Impulse - Book 2 - Sergeant Hunter

{Chapter 7 - Questions}

For those who haven't read the first book, brackets {like these} indicate a short/fluff chapter. These kind of chapters don't necessarily contribute to the plot, but may involve lore dumps or just cute moments and stuff. Anyway, enjoy.

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The trip to J-19 was a slow one. Omega and Wrecker were killing time by ratting around the ship, exploring every nook and cranny. In the meantime, Hunter was checking in on Stellia's wound.

"How's it feeling?" Hunter asked as he began to unbandage her arm. 

"Not bad, it hasn't been giving me any trouble." 

"It looks to be healing up well. I'll rewrap it though." 

Hunter worked carefully. Stellia found herself growing hot in the face again, but she pushed it away. 

Once her arm was fixed Stellia thanked Hunter. Omega came over to where the pair was sitting, her eyes full of questions. Stellia and Hunter both turned to her, mentally preparing themselves for an onslaught. 

"So... your name isn't Siren?" she asked Stellia.

"No, that's a name I was given by my... former employers... It's not the first name I've been given that I didn't like. I'm a clone, like you, but not from the same donor. My designation was Theta-6, but I hated it, so I called myself Stellia."

"How many others are there? Could they help us?"

"Well, there were twenty of us. But it's just me and my sister Lenora now."

"Oh... I'm sorry." Omega looked down sadly.

"It's all right kid, you didn't know. And to answer your other question- I think Lena would be more than willing to give us a hand."

Omega beamed. She then took notice of the tattoos up Stellia's hand and arm, which had been exposed now that her sleeve was rolled up. Stellia saw this and rolled up her sleeve further and took off her glove. Omega inspected the tattoos. On Stellia's left side there was a swirling pair of interlacing lines that ran from just behind her ear, down her neck, across her collarbone and shoulders, and down her arm, ending at the nail beds of her thumb.

Omega instinctively reached out to touch it, Stellia flinched every so slightly out of habit, but nodded that she could trace it if she liked.

Omega's eyes grew wide in curiosity- "It's so cool!"

"Thanks, I did it myself." Stellia smiled.

"Whoa! Did you do Hunter's too?"

Stellia and Hunter both chuckled.

"No, she did do some touch ups on it though." Hunter explained.

"Where did you learn to do that if you're a clone?"

"I um- uh-" Stellia grew slightly uncomfortable.

Hunter noticed this and stepped in- "That's a story for another time."

"No, it's okay. I've got time to tell a story." Stellia smiled, if a little uncomfortably- "Buckle up buttercup because it's a long one."

Wrecker ran over- "Ooh! Can I listen?"

"Sure, why not."

*~*~*

One day, a long time ago, a very rich old lady came to Kamino. Her daughter was very ill, and it was looking as if she wasn't going to make it. The lady said that she needed an heir to her family's fortune, and so the Kaminoans obliged, creating my first sister, Winnie. 

But the troubles started when the rich old lady died before Winnie was ready. The project was abandoned, and the Kaminoans had a bunch of left over genetic material, so they used these left overs to create me and my sisters, and they used us as their own version of 'lab rats'. It didn't work out though, because many of my sisters became very sick as a result of the testing.

I was fed up with my poor treatment, so I ran away. I went to Coruscant and I worked in a hairdresser-tattoo place. That's where I learnt to do tattoos like the one I have now.

Eventually, the war began and the place I worked got shut down. I had to find a new way to earn a living, so I ended up working with some evil men who treated me horribly. 

I ended up trapped working with the bad men for a lot longer than I would've liked, but the boys came and gave me a way out. I'll always be grateful for that.

*~*~*

Stellia finished the (rather abridged) story, noticing that Omega and Wrecker had both passed out cold on the floor. She laughed to herself, turning her chair back around to face Hunter, whom she had forgotten was there. He had an expression on his features that she couldn't quite figure out.

"That was a pretty toned down version of your story." Hunter smiled knowingly.

"Well what was I supposed to do? Tell the kid that I killed innocent people for a living? She'd never trust me again." Stellia smiled, but the thought of it was still weighing heavy in her chest.

"I think she would. But, you should tell her when you're ready." 

Stellia smiled sadly. She looked up at Hunter, studying his face closely. He noticed this and became rather flustered, looking around confusedly. Stellia paid it no mind.

"Do you want another touch up on the skull at all?" Stellia asked after a while.

Hunter almost sighed in relief at the ease of tension- "No, I think I'll be fine. Why? Did you not do as good of a job as you thought last time?"

"No, I just thought maybe you would..." Stellia trailed off awkwardly- "You know, I still think you're crazy for getting a face tattoo with your heightened senses. Those hurt a lot, and it'd be worse for you wouldn't it?" 

"Maybe I am crazy, but I like it. What is it that they say? Beauty is pain?" 

"I don't think that's what they meant by that Hunter." Stellia laughed.

Stars Hunter wished he could just replay that laugh a thousand times over. 

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