Star Wars: CT-4789 aka Jack: a Clone Story

Chapter 12: Cut Lawquane

Shortly after leaving Tatooine, Jack and Shylin intercepted a transmission coming from Seelos to Saleucami, it was for a Cut Lawquane. He heard that name from Rex after Kenobi failed at capturing General Grievous there. "Setting coordinates to Saleucami", Jack said. "Why?", asked Shylin. "There's a clone there that deserted the Republic after his squad got shot down there, I have a few questions for him". Jack made the jump to hyperspace. Jack went to shower. When Jack found The Marksman on Jakku, he used every Imperial credit he had to buy and modify the ship. He installed a shower, a bedroom quarter for himself, Shaylin and anyone else they pick up along the way. He also modified the engines to make the ship a bit faster. He painted a big, long red stripe from the cockpit to the first engine, it symbolized his old squad from Kamino. "Saleucami coming up in 5 minutes", Shaylin said over the comms. Jack put on his black jump suit from his old Purge Trooper armor, then some robes he bought on Jakku from an Unkar Plutt.

Jack landed the ship not far from where he knew Cut Lawquane lived. It was about an hour walk, Jack lead the way. He remembered the coordinates Rex told him, Rex told him because Jack asked where he lived incase Jack wanted to go there and talk about a life after the war. "Almost there, Shylin". As they walked into the outskirts of the farm, Jack saw a rusted Commando Droid pod, some Commando Droid heads as house ornaments and Commando Droids set up as targets. "Hey! Who the hell are you two?!" shouted a male voice. "We are friends, I knew Captain Rex, are you Cut Lawquane?", Jack asked. "Yes I am. Are you also a clone?" "Clearly". "Sorry, it's been awhile, aren't you guys apart of the Empire now? Why're you here, to take my farm and family?" "No, I am not. I defected from the Empire when I found out I could be a Jedi". Cut Lawquane looked stunned. "How can you be a Jedi? You're a clone!" Jack moved the Commando Droid target with the Force. "Amazing!" Cut invited them inside for a meal and some drinks. "How did the Clone Wars end?" asked Cut. "Uh well, it turns out that we clones had inhibitor chips put in our heads with a set of orders. When one was told to us by the Chancellor, we all turned on the Jedi so now the Jedi are all but gone". Cut looked disgusted, "so you killed a Jedi?" Jack scoffed, "no, I didn't. He survived. Look, I didn't come here to tell war stories, I came to ask how you did all this after fleeing the Republic". Cut looked surprised, "well, I didn't expect that. I told Rex to come back but he's all happy on Seelos with Wolffe and Gregor. Anyways, it's all about what you want to do. I took up farming because it's easy to do. You might be better at something else, find that thing you're good at and do it. Also, find a perfect planet to do it on like Takodana, Saleucami, Coruscant". Jack barely heard what Cut said, "wait! Rex is alive?! I heard he died after departing Mandalore!" "Nope, he's a alive brother, I'll tell him you're her-" "No! Don't, if we could intercept your transmission, so could the Empire!" Cut stopped himself, "sorry, ma'am, you're right". Shylin apologized to Cut, "I'm sorry about that, I just don't want the Empire to come down on you because you have a Jedi and a deserter in your house". "I get it, it's a Jedi thing", Cut said with a laugh.

Cut let them sleep the night, "you guys can stay in my children's old rooms, they left Saleucami a year ago to see the galaxy, haven't heard from them since. It took a heavy toll on my wife, Suu, she was also sick and passed a month after they left". "Cut, I'm so sorry", Jack said. "Eh, it's ok. I just hope the Empire didn't get their evil hands on them". Jack awoke the next morning to blaster fire and the humming of a lightsaber. He jumped out of bed like a proton torpedo from a Y-Wing and ignited his saber. "What's going on?!" "The Empire is here, they saw your ship a mile back!", Cut yelled. "I managed to jam their communications so they can't call for reinforcements", Shylin said. It was an army of troopers, Death Troopers, Purge Troopers, and regular troopers. "Kill the Jedi, wait, a clone is a Jedi?!", exclaimed a stormtrooper.

The battle was a long one. Stormtrooper limbs lay everywhere, blaster burns in Cut's house, lightsaber cuts on the ground and on the troopers. "Cut, we did it, you're safe", Jack said between breathes. Cut didn't respond. "Cut! Cut!" Shaylin found Cut Lawquane, he was fist fighting a Purge Trooper and losing. Eventually, the Death Trooper picked up his electro-staff and shocked Cut with it and stabbed him through his torso. "CUT!" Shaylin jumped into action and dueled the Purge Trooper while Jack tended to Cut Lawquane. "Cut, you'll be ok, just stay with me". Jack saw too many of his brothers fall during the Clone War and he couldn't let Cut die. He couldn't heal him with the Force, he wasn't powerful enough. He rummaged through his satchel and found some bacta strips. "Jack, it's too late. You can't save me, let me go be with my wife, please. You own this farm now". Cut Lawquane took his last breath as Jack sobbed. Shylin defeated the Purge Trooper and ran to Jack and consoled him. "He's one with the Force now. We have to leave". They boarded The Marksman and departed Saleucami and set course for Seelos.