Mirror

Jakes heavy eyes opened lazily, he threw his hands above him stretching as got up from the cold floor, others would call it uncomfortable sleep...and they would be right. 

"Fuck..." Jake muttered as he stood up shaking his legs and popping his kunckles, looking around Jake realzied he had woke up first, the Clone still togther sat in the corner, snoring lightly, Teesh curled up un another corner, muttering random words mostly relating towards food, and the Droids practiclly piled in the last corner, this was the first time Jake saw them shut down without going into their storage modes, he gave a confused stare, but ignored it. 

Jake stumbled his loose form into the storage room, fumbling with the controls as the door slid open, squeezing in Jake eyes met with Buckets headless corspe, he set it up in sitting posistion, but refused to touch it anymore. Trying to hide his feeling from himself, the teen grabbed a large box and dragged it out of the room into the main area, the noise of metal creaking enough to wake up Mute, who shook his head as his tired eyes saw Jake, the Clone gently pushed his way past the other clones to stand up, walking up to Jake as the boy rumaged around grabbed a random food item, it being something Lando had given them, he didnt care to check what it was before tiredly stuffing it into his mouth, Mute letting off a low chuckle.

"hows it going kid..." He said grabbing a ration bar and sitting on the floor next to him.

"Meh...." Jake answered truthfully.

"I can get that..sorry for Barren...he was apart of the Mandolorian wars" Jake gave the clone a confused stare.

"sounds..rough" Jake said with concern at the response.

"Thats putting it lightly" the clone looked over to his sleeping friends. "We didnt know why or when, but the Mandlorians split, and before the "good" ones helped us..we were getting massacred....they werent anything like droids..and to them we were the invaders"

Jake had little reaction other then staring at the floor.

"And what of Barren?" Jake asked.

"he lost his squadron during one of the first battles, he couldnt participate during the rest of the war...the experiance caused something in him to snap when he sees Mandolorians...becoming aggresive towards everyone and having a panic attack" Mute explained, waking up as he rambled.

"mmm...." Jake hummed "and now that Ada isnt trying to kill him he's fine?"

"Not completly...give it time" Mute said patting the teens back, the boy giving a light nod and a smile.

"Whatssss the fussssssssss?" Teesh asked, uncurling from his sleeping posture, quickly reaching grabbing three ration bars and downing all of them, wrapper included.

"Nothing much" Jake responded casually, Mute giving a surpised expression, looking between the two, evetually just shrugging his shoulder. It didnt take long for the other clones to wake up, and with alll the memebers that actually need sleep, Jake went over and activated all the droids, Rustys cheering personailty and commediclly highpicthed voice waking up anyone who was still tired.

Daily duties commenced, Jake and Teesh went out to buy food froma small shop, Rusty and Cank helped the Clones fix or clean any armor, blasters, or the ship itself. Once Jake got back, he decided that the red and black coloring was a little..well off putting, and called to much attention. So he soent the next hour along side Teesh and Mute, who Jake had remove all of his armor and put on some random bits of clothing as to avoid suspicion, removing the ships paintjob.

Jake brushed the last of the paint on the left wing, looking to his left as Ada walked towards him in the distance, he grew a smile and waved at her, the mandolorian giving a light wave as Jake put the brush away, thankfully removing small bit of paint left on the wing, Teesh and Mute finsihing up the other side, meaning the ship was pretty much done, it now being a cool grey all over, much better for someone trying to not stick out.

"Hey Jake..hows it going" Ada asked, walking up to him.

Jake stared at the helmet "Just changing up the paint, thought the other colors stood out to much"

"That we can agree on" Ada giggled lightly walking past him to greet Teesh and Mute, who had walked around to Jakes side after hearing him speak to someone. Jake kinda just stood there....hell not even he knew why.

Ada talked to the clone and the lizard, Mute still side eying her through his helmet. Jake turned to look at them, his eyes glazed, lost in his own thoughts...

He quickly shook his head and planted a smile on his face, walking over to the small group.

"heyo!!" Jake said with small wave "Whatcha talkin bout?"

"Ada jusssssssst wanted to know what we were doing" Teesh responded casually, his arms crossed lazily over one another.

"yeah." Mute muttered, Jake giving the clone a light glare.

"ah fair enough, well we have gotta decide were to go next...no use staying here for long, the empire might find us"

"Agreed" Teeshsaid nodding his hand, shoving the LAATs door open enough for everyone to squeeze in.

"Greetings sit...is the paint job complete" Tac said, being the first to walk to Jake.

"Yup, we shouldnt gather attention with plain grey" Jake responded, earning a nod from the Tactical Droid. The boy quickly called everyone towards him, the large squad forming a circle, the Clones and droids lined up, with Rusty standing next to Jake and Teesh on the biys other side, followed by Ada, who stood next to a wary Barren.

"So, ive had a few scuffles with these imperials on Geonosis well before i even known you guys" Jake started, pointing at the clones.

"And we used to have our weapons back then and only used them like once before we lost and they got stolen" Jake continued.

"wait waaiittt" Teesh intrupted "Your not ssssssugesssting we go back for some weapons?"

"The trandoshan has a point sir, this is not a reason to risk our lives" Tac said in agreement.

"I get that but think about it, they would never expect us there, this gideon guy has been following us and "studying us" whatever the fuck that means, the last thing we have done is shown him we are willing to start a fight" Jake began to explain, the other just staring at him.

"Look, do you remeber a time we attacked them?.." Jake asked, the droids ran their memories as the clones and Teesh tried to recall... 

"Well...no..not outright" Teesh stated.

"Exactly, this is a chance not only to get some weapons back, but more importantly, get some sweet sweet reveneg" Jake said as confidently as his broken spirit would allow.

"Im in..." Teesh answered insatnly, the others looked at him. "Thatssss my home planet, and i dotn plan on letting get run down by some Impssss" Teesh snarled.

"Roger Roger! this unit is ready kick some ass" Rusty exclaimed throwing his hands into the air.

"Affirmative" Clank and Tac spoke in unison, Racket nodding at their words.

Mute crossed his arms.."We are in kid.." Mute gave a cocky smile, one Jake returned.

Jake looked towards Ada, who nodded and sent a thumbs Jakes way, the boy visbly getting happier and sending one back.

"Now how the hell do we get there?" Jammer broke the silence.

"And how do we find your weapons?" Barren followed.

Jake hummed to himself, the squad around him awaiting his words.

"Ive got an idea" Jake said, reaching to hold R4s cracked eye, a genuine smile upon his face for first time in weeks...or was it weeks? wait let me count...

get the two...over the..uh...five...equals...umm..

no yeah its only been about two weeks since Jake would be at home with just R4..yeah okay that makes sense...oh yeah sorry back to..uh..the story yup..mhm.

Jakes LAAT heaved itself into the air, Jake in the mian seat with Tac in the coopilot, the boy eager to learn how to master flying. With two ships avalible, the group decided to split, with the Clones riding on Adas ship, and everyon else on the LAAT. This was of course suggested by the ever wise Rusty, who was finally able to do basic math, and said that the Clones should go with Ada so they could get along more, Jake agreed, but of course talked to Mute about it. The clone was hesitant, but after some convincing agreed, Jakes main argument was pretty much

"Ada may be a mandolorian, but she didnt kill your brothers ya know" and that was enough for Mute to at least try.

The two ships flew through space, away from the large asteroid, Jake set the ship to charge its hyperdrive to get to Geonosis, he hadnt remembered using hyperspace before, mostly cause there were no paths, but now getting to Geonosis should be a piece of cake.

Jake sat in storage, the hyperdrive was charged, it took like ten seconds but he didnt call it yet, he sat on a box across Buckets dead body, the B1 lay their, motionless, headless. Jake held up the helmet he wore, staring into the eyes of Bucket.

(Yeah so i remember for some reason i made it so he added R4s eye into the helmet, just forget that happned...my bad)

The boy sat in thought, going back wouldnt be easy, he knew where he was going. Back home, or at least near it, back when he lived their two ish weeks ago Imperials bothred him constantly, so he had assumed their must be a base nearby, and wheres theres a base, there must be a commander. And he must have information. Jake sighed, setting down the helmet next to him, staring at Buckets body, he felt that familar, the piercing stab of sadness, clawing away at your chest eager to make you cry, but Jake couldnt, he was out of tears...for now

The LAAT jumped into hyperspace, the boy saying his goodbyes to Ada and the Clones on the other ship as they wouldnt be able to talk mid travel, Jake sat in the pilot seat, watching as the stars around him turned to lines and his very soul launched backwards as the window was filled with blue light of hyperspace, Tac stared behind Jake, both captured by the... 

Jake looked, the blue view shadowed itself, his eyes cleared in confusion as he caught sight of..something, it floated there, a tall lanky figure, in frotn of their ship. Tacs unmoving faceplate watched with wonder, Jakes eyes widened, his pupils tightned. Jake knew what Jedi were, the bugs told many stories, and he knew for a fact he wasnt able to wield this "force", but nonetheless, he shivered, the metal on his shirt turned from a cold reminder to a warm embrace, his skin grew bumps and his soul clenched into it self..

The Cold..

Jake Sat up, surrounded by sand, he panted as he mouth lay slightly open. Confused, he picked up a handfull, the grains slipping from his fingers and into the mass beneath him. His glazed eyes scanned the area, sand for miles on end, standing to his feet, he stared at the ground. Looking up, his house appeared, the roof and walls still carrying his faithful scrap, holding together strong, Jake eyes focused on it, running with his hands out towards the door. 

It flew open, phasing through him, Jake face contorted into bewielderment.

"What the-"

He stepped back as he watched himself walk outside from within the house, but this mirror of himself had no face, only a flat surface of pale crackling skin.it ignored his presence, R4 trailed behind the mirror, plopping into the sand. Jake let out a shaky hand, it phasing through R4. the Mirror walked with R4 towards a speeder that manifested from the ground, Jake stared with confusion yes, but also intrest. He followed them, slowly taking one step forwards only for his foot to sink, the sand beneath changing and morphing into mud, he looked around himself, whipping out his DC-15A blaster from his back, and in a panic firing into the mud, but only a petty group of bubbles emerged, flying upwards, followed by his blaster turning to mud and dripping down. Jake couldnt formulate words as he watched his mirror self turn to dust, R4 turning around and retracting its center tread, standing normally.

"R4..?" Was all Jake could mutter, it responded with a distorted chirp, the droids head popping off as black goo leaked from its sides, the sky turned to dark as the droids limbs and hatchs opened wildly, gooey limbs erecting themselves as they latched onto the boy, Jake tried to scream but couldnt as his vision blurred again, opening his tightned eyes, he sat in a wet, dark room, turning around, Gideon stood there, facing the other way. The Imperial bent down seemingly putting on a helmet, turning around, Jake jumped back as the moffs head was replaced by that of R4s, his neck bleeding inhuman amounts of blood.

Jakes eyes shot open, he panted heavily, throwing a hand over his chest as his eyes found purpose again. He snapped his head around, his sight vivid as he checked behind him, infront lay Geonosis, the red planet floating as the sun lit it perfectly.

"Tac?.." 

"I saw it....it was.....illogical" The droid suggested, it stared into its own hands, its eyes flickered, Jake knew enough to know what that meant, whatever Tac saw, it terrified him. 

----------Geonosis--2 weeks and 3.2 days from---T--he -))!*81111** startt. ----+

Jake and Ada met up at a pre set landing spot, it was the canyon Jake and the others had orginally found that Commando droid, the bodies of the Clones and droids no longer spread across the floor as they flew over, landing by the bunker. The ships doors opened in sync, the droids stumbling out as a hazed Jake followed, Teesh eye him, feeling soemthing was off, letting out a low growl.

"Jake!...nice to see you" ada exclaimed happily, jet packing the few meters between the two, the boy wore a small smile.

"Same here" he answered, she assumed he still wasnt feeling to well, so she just smiled back, ignoring his obviosuly down tone.

"Greetings friends" Rusty said waving as the clones walked up, Barren ebing the only one to wave back.

"Sup droid." Mute turned to Jake "So kid...wheres that base"

Jake sighed "From here i dotn know, but i can get to my town, and find our way from their"

"Not to be obvious but why didnt we just land there" Jammer interupted, scrubbing his blaster with a dusty rag, in effect, doing nothing.

"Might be crawling with Imperials, last time i was their, they uh..." Jake paused "werent nice" Rusty finshed.

"Undertstatement of the century" Clank mused, Jake chuckled lightly, despite the situation, he wouldnt get tired of the droids humor, even if 80% of it was by accident. The Clones huddled together as Jake and the other packed.

"Are we sure we wanna go with them?" Jammer inquired "Id rather not be caught" he insisted.

"Its the least we can do" Barren fought back "He freed us"

"we could have freed outselves" Jammer retorted, Mute interupting before they could go on.

"Look..." Mute sighed, sighing as he put his helmet on.

"Jammer has a point..but we wont abandond the kid..we can stay at the ships.." Mute paused in thought "Make the excuse that we will just guard them, and if they dont return in say...3 days...we leave"

Barren sighed with disapointment, but agreed as it was fair to both him and Jammer, said clone having a similar reaction. Mute looked down, lost in thought, quickly turning and walking with haste towards Jake.

"Hey kid..."

Jake turned away, ripping his focus from tightning a screw in Rustys back.

"Yeah?"

"Me and my brothers should stay here, make sure no one can report our ships locations, some may have seen us land" Mute explained, his voice, confident, despite the truth being sealed.

Jake put the warmest smile he could, that being a relativly cold one "Nice thinking mute, it wont take us long, just a quick infultration...my droids of dealth with worse"

"Roger Roger sir!" Rusty yelped, throwing his hands into the air happily.

Packed and ready to go, Jake, Ada, Teesh, Rusty, Clank and Tac stood forth, all their gear, helmets, make shift weapons and armor at the ready. And with a happy wave from Jake to the clones, Rusty copying his actions, the set off...back home.

----------------Author Do be talking----

This chapter was weird....sorry it was shorter than normal though, this chapter and the next were supposed to be one, but i got caught up with a small vacation and...ya know...sleeping..soooooooooo i didnt work much on this till like yesterday. so thats my fault their, my apologies.

Anywho, hope you enjoyed and remember that commenst and feedback will always be read and put into thought.

Thankssss to all of you, every last one :)

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