Shattered Stars (TCW)

Bonus Chapter 2 -- Youth

Standard 4 - 32, Year 7933

Taska Rokanh came into the universe with a scream that could’ve shaken the walls.

“It’s just like you said,” Jesh told his wife with a smile that split his face, trying to ignore the tingling feeling in his hand left after she had released him from her deathly grip. “The louder they are, the better fighter they’ll be.”

“Oh, she was definitely fighting,” Avi gave an exhausted laugh. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to rest as the midwife accustomed their child to the world.

“Is she beautiful?”

“See for yourself,” he responded, nodding in thanks to the midwife as she excused herself from the room.

Avi gave a muted gasp as she took her newborn daughter into her arms. “She is,” she whispered, running a gentle finger down the side of her face. “She looks so much like you.”

“Well, in that case, I am very sorry, little one,” Jesh joked, taking the small space that his wife made for him at the edge of the bed.

“Did you ever imagine a day could be this perfect?” She wondered aloud, eyes still intent on the baby.

“Not one.”

Standard 6 - 20, Year 7945

Jango surveyed the large room with a soft glow of pride. “Welcome to the world, ade,” he said to the babies that had just been deposited from their growth tubes, Kaminoans carefully but efficiently cleaning them of fluid.

Jango knew that their births were far from normal--the ones he had experienced had never been so starkly lit, so cold or quiet. But then again, nothing about these… “sons” of his was very normal. “You’re going to grow up to be great warriors,” he promised to the boys that could hear him, but probably not understand.

As they were cleaned, they were imprinted with a bioengineered barcode bearing their number. Jango didn’t like the idea, but he wasn’t about to think up 1,200,000 unique names for children that, in the end, he would have very little to do with. 3108, 3114, 3121, 3130, 3135.

The numbers were simply coded with their location in the bank as well as where they were on the timeline of scheduled births—fairly early. He wished he could say something to them like he did to Boba when he was born, “Live up to the name, ad’ika.”

He couldn’t, though. So he left his copies in the hands of the long-necks silently, and went to check on his son instead.

Standard 8 - 27, Year 7937

“Who are you?” The toddler asked as she looked up at Mace from her seat next to him in the small ship.

The Jedi Master was relieved—most foundlings he had dealt with were not as quiet as Taska Rokanh had been after he rescued her. 

“I’m Mace Windu,” he introduced himself for the second time that evening. “I’m a Jedi Master. I’m taking you to train as a Jedi.”

“Jedi?” The word sounded strange in her small voice.

“Yes. You have a special connection to the Force, and we’ll show you how to use it.”

The girl tilted her head as if she were thinking. “What about Papa?”

Windu gave a sigh. He didn’t like answering these questions—they were much better left to someone like Plo that could give an answer that wasn’t a lie, but perhaps more comforting than the whole truth, or Yoda, who would give an answer that made so little sense you were forced to accept it.

“You will both have to, uh, find your own ways now. But you shouldn’t worry. I think you’ll both be fine,” He explained, trying his best to be gentle. He checked the chrono on his dashboard. “It’s still very late at night on your planet. Aren’t you tired?”

The child gave a little nod.

“Rest, youngling,” he told her, double checking her safety restraints and giving her a small pillow. “I’ll keep you safe.”

Standard Year 7949

By the time 3135 was four—really eight—the only word that could be used to describe him was advanced. He deftly completed the association and puzzle challenges they had him complete, and he could recognize keywords in five of the galaxy's most common languages, besides being fluent in about one and a half. Being engineered for a leadership position, he was especially good at visualizing large and complex concepts. He defeated strategy games with ease, though sabacc was a work in progress, and not sanctioned by the nursery workers.

The Kaminoans noted early on that he had no problems forming meaningful relationships with his brothers, his batchmates especially. They also noticed that he had no trouble listening to and understanding their problems, but rarely shared his own. That was a good quality—one that would keep him from spilling secrets and one that would protect him from brainwashing or blackmail.

CC-3135 was looking to be the perfect tool to add to the Republic's arsenal.

Standard 8 - 27, Year 7937

Mace was glad to see Plo waiting to greet him and the youngling when they arrived at the Temple. It meant he didn’t have to worry about arranging and rearranging her against his shoulder all the way to the nursery--why were children so fragile, anyway?

“What did the parents have to say?” Plo Koon asked, seeing the tired look on his friend’s face.

“Mostly just scared whimpers,” he said frankly. “They were being attacked when I got there. The mother didn’t make it.”

Of course, that was the moment the youngling decided to wake up. She looked at him with wide eyes, seemingly asking, “What?”

“Why don’t you tell me more later?” The Kel Dor said tactfully, holding out his long arms for the toddler, whom Mace readily handed over. “She can understand more than you think, and we don’t want to… upset her. It’s been a long night.”

“Yes, please,” Mace sighed. “Make sure she settles in alright.”

“Of course.”

The sleepy youngling settled easily into Plo’s arms, and he carried her quietly down the halls of the Temple to the creché.

“I know that you will miss them,” he still spoke, knowing that the little ones often understood and remembered more than even they themselves knew. “But there is a new family to guide you now.

“One day, you will be an amazing addition to the ranks of Jedi.”