Chapter Text
Hunter stared at the child curled up in his bunk. He still wasn’t sure why they had taken you, only that they couldn’t leave you on that force forsaken planet. You were skinny, too skinny. Bruises and marks had covered the skin that they had seen. He knew first hand what the Kaminoins did to their experiments but what had they done so that Alpha-7 of all clones practically dumped you into Wreckers arms and told them to leave…
“Hunter… what do we do?” Wrecker was doing his best to be quiet, given that he had you curled up in his arms.
“I don’t know Wreck. But we need to speak to the Jedi. I don’t know who to turn to, Alpha-7 said we can’t trust the Kaminoins, but who can we trust? If the GAR finds out we have them, we will be terminated.”
Your mop of silver hair was peeking out of the ball of blankets you had wrapped around yourself. Perhaps Plo Koon what their best option. He knew that the General was fiercely defensive of his troopers.
Leaving you under the watchful eyes of Wrecker and Crosshair , Hunter makes his way to the cockpit where Tech was sitting, overlooking the nav controls.
Seating himself at the comms station, Hunter pulls up the comm codes for Commander Wolffe. He didn’t have much choice in what to do. None of them were equipped to deal with a force sensitive kid, let alone a force sensitive clone.
Kriff… if this got out..
He shook his head, one thing at a time. He waited as the call to the Commander pinged, almost wanting it to ring out as much as he wanted the Commander to pick up.
“Hello. Commander Wolffe speaking.”
“Sir. Sergeant Hunter from Clone Force 99. I apologise for the inconvenience of this call. First I have to ask, is this a secure line?”
“Yes. This is my personal line. Why do you ask?” Wolffe was clearly not impressed, his eyes narrowed in suspicion at the clone calling him. He looked to be in his officers quarters, thank stars.
“We have a situation Sir. We have just left Kamino. Alpha-7 handed us a young clone, who must be about 3 years into their development, and told us that we can’t trust the Kamanoins. He told us to take the kid as far as we can… but Sir, they are force sensitive. I…. We are not equipped to deal with this. We need to see a Jedi. “
By the look on Wolffe’s face he clearly understood the severity of the situation. If one of the highest ranking clones had turned on the Kaminoins to help you then you were clearly being harmed. And to be force sensitive? It wasn’t meant to be possible for clones.
“How soon can you get to Varrac? We are destined there for our leave, the General is joining us. I will inform those who I know we can trust, Capitan Rex and Commander Cody, if we can get more Jedi involved we can see what we need to do to help them.”
“We can be there in 5 hours. It won’t be hard to change course”. Tech chimed in from the front console, already inputting the coordinates for the outer rim planet.
Wolffe nodded and let out a sigh, hand combing through his hair. “I will reach out to those who we can trust and see if they can meet us on Varrac. Safe travels”
Saluting the Commander the call ends and Hunter reclines back on his seat, fingers at his temples in an attempt to stave off a migraine
“She can’t be older than 6 standard years old Hunter… She is malnourished and is in serious need of medical attention.”
“I’m aware… Wolffe will have a medic there, we will get her looked at”
“You also neglected to mention that she is a female clone..”
“Tech.” Hunter shot the goggled trooper a look, before standing up with a sigh, “one thing at a time, ok?”
This was going to be an interesting trip…
It was a quiet trip to Varrac. Wrecker had tucked Lula in your arms when you finally came around. He had tucked himself away in the cockpit as they traveled through hyperspace, keeping you close as you stared in amazement at the passing lights.
Tech had managed to get you to finish off a bottle of vitawater and some dried fruits and was feeling quite pleased at having a patient who didn’t snark back at him.
Crosshair had been quiet the whole time. Hovering in the doorways and around the bunks when the kid was sleeping. He was curious, another clone with silver hair, who was force sensitive, and who was a female… it shouldn’t have been possible. So what the hell were Kaminoins doing?
The kid had also said nothing. Not a word since they woke up and pressed themselves into the corner of Hunters bunk as much as they could. For some reason, they trusted Wrecker, the loud mouth who had made them smile within 5 minutes of talking to her.
Crosshair listened to Wrecker talk softly, the quietest he had in a long time, to the girl wrapped up in his arms. He was telling a highly edited version of how he got his name.
“- and I like to blow things up, cause I like to blow thing up, that’s what I told them. So the boys called me Wrecker because I like to wreck things. That’s how we got our names, Hunter because he’s a tracker and has heightened senses, Tech cause he is really good with lotsa’ complicated things, and Crosshair, who has the same hair colour as you, is a brilliant sniper. Do you-uhh- have a name I can call you?”
You frowned at your hands, wringing them slightly before answering in the saddest voice the Batch had ever heard. “Nala Se called me KI-7703, some of the others called me Reject…”
Even Crosshair was shocked. Reject? They named you that? Before he could think of anything else, Hunter appeared kneeling at your side with a pack of crackers, offering them to you. Softening his voice the best he could he asked “Do you have any batch mates, ad’ika?”
You shook your head slightly and stared at the floor with the look of a soldier who had seen horrific battles, “no… just me… they decommissioned my brothers, they did it this morning. They came into our room and they strapped us to the beds. They put something in our IVs… I… I couldn’t feel them… I couldn’t feel them! They were cold and I was so scared, I… I did something bad, I hurt one of the Kaminoins, I don’t know how but I made them stop breathing. Alpha-7 heard me crying trying to wake Tann and Kobi but they wouldn’t wake up…he said I could trust him, he gave me medicine and then I woke up with you…“
You were starting to panic now, fear crossing your features. “I didn’t mean to! I promise! I.. I didn’t mean to hurt them! Please don’t make me go back, please I’ll be good!”
Wrecker tucked you into his chest as you broke down in tears, clutching the material of his blacks as a large hand rests on your back. “Never ad’ika. We would never take you back there. We will keep you safe, we can be your family now.”
They stayed like that for the rest of the journey, you had eventually passed out from crying. Wrecker held you gently, although his gaze was set on the wall, glaring a hole into it. Tech and Hunter were quietly discussing what they should tell the Jedi, was it wise to say that you had killed a longneck with, what they guessed, the force? They didn’t understand it, and they didn’t know what to do…
Crosshair had wandered off to his bunk at some point and returned a while after they dropped out of hyperspace, seeing the cruiser in the distance, already descending onto Varrac. In his hands appeared to be a modified shirt. The marksman had altered a shirt so that it would fit you a bit better.
“Here. For the kid to change into when she wakes up. Those cadet clothes aren’t comfortable.”
And with that he went back to his bunk.
After landing on Varrac, the Batch remained on their ship waiting for Commander Wolffe. You had changed into the top Crosshair had made for you and were currently sat on the floor with Tech, who was distracting you with things on his data pad.
Your head turned to the ramp and tensed up, then a couple seconds later there was a knock. Tech shared a glance with Hunter who nodded and stood from where he was watching in his chair. Silently, Crosshair moved to the ramp and lowered it and stood in the doorway, blocking it. Your eyes flitted around the boys, fear filled and filling with tears.
Wrecker quickly moved to pick you up off of Techs lap and placed Lula back in your arms. “It’s ok kiddo, these are our friends, our brothers. We are going to see your ori’vod, yeah? His name is Wolffe and he has a cybernetic eye like me”
Your tiny hands were near white from the grip they had on Lula and you nodded, tucking yourself into Wreckers arms as much as you could.
Hunter was the first to step out, and was greeted by the sight of Generals Plo, Kenobi and Vos. After saluting, he nodded to Commanders Wolffe and Cody. Tech and Crosshair followed, and then all eyes fell on Wrecker.
Rex made a choked sound as he laid eyes on the tiny figure in Wreckers arms. Kenobi seemed to be no better off, whispering to the other Jetti, “Force, they’re just a child…”
“Generals, Commanders, this youngling is why I had to ask you to this meeting. This is KI-7703, She is a force sensitive, altered clone of Jango Fett.”
“She? This youngling is female?” Vos moved to take a step closer only to freeze in place by the whimper you let out, staring wide eyed at the men before you.
“She isn’t very good with contact yet General Vos, she has had a… traumatic day.”
“In what way?” Kenobi spoke softly, eyes looking over you as Tech and Wrecker attempted too sooth you.
Stepping closer to the group and away from you, Hunter sighed softly and told them what you had said. “She informed us that her two other batch mates, Kobi and Tann, were decommissioned in front of her this morning, she said that she couldn’t feel them. She understood that she was next but… I have no understanding of this, but from what she said, I believe she killed a Kaminoin with the force. She seems very confused on the matter and I don’t think she fully understands what happened… but Sirs. Alpha-7 gave her to us and told me to get her somewhere safe. She is an innocent in this situation, and she needs care….”
Hunter was on edge, ready to go on the offensive if they made any sign of harming you, he would even go against his own Vod if he had too…
“May I see the young one?” General Plo said softly, gaze falling onto where you were now on your knees, staring in fascination at the grass, running your hands through it. Having been distracted by Tech. It was clear that you had never seen the stuff.
“If she allows you to Sir. She has been very shy so far…” Hunter watched as the General stepped forward slowly, your eyes snapping to him as he kneels down to be with you.
“Hello young one, my name is Plo Koon, I am a Master of the Jedi Order. May I have your name?”
You looked instinctively to Tech and Wrecker who nodded with a smile. You look at the Kel Dor for a moment before speaking softly, ‘My name it KI-7703 Sir. But the Kaminoins called me Reject, Sir.”
Cody flinched at the name, he was already feeling protective and as of now he just wanted to scoop you up and hold you close. However Plo answered with a soft hum, “hmmm… I feel like that a complicated name to remember, don’t you? How about the name Kai? Do you like the sound of that?”
Wolffes heart burst at that. The sight of his Buir interacting with a clone sibling who had likely never met anyone other than the longnecks.
“I… I would like that sir.” A small smile crosses your face, thinking about this new name.
“I would like to introduce you to my friends. This is Master Obi-wan Kenobi, and this is Knight Quinlan Vos.”
The two Jedi moved to kneel next to Plo and introduced themselves. They spoke with you quietly, under the watchful eyes of Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair.
“Hunter, you said that there were others like her?” Cody stepped up to his brother, a frown on his face.
“Was. Sir. Alpha-7 confirmed that the others were decommissioned. From what I understand she is 3 years old, so roughly 6 standard years. I must request that she sees a medic, Tech has done what he can but he is not a medic, and her needs are greater than what we can offer.”
A solemn look crosses Rex’s face, he himself had lost some of his batch mates simply because they came out blonde. But to be the only survivor of a batch? He couldn’t imagine how you felt.
“I’ll get Stitches to prep the med bay, do a full work up while we figure out what to do.” Wolffe stepped aside and spoke into his comm, keeping his voice low.
Turning back to you, Hunter, Rex and Cody were greeted by a strange sight. You were staring at each man before you intently, as if you were seeing something in them. Seemingly the Jedi were confused as well until you stated, quite shocked, “you all feel different…. Kobi and Tann felt the same, but you all feel different”
A chuckle left Vos at that and he started to describe the force to you. You interrupted Vos with a tilt of your head, “oh! You mean that you can do this too!?” And before he could even figure out what was happening, Hunter was lifted 3ft off the ground, like someone had turned the gravity off. Cody would have laughed if he was not in the same predicament.
“Oh my, that is very impressive young one! Perhaps you should let your brothers down now, Hm?” Nodding, you listen to Obi-wan, clearly comfortable with the Jedi now.
“Kai, where did you learn this?” Now it was Plo’s turn to ask a question as you set Hunter and Cody on their feet again.
“Ummm…. There was a man Sir. He would come to Kamino wanting different soldier’s. He ordered the Kaminoins to make us but we turned out faulty. Kobi wasn’t force sensitive, but had enhanced hearing, he could hear anything from a mile away, but he got really bad headaches. Tann…would get angry. He would get angry and would make things shake. The man liked him, but said that he was too weak. I hid what I can do… the others on Kamino can’t do it so I thought I was broken, that I would be decommissioned if I wasn’t perfect…”
“This man, did you know his name?” Quinlan asked softly, eyes meeting yours.
“Yes, he is called Sheeve Palpatine, Sir.”
That got a look from the Jedi. They were going to have to speak to the council. They had learned a lot today about a great many things.
Things had moved quickly from that point, you had been taken onboard the cruiser, mostly hidden from the other men as you were taken to the med bay. The Batch waiting in a separate room as Stitches had a look at you.
They were disgusted to hear just how malnourished you were and that it seemed that you had suffered multiple broken bones. So Stitches kept you in the med bay, hooked up to an IV with a little bit of an added sedative, to help you settle down.
“She was very tense the whole time but I did my best to keep her calm, I don’t imagine she has the best experiences of medical care. I have her on a nutrient heavy IV along with a bacta cocktail to get her feeling better. When she wakes up we can get her sorted with food, preferably somewhere not here or in the mess hall, I don’t want her being stressed.”
“The generals are on a call with the council, from what I heard, they want to train Kai”
“They want to take her away from us? But we are all she has”. Wrecker looked between Cody and Hunter, a furious look on his face. “We dont separate vod. We took that oath, just like you Regs.”
Hunter placed a hand on Wreckers arm, calming him. “I know Wrecker, I know. However we don’t have much choice, she is force sensitive and we don’t have the ability to train her. She will be safe with the Jedi, and we will still be able to see her, ok?”
“If she gets hurt I will personally deal with the persons responsible.” The room went tense as Crosshair growled from his place on the far wall. It was the first thing he had said from landing and by the look on his face, he meant it.
“Well. Let’s just see how the next couple days go? You can raise your concerns with the Jetti if you wish…”. Cody spoke sternly, eyes fixed on Crosshair.
In the end that was all they could do. Wait for you to wake up, wait for the Jedi to return to discuss what would happen next. None of them knew in the moment, but the direction of war was about to change.