Star Wars: Beginnings Of War

Ch: 16

As we left the room, Lama Su took us down another corridor...this one had windows that overlooked different rooms of the station. Outside those windows held rows and rows of embryos, all growing inside of pods or tubes. There were hundreds, no thousands of them...so many it'd probably take a couple of lifetimes to count them all.

"Very impressive." Obi-wan's comment seemed to drag me from my amazement at all the clones yet to've lived.

"I'd hoped you would be pleased." Lama Su stated as we walked. "Clones can think creatively...you will find they are immensely superior to droids."

"We take great pride in our combat education and training programs." Lama Su stated as we came upon a window that overlooked a different area. "This group was created about five years ago."

The group in question looked to be around 10 or so years old. They were wearing all-blue uniforms and seemed to be working at terminals...there were at least another thousand or so in that group as well. "Did you mention growth acceleration...?" I think I vaguely heard the Kaminoan talking about it before we came up to the window which overlooked the embryos.

"Oh, yes...it's essential." Lama Su stated. "Otherwise a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow. Now, can we do it in half the time."

"I see...." Obi-wan seemed to say in acknowledgment.

We pulled our attention away from that window to continue our walk. As we walked, Lama Su said: "they are totally obedient, taking any order without question."

Any order...? I asked myself...if they had a conscious...then they really shouldn't.

"We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host." Lama Su stated.

He said that as if it were perfectly acceptable...maybe it is here...but that just didn't seem right. Less questioning...less independent...they're obedient to a 't'...tell me when they aren't considered slaves.... Although, I knew one thing...if Padmé heard this...she'd have a field day.

"And who was the original host...?" Obi-wan asked as we walked past another area.

These clones were wearing red uniforms and looked to be around their mid-20s...they were all sitting, row by row, at tables eating meals. Their movements seemed identical, they were all eating practically the same thing. There were at least a couple thousand that I could see.

"A bounty hunter called Jango Fett." Lama Su answered Obi-wan's question, instantly gaining my attention.

Jango Fett...the name that changeling had told us. The one who sent the changeling to kill Padmé...the one who'll know just who would want my sister dead.

"Where is this bounty hunter at...?" I asked Lama Su, an edge to my voice I tried to keep out. Luckily, he didn't seem to pick up on it. Obi-wan...on the other hand...gave me a concerned look. I took a calming breath, which seemed to make him feel better. He probably didn't want me doing anything rash.

"Oh, we keep him here." Lama Su stated.

Liar. He had to've left Kamino, he had to've been the one who'd tried to kill that changeling. I was about to say something when Obi-wan sent me a silent look saying 'no'. With a slight huff...I obeyed.

"Appart from his pay, which is considerable." Lama Su continued, oblivious to Obi-wan and I's silent exchange. "Fett demanded only one thing: an unaltered clone for himself. Curious isn't it?"

"Unaltered...?" Obi-wan asked, I'd decided to stay quiet lest I say something to get on the Kaminoan's bad side.

"Pure genetic replication." Lama Su explained. "No tampering with the structure to make it more docile and no growth acceleration."