Saga The Measure of a Man [Commander Bly, Aayla Secura, Order 66]

Title: The Measure of a Man
Time Period: RoTS
Characters: Commander Bly, Aayla Secura
Genre: Drama, Angst
Summary: What makes a man a more than just a man?
Author Notes:Vignette


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[image=http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/Inara47/MM.jpg]

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Felucia


?Execute Order 66.?

Commander Bly knew what that order was; he knew what he had to do and why he had to do it.

Those questions were easy, questions that a far simpler clone than he could answer without hesitation. The answers were also simple. The Jedi were traitors to the Republic and needed to be executed.

The difficult question was, should he do it?

And Bly, for all the training he had received, did not know.


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?It is to our advantage that our enemy is so stupid,? commented Bly idly. The clone commander stood on a hill overlooking one of Felucia?s exotic valleys as he waited for his general to finish her meditations.

Unit 6853, Bly?s lieutenant, grunted in agreement. ?This overlook is the most defensible location in the area.?

Bly looked over the gleaming valley. Felucia was a humid and fetid world, filled with a bizarre assortment of plants, animals, and larger-than-life fungi. In the distance, he could see the tops of one of Felucia?s rainforests ? he was positive that a Commerce Guild patrol was hiding there, and he had sent some of his own troops to eliminate them.

The Republic had sent their forces to Felucia in order to capture Shu Mai, one of the key players in the Commerce Guild. Unfortunately, Shu Mai was long gone, only leaving behind a wave of destruction for Felucia by poisoning its water supply.

General Secura, with the ever-faithful Commander Bly at her side, was now ordered to take control on the water treatment facility at Niango in an effort to contain the spread of the toxin.

Nearby, several clone troopers were strapping on their assault gear in silence. With a nod of his head, Bly dismissed 6853 before turning back to the small clearing where the general was meditating.

It was a shame, thought Bly, that most people held such contempt for clone intelligence. Though most were smart enough only to bear arms and follow the orders of their masters, there was a smaller number of clones who were bred to be more creative and imaginative in their tactics, to be independent, and to have a distinct personality.

Bly was such a clone, an Advanced Recon Commando. Throughout the Republic, there were only a small number of clones like Bly, who possessed enough intellect to know exactly whom they served, and what following their orders meant. Clones like Bly could understand.

With this ability came the power of perception. Bly knew he was a clone, a mockery of life. He was created for one reason ? to die for the Republic. His life held only as much worth as the weapons he carried and the armor that shielded his body. He realized that he was a tool of the Republic?s war machine.

And yet?Bly also realized that only in service could he act out his nature. He could not help that his kind was one produced to be soldiers, and in fact, that was what he was encouraged to be. Perhaps such behavior could be unlearned, but Bly also understood that the freedom to be himself, even if he were only a reflection of someone else?s will, lay with the Republic.


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His clone training came to him now as he saw the general?s attention distracted by a bird. Unthinkingly, because most clones were not supposed to think, he raised his blaster rifle and fired.


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Bly came to attention as the general roused herself from her meditation. He had grown used to this habit of hers, had even started doing something similar by spending a few quiet moments each evening reflecting on the day?s events.

He had served with the blue-skinned Twi?lek for over a year now, had faithfully followed her from campaign to campaign, and over time, he had come t

 

and I this story.


Oooh, so an inopportune moment for clone training to come in?

Wonderful. I like that. (Though that other line was very brief and affecting, it didn't fit.)

She had once told him, ?To be a man is to have the heart of a man ? integrity, nobility, sympathy. These are the things that make a man more than a man?and you have them all, Commander Bly."

Where was his integrity, nobility, his sympathy?

They are in your heart, Commander. It was your integrity that bade you to follow your orders, your nobility that kept you at my side, and your sympathy for feeling regret.

Her voice echoed across the now destroyed facility on Niango as Bly boarded his transport with a heavy heart.

He was disillusioned in the Republic, disappointed in himself, and distrustful of the purpose for existence.

But he would continue serving.

He was still a clone.

Ohhh man. What a great way to bring in canon and consideration about the clones. I love that Bly is so tortured, and I like the pitiless aspect of this story. It's refreshing.

And Aayla knows that Bly regrets shooting her, but he doesn't let that excuse him. Mmmm...that was good too.

I love the topics you bring up with this. Oh, to quote TKl's sig...well, I won't, but you know what I'm talking about.

Excellent!


Tu amiga (and therefore attempting not to be biased),

~Tris

 

I knew it was a good idea to have you watched! Though it is kind of stalker-like....

I think the reason I like reading you is because you write about a variety of different things, and you write them well. I'm don't know anything about clones, but I felt sympathetic for Bly all the same - which I think is the best part about your writing. Anyone can read it and get something out of it.

Only a clone could have cold-bloodedly killed a commanding officer, a mentor, a friend. A real man would have at least hesitated, would have given her a chance to speak her case. This made me feel really bad for Bly. Like JediTristan said, you let Bly feel bad, but you don't let him apologize for it, and you don't apologize for him either. Killing aayla was his job, and it was sad because he wanted to things to be different.

Something ugly stirred within him them?something hateful and irrational. He saw 6853?s weakness ? it was also his own ? and felt nothing but disgust.

For one brief moment ? the first time he had felt such an emotion ? Bly hated himself.

Wow, that was powerful, Inara. Wow.

She had once told him, ?To be a man is to have the heart of a man ? integrity, nobility, sympathy. These are the things that make a man more than a man?and you have them all, Commander Bly."

I think what's most beautiful about your fic is that Aayla's death caused Bly to finally understand himself, and Aayla wasn't angry with him for it.

Bravo!

 

I've wanted to see more on Bly since I read that issue of Republic and this is wonderful. You've done a great job capturing both he and Aayla. I liked the comparisons to him having some of Jango's habits. I love that he's as conflicted about having shot her as he is about showing feeling for her. And that Aayla understood and felt he had passed his test of humanity by showing sorrow in the end.

They are in your heart, Commander. It was your integrity that bade you to follow your orders, your nobility that kept you at my side, and your sympathy for feeling regret. - I really liked this line.

 

JediTristan: I like the pitiless aspect of this story. It's refreshing. And Aayla knows that Bly regrets shooting her, but he doesn't let that excuse him.

Thanks! It was really important for me to keep them canon. Bly was devoted to Aayla, but he was devoted to the Republic more.



ImperialSpy: I think what's most beautiful about your fic is that Aayla's death caused Bly to finally understand himself, and Aayla wasn't angry with him for it.

It was sad for me to write. Some lessons are learned the hard way.


Lovely-in-Orange: I've wanted to see more on Bly since I read that issue of Republic and this is wonderful. You've done a great job capturing both he and Aayla.

Thank you!


I liked the comparisons to him having some of Jango's habits.

I always thought it was interesting that ARCs were far less modified than the other clones. Sort of makes you wonder if habits are passed along with DNA...


And that Aayla understood and felt he had passed his test of humanity by showing sorrow in the end.

She was Jedi to the last.

 

I'm typing up this review while still talking online with you.

Loved this fic. I think this is my favorite short piece you've written so far. It's written in the Inara-patented, brutally honest way (would it hurt you to write some fluff?). I know you wrestled with the flashback sequences, but I think they turned out well.

As always, your characterizations and introspections are spot-on. I don't like clones, don't really care about them, but the quality of your writing induces me to read whatever you throw at me, and I'll enjoy it.

Bly is great the way you write him. I love how you allow us to empathize with him, not sympathize. He's caught between a rock and a hard place, and it's hard for him to be himself when he doesn't really want to be himself.


Perhaps such behavior could be unlearned, but Bly also understood that the freedom to be himself, even if he were only a reflection of someone else?s will, lay with the Republic...No clone could ever forget his true master, for the truth of his existence was written upon his very flesh.

I think this summed him up nicely.

Aayla is a great supporting character. You know what I've noticed with you - you don't really like to write romance, but you like to write intimacy - the kind that's shared between family, friends, coworkers. Bly and Aayla are intimate in the way of warriors, and I appreciate that.

I've already told you in detail what I think over IM, so I'll end here. And keep up the writing - I exist only to read what comes out of your clever mind.

 

I'm bumping this fine piece.

 

I really liked this as a whole, but I think it seemed out of character for Bly to visibly express his regret about Order 66. I love how he's emotionally taking damage for it - very well done - but I don't think he would have tried to apologize or explain himself. Other than that niggle, this is one of the finest clone characterizations I've seen on these boards.

 

summerdaisy:

would it hurt you to write some fluff?

In fact, yes, it would pain me very much.


I don't like clones, don't really care about them, but the quality of your writing induces me to read whatever you throw at me, and I'll enjoy it.

Thank you.


You know what I've noticed with you - you don't really like to write romance, but you like to write intimacy

Now that you point it out, you're right. I think it's because I hate cheesiness, and the easiest way to make something cheesy is to put in a badly developed romance. Plus, there is more to Star Wars than romance, and I'm trying to resist being a cliched young fangirl who can only write incoherent love stories featuring Mary Sues of myself (verily a scary thought in itself).



Kudzu: I really liked this as a whole, but I think it seemed out of character for Bly to visibly express his regret about Order 66. I love how he's emotionally taking damage for it - very well done - but I don't think he would have tried to apologize or explain himself. Other than that niggle, this is one of the finest clone characterizations I've seen on these boards.

Thanks for pointing that out. I knew there was something off, but I couldn't pinpoint it...I guess being who he is, he wouldn't be sorry for what he did. What I wanted to express - though I guess I wasn't successful in it - was to show that he wanted to do his job but was sorry that she was the job...

Hmm, sounds like Bly is a mafia henchman. I'll have to work on that. But this first foray into the complexities of the clone mind hasn't turned me off thus far, so I may attempt another one and craft it better.


Thanks for the reviews, guys.

 

Wow. That's so intense. You write internal conflict very well here (as in other 'fics, of course). What a sad but wonderful little scene.

 

I was really worried you were going to do something along the lines of making Commander Bly fall in love with Aayla or some such. But I'm glad you didn't take that very out-of-character route. This brings up a nice question: Do clones see themselves as men? I figure at least a few of them would, such as the more independent ARCs and RCs. Wouldn't be all too surprised if some of the troopers did: they didn't have the luxury of personal instructors. Just born, bam, long-necked scientists made you, buddy. Here's a gun.

Inara, that was very nicely done. And nothing even blew up!

Oh?

 

You and your blue-skinned aliens

 

TheCrazyRodian: Great to see you here! And thanks! As sad as it is to say, I really like writing about internal conflicts. I guess I'm a messed up person...



Antilles2001: I was really worried you were going to do something along the lines of making Commander Bly fall in love with Aayla or some such.

Haha, on that account, you'll never have to worry. I'm too much of a canon whore, and like I said earlier, some of the best relationships have nothing to do with romance.


Do clones see themselves as men? I figure at least a few of them would, such as the more independent ARCs and RCs.

I'm tempted to think that some of them would want to and some of them would not. It's tough to be more than a normal clone but not a man. It definitely bears more investigating.


Inara, that was very nicely done.

Thank you! To receive a compliment from a resident clone expert makes me happy.



BigFatty: You and your blue-skinned aliens

I can't help it. Something about the color blue...Although to be honest, when it comes to Chiss, I'm automatically in love with them. In the case of this fic, it was more because of Bly, and Aayla just happened to be there...and be blue.



Now I want to write more alien stories.

 

Wow, great story. It showed a side of a clone that I've never really seen. I know a few had personalities, but you seemed to get at the reason that they had them. You asked me to review the flashback stlye, and it worked really well for this story. Great job!

 

Thank you, Master! The flashback set-up was strange for me, but I'm glad it worked out. I feel encouraged to write more.

And clones are interesting. They are in that strange gray area between humans and machine, and there are different kinds of clones, which make it all the more interesting.

 

AWESOME STORY!
I have always been a devotee of Commander Bly and before I saw RotS I always thought he would let Aayla live.
A little off on the characterisation, i alwyas thought of him being a little more human than that, but overall very good!

 

Me too. I really liked their friendship, as well as Obi-wan's with Cody. But I guess you can't argue with their nature....

That's really interesting that you say that because I think someone else said that I made Bly too human.

Hmm, I definitely need to work on my clone characterizations if I ever get to writing another clone fic.

Thanks for the review!!!

 

Wonderful story Inara (love that name, must be the Firefly fan in me).

As a reader of "Republic," I'm a big fan of Aayla, and a fan of Bly as well. While I have long come to terms with Aayla's tragic end in Ep 3, your story helps redeem Bly in my eyes. I've always thought they shared a friendship similar to Obi-Wan and Cody, and it was nice to see a glimmer of that since it was denied us in the movie.

 

Thank you! I'm a fan of Firefly myself.

I was so disappointed in Aayla's death scene - she was distracted by a bird... I had really hoped that Bly would disobey his orders and save Aayla because of their friendship, but when he didn't...this fic was born.

They definitely were really close friends. The fact that he disobeyed her orders to save her life speaks of a closeness beyond duty, and it's nice to see ARCs grow to the point that they can accept friends.

Thanks for reading!

 

To those who have kindly nominated Measure of a Man for the Awards (Best Drama, and Best Male Canon Character - Bly), thank you very much.

I'm very flattered that some people enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. That's more than enough of an award for me.

 

AWWW! Excellent job! I enjoyed how you described Bly's sense of duty and what was right, yet how the clone in him still won over.

Bravo!

 

Thank you!

It's what I wanted to portray. As an ARC trooper, Bly has a heightened awareness of what is wrong and right, but the sad part is that as close as he is to being a real man, there's that little bit of him that's tugging him back. As much as he knows he shouldn't, he wants the security of being a clone.

Thanks for reading!

 

I remember reading this when you first posted it and I could have sworn I commented on it because I remember how much I liked it. It really stuck with me - and the second read was just as enjoyable as the first!

I really liked the flashbacks intermingled with the present. It made it all the more heartwrenching.

Glad to hear this was nominated - it's really wonderful!!!