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Chapter Text

Daiyu

10 years after Order 66

"I didn't expect a planet that looked like a bad copy of the lower levels of Coruscant,"she huffed, "not when you said 'We could go somewhere a little more sophisticated'." She added, repeating his offer word for word.

She followed him down the ramp of the ship.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it."

"I did not." He retorted, as they reached the exit.

"Well…." He hated it when his wife started a sentence with 'well'; it usually meant extra work.

"You can make it up to me when we get back home." He smiled as he felt the slight touch of her knuckles against his; although that type of work he was in usually favour of.

He nodded as the official ticked them off on their datapad, before they entered the thoroughfare.

People streamed along the street, the two aliens fighting were taking up a great deal of space; he watched as she dodged around the first one and he took the other direction but she didn't see the other fight breaking out on the outskirts. Just pushing and shoving at the moment, too drunk to do much more; until the Aqualish was pushed over too far and his tusks headed towards her. She just dodged them but ended up on the floor.

He was there in seconds and with two jabs, in quick succession, to a couple of the eyes sorted him. He pulled his wife up to check her and they moved quickly to an alley, not wishing to draw any more attention to themselves.

"You alright?"

"Of course! It'd take more than that to keep me down."

She saw his look of dismay, and added, "Although I did appreciate the two jabs. Very classy!"

"I just like to know I'm still useful."

They turned, walking for a few more yards until she stopped without warning; his shoulder hit her, pushing her forward.

"Fuck!"

"Language!"

He wanted to say that the children weren't around but she interrupted.

"Stormtroopers. Lots of them."

They moved to the side of the alley, in the shadows; then he watched the soldiers in white plastoid, as they marched past the end.

"I thought the Garrison had left with the Inquisitors?

"It has, this is not a full Garrison." He replied, switching to his com channel. "Sloppy!" He muttered.

"Once a member of the GAR…."

"SOB!" He growled, correcting her.

He heard his wife snigger down the Com.

"Watch it! Or else!"

"Ooooh!" She said, mockingly afraid at his words. "Or else what?"

He could hear the smile in her voice. He pushed her harder against the wall, his arms above her, holding it for a few seconds longer then he released her from the protective cage he had around her.

"I thought you were going to start something?" She teased, remembering several occasions when they had taken the opportunity for some recreational activity against a wall, with a potential audience.

They were younger then.

"Later!"

"Promises, promises." She replied, teasing him, as she dusted her coat down, adjusting her under armour.

They emerged onto the main thoroughfare, lit with bright lights advertising everything you could possibly want, watching closely as the Stormtroopers checked on some unfortunate person further down the street. It appeared a random search, as right next to them, Spice was being dealt openly and another fight had broken out over some petty squabble.

Or perhaps it was simply those people didn't fit the Imperial profile, like her and her husband. She strengthened her mental block just like Arli had trained her. She had come late to this Force thing, happily for her.

"You okay, Cyar'e?"

"Ugh! This place is worse than Tatooine. At least some there people are trying to make an honest living. Here, nobody appears honest. The only good thing is there's no bloody sand."

"Tell me about it! Gets everywhere!" He adjusted his armour and watched the stormtroopers, they were dragging the person away now, "I think you're right." He looked around, "Spice dealers, con men, bounty hunters and mercenaries and that's just on the left hand side of the street."

She smiled, knowing her husband was trying to stop her worrying. She didn't often come on these missions but Hallena had contacted the base and requested backup, and a larger ship. And as they were already out there, on their way back from Mandalore, a fake responder already set up, they were the first choice.

"Everyone here is on the make!" She smiled at her husband's comment; he still didn't have the attachment to credits that natborns did. He understood the necessity of them but not the continued building up of them.

"Perhaps they have no other choice." She replied, The Empire, as well as the Republic ran on the acquisition of credits, legal or otherwise.

Her husband put his hand to his ear; she knew from past experience he was listening to a call. She looked around at the different scenes unfolding, thankful she didn't live here.

"We have coordinates from Hallena Are you…..? Bloody hell where's she gone now."

He turned frantically, looking for his wife; she could take care of herself but it still panicked him, the thought of losing her again.

.

She heard the beep of the com coming through. Then she thought she heard her husband talk but why was he asking her for credits. She turned towards the darkened corner where the other voice originated, and stepped forward slowly, strengthening her shield when she saw the figure leaning against the rubbish dumpster.

The voice.

She moved closer.

"Spare any credits?"

The voice, one of millions.

"Help a veteran get a warm meal."

She bent over to look closer, not believing her eyes; her hand automatically went to her bag, fingers scrabbling inside, as she couldn't take her eyes off the figure in front of her.

She didn't carry much but she had the urge to give him all she had.

If she hadn't seen the face or heard that voice she would have assumed it was some low life who had stolen the armour that was partially covered by a ragged cloak, with the addition of bandages around his wrists trying to keep out the cold.

His armour.

Not a stormtrooper's.

A clone's.

Only parts, dirty, blaster scorched and with markings, blue markings, 501st blue.

She looked at the helmet he held out in front of him.

Phase two? She wondered.

He pushed the helmet towards her again. She couldn't take her eyes off it, as she dropped the credits in.

Memories came back to her of a time in War, a time in Coruscant. Clones were her friends. Then she lost them. They were lost!

"Is that enough? Will it help?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am." That voice again.

She finally looked at the man.

Not what she expected.

Not the clean shaven, short haired young men she had known years earlier; walking around Coruscant bright eyed and excited.

A long haired, bearded, bedraggled, shell of a man, old before his time. Eyes with no hope left.

She knew his face.

The face that looked back at her, she knew intimately; she saw it most nights before her eyes closed but those eyes she saw at night held love and hope.

"I've got the coordinates from our contact and we're to meet Hallena there." came over her com.

She didn't answer; she couldn't move.

"Cyar'ika, you okay? Where are you?"

She backed away and turned to her husband.

"I'm here, look!" She pointed to the dumpster.

When she turned back, the beggar was gone.

"Cyar'e?"

"A beggar. I gave him some credits." She sounded confused, as she looked around.

"I always said you were a soft touch."

"Yes." She swallowed hard, barely able to get the words out.

Had she imagined it?

"Come on. I know where we're meeting Estree."

She followed her husband, snaking through the streets to their she tell him?

.

The old clone had moved when he had the chance, as soon as she moved away; his leg hurt him more and more but this was the second time in, he couldn’t remember how many rotations, that he had seen someone from his past life. Someone who had given him credits, more in one day than he normally got in a week.

"Is it enough?" she had asked. It was more than he normally got. He could get several meals and if he was clever with it, it could last him all week.

He thought she was going to say something but she didn't.

The General didn't but he had a reason. The red blades were on the planet again and the soldier knew what they did.

He finally limped into the little cantina he used; they didn't bother him there and let him stay longer if they weren't busy. By the time he reached the counter, his stomach was grumbling.

"A bowl of your hot spicy noodles, please." he had found being polite even here helped sometimes.

"Hey Jac. Had a good day?"

He nodded, the smell of the noodles made his mouth water.

He looked at the credits in his hand and the other foods on offer, a treat. No! If he had noodles every day, it would last him all week.

Chapter Text

He was worried; his wife had gone quiet. She was rarely quiet on missions unless something was worrying her or she sensed something, or they were messing about and he was kissing her to shut her up. She hadn't said one word as they weaved their way through the milling crowds, no sign of the evening ending. This place was not just like Coruscant but like many industrialised worlds, anything and everything seemed to go here with no police jurisdiction.

The smell of freshly cooked Spice permeated onto the street; he directed his 360 degree vision on to a door, wearing Mandalorian armour was useful even if it did cause a stir, which it wasn't here. He couldn't scan it; even that was suspicious. He noted this particular place seemed very popular. People still queuing to get in the club next to it

He wondered what the rest of the planet was like.

"Are you sensing anything?" He asked his wife; he realised she hadn't spoken since they left the beggar.

Her head had dropped, she was watching the ground. It shot back up as he asked.

"No. Nothing!"

"Are you having trouble with your shielding?"

She shook her head.

"Was it the beggar? Did he say or do something?"

"No! I'm fine, really. It's just that he…."

"Shh!" He put his hand up. "Change of plan. A different rendezvous point."

She watched, as he listened to his com, then turned and looked around, struggling to find the distinctive blue painted plastoid armour. But he had disappeared. The more she thought about it she couldn't understand why he was begging. Other than the ones who had deserted, most clones had either died in service or been decommissioned but they wouldn't keep their old armour, would they?

If he was a deserter surely he would have had somewhere to go. And why didn't the Stormtroopers pick him up. Most of the deserters were on a wanted list somewhere, like her husband, even after ten years. The Empire didn't forget, or forgive. They could still be picked up even though they had chain codes.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Her husband asked, she was beginning to worry him.

"Yes. Fine. I'm a little tired and I miss home…. Del and Kai."

"We won't be long now. Let's get to the new rendezvous point."

They picked up the pace, avoiding the spice sellars, who stopped you at every corner. Insisting you try some; they even got given a freebie. She tucked the bottle in her pocket.

Fifteen minutes later, they were away from the main hub of the city and in what looked like an industrial area. She watched as her husband pressed the entrance key and backed away slightly, still cautious after all these years. It was what kept him, no, what kept them all alive. She flattened herself to the side, all thoughts of the clone veteran pushed aside for now.

Hallena opened the door, checked behind them, again years of being a Republic spook ingrained in her before she let them in and closed the doors. She clasped the Mandalorian on the forearm.

"Good to see you two. Sorry about the divert but it's worse than we thought."

"Hey, good to meet you two too. I'm Haji Estree." A voice came from behind her.

She nodded, her husband grunted, not impressed.

Hallena smiled, he'd tried the charm offensive on her, when she first came planet side. He should know now, that it didn't work on her or her friends.

"So what are we up against now?" She asked Hallena.

Hallena answered by nodding to Estree who put the lights up, and she swept her arm around the room.

It was filled with children.

She looked at her husband.

"There's no way we can get all those in the ship." He waved his hand around as he answered her question, "There has to be another way."

.

The veteran was pushed out into the weak morning light, the door locked behind him, the sound echoing in the morning silence. He pulled his grubby cloak around his shoulders.

"Ya' can't come back till eight tonight." The doorman shouted through the tiny peephole. "And don't be drunk!" The veteran grunted his reply.

He knew the rules.

The credits he got yesterday had paid for a night in one of the better doss houses, which was marginally better than the floor behind the dumpster; at least there weren't rats nibbling at your extremities and it was a little warmer and dry.

He always carried his pack on his back. Not that you got much sleep inside either and not because the beds were just planks with a skinny, filthy, infested mattress plonked on top but because you had to keep your wits about you, otherwise you would lose what credits you had. You didn't broadcast how much you did have and he had hidden his well.

Then the craving came back. He tried to ignore it.

The rules were you had to be out by a certain time after breakfast and breakfast was early. He'd cleaned his bowl and utensils, put them in the bag and hung them on the hook on the wall, by his name. Well the one he went by now. He'd memorised which one because he'd cleaned them well and names could be moved; some didn't clean up and he'd booked in for tonight as well paying in advance.

It was amazing how small your world could become.

This was luxury, two nights on the trot and that was only because the Weequay had been chucked out just after supper. He'd caused a fight with the Aqualish who had seen him deposit a large glob of spit in his food. The clone knew why the Weequay did that. He knew all the tricks now; the Weequay hoped the Aqualish wouldn't want his stew then and he would get seconds.

Weequay weren't the brightest, the Aqualish didn't really care what was in his stew, they would eat anything but he took exception to it and called him out. They'd had a bit of a scuffle. The veteran wouldn't have called it a fight but it was enough to get Weequay booted out. It meant now there was a spare bed for tonight.

The veteran had a choice—something new for him. He could do some more begging today or just take it easy. If he had been cleaner, he could look for work but no one wanted a grubby, smelly clone, with the shakes, not even the spice labs; especially not the Spice labs. Perhaps he should buy some soap. But then where to get the water.

Or he could have a drink.

It wouldn't take much and he could forget everything for a few hours. He pushed that thought away.

Perhaps his luck would be in, perhaps there would be more people like the old General and the woman from Coruscant. He hobbled away to his patch, unable to cope with choices.

.

"There's another way!" Estree offered, but the Empire has tightened up on it, since the Inquisitors left but it won't take you the whole way.

"Even part of the way is better than nothing. Unless the Inquisitors pick up on us."

"They're way too busy running after Kenobi."

"Kenobi, the Jedi?" Maze asked.

"Yep, that's the one."

"Was that why they were here?"

"Huh— Huh."

"And Kenobi escaped?"

"I've just said that."

"How long ago?" Asked Maze. He hated Inquisitors.

"A few rotations now." Estree was evading the question, he had a little trouble with his memory of that part, "Just a few more troopers left behind."

"Estree's a bit of a con man but if the Empire thinks he's conning people, they have difficulty believing what he's really up to." Hallena explained.

Maze wasn't happy with that, his brows drew down as he growled, "Con man?" And stepped towards the man.

Estree took a step back.

"So what's the plan?" Essie asked, to relieve the tension, it was giving her a headache, and moved closer to her husband.

"Get them onboard the freighter and intercept it on the trade run. Unload our part of the Cargo then let it go on to make its delivery. The Empire's none the wiser." Hallena replied quickly.

"So we still need a bigger ship for the transfer." Maze confirmed.

"Cornucopia?" Essie suggested.

"Assuming it's still running. It's old. They were just working on it."

"All the better then." Hallena confirmed. "Can you get in touch with them?"

Maze turned to look at Essie, "I'll call Bes'ika." and turned with her com. She walked to the corner, tapping in the code.

She waited patiently for the reply, then the face of Ordo's wife popped up; she looked a little dishevelled.

"Essie! Good to see you so soon."

"Su'cuy! Sorry if it's late." She said, hearing a male voice grumbling in the background. "Can we borrow the Cornucopia for a trip? One of Djinn's little projects."

"Yes. I'm sure you can, let me just check." She went out of the holo view for a while. "Yes. It's fine, just had a refurb. But it won't be Ny piloting. We'll find someone."

"Thanks. We'll let you know the coordinates."

"Anytime. Mij says Su'cuy. And those tests he did. It's positive. Congratulations but you already knew didn't you?"

"Yes."

"I'd heard Mez'ika talking with Ordo."

"Yes. We'd agreed…."

"I know. Have you told him?

"Not yet."

"He'll be fine with it. You know that, don't you?"

"Sort of."

"You, Del and Kai are his life. He won't mind another one."

"Yes."

"The coordinates?"

"I'll send them when I know."

.

The doss house always smelt of over cooked vegetables but it didn't bother the veteran; he had smelt worse, much worse and seen worse. This was nothing compared to war. He hunched over his thin soup, carefully spooning it in his mouth. His hands were still shaking. If he'd had that drink that wouldn't happen but then he would have been kicked out because he wouldn't have been able to ignore the jibes from the Weequay, who was already getting on his nerves.

If he kept this up it would be two Standard weeks that he hadn't drunk anything, or taken anything. But the memories were getting bad. The nightmares would be back.

He already had a headache.

Chapter Text

The little snake of younglings, holding each other's hands, made their way to the freighter, Hallena letting them in. The stormtroopers had been sent running around after Maze, as a diversion. He was grinning as he left, "Oya!" He had shouted down the com, "Catch me if you can!" She and Estree were watching, guarding.

These younglings were Force sensitive and someone had gathered them in one place, then disappeared. The older ones had said he had a laser sword. It wasn't very often you saw one of those now, unless it was red. His was blue.

Essie studied Estree, watching his foot as it tapped the floor intermittently.

He looked up, as if sensing she was watching him, "Am I bothering you?" He asked, trying to look all wide eyed and innocent.

"No." She shook her head.

It wasn't him that was bothering her.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, sensing he was conflicted; not entirely good and but not totally bad. Like a lot of people but he was doing more than most.

"I need the credits and I like having credits." It was a phrase, he had told someone else, not long ago but he had heard that their path hadn't ended well. He didn't like to admit it but he felt a twinge of guilt about that. He had promised he would help them.

"I don't think the amount of credits you get from us are exactly life changing."

"I'll get by." He had changed after the Inquisitor had been in his head.

"Don't we all?" She replied, sardonically. It was all you could hope for at the moment. "You could just take the money. Let the Empire get us."

"I could but I wouldn't sleep then and sometimes sleeping well at night is worth more.

Estree had, in the past, taken large amounts of money off desperate people pretending to be someone he wasn't. He still took the money, though not as often and not as much.

"A conscience?" She hadn't necessarily sensed that but now she got fear.

"Have you ever had an Inquisitor in your head?" He asked, eyes boring into hers.

"No! Just heard of them."

"You're lucky!" He paused, "They're like you— force sensitive…"

"I'm not.."

"They are like you." He continued, ignoring her protestation, "Force sensitive but on a whole new level. They've been trained to hate, if they didn't already. There is no peace for them."

"You sound as if you feel sorry for them."

"I suppose I am. I've had nightmares since she was in my head. And if those are my nightmares. I pity her, with hers."

"Surely they have a choice? You chose."

"I'm not sure they do."

She leaned back against the wall, she could sense her husband, his feeling of exhilaration; he was enjoying himself.

"So…how long have you been doing this?" he asked.

"Since the beginning!" She replied enigmatically.

"They're all on and secure." Hallena commed.

They watched the freighter take off, it wasn't fast and with Hallena on board, it could be tracked. Although she wasn't sure who Ordo was sending with the Cornucopia. They watched as it finally left the atmosphere.

"We rendezvous back at the house and wait for your partner there."

He pulled on his hood and they set off, he was looking just like a Jedi. She shook her head, surprised they wouldn't be stopped.

.

There was hope in this building, despite its history.

"So-how did you convince them you were a Jedi?"

"Magnets "

"Magnets?" She couldn't keep the incredulity from her reply.

He demonstrated as he pushed out his hand and an object came rushing towards it.

"And their desperation."

She knew that feeling.

Magnets and desperation, a simple recipe.

"The Inquisitors?" She asked, she had never been this close before.

"Gone as quick as they came."

Maze pushed the door open; he was elated after taking on the troopers and caused a few problems for them along the way.

"Probably got ten years on them, and in Beskar, and I can still run rings around them." He gloated.

Estree listened fascinated.

Maze pulled off his helmet, his eyes shining bright with exhilaration.

"Happy?" she asked, already sensing the feeling of satisfaction; that he was still able to prove himself. He still needed to fight, even now.

"Just need to get those younglings safe now."

He turned to face Estree.

"You're a clone!" Elstree exclaimed.

"Yes." Maze couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"But you're helping the Jedi!" Estree backed away from him.

"Yes." Maze replied patiently.

"You killed them!"

"I didn't…."

"But…"

"How do you know I'm a clone?"

"Seen a few around."

"I didn't kill my Jedi, or any other."

"The chip malfunction?"

"You seem to know a lot about it?" Maze advanced towards him.

Estree didn't stay and they were left in the empty building.

.

"You coming? Or have you decided you like this place?" Maze asked as she stood hesitating, one foot on the bottom of the ramp. He was still on a high after having taken the Stormtroopers on a merry dance around the city.

"I need to tell you something."

Maze stood arms on hips. "I knew something was wrong. What is it? Are you ill?"

"No, but I can't just leave him."

"Who?"

"The beggar."

"Is he force sensitive?"

"No! He's a clone."

"Now you tell me! Reg or Commando?"

"Reg, I think. He still had his armour."

"Stormtrooper's?"

"No clone's. Phase two, I think. It was dark and then he was gone."

"You want to go back." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes!"

"What if his chip is still active?"

"Do I look like Jedi?"

"You're wanted just like me. He would have the images uploaded to his HUD."

"It looked a bit worse for wear."

Her husband stood still; his helmet moving minutely, he was debating the possible outcomes. She could no longer sense anything from him other than apprehension on her behalf. She pulled up her shields, she also knew that sometimes he could feel her emotions. He had told her about the feelings and they had talked it over with Djinn a long time ago. His helmet moved fractionally, he had felt that. He walked back towards her.

"Okay! But you need to realise you can't save everyone; you're not Sargeant Skirata, when it comes to clones!"

"I know but everyone needs a chance." She tried to forget that he had 501st colours on his armour. It was that which had made her hesitate.

"There's something else isn't there?"

"His armour—it was 501st colours."

"Huh! Ordo was right, all those years ago. The 501st were keen, too bloody keen!" He closed the ramp. "We've got four hours before we have to leave."

Maze strode to the area she had seen the beggar, she jogged to keep pace with him, indigestion causing her to stop and catch her breath and she sensed his sudden anger. She thought he had taken it well.

"Maze slow down!"

"If we're going to get him we need to be there soon."

"You're angry, I understand that but…"

Maze stopped dead.

"Angry? Yes I'm bloody angry. You always do this. Keep things from me, even after all this time."

He turned and walked away; she skipped to catch up with him again.

"I didn't mean to. I meant to say straight away but then things happened. And I knew you wouldn't like it after what they did in the Temple."

He stopped.

"Hmmh!" He grunted. His hand slipped into hers; she felt his sudden anger slip away, as always. Walon Vau had told her that Jango could be like that, angry enough to kill one minute, perfectly reasonable the next. "I'm angry because I worry about you—these bloody Inquisitors."

"I know. I'm sorry."

His forehead dropped gently to hers.

"Let's find this kriffing clone."

.

Essie looked around the dumpster and there was no sign of him.

"You sure this was the place?" Maze asked, knowing it was. His helmet moved around, steadily. He was scanning the area. "Looks like there's been a bit of a scuffle here, fresh marks." He added, then set off down the small street off the main one.

Then they heard the sounds of a street fight. Maze jogged on ahead, stopping at an alley.

"Oi! Leave him alone!" He headed in.

Seconds later, Maze came out of the alley, pushed backwards by an Aqualish, shouldering him in the stomach.

Essie turned into the alley, she couldn't do anything to help Maze yet, and she was certain he could take care of himself, but she could still hear scuffling and found a Weequay and a human taking it in turns to have a go at the clone that had been begging.

Her anger rose, through her stomach and then her chest, as she rushed forward, pulling her blaster out. She tried to aim, shouting, "Stop! I'll fire!"

She was never confident with a blaster, better than she had been but she still had to hold it with both hands.

But she couldn't get a clear shot and then she sensed something, just a moment before what felt like a boulder hit her in the side and bowl her over. The blaster went skittering along the ground out of her reach. The Weequay turned around back towards her, as she struggled to catch her breath; he was leaning over her, when she heard the blaster fire and he dropped. More blaster bolts followed, fired into the alley; she pulled herself upright to see her husband heading towards a body slumped on the ground.

It was the clone.

.

Chapter Text

The clone was unconscious, Essie wasn't exactly sure why and all she had was basic first aid but he looked in a bad way.

"Damn!" Muttered Maze, "I hoped he would be awake, so we could talk to him. Check on his chip."

"You still don't trust him?"

Maze arched his brow, "You know what the troopers did, under the influence of the chips. And you propose we take him into a mixed colony of Jedi and their supporters?"

"He didn't feel like a threat."

Maze almost rolled his eyes, Essie wasn't sure which was worse, him doing that or not. She had some training now.

He leaned down and rolled the unconscious clone over onto his back.

Essie finally got a good look at him; he was dirty, his hair grown long and with an unkempt beard. It was anyone's guess when he last saw the inside of a fresher, sonic or otherwise. She stared harder, moving closer; there may even be 'things' crawling in his hair and beard. Essie automatically reached under her helmet to scratch her head.

Maze slapped his face, "Hey! Wake up!" And leaned in closer, sniffing.

"He's drunk!" He exclaimed and pulled away, pacing back and forth, in disgust.

"And?" Essie asked, "perhaps he had a reason to be. It can't be great living on the streets." She remembered some of the people on Coruscant years ago. Sol and Nat always gave them food, not credits.

"He's a clone. Adaptable. Should be able to make a living or something of himself anywhere."

Essie glared at her husband; she had not seen him like this, for a long time. She bent over the clone, to check him again. Yes he stunk of alcohol but that didn't always mean you were dead drunk. Suddenly his hands were around her neck, now that had taken her by surprise. She had not sensed that coming at all. All her training kicked in even though she could hear Maze shouting her name; her vision blurring already, as she ducked under his arms to escape his hands and rolled away from him. She heard him groan as blaster fire hit him.

"Maze!"

"He's only stunned." He declared holstering his blaster, "Are you okay?" He checked on his wife.

"Yes!" She rubbed her neck, he may be older but he still had a vice like grip, it would bruise soon.

"Are you still sure about this?"Maze asked.

"Yes!"

"Come on then!" he could never refuse her, even against his better judgement; he could deal with the clone if needed. "Let's get him back to the bloody ship. We've spent enough time here." He glanced at the bodies lying in the alley, checking they were still unconscious. He had disabled but not killed them. He didn't want another warrant out on him.

Maze pulled the clone upright and they stood him between the two of them; his head dropped down and he looked as drunk as he smelt. Everyone ignored them, as they dragged him along the streets to the spaceport, trying to avoid bumping into anyone; that was the last thing they needed.

They entered the space port, to the looks of disgust on the faces of the guards at the entrance. Essie smiled at them half heartedly and received a look and nod of sympathy from one.

They were approaching their ship when she heard it but she couldn't sense anything organic, just the whirr of motors and servos and a distinct feeling of obsessive searching, seeking. She shivered and slowed.

"Essie?"

"Something's here!"

"Something?"

"I don't know anymore. It's not organic."

He pulled his blaster out slowly.

"Where?" He whispered.

She closed her eyes, it was difficult trying to work out where it was, when your eyes could see other images. It was disorientating.

"Behind our ship. Front!"

They propped the clone down against the wall.

Maze crept silently around the rear of their ship and she heard blaster fire again. Maze ran back to them.

"We have to leave now! It's a probe droid. If it recognised us that's it! Come on!"

They bundled themselves up the ramp and deposited the clone, still out cold, into the spare bunk. Maze started up the ship requesting clearance to take off. They waited for clearance; Essie's foot tapped impatiently until it was granted. Maybe they had been lucky this time.

They took off and Maze punched them into hyperspace as soon as they left the atmosphere. He came back to see Essie, adjusting the clone on the bunk, making him comfortable. He slapped binders on his wrists, chaining him to the bunk.

He felt his wife's glare.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Yes! We still don't know about the chip or if he's loyal to the bloody Empire. I'm not risking you, or anyone else we know."

"I didn't sense …"

"And stop using the bloody Force we're only a few days after the Inquisitors."

Essie glared at her husband again, "But you just …."

She stopped, she knew what he was saying made sense, even if he was in one of his moods. She swept around and stormed off to the bathroom, to ground herself, as Arligan had taught her.

.

Essie had indigestion and it wouldn't go away but she knew why. She leaned against the tiny sink in their ship's refresher. The veteran was tucked up in the smallest of their crew quarters, still unconscious and still shackled to the bunk at Maze's insistence.

"You alright?" His low voice gravelly. They were heading towards the Cornucopia. It would take a few days but Scout was on board and the plan was to communicate every time they dropped out of hyperspace. They had just completed their first mini jump and picked up the signal. Encrypted as always. There was someone with her, Mereel; the last person Ordo should have sent. Scout knew the two clones never saw eye to eye but there was no one else available; it was getting a little dicey on Mandalore. She was thankful he kept his mouth shut.

"Yes, fine."

He touched the blossoming bruises on her side and neck; she winced, pulling away from his hand.

"I'm sorry—earlier."

She nodded.

"There's something else bothering you. I can tell. Is it the bloody clone?"

She turned around, "No." she slipped her arms around his waist and looked up. "You know how we said we wouldn't have any more, that there were enough children without parents in the galaxy."

"Yesss." He drew out the word, wondering where this was going.

"Mij did a test. I miscounted."

Now it didn't take any guesses, "You're pregnant?"

She nodded.

He stood watching her, silent, giving nothing away.

"I love you." He pulled her hard to him, kissing the breath from her. When he finished, he asked, "How far?"

"Seven weeks."

"Still early days but are you alright?" He touched the bruise on her side again. "You'll need to be checked over just in case when we get back."

She nodded, "You're not angry after we agreed."

"Never. These things happen."

"You mean you happen." She teased.

"What?"

"You walk around naked and expect me to ignore you."

"Can I help it, if you have no self control?"

"Any normal being would put clothes on."

"You like it and wouldn't have it any different." He pulled her to him again, watching her trying not to smile at his comment. "We have the ship mostly to ourselves. He's not going anywhere….."

"You are incorrigible!" She pushed at his chest plate ineffectually.

"I know." He grinned as he lifted her off her feet and backed her into their cabin.

.

They lay, a tangle of limbs, on the double bunk in their quarters. It was supposed to be a double but they always had to sleep close together; it was a little tight.

"How many more jumps do we have to make?"

"Seven. To make sure we're not followed. Cornucopia is taking a different route. There were rumours that the Empire have been developing ships that can track through hyperspace. So….we're being extra careful. We'll drop out in ..." He checked the chrono on the side shelf, "15 on this one. They are all different lengths."

"Why are you so angry about him, or should I say with him?"

"I'm not!"

"That's not how it's coming across and I'm not using the Force this time."

Maze lay silent; years with him told her he was debating with himself what to say.

"He reminds me of what I could have become."

"But you didn't."

"No! But it was touch and go. A split second decision not to shoot Arligan."

She kissed him on the cheek. She wasn't sure what would have happened to her if he had taken the shot.

"I'd better check on our guest, just to make sure he's okay."

"Hmm, suppose so." agreed Maze as he pulled himself up, "I'll get that sonic while you're doing that.

.

He was marching with hundreds of his brothers heading to the Jedi Temple, following Skywalker. They had to end the Coup. Take out the traitors in the Temple. He'd heard the Order.

"Execute Order 66." Commander Appo ordered. "Every Jedi must be hunted down and killed."

He knew what he had to do.

There were flashes of light sabers everywhere, all different colours. Flashes of blaster fire streaking across the halls and corridors.

The Jedi were falling!

Brothers were falling!

They entered the Younglings Quarters after Skywalker— there were none left standing….

.

The veteran clone tried to sit upright, to get away but something was holding him down; he always woke nauseous at this time in the dream, seeing the younglings lying on the floor. He needed a drink but he couldn't move his arms. He blinked open his eyes.

"Where the Kriff am I?"

He blinked again and listened; he could hear voices and other noises. A few giggles, then he remembered the female, who had given him money. He thought he knew her but it was a long time ago. And this one in the next cabin was enjoying herself by the sound of it.

He listened again. This was the last thing he wanted to hear the way he felt; all he really wanted was a drink— a drink of anything.

Anything to take the memories away.

He tried to move his hand to rub at his temple but the republic era binders bit into his wrists. He swung his head back in frustration, it hit a soft pillow.

He wasn't expecting that.

He swallowed, his throat as dry as the Dune Sea on Tattooine; he was dehydrated.

Chapter Text

Essie hummed as she heated the ration pack. She'd have to do one for each of them, her stomach was rumbling already demanding extra food and Maze would be hungry, as always, although he wasn't as bad as he used to be, after having the cure. Nat could never understand how he managed to put that amount of food away.

"I miss you, Dad." She whispered.

She pulled out two more all day breakfasts ready to heat up. They were Maze's favourites, but he'd complain about these, they had sausages made from vegetables and not Roba. She found a spoon, looked at it, deciding it was probably the safest, and a bottle of water, then walked the few steps to the door for the other quarters.

.

The clone lay quietly, he could hear someone humming now and the sonic was on. So they had split up. With any luck he would get only one of them but which one. Hopefully the female. There was something wrong with her, he'd heard the voice asking her. He must have been delusional though because he thought it sounded like a clone, just like him but that wasn't likely was it?

Then he heard a ping. Sounded like a nanowave to heat ration packs. He may be old but his hearing was just as good as when he was younger.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on stopping his shakes.

He just had to wait now.

A few seconds later, he heard the door shuck and smelt food. His stomach rumbled despite himself.

"Hey! You awake?"

He kept his eyes closed; he wasn't really sure who these people were now. The last thing he remembered was the fight and being stunned. And now he was on a strange ship shackled to a bunk, and by the sound of it, in hyperspace.

Empire? - no.

Bounty Hunters? - maybe but why?

He groaned, pretending to wake slowly, to give himself time.

"Oh good. I've brought you some water and food. Only a ration pack but they're not too bad."

He blinked, keeping up the pretence. It was the woman who gave him the credits.

What does she want with me? And more importantly where is the other one?

"How are you feeling?"

"Rough!" He answered although it hurt his throat and was barely audible.

"Water first?" She asked.

He nodded.

She trickled some water into his mouth.

He looked at the binders, the back at her.

"One!" She said undoing the right one.

He stretched out his fingers and rotated his wrist, trying to get the blood flowing freely again. Even though the binders weren't particularly tight, they still restricted some of the flow. He watched, as she offered him the bottle.

His hand circled it; it was chilled. It had been a while since he had chilled water fresh or otherwise. He took another swallow, it felt as beautiful as the first, silky smooth as ran down his throat.

"Tell me when you want the ration pack."

He nodded, concentrating on drinking.

"Where are we?" he whispered.

"Somewhere in hyperspace." She smiled as she said that, "I don't actually know."

"Where are we going?"

"Home." She turned to get the ration pack, there was not much space in the small room and she was short; he saw his chance. He twisted over, hit her on the head with the bottle and collapsed on top of her. It wasn't smart nor easy. She didn't crumple, even with him on top of her.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just need the keys to the binders."

"No!" Essie refused, playing for time.

"Just no?"

"Yes—no!"

The clone was confused now, if he squeezed harder he could kill her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice sounding just like his spoke, just next to his ear. He hadn't heard him.

He released the woman slightly; as soon as he did she twisted and he felt a blaster in his ribs. He sighed, he didn't have the fight in him to do more, not now.

Maze jabbed the hypo in his neck and they watched, as his eyes flickered shut.

"Well that's sorted that!" Declared Maze.

.

They came out of the last hyperspace jump, immediately in front of the planet. Maze piloted them down as Essie spoke to the 'ground crew'.

"Hi Essie. How are you?"

"Hi Callista, and I'm fine. Is everything okay down there?"

"Yeah, we've got them settled and some are ready to be sent elsewhere. I'll fill you in better once you land."

"We have a passenger…." She didn't know whether to say this or not. "He's a clone."

"Everyone's welcome, you know that. Scout and Mereel have left."

"I'll let Maze know. Who's taking them further then?"

"Quin."

"Oh."

"We'll see you soon." Callista said before cutting the link.

"Strap in!" Shouted Maze back to her.

She checked the clone and he was still unconscious and shackled again, so she strapped herself in ready for landing.

Maze swung the craft around, landing perfectly as he insisted he always did. They had a little landing area marked out now. They had been here a few years and the smaller craft used it more. The Wookiee Gunner was being worked on at the moment; it had to be kept flightworthy at all times.

Essie unstrapped the harness and braced herself. They had to explain the clone to someone who was here and he may not be entirely happy about it.

"So are we leaving him in here for the moment?" asked Maze, "he's secure and safe."

"Yes. We'll get one of the healers to look at him and wake him up."

"What did Callista say?"

"She'll update us when we land."

Her husband tilted his head to one side, "It was a long conversation to say just that."

"Well. You know Callista. Why say one word when five will do."

"Hmm!" He knew Callista, and he knew his wife. He kept quiet. He would find out soon enough.

He followed his wife down the ramp and saw why she was so circumspect. He rubbed his shoulder, remembering.

Essie walked towards the ex-Jedi heading towards them, specks of grey, littered his long black hair but his clan tattoos were still visible.

"Essie, good to see you." A grin spread across his face, as he pulled her to him."Good job there but it'll be the last one from that planet, I fear."

He looked over her shoulder.

"Maze!" He nodded.

"Vos!" Maze bristled as he replied. "Why will it be the last one?"

"The Path from there is compromised, as is Jabiim."

"Jabiim?" Essie echoed.

"Yes. Our sources tell me the Empire locked them down and attacked the rebel facility there, destroying it."

"How many lost?" Maze asked.

"A lot but some escaped. And we have these." Vos looked at them both."Thanks to you two, or should I say three." He looked at Essie's stomach. "Congratulations!"

He turned to Maze, holding out his hand, "I know we haven't always seen eye to eye."

"Master of the understatement Vos." Maze growled, remembering being thrown to the wall with a Force push when they first met. Vos was not fond of the clones at that point.

"But what you did on Daiyu was above and beyond." He pushed his hand to Maze's forearm, and Maze looked at him before reciprocating and they clasped forearms. Maze had never been overtly Mando but it was still ingrained in him, in fact Essie thought he was getting worse as he got older.

Essie cleared her throat, "We brought someone else back."

"Another youngling?"

"Not exactly."

She saw Maze smirk, out of the corner of her eye.

"I don't think he's dangerous but Maze disagrees. He's on the ship."

"But there's something else?"

"Yes. He's a clone. May be 501st."

Vos features hardened.

"I know what they did but there is something about him."

"And the chip? What if it's still active?" He turned to Maze, "And you let her bring him here?" he accused him.

"It was my idea. So leave him out of it."

Maze leaned back against their ship, smiling at the thought of Vos going against his wife.

And he thinks I'm a stubborn chakaar.

Essie crossed her arms. "Everybody deserves a chance."

Vos mirrored her.

Maze uncrossed his.

"What if he doesn't take it?"

"He will. I can feel it."

Maze arched a brow.

"Does he know where we are?" Asked Vos.

"No! Of course he doesn't. He was stunned when we boarded and is sedated now."

"He's shackled to the bunk as well." Added Maze.

"All heart aren't you!" Vos said sarcastically.

"Just being careful."

Essie glared at him. "We need a healer to check him over and revive him."

"I want to be there."

"Okay." Essie agreed reluctantly, turning, then turning back, "You know just because you were trained as a child, in the Temple, doesn't make you any better than us." and she stormed off.

Maze glared at him for good measure and followed his wife.

.

The three squirmed inside the small quarters and pushed up to the bunk. Essie removed the sheet.

"He hasn't had a shower yet." She warned.

Vos looked at the armour with the familiar blue stripes down it. He hadn't seen what had happened at the temple but had felt it.

He looked at the clone; he had aged faster than Maze but he heard about the de ageing cure he went through. And logically he knows that they were as much the victims as the Jedi were.

Dooku was complicit in it and he and Ventress failed to stop it. He still missed her and Aayla. They were all victims but he had recently sensed others in the Force, ones he had thought were lost like Obi Wan. Now he needed to see what happened in the temple.

He touched the soldier's vambrace and he was there.

Essie and Maze watched, "Is he okay?" Maze asked, as he pulled his wife closer.

"I think so."

They kept watch over the silent Jedi.

.

Chapter Text

Maze shook his head reeling from the hit from Vos, he wasn't in his armour and it was a glancing blow but it still hurt. He was still a strong man. The Jedi was getting better at fighting without the Force but he had to be. Every time they used the Force, there was the possibility the Inquisitorious would pick it up; especially a trained Jedi, they would shine like a beacon in the night.

Maze wished Essie would not use it so bloody much.

But this was not the time to ponder that. He concentrated on Vos.

"So….Ventress?" He huffed out, "The hairless bloody harpy. Did you really….."

He ducked the foot that nearly took his head off and spun around, hitting the Jedi in the stomach, who took a few steps back.

"So….the rule of no attachment." He continued as they circled each other. "How did that go for you then?"

He dodged the foot again, and rushed him putting all his strength in his shoulder push. Vos threw him but Maze regained his footing immediately and faced him again.

"Essie….you two exchanged vows yet?" Vos came back.

"We haven't. There's no need."

Maze landed a hit on Vos' jaw and he staggered back but not far as he should have, based on the power Maze put into it.

"We agreed on no bloody use of the force."

Vos smiled, "Now, now clone."

"Shab'la Jetii!" Maze cursed, at least he didn't say 'copy', the usual slur.

Vos jabbed at him again and missed, as Maze backed away.

"You're telegraphing your moves, even without the force." Maze explained

"Only to you."

"If you can beat me, you'll beat a stormtrooper any day."

"Even the Purgetroopers?"

"Yes— even those."

Vos' eyes narrowed, "So Essie…..you ever think perhaps, with so many of your brothers around, she tried pastures new, a comparison…."

"Never!" He stormed, heading towards the Jedi, that comment hit a nerve.

Oof— Maze felt the air leave his lungs; he slumped. He'd let his guard down at the thought.

"Is that what Jango taught you?"

"He taught me how to fight and survive." And kill Jedi thought Maze, as he got to his knees, and then stood, using the time to regain his breath.

"How did you feel when you found out you'd been used?"

They circled each other; Maze glaring, Vos grinning.

"I let go of my anger on that score years ago. How did you feel?" Replied Maze.

"Angry—still. It keeps me going."

"It'll kill you, in the end."

They still circled each other.

"More likely an Inquisitor."

"Anyone specific they're after, other than you?"

"There's a few more." Ventured Vos. "Mainly younglings and the untrained, like Essie."

Maze nodded, the thought that someone was specifically after her, panicked him.

"But Vader…..he seems intent on getting Obi…..Kenobi. But I have not felt him in the Force for years."

"Dead?"

"They may have called him the Negotiator but he was without equal…even Skywalker. If anyone was able to survive, it's him."

Maze nodded.

"Another round?" Grinned Vos, changing the subject.

.

Essie stood behind her husband rubbing Bacta into the mottled bruises on his back.

"It's always the same when Vos is here. You train and you come off worse."

"Are you sure?" Maze grinned.

"It looks bad to me."

"I gave as good as I got but he winds me up. He asked if we had exchanged vows again."

"And?"

"I told him no."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He just has that effect on me, oh and he only used the Force twice."

"He's getting better." Essie put the lid back on the Bacta and threw the cloth in the bin.

"Speaking about the Force. Del says to stop trying to get into his head."

"I don't try but sometimes he projects and it's embarrassing." She shook her head at her growing son.

"That's what he says about us, cos we're old."

"We are not old."

"To him we are." Maze smiled, "I told him I was only twenty four. He did some mental arithmetic and then pulled a face saying we were disgusting."

Her husband turned and she felt his hand go to her lower stomach.

"A few more weeks and you'll begin to show. How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

He pressed a kiss to her lips.

"How tired?"

"Pleasantly tired but not dead tired."

He slid a hand under Essie's thighs and lifted her, carrying her to the bed.

"Does this help?"

"A little."

"Looks as if we may be embarrassing our son again tonight?"

Essie giggled, as he laid her on the bed.

.

The clone blinked awake. They'd sedated him again, although he wasn't sure why this time. He couldn't remember what had happened and now, he had a big headache. He looked around, it appeared he was in some kind of small medical facility.

He tried to sit up.

Still shackled. He remembered that.

There was another clone around, a Commando or ARC, by the look of his build. His memory hadn't totally gone despite what he had been using and he desperately needed a drink at the moment. He dropped his head back on the pillow, unaccustomed to the softness.

As he lay, more memories came flooding back, one's he'd desperately tried to forget. He heard the door open. An old fashioned manual one.

"Hi! How are you feeling?"

The young female looked like a medic. That brought back more memories.

"Got a headache!" He grumbled.

"I'll get you painkillers for that."

"What did you do to me?"

"We took out your chip."

She undid one of the binders and he heard someone outside of the door.

"You know about the chips?"

She smiled, "Of course." And handed him two pills. "Painkillers!" She said.

He swallowed them and she handed him an opened bottle of water.

"Thanks, Where am I?" He took a swallow of the water.

"Hmm! That answer may have to wait a little while." She fetched a small tray. "This was your chip. It was infected. You were lucky we took it out when we did."

He looked at the mangled mess of bio matter that had been in his head, he could see how it had degraded. Yes they had probably saved his life but was it worth it?

He took several more swallows of the water and the painkillers started working.

Watching the young medic or nurse, he wasn't sure what she was, he asked another question.

"Where am I?"

She smiled at him, "Not yet!"

"So where's the two that caught me— female and male humans?"

"All in good time." She scanned his head again. "How's your memory? What's your name?"

"Ja….c"

"Jac?" She asked.

He nodded.

"What planet were you on last?"

"I'll tell you, if you tell me where we are now."

She smiled. "You'll have headaches for a few days, as there's still some inflammation in the brain, where the chip was but we're monitoring it. Bacta's in short supply so we couldn't put you in a tank." She scanned his chest. "Heart and respiration still good for a forty odd year old."

"What's the clone's name? He was a Commando or ARC. I know he's one from his build."

She shook her head, still smiling.

.

"He's awake and I gave him some painkillers and water." Mel advised the little group assembled in Essie's kitchen.

"What's he like?" Del asked, from his seat on the stairs. Essie gave him a stern look and he went quiet. But he was still fascinated by yet another clone. Another man who looked just like his adoptive Dad.

"There's still some inflammation where the chip was but he's coming around quickly and asking questions especially, where we are and about Essie and Maze." Mel continued, she looked at the couple. "He doesn't know your names but he knows you're a clone. And was a Commando or ARC. He says he recognised your build."

"Did he give his name?"

"He said Jac, but I don't think that was his original name."

"What about his designation?"

"Sorry, I forgot to ask."

Essie felt something; she looked to the bottom of the stairs.

"Where's Del?"

He was getting too damn good at the stealth that Maze was teaching him. She looked at Maze before they headed to the small medical facility.

.

Del opened the door; he desperately wanted to see the old man they brought in who looked like his Dad's older brother.

He'd seen the Nulls and Commando's and Levet on Mandalore but they don't go there anymore and he misses Kad. They can only talk via encrypted Holonet messaging now and then Kai always tries to interrupt. He wanted to come with him now but he would have made too much noise.

He pushed the door open slowly. The man was still in bed but they had shackled him to the bed because after all he had been a Stormtrooper they said and some clones liked being Stormtroopers despite having the chips in their heads.

He couldn't think that you could possibly have something physically put in your head that controlled you but he probably understood better than most people. He had always felt Mother in his head, even when he was tiny and then Kad. When they first met, Kad knew that he could sense that he was a Force user and they grew close. Uncle Arli and Djinn said he wasn't Force Sensitive but could sense Force users, which was weird and they don't really understand it.

But he had to tell his Mum, rather he told Dad to tell Mum, to stop trying to sense how he felt and he kept trying not to sense how she felt especially, when Dad kissed her because Eew! That was just too embarrassing at their age.

Dad was good like that. He listened, laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. Treated me like an equal.

"So," the clone grumbled, "You going to ask a question, Youngling, or just gawk?"

He came in fully and closed the door behind him.

"What's your name?"

"Jac. Yours?"

"Del." He parked himself on a stool.

"Were you really a Stormtrooper?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Why indeed. He tried to remember exactly why he became a Stormtrooper and the only reason he could think of was that he didn't have a choice.

"I don't think I had a choice."

"They've taken the chip out now, so you can make a choice."

"Not sure there's much choice to make."

"Dad says there's always a choice. Some clones even made the right choice when they still had the chips still inside them."

Jac watched the young lad. He estimated him to be about twelve to thirteen standard years. Well built, looked as if he trained as well. He sat just a little too far away to get at him. Then he mentioned clones who had deserted but he didn't say desert, just made a choice.

"Who's your Dad?"

"That would be me."

Answered the large clone who stood in the doorway.

Chapter Text

"Del! Get back to the house." Maze roared at his son.

"Aw, Dad." he grumbled, not moving.

Maze lifted an eyebrow.

Del slid off the stool.

"Yes Dad." His dad's eyes softened a little, when he replied and Del left the room. He knew when not to argue and Dad would explain, he always explained, sometimes even when Mum couldn't, or wouldn't. His bark was worse than his bite.

Maze crossed his arms and looked at the man lying in front of him. He was at his most intimidating now, needing a shave and emphasising his pecs. He'd been told so in the past by other clones and he was playing on it now. He deepened his scowl.

"So who are you?" He snarled. Essie hated it when he used 'the voice' as she called it. Sometimes just that got results.

"I think you owe me an explanation first. Kidnapping me. Operating on me….."

Kriff! The balls on him. Thought Maze before interrupting him. "Saving your life." He snarled back.

The other clone went quiet.

"The name you chose for yourself!" Maze demanded.

"Jac."

"Designation!".

"TK204."

The replies had come quick and fast almost like reflexes.

Maze tapped a key on his vambrace. That didn't tally with the name he gave or the Intel they held on the 501st, courtesy of the Nulls. His eyes narrowed.

"How long have you been out, decommissioned?"

"A few years."

"Why?"

"Leg injury. Couldn't keep up with the young'uns. Not up to Vader's standard. I managed to get jobs in civvy street and jogged along nicely for a few years but.."

"Nightmares?"

He nodded.

"Getting worse?"

He nodded.

"Memories coming back?"

Jac looked at him, then away before answering.

"Yes. New memories."

"Heard it before. Have a few myself." Maze added.

Jac felt himself relenting, being pulled in.

"You asked why we help people. Anybody. We all have some guilt we need to deal with." Maze moved a bottle of water within his reach. "I'll get you some more food."

"Why do you look so young compared…."

"Genes! Now rest! But I'm not letting you out yet."

The younger looking clone left abruptly.

Jac lowered his head to the pillow.

Definitely Alpha. He remembered the attitude. He wasn't sure who, a lot of them had gone missing around Order 66 but he looked too young to be an original. Were they cloning more? He thought all sentient cloning had been stopped but that wouldn't necessarily stop the Empire.

Unless he'd had the 'Cure.'

There had been rumours.

He pulled off the top of his water and took a drink.

.

"He's lying!" Maze advised the small group assembled in the meeting room. "He gave me a designation that doesn't exist and a name that could be anyones. He has very few old scars which is unusual and no tats we can use to identify him. We need an ID reader to really confirm his identity, that's assuming he still has one implanted."

"I can rig one up." Geith offered, "It'll take me about a day. Before you ask." He grinned. "We've got all the parts."

"And that's because he doesn't throw anything away." Callista added.

"I could try and read him." Vos offered. Pushing himself away from the wall where he had been leaning, listening, "but I'm due to leave in a couple of hours."

"I'd rather we didn't, not yet. It feels like one intrusion too many." Djinn replied.

Vos shrugged, "Your call. I'm going to prep ready to leave." He stalked out of the room.

Essie felt Kai stand next to her. He was worried.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Will I end up like him?"

"Of course not." She ruffled his dark brown curls and watched as the worry evaporated from his face. She pulled him in her lap.

"Your chip was removed years ago, when you were really tiny. Mij did it. You were too young to remember but we explained it to you, didn't we?"

"Oh yes." His face brightened up at the thought.

"Then, a few months after that, you had the anti aging treatment. And that's why you grow at the same rate as your brother. And you'll look just like your Dad when you grow up."

Del had moved next to her and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. She was always amazed at how protective he was but he had been there in the beginning, when they had brought him home, brought him back from that force forsaken planet.

"You want to go and play?" Del asked.

Kai slid off her knee, "Yeah, hide and seek."

"I'll give you ten. Then I'm coming." Said Del, as he watched his little brother run out of the door.

"Don't worry Mum. I'll always look after him."

He walked to the door "Seven, eight, nine, ten. I'm coming, ready or not!" He shouted and shot out of the door.

"He's a good kid. They both are." Geith said.

"I know." She was proud of them both but still had this overwhelming, at times, fear of losing them. They just needed to grow up as normal as possible in these times.

And now they would have a brother or sister.

.

Maze walked up to Vos ship, a small freighter. He was currently checking some feeds.

"Need any help?"

"No. Just finished."

"Leaving soon?"

"A few minutes."

Maze nodded, "I know better than to ask where."

"Need to set up a new base, after Jabiim." Vos tightened up the last bolt.

"Might be an idea to head further into Wild Space."

"Yeah but then there's the Ascendancy."

"Word is they don't normally bother you if you don't bother them." Maze answered.

"We'll see."

"Heard there was a Chiss in the Imperial Navy. I wonder how that's going for him?" Maze said.

"Unpronounceable name, apparently but it's been shortened to Thrawn. The Emperor is enamoured." Vos' voice was hard. "And word is he's good, be careful."

"I'll get Essie to keep an eye out for him." Maze stuck his hand out, "It's been a bloody honour, as usual."

Vos clasped his hand around his forearm, "Thanks Maze. You're a kriffing grumpy sod but you're okay. I don't know how Essie puts up with you. Look after her."

"I always do."

"And congratulations, if I don't get back before the new one's born."

Maze nodded.

"Essie apologised, for the Jedi training jibe earlier." Vos told him.

"She would. She didn't mean it." Maze knew his wife.

"I know. You two are good together." Vos commented.

"Knowing her, saved me." Maze admitted.

"I know what you mean." Returned the Jedi

Maze didn't enquire further but said, "You know where we are. If you need anything."

"Yeah."

"I mean it. Zey's getting on a bit now, so we don't do so much."

Vos looked at him eyebrows raised.

"What I mean to say is, if you need anyone to help out, just call."

Vos nodded, and turned to get on the ship, then turned back.

"At my darkest point Maze, I never thought I would trust a clone again but you've proved me wrong, you're alright."

Maze shrugged.

With that, Vos swung himself up the ramp, somersaulting, as Maze backed away shaking his head.

"But you're still a grumpy sod."

Maze rolled his eyes; he always had to show off and have the last word.

.

Geith clicked the small ID scanner into the standard medical scanner, you could not see it was there.

"You'll need to get really close to the ID tally but it will automatically scan it and record it. He won't be able to see what you're doing."

"Are you alright doing this?" Maze enquired.

"Yeah, of course. We need to know who he is but why don't we just ask him again?" Mel asked.

Maze rolled his eyes, until Essie nudged him, hard, in his ribs. He didn't have his armour on; she wasn't stupid.

"He's not very forthcoming. He doesn't trust us." Maze said.

"We did kidnap him." Mel stated the obvious.

"I'll do it. It records fine doesn't it? So if there's a problem we'll find out after I've done it." Essie offered.

"And if he recognises you?" Asked Djinn.

"If he recognises me then it may give me an in."

Maze rolled his shoulders, "If you bloody insist, I'll be just outside."

Essie smiled, "I know you will."

She kissed him on the cheek.

.

Essie pushed open the door putting on her best smile; she had dressed in Mel's clothes, luckily they were on the big side for her and fit Essie.

"Just need to do a check up." She announced, she lifted the old flimzi pad from the bottom of the bed and looked at it.

”Where’s the other one?”

”We have other patients—Headaches?"

"No. Gone."

"Good." She replied, starting up the scanner.

"Any other aches, pains or anything unusual."

"No!" He shook his head. "You're very interested in my welfare."

"It's what we do. Help people." She scanned his head, moving slowly down his neck and around.

"In my experience, people only help in expectation of something in return. Unless you're a Jedi."

Essie laughed, "Jedi eh? I'm no Jedi."

"I don't know, you all act Jedi-y."

"Is that even a word?"

"Stop playing games with me.

"Okay! But I heard all the Jedi are dead. Have been for years."

She continued scanning, finally finding the ID tally. She felt his eyes on her all the time she was scanning then she switched it off, finished.

"If you start getting headaches let us know. Do you need anything else?"

"If you could just undo…."

"No, not yet."

Jac watched as she left the room.

"Not a Jedi, my arse."

.

Maze retrieved the tiny data card from the scanner and inserted it in his datapad to read. He let it load up and read the contents. His eyebrows drew down in frown.

Are you okay?" Essie asked, seeing the look on her husband's face.

"I don't believe this?"

"Did it not record?"

"Yes, it was recorded and the ID needs to be deactivated quickly."

"So do we know who he is?"

"Yes and he was in Vader's Fist."

"A commando?"

"No worse!"

"Who then?"

"Jab the medic from SOB."

Essie stood there open mouthed.

Chapter Text

"Maze, are you sure?"

Essie rarely questioned her husband's facts, just what he did with them sometimes. But this had shocked her.

He nodded, "The ID and designation tallies with his details at SOB."

"How? He wasn't 501st."

"The Battle of Coruscant….everyone was called to arms. Medics were reassigned. Jab went to the remainder of the 501st, primarily as medic, after it was split into the 332nd."

Essie saw the look on his face, he was reliving those days; it was a bad time for both of them. She tried not to think about it.

"Then after Order 66, SOB ceased to exist."

"Love…." She put her arms around him. Some would say he shouldn't be affected, he wasn't on the battle front but he survived and that was guilt enough for some people. "You did what you had to do. You made the right choice. You saved me, Del and Zey."

"Net'ra and Aven. Nat and Sol. Rex. All the others, so many and I thought Jab was gone too…..and now he's here."

"We just need to talk to him. Get that ID out and take it from there. I'll get Mel to do it."

Essie turned to walk away; he held onto her arm.

"Be careful. The 501st were keen."

"I know." The sight of the burning temple and the fear she felt that night pushed into her mind. She held her hand out.

"Key to the binders."

He rose, "I'll come with you, I'll be outside."

.

Essie knocked at the door. "Can I come in?"

"Can't stop you!"

She held her hand out for the key, Maze reluctantly put it in her hand, holding it for a few seconds; she nodded understanding the reason behind it. She entered the small room.

"Jab?"

He looked to one side, not able to meet her look.

"Jab. It's me, Essie Devro. Do you remember?"

She wasn't sure how much the chip had affected his memory.

He remained turned away as he said, "I know I recognised you immediately."

She didn't let the shock from that revelation show and undid his arm from the binders, then perched on the stool next to him.

"Look at me Jab."

"Jac —I don't want to be called that any more, not after what Jab—I've done."

"Jac." She paused, "You don't have to be ashamed. You had no control over your actions, over what the chip was making you do."

He turned and looked at both his hands.

"They were still my hands."

"Is there anything you need?"

" I would like to walk around and stretch my legs. My injury is playing up and…who is the clone?"

"It's Maze. I thought you realised."

"I suspected but then he looked too young."

"Ah yes. That's another surprise for you."

"What?" He looked concerned.

"There's a treatment to reverse the rapid aging."

"There is?" He let out a whistle.

She nodded.

"There were always rumours in the barracks but then after Kamino fell, it was treated as myths and legends. No one ever really believed in it."

"We've got some coming over with a friend but in the meantime," she held her hand out, "do you want to go for a walk?"

He swung his legs over the bunk and put them to the floor, swaying a little as he rose.

"We'll have to get you fed up as well. The treatment can take it out of you."

She held her arm out for him.

"So you and Maze got back together and off Coruscant with General Zey?"

"How?" she asked, wondering how he knew. She had never mentioned Zey.

"Maze was always straight, by the book. You knew where you stood with him— no games. I appreciated that." He let a little smile move his lips for a few seconds, "and I overheard some of them talking about Arligan."

"He will want to see you."

"Yeah—Kriff! I bet that's some story."

"It is, and a long one. We'll tell you about it some day."

"And Del?"

"And Del."

"I look forward to that."

She pushed open the door to see Maze leaning against the wall.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Jac has lots of questions." She said, "But first he just wants to have a walk around."

.

"Here you are!" Essie opened the door to the little additional room they had. It had not been used until now and they would need it again in a few months.

"It's not big but it'll do for now and better than the med bay." She watched his expression, sensing he felt he didn't deserve this, "Mel tells me, we need the room in the med bay."

"Maze alright with this?"

"Of course!"

"Like you tell him everything!"

"I do."

"Your back?"

She stretched up as if to prove him wrong.

"It's just the baby…."

He put his hands on his hips.

"You're standing awkwardly, and stumble sometimes."

"I told you; it's just the baby lying on my spine."

"Don't give me that 'Pregnant women know best' speech."

"And how many pregnant women have you dealt with?"

Jac looked to the ceiling; she'd got him there.

"I'm just saying, let me scan you and then if it isn't the baby….."

"What's wrong with the baby?" Maze's upset gravelly tones emerged directly behind her.

"Gah!" Was all she could say sandwiched between the two determined clones.

.

Essie lay on one side on the medbed in med bay whilst Mel, Jac and a few others looked at the scans. She couldn't see them but could feel their worry. All she could see was Maze, leaning on the wall opposite, arms crossed, glaring at her. She tried a small smile. It didn't work. He was still angry.

She couldn't stop the tears now, as they rolled down her face and hit the sheet; she remembered being like this with Del—emotional.

Maze was at her side in a nanosecond.

"Is it hurting?"

"No." She snuffled. "I just hate it when you're angry with me."

His large hands engulfed hers. "I'm not, just worried." he glanced at the medics, "It looks like a chipped bone on your spine that's moved and …..they want to treat it but unsure which is the best option. Limited Bacta."

She nodded.

The others finally came to stand in front of her.

"We've gone through all the different procedures but the lack of Bacta and the baby complicates things."

"What we need is a Jedi healer experienced in this sort of treatment." Butted in Jac. "And it appears yours are off world, liaising with Gen… Vos."

He was comfortable with his medic mode here.

"You have to remain immobile until it's done." Mel said, as she looked at Maze.

"I'll get on the com to Jusik."

.

You okay?"

Essie walked slowly up to Jac as he called himself now, leaning on her stick. He wanted to start afresh. He'd struggled to settle down, even after his chip was removed but recently he seemed better. He didn't have headaches anymore, although the nightmares were still coming and sometimes, she found him sleeping outside more often than not, especially if it was a warm night. Although he hadn't always been on the streets since he had been decommissioned, he had been there long enough for it to become a habit to sleep outside. One which was difficult to break.

Now there was a tent pitched outside permanently.

The guilt and nightmares had kicked in when his chip deteriorated and the Empire washed their hands of him. So it had been a long time. Senator Skeenah had been right, there had been no provision for the clones as they aged or were injured.

She still mourned his loss.

So many.

She privately thought it was probably a good thing that Jac was no longer with the Empire; the Nulls, whatever you thought of them, kept tabs on what the Empire was doing. There were rumours of what happened to some Clones, and that didn't bear thinking about.

Here he'd have a chance.

"Yeah. Just a bad night."

"I hope Kai didn't disturb you."

"No. I think it would more than likely be me disturbing him."

"The same nightmare?"

He nodded. "It's never going to go away, is it?"

"It should get a little better, with time— mine did."

"They supposedly engineered us to withstand battle stress but what we did was worse than battle, it was murder."

He still saw the younglings lying there.

She couldn't disagree with him.

"How's the scar?"

"Healing well. Did the Captain have one?"

"No. Neither did the Nulls. After them the Alpha's were the next batch, then the first Commando's. It was only with the first generation troopers and the Commanders, then the ones following, that they implanted the chips. From what you've said you're first generation."

The Nulls had learned a lot from the Kaminoans before the destruction of the cloning facility, and even after. They sent a few missions out there to see if anything more could be retrieved from the depths.

He nodded.

"The Alpha's and Commandos were indoctrinated from birth. The chip was a failsafe, we understand. And call him Maze. He's told you to."

"Indoctrinated from birth that sounds worse."

"Maze has a different kind of guilt."

Jac frowned.

"He survived."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Kai—he's a full clone isn't he?"

She nodded.

"How?"

"He was one of the last to be cloned and was moved from Kamino to a planet called Wayland. They did other experiments on them there."

Jac shook his head, "He's okay though."

"He is now. The Nulls found out about it and a rescue mission was undertaken with the Skiratas and a number from here including Zey but we could only get twelve out. The others were too far gone."

"Has he had the anti-aging cure?"

"Yes, and a chip was removed."

"Why only twelve?"

Essie hated talking about this, but he needed to know, "There were many still in growth jars and others had been operated on or were so far, indoctrinated it would have been too dangerous to bring them back. Some clones were loyal to the Empire, knowing no different."

She swallowed, "We had to make a choice."

"Oh."

"They nearly didn't get out. And it's been too dangerous to go back."

"Have they all been adopted?"

"Yes. Most with families on Mandalore."

"Good. He's a good lad but I did wonder why he attached himself to me."

Essie smiled, "I had noticed that."

"How are you feeling….after the treatment on your back.

"No pain but tired."

"You're growing a person inside you," he said with awe in his voice, "you're entitled to be tired."

She smiled at his words; sometimes in the Dark Times she didn't feel entitled to anything she had, when others had it so much worse.

He continued to examine the piece of wood.

"I'm not sure I want the 'Cure.'

He dropped that bombshell on her.

Chapter Text

Essie had made several attempts to persuade Jac to have the 'cure' but to no avail and she found it upsetting more than she anticipated. She sat at what passed for a dressing table, brushing her hair; she never had it as long as it was now. She debated on leaving it long as she brushed.

"Are you feeling okay?" Maze asked, taking the brush from her and continuing to brush her hair. Years ago when they first met she would never have imagined him doing that, the uptight clone Captain interested in Politics barely able to say anything to her. She would also never have imagined living on a planet on the edge of wild space, in a community of mixed ex-Jedi and non Force users, giving aid to anyone who needed them.

He stopped brushing and pushed his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp.

"Relax!" He instructed.

She dropped her shoulders.

"Better!" He said.

"Hmmm." She finally answered, as her shoulders relaxed further, his fingers finally working their magic. He moved to her shoulders.

"Cred for them?"

"Huh?" She murmured, still lost in her thoughts.

"I said, a cred for your thoughts. You're far away."

"Jac!"

"Ah! His decision."

"Can't you persuade him."

"He's twenty-four, old enough to know what he wants."

"That's not funny." She retorted, moving the brush from the edge of the table putting it away, as she shrugged his hands from her shoulders and got up from the table heading towards the bed.

"It wasn't meant to be." He replied, following her.

She glared at him and undid her robe.

"You know what I mean. He shouldn't hold himself accountable for what someone else forced him to do." She continued, throwing back the bed clothes before lying down.

”And he has a choice now. One he didn’t have before.”

He joined her. His hand slid over her, coming to rested on her stomach, on the small hard part.

"Am I welcome?" He whispered.

She didn't answer.

"Is your back painful?"

"No. It's not painful and yes you are welcome—always."

His leg moved over her, pinning her down, as he kissed her and his hand moved underneath her nightdress to cup her breast, squeezing gently.

"You're eager tonight!"

"Someone has to be. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Essie squirmed around to face him. Nearly twelve years and she still could not get enough of him.

"I do love you, you know."

Maze pulled away, "But you're tired." He stopped what he was doing.

"No! I was just thinking, and that was very pleasant what you were just doing, don't stop."

"Pleasant? Pfft!"

He moved his hand back and felt the exhale of breath on his neck, as she started kissing him. He grabbed her backside and twisted them both over so she was on top. She pulled her nightdress off.

"Is this okay for your back?" asked Maze before he was too far gone.

"Apparently I have to try and keep it supple." She ground down on him for emphasis.

He let out a small grunt,

"Too much?" She asked.

He shook his head concentrating on her breasts, squeezing and punching the nipples before taking one in his mouth and lazily sucking. His hand stroked firmly down her back, resting on her back side before squeezing one cheek.

"My back is fine." She whispered into his ear, trying to keep a lid on the arousal that was already building, just from his touch and the feelings she could sense from him. "Is yours?" She could always tap into his competitive streak.

He grunted, as he rolled them both over, "I'll show you." He lifted one leg over his shoulder pushing the other to one side. Her head dropped back, eyes closed, mouth half open, as he immersed himself in her.

.

"How's the Captain?" Jac got the question in before she could say anything.

"I miss him already."

He smiled, as he looked at the pile of wood at his feet; he'd heard them last night.

"He left today with Jusik but you knew that. Why do you keep calling him Captain?"

"Habit!"

He picked up one of the pieces of wood that lay in the pile and examined it. Holding it in front of him, with one eye closed he checked it's straightness.

"You're still using your stick. You should be trying to walk more without it." He observed. "Are you doing your physical therapy?"

"Yes! Are you going to have the 'cure'?"

"Ah. Always the same question."

"And I'll keep asking."

"Maze always said you could be awkward."

She narrowed her eyes but didn't respond.

"What are you doing?" She asked instead.

"Making a bench for you. I noticed you liked to come here, so I thought I'd make you something to sit on rather than that boulder. It looks uncomfortable and it won't help your back, which needs to be fully repaired by the time you give birth."

"Oh!" She was surprised at his reply but ignored part of it, "Can you do carpentry?"

"I picked up a few tricks when I was first decommissioned."

"Okay. I'll leave you to it."

She turned before he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks; being pregnant always made her more emotional. She was already missing Maze and now Jac, or rather Jab because that's who he really was, was being kind to her and that made it worse.

.

Maze stood waiting for Vos and the healers coming down the ramp. He had a favour to ask of Vos and he wasn't sure how the request would be received, from either party concerned.

He waited, as they fully disembarked, Vos being the last.

He pulled Maze into a hug, squeezing him hard and slapping him on the back; anyone else Maze would have thumped, hard, but Vos got away with it because, well Vos was Vos.

"You need to relax!" Vos said.

"And you need to watch who you do that to." growled Maze.

They walked towards the cluster of buildings, where Maze had made a home. It may not look like much to outsiders but it housed everything he needed and everyone who meant anything to him.

"How are they…..?" Both men asked at the same time. They stopped walking.

"You first." Vos nodded to Maze.

"The boys are well and Essie is getting there. The pregnancy is fine."

"Good. We healed all our young ones and some of the older ones and passed on some healing practices. It was a good trip."

He looked at Maze, hands on hips. "Now what else do you want to ask me?"

"Jac. He doesn't want to have the 'cure' and it's upsetting Essie."

Ah! The main reason.

"Has he said why?"

"Essie says it's because he thinks he doesn't deserve it because of what he did in the Temple." he paused, "I saw some 501st around the Senate District. They nearly got Essie and they shot their own. There was no reasoning with them. They were no more than droids."

Vos felt it took a lot for Maze to say that; they were in effect his brothers although he would deny it. Essie had indicated it had been difficult around that time for both of them. She had never gone into detail and he had never asked, being too engrossed in his own problems at that time.

"I wondered if there was something you could do…. to persuade him."

"As it's you Maze," he slung an arm over the clone's shoulder, "I'll talk to him.".

.

"Jac!"

"Sir!"

The clone stood to attention.

"Jac, we're not in the army now. I'm not a Sir. It's Quin, Vos if you must." He sensed apprehension from the clone, who looked like Maze's older brother.

"The cure…"

"I don't deserve it sir…Vos."

"Why?"

"I killed….in the Temple."

"Let me see." Vos held out his hand.

Jac put his hands behind his back. "I'd rather not relive it."

"Isn't that what you're doing anyway?"

The clone shuffled in front of him, whilst Vos put his hand out further.

"Are you messing with my head? I've had enough of that."

"No! I can do but you need to do this of your own volition."

Jac shuffled before his hand came out.

"Both!" Said Vos.

The other came out Vos held both tightly, as he sank into the Force, searching for the memories. He didn't normally do this with living beings.

Then, he was there back, in the clone wars. A younger Captain Maze. All the clones were younger. He had not realised at the time just how young they really were.

Jac was treating people.

He pushed in further.

Jac was painting blue on his armour surrounded by other clones clapping his back. Coruscant was being attacked, the sky was full of ships falling to the ground. Then Vos heard it. He nearly pulled away.

"Execute Order 66."

They were marching to the Temple, obeying Orders. Obeying a Jedi who was not part of the coup. Skywalker?

Vos had heard rumours. He concentrated again.

Jac was firing, automatically but he didn't want to. He couldn't understand why he was still firing and why he couldn't stop himself. Then he saw the younglings. Jac felt bile rise up. They were younglings and they couldn't be part of the coup.

Then Vos heard it, in Jac's head, the voice. Over and over again.

"Kill the Jedi! Kill the Jedi! Kill the Jedi!"

Vos pulled out of the Force and released Jac's hands.

Jac was looking straight at him, tears streaming down his face.

"Why couldn't I stop firing?" He asked.

.

Del and Kai sat next to Jac's bed as Mel inserted the very long needle into his thigh bone. They had offered, or rather insisted that they be there to help him. Kai was already fascinated by anything medical and when Jac finally agreed to have the anti-aging cure, he wanted to be with him.

He wanted to have his uncle around for a long time.

"Although the amended gene is carried by a virus, Dr Uthan calculated that the introduction of it into the bone marrow was the most effective method of administering it, with the least side effects." Mel explained.

She pushed the plunger in slowly. Jac winced, it was a pain he had never experienced before.

"Although from her notes and anecdotal evidence, there are some challenging side effects," she paused, "Some people may call it 'man' flu."

She carefully withdrew the needle.

"There's four more applications over the next two weeks."

"That's okay we'll look after him." Kai reminded her.

Chapter Text

Jac sat propped up in bed, pillows surrounded him; he looked grey and even thinner than when he first came to them, if that was possible.

"If this is 'man flu' Dr Uthan should manufacture it as a bioweapon and we can challenge the Emperor for the Galaxy." He quipped before starting a hacking cough. He struggled to get his breath.

Maze was at his side in a couple of seconds.

"'Fresher!" Jac wheezed.

Maze almost carried him there, until he dropped to his knees over the toilet bowl.

Essie stood at the door watching, seeing again the prominent bones sticking through his skin, which looked paper thin. This week he had sickness and coughing; it was as if the therapy was working through his systems one by one. She could not remember Maze being this bad.

She felt guilty at having pressed him into this.

"It was his choice." Maze whispered seeing the frown on her face. He squeezed her shoulder to reassure her.

Jab heaved what had to be the last of the bile out of his stomach.

Maze and Essie both stood behind him; Maze ready to pick him up, and Essie with some more anti-emetics but they weren't helping much. If he ate anything it came back up a short time later.

Maze had a theory that it was worse because he was older.

Jac thought it was retribution for what he did and he was happy to pay for that. He had already decided to help these Altisians, Vos and anyone against the Empire and if this succeeded he would be able to do it for a long time.

Penance.

Maze hauled him up, and carried him to the bed. He'd had the last injection yesterday but over the fortnight, he had lost even more weight and muscle mass and now he could barely carry what weight he had left.

First there were the joint aches, which hadn't been too bad, then the next day he had muscle pains on top of those. Those two he could cope with and they eased off after a couple of days. Then he had another injection on the other side and they came back with a vengeance together with spasms and night sweats.

It was draining and he could barely move but they couldn't stop the treatment, they weren't sure what it would do if he only had part of a course.

After the final injection came the loss of breath, coughing and an inability to breathe more than the shallowest of breaths.

And now this.

He lay back down after letting Essie dribble water into his mouth together with those oral emetics, hopefully they would settle his stomach. Mel didn't want to give him anything stronger; they watched over him until he finally slept.

"He's asleep." whispered Essie to Maze who was on the Comm to Uthan giving her an update with the latest symptoms.

"Can we go sit with him?" Del asked, poking his head around the door. They had been ushered out when Jac had said he wasn't feeling well again. Something different to before. He was a medic and knew his body.

"Have you both done your school work?" Asked Essie

The boys nodded—that was a first. They were being very good with everything that was happening with Jac.

"Okay. Do not wake him up and if anything happens come fetch either me, Dad or Mel straightaway. Understand?"

They nodded before walking slowly and quietly into his room.

.

Jac had woken in the middle of the night; Maze had heard him fall out of bed, trying to get to the toilet. Maze helped but he only managed a little dribble. Essie quickly changed the bedclothes, while he was there; they were drenched with his sweat again. This had happened every night this week but she didn't want to leave him lying in the damp material.

"Uthan confirms it's your age together with some viruses or compounds that you were exposed to when you were with the Empire."

Jac nodded slowly in response.

"No one has ever had this bad a reaction, even some of the older clones on Mandalore. Not all these reactions. Most had variations of them" Mel was saying.

He thought it was Mel. It could be Essie; he wasn't sure, as he couldn't see them properly and then the room went black.

.

Jac wasn't sure how long he had slept this time, the days had begun to merge into one another since the coughing started. He stared at the ceiling waiting for the nausea to start.

One thing he did know— he was sick of lying in this bed, he was hungry and the thought of food didn't make him feel nauseous now.

He pulled the bedclothes off with an effort and tried to swing his legs off the bed. He managed to drag them off and twisted slowly to place them flat on the floor. He could feel the floor, not the pins and needles tingling when he had tried before.

He took a deep breath and pushed himself up; he immediately dropped back down to the bed, his legs shaking with the effort of keeping him upright.

"Kriff!" He muttered

"Need any help?" A voice just like his, said.

He turned to see Maze leaning on the door frame; he had forgotten how quiet ARCs could be despite their size.

"How long have you been there?"

"A minute." He shrugged, "Essie said to check on you. You'd been asleep for a long time and we heard no coughing."

"You thought I was dead?"

"Nah! You're too awkward to be dead."

Jac sat and took a deep breath.

"Essie said to get you up, if you were up to it."

"Do you do everything she says?" Jac groused.

Maze cocked his head to one side, his eyes crinkling, "Only if I want a quiet life and regular sex." He walked in; he knew Jab—Jac was recovering and held his hand towards him. "Although I can't bloody keep up with her at the moment. But you." There was a glint in Maze's eyes, "Now the proper work begins."

Jac glared at him.

"To get you fighting fit."

Jac accepted his arm and pulled himself up.

"It's the pregnancy hormones— they increase libido." Jac informed him, still wheezing.

He tried to laugh, but it came out like a cough.

It reminded him of General Grievous.

.

Del and Kai helped him walk to the bench he had made for Essie before he had the treatment; it was the first time he had been outside in a month and he still needed help sometimes with his walking but he was gradually increasing the number of steps per day he was achieving unaided.

He was impressed with the youngsters. Del was good at organising; he'd arranged his room to make it easier to get around and Kai was picking up on anything medical.

"Thanks boys."

He creaked, a little, as he sat down but he was getting better every day now, stronger and they were working on a program for him to improve his strength.

"Where's your mother?" He wanted to check on her, although he had seen she didn't use a stick any more.

"Having a rest," said Kai.

"She and Dad are both lying down." Del rolled his eyes.

Jac chuckled, not much rest being done, he thought.

.

Jac, hands on his hips, looked at the collection of wood, ropes, ladders and platforms, arranged as some kind of walkway through the trees.

"What the Fek is that?"

"It's your assault course. I want you to do three laps today."

"What do you mean three laps?"

Maze pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, it's going to be like that is it?"

"Like what?"

"You being awkward."

"I'm not awkward." Jac eyed the assault course again.

"Go up the ramp, along the walkway, up the tree then follow it around. When you've finished you run back and start again. Three times, then we check your breathing and heart rate."

"You haven't kriffing changed." Muttered Jac.

"Then lunch, and afterwards, check up and weight training."

"Kriffin' hell!" Jac muttered before he set off.

Maze set his timer and watched as the older clone made his way along the course. He was doing well.

Maze frowned, someone was watching; he moved to get a look at their face.

"Aah. Mel. Probably just checking on her patient." He ignored her.

Maze watched as he completed the course. His timings were good and he hadn't lost his footing at any point. He timed Jac as he ran towards him, stopping in front of him, bracing his hands on his knees as he bent over to get his breath.

"Not bad times."

"You were kriffing timing me as well?" Jac stormed off to the house. "Kriffing sadist."

"Don't worry you haven't got me this afternoon." Maze shouted after him, "You've got Essie and she's in a bad mood. The baby keeps kicking."

He grinned to himself.

Mel was still watching.

.

Jac glared, "How many?"

"Twenty push ups to start." instructed Essie.

"At least its not that bloody contraption of ropes and wood."

"Oh. Didn't you like it?"

"No."

"Pity. I designed it."

She whistled, "Twenty now!"

He dropped and did twenty.

"See easy." he got up from the floor.

"Who said you could stop?"

Jac glared.

"See that boulder, pick it up and run to that tree and back."

He grumbled loudly as he did so, "Fekking….."

"I heard that!" she shouted; she hadn't but he didn't know that.

"Who taught you all this?" he asked as he dropped the boulder in front of her on his return.

"My Dad and if you can still talk, you're not working hard enough. Again!"

Jac rolled the boulder up his body and jogged along the little track muttering to himself; he was frustrated that he was not the fit soldier he used to be.

Essie watched as he went through the exercises; Mel had advised them how much they needed to do with him. She was standing in the corner of the field watching. Again.

.

Maze turned over placing his arm on what he expected to be his wife but it was just an empty space; he must have heard her rise, to disturb him, although he knew she tried to stay quiet so as not to wake him. He rose anyway, just to check on her.

He noticed Jac's bedroom door was open; he poked his head inside. The bed was empty.

He continued on his way to the kitchen.

Essie was where he expected her to be, standing, bathed in the light from the open conservator, surveying its contents.

"I thought we had some pickled vegetables?" she asked frowning and moving items around inside the large appliance.

"We do, lots." he reached up and removed two jars from the cupboard above her.

"Craving?"

"Yes." she unscrewed a jar and picked out a small pickled root.

Maze grimaced, he never liked the pickles, especially those.

"Jac's up." she said, between crunching the vegetables.

"I noticed."

"I'll make some caf. See how he is."

She popped a kiss on his cheek, "Don't stay up too late."

"Don't eat all the bloody jar."

She chuckled as she made her way back to the bedroom.

.

He headed into the garden with two cafs and some cookies. Jac was just standing there, not even in the tent that seemed permanently erected there now. Just in case he needed to sleep outside.

"Here!" Maze pushed the mug towards him, "Bad dreams?"

"Yeah." Jac replied as he accepted the caf.

The two men stood there, sipping the caf, in the light from the three moons that lit them. It was particularly peaceful in a violent galaxy.

"Any particular one?" pushed Maze.

"Order 66."

Maze nodded.

"Mine's the same. The Order. The Choice. If I hadn't …." he took a deep breath. He couldn't think like that.

"If you hadn't made the choice you did. Zey wouldn't be here Del, Essie and Kai—all dead or worse."

"Yes. And sometimes I wake up in panic. Thinking I'm in some barracks and this is all a dream."

"I've lived that nightmare." muttered Jac.

The two men stood drinking caf.

Chapter Text

Maze lay next to Essie rubbing her stomach. She was getting very large but he wasn't going to say that.

"Did you notice all the time Jac was training, Mel was watching him?" Asked Essie, threading her fingers through his hair.

"Yours as well?" Confirmed Maze.

He smiled as he felt his son kick his hand; he moved his hand higher up. He smiled again as he felt another kick.

"I think she likes him." Observed Essie, struggling to get comfortable.

"I'm sure she does," Maze said, moving his hand to the other side, letting it rest there and grinning when he felt another kick. He peered at her stomach fascinated as he saw movement just under the skin. He moved his hand again. Essie stopped him.

"Don't!"

"Why not?"

"He's active enough without you prompting him."

"Really? Sorry."

Essie hated that look on her husband's face.

"I know it's fascinating but sometimes, when he moves it feels like he's jumping up and down on my hip bones."

"I'm sorry." He said again, placing a kiss on her stomach. "Be a good boy for your Mother, son. Go to sleep!" He whispered to her stomach.

Essie couldn't resist smiling, as she snuggled up to him.

"Mel?" She asked, becoming serious again.

"Yes?"

"I think she really, really likes Jac."

"He's quite likeable, I suppose." He replied, turning his attention to her neck, as his arm attempted to wrap around her pulling her closer to him.

"I mean…..really, really, really likes him. Like I like you."

"Oh!" Maze realised what she meant now. "Should we do something about it?"

.

Essie slowly pushed herself off the gurney.

"Do you want to come for supper, unless you're busy?" She asked, catching her breath.

Mel gave her that funny look she had, where she looked over her spectacles; there was some reason she couldn't have the operation to improve her eyesight but Essie had not gone into detail with her about it.

She wasn't someone you did that with.

"Only if you have nothing else to do!" she added.

"Actually, I am free tonight."

"Okay! See you at eight."

Essie felt like skipping out of the med bay.

.

Essie lifted the serving plate above her head and carefully walked around her wrestling boys; they were both getting very good. They were their boisterous selves until Mel walked in, then they scooted onto their chairs and sat quietly. She had that effect on them.

"Come in, sit." Essie put the plate on the table.

"Del get Jac." Ordered Maze, as he put two bowls on the table, while Essie fetched the bread.

"A couple of minutes later Jac appeared." He stopped suddenly when he saw Mel.

"Jac." She acknowledged him.

"Mel." he nodded back. He looked around the table and knew what they were up to.

"There you are, everyone. Help yourselves."

Luckily the food was hot because Jac was like a freezer.

Essie caught Maze's eyes; there was an imperceptible shrug. They were in it now.

"It's a nice spread Essie, you shouldn't have." Mel said, as she helped herself.

"Maze cooked, he's better with the spices than I am. I made the bread."

Mel raised her mug to Maze.

It was a very quiet meal.

.

Mel rose, "It's time for me to go. Thank you again."

"I'll walk you over. I need some exercise." Offered Jac, getting up from his chair.

Essie wanted to punch the air.

Maze's left eyebrow arched.

"See you tomorrow." Said Essie as Jac followed her out.

Essie leaned back and let out a long sigh. "Finally!"

.

"Thank you for walking with me. But there's no need."

Jac didn't reply.

They walked quietly together until they reached her quarters.

”I saw you watching me spar with Maze.”

”I was just making sure you were okay. Professionally of course.”

”Of course.”

”I also saw you during my rehab. I am assuming that was in a professional capacity as well.”

”Of course.”

Mel looked at the ground.

”Maze an Essie are good people but they can get a little….enthusiastic.”

Jac snorted his amusement, “That’s one way to put it. They weren’t exactly subtle. It’s beyond me how he survived SOB sometimes.”

”They’re worse when they’re together.” Mel confirmed looking up at him, eyes blinking behind the spectacles.

"I was thinking about what you were saying. I still think I'm too old for you." Jac continued.

”You don’t know how old I am.”

”I thought it was bad manners to ask a female her age.”

”Only in the holovids.”

She leaned upwards and whispered in his ear.

His eyebrows raised.

Jac touched her shoulder, "I have problems sleeping sometimes. I was institutionalised in the army."

Mel was looking down at the ground, she pushed her spectacles back up her nose. "I don't want children. I'm not maternal. I'm quite happy for them to go back to their parents after an hour. If I take these off," she removed her spectacles."I can't see very well, I'm a workaholic and insomniac."

"So you're saying you want to give it a go?" Jac asked.

Mel nodded and pulled him into a kiss.

.

"So what was it like on Kamino?" Kai asked him again, as they prepared the med bays. The boy was attached to him like a limpet recently. He didn't mind really but it was all the questions; questions he didn't want to consider.

He didn't want to talk about Kamino but it was all they knew until they were deployed. Then they really learnt what it was all about. The loss of brothers, injuries, death, although he'd had it good compared to some.

"Why don't you ask your Dad?"

"I have but he doesn't like to talk about it."

"His experience was different from mine. The flash training was the same but he was trained by Jango Fett. Do you know who he was?"

"Yes—the Prime Donor. He trained Dad?"

"Yes."

"Oh!"

"We had droids and simulations."

Jac waited for the next question.

"What did the place look like?"

"It was white. Regimented. We were watched by the Kaminoans all the time and the weak or defective were culled."

The young lad went quiet, perhaps he had said too much.

"Do you think it was like that at Weyland?"

"I don't know. I never saw it. Although it wasn't Kamino, I suspect it would be much the same."

"Hmm."

"Do you remember anything?"

Maze had explained to Jac how they found Kai, just decanted from his gestation tube.

"Not really, random images but it wasn't white."

"The Empire has nothing white." Jac commented.

"How did they do the flash training?" Kai asked.

"With holographic imaging."

"Oh." Kai nodded.

"Let's get this ready." Jac interrupted his thoughts, "I'm going to scan your Mum, look at the baby, see how it's growing."

"Ooh! Can I watch?"

"Only if she agrees. You must always take the considerations of the patient into account."

"Oh—okay." He frowned, Jac knew from that expression, he was thinking of another question.

"But she's not ill, So she's not a patient. I've heard her say so. She often says to Dad—Pregnancy is not an illness."

He mimicked her intonation perfectly and Jac suppressed a smile.

"No but it's only right that we should ask her if she objects to you being there."

Kai thought again, "Okay." Although he couldn't think why she would object.

"Right. Go fetch her."

.

Essie climbed onto the bed, with Kai's help. It was getting more difficult and she had forgotten how uncomfortable this stage of the pregnancy was, especially when you were short.

"Mum, is it alright if I stay and watch?" Kai asked.

Maze ruffled his son's head.

"Of course!" She replied, as she took her jacket off before laying back.

Jac adjusted the small pillow for her; she watched him closely, desparately wanting to ask where he got to last night

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes. Thank you."

He noticed the faint scar at the top of her chest. It had healed well; that had been a long time ago.

"I'm just going to scan to check the baby's growth."

She nodded, they had done this before but Mel had taken charge then.

"Have you had any problems, any bleeds, headaches, shortness of breath, pains anywhere?" asked Jac.

It was the required etiquette, Mel had said to ask this and the scanner would pick up any problems. This was the first time he had done this alone and would need to discuss the findings with Mel later. She had invited him over for dinner; Essie raised her eyebrows when he told her.

"Just the indigestion still, since day one." Replied Essie.

"Hmm." He concentrated on the scan. "There's nothing wrong with the baby."

Kai stood on a stool next to the screen and peered at it, his expression just like Jac's, while Jac showed him all the different parts of his baby sibling. His head, spine, arms and legs. Kai pointed to part of the screen.

"Is that his willy?"

Jac rolled his eyes. He hadn't yet got to the stage when he asked if Essie and Maze wanted to know the sex of their baby.

"So….that's let the cat out of the bag." Muttered Maze, grinning from ear to ear.

Kai looked at his parents, "Oooh!" Realising he shouldn't have said anything.

"It's okay, Kai. So now you know you're having a baby brother. And there he is." His mother smiled. He liked it when his mother smiled and she looked really happy today.

.

"Jac!" Maze strode into the clinic dressed in his armour. He had a mission with General Zey. Jac could not get out of the habit of calling him that.

"Maze?"

"I need you to keep an eye on Essie, while I'm gone."

"You don't need to ask."

The muscles in Maze's cheek twitched as he clenched his jaw.

"But you're worried — first time father nerves?"

"I guess it is."

"And?" Jac prompted him.

"I really wanted to be with her. She was alone when she had Del."

"Don't worry. I'll sleep in my old room. Where are you going?"

"Seelos. Mandalore sent some intel. There's supposed to be some clones there. Just rumours, so far, from what I can see."

"The cure was just a rumour to me." Jac reminded him.

"The intel says three older men, who look exactly the same, living in the desert in some kind of converted Republic tank."

Jac's eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. "Converted tank? Who would want to do that?"

"Yeah. Load of Osik if you ask me but we've been tasked to check them out. As a bloody favour."

"Ordo?"

"Yeah."

"And some pressure at home?"

"Yeah! She's grumpy all the time, at the moment, apart from…"

"Sex is still safe in the third trimester." Jac said helpfully.

"So why is she sending me on this fool's errand?" Maze huffed.

"Don't go there. I'll make sure she's safe."

"Thanks, ner vod. See you in a few days."

.

Three days later, Essie appeared at his door in the middle of the night, bent over holding her stomach. Luckily he had been sleeping better recently, so was in the house.

"They're getting closer together."

"You should have shouted for me."

"Didn't want to wake the boys." Essie said before wincing.

"Come on, you'll be fine." He held her up. "You know what to do. You've had one before."

"I can't remember much of last time; it was fourteen years ago."

All she could really remember was holding Del in her arms afterwards.

"Have your waters broken?"

"Er… no. Should they have?"

"I would have expected them to have by now but let's go get you comfortable."

Holding her elbow, he led her back into her room, a basket for the baby was already laid out. Everything was organised. He made her comfortable on her bed, getting some old towels ready.

He scanned her.

"I'm going to have to break the amniotic sac, to hurry it along."

"Will it hurt?"

"I don't know, I've never had it done myself."

He heard the snort, as he headed between her legs, trying to hide the instrument. A strong hand grabbed his wrist.

"What the fuck is that?" She growled.

Yep. She's grumpy.

"It's sterilised and I just need to nick the membrane. Relax. Try some Jedi breathing techniques."

"Fuck that." She growled at him, then tensed.

"You can scream you know."

He wished he hadn't said that but he managed to duck and quickly completed the procedure, while she was distracted.

"Aaah!" Essie let out a sigh, just as he avoided the liquid that rushed out.

"Better?" He asked.

"Actually. Yes. It does feel better."

Jac disposed of the hook; it did look barbaric. Essie squeezed his hand.

"Jac? I think another contraction is coming."

"Okay."

He headed back down, it looked as if it would happen quickly now. He had hoped Mel would be here but she was with someone else; a more complicated birth. He had not even had a chance to administer proper pain relief before Essie needed to give a final push, screamed and the little boy popped out, crying almost immediately.

He wiped him, cut the cord, wrapped him in a towel and carefully placed him on Essie's chest, skin to skin.

"He looks just like Maze." She whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Yeah, apart from one thing. Jac thought.

.

Jac leaned back against the wall and cradled his mug of caf. He was tired but happy and saw Maze running towards him. He'd got the message just as they landed.

"Are they both okay?" He shouted, before even reaching the door.

"Both are well. You have a healthy son."

Maze shot through the door, his helmet hitting the floor. Jac followed, he wanted to see his face when he saw the baby.

"Fek!" he heard from the bedroom.

He was too late.

Essie was feeding the boy, he was a hungry little bugger, as Maze stared down at them.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" He asked.

"Essie thinks Rex would be a good one." Maze replied looking a little shell shocked. Jac had never seen him look like that before.

Jac smiled, and looked at the feeding baby with the shock of bright blond hair.

"Most appropriate." He said smiling. "I'll let everyone know."

.

Jac walked through the colony that was now his home, waving at people who acknowledged him. He was off to meet Mel to do their joint prenatal class. They had four pregnancies on the go at the moment and all the Mothers-to-be had requested that he attend them if he could.

Mel waved at him from the door of their little clinic; they had set it up separately from the main one, just to deal with pregnancies, birth control and children and stocked it accordingly. Mij had been very generous and part of him couldn't believe he was calling the Mando Sergeant by his first name.

He was happy he had let Vos persuade him about this. It was the best decision he had ever made.

He reached Mel; she stood on tip toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. He kept the beard. It was easier, people didn't call him Maze when he had a beard.

When she told him how she felt, he'd argued with her about his age; he looked so much older than her. She disagreed vehemently and Essie and Maze were no help. They just smiled and shrugged their shoulders, when he told them what happened.

"Cyar'ika." He greeted her as he held her by the waist. "Let's get this show on the road."

Jac was now complete.