Read Online 501st: An Imperial Commando Novel by Karen Traviss - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Traviss
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fallen into the role of alpha female by virtue of being Ordo’s wife. “We’re not the ones who killed her family.”
“And she’s not Mando.” Ruu seemed to have embraced her father’s culture despite the long separation. “She’s from Concord Dawn. Not the same thing. Jango joined us, but she never got the chance.
Everyone
probably looks like Death Watch to her.”
Laseema arranged the fish in a pan and set them on the stove. “Do you think she knows Jango survived?”
“I don’t think she even knows what day it is.
Bard’ika’
s the only one who can talk to her. And you, Laseema.”
“Maybe that’s because Bardan doesn’t look like her brother, and Laseema’s a Twi’lek,” Jilka said. “Arla’s
got
to notice the family resemblance in the clones, even if she never saw Jango as an adult.”
“That must be upsetting her even more.” Laseema arranged tidbits on a tray with a few flowers. Arla certainly never got touches like that in the Valorum Center. “And I don’t so much talk
to
her as
at
her—just odd words. Maybe she doesn’t understand much Basic.”
Ny had to remind herself that Arla Fett had been banged up in a secure mental unit because she murdered a few men, and a court decided she might kill more. But everyone here seemed to assume she had her reasons until proven otherwise. It was a bafflingly Mando attitude. Skirata never seemed to worry that the men of Kyrimorut were at risk.
“Gosh, it’s going to be a fun evening,” Jilka muttered. “My family had dinners like this on Republic Day. No serial killers, of course, although we were never entirely sure about Uncle Tobiaz.”
Ny thought that summed it up pretty well. The atmosphere around that huge veshok table was
sliceable
, although not for the reasons she expected. Skirata looked lost and upset. She’d expected to find him being dragged off Kina Ha, knife in hand. But it was Ordo and Mereel—those two always paired up when they smelled trouble—who looked grim and disapproving. Kina Ha sat next to Atin. Ny decided to sit on the other side of her and offer moral support.
“I’ll make the introductions.” Skirata’s voice was husky, as if he’d been swallowing unshed tears. “Kina Ha, Scout—this is my family, and my guests.” He pointed out who was who, who was married to who, who
should
have been married if only they’d get on with it, and who the guests were. Dr. Uthan was introduced as
a friend
concerned for the clones’ health. Skirata had a talent for sly euphemism.
But something had knocked the stuffing out of him, and Ny guessed that it was Scout rather than Kina Ha.
Little Kad,
Kad’ika
, sat on Jusik’s lap for a change, staring at the two Jedi. He was around eighteen months old now, walking and talking, but with an unsettling tendency to just pause and study things in a way that looked too adult. He held his toy nerf in one hand, its fur charred from his mother’s funeral pyre. Ny found it heartbreaking that this tiny kid had put it on there. She tried to work out if he felt cheated that Skirata had rescued it from the flames, that he’d been denied the chance to give his mother a farewell offering, but he refused to be parted from the toy now. Skirata had planned to keep it for when Kad was older and could understand its significance. That plan had lasted a few hours.
The baby already knew. Ny could see it.
Kad never asked where Etain was, or when Mama was coming home. As soon as Skirata showed him her body, he seemed to understand perfectly that she was never coming back, so now he kept asking where
Dada
was. Sometimes he said
Boo
, asking for his
buir
, the
Mando’a
word that could mean mother or father. But Ny doubted he was asking about Etain. He was just picking up the language he now heard most often. He wanted Darman.
Kad stared at Scout as if he knew her, then shook his head.
“He’s very cute,” Scout said. “I feel that the Force is stronger in him than in me, but that’s
“And she’s not Mando.” Ruu seemed to have embraced her father’s culture despite the long separation. “She’s from Concord Dawn. Not the same thing. Jango joined us, but she never got the chance.
Everyone
probably looks like Death Watch to her.”
Laseema arranged the fish in a pan and set them on the stove. “Do you think she knows Jango survived?”
“I don’t think she even knows what day it is.
Bard’ika’
s the only one who can talk to her. And you, Laseema.”
“Maybe that’s because Bardan doesn’t look like her brother, and Laseema’s a Twi’lek,” Jilka said. “Arla’s
got
to notice the family resemblance in the clones, even if she never saw Jango as an adult.”
“That must be upsetting her even more.” Laseema arranged tidbits on a tray with a few flowers. Arla certainly never got touches like that in the Valorum Center. “And I don’t so much talk
to
her as
at
her—just odd words. Maybe she doesn’t understand much Basic.”
Ny had to remind herself that Arla Fett had been banged up in a secure mental unit because she murdered a few men, and a court decided she might kill more. But everyone here seemed to assume she had her reasons until proven otherwise. It was a bafflingly Mando attitude. Skirata never seemed to worry that the men of Kyrimorut were at risk.
“Gosh, it’s going to be a fun evening,” Jilka muttered. “My family had dinners like this on Republic Day. No serial killers, of course, although we were never entirely sure about Uncle Tobiaz.”
Ny thought that summed it up pretty well. The atmosphere around that huge veshok table was
sliceable
, although not for the reasons she expected. Skirata looked lost and upset. She’d expected to find him being dragged off Kina Ha, knife in hand. But it was Ordo and Mereel—those two always paired up when they smelled trouble—who looked grim and disapproving. Kina Ha sat next to Atin. Ny decided to sit on the other side of her and offer moral support.
“I’ll make the introductions.” Skirata’s voice was husky, as if he’d been swallowing unshed tears. “Kina Ha, Scout—this is my family, and my guests.” He pointed out who was who, who was married to who, who
should
have been married if only they’d get on with it, and who the guests were. Dr. Uthan was introduced as
a friend
concerned for the clones’ health. Skirata had a talent for sly euphemism.
But something had knocked the stuffing out of him, and Ny guessed that it was Scout rather than Kina Ha.
Little Kad,
Kad’ika
, sat on Jusik’s lap for a change, staring at the two Jedi. He was around eighteen months old now, walking and talking, but with an unsettling tendency to just pause and study things in a way that looked too adult. He held his toy nerf in one hand, its fur charred from his mother’s funeral pyre. Ny found it heartbreaking that this tiny kid had put it on there. She tried to work out if he felt cheated that Skirata had rescued it from the flames, that he’d been denied the chance to give his mother a farewell offering, but he refused to be parted from the toy now. Skirata had planned to keep it for when Kad was older and could understand its significance. That plan had lasted a few hours.
The baby already knew. Ny could see it.
Kad never asked where Etain was, or when Mama was coming home. As soon as Skirata showed him her body, he seemed to understand perfectly that she was never coming back, so now he kept asking where
Dada
was. Sometimes he said
Boo
, asking for his
buir
, the
Mando’a
word that could mean mother or father. But Ny doubted he was asking about Etain. He was just picking up the language he now heard most often. He wanted Darman.
Kad stared at Scout as if he knew her, then shook his head.
“He’s very cute,” Scout said. “I feel that the Force is stronger in him than in me, but that’s
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