I am Leal

A Brother's Betrayal

"I'm not coming with you. Who says that it isn't a trick to lure me in?" I snarl and Cody rolls his eyes. "You have to trust me!" He grumbles and I laugh.

"I don't trust someone who lies to me, di'kut." Hunter had watched long and had listened intently to our conversation, but now he stepped in. "The commander is telling the truth. You can trust us." He pointed at the rest and I fully focused on the odd batch. I let my eyes wander over them and I looked over to Satine but she just shrugged. "You once told me that trusting in your friends will be reason that they trust in you." She softly said and I grind my teeth. "Yeah...hate it when I'm right. Get's me always in trouble." She giggled. "Last time, you saved my life so I believe that it's one of your best traits." She encouraged me and I sighed.

"Fine, but when I get executed that is entirely your fault." I grumble and she smiles. "Mandalore has always a place for you, don't forget that." She nudges me and I nod. "Stay out of trouble, Kryze." I said and she embraced me in a hug. "You too, my friend. I already arranged that your belongings get transported to the ship including Obi's droid." I raised a brow and she shrugged. "Keep the dress and the rest. It's the least I can do." She smiled and I rolled my eyes. "I don't..." I start but again she doesn't let me finish. "Keep this present. I feel already bad for letting you go."

"I could stay..." I grin and side eye towards Cody who immediately tensed. She giggled and pressed my hands. "Show these men what us women are made off." She winked and I giggled and nodded. "You know me, Satine." She smiled and pulled me in another embrace. "Stay safe out there."

"You, too. You, too, my friend!"

---

The flight to Coruscant was awkward, like really properly awkward. Cody talked with Hunter in one corner and it seemed like they got along. Sometimes Cody would give me a glance to be entirely sure that I was still there but I ignored him. No one dared to talk to me and the only one who kept me company was Gee. She beeped excitedly as we jumped to hyperspace. Satine had assured me that someone would get the starfighter back to Coruscant what left me with no choice than travel with the rest.

I could feel Tech stare at me a few times but he didn't dare to raise his voice. At least Wrecker tried to get the tension out of the room but it didn't really work and after a few looks from Hunter he stopped. The only one who didn't seem to ignore me was Crosshair. He sat opposite from me, stared at me and cleaned his riffle. I stared back and after some time he began to smile. Well, it was just a small uplift from his lips but nonetheless a smile. I didn't know what was going on behind that skull of his but I didn't care much.

"Your sister?" He suddenly asked and I narrowed my brows. "Which one?" I asked confused and he leaned back. "She is a sniper?" He asked and I sighed. Of course he meant Naz. "Yeah, as a kid you should have seen her. She could tell you everything about any sniping riffle in her sleep. However there was an incident on Malastere. Naz doesn't talk about it but since then she relies solely on DC's." I sighed as I remembered old times. "99 never told us about your existence." Hunter stated and sat down near us.

"We were forbidden to get in contact with any other clone. But 99 told us stories sometimes but never about you. He probably didn't want us to get too curious. Well, don't get Euphoria too curious because where Euphoria is, is usually Kara and eventually Naz. And because those three get in their fair share of trouble, I would have been the one to blame, since I'm the most failure of them all." I grumble and close my eyes.

"And why is that?" Tech asked and I sighed. "Please look at me. I am an unwanted female clone who they tried to eliminate countless times during my cadet years. I have fought enough battles to know when somebody is trying to see me gone. And the worst part, and I believe Cody would for once agree on this, is that I always, with 100% certainty, definitely take the blame. I always take the blame for everything, isn't that right, Commander?" I growled and Cody huffed. I still had my eyes closed and took a deep breath. "I was born as a failure and I will gladly die as a failure if it means that the people that I love are safe." There was a complete silence and I focused on my surroundings. "You're not a failure." Cody grumbles but I just sighed. "I failed you." Then there was silence from him again.