Star Wars: The Altered Clone

The Clone Wars are about to begin in the galaxy and on Kamino, Clone Troopers are being created and trained to be the best army for the Old Republic. This is the story of a very unique Clone.

THE  ALTERED CLONE

The clone trooper released the blaster rifle trigger and held it at ready allowing the ion interference from the rifle discharge to clear the disturbance emitting from inside the helmet.        

“Two-hundred-forty-eight hits…twelve misses.” An automated voice announced the clone’s score upon the simulated firing range.

“A great improvement score from the day before trooper; you just might be one of the many sent out upon our first mission if you keep this up!” The training officer congratulated the clone marking the score upon a data pad in the crook of his arm.

“Thank-you sir.” the trooper replied, slinging the rifle over its shoulder with a nod.

“Dismissed trooper.” the official announced with a crisp salute.

“Yes sir!” the trooper answered returning the gesture.

The clone left the platform and headed for the exit behind the other firing ranges. Entering the quarter’s silo, the clone began to remove its helmet, but paused when a fellow trooper rounded the corner. They saluted one another and continued on their way. The clone sighed with relief and entered the elevator, tapped the button for the seventh floor then waited. The gravity lightened as the shaft sent the compartment down several levels and carefully came to a stop. The clone exited the elevator and watched as the compartment shot back up to the top with increasing speed until it was out of sight.

The clone walked around the circular path until reaching the quarters marked 0687 and slid an entry card into the slot, then walked in backwards making sure no one was near by. As the door slid shut and locked, the trooper headed over to the bathroom and closed the door. The clone sighed heavily as it stood before the mirror and finally removed the helmet. The clone looked back into the mirror; unlike the other clones this one was by far very different, mostly because unlike all of the other troopers, it was a she. Trooper 0687 was her clone number, but she preferred the name given to her by Taun We, the clone pod mother. Kuriah suited her just fine for a name; a number was just too complex for her style, but while on the battlefield or during training sessions, she had agreed to be recognized only as trooper 0687.

Also, much unlike the other troopers, Kuriah had been cloned through a fused gene of both the bounty hunter Jango Fett and a common female citizen of Coruscant. So while she did possess the same sun warmed skin-tone and storm-gray eyes of Jango, her hair was a light auburn and her face was completely opposite of her brother’s rough and rugged facial exteriors. Thankfully, her armor and helmet passed her off as simply another battle-ready clone. Most beneficial to the suit was the voice modifier in the mouthpiece of the helmet, which made her speech exactly like her brothers during both comlink discussions and normal conversations. All of this was also thanks to Taun We, as she was the only one who truly knew of Kuriah’s identity.

“System, Hololink to Taun We,” Kuriah asked putting the helmet back on to disguise her voice.

“Confirmed...Clone 0687 linking to Taun We. Allow outside interruptions?” the system questioned before connecting.

“No interruptions, straight link only,” Kuriah responded and removed her helmet once again.

“Confirmed...Connection in progress.”

As Kuriah waited she unlatched and slipped out from her gear and set the refresher to her preference. As the water warmed, She checked her data pad for how much time she was allowed before her next task.

“Hololink found, processing.” the system announced and from the ceiling of the bathroom, a small camera dropped over a platform and activated, within seconds, the familiar blue-tinted image of Taun We formed before Kuriah.

“Good to see you again young one, how have you been feeling?” Taun We asked folding her hands into her robe.

“I’ve been better, the drills are becoming more demanding these days, how have you been yourself?” Kuriah asked as she stepped into the shower.

A small holo-pad extracted from the shower wall to let the conversation continue.

“There has been few, errors, that I have been unable to accomplish, stress is not a factor in our actions as we continue the cloning process,” Taun We responded tranquilly as always.

“That’s good to hear,” Kuriah said with a smile. “There was a rumor running about during training, about a Jedi visiting from Coruscant? Is this true?”

“The rumor you have heard is indeed accurate; we will be most pleased to show our efforts since the last Jedi visited here many years before. It is indeed a great honor,” Taun We answered with a slight nod blinking slowly with her large almond-shaped eyes.

“I’m sure he or she will be most surprised with your work. When is the Jedi due to arrive?” Kuriah asked thoughtfully.

“Within mere moments in fact, we have a ship spotted on the outer orbit of Kamino as we speak. I must go now child and prepare to greet our guest. We shall talk again soon, farewell.” Taun We answered and ended the link.

“Great, I can just bet that there is gonna be…” Kuriah said aloud and within moments a tone rang out through the entire complex.

“ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ALL CLONE TROOPERS PLEASE REPORT TO THE LOWER MAIN CHAMBER FOR LINEUP AND MARCH SEQUENCE IN FOUR MINUTES! THAT IS ALL!” The automated voice shouted out.

“Fierfek, just what I didn’t need!” Kuriah said to herself rinsing off quickly and drying. She ran out and set her suit into the aeration chamber to clean out the sweat that was soaked into the fabric.

As she waited, standing with only a towel wrapped around her, she heard a pounding on her door followed by a lock bypass chime. Kuriah dropped to the floor and stopped the suit’s airing process with a remote as the door slid open.

On the floor, under her bed, Kuriah spotted the boots of a fellow trooper step into the room. Two green lines tracing up the center of the boots showed that he was a clone officer checking for any stragglers. The feet of the officer began patrolling the room. Kuriah’s entire body tensed up. She started hoping the officer would leave soon so she could join her ranks in time. The officer stopped just before the bed. Kuriah held in her breath.

 The officer finally turned on his heel and left the room without a word, shutting the door. Kuriah sighed with relief and crawled out, finished airing her armor, suited up, and left the room. Kuriah called out to hold the elevator just in time.

“Where were you trooper? Explain yourself!” The same commanding officer barked poking her chest plate.

“My speaker system has malfunctioned, sir! I was unaware of the announcement, sir!” Kuriah fibbed through her voice modifier as the elevator rose to the main floor.

“Very well, as soon as this drill is complete, get a droid down there and have it fixed! Do I make myself clear trooper?” the officer demanded.

“Yes sir!” Kuriah answered saluting sharply.

“Good, now let’s get going! Troops, form up triple file and move out!”

“Yes sir!” the company responded as the door opened into the chamber.

The seventh floor crew fell into line along with the other clones and shouldered their rifles. They patiently awaited the command from the company leader.

“Troopers! Under my lead, Forward! March!” The leader, a Republic Commando adorned in Katarn-grade issue armor with neon-orange stripes and decals, announced with a raise of his arm, thrusting forward.

The precession of clones began moving forward across the massive platform below the birthing chambers. As Kuriah’s group moved forward, out of the side of her helmet she spotted Taun We come towards the viewing platform high above. She looked to her pod mother and smiled under her helmet. Suddenly Taun We gestured someone over to the window and a man garbed in a dark rain-soaked brown robe stepped forward looking down upon the clone army. Kuriah gasped to herself realizing how very handsome the man was with his long copper head and facial hair, and look of authority about him. This had to be the Jedi master Taun We had mentioned earlier. Kuriah was so focused on him, she was unaware she had slowed in her step of the marching sequence.

“Hey! Pick it up will ya? You’re holding everyone else up!” A fellow clone behind her exclaimed shoving her in the back to get her moving.

“Right! Sorry!” Kuriah answered taking her sight away form the Jedi to catch up.

As the line reached the other side of the marching run Kuriah felt herself flush with embarrassment at messing up the procession. If her armor had been flexible enough, she would have kicked her own a*s for her mistake; she hoped that the Jedi hadn’t noticed.

As other troopers began removing their helmets in celebration of the well-preformed march Kuriah lost focus for a moment and began to unclasp her own. She quickly caught herself and sealed the clasps back to her suit.

“Hey, what was with you out there brother? We almost fell like a stack of Sabbac chips because of you!” the same trooper who had forced her to get moving asked rapping his knuckles on her helmet in a gesture of brotherly fooling.

“Ahh, it was nothing, I was just surprised to see a Jedi is all,” Kuriah explained shrugging casually in response.

“Yeah, well no worries. Listen, some of the others and myself are going down to the mess hall for a drink, you in?” the trooper asked putting an arm around her and gestured to some of the fellow clones nearby.

“Pass, but thanks.”

“Are you serious? Come on, it’s not going to hurt ya or anything.” the trooper asked turning to face Kuriah.

“No, thank you. Now please leave me be,” Kuriah explained with a serious tone gripping her rifle’s handle a bit tighter.

“What’s the matter? You got a facial problem or something? Here let me see; it’s probably nothing to worry about.” the trooper insisted as he began to unclasp her helmet.

Kuriah overreacted; she raised her rifle and fired a shot at the trooper’s chest plate at point-blank range. The clone flew back and skid across the polished floor and into a nearby wall.

All commotion fell silent as everyone looked to the sudden attack. The trooper who had been struck rubbed the back of his head from hitting the wall. A hole had burrowed all the way though his armor and left a red hot welt on his chest from the shot, searing his skin. Meanwhile, Kuriah had the rifle held at ready as she breathed with relief.

The same Commando, who had led the procession, marched up to Kuriah, ripped the rifle from her grasp and threw it across the floor. He turned her to focus on himself. His reflective sky blue T-visor showed no emotion whatsoever, but Kuriah could tell he was furious.

“What in the name of Chancellor Palpatine do you think you have done trooper? Answer me!” The commando barked shaking Kuriah vigorously.

Kuriah was at a loss for words at the moment. She couldn’t think clearly.

“We…do not…fire…on…our…own…comrades! Do I make myself clear?” the commando hissed irritably between each shake.

Many of the other clones joined in on the arguing and others just looked at Kuriah as if she was insane.

Kuriah shoved off the grip of the Commando and spun about, sprinting back across the marching strip as the Commando sent a company of other clones to give chase. Kuriah made it to one of the elevator shafts and the heavy metal doors slid shut before anyone else could board. She jabbed the seventh button and the compartment began to descend past the levels of rooms.

Kuriah exited when the elevator stopped and dashed to her room knowing the others would not be far behind. She keyed the lock, entered and locked it once more. She had to hide, and hide for a good long time while the rooms were being inspected; she looked around and quickly entered her closet, slamming the door shut.

Above her she found her spare sidearm blaster. She grabbed it and flicked off the safety switch. If she had to fire upon her own brothers, or worse, kill them to protect her identity, she would do just that. She tore off her helmet wiping her forehead of sweat and let loose a groan of exhaustion.

Kuriah held in a large breath as she heard her room door unlock and slide open, followed by the sound of at least four rifles being cocked at ready.

“Spread out and search men. If you find the traitor hold fire until we can question him properly,” a trooper’s voice claimed as the sound of others began searching the room.

Soon nearly every spot in the room had been searched except the closet. Kuriah froze to keep herself as silent as possible.

“Okay, he’s not here, move out!” the group leader announced.

“What about the closet, sir?” one trooper asked and Kuriah bit her tongue.

“You search it, while we proceed to the next room. Report to me if you find him, join us if not.” the leader assigned.

Kuriah thought quickly and put her helmet back on and waited for the door to open. As it slid back she charged her pistol and fired when she spotted the T-visor of the fellow clone. The clone let out a cry of pain as the bolt hit him square in the forehead causing him to topple back. Kuriah stood up and held the pistol over him; the trooper groaned in response. She pulled the rifle from the trooper and dropped the pistol near him. Kuriah switched the rifle to stun and fired a quick shot at the fallen clone. The clone twitched as the jolts of electricity ran through his body. She dashed from the room and into the one to the right.

“Sir, I’ve found him! I managed to stun him before he could attack!” Kuriah claimed from the doorway.

“Good, follow me everyone!” the leader, donned with red stripes claiming him to be a sniper, answered.

A few hours later the decoy trooper was brought to Taun We and the other cloning masters for his crime. Jango and his son Boba Fett were absent. It had been explained that they had left for more important matters. The wrongfully accused clone, as much as he pleaded, could not convince that he was innocent to the accusations against him. His future was announced as unknown to the other troopers and was never seen or heard from again. Once he had recovered, the trooper Kuriah had first shot was promoted to the commando level as Republic Commando 01162 for his courage in taking a direct hit. Kuriah thought he should have been demoted for his stupidity. The Clone sniper who led the group in finding the decoy was also promoted to a commando for both his fighting and leadership skills as Republic Commando 1309.

Four days later and one week before the attack upon Geonosis, the masters called for Kuriah to attend a private meeting. When she reached the masters chambers, they all stood in a semi-circle before her and had kind and warm smiles upon their faces.

“Clone 0687 reporting as commanded,” Kuriah announced with a crisp salute to Taun We and the other Kaminoian’s present.

“There is no need for formalities…Kuriah,” Taun We said with a warm calmness in her voice.

Kuriah almost stumbled upon the mention of her real name. What was Taun We doing revealing her identity to everyone present? She would be dismissed from service if anyone found out!

Almost as if she could read her mind, Taun We came forward and placed her bone thin appendages upon Kuriah’s shoulders and directed her towards the other chief Kaminoian’s. “Do not fear child, they already know about who you are.”

“Kuriah, do you have anything you need to tell us, about anything?” one of the leaders asked with a serious note that Kuriah hadn’t expected.

Kuriah sighed heavily. She would have to come clean about shooting the clone that became RC 01162, and so she did. After a good fifteen minutes of explaining herself to the clone masters she fell silent and awaited her judgment.

“So the trooper we decommissioned was not the guilty one?” one of the masters asked as his temples rose in question.

 “Yes sir, I should have been decommissioned and not him,” Kuriah admitted.

“Well then Kuriah, for admitting your wrongs we congratulate you,” Taun We announced with a smile.

“For what?” Kuriah asked puzzled.

“For passing the test to your promotion in joining the ranks of Alpha Squad,” another master explained. He then withdrew a small device and pressed a button. The floor slid apart and a table started to rise from the center.

All of the other Kaminoians smiled at Kuriah as they stepped back to reveal the table displaying a suit of polished white commando armor. Kuriah was once again speechless.

Taun We came up behind Kuriah and carefully undid the clasps to her helmet. Kuriah hesitated to pull the helmet back over her head and remained still.

One of the masters wheeled the table with the suit of armor upon it into an extravagant dressing room and Taun We offered for Kuriah to follow. Kuriah did so and the door shut behind her. As Kuriah began switching the suits of armor she began to notice that the outside of the new armor remained to make her look like a male. Meanwhile the inside had been customized to fit specifically for a female body structure, which the previous armor had lacked in her case. This new armor fit her like a glove.

 When Kuriah had finished changing she took one last look at the discarded parts of her former armor, almost feeling sad to leave it behind. She put it out of her mind and proceeded into the master’s meeting chamber. Taun We and the other Kaminoians greeted her with placid smiles as she stepped forward with her new helmet under her arm.

“Now then, clone 0687 you are promoted to Republic Commando 0687, codename Kur. You now take the responsibility for leading your fellow clones into battle with a steeled confidence, take orders from your squad leader, and fear only incompletion of your mission at hand. You are one of the few at the top of your class and will be respected by many. Do you accept this title for as long as you fight for the Republic?” another male Kaminoian asked with a voice of authority.

Kuriah donned her helmet and automatically the heads up display came to life with a blink.

“Why not…” Kuriah spoke out through the modified vocal grid inside the helmet. The voice Kuriah heard was a bass tone both deep and powerful, so powerful, it almost made her jump at hearing it actually coming from her, “Sounds like it’ll be great adventure to me.”

Author's Note

This was just a simple short story I wrote for a writing class back in community college. I had always wanted to give a shot at writing a Star Wars story and this is the end result. Not sure if everyone will get it but for the most part I really enjoyed writing it and hope people enjoy reading it as well.