of which did any good; it was just too late.
.
The Resolute
Mayday had just sat down to drink a Caf when the invasion alarm sounded and within minutes they had jumped to hyperspace to confront Grievous, on his way to Kamino. As per usual he made his getaway. It was too quick to actually damage him in any way.
Now he leaned against a gunship, arms crossed and watched, as General Kenobi pinned medals on the surviving rookies from the Rishi Moon Listening station, Echo and Fives, he thought their names were but then he heard Rex's voice.
"You're just the kind of Troopers I need in the 501st."
"Kriff! He's fast." Muttered Mayday and pushed himself away from the wall to walk towards his brother. The blond haired head bobbed towards him, a self satisfied grin spreading across his brother's face, as he saw him.
"You were quick there Rex."
"You have to be, you know that." The grin never moved."Heard you're getting a new medic, could do with another one myself."
They matched each other's strides as they walked.
"Like you said Rex, you have to be quick." Mayday's grin was just as self satisfied, Plug would be an asset to the team.
"Heading to the Mess?" He asked.
"Yes."
"I'll join you."
.
They sat at the table whilst Cody regaled them of Rex's impression of a droid.
"Roger, Roger! He says," Cody said, doing a perfect impression and slapping Rex on the back, "sounding nothing like a droid."
"Then when they wanted him to take his bucket off, he bent down and stuck a droid's head up instead."
Cody grinned at the memory.
"It worked", shrugged Rex.
"It shouldn't have."
"But it did. They might have been Commando Droids but still don't have the brightest CPU in the galaxy." Rex was adamant, and chugged back a big gulp of caf.
"So this medic?"
"He's mine. I found him." Mayday wasn't going to let go of Plug now he had him. He was wasted at ArmyMed.
"Name and where exactly did you find him." Rex demanded.
"Plug. ArmyMed."
"Huh! ArmyMed. Any combat experience?"
"Geonosis and no you are not having him."
"Just asking out of interest."
"Yeah! I know your interest. You're still not having him. I found him, he's mine."
.
Mayday watched the hyperspace swirls, Cody was back, took over and they were heading to Kamino, his birthplace. He had mixed feelings about the place; it had been odd when he returned for the ARC training but the place was being attacked now, with the younger clones still there. He felt angry about that, as did many of his brothers. It was the only home that had known until deployment.
They dropped out of hyperspace to a view of Kamino surrounded by Republic ships, in contrast to when they were growing up when they rarely saw a ship even come near to the planet, unless it was Jango.
"Mayday!"
"Sir."
"We're going planetside and I want you to be the personal liaison with Yularen. He's in command of the planet's orbital defence fleet, ready for whoever the Separatists were going to send to attack us."
Mayday assumed it would be General Grievous, attacking as did everyone else.
"You'll keep him in the loop, in addition to the Jedi. As back up."
"Yes sir!"
"He wants to see you now."
.
"Sir?" Mayday was standing to attention in the Admiral's office; it was not as big as he had imagined it to be. Mayday respected the Admiral; he had come out of retirement to fight this war, which was more than could be said of many men younger than him, although he did have a background as a spook. He'd forgive him that.
Mayday waited as the Admiral studied a datapad. He closed it and looked up.
"We were lucky Mayday. If Commander Cody and Captain Rex hadn't been doing those inspections when they were, we could now be looking at a devastated Kamino, with thousands of your brothers dead."
"Yes sir." That same thought had occurred to him.
"I don't like being surprised Commander. That's why I asked for an officer liaison down on the ground. Not one based on Kamino. You will keep me apprised of everything that is happening down there. I need to be able to react to live Intel. Understood?"
"Yes sir! I'll link my HUD to your datapad sir. You'll see and hear what I do."
"Yes. And any pertinent thoughts you have, you pass on to me. Do you understand?"
"I think so sir."
"Thank you Commander. Dismiss."
Pertinent thoughts, wondered Mayday, as he walked down the corridor.
.
Mayday's squad was waiting for him by the gunship.
"Orders sir?" Asked Veetch.
"Cody and the Jedi are in charge of the defence on Kamino. Yularen on the blockade. We'll be linking up with either Colt or Alpha 17."
"Yes sir."
The men were quiet in the gunship, as it headed down to the surface, none of the usual banter and joshing each other. This was deadly serious, the men on board were all thinking about their time growing up in the city below and what it truly meant to them.
This was personal to each and every one of them.
.
Colt met them as they landed.
Mayday looked around, it was orderly relaxed almost
"Colt!" He stood to attention in front of the Commander, this was his turf. Commander Colt was regulation with an almost shaved head. He worked closely with the Jedi Shaak Ti. His eyes flitted around the landing bay taking in everything that was happening.
"You're with Alpha in the cloning area, growth section. Last line of defence. Protect them with everything you've got. They're our brothers."
"Yes sir!"
Mayday and his squad turned and jogged double time to meet Alpha, as they left the landing bay he saw the squads of fighter craft take off, accompanied by Skywalker. Mayday had heard Rex and Hela talk about him and it gave him some level of comfort to know he was up there fighting for them. They also had the General here on Kamino with them.
With those two and Shaak Ti fighting for them, Mayday felt confident they outdid win this one.
As the battle was being fought off planet Mayday's squad headed towards the section being commanded by Alpha 17.
.
The trees of growth tubes rose up into the dome, thousands of his brothers not yet decanted but alive and growing.
"Alpha." Mayday addressed his former trainer.
"'Bout time Mayday. Or should I say Commander?"
"You can say what you want. This is your domain. You know it better than we do now."
Although Mayday remembered the tunnels. He had filed that away and it may come in useful today.
"Are there any specific orders?"
The area they were standing in seemed peaceful enough.
"Ready men. We stop them getting to the tubies by any means necessary."
The squad split up and took cover, as they heard ion cannon fire in their HUDs.
The Republic was succeeding in damaging many of the Separatist vessels that had arrived to attack the planet, although there didn't appear to be a full fleet.
"This won't take long, sir." Observed Tank, checking the progress on his HUD, "with those few ships. For once they're out numbered."
"Let's not count the Nuna before they're hatched, Lieutenant," warned Alpha.
Mayday patched into one of the Command Channels and watched as debris, mainly transport pods, from the Separatist warships hurtled towards the planet, hitting the ocean and sinking without trace in the depths of Kamino's planet-wide ocean.
"At the moment the most danger we're in ids from the debris."
The battle in space raged on, with Skywalker taking the lead. Alpha, Mayday and his squad waited, then the dome they were in shook and they looked up to see the dome being drilled open.
"It's aqua droids! They're attacking!" Shouted Alpha.
"Ready boys!"
More and more aqua droids emerged from the waters attacking the domes on the planet's capital, Tipoca City. This was where the clone DNA was kept and the clones grown and trained. The future of the clone army was right here.
"Yes sir!" Mayday and Alpha heard and replied to the Order at the same time.
"They're after the DNA." Muttered Alpha.
"They're after us!" Mayday reiterated. That DNA was still a part of him or rather he was a part of it. He had never really thought about that aspect before.
"I know what I have to do. Standing order." Alpha stated.
Mayday frowned, his mind rolling through the myriad of standing orders they had and had to memorise, as they grew up. "What standing order?"
Mayday had seen the look on Alpha's face before, in training. "Jango's."
He was walking towards the control panel at the bottom of one of the trees.
"You had personal orders from Jango?"
"All the Alpha's did."
He pulled open the control panel. Mayday had never seen a clone operate those, or even have access to it. It had always been a Kaminoan making the adjustments.
"What is that?"
Alpha typed a code in.
"Self destruct. We can't allow the young clones to fall into the wrong hands."
Mayday's hand was on Alpha's wrist now, only just holding him back, with a struggle. He pulled his helmet off with his free hand, "Alpha, you can't, they're our brothers. We should protect them."
"I'm just following orders."
Mayday sensed the rest of his squad were watching him and Alpha ready to back him up, whatever he did.
"Whose?"
"Jango's. They grow up loyal to the Republic – or they don't grow up at all. All the Alpha's were given it, just for this scenario."
"The man who gave those Orders is dead. Fighting against some of us at Geonosis. I saw it."
Alpha stopped, he'd heard but never met any one who saw it.
"He was with the Separatists?" His voice was low, almost a growl.
"It looked like it."
"We don't know what the Seppies have in store for them, calling us wet droids. This will be quick, painless." Alpha declared hand still on the control panel.
"All I'm asking," Mayday paused, "Is just give them a chance. The battle's not lost yet."
As he said that the sounds of the Battle came closer, they could now hear blaster fire, closing in on them. Alpha was taking a long time to answer. Then he dropped his hand from the panel.
"It's set, but not armed. It's ready if they break through but promise me," he looked around at the others, "One of you will press it if I'm taken out."
There were nods of agreement.
Alpha stared at Mayday's hand still on his arm; Mayday pulled it away and jammed his helmet back on, making sure he was tuned into all the command channels. It looked as if they may have to press the self-destruct.
"Positions men. They're fighting in the corridors.
All the clones moved silently into position, blasters charged.
Now they waited.
.
The call never came for them, Skywalker intercepted Ventress after she had stolen Jango's DNA but he retrieved it and the Separatists did not press any advantage.
Mayday scrolled through the casualties on his HUD. This victory had come at a price. Numerous clones, young and old, some not yet decanted. 99. Colt. Mayday murmured his remembrance.
"I'll meet you at the gunship, lads." He said as he went in search of his commanding officer.
.
Maydaystood in the landing area watching the two young troopers from the 501st, talking to Rex and Cody.
They had done an exceptional job in helping to defend Kamino.
He read their lips and shook his head, yes they were good, very good. He would give them that but ARC Trooper material, he wasn't sure. It needed more than just being a good trooper. After what happened with Alpha in the nursery, he knew you needed to be more than that to survive this war. He turned away and walked towards the landing bay; his squad was waiting for him, as he reached it he saw Alpha leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
They stared at each other then Alpha gave him a lazy two fingered salute.
Mayday nodded and walked on wondering what other orders the Alpha's had been given by Jango.
.
"Admiral!" Mayday stood to attention in front of Yularen giving his debriefing, but there were some parts that were omitted.
The growth jar trees.
"You stopped transmitting at one time, why?"
The Admirals' words weren't harshly said but he still didn't feel able to tell him exactly what happened at that point. Some of his brothers say what happens in battles stays in battles. This was a battle and he would stand by that saying himself.
"Explosion sir. There was no warning and we were thrown around a bit. My bucket took a knock. I need to get it checked out."
"It seems okay now."
"Some of the HUD features don't work sir."
"Ah!"
The Admiral looked at the clone standing in front of him, seemingly a perfect soldier but he'd been around long enough to know when he was being lied to. He just couldn't prove it. Something had happened there, something between the clones. He'd keep an eye on this one.
.