Chapter 48 – Clone vs Droid

"Really impressive facility you have here."

Layan was looking at all the embryos inside the blue tubes connected to some sort of platform. There was an incredible number of these platforms and hundreds of tubes connected to each. All of this was spanning all round them. It was really a stunning view.

"Clones can think creatively, you will find them immensely superior to droids."

"Statement: No one is superior to me, even less a meatbag."

While the Prime Minister, HK-47 interrupted him and spoked with pride as per usual.

"I'm sure the Prime Minister would be more than ready to make you spar with a clone to see your and their abilities HK. Now please, we are speaking."

The Prime Minister was giving a dark glare to the rusty red droid, but continued his walk through the facility. Some soldiers were chanting in Mandalorian language while training under the supervision of their instructors.

"The Vode An. A really fine army you have here, I'm sure they will finely serve the Republic."

The oval shape corridors were white and beyond clean and overlooking the cloning facilities. Now walking through the glass corridors overlooking the training of the Clone Army, Layan could admire the famous clones which gave their names to the Clone Wars.

"Woah!"

The number of soldiers was huge, just at this place they should be a few thousands. Seeing all these shiny white armors and all these soldiers in formation was impressing Lyn.

"Yes. I'm sure they will be among our finest creations. They are totally obedient and taking order without question. We had to tamper with their genetic code to obtain such a result."

"I don't want it incorporated in my clone. I want her to keep her own free-will."

While this fact was giving great pride to the Prime Minister, it only reminded Layan of Order 66.

"Why so? It's illogical, you should rather establish countermeasures against treason."

"My clone will be a mandalorian warrior, one of the best in history at that. Something is telling me free-will is taking a big part in making of her a great warrior, I don't want to restrain her potential."

The kaminoan was looking at him strangely while walking, apparently thinking that such a theory appears a bit far-fetched.

"So, you're saying you want to obtain a maximum combat potential even if it may lead to a rebellion?"

"You can say it like that."

Still looking downward, he saw the clones of the famous Jango Fett eating at the mess. It was strange to see so much identical faces.

"Jango Fett, the famous bounty hunter and last mandalorian worthy of the name. A mystery as to how you convinced him to give his genetic template."

The Prime Minister was a bit surprised that he knew the original subject of the original experimentation.

"We didn't convince him, it was a collaborator of master Sifo-Diyas who came accompanied by the bounty hunter, a man known as Tyranus."

"Is Jango here currently? If yes, can I meet him later on? I have some matters to settle with Jango Fett."

"We will organize a meeting. He will please you, him as well don't really like our alterations, he even ordered an unaltered clone, without accelerated, or behavior tampering growth for himself. A peculiar man;"

Layan nodded with a smile while remembering his few encounters with Boba Fett.

"Yes, I heard of him, Boba. His father took him in a few missions, he already has a few kills at his belt, a promising kid."

They resumed their walk to see a group of clone training to reach the beacon atop a citadel guarded by various practice droids. The clones were demonstrating an irreproachable teamwork and were taking all the droid and defense systems out one by one.

"Statement: I can do it in half the time and alone. I want to fight with one of your manufactured meatbag."

The Prime Minister appeared to be pretty pissed off at HK-47 mocking word as it wasn't the first time this droid was opening his loud mouth.

Layan concluded that the statement of the Prime Minister about the clone's superiority really ticked off the prideful old droid.

"I'll arrange that. Taun We, please ask CT-7567 and CT-1707 to be combat ready in a few minutes. An opponent is waiting for them."

Layan was a bit surprised when hearing the code number of one of the clones, CT-1707, master Shaak Ti talked about him several times while relating some battles who took place during the Clone Wars, he was a clone trooper under her order.

HK-47 gone down into the training arena used by the clones and was given the same weapons as the clone troopers. Layan and Lyn were accompanied by the Prime Minister at the balcony to watch over the fight.

Soon, a wall open letting through a clone wearing his full white armor and two DC 17 hand blasters waiting in the holsters.

"So, the special assignment is just another clanker."

"Statement: I love to take care of arrogant meatbags."

HK-47 took his weapon in hand and was looking at the clone in his white armor of mandalorian design with glee as he would soon show them who is superior.

"Oh! You're not a normal clanker. A bit better, but you'll be down in no-time."

The clone was really confident, or was certain to win against a droid, his prideful attitude was really similar to the droid.

"Start the fight."

A man in mandalorian said while overlooking the fight from another balcony. He must be a member of the Cuy'val Dar, the trainers recruited by Jango Fett to train the clone army, each member was an expert, if not the best in his field of activity.

At the second the referee finished talking, the droid was shooting at his opponent, which was surprised by HK-47 speed and precision compared to the other droids.

CT-1707 hid behind one of the obstacles of the training ground to protect himself from the blaster shots of the droid. While he was hiding, HK-47 didn't even bother to take cover in case of counter-attack. He was certain of his victory.

"Statement: I see, I understood wrongly. I thought this army was made for fight in wars, but in fact it was created to play hide and seek with children."

HK-47 love to use psychological attacks during his fights, a bit like Layan which was enjoying taunting his opponent and looking at them while they were losing focus over anger.

"I really don't like clankers like you. The idiots are easier to shoot."

The clone was shouting and shooting at the droid from his hiding point. Suddenly, he rose up and shot at HK-47 before jumping forward and using the slide created by his speed to shoot the droid and hide again at another location.

"Comment: A bunch of inferiors, you should take no pride in destroying them, meatbag."

HK-47 with all his fighting experience has no problems to avoid the shoots of the clone and shot at the clone hiding location. The clone wanted to repeat his strategy and change from location, but the Hunter Killer had already anticipated this action and shoot at the most probable place where the clone would go.

He didn't miss, and shot three times the clone at the torso. He didn't stop here and put his foot on the torso of the clone before pointing his DC-17 at the helmeted face.

"Query: Who is the best, meatbag?"

"If I wasn't forced to use only DC-17 or any other equipment, then you would be dead, droid."

The clone was really pissed off at the haughtiness shown by the droid and didn't want to admit defeat. If he was allowed to use his favorite weapon and his jetpack, he would have taken him out.

"Comment: Same for me. The meatbag would have become meat paste."

"Enough! The fight is over! Restrain your droid!"

The overseer of the fight, one of the responsible of the clones training yelled at the two fighters before looking over to Layan standing beside the Prime Minister.

"HK, you won. That's good, we have work to do."

"Statement: This is isn't over, they prepared a second meatbag. According to my memory core, known under the code name CT-7567."

While the droid was looking up at Layan to talk to him, another clone stepped into the room with his helmet hold with his arm. Different from the armor of CT-1707, his helmet was painted with blue symbols and had something more, a blue pauldron.

"I'm here, droid. Ready to fight you."

When he saw the new clone, Prime Minister Lama Su started to explain the specificity of the new clone.

"This is CT-7567, a clone commander of the army we created for the Republic. He proved himself to be skilled in leadership and military strategy, even in all the army, he is one of the finest we created."

"Named Rex, and you, droid?"

"Answer: HK-47, best droid of the galaxy."

While the tone of the new clone calling himself Rex was formal, the droid tone was full of derision when looking at the soldier.

"Start the fight!"

When the start was announced, HK-47 didn't move and started to shoot like before. But this time, his opponent didn't choose to hide to counterattack. He shoots at the droid and raced to a hiding post before shooting at the droid again.

Using his superior mobility, Rex used every hiding point he could use, running from one to another while shooting at the droid and anticipating the reactions of HK-47. The situation stays a bit in a stalemate for a time, until Rex shot in a pipe which created a cloud of smoke in the room.

"Query: Do you think you can blind me with this? Addendum: I'm a droid made for killing meatbags equipped to succeed in every situation."

"We'll see that."

After Rex's shout, blaster shots came toward HK-47 which avoid them easily. What took him by surprise was Rex jumping on him put him on the floor using his weight. The clone fabricated a small mechanism to make in sort that his gun continues to shoot from his hiding place.

"Comment: Crafty meatbag."

Rex didn't even have a time to punch the droid before he was caught with force by the shoulder and thrown a meter away. The droid soon arrived on him and strike him with a powerful kick in the stomach, which made the clone grunt as he surely had a few broken ribs.

Nonetheless, he bore with the pain and tackled the droid, but he didn't fell down and stroke him with an elbow blow coming from upward. This time the clone was down.

"Statement: Not bad. For a meatbag."

The droid only said that before leaving the arena and heading for Layan's location.