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〃I'm not whining！ I'm not。〃
Across the room； Dorme； too； began to chuckle。
〃I didn't say it to hurt you；〃 Padme explained。
Anakin took a deep breath； then blew it all out of him； his shoulders visibly relaxing。 〃I know。〃
He seemed so pitiable then； not pitiful； but just like a lost little soul。
Padme couldn't resist。 She walked over to him and lifted her hand to gently stroke his cheek。 〃Anakin。〃
For the first time since they had been reunited； Padme truly looked into the blue eyes of the young Padawan； locked stares with him so that they each could see beneath the surface； so that they each could view the other's heart。 It was a fleeting moment； made so by Padme's mon sense。
She quickly altered the mood with a sincere but lighthearted request。
〃Don't try to grow up too fast。〃
〃I am grown up；〃 Anakin replied。 〃You said it yourself。〃 He finished by making his reply into something suggestive； as he looked deeply into Padme's beautiful brown eyes again； this time even more intensely； more passionately。
〃Please don't look at me like that；〃 she said； turning away。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I can see what you're thinking。〃
Anakin broke the tension； or tried to； with a laugh。 〃Oh； so you have Jedi powers； too？〃
Padme looked past the young Padawan for a moment； glimpsing Dorme； who was watching with obvious concern and not even trying to hide her interest anymore。 And Padme understood that concern； given the strange and unexpected road this conversation had taken。 She looked squarely at Anakin again and said； with no room for debate； 〃It makes me feel unfortable。〃 Anakin relented and looked away。 〃Sorry； M'Lady；〃 he said professionally； and he stepped back； allowing her to resume her packing。
Just the bodyguard again。
But he wasn't； Padme knew； no matter how much she wished it were true。
On a water…washed； wind…lashed world； far to the most remote edges of the Outer Rim； a father and his son sat on a skirt of shining black metal； watching carefully in the few somewhat calm pools created by the currents swirling about the gigantic caryatid that climbed out of the turbulent ocean。 The rain had let up a bit； a rare occasion in this watery place； allowing for some calm surface area； at least； and the pair stared hard； searching for the meter…long dark silhouettes of rollerfish。
They were on the lowest skirt of one of the great pillars that supported Tipoca City； the greatest city on all of Kamino； a place of sleek structures； all rounded to deflect the continual wind； rather than flat… faced to battle against it。 Kamino had been designed； or upgraded at least； by many of the best architects the galaxy could offer； who understood well that the best way to battle planetary elements was to subtly dodge them。 Towering transparisteel windows looked out from every portal…the father； Jango； often wondered why the Kaminoans； tall and thin； pasty white creatures with huge almond…shaped eyes set in oblong heads on necks as long as his arm； wanted so many windows。 What was there to see on this violent world other than rolling waters and nearly constant downpours？
Still； even Kamino had its better moments。 It was all relative； Jango supposed。 Thus； when he saw that it was not raining very hard； he had taken his boy outside。
Jango tapped his son on the shoulder and nodded toward one of the quiet eddies； and the younger one； his face showing all the exuberance of a ten… year…old boy； lifted his pocker； an ion…burst…powered atlatl； and took deadly aim。 He didn't use the laser sighting unit； which automatically adjusted for watery refraction。 No； this kill was to be a test of his skill alone。
He exhaled deeply； as his father had taught him； using the technique to go perfectly steady； and then； as the prey turned sidelong； he snapped his arm forward； throwing the missile。 Barely a meter from the boy's extended hand； the back of the missile glowed briefly； a sudden and short burst of power that shot it off like a blaster bolt； knifing through the water and taking the fish in the side； its barbed head driving through。
With a shout of joy； the boy twisted the atlatl handle； locking the nearly invisible but tremendously strong line； and then； when the fish squirmed away enough to pull the line taut； the boy slowly and deliberately turned the handle； reeling in his catch。
〃Well done；〃 Jango congratulated。 〃But if you had hit it a centimeter forward； you would have skewered the primary muscle just below the gill and rendered it pletely helpless。〃
The boy nodded； unperturbed that his father； his mentor； could always find fault； even in success。 The boy knew that his beloved father did so only because it forced him to strive for perfection。 And in a dangerous galaxy； perfection allowed for survival。
The boy loved his father even more for caring enough to criticize。
Jango went tense suddenly； sensing a movement nearby； a footfall； perhaps； or just a smell； something to tell the finely attuned bounty hunter that he and his boy were not alone。 There weren't many enemies to be found on Kamino； except far out in the watery wastes； where giant tentacled creatures roamed。 Here there was little life above the water； other than the Kaminoans themselves； and so Jango wasn't surprised when he saw that the newer was one of them： Taun We； his usual contact with the Kaminoans。
〃Greetings； Jango；〃 the tall； lithe creature said； holding up a slim arm and hand in a gesture of peace and friendship。 Jango nodded but didn't smile。 Why had Taun We e out here…the Kaminoans were hardly ever out of their city of globes…and why would she interrupt Jango when he was with his son？
〃You have been scarce within the sector of late；〃 Taun We remarked。
〃Better things to do。〃
〃With your child？〃
In response； Jango looked over at the boy； who was lining up another rollerfish。 Or at least； he was appearing to； Jango recognized； and the insight brought a knowing nod of satisfaction to the crusty bounty hunter。 He had taught his son well the art of deception and deflection； of appearing to do one thing while； in reality； doing something quite different。 Like listening in on the conversation； measuring Taun We's every word。 〃The tenth anniversary approaches；〃 the Kaminoan explained。 Jango turned back to her with a sour expression。 〃You think I don't know Boba's birthday？〃
If Taun We was fazed at all by the sharp retort； the delicately featured Kaminoan didn't show it。 〃We are ready to begin again。〃
Jango looked back at Boba； one of his thousands of children； but the only one who was a perfect clone； an exact replica with no genetic manipulation to make him more obedient。 And the only one who hadn't been artificially aged。 The group that had been created beside Boba had all reached maturity now； were adult warriors； in perfect health。
Jango had thought that policy of accelerating the aging process a mistake… wasn't experience as much a part of attaining warrior skill as genetics？… but he hadn't plained openly to the Kaminoans about it。 He had been hired to do a job； to serve as the source； and questioning the pro