Episode VIII Rise of the Dark Jedi

Kamino

A Lambda-class shuttle exited hyperspace and entered orbit around the large blue and grey Kamino planet, its cerulean glow reflecting eerily off the shuttle's dead grey armor. Following closely, six modified A-Wings and a CR100 Corvette accelerated to flank it.  The Corvette's eight exhausts flickered from a hot blue color down to a dull red.

Leia Organa, general of the Resistance, aboard the shuttle, radioed the corvette, "Anything on your sensors?" Her voice was calm and controlled, knowing fear and how to master it.

"Just running a scan now," replied the captain. "Looks clear, General."

"Thank you, Captain. We will begin our descent. Keep a lookout for anything suspicious, and radio at first sign."

"Yes, General," the flight captain replied.

Leia took her seat behind the pilot and flight officer, who performed their duties in regular fashion, not even thinking of all the possible outcomes of a mission. They followed Leia's orders and trusted her completely. Finn sat to her right equipped with a small side arm and chest armor. He thumbed the dorsal edge of his cold blaster anxiously.

"Do you expect trouble?" Finn asked.

"That is always a concern," she replied.

"Do you think eight troops and four guards are enough?" Finn replied looking behind them into the passenger cabin and scratched his clean-shaven face.

"Any more and we might make their prime minister, Lukaro, uneasy. This is not a military operation, but a diplomatic mission. And if we have a problem, Captain Burke will be there to offer help. In the meantime, you simply need to ensure the docking pad and shuttle remain secure, Captain Finn," she said, hoping that by reminding him of his earned position she may give him some courage.

Finn still thumbed his blaster and looked down.

"Listen," Leia said to him. "With all the battles we have seen in the last six months, many people have been promoted as quickly as you. But that doesn't mean you aren't qualified, or I wouldn't have requested you for this mission."

Finn half-smiled and settled into his seat.

The clouded atmosphere grew thick and settled low to the surface, blanketing the planet in a nebulous grey sheet. The shuttle shook irregularly in the turbulence as it descended through the clouds. A blaster dropped to the shuttle deck as a soldier gripped his seat. Once beneath, there were only a few hundred yards between the undulating waters and the clouds. However, not far ahead was Kamino city; thousands of elegant raised lily pad-like structures extending out in fractal patterns and rising upward into the clouded sky so that one could not see the tops of its spires. This was not the small cloning facility of Tipoca City (its old capital) but a new grand capital that was established after the Clone Wars; war profits having made the Kamino's familiar with opulence.

"We have been directed to Platform 3309," said the flight officer. "Just a few minutes more, General."

Leia looked, not at the city but toward the sky. "Thank you."

The shuttle gently came to rest on the platform, and its bay door opened. The platform was large enough to easily fit a ship three times the size of the shuttle. Leia exited first, her steps firm and her posture erect; followed by her four guards and then Finn, his eyes darting around the platform and his hands on a blaster. The soldiers followed, in step with each other. The wind blew into their ears, announcing the coming rain.

Kamino's prime minister, Lukaro, dressed in slender red robes and a high elliptical collar, approached the delegation. He was followed by four clone guards of his own. His long neck and white skin were as elegant as the city he had helped to found. He examined the soldiers behind Leia intently.

"Welcome to Kamino, General Organa. It is our great pleasure to receive you here," he started.

"It is an honor to meet with you, Right and Honorable Lukaro. I hope over these next few days that we can come to be great friends and allies," Leia replied as she bowed, but looked up with her eyes.

"That is my hope too. But it is interesting that you have brought troops to our friendly negotiations." His clone guard standing behind him, made sure to ready their weapons while maintaining a relaxed posture; attempting to hide the aggressive action, with a passive demeanor. Leia eyed their weapons and offered a silver smile to Lukaro.

"These are not the times to be vulnerable, as you well know. Our galaxies are not safe anymore." Leia said.

"That I understand well, so you will also understand that I cannot allow your soldiers to enter my city. They may remain in the landing sector. But we would be glad to accommodate them in some of the landing sector housing units for the duration of your stay."

"I am very grateful," Leia replied. She turned to Finn. "Did you hear that, Captain Finn?"

"Yes, General," he said, watching the guards intently, then making arrangements for a continuous watch to guard the shuttle and the landing platform.

With that settled, the prime minister escorted Leia and her guards through the interior of the landing sector and into the city. Their own clone guards went before and behind them. Their booted footsteps echoed through the sterile hallways. Leia's tense lips were the only indication that she was on edge.

"We have made many advancements in recent years. Our capital city is truly a marvel," Lukaro boasted. He was not exaggerating. The city's interior was beautiful, boasting sloping white walls and smooth lines. The population had increased a hundredfold as well since the Clone Wars. Many Kaminoans wandered the halls, but also humans. What surprised Leia, or rather what she noticed, was most, if not all, of the humans were clones--yet not the Jango Fett clones of the past. There was a variety of different clones, both male and female; but they were obviously clones, as there were many of each genetic line, creating a sense of deja vu as one traversed the sidewalks. The fact that there were so many clones made Leia acutely aware that she was the only of her kind in this alien marvel of a city; it made her feel cold, like the white walls of the corridors. She folded her arms in front of her.

The Prime Minister led Leia and her guards through a grand common hall. Many people strode through the hall, focused on their destinations toward one of the many corridors leading into this massive room. Others were sitting at tables geometrically spiraled throughout the room, engaged in conversation and business.  

****

One couple sitting at a table on the edge took interest in the diplomatic entourage. The first was a middle-aged woman dressed in a deep rusty red Mandalorian armor; her helmet rested on the table. Her hair was black, but with the subtle evidence of gray starting to emerge on the sides. She bit her lip and tapped her finger on the sleek ivory table, the anticipation emitting from her. Across from her was an impressive male Lasat, a humanoid species native to the Wild Space region. He was firmly built with a slight lavender skin color and a silver beard showing his age.

"That's them, Sabine," the Lasat said.

"Always with the obvious, Zeb," Sabine replied. She reached down and pressed open a compartment on her forearm armor. It opened to release a small insect-sized spider droid. It crawled quickly off her arm and raced after the group.