Family and "family"

I stared up at the ceiling, an uncomfortable feeling in my chest at the thought of the time lost. It never occurred to me that my method of keeping myself ready and able to direct the war effort could cause me to fall into a coma, a failure on my part. The human body is a fragile machine, it needs constant maintenance, failure to do that is nothing less than gross negligence.

I turned to Elpis, who was busy filling out a report at her desk.

"I don't even know how long I've been asleep." I said. I woke up and the whole station was a mess, with brothers running around preparing for an invasion, while Weiss reported a sister hidden beneath the waves. I was quick to intervene but I didn't know what had happened since the battle on Tatooine.

"You've been asleep for months until now, Grievous had attacked your fleet after the battle… We very nearly lost you."

I nodded, I guess I'd have to catch up on the situation.

"And the war?" I asked.

"A stalemate" She answered quickly.

I bit my lip, it wasn't the worst news that the war was stalled, but that cannot be allowed last.

"I see, how have you been while I was gone? Did you behave yourselves?"

Elpis stopped typing on the computer, turning to look me in the eye. 

"Yes, we have behaved well, by the way, all the sisters have formed a council, to better govern our people in your absence." Elpis informed, her tone somewhat odd, though I paid that little mind, surprised by the sudden but welcome development. It was a more democratic institution than the dictatorship that had existed before. I was glad that my teachings were leading them to such changes. I was even more proud to see them work together in such a council.

"Good, good, I like what you have done, I'm glad you all were mature enough to find a solution all on your own, by the way, were you able to do the medical analysis on the thirteenth?" I asked changing the subject to the discovery of our wayward sister, who was sleeping on a nearby gurney.

"Yes, she has been subjected to many experiments, we can see that it was mostly research on her biology, almost as if she were a newly discovered life form.... In short, there is nothing too serious beyond the classic Kaminoan experimentation".

How many years she must have spent in that tank being experimented on. The mental torture of isolationism and the physical torture of exprimentation would way heavy on her mind.

Elpis stood up, walking over to me and sitting on my bed.

"Have you decided on a name for our new sister yet?" She asked. I nodded, the quality with my second life's magic was definitely the only characteristic I saw in her. One that would surely decide her future from now on.

"Hecate, that will be her name," I said. Elpis nodded, pulling something out of her back and poking me suddenly. After a few seconds the device beeped and Elpis checked the result.

"You are to take no caffeine or drugs of any kind unless I give you my explicit permission Big Sister." She ordered.

… Damn it all.

"And what am I supposed to do now? Become an alcoholic?" I said with a wry grin, attempting to inject some humor into the situation, but Elpis paid me no mind, simply heading back to her desk, and her reports.

"Now you're going to be quiet and suck it up for being so careless, you know how worried you made us? All of us, the brothers and the sisters depend on you and you almost die due to your own negligence. I'm about ready to have Mania to create a machine that forces you to rest." She ranted, a furious look on her face.

"You can't do that." I said, to which she responded by pounding the table.

"With all due respect Big Sister, you have no right to die or put yourself in such danger when millions depend on you, and as the one responsible for your health I will force you if I have to."

"What is this, a mutiny?" I said almost with a laugh. "Should I be worried that I will be usurped now?" I said, continuing the joke. I needed a laugh. Fuck the Kaminoans, the war, the Jedi. Here and now I am here with my family.

Elpis continued typing her reports, the click clack just barely louder than my laughter.

"No, do not laugh Big Sister, you almost died." She said after a while. 

"Oh come on Elpis, I could really use some humor." I said between giggles, her dry response only adding fuel to the fire, it was stupid but sometimes you just need some laughter to keep yourself sane.

A pitiful groan, similar to that of a student who had stayed up far too late the night before and had just now realized the true depths of that mistake the morning after. Elpis and I turned our heads to see Hecate waking up.

"Guten Morgen." I said, to which she responded with another pitiful groan before turning to look at me.

"Familie." She said, whether it was a statement or a question I would never know. What I did know was required, I opened my arms and she hobbled from her bed and over to me,and fell into my arms. I graced her with a hug as she got comfortable and sleep took her once more..

"What shall we do with Hecate?" Came the not unreasonable question from Elpis.

"I'll raise her, teach her what she needs to know, she's practically a child." I Answered calmly.

Elpis laughed, looking at a doorway, where Anakin was recovering from his wounds.

"For a little girl, she sure gave the Jedi a hard time." She enthused.

"That's because Anakin is a good person and didn't want to hurt her, if he wanted to he would have killed her, but he didn't and now he's hurt. Instead of belittling him, help him." I said, to which Elpis sighed.

"Fine, I'll go." She said as she stood up, "I'll be back soon."

Alone with my thoughts once more, I began to gently stroke Hecate's head… Just like Anakin used to do.

"Poor thing, you suffered far too much at the hands of Being X."

I felt my face tighten as I frowned. The abilities she used were from my second life, so I could teach her how to use it. But it made me question what Being X's plan was, why reincarnate me, why give my magic to the thirteenth sister.

All sound came to a sudden halt as time came to an end around me, a small note fluttered down from above. I snatched it up and clicked my tongue as I read it.

It read simply as 'Deus lo vult.'

I continued to stroke Hecate's head as I stared up at the ceiling.

"You will never win, I will never pray to you with any reverence, I will never grant you the smallest amount of faith, I will not break. Do you hear me Being X? Someday I will kill you, because you are no god."

However my only answer was Hecate's own soft breathing.

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

I stared at the large ovoid table in front of me,twelve chairs for the twelve sisters, each chair had various markings representing each sister, mine being marked with a simple clone helmet. The most representative symbol of our society.

"Who made the table?" I asked. To which the eleven sisters looked at each other to see who would speak first. In the end it was Mania who spoke.

"I built it, but they all helped, though we never expected another sister...." 

It was true that there was no room for her, but that didn't really matter. I sat in the chair, patting my thigh. Hecate ran over and sat on my lap settling in as best she could, I finally turned to look at all my sisters.

"So, why did you bring me here?" I said, to which Nemesis stood up, coughing a little to get the weight of all the sisters' stares off her.

"Due to the importance of Big Sister among clone society, along with the unconditional love that all of us sisters and brothers have for her. I propose limiting the hours she is allowed to work to six hours, allowing another sister to take over her duties. Votes in favor raise your hand, votes against keep her down."

Wait what? They were going to force me to work less?

Quickly every sister began to vote, except Alpha, Omega and Hecate, all having raised their hands.

"You do this to me! We have a war to win and I can't work six hours and the other eighteen hours doing nothing."

Nemesis ignored my protests, sitting back down and recording the result of the vote.

The Council was the sisters maturing and growing politically conscious, to one day have a democracy we will have to organize ourselves politically, but that the first ruling of the Council was to act against me left a bad taste in my mouth. I could dissolve the council now if I wanted to, but what would I teach my sisters if I ruined their hard work and growth.

Besides, if I have so much free time I suppose I can train more... and I don't really know what else to do. I've never had any free time in this life before.

"I will accept the Council's decision." I said with as much confidence as possible, besides maybe this limiter was what I needed, I had gone more than a little overboard.

That settled, I turned to Hecate and Nyx.

"What are the Kaminoans doing about the thirteenth sister?" I asked. To which she put up a hologram of a Kaminoan.

"The subject is still missing, we will keep looking. As of now we have received no reported sighting."

Ending the projection Nyx informed us of her operations.

"I have hidden as much evidence as possible, all footage has been erased and I have full confidence no brother would talk even if subjected to torture. For the Kaminoans the thirteenth sister has disappeared."

I nodded, looking at Hecate and stroking her hair.

"I suppose some introductions are in order, meet Hecate." I said, officially naming the youngest sister before her family. She gave them a small smile and a wave, which they returned.

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

"How is your injury Anakin?" I asked, we were both walking towards a LAAT that would take us back to the Maelstrom. 

"It's going well, how is your own recovery coming?"

I returned his smile, "It's going great…" with that an awkward silence filled the conversation. We boarded the LAAT and it soon took off. I noticed that Anakin looked worried about something, however I let it pass, watching the dome as it dwindled in the distance.

The Clone Council will be important for the political development of the clones, I think it's a good thing… Yet I cannot help but worry despite myself.

These last few hours all I could think about was the Council, the loss of power made me afraid, afraid of knowing that they could start something they could not take back. But if I don't let them grow up, then the day I die (preferably as an old woman) the clones will be alone with no one to steer the ship. 

It would be an unmitigated disaster.

"We're arriving." Informed the pilot, I stood and waited until the LAAT landed, slowly the hatches opened showing a hangar packed with the clones of 203rd.

"Long live Big Sister!" Boomed Weiss, leading the cheer from afar even as the festivities grew overwhelming to the ear he could be heard over the clamor.

"What a surprise." I said softly, raising my hand to reciprocate their show of affection and loyalty.

Leaving the LAAT I headed out and away from the hangar, Anakin following close behind. I noticed how the clones, despite the euphoria of seeing me alive, remained disciplined, leaving me a clear path out. I returned their cheers with my own measured waves until I reached the end of the path where Weiss was waiting for me.

"Welcome back." Weiss greeted, his voice full of warmth.

"It's good to be back, I heard about your actions during Grievous' attack, I would like to tell you this, don't blame yourself for the deaths of your brothers."

Weiss lowered his gaze but raised it immediately. "Their names may be forgotten, but never their sacrifice."

I nodded, continuing on my way still accompanied by Anakin, arriving at my room.

I entered and Anakin followed me in, the room was clean, surely they were expecting my arrival and left the Maelstrom as clean as if it had come out of the shipyard. 

All day I had felt out of place and off my game, however, I think I was recovering… I hope this doesn't become an issue.

Suddenly I felt a hug from behind me. Anakin leaned his head over mine and hugged me as tight as he could.

"Every day you were in a coma my worries were the only thing I could focus on." He admitted quietly into my ear.

Even though I instinctively grabbed his arms with both my hands and tensed up, I relaxed because this was Anakin, this was normal. He had always been physically affectionate... The same kind of violation of my personal space he always did.

"But I'm okay now, aren't I?" I said, relaxing and taking the weight off the matter. But he moved closer to me, pressing his body against my back, not that I could feel much through the armor, but the weight was there.

"You can't put yourself in danger like that, you have people around you who care about you a lot, me chief among them."

"I don't think you're the one who cares about me the most, I have brothers who are willing to kill and die for me."

Anakin walked around to my front and rested his hands on my shoulders, an intense look upon his face.

"And what do you think? I would kill, suffer, even die for you. You have given me so much support, you have helped me at my lowest point. My concern for you is as genuine and powerful as your brothers and sisters, if not more. Every day I cared for you while you were in a coma and I searched for a way to wake you up until I succeeded."

Wake me up? What did he mean? Didn't I wake up in a natural way?

"What do you mean, wake me up?" 

Anakin narrowed his eyes.

"I used an ancient force technique long forgotten, but that doesn't matter, the important thing is that you're awake and you're here now.

The Jedi's  were know to have strange and esoteric abilities… But I shook the thought off when Anakin's hand rose from my shoulder and rested on my cheek.

"Don't ever do anything like that again, please." He said, as if I meant for that to happen.

"Why do you care so much?" I asked instead, already questioning why he had gone to so much trouble for me, why he did what he did.

"Because I love you." He replied, placing his other hand on my cheek and keeping his eyes fixed on mine. His gaze was like that of a man more than ready to attack a trench in no man's land, with no hesitation and only determination to see it through.

I had never been in a romantic relationship in my life and this statement shocked me to my core. What was I supposed to do? WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO HERE? HELP!

"And what does that mean, what do you want exactly?" I asked, hiding my emotions behind a mask.

"I want you, your love, to awake with you by my side. I want to be yours and you to be mine."

I don't know what to do?! Should I accept?! This is a good thing right? He has already saved me twice. He would be even more motivated if we were in a relationship? Right? 

"I suppose we can try..." I answered hesitantly.

Then he was much closer, way too close. His lips were on mine, then there was something in my mouth.

  I needed space, he was far too close, it was too, far too much too fast.

I…

I-I  felt rather tired all of a sudden… and I knew no more.