Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Sixty Three: Decant Day

Over the next few days, the remaining twenty-six clones were recovered from various battlefields, as the formerly missing clones got settled into their respective sanctuaries. Some had to be snuck away, like Commander Thorn, who stowed away with Representative Negociador for his respite on Kalee.

Others were greeted with open arms and a shoulder to cry on by their battalions as they settled into the Jedi Temple. Cryptid had all but tackled Sinker the moment he saw him. The kid was barely getting used to his prosthetic eyes, and just beginning to regain weight, but he still recognized Sinker instantly.

Every clone knew that, despite forty-one brothers being saved, there were still many unaccounted for. The Jedi wouldn't stop searching, of course, and the protocol regarding any mutilated clones was to disable them, and bring them for medical treatment at the Jedi Temple.

No one had high hopes for the missing men though. Fives and the other fourteen had gotten lucky, but some still had hope.

Once again, something was making the rounds on Holonet.

On the Sentiency of Clones: The People Defending Our Republic
By Senator Lucidia Ti'wyld and Dr. Wylver Ti'wyld

Kaar had read it, and found that it was well written. He rubbed a hand over the regrowing nub of his new tusk, gently blowing the ivory out of the crevices of the carvings. He dragged the sharp edge of the newly crafted blade against a thick strip of rancor leather, leaving a fine divot in it.

Satisfied with his work, Kaar grabbed the intricate hilt he'd made, slotting the pearlescent steel around the handle, then pressing the kovica pearl into place. Glancing at the chronometer, he realized he had finished it just in time. Kaar slid the dagger into it's sheath, tugging at his sleeves as he hurried out the door of his room.

Satahl was just finishing up a decanting day cake, pacing the kitchen and glancing at her pocket chrono. She looked up as Kaar jerked his head towards the door, causing her to hurriedly pick up the cake and rush out behind him.

Kaar hid the sheathed blade behind his back as they entered the room that Fives and Jesse were sharing with Sinker. Domino Squad were sitting around the living room, laughing amongst themselves. Droidbait's face was slightly red, as Fives was dying of laughter with a hoarse voice. Desnuri was in Fives' lap, keeping a tight grip on the blue shirt he was wearing.

Satahl grinned as she set the cake down, looking around and raising an eyebrow. "And where's my favorite ARCs gotten off to?"

Cutup chuckled, smirking a bit, "Turns out it's Theya's decant day too, so Tup and Dogma decided to join her and Hardcase at the diner. We figured we'd join 'em later."

Kaar set down the box, nudging Satahl forward. She passed it to Echo, "Here, I collected all the stuff that people wanted to give you guys into this box. It's not much, but I hope you like them."

It hurt a bit as Kaar realized that Domino Squad did in fact like every trinket they got, especially the ivory carvings made from Desnuri's first shed tusks. Fives actually cried at the little carved tusk he got on a necklace, hugging Desnuri tightly.

"I do actually have something for Droidbait, specifically." Kaar said as they'd all settled down. Droidbait looked up as Kaar got on one knee.

"In Kaleeshi culture, it's tradition to take a shed tusk and turn it into a blade, to give it to the person you love." Kaar slowly pulled out the sheathed blade from behind his back, he looked up at Droidbait, smiling shyly, "To give it to the person you want to spend the rest of your days with."

Unsheathing the knife, Kaar set the leather sheath on the table and held out the dagger to Droidbait. "That being said, I'm not one for words. But—"

DB cut him off with a sharp sob of, "Gods yes, you don't even need to ask Kaar." He rubbed his eyes, and Hevy started cackling as Droidbait pulled a beskar trinket on a necklace of braided thread from behind his back, "I was just about to ask the same thing."

Satahl and the rest of the room lost it. They all started dying of laughter — trying to clap at the same time to congratulate them — as Droidbait and Kaar traded their respective items.

For Droidbait, an intricate ivory blade with a pearlescent steel handle and a kovica pearl in the end.

For Kaar, a blue and pink kar'ta beskar on a braided, violet, silk cord.

The rest of the party was full of jokes and made the Force sing with joy. A few people filtered in and out, Tup and Dogma stopped by, along with Hardcase — who hugged Jesse and cried.

Later, even Rex stopped by. Sparkler hadn't been able to, since he was in a senate meeting, but Boba and Din came by on his behalf.

Kaar was just happy to have helped Droidbait's brothers come home safely.

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Sidious was frustrated, glaring out the window at the Jedi Temple. They'd become troublesome as of late. Slowly but surely, his iron grip on the Republic was loosening. Where had he gone wrong?

The Jedi were becoming more popular, and what's worse, Skywalker was becoming less hateful towards them too. He and Amidala were happy with their healthy twin newborns, who it seemed inevitable that they'd be brought into the Temple.

Something needed to be done.

Starting with that damned Mand'alor.

•—END OF CHAPTER—•

:)