FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y-N I N E

Athena massaged her neck with her slender fingers, washed away the residue, and repeated, sighing with relief. "Finally...some luck is on our side." She transitioned to gently scrubbing the caked muck from her hair, sucking air through her teeth whenever she pulled on a tender spot. Crosshair removed his gloves and began cleaning his own face and bald head. He arched his neck back to stroke under his chin and down his long neck; his eyes noticed how late in the evening it had gotten...Dusk painted the sky with pinks, oranges, and blues.

"I wasn't lying, by the way." the bounty hunter said. "It was more of a joke when I brought Hunter up."

"Just drop it." Crosshair grumbled as he rinsed the liquified dirt from his hands.

"Just like that? You know, I'm getting sick of these mood swings of yours."

"And I'm getting sick of you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"So, what?" Athena plopped down in the lush grass with one knee propped up, groaning, "Look, I get you don't like sharing particulars, but I spilled my entire past to you last night. The least you can do is explain why the mention of your old squad bothers you so much. What did they do, or say, that was so wrong?"

"It's not what he said wrong," Crosshair caved into her persistence. "but that what he said...was possibly right." He quickly rose to his feet. "I say we make camp here for the night. I'm going to go get some firewood." Athena jumped and intercepted before he could rush off.

"Tell me what Hunter said."

She is annoyingly incessant. The soldier frowned, for he couldn't deny her argument of fairness. Averting his eyes, he sighed in defeat. "On Kamino, when Hunter was under my custody, he told me what the Empire was doing throughout the galaxy and that clones were being replaced. He told me, 'All you'll ever be to them is a number.' His words didn't particularly phase me because, well, I don't really care what happens to me as long as I serve my purpose in the Empire." He paused, noticing Athena's expression relaxing as he opened up. "But, not long after you left to go face them, I was called to Rampart's office for my next assignment. When I was assigned to a new squad, I questioned why not Cody..."

"Cody went AWOL, I heard." Athena said, nodding.

"It's not just that." The soldier explained. "I was forced to clarify Cody by his designation number."

"Oh? Oh...I see now..." Athena's arms hugged her chest. "Really, Crosshair, I do."

"Goody." For some reason, Crosshair felt uneasy on how soft the bounty hunter's reaction was to his disclosure. "Since you are now satisfied, am I excused to go gather wood so we don't freeze tonight?"

Instead of retorting with a quip, Athena nodded again, and the elite clone went on his way. She settled back down by the edge of the river, rolled up her already-soaked, filthy sleeves, and calmly resumed cleaning the sticky, dry sweat off. Her thoughts swam with imagery of what she was told. I wondered what his reaction was when Rampart questioned who 'Cody' was... She pictured a cold fury on Crosshair's angular face and the disturbed agitation when he was forced to correct himself to none other than Vice Admiral Rampart... Athena envisioned herself in Crosshair's stead and understood she would be absolutely fuming...

Hunter...was possibly right. She began speculating over Crosshair's confession. It must be so difficult for someone as stubborn as Crosshair to overcome that perception. But it's not like he can continue to deny what Hunter said once he has experienced it...For a clone like Cody, whom Crosshair respects highly, to be plainly demoted into a number simply because Rampart, and the rest of his Imperial colleagues, does not recognize the clones' chosen names, was something Crosshair could not handle...

Not that there is much change before the Empire took over. Athena's frown deepened, her fingers mindlessly traced in the dirt. The peaceful, cool breeze tingled her wet arms and face. Did the Republic view us clones any differently? With all those senators and representatives debating with one another, deciding whether to create more clones or not. With the Jedi, who displayed such kindness as to calling them by their individual names, but yet had never asked them if creating them, if circulating them throughout the Clone Wars was even morally right. How about the common citizen of the Republic? I wonder if the average citizen spent one honest night wondering how a clone was feeling? How their day went? Were clones even alive to the Republic, much less just a number? Or just pawns in their war?

Furthermore...we were created, trained, and thrown into a war against our will. Hundreds of thousands of clones have died for a Republic we'd never even seen...

Athena's eyes watered the more she comtemplated the status of clones. She could hardly relate to the internal analysis, being an outcast of all outcasts, but there was truth behind it. She didn't need to serve in the Grand Army of the Republic nor the Galactic Empire to recognize the dehumanization of clones. As a bounty hunter, she fought against many clones sent out by their Jedi generals or other Republic authority. Those soldiers she killed were replaced by more soldiers, much like the Separatist droids she destroyed, throughout the war.

I was nothing to the Kaminoans...but perhaps, all clones are nothing but science projects that had financial and militarial benefits for the Republic.

But, I digress too much...

When night finally fell and the fire blazed in between the two stranded clones, there was very little chatter. Hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees, Athena subconsciously stared at the soldier while he casually stoked the crackling flames.

Finally, she asked in an airy breath, "Do you believe you are expendable, Crosshair?"

Though she did not receive an immediate reply, his silent reaction informed her that he was carefully pondering over the question. She watched him slowly nod.

"And you've accepted this?"

Another small nod.

"Well, I don't." she stated plainly, then softly smiled at him when he raised his head to her. "You heard me. I do not think you are expendable. No matter what you believe your purpose is in this Galatic Empire, you better convince yourself that you matter and you deserve recognition for your service."

"Says the clone who doesn't exist." Crosshair lightly chuckled.

Impressed, Athena's brows raised and her lips parted. "Was that a joke? Are we exchanging jokes now?"

"I guess we are."

Athena's first genuine laugh since she met the elite clone filled the forest air. Simultaneously, for the first time, Crosshair realized how beautiful she really was.

He sighed with content, "Kessel."

Athena's head cocked to the side. "What about it? Are you comparing the worst planets to be stranded on?" She snorted at her own quip.

"You asked earlier what was Clone Force 99's most daring mission." he explained. "It was on Kessel. The mission took a turn for the worse when we ran into the Pykes, but we managed to get out alive and successful."

"Oh, this, I have to hear." Athena's eyes beamed, crawling over with excitement until she sat only inches from the elite clone. Instead of retracting, he chuckled and swiveled to give her his full attention.

"Gladly."