-A Padawan's Journey-

Have We Met Before?

Valerie was walking down the temple hallway. She turned the corner and saw her master talking with Master Kenobi. She strolled up to the two of them and bowed when Master Kenobi greeted her.

"Morning, padawan." Master Kenobi bowed his head.

"Get plenty of rest?" Master Amon asked.

"I did." Valerie nodded. "I'm ready to get back into the action." Master Kenobi chuckled.

"Ready to get back into the action, are you?" Her master questioned.

"We'll catch up later." Master Kenobi bowed and walked down the hall.

"Master?" Valerie looked up. "We are getting back out there aren't we?"

"Not at this moment, no." Master Amon said, he turned and started walking in the opposite direction where Master Kenobi walked down. Valerie jogged to catch up to him. "Rickshaw and his men took an especially hard hit on Geonosis and are back on Kamino for a little R&R while we wait for more clones to be prepped and ready."

"I don't understand?" Valerie raised an eyebrow. "Why can't we just get more clones from Kamino to join the 671st?"

"That's not how that works, little one."

"Isn't it? I thought there were millions and millions of clones."

Her master sighed and pinched the bridge between his nose. "That's not-no." He paused. "Yes there are millions of clones but if we need more clones for our battalion, and let's say Master Kenobi needs more clones for his battalion, and Master Billaba needs more clones for her battalion. Then there are not enough clones to go around. The clones on Kamino are still being prepped for battle."

"So, we're losing clones faster than we can train them?"

Her master was silent for a few moments. The two of them stopped walking and Valerie waited patiently for her master to respond. "Sadly, we are losing clones faster than we can train them." Her master seemed to agree.

"I don't want to lose any more of the clones."

"I don't either my padawan." He paused. "I have an assignment for you."

"You do?"

"Yes." Master Amon nodded and started walking again. Valerie quickly caught up to him. "I'm going to send you to my master, Master Shaak-Ti, to learn the cloning process on Kamino. I feel it is important that we all know how it works."

"Did you spend time on Kamino?"

"Yes, shortly after the first battle on Geonosis. I attended Kamino with Rickshaw to learn more about the clones who would be fighting by my side. Now it is your turn."

"Yes master." Valerie bowed her head. "When would you like me to leave?"

"Right now." Master Amon smiled. "I'll let Master Shaak-Ti know you are on your way."

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It was heavily storming by the time Valerie dispatched from the Aurelia on a shuttle towards the Kaminoan facilities. It was late in the evening, or so Valerie thought. It was dark outside as she peeked through the doors on the LAAT. She was alone on the shuttle. The blinking red light was the only thing keeping her company at the moment... well besides the clone flying the shuttle.

"Commander, we are landing shortly." The clone flying the shuttle called from the overhead comms.

"Copy that." Valerie replied.

Valerie felt the shuttle land on the platform below. The door opened and Valerie was met with the whipping rains of Kamino. She stepped off the shuttle when her holo-projector went off again. She pulled out the holo and turned it on. Her master appeared before her.