STEALTH and TRACK: BOOK ONE

BONUS CHAPTER SIX: Fern's Dreams

FERN'S POV

I was perched up on the cliffside of Utapau's underground port, having a bird's eye view of the main hangar where General Obi-Wan Kenobi was battling the vicious General Grievous. Before we had separated, I joked "Call me if you need me to bust you out of trouble again, General." Little did I know, that would be the last time I ever spoke to Obi-Wan Kenobi...I was ordered to not engage unless given the signal. If it's given, I was to contact Commander Cody so that he move in his reinforcements and then make my way to the hangar to disable any spacecraft Grievous may use to escape Utapau.

The lightsaber fight was one to behold. I'd have seen General Kenobi in action many times, but this was my first spectacle of him versus the Jedi-killer cyborg, and, viewing through my binospecs, I zoomed in on the general's progress. I'll admit, I was worried when the general lost his weapon, but alas, I witnessed the final blaster shot in Grievous' human black heart and watched him crumble.

I grinned at the victory. This was one of the most significant moments of the war, if not the moment that could end it. I was beginning to make my descent towards the hangar where Cody and General Kenobi were. I watched the clone hand over the Jedi's lightsaber, and the latter saddled himself on a varactyl, and took to the side of the rocky incline. I was about fifty feet from Cody when he received a transmission on his comm.

A cloaked figure with a high raspy voice commanded calmly, "The time has come. Execute Order 66."

Cody hesitated for a brief moment, then replied, "Yes, my lord." He signaled the regs to aim and fire a cannon straight at the cliff-face...directly at the Jedi...I watched in horror as Obi-Wan Kenobi tumbled down into the abyss...

"Cody!" I wanted to scream, but my mind stopped me from what would've been a treacherous mistake. I have to get out of here...I raced in the direction I had just arrived from and leapt down below the hangar.

"CT-9900, come in." Cody's suddenly-monotonous voice chimed into my comm. He was using my number...He's never called me by my number..."CT-9900, do you copy? What is your position?"

I did not respond. Instead, using my enhanced skill to escape underneath the hanger's structure, maneuvering through tight spaces to avoid any clones. Once I was confident I was completely alone, I tried to calm my accelerating heartbeat. My shaking fingers reached up to my trembling arm and activated my comm.

"General Kenobi...are you there?" I breathed with hope he possibly survived that fall. "General, if you can read me, please reply." Nothing but static on the other end. My eyes began to water under the sudden anxiety throbbing in my heart and mind. What is happening...Why is it happening...Where should I go from here? I need to get back to Kamino...I can find answers there...

"Obi-Wan, are you there?" I made one last attempt to reach my general. "Sir...?" I exhaled out of heartache. "I'm so sorry..."

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I woke up in tears. In fact, I was sobbing.

"Fern, what's wrong?!" Omega quickly sat up and reached out to me. "Why are you crying? Was it a nightmare?" When I couldn't respond, her mouth formed a straight line and without a word, she flew open the curtain and disappeared down thr short ladder. Meanwhile, I heaved deep breaths to calm myself. Good job, Fern... I mentally lectured myself. I thought we had moved on from this memory.

"Fern?" In the middle of profusely drying my face and eyes, I turned my head to see Hunter pulling back the curtain. He was wearing his black body suit, having removed his armor. His dark eyes narrowed in concern. "Omega got me. What happened?" His hand reached out to me and stroked his thumb under my left eye, cupping his palm under my jawline.

"I dreamed about the day Order 66 was executed." I sniffed the last tears away. "I'm sorry for waking Omega. Tell her she can come back and sleep."

"I don't think that's a good idea with you in this condition." He bobbed his head behind his shoulder. "Come on, let's sit at the cockpit. We'll let Omega sleep alone until you calm down."

I nodded and he assisted me down the ladder. I kissed Omega's forehead in apology as she returned to bed. Then, I seated myself in the pilot's seat while Hunter took the copilot's. Hugging my knees close to my chest, I rested my chin on top my crossed arms, sighing. Hunter watched me, quietly, as if he was waiting patiently until I was ready to talk. Sighing again, I rotated my head towards him, my cheek smushed into my forearm.

"Do you think any of the Jedi survived Order 66?" I pondered out loud.

"If Caleb Dune is still alive after escaping on Kaller..." Hunter started, but then his eyes narrowed again, like it was painful to mention the young padawan. He was there when Caleb escaped and managed to get the clones, including Crosshair, off his trail. I knew he could've done more for the boy. "Perhaps...others got lucky as well."

"You did what you could." I smiled lightly. "Caleb would've died if you hadn't been there."

"Yeah..." Hunter hummed, though he didn't seem comforted. Wait...wasn't I the one who was supposed to be getting comfort? My mouth formed a straight line at the thought, and then I realized, Perhaps he still thinks about Caleb, just like I think about Obi-Wan...

"May I sit with you?" I asked in an airy breath. Hunter stared at me for a moment before nodding his head. I transitioned from my feeble position to Hunter cradling me while I relaxed on his lap. His body suit radiated heat, warming my entire being to my core. Nuzzling my cheek into his collarbone, my eyes voluntarily closed with bliss. Hunter's hand stroked the top of my head slowly, holding me close with his other.

"I know what you're going to say," I sighed softly, my eyes remaining shut. "That we should learn to accept what has happened and make our way with the new."

"Not necessarily."

"Really?" I scoffed. "That's too bad...Because I was going to agree with you." I paused for a moment. "I was very fond of the Jedi general I served under. They never treated me any different than any clone. They praised me all the same, even when the rest of the regs looked down on me, claiming all I do is watch some the shadows. A job any reg can do. But General Kenobi...He treated me like a daughter, advising me when he had a moment, and bettering me at my service. He had saved my life numerous times, and I returned the favor here and there...But, when it mattered most... When our very own brothers shot him down like he was the Sith itself, I couldn't do anything...And it haunts me to this day..."

"Fern," Hunter sighed. "There was nothing you could've done to prevent that. Trust me, I, and rest of us, would've done everything we could to save our generals if we had knew Order 66 even existed. None of us could have predicted that outcome...I guess, we should be grateful to our defectiveness that we weren't a part of it."

"My chip still activated..." I remembered, my chest tightening at the image of me aiming my blaster at Hunter's head. Hunter immediately cradled me closer to him. "Don't think about that. That wasn't your fault." I felt his lips press into my the bridge of my nose. My eyes fluttered open and I gazed up to where they locked with his...How did the Kaminoans create him to be so...Hunter?

Hunter raised the arm my shoulder blades rested against, bringing my upper body closer to him, and we kissed gently. "Don't worry about your dreams, Fern." he breathed in between kisses. "I never met General Kenobi personally, but I know General Skywalker was his padawan. He must've been the strongest Jedi ever to have Skywalker."

I actually laughed, maybe a little too loud. "Are you saying he may survived that fall?"

"Yes, that is what I'm saying."

"I believe you, you are right." I nodded, nuzzling my cheek into his shoulder. "Obi-wan's a very strong and very wise Jedi. I think it is possible he survived. Thank you, Hunter, for helping me see that."

"You're welcome, Fern."