𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑽𝑶𝑰𝑪𝑬 ~Kix~

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝔂 𝓕𝓲𝓿𝓮

There was no way out. Or so it would seem. Kix turned corner after corner of the complex cloning facility of Kamino while doing his best to keep both him and Calypso from being spotted. He had to dash back behind a corner, nearly knocking Calypso over in the process, when he saw two armored clones with heavy looking blasters come around the corner. "Any sign of them?" An approaching Kaminoan asked them and the clones shook their heads underneath their buckets. "Keep searching, the upper intelligence stated firmly that a rogue clone is here on Kamino. Do not stop searching until you find him and the princess he is holding hostage." The Kaminoan said. "Yes sir." The clones grumbled before they kept walking. How did they know about Kix? Who had told the Kaminoans that he was here on Kamino? Had it been Rex? Kix was deathly curious but he couldn't figure this out now. He waited for the corridor to be clear before dashing across it, Calypso in tow, and grabbing a spare blaster. "What is that for?" Calypso signed to him, looking displeased at him holding the weapon. "You heard those clones," Kix said, "They're looking for us." He added. "This," He raised the blaster, "Is just a precaution." He said firmly.

"Lord vader," Wilhuff Tarkin said as he followed the man freshly cloaked in black and still lingering with the smell of burning flesh, "If I may ask, why is this clone in particular so important? The Empire surely has more pressing problems than a rogue clone and his companion that a few swift orders, deployed soldiers, and a firm hand can take care of." He added. "This clone knows information that is valuable too the Empire and to the Emperor himself." Vader replied, stalking through the monochromatic halls of a Star Destroyer headed directly for Kamino. "But sir," Tarkin said but Vader was decided. "Do you wish to challenge my authority, Tarkin?" Vader snapped at him. "And do you wish to challenge the orders of the Emperor and to take on all of the consequences that such an action entails?" "No! No, of course not, Sir I am only-" "Enough." Vader said, waving his hand at him as a signal for him to stop speaking to him. "The idle pratter of a man with no authority over the present problem is irrelevant." He said before turning to a near by storm trooper, or clone in storm trooper armor. "Prepare my ship." He said. "Yes Lord Vader." The trooper replied with a nod. "And a fleet to prepare to land on Kamino." He added. "Yes Lord Vader." The trooper said again. "It is time to put an end to this once and for all."

"Calypso!" Kix shouted as he moved to pull her along but the princess didn't budge. She was looking in on a a window into a large room of the cloning facility. Kix walked closer to her and saw she was looking at the facility of Kamino that houses all of the baby clones. They were all so tiny and helpless. Calypso turned to look at him, tearing her eyes away from the small babies sleeping in their capsules, unbeknownst to the war that had raged for years beyond the walls of the facility. The war that had determined their fate. "What happens to them?" Calypso asked as she looked back to the babies. "Now that the war is over and the need for clones is gone what happens to them?" Kix sighed. It was a question that he often thought about. What would happen to the clones after the war. He didn't like the options of their future now that the Republic had lost the war. "Nothing good I'm sure." Kix said. "But they're just babies!" Calypso signed, pleading eyes looking up at him. "Why- how could anyone murder an innocent baby?" "Some people will justify the murder of the innocent if it keeps their own priorities and desires safe." "but babies?" Kix stayed silent for a moment. It was cruel to think about it, that the future of these clones was dark. That just because they were all undesirable they would be sentenced to death. They couldn't defend themselves, they couldn't argue their case, they were just babies condemned to death because they were no longer useful to the cause. "Come on." Kix said, giving Calypso's hand a harsh tug to pull her away from the sight. "We have to go."

Kix ran around a corner, Calypso in tow, and quickly stopped in his tracks. "The clone I wanted to see." Kix backed up. "Who- Who are you?" Kix asked, keeping Calypso behind him for safety and staring at the figure draped in black before him. "You mean you don't recognize me, Kix?" Vader mocked him. "Your own general." The words felt as if they took the breath right out of him. Kix was shocked beyond repair and his eyes widened as he looked at him, taking him in completely. "General Skywalker?" He asked but Vader ignored his realization. "There is no need for you to continue your research here on the inhibitor chips." Vader said. "The case has been closed." Kix stepped back. "But sir-" '"You will not argue with direct orders from the Emperor." Vader argued. "And I see you have brought a guest." He could see calypso peaking out from behind her protector. "Ah yes, the mute princess of Atla how long ago it seems that our paths all intersected." He continued. "And now you have followed this clone to his end." Vader said. "How unfortunate." Kix tightened his grasp on her, keeping the princess behind him for her own safety. "Seize them."