Battle of Kamino

-The Kaminoans are the most despicable beings in the civilized galaxy. Few beings can be so wretched and yet be unaware of how wretched they are.

Quote from an Unknown senator.

Kamino

Pov Lion

Lion contemplated as he rode in the LAAT in its flight over Kamino. This was a planet of constant never ending rain and overcast skies. It was a depressing sight to be sure, but it was one that clones like himself had grown up with, so for him rain was the closest thing he had to nostalgia for his childhood.

"Heavy droid transport located, setting intercept course." called the pilot. Lion leaned out as far as he could to see the heavy transport. He relaxed when he saw that they were the same ones the enemy had used on Naboo. The extra practice he had gone over with Big Sister would come in quite handy today.

"Men." Lion said as he turned around and looked his soldiers over, they had gone through the fires of war, and come out stronger. They were ready.

"Remember your training. It's the same model the Separatist used on Naboo, so this should be a milk run."

Many of his brothers relaxed at that information. There's nothing better than everything going to plan. The problem was when things cropped up that were not according to plan.

Which was all the time.

The LAAT flew over the heavy droid transport. A careful observer might have seen eleven figures dropped from the troop carrier, garbed in midnight armor and decorated with crimson stripes, the fiery plumes of jetpacks trailing behind them.

Lion readied his DC-17 blaster pistols. He was prepared to take the fight to the clankers. He was a veteran of dozens of battles already and he would not die here.

"Charges ready" Said a pair of clones known as Lex and Xel. Their names were due to the fact that they were always together, something curious and rare for a clone.

"Blow the charges."

Lex activated the detonator, a high pitched electric squeal rang out as the penetration charges did their work, cutting a hole into the armor and making a new entrance in mere seconds…

Going in first in a situation like this was possibly the single most dangerous thing a clone could do. So of course as was his duty as leader, Lion dove in first, jumping through and prepared for combat.

Quickly the rest of the group followed him and began their journey towards the bridge. A few frantic seconds later, they burst through into the bridge, taking the B1s operating the ship off guard. A brief firefight erupted, one the clones were well trained for.

"Eat blaster clankers!" Lex and Xel said at the same time as they began to suppress the droids that had taken cover with their DC-15A blaster carbines. Lion took this opportunity to rush the droid's flank, a few well placed shots to the unprepared clankers and the fighting was over. The rest of Lion's brothers moved to cover any possible entry while Lex and Xel placed explosive charges throughout the bridge.

"Job done." they both said at the same time. Leon nodded and gestured towards the exit.

"Everyone to the LAAT now"

Quickly and efficiently the clones evacuated the soon to be wreck, and utilizing their Jetpacks to flee through their previous entry point. Lion as always, was the last to exit combat. Covering his brothers in case any droids caught them unawares. However no droids appeared this time.

With pride in a job well done, Lion returned to the LAAT, just as Xel activated the detonator once more. Destroying the heavy transport, soon it first began to list and then fell into an uncontrolled descent towards the great ocean of Kamino.

"Good work men, now let's keep it up."

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours passed and they had already intercepted many heavy transports at this point. The 44th had generally maintained their operational integrity with few casualties, while battle in space appeared to be going in the Republic's favor.

"Attention all 44th." came a commanding voice over the comms. Quickly everyone focused, the one who had opened communication was Big Sister and if she was sending a message to all of the 44th, it could only mean trouble..

"Debris is falling on platform B6. Repeat to all 44th, begin evacuation of platform B6."

Quickly Lion pulled up his holo-map. Fortunately it appeared that B6 was a small facility, the personnel they would have to evacuate would be few. Unfortunately it was also where many young clones were beginning their first years of education and training.

The pilots did not wait for Lion's order and began to fly towards the platform. Dozens if not hundreds of LAATs maneuvered towards the platform.

Lion, unlike the rest, watched the debris fall. His gut told him that it should make impact in about 10 minutes.

Soon Lion's LAAT arrived at the landing pad, where hundreds of children and Kaminoans were awaiting transport. Surprisingly, they were all politely waiting for him to come to the rescue. Lion was proud to see the younger generation being so calm. However he looked with disgust at the Kaminoans.

The Kaminoans walked with arrogance that astounded him towards the LAAT. Expecting prioritized evacuation however four clone troopers stopped them in their tracks with their heavy blasters.

"Children first." they ordered. Lion understood what his brothers were thinking. Activating his holocomm he sent a request to Big Sister.

Big Sister quickly got in touch.

"What's wrong, Lion?"

"There's a problem. Do we evacuate the Kaminoans or the kids first?"

Even though Big Sister had her helmet on, he could tell that she was panicking. The nervous twitches were easy for him to see. She could be quite expressive once you got to know her.

She quickly pulled herself together. Biting her lips in frustration even if Lion didn't know it.

"The children first."

Lion nodded without hesitation.

"CHILDREN FIRST!" he commanded, his voice booming over the landing pad. He exited the LAAT with the rest of the soldiers to help organize those that would soon be departing on the LAAT. A Kaminoan tried to enter however the clones formed a wall, preventing them from getting through. The clone children entered, cramming as many as they could into the LAAT, which soon departed to bring them to the nearest platform.

A senior Kaminoan approached the wall of clones.

"What is this foolishness! The debris is approaching this facility and you evacuate the merchandise before you evacuate us!" he shouted with clear indignation. His enhanced brain was surprisingly slow to comprehend the situation at hand.

"CC-0001 has ordered us to prioritize the children first. That's a direct order from my superior officer and you are outside my chain of command!" Lion retorted right back.

The Kaminoan pushed Xel in a move to get into the area reserved for the LAAT. Xel responded with a strike with the but of his blaster. The elder Kaminoan fell in a tangle of awkward limbs, in pain and clutching feebly at his stomach.

Just then a LAAT returned with the doors open, another batch of children climbed aboard. At this rate in two more trips all the children here would be safe.

"DEBRIS IMPACT IN 5 MINUTES" someone called over the helmet's internal communicator. Lion nodded to himself. If necessary he would stay on the platform when the debris fell. Whatever it took to get the children away in time.

The Kaminoan stood up and began shouting at the clones.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM? I have contacts with the Prime Minister. I will have you all decommissioned!" He was now shouting threats at the clones. Lex activated the stun on his weapon as did the rest of the clones. They were prepared to force the Kaminoan if necessary. However, Lion didn't even do that, he simply waited for the LAAT to take off.

"Listen to me, you can threaten us all you want," Lion said, "But good soldiers follow orders, and I'm following my orders. If you wanted disobedient soldiers you should have created us that way."

"Update a second impact is heading for your sector. A Separatist ship has lost power and is de-orbiting. Estimated time of impact 10 minutes" Sounded over the internal comms. Lion looked up at the sky and watched as an exploding Separatist ship slowly fell.

"I created you! I'm one of the leads in charge of the clone army project, so get me out of here!" Shouted the Kaminoan, seemingly unwilling to understand what Lion had just said. The other Kaminoans, understanding a losing battle when they saw one, decided to try their luck at another evacuation point. The elder was not so prudent, and the stubborn fool would not budge.

The fourth LAAT came and evacuated the rest of the children and the Kaminoans. The clones had shown their incredible patience by not turning the Elder's face into a crater.

Lion opened the internal comms to make sure everyone had been evacuated. There was only a minute until impact and he wanted to know the situation.

"This is Lion, have all the brothers been evacuated?"

All the LAATs affirmed. The last one, however, denied.

"Negative. We have not found the Little Sister. We know she was on this platform but she has not been found by any of the search parties."

A LAAT returned, and at last the clone troopers let the Elder aboard and waited for the LAAT to take off. However, they were all caught by surprise as debris began to strike the platform.

Specifically the sections where the Little Sister could have been.

Lion panicked, opening communication with his LAAT.

"DON'T EVACUATE UNTIL I TELL YOU TO!"

Lion quickly began to sprint towards the burning platform, with an entire Separatist ship was about to impact in the next three minutes. Lion knew there was no time to think.

"LEX AND XEL FOLLOW ME. THE REST OF YOU GET ON THE LAAT."

The clones obeyed the order instantly. Lion used a tone of voice that brokered no argument, as now was not the time for hesitation.

Lion, Lex and Xel ran through corridor after corridor, all of them empty, and half covered in burning rubble. Everything was consumed by the fire… Lion prayed that Little Sister was alright. There were only 13 of them and he knew them all personally. He couldn't let any of them die.

A faint call for help was heard in the distance. A young woman's voice sounded quaked as if it was in deep pain. Lion's heart almost broke at the sound, it did once he heard the awful crying of someone who believed they were beyond saving.

"This way!" called Xel pointing down a corridor, obviously hearing the Little Sister's cries. The trio ran in that direction until they came upon the Little Sister. A perfect reflection of Big Sister, not but two years younger. As they approached her they realized her legs were trapped under the debris, having crushed most of her legs beneath a large chunk of plasteel that used to be a part of the ceiling.

Lion checked the time, he had one minute and twenty seconds to evacuate the Little Sister.

"Come on men, grab the rubble and LIFT."

Quickly the three of them grabbed the piece of rubble with all their might.

"On three!"

"One, Two, Three!"

Together they worked to lift the great piece of rubble but the kriffing thing didn't even move an inch.

"Again!"

"One, Two, Three!"

"LIFT!"

Lion was beginning to panic, they were running out of time. Soon the separatist ship would impact the platform, dooming them all to an early grave. He had but one last alternative.

One that he hoped he would never have to do.

"Sister. I'm sorry, I truly am."

Lion met the eyes of his brothers, his face solemn. He knew that these next words would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"We have to use the penetration charges… to amputate her legs."

She opened her mouth and began to scream, Lion used this opportunity to hopefully save her even more pain, for what little it would do in this situation. He took out a wad of bandages and shoved it in her mouth. Hopefully they would prevent her from biting off her own tongue.

The clone girl began to fight with all her might, a primal fear kicking in, to do anything in her power to prevent the loss of her legs. However the three fully grown clones easily overpowered her, and started their bloody work, knowing it was the only option they had left. Lex and Xel each held down one of her legs, and began to prepare the charge.

The clone girl's body shook violently in terror, attempting to speak through the impromptu gag, her attempts only demoralizing the clones even more as they continued their work.

Their work complete Lion activated the detonator himself, a leader has a duty to his men, and Lex doesn't deserve to be haunted by this anymore than he already was.

Nearly instantaneously the charge did its work, leaving three emotionally devastated men to do naught but carry on.

"I'm sorry sister. I'm so sorry, I swear," Lion repeated like a mantra as he rocketed down the hallway. They had about a mere thirty seconds until impact and they still hadn't even made it from the platform.

Lex and Xel following behind Lion were also having their own personal melt downs. The Sisters were not only their superiors, they were a symbol. They were something to be protected. They were the veritable queens of the hive, to be protected at all costs.

And they had just used a device used to penetrate spacecraft armor to cut the legs off that very symbol.

The group of four, each traumatized in their own unique way, finally boarded the LAAT and evacuated the platform. It was but a few mere moments later that the spaceship fell striking the platform, causing it to erupt in flames, even as it drifted in the waiting abyss.

However they were not safe yet, though they had escaped the initial impact there was still a flood of debris streaking down from the sky. The pilot, pulling desperate maneuver after desperate maneuver, as he attempted to get them into air space that wasn't actively trying to kill them.

Inside the LAAT however, oblivious to the pilot's plight to keep them all alive, the Little Sister continued to sob, devastated at the loss of her legs. It was honestly a miracle that she was still conscious.

"Brother stop, please." She spoke up, gag long since removed, though delirious from the pain. It seems she was still trying to convince them to not amputate her legs…

The loss of her legs was causing her incredible suffering. Not just because of the act but because of the emotional scars she would now have to bear. She was barely aware of her surroundings, and constantly begging them not to take her legs.

And the elder wasn't helping the situation.

"I will have you decommissioned, do you hear me! I almost died, due to your insistence on saving it!" the Kaminoan shouted. Amidst the screams of pain, and the screeching of the Kaminoan, the doors of the LAAT opened.

Lion was at his wits end, not only had he gone through one of the most harrowing things he had ever done, but it damn near felt like it was all for naught, as he was to be decommissioned. Lion was completely unaware of the world around him as thoughts swirled in his head. However, the harsh crack of blaster fire finally distracted from the meastorm within his mind. Lion lifted his head to see the Elderly scientist hanging on to the LAAT, tottering on the brink, a mere hair's breadth from falling… With a single, smoking crater in his chest.

Apparently while Lion was distracted by his own swirling thoughts, The old scientist had turned his ire towards Lex… Causing an altercation.

Even now the Elder hung on, begging for help…

He found none.

Xel kicked the Kaminoan in the chest, sending him tumbling into the ocean, and the only evidence of the deed with him…

Lex looked at Lion and then at the little sister who appeared to be having finally fainted, a small mercy.

"We take this to the grave." Lex said softly.

Lion, still more than a little shell shocked, and guilty of his breakdown, simply gave a stunned nod and sat back down.

It was a long silent flight home, they could only hope to put this whole sordid affair behind them.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POV Tanya

I watched in satisfaction as the last surviving separatist ships fled the battlefield. We had destroyed over twenty of their ships and Weiss and Anakin's raid on the enemy flagship had worked wonders. Sowing chaos within the enemy command structure, allowing us to envelop the enemy and annihilate them at our leisure, with but a mere handful managing to escape our net. And what few forces the enemy had managed to land upon the planet's surface had been neutralized with all due prejudice.

Perhaps I should take to calling myself Barca? It was too bad that no one would get that reference here, not to mention how the Kaminoans would react.

Jokes aside, the only complications occurred when due to a set of unfortunate circumstances one of the clone training facilities suffered a series of impacts from wreckage of the space battle that ended with a whole separatist cruiser had come down like the fist of an angry god, obliterating it. Though it appears that due to the timely intervention of the 44th legion that all of the personnel had managed to escape.

Mission accomplished with minimal casualties and total victory. What more could I ask for? Well a lot actually, like someone who could make some decent coffee, perhaps a few million credits, and since I was dreaming I might as well add freedom for all of the clones to that list aswell while I was at it.

Make no mistake that fight had gone very well for us, but we still had far to go. This war was far from over, and no one would ever know what the future might bring, and in my experience it rarely brought good news.

I was surrounded by my brothers as we basked in our victory, hard won, but so very worth it. I had heard that the gunnery crews were already partying, and halfway to a damn frat party, if the reports were accurate.

I would give them this for now, but come morning they will come to regret being quite so lax in their duties.

I allowed myself a small smile, if anyone noticed they wisely chose to not comment.

That gambit of Skywalker's had clinched it, half a legion's worth of clones raiding the enemy flagship, led by a talented warrior Jedi, quickly turned the battle to our favor. A battle that by any metric we should have lost.

It just goes to show that when we are united in purpose, we are unstoppable.

A call from Kamino pinged on my holocomm, interrupting the revelry. I promptly accepted it and the Prime Minister of Kamino spoke.

"CC-0001, I need you to come down to the capital, immediately."

He seemed displeased somehow, perhaps he is upset with the loss of the facility? I hope it was nothing too critical to the war effort.

I looked around, everyone seemed just as surprised as I was. So I simply accepted and prepared to go down to the planet's surface.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stepped off the LAAT, and onto the capital. I was greeted by-What?

Why was the Prime Minister surrounded by members of the Clone Hunter project?

They were clones specialized in hunting their siblings. Their minds had been manipulated by the Kaminoans to turn them into psychopaths who cared neither for life nor death. It was one of the worst crimes that could be done to a clone.

And they were right here.

Why?!

The clone hunters took position to my sides, preventing even the thought of escape.. I swallowed and looked at the Prime Minister. He approached me slowly and looked quite angry.

"I have been made aware that by your orders a great friend of mine, the father of the cloning project has died when a separatist ship crashed into the platform while awaiting for a rescue that should have been given the greatest priority."

I quickly tried to argue my case but a sharp pain to the back of my head, and the world turned dark.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up bound to a gurney and dressed in a hospital gown. I felt a chill that ran down the whole of my spine. I looked around but I was alone for now at least.

I tried to sit up but my body felt slow and lethargic, I couldn't so much as twitch, let alone stand up.

I tried to force my limbs to obey through sheer force of will, but it was for naught.

I was trapped.

Soon Nala Se and the Prime Minister entered the room. They were reading some reports and talking to each other, ignoring me. Most of the jargon went over my head, except for one key term.

A memory reboot.

I struggled futilely against the bindings. I would rather die and try my luck in a fourth life than submit myself to a memory reboot. If I lost my memory of everything I would cease to exist, my life in Japan, as Tanya and as Big Sister. Everything I was would disappear, permanently.

I tried to bite my tongue, hoping to bleed out, but Nala Se intervened quickly and filled my mouth with something, preventing me from ending my current life.

I fought as hard as I could, screamed as loudly as I could, but they cared naught for my attempts. Some other Kaminoans started to move my gurney to begin the brainwashing. After a short eternity and a few more pathetic attempts to save my life, I had arrived at my execution. They carefully handled me and placed me on another gurney. I turned to look at this horrid device, attempting to find some way of disabling it. But my unfamiliarity and panic denied such an option, I don't even know what I would have done if I had but I had to try, it was not in my nature to just give up.

I redoubled my efforts to try to move, to get out, to escape, however I was bound tightly against the gurney. I could not allow myself to be brainwashed, I refused.

Soon despite my struggles, the Kaminoans soon left the room.

The machine began to whirl to life.

I fought and I roared. I struggled and I shouted. I begged and I cried.

It all mattered naught.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some minutes before

POV Anakin

Anakin was flying his Jedi fighter as he fled from Assaj Ventress' flagship. The assault was a complete success. Though Assaj proved troublesome, they had little difficulty taking control of most of the ship.

Soon he arrived upon the Maelstrom's hangar bay, and quickly exited the ship. Just in time to see a LAAT leave for Kamino at eyebrow raising speeds. Anakin lifted his shoulders and waited for the rest of the raiding party to land.

Soon dozens of LAATs landed in the hangar, and the soldiers from the 203rd spilled forth, celebrating their victory.

Anakin saw Commander Weiss and approached him.

"A job well done, Commander Weiss."

Weiss turned and looked at him, stiff as a statue. For reasons unknown to Anakin, the clone commander didn't seem to like Jedi very much.

"...To you too, General Skywalker." He replied back, before walking off and disappearing into the crowd. Anakin was left with a bitter taste in his mouth, only the 501st and Tanya treated him with any degree of friendliness and closeness. The rest were too serious or seemed to outright hate him.

Anakin sighed and approached his ship, he had to take stock of everything that was damaged or broken. The lack of an astromech droid was taking its toll, but he didn't like any of the models he had been able to find.

Just as he was getting into a groove, his holocomm pinged. Quickly Anakin accepted the call and took in the form of a clone pilot who appeared to be busy piloting a ship.

"The Kaminoans have attacked CC-0001 in Tipoca City. As her bodyguard it's your duty to protect her from exactly this sort of situation." He declared his voice practically dripping with an unsaid accusation.

Anakin's blood ran cold.

He cut the call, and boarded his fighter. Ashoka spotted his retreat as he prepared the ship for departure.

"Master, the battle's over! What's the rush?!"

Without the time nor the patience to explain, he powered up his ship and left. Ashoka, curious as to why her master was acting so strange, followed after in her own fighter.

Anakin's ship quickly passed through the atmosphere and clouds of Kamino, landing abruptly, having no time to go through the proper channels. He leaped out of the cockpit and allowed the force to guide him. Not far behind, mirroring her master Ashoka jumped out of her own ship and onto the runway, not even deigning to land.

"When I call you, you come back to pick me up, okay?" She called to her astromech, before diving into the city following her master

Anakin had made all haste through the city, he could only hope he would not arrive too late.

Rushing through the heart of the city, he allowed himself to dive deeper and deeper into the force seeking any way to find 0001 within the chaos of the capital. Time was of the essence he had to find her now, if he didn't he w-

There!

Anakin could sense 0001, her terror was a physical thing and all encompassing, but she wasn't far. He would not fail. Anakin moved, using the force to push himself to the absolute limit of what he was capable of. In a flash he ignited his lightsaber and cut through the door, wasting no time attempting to unlock it.With a flick of his hand he pushed the wreckage out of his way, and towards the Kaminoans. They were caught completely unaware, not suspecting an assault, much less from a jedi.

In an instant he took in the scene, 0001 crying in terror, the cloners indifferent towards her plight, uncaring of her pain.

Anakin felt rage, cold and pitiless.

Anakin used the force to slowly strangle the life from those responsible for this mess. With a mere twist of his wrist and a flash of his saber the computer was scrap metal stopping the machine before it could begin its terrible work.

The Kaminoans struggled and grasped at their necks as if they could prevent him from taking their pathetic lives.

They dared to beg for mercy.

He cared not.

"Master!" Came a shout from behind, Ashoka had finally caught up to him

"Master.. this isn't right." She said, stunned, her words barely more than whisper. His eyes never left the ones who tried to kill 0001. "Please, master!" She tried once more growing desperate. The Kaminoans were growing steadily weaker, their time was running short. "Anakin, you have to stop, please!" She begged and he finally seemed to come back to himself. He relented dropping the Kaminoans onto the cold floor.

"Make sure none of this scum escapes." He remarked coldly, turning away.

Anakin entered the operating room, though it would more accurately called a torture chamber.

There lying on the operating table was a figure, her small body wracked by her sobbing. Anakin gently removed the restraints with his lightsaber from her, freeing 0001.

Anakin had been in a bad place ever since the breakup with Padme. Though for a while he was able to find his calm around 0001, she was surprisingly easy to get along with. Upon hearing of this travesty he had burned with rage. But now, seeing the miserable state that was once the proud 0001, bawling like a child, all that was left was a bitter sadness.

Anakin lifted 0001, and settled her in his lap, and wrapped his hands around her, she returned it with a desperate strength.. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." 0001 repeated on an endless loop.

To see her In such a miserable state, to bring low something that once seemed so untouchable. It almost seemed like a mortal sin.

Anakin comforted her as best he could and whispered in her ear.

"It won't happen again as long as I live."

Meanwhile

"Commander Weiss, this is Delta Squad. We are aborting the rescue operation. The VIP has been saved by General Skywalker. Cancel the invasion, I repeat, cancel the invasion. We are going to the extraction point."

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