The two starfighters emerge from hyperspace. They float in space for a moment as they look at the missing planet, Kamino sitting before them. Freya dropped her hyperspace ring as Obi Wan's voice came through the com, "There it is. Our missing planet, Kamino," he then dropped his hyperspace ring and began flying towards the planet.
It was raining heavily. The landing platform glistened as the starfighter's lights hit it. The circular building was on stilts that stood high above the angry ocean below. Freya put on her robe and flipped her hood over her head before climbing out of her cockpit. Obi Wan did the same thing. Wrapping their robes around them tighter, they began to walk towards the glass door.
They took their hoods off once they were inside, where they were met by a tall, slim being, "Master Jedi. The prime minister is expecting you," the being spoke with a feminine voice.
"We're expected?" Obi Wan asked, he looked at Freya who just shrugged. She didn't know either, how could they be expected on a planet that they didn't find until a couple of hours ago?
"Of course," she replied as though it was obvious, "He is anxious to meet you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please this way," she walked away, leading them down a bright, white corridor that seemed to be never-ending. They entered a circular room where they were met by another tall, slim being, who Freya assumed was the prime minister, "May I present, Lama Su, prime minister of Kamino," Freya and Obi Wan bow to the prime minister as the female began to speak again. "And this is Master Jedi-"
"Obi Wan Kenobi and this is Padawan Skywalker," he introduced.
"I trust you are going to enjoy your stay," Lama Su started as one shell shaped chairs descended from the ceiling, "Please," he indicated to the chair, which Freya allowed Obi Wan to sit on out of respect, him being the master of course but the look on Obi Wan's face suggested that he thought it was another way of her calling him old, "And now to business. You will be delighted to hear that we are on schedule. 200,000 units are ready, with a million more on the way,"
"That's good news," Obi Wan stuttered, not actually sure as to what they were talking about. Freya's mind drifted back to the diner where Dex told them about cloners. 'Is that what they are talking about?' she asked herself.
"Please tell you Master Sifo-Dyas that his order will be met on time," Lama Su spoke. Obi Wan shook his head, wondering whether he had heard him properly.
"I'm sorry. Master--" Obi Wan trailed off for the prime minister to finish.
"Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council is he not?"
"Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago," Obi Wan replied.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. But I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we built for him," the prime minister spoke. The two Jedi looked at each other in confusion. Army? Did the Council know about this? Obi Wan returned his gaze to the prime minister.
"The army?" he asked, stuttering slightly with a raise of his eyebrows.
"Yes. A clone army and I must say, one of the finest we've ever created,"
"Tell me, Prime Minister, when my master first contacted you about the clone army, did-- did he say who it was for?"
"Of course he did. This army is for the Republic," he responded, Freya wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not, "But you must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself,"
"That's why I'm here," Obi Wan chuckled. The prime minister stood from his seat, followed shortly by Obi Wan. He led them back down the long, white corridor that they came from before. It wasn't long until they came to a tunnel with glass walls. Giving the two Jedi a perfect view of all the glass jars. Millions of them that contained as small human baby, "Very impressive," Obi Wan commented."
"I'd hoped you would be pleased,"
"Clones can think creatively. You will find that they are immensely superior to droids. We take great pride in our combat education and training programs. This group was created about five years ago," he spoke indicating to the young boys who looked to be about 9 or 10, all looking at computer screens.
"You mentioned growth acceleration," Obi Wan inquired as he looked at the clones below.
"Oh, yes, it's essential. Otherwise a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow," Lama Su answered.
"I see,"
"They are totally obedient, taking any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host,"
"Who was the original host?" Freya asked, speaking up for the first time. The prime minister turned his head to her.
"A bounty hunter called Jango Fett," he replied, Obi Wan stopped walking and looked up at the tall prime minister.
"And where is this bounty hunter now?" he questioned, 'Is he the one who tried to assassinate Padme?' Freya thought as the others continued to talk. 'But if he's here, then he can't be anywhere else, meaning Padme and Anakin are safe,' She continued to think until heard the female speak.
"I'd be very happy to arrange it for you," she said as the four came to a balcony that overlooked thousands of clones in their white armor, weapons in hand. It was like a parade, thousands of clones marched in sync.
"Magnificent, aren't they?"
***
Freya and Obi Wan were taken down another corridor. One that was whit and black. The Kaminoan stopped at a door and pressed the keypad on the left side of it. The door opened to reveal a young boy. One Freya recognised as one of those young clones. She had missed the part where the prime minister had told them that Jango wanted an unaltered clone for himself.
"Boba, is your father here?" she asked him. Boba stood looking at the two human visitors.
"Yep." he replied, his eyes never leaving the two strangers.
"May we see him?"
"Sure," Boba replied, stepping out of the way to let them in. He walked in calling for Jango, "Dad! Taun We's here!" Obi Wan and Freya stepped into the room and waited. Soon, Jango walked in, dressed in a loose, blue shirt and black trousers.
"Jango, welcome back," Taun We greeted. "Was your trip productive?"
"Fairly," the man responded with a smile as he rolled up his sleeve.
"This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padawan Skywalker," Taun We introduced, "They've come to check on our progress."
"Your clones are very impressive," Obi-Wan said. "You must be very proud."
"I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe, Master Jedi."
"Ever make your way as far into the interior as Coruscant?" Obi-Wan questioned bluntly. Freya looked to see Boba watching the interaction as though he was worried something was going to happen, much like how Freya felt. Did she trust this guy?
"Once or twice." Jango replied, briefly.
"Recently?" Obi Wan pressed.
"Possibly..."
"Then you must know Master Sifo-Dyas," Obi-Wan commented. The man turned to his son and spoke to him in a different language. The boy walked towards the door they had came through, closing the one beside it. Jango circled around Obi Wan, keeping his attention on him.
"Master who?" he asked.
"Sifo-Dyas. Isn't he the one who hired you for this job?" Obi Wan inquired.
"Never heard of him," Jango replied, and if there was a lie in his words, Obi-Wan could not detect it.
"Really?"
"I was recruited by a man called Tyranus on one of the moons of Bogden," Jango explained, Freya analysed his body language and facial features, it seemed he was telling the truth about Master Sifo-Dyas.
"Curious..." Obi-Wan muttered, glancing quickly towards Freya before returning his gaze to Jango. There was a moment of silence before the bounty hunter broke it.
"Do you like your army?" Jango Fett asked him, changing the subject from him to the army.
"I look forward to seeing them in action," the Obi Wan replied.
"They'll do their job well. I'll guarantee that." he assured.
"Thanks for your time, Jango," Obi-Wan said, bowing his head. Freya bowed hers before they turned towards the door,
"Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi," he replied.
On their way back to their ships, Freya was wondering about Obi Wan's opinion of the situation, "Do you really think the Council authorised this?"
"We're about to find out," came Obi Wan's reply. There was something else that troubled Freya and it's who hired Jango, if it was him, to assassinate Padme.
"It doesn't seem logical for the Sepratists to assassinate an enemy who is fighting against the creation of an army. Surely they wouldn't want the Republic to have an army. But if it wasn't them, then who?" Freya said, speaking her mind. Obi Wan smiled at the young girl's reasoning, "What?" she asked when she noticed his smile.
"It's a good evaluation, young one," he answered as they walked through the door, placing the hoods on their heads as they exited into the rain.
"You know calling me young one just makes you sound old,"
"Don't make me push you off this platform," Obi Wan threatened, his tone showing that he was obviously joking.
"Violence isn't the Jedi way, master," Freya smirked, Obi Wan sighed deeply as they arrived at their fighters.
"And here I thought I was finally going to get some peace," Obi Wan spoke, quickly looking at the building before calling for his droid, "R4," a few cheery beeps sounded as the droid woke up.
"Yeah, well you were wrong. Someone has to annoy you whilst Anakin is away," Freya joked, Obi Wan ignored the comment and continued to talk to his droid.
"Scramble code five to Coruscant, care of the old folks' home!" Freya giggled at the codename, stopping when Obi Wan turned to her, "If you make one more remark about me being old, I--" he stopped when he was connected to Master Yoda and Master Windu, "We have successfully made contact with Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino. They are using a bounty hunter named Jango Fett to create a clone army. I have a strongfeeling that this bounty hunter is the assassin we are looking for."
"Do you think these cloners are involved in the plot to assassinate Senator Amidala?" Mace Windu asked, with his legs crossed on the circular chair.
"No, Master, there appears to be no motive."
"Do not assume anything, Obi-Wan," Yoda advised. "Clear, your mind must be if you are to discover the real villain behind this plot."
"Yes, Master. They say Master Sifo-Dyas placed an order for a clone army at the request of the senate almost ten years ago." Obi Wan informed, the two masters looked at each other as they digested this information, "I was under the impression he was killed before that. Did the Council ever authorize the creation of a clone army?" Obi Wan asked.
"No," Master Windu replied without delay, "Whoever placed that order did not have the authorization of the Jedi Council."
"Bring him here. Question him we will," Master Yoda instructed.
"Yes, Master. I will report back when we have him," Obi Wan replied, before signalling for R4 to turn off the transmission.
"We?" Freya asked, "Can't I just sit in my warm cockpit?"
"It's a bit of rain, it won't kill you," Obi Wan replied, "No come on," Freya groaned as she followed Obi Wan back to the building.
***
Obi Wan and Freya run into Jango's room to find it empty. All of their clothes are gone, "They're making a run for it," Freya noted before running out the door, Obi Wan hot on her heels. She headed the opposite way from where they came, knowing that they hadn't passed them. She looked as they passed every door that led outside, eventually finding one with a ship resting on it, "That's them," she told Obi Wan as she opened the door.
"Dad! Look!" Boba yelled as he pointed, Jango turned to see the two Jedi running from the building.
"Boba, get on board," Jango ordered as the two Jedi remove their lightsabers from their belts and ignite them. Jango then begins firing his gun at the oncoming Jedi. They easily deflect his bolts. Obi Wan swings at Jango but he uses his jet pack to fly out of the way. He landed on top of a tower and fires a rocket at Obi Wan and Freya. The blast knocks the two back, their lightsabers switching off as they fall from their hands. They stand up to see the ship rotating to aim the guns at them. The guns fire a laser bolt and the explosion throws them back to the ground. This time Freya landed on her wrist causing her to cry out in pain.
As Obi Wan starts to stand up, Jango flies towards him but Obi Wan managed to kick him, making the bounty hunter fall to the wet surface, his gun skidding to the side of the platform. The two then start to fight without their weapons. They kicked, punched and threw each other around like rag dolls. As Obi Wan fell to the ground, he reached for his lightsaber but Jango fired a wire at his wrist preventing him from retrieving his weapon. The bounty hunter then flies around with his jet pack, dragging Obi Wan helplessly along the wet surface of the platform. Shortly Obi Wan manages to wrap the wire around a column causing Jango to come crashing down, his jet pack flying away, crashing into the tower that he was hanging onto not long ago.
Without thinking, Obi Wan charges at Jango and kicks him over the platform edge, only to be taken with him. Jango then draws out claws from his forearm and digs the claws into the building. Obi Wan then falls from the dome-shaped surface, slowly bringing Jango with him but Jango detaches the wire from his wrist and Obi Wan then started falling towards the angry waves below.
Jango uses the claws to climb his way back up to the platform only to be greeted by Freya, "Move out of the way, child!" he growled at her but she did not move. She glared at him. The nerve he had to call her a child. She ignited her lightsaber and swung it at him but he dove out of the way, "He could be dying, drowning. It's a horrible way to die," It was a trick and she knew it but she looked anyway, at the last place Obi Wan stood before sliding down to his possible watery grave, "Boba!" he called as he dove out the way. Another laser bolt fired from the ship, sending Freya back once more.
Obi Wan comes running out onto the platform, retrieving his lightsaber as he ran towards the ship that was about to take off. He pulled out a small device from his belt and threw it at the ship as it takes off. Obi Wan then turns to see Freya standing up for the third time and ran towards her, "Are you alright?"
"I'm really bad at this, aren't I?" she asked. She was disappointed in herself, "I knew it was a trick but I still fell for it anyway," she looked down to see how far the drop was before looking back to Obi Wan, "He said you could be dying,"
"Don't you worry about that. I will live a long life being bullied by you and Anakin, I assure you," He joked with a laugh earning one from the girl stood beside him, "Come on. We can catch up to him," he said as he headed back towards the building. Freya took one more look at the empty platform before turning to follow Obi Wan.