Saga A new life for clones. Bruce Springsteen song Minigames challenge

A new life for clones Bruce Springsteen song Minigames challenge

Author: Earlybird-Obi-Wan

Timeframe: saga

Genre: short story


A new life for clones


Chapter 1

Well we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers in the winter's night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender

Nine year old, almost 10, the three clones were when they came to the grand hospital on New Holstice. They were born on the same day. They were educated the same way to become advanced medical clones. They were brothers and became friends, making a promise; they would never surrender.

One of the three was AMC 78256 when he entered the hospital where he met the Jedi general that was to be his boss. Replying with 'stat' to every order and general Jadin Finn not liking the anonymous AMC followed by a number he had soon a name. Stat.

His batch-mates AMC78389 and AMC78645 were treated the same and became Meds and Bandaid.

Stat had been saved after a mission by his general and was now easy to identify by his noticable limp. And he had met Milly Jaraan, a very nice nurse, making love to her when she fell in love with him.

The three clones were with their general Jadin Finn trying to save the crew on the bridge of the stardestroyer Coronet Enterprise when the general got injured. They were able to save him escaping the destruction.

- - -

Stat got his orders. He carried his general in the medical frigate after guiding him there in a hoverchair. He helped with the crashwebbing in the cockpit and the pre-flight check. “And what is your destination?”

“Uh,” Jedi general Jadin Finn halted for a short time “second star to the right and some manual flying.”

“Congratulations General Finn.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes. You have gleaming eyes and I heard you saying ‘father’ just before I came in.”

“Ah I see but your life will be changing too.”

“General!” Stat barely could hide the smile. “Meds and Bandaid saw her too. We are from the same batch of AMC’s. I was born two hours earlier than Meds.”

“Stat, remember what I have told you. Let your conscience be your guide. Take your responsibilities and become a family man and don’t do that here but take Milly Jaraan back to Varanko. I have seen Milly too and she told me about her love for you two days ago when she asked permission to return to Varanko. You can lead a nice life there with what you have learned from me. Milly’s parents had jobs in Kiran city hospital.”

“You sure know all about Milly. But my friend Meds and Bandaid; they are like brothers.”

“Take them too.”

“I will. May the Force be with you.”

“And with you and your brethren,” Jadin smiled. “To make things less complicated for the four of you I give you a direct order. Stat, you and AMC78389 and AMC78645 guide Milly Jaraan to Varanko and bring these medical supplies.” He took the activated recording device from its slot in the console and gave it – after pushing several codes – to Stat.

Stat limped down the ramp and saw it closing after two white clad humanoids entered it. ‘The general will have help. Good that I ordered those nurses to accompany him. He has often worked with them and they can persuade him to take it easy.’ He headed to the large hangar where medical supplies were stashed for general use and used his comlink.

- - -

Three AMC’s – dressed in hospital whites, caps included – were stashing the last of the medical supplies in the large bay of the yellow medical freighter with signature 101M10.

“Do we have to take our armour?” Bandaid held up his helmet.

“No get that outside and load more supplies,” Stat answered “Varanko is of no interest to the Seps anymore after that bombardment of the mayor city Vank. And the republic forces have left two months ago to fight in the outer rim sieges. We have the com in the freighter if our superiors want to contact us.”

“I will keep my blaster and armour.”

“Same with me,” Meds stated. “It might become useful.”

“Ah whatever,” Stats grinned “armour is useful for disguise parties” and he placed his armour in a closet.

Bandaid was putting his armour in another closet when Milly Jaraan entered and hugged one of the two other clones.

“I want to form a family with you.”

“Miss Jaraan,” Meds chuckled and pointed to his friend “that’s AMC78256 or Stat as he is known to us.”

“And the general told me that things were less complicated,” Stat grinned and limped towards Milly.

“Stat,” Milly flew in his arms “now I recognise you. You are the one I fell in love with. You are the father of my child. Will you marry me?”

“Uh yes,” Stat mumbled but began to smile when he saw the big smiles on the faces of Meds and Bandaid “Yes Milly do you want to marry me?”

“Yes Stat and we have to rename you,” Milly giggled “AMC78256 is looking weird in the documents.”

“Finn,” Stat smiled “I will go with the surname Finn. The general won’t mind. And you can give me a new name too. Get strapped in Milly. We are leaving on a mission for General Finn.”

“Yes Jago Finn.”

“Jago Finn,” Stat smiled “I will honour your father’s given name.”

“And we?” Meds and Bandaid asked with a one toned voice.

“Max and Ben Finn,” Milly answered and took her place in the cockpit.

tbc

 

Aaah, poor Milly, she must have been mortified. Bet she has better luck telling them apart next time though. Glad that they got out (considering what's about to happen sometime in the next while ).

 

Chapter 2

There's a war outside still raging
you say it ain't ours anymore to win
Because we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Blood brothers in the stormy night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender



“101M10. New Holstice control out.”

Ben had guided the transport up.

“Milly, we seem to have a problem,” Jago looked up from his viewer. “I advise to head to the nearest planet and that’s Naboo. We can repair what’s wrong and resume our journey.”

“Ah whatever,” Milly smiled “a few days more won’t make a difference. Take her to Theed.”

“Hours, Miss Jaraan,” Max said. “We will land on the 21th of selona and depart on that day. Naboo has all the supplies we need. Theed has a large contingent of troopers and AMC’s with the same kind of transport we are now using.”

“Yeah one of the one-o-one-em-one-o’s but most of us call them the yellow bird or yellow for short,” Ben grinned and altered the course before the transport entered hyperspace for the short jump to Naboo.

- - -

As predicted by Max the repair of the transport had taken only four hours and the three clones were now walking back to the transport after a nice meeting with the AMC’s serving on Naboo. They had donned their armour and were that way brethren among brethren, seen as such and treated as such. But none had mentioned Milly Jaraan. For Jago, Ben and Max that was private business not to be discussed by their brethren. They were three medics on a mission for a Jedi general. Only the bright blue patch distinguished them from the other clones. They were AMC’s from New Holstice.

“Nice to meet two AMC’s from our batch,” Ben said.

“Yeah and did you see one of them giving stealthy looks to that officer?”

“Sure Max and they will be staying here for a long time and maybe that will lead…”

“To another friendship,” Ben concluded.

Jago was leading the way towards the transport where Milly was already preparing it for take-off when his limp alerted Admiral Dina Irene speaking to a clone commander. The grey uniformed lady gave a soft harrumph.

The clone commander turned “AMC78256 attention.”

Jago halted and with him Ben and Max.

“AMC78256 proceed to the medical facility.”

“Sir,” Jago snapped to attention “We are three medics on a mission for General Finn to proceed with these medical supplies to...”

“General Finn,” Admiral Dina Irene interrupted and began to smile. “I have met him on the Coronet Enterprise where he saved admiral d’Lorrion. He saved us and I was promoted to admiral.”

Trr beep trr beep

“A moment AMC78256.” The clone commander reached for his beeping comlink and activated it.

“Execute order 66.”

The clone commander’s eyes hardened and he winked with his left hand to his troops to get their attention “Order 66 is activated.”

Admiral Dina Irene began to reach for her datapad when it began to blink, indicating more data being transferred from her stardestroyer. And she wanted to know what order 66 meant. She was just one of the officers graduated from Carida and pressed into service at the beginning of the wars.

Troopers waited for commands. All were reaching for their helmets when the same command was received.

“Execute order 66.”

Jago just stood there in doubt. ‘Order 66 is stating that the Jedi have turned against the republic. But general Finn, he saved me and now I have to go wherever he has gone to execute him.’ And he remembered what the general had said to him when he was leaving ‘Let your conscience be your guide.’ He began to walk to the yellow transport.

“AMC78256!”

Jago turned and saw Ben reaching for his blaster.

“You gave traitor Finn that old medical frigate. You have to tell where traitor Finn is.” Ben pointed his blaster at Jago.

Jago continued his way to the yellow transport and shouted “the only thing General Finn told me was that he was going to the second star to the right and after that some manual flying.” He began to run, limping only a bit.

“Immobilise that deserter,” the clone commander ordered. “He has to tell where traitor Finn is.”

tbc

 

Chapter 3

Well we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers in the winter's night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender



“Milly, prepare for immediate lift-off!” Speaking softly in his helmet-com Jago was now running fast – glad to have donned his armour that supported his bad leg – zigging and zagging to make a small target and he heard stomping steps following him and he heard shots. But none hit him and he turned just before he was to enter the transport.

“Jago move,” Max cried. “I will keep them occupied. I believe you. Get the transport to safety.” He turned and fired a round towards the trooper that was nearest.

A stray blasterbolt hit Jago in his left arm and he disappeared in the transport.

“I was after him!” Ben shouted when he felt blasterbolts hitting him everywhere. “I was your brother!” He toppled over with a hole through his chest and was dead before he crumbled to the ground.

“We are all brothers.” Max felt a blasterbolt grazing his left arm, took a giant leap, felt searing pain shooting through his leg and landed on the closing ramp. He felt a hand reaching for him.

“You are safe Max.”

Max passed out but not before he felt the transport accelerating rapidly.

- - -

“Milly, help me!” Jago had eased Max on one of the couches and had secured the crashwebbing around him before helping Milly to plot a course in hyperspace for Varanko. Now he was busy with an emergency medkit and was removing the armour from the leg of Max.

Milly hurried aft to the main cabin, knelt down next to Max and Jago and saw the scorched armour on the left arms. There were more injuries to care for than just the leg and she saw the leg sporting two holes. “The blaster-bolt passed through his left leg. A pressure bandage and splint will keep that wound stable.”

Jago gave the items to Milly and was favouring his left arm.

“Remove the armour from your arm and from his,” Milly ordered.

Jago did and saw the rip in the black body glove. “He has the same,” he grinned when he touched the arm from Max and used a pair of scissors to reveal the scratch on the wrinkled skin.

“The left arm is nothing to worry about and for you it’s the same.” Milly dabbed salve on the scratches and applied bactapatches.

And when she sat down on her haunches and observed the two clones on the floor a smile was on her face.

“What’s funny?”

“Your wrinkles around your eyes,” Milly took Jago’s face in her hands and kissed him.

tbc

 

Chapter 4

Well now young faces grow sad and old
And hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
I'm ready to grow young again
And hear your sister's voice calling us home
Across the open yards
Well maybe we could cut someplace of our own



Max had regained consciousness and had smiled weakly when Jago had given him another dose of pain-medication. Now he felt the soft bump of a transport touching down and heard the ramp opening.

And he heard voices and just listened to the conversation.

“Welcome home Milly Jaraan. I am police chief Dan Petrea and I have – as requested – a groundspeeder waiting for you. Your friends need the care of the Ceitans. This is the way to their place. Your friend Yarowar is expecting you. Good luck with your friends.”

“That is Max Finn and he has a leg injury.”

“The Ceitans will care. I will help you. Jax, Camille, Hugh give Milly some help with that stretcher.”

“You don’t have to help Jago.”

“But I want to help my brother.”

“You are injured. Move Jago.”

And that had Max chuckling lightly when he felt himself lifted by four humans on the waiting stretcher and guided to the waiting ground transport where he was shoved inside next to another stretcher. He heard Milly gunning the transport and saw the attractive buildings and gardens making place for trees and shrubs. And he saw the azure blue ocean a few times when the road turned this and that way before the transport stopped after a long journey.

- - -

Max heard different voices.

“Milly Jaraan!”

“Yarowar. It is good to see you again.”

Light grey eyes in a kind pale grey face hovered in his view. Max had never seen the grey species with the faint bio-luminescent patterns on the face.

“A patient for Varankina. Get him to the beach and his brother too. Get him on the second stretcher. Varankina will know what to do. Shei-Ikraan warned us. Hurry.”

Max felt the stretcher being lifted and he saw humans clad in black suits carrying him to the beach. Soft caring hands were stroking him on his forehead and he saw the light grey eyes blinking. He was getting sleepy and inhaled the fragrant tangy smell of the sea. His eyes drifted shut.

- - -

Milly had donned a wet-suit and she followed Yarowar.

The native Varankonin was in some kind of hurry when he had seen the two clone medics and their wrinkled skins indicating accelerated aging. He was searching the waves.

“Use this Milly until we are in the cave,” Yarowar said. “The Ceitans are waiting for us. Your friends will need all the speed we can muster.”

“No need,” Karo – another native – said. “Varankina is there. Get the stretchers into the water.” He had fitted the two men with breath-masks and donned his.

Milly put the aquatabreather in her mouth and followed the two natives with the floating stretchers. As soon as she felt no more sand beneath her feet she started to swim.

The Ceitan Varankina was there with four Ceitan medics and giving a signal she was the first to dive.

The Ceitans disappeared beneath the surface after deflating the stretchers.

Milly, Yarowar and Karo followed.

- - -

A soft gasp of surprise came from Milly when she passed the membrane that gave entrance to the cave. Only a few drops of water adhered to her skin. And she smiled when she saw Jago’s face.

The clone – with his now very wrinkled features – had a look of disbelief in his eyes when he saw the beings with their iridiscent blue-black skin, opaline blue eyes set in a face covered with small scales and larger scales for hair. “What’s happening here?”

“Get the stretchers to the med-ward,” Varankina directed and took the lead, guiding the group towards one of the winding corridors.

They passed a large plaza where children were playing. Mothers and fathers were sitting near a fountain engaged in lively conversations about what had happened yesterday. A large screen was showing live coverage from the senate on Coruscant.

“Mommy look he is one of those clones.” A child dropped the ball he had been playing with and hurried to his mother.

“Jakka, not all clones are following Order 66,” the mother soothed.

Varankina halted when she saw the two Jedi coming to the plaza. She sensed the waves of anguish coming from the Jedi when they saw the well known faces of the clone soldiers. Thousands of these men had been murdering the Jedi after being given their orders from the man that was now coming into focus on the viewer.

“Clones,” Jedi-apprentice Lindie Uroha muttered. “They turned on us.”

“But these two seem harmless and they are injured.” Jedi-master Djende DeeDee saw the bandages and wrinkled and tired faces.

“These two men have protected Milly Jaraan during the escape from Naboo,” Varankina stated.

“I won’t harm you,” Jago whispered. “And Meds – sorry Max – neither. We have followed the orders of Jedi general Jadin Finn. He told me to let conscience be my guide and I did when my brot no those murderers tried to arrest me. I ran and Max protected me and followed.”

“Sorry,” Lindie whispered “I am sorry if I have misjudged you. Let the Ceitans help you like they have helped me.” She came to the stretcher and gave Jago a hand and felt what little strength was in the man.

Jago shook her hand weakly and blinked with his eyes.

“Get him to the med-ward,” Varankina urged when she saw the clone getting sleepy. It was another indication that the aging process was accelerating rapidly.

The medics hurried to the indicated entrance and disappeared with Varankina.

Worry was showing on her face when Milly sat down on one of the benches with Yarowar and Karo.

“Don’t worry Milly,” Yarowar soothed. “Varankina will save them. She will treat the injuries and re-sequence the DNA.”

“Will she succeed?” Milly had tears in her eyes when she felt the hands of one of the Jedi on her shoulder.

“She saved me and she will save your friends,” Lindie sat down next to Milly. “We will stay with you.”

- - -

Max sniffed with his nose when the tangy smell of the ocean entered his nostrils and he felt something more. The black body glove of his armour was gone and replaced by.

Nothing.

He opened his eyes and saw seaweed covering his entire body and when he heard the unmistakable giggle of Milly he looked towards that and saw Jago being led to a house. Jago was sporting a rather red face and trying to cover his dignity with a large patch of seaweed.

“Max come,” Yarowar helped him up from the stretcher.

And Max accepted the help and limped towards the house where a shower and bath awaited him to get rid of the seaweed and sand. Clad in comfortable pants, a shirt and soft boots he followed the natives to a room where a dinner was waiting for him. He felt invigorated and only a slight limp remained.

And he was looking different, not anymore the spitting image of Jango Fett. His face was friendly with kind brown eyes.

And when he saw Jago coming in with Milly he smiled. Now he was indistinguishable from Jago.

“We will now age naturally,” Jago said and sat down to satisfy his grumbling stomach.

- - -

Milly Jaraan was busy. She was preparing the transport for the return trip to Kiran city. Dan Petrea had been the one to wake her with a very welcome message that the house of her parents was there for her and her friends. The police chief had been busy with the officials after she had left to care for the two clones. She was now reaching for the first stretcher.

Said clones were having fun on the beach after an early morning swim with the natives Yarowar and Karo.

But Jago looked up when he heard a soft sigh coming from Milly and he hurried with Max on his heels to the transport.

“Easy Milly. Let me do the work.”

“Yes Max.”

“I am Max,” Max grinned and loaded with help from Jago the stretchers.

And Milly took the passenger seat and saw Max or Jago taking the controls and decided to get different sets of clothes for the brothers. But she had no doubt that the two would play pranks on her and the child that was now quite lively kicking her in her belly.



Chapter 5

I wanna sleep beneath peaceful skies in my lover's bed
With a wide open country in my eyes
And these romantic dreams in my head



Kiran city was called a city on Varanko but on other planets it would have been called a village. It was the centre for many villages with government buildings, a shopping mall and a hospital. And it had a large harbour and some industry. A transport stopped next to the entrance of Kiran city hospital and a woman and two men exited it.

“We will now age naturally,” Max remarked when he saw an old man leaving the hospital. What had happened to him now weeks ago was still a bit of a mystery for him and the old man triggered the remark.

“The Ceitans carried you to Varankina, the leader of their group,” Milly smiled. “You had minor injuries and Varankina – the caretaker of Varanko – has treated the injuries and re-sequenced the DNA. You were aging rapidly but that could be reversed.”

“And that makes us,” Max grinned.

“Native Varankonin,” Jago continued. “I was given the same treatment when they saw that I had a small injury on my arm. And I was falling asleep when the mammals came to guide me to the cave.”

Max had a questioning look on his face. He had only seen the grey Varankonin.

“Ceitans are fish-like mammals and the original inhabitants of Varanko,” Milly answered “they have cared since time immemorial for the humanoids that settled here.”

“I want to visit them,” Max grinned.

“But first baby care,” Jago patted his brother on his back. He had seen the Ceitan humanoids and the beautiful home before he passed out.

“Max, Jago, come I will need the help of a doctor.” Milly entered the hospital and she didn’t worry about the future. Max and Jago were now indistinguishable for her. Her child would have two fathers in the house. A sharp pain had her gasping a bit until she was put by the two clones in a wheelchair and wheeled to the reception.

“Milly, that way,” the receptionist said with a big smile on her face. “You have doc Vendoni to help you with your baby.”

“Dad’s colleague,” Milly explained when she saw the faces of Max and Jago. If her parents had been alive, they would have helped her.

- - -

Tired but with a big smile on her face was Milly Jaraan. She was nursing her newborn son Ben.

Ben was a healthy boy and according to the two brothers Jago and Max a spitting image of their brethren on Kamino.

“A young Jango.”

And Milly didn’t care and turned to the speaker. “We are staying here Max. Ben will never see the stormtroopers.”

“That’s Max,” Jago grinned and showed the red bracelet that could be seen through the cream glove. He was like Max wearing a green medical gown and a facemask.

“Aaarch,” Milly grumbled good naturedly. “Next time you come for a visit Jago don a blue gown and you Max keep the green one.”

“We have to go to the city-hall,” Jago said.

“Only you,” Milly warned. “We have had trouble enough during our marriage.” She broke down in laughter when she remembered that event from only a week ago. She had entered with the two brothers the city-hall to get her marriage certified. The official had been surprised to see two men with the same looks. She had explained that the man with the red bracelet was to be her husband. The official was not convinced. Jago solved this by dropping his trousers and showing his old scars on his leg. And the ‘strip-tease’ had Max doubled over with laughter until he had to show his new scars. Milly had given Jago a red bracelet during the ceremony. “Max go to Dan Petrea and his officers to bring them the news.”

“Yes Milly.” Two brothers left the room and the hospital.

- - -

A speeder was stopping before the cottage that was owned by Milly Jaraan. Helped by Jago she excited the speeder with her baby in her arms and walked to the door.

Jago guided her carefully to the master bedroom and made sure that Milly had eyes only for him. Only when she was settled in the large bed with Ben in the crib, he dared to open the door to the common room.

And there their new friends were; Dan and Jessy Petrea with a fluffy police doll for the baby. Jax and Freya Connel had toys and clothes. Eryk and Camille Durn had more toys and the two bachelors Bas Koolan and Hugh Madsen had a box with technical toys.

Gasin Amalfi and Jack Barnali had something different. They revealed after opening the lid of a large box a large cake covered with blue sprinkles.

Max was distributing the cake with Jago helping him when the doorbell rang.

Djende DeeDee and Lindie Uroha entered with Yarowar and Karo. And Varankina was there and the bedroom was now becoming rather crowded.

All admired the lovely baby and congratulated the parents.

And it amused Milly greatly that the Jedi and Ceitan made no mistake when they congratulated Jago.

A crying Ben was the sign for the visitors to leave.

“Feeding time,” Varankina gave Ben to Milly. She was the last to leave and had a smile on her face. Ben had a great future in the coming new republic. And spitting image of Jango? No Ben had the gentle eyes of his mother.



FIN

 

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get to this!

But I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!

I love that you wrote about clones and their brotherhood and friendships! Perfect way to use the song.

Great names! I love their re-naming too!

And then Order 66 happens. Ouch. I'm really glad Jago remembered General Finn's words and followed his advice to 'let your conscience be your guide'.

Awww! No surrender, indeed. They will fight for each other!

Also, Milly and Jago are so cute, I love it!

The Ceitans sound like a really interesting species. I love how you used the clones' accelerated aging to tie-in with the song lyrics too!

Oh, this was such a poignant scene.

Awww! So funny and sweet.

And then the final chapter, with the baby and the wedding and clone mischief and family and friends! I enjoyed it all so much I could just quote the entire thing, and it made me smile for real.

Just perfect!

Thank you so much for participating in this little challenge, and for writing and sharing such a wonderful story!

 

And it did take me a long time to to reply too. Thank you for reading this little story