"I was programmed to handle hard situations, Sir."
"Yes, but he was quite close to you, wasn't he? Did he say anything? Every piece of information he possessed could help us win the war. Isn't that what you want?" The Chancellor watches me closely...
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Day 775 SK Day 208 SFD Destination: Kamino 1400 hours
"That's a nutri-bar crate. Yours are over there."
I look up at Noose, hands on the lid of one of many crates in the cargo hold. After making sure Smears knew where we needed to go first, I decided to come and find out what we have on hand. Noose beckons me to follow him across the cargo hold, and clicks one of the bigger crates open. I stop beside him and stare down at my 104th armor.
Carefully, I reach down and pick up my chestplate. It's got a gray strip across the top, and Peg's paw print on the left bicep. There are still paint splatters on the back from when Boost threw a paintbrush at Comet and he ducked so it hit me instead. A laugh escapes my mouth and I press my lips together, smile fading.
"You miss them?" Noose asks.
I almost forgot he was there. Setting the chestplate aside, I start looking through the rest of my armor, careful to keep my voice unemotional. "Yes."
He watches me for a minute, arms crossed as he leans against another large crate. "It's okay to miss them, Beta. You aren't doing this alone anymore."
"I know." I snap without meaning to, and look away. He sounds like General Plo. "I just— I'm so sick of fighting this war. I don't want anyone else getting hurt."
Or having their freedom and identity stripped away.
"We're bound to get hurt, Beta," he says, crouching in front of me. He places a hand on my shoulder, and I look into the same face all my brothers wear, that's caused so much pain and laughter. "With or without you. But we can protect each other. It's what we do."
I wish I didn't understand that as well as I do. My throat burns and I stiffen as Noose wraps his arms around me. I can hear the faint smile in his voice as he holds me. "You probably never got this from Wolffe, but you can always get it from me."
Throat burning, I wrap my arms around him and return his hug.
9191
He helps me find the rest of my armor and paint for my helmet. I'm only halfway done with it by the time we're getting close. Now I stand in the main hold with the others, almost half an hour from Kamino.
"Our objective is to get the information Den Kiri left me, and return safely to the ship." I open up a holo-screen and pull it into a 3D image of Kamino. The others move to stand around it, with Peg and Montann by my side. "We'll take the most direct route to his office, and the easiest route back. We'll want to avoid Lama Su, Nala Se, and any other Kaminoans we might run into."
Montann raises his hand, which I have to admit amuses me. I nod and he speaks. "Will I fit in clone armor?"
"You're going to stay as you are. My being there already draws attention, especially if security was notified that I left Coruscant. A rogue Jedi won't add to that much." I look between the others. "Which of you is the most experienced?"
