Chapter Text
"Thea! Thea!"
16 year old Althea Aaun looked up from her journal. Her younger brother, Thao was running up to her, with something in his hands.
"Look what I caught!" He said excitedly. He opened his hands revealing a cartofrog.
Althea smiled. "Good job, buddy. Those are hard to catch."
Thao grinned. "I'm gonna go show Mom and Dad!" The 9 year old ran off towards the house, leaving Althea to her journal. She was documenting herbs and wildlife that could be used for salves and remedies.
She would carefully sketch out the plant before going over it with ink and coloring it, adding helpful notes along the way. The journal was her father's, old and leather bound. He had started it for Althea's mother for the family apothecary, but since he spent most of his time in the fields, Althea had taken it up.
A light breeze rustled her long black hair. A trait her whole family shared. Anyone in the village could recognize an Aaun by their characteristic black hair and yellow eyes.
Althea looked down to her journal. She had filled it up quite a bit with drawings of herbs and berries. That's probably enough for today. She thought to herself. After all, it was midday and she hadn't helped her mother in the apothecary yet. She closed the journal, leaving the pencils and pen inside, and wrapped the thin leather cord around it, binding it shut.
Althea stood up and dusted herself off. Her planet of Elstar was a grassy plain, and she didn't want any grass stuck to her pants. She began to walk to her house through the village. It was a small village, only about 100 people. Everyone lived in thatch huts woven from thick stalks of grass. The thick grass grew to be taller than Althea and about as wide as her arm. The thatch was perfect for the climate. It was always warm, the perfect spring weather. In the winter it rained, and that wasn't fun.
Althea hated to be cooped up inside. Not when she could be running through the fields or documenting herbs.
As she walked through the village, familiar faces waved to her. Some were mothers with their children, others farmers harvesting the crop, but Althea knew them all. She reached her own home, which was larger than the rest. The front served as an apothecary, with a counter and several shelves with medicine and remedies. A curtain covered the doorway leading into their main room, where the Aaun family ate and cooked. There was an upstairs with two rooms. One for Althea and Thao, and one for their parents.
Althea's mother, Lucia was standing at the counter, her hands occupied by a mortar and pestle. Her long brown hair was tied back in a bun, with elaborate braids woven throughout. "Nice of you to show up." She said.
Althea put her journal on the counter. "Well, I'm here now."
Lucia put the mortar and pestle down. "You can do this now, while I prepare the balm."
Althea took the pestle and began to grind the herb. By looks alone she would have never been able to tell what it was. It was ground to a paste after all. But the smell was poignant, so she could tell it was smellweed.
Smellweed, it was used as a kind of smelling salt. When ground into a paste, it was smeared on an unconscious person's upper lip to wake them up. Althea had made this thousands of times, but she would never get used to the smell.
"Did you see Thao caught a cartofrog?" She asked.
Lucia nodded as she rolled the balm in her hands. "He's out showing your father now." There was a moment of silence, the only sound being the mortar and pestle. Lucia was the one that broke it. "Althea," She started. "Do you ever want something more?"
Althea shook her head. "No, why?"
"You don't want to see the galaxy, or even meet someone from somewhere new?"
Althea looked up at her mother. "I'm happy with running the apothecary, Mom. Why are you asking me this?"
Lucia put down the ball of balm she was rolling. "Well, your father and I, we just want what's best for you. The apothecary isn't everything, Althea, and we want you to be happy."
"I am happy." The girl told her. "I like learning to heal."
Lucia opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped halfway and formed another word instead. "All right."
Althea continued to grind the herb, her thoughts drifting to what her mother was going to say. But before she could, heavy footsteps sounded from the door.
Her father, Josta, came inside with Thao on his shoulders. "How are my favorite ladies doing?" He asked.
Josta had black hair that was always messy, a thick beard, and bright yellow eyes, just like this kids. His hands were strong and calloused, but he was always gentle with his family. He took a giggling Thao off his shoulders and set him on the floor.
Lucia smiled at her husband. "How was work?" She reached up and kissed him, making her children make gagging noises.
"It was just fine." Josta walked over to Althea. He was way taller than her, even though she took after him and was almost as tall as their mother. "How's my half pint doin'?"
"Dad," Althea drawled. "I'm almost as tall as Mom."
"That's not sayin' much." He mumbled jokingly. Lucia scoffed and threw a towel at him, a smile on her face the whole time. Althea grinned and turned back to her work. Why would she want to see the galaxy when she had this?
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
That night, Althea lay in her bed. She was just beginning to fall asleep when she heard it. The sound of ships. Immediately, she shot out of bed and moved to the window. Thao was already there, his yellow eyes wide with shock.
In the field behind their house, hundreds of battle droids were advancing. Althea only knew them from the descriptions the merchants gave in the market. They all carried blasters, and several men and women from the village were running out, and they had blasters.
Althea ran to the stairs. She found her father walking to the door, his hunting rifle in his hands. Her mother was trying to stop him. "Josta, don't."
"Stay inside, Lucia. Protect the kids." He left without another word.
Lucia began to cry, and Althea moved to her. "Mom, what's going on?" Thao stood next to her a few steps away.
Lucia wiped her eyes. "Go back to bed." She reached for the door. "I'm going after your father."
Before Althea could protest, her mother was out the door. Thao began to cry. "Thea, I'm scared."
Wrapping in her arms, Althea began to tell him to would be okay, but she knew it wouldn't. Suddenly, Thao ran out of her grasp outside. She ran after him. "Thao!"
She found him not far from the house, watching in terror. She couldn't blame him. Their village was in flames, and the field behind their house was littered with bodies. Althea laid eyes on a familiar one. Her mother.
Thao saw it too, and ran towards it. "Mama!"
"Thao, no!!" Althea ran after him, jumping over the carnage swiftly. But her brother didn't stop, he ran all the way to the body, and when he saw it, he paled. Althea finally caught up to him, but he ran off again. This time, towards the Separatists' ship.
Althea began to run after him again, but a sharp pain in her leg stopped her, and she collapsed to the ground. She didn't black out, but she wished she had. The pain was nothing like she'd ever felt before. It stung worse than when she a stung by a cartobee. She felt as if she was lying there for hours, and she needed to do something.
But what was it? She needed to get something. No, someone. A sharp gasp escaped her. Thao!
Althea tried to get up, but the pain was too strong. She gritted her teeth, grunting in pain as she got to her knees. It was too much, but she had to. She let out a growl as she got to get feet. She scanned her surroundings. Thao was nowhere in sight. But something more worrying made itself known to her.
A battle droids raised it's blaster, not even 20 feet away from her. Althea closed her eyes, accepting her fate. A shot rung out. But she was alive.
Althea opened her eyes and saw the battle droid, now with a smoldering hole in it's head. It fell to the ground, and Althea looked up to see who had saved her.
Not too far away, she saw a glint in the field. The glint moved, and there stood a man in black and grey armor. It was too far and too dark to make out the details, but Althea thought she saw a sniper rifle in his hands.
Suddenly, a loud cry rang out. But not one of despair like Althea expected. It was one of joy. "Yeah!!"
Althea turned and saw three more men in armor fighting droids. One was way taller than the others and was smashing droids. Another in white armor used a blaster and detonator. The third used a combination of a blaster and a knife, using the latter as a bayonet sometimes.
The girl watched in amazement. In no time, every single droid was dropped on the ground. But the village was gone, and everyone was dead.
The man from the grass ran over to the other three, and they began to discuss what happened. Althea limped over to them, adrenaline the only thing giving her courage. These men had to be clones, the soldiers that fought for the Republic.
As she got closer, Althea could hear their conversation.
"We crushed them!" The big one said.
The one with the knife shook his head, consequently shaking his helmet. "But we didn't save the people, Wrecker. That was the mission."
The one with the rifle crossed his arms. "The mission was to stop the clankers. This is war, Hunter. You can't save everyone."
"Crosshair's right." The one in white said. He was looking at a datapad. "It is impossible to save everyone. We were lucky we even got here."
The one with the knife, Hunter, sighed. Then suddenly, he looked up. Directly at Althea. "Boys, we've got company."
Althea swallowed hard. They all looked at her now, even the one with the datapad. She didn't move. Were they going to kill her? No, that wouldn't make sense, Hunter just talked about not being able to save anyone.
He must have noticed her distress, because he took off his helmet. He had long, dark hair tied back with a red bandana. Half of his face was shadowed by a skull tattoo. But as scary as he looked, his brown eyes were kind. "We're not gonna hurt you, kid."
Althea couldn't find her words. The other clones began to take off their helmets as well. The tall one, Wrecker, had the same eyes. That was the only resemblance he bore to Hunter. He was bald, and half of his face was racked with scars, even reaching to a blind eye.
Crosshair had cropped silver hair, and a narrow face. He slipped a toothpick in his mouth, and again, the only resemblance was their eyes.
The one in white (Althea didn't know his name yet) had short brown hair and goggles. Even with the gold tint, Althea could tell he had soft brown eyes.
"W-who are you?" Was all she managed to say.
"Clone Force 99." The one in white said. "We are clones with genetic enhancements that allow us to–"
"Tech, let's not overwhelm her." Hunter said.
Crosshair scoffed. "A little late for that, don't you think?"
Althea swallowed again. "Have you seen my brother?"
They all looked at each other. "Brother?" Wrecker asked.
That's what broke Althea. "My brother!" She yelled. "Thao! He's this big with yellow eyes and black hair like me! He ran off towards their ship and I haven't seen him since!" Tears welled up in her eyes.
Hunter looked at her with sympathy. "Kid–"
"Althea." She interrupted.
"Althea, you're brother...he's not–"
"He's gone." Crosshair finished.
Althea took a shakey breath. "No. I saw him go to their ship. He's probably on there and he's scared, waiting for me." She got an idea. A stupid, rash idea that would probably get her killed. "Take me to him."
"What?" Hunter furrowed his brow.
Althea held her head a little higher. "You heard me. Take me to him. The Separatist ship is gone now, it had to have left."
Hunter shook his head. "Kid, there is no way–"
"Actually," said Tech. "I have just received a transmission indicating there is valuable intel on that ship. We have new orders to track it down."
Hunter closed his eyes and Crosshair sighed. "You had to open your mouth, didn't you, Tech?"
Hunter looked at Althea. "Fine. You can come. But only if you listen to exactly what I say."
Althea nodded, and Hunter did too. "Good, now go see if you can find anything to take."
Althea limped off to her house. When she got there, she realized this might be the last time she ever sees this place. She shook her head. There was no time to be sad. She grabbed a medicine bag for when her mother would make house calls and began to fill it with salves, balms, bandages. She grabbed her herb journal and put it in there too. She didn't know what else to bring. She didn't have use for anything else.
She limped back over to the clones. "Got everything?" Hunter asked.
Althea nodded, gripped tightly to her bag.
"Alright, can you walk? We didn't land far from here." Hunter must've noticed her injury.
"Yeah, I'll be okay." Althea planned on using some salves to heal it later, but right now she needed to get on their ship.
"Alright, let's move." Hunter put his helmet back on, as did the others, and they began to walk through the remains of Althea's home to their ship.