Private Blood Ties

[Koda Fett]

CORUSCANT - Driver
​

In an era of ushered peace, the surface of Coruscant teemed with life and law; the depths denied itself of this, with crime and filth ever-rampant in all that lied beneath the heart of the Galactic Alliance - the one constant. It suited the Mandalorian best, with a commonly known name and face in the form of a battered T-visor helmet with worn in dents and scratches across the coat. The true face worn beneath, even more well-known. The same of which he stalked now on the levels beneath the top-layer.

There was a time in which Fett would have held so tightly onto the throat of a Kaminoan that their hideous, bulbous eyes burst from their sockets and blood flew from their nose and mouth like rain. He hated them so, so much. Perhaps it was merely the promise of credits that allowed Koda to humour the proposition, maybe it was the promise of more... substance, as it were. The fleeting thought was dismissed as quickly as it was conjured, set aside into the piles of wishes and wants from another lifetime.

Between gangsters and denizens of the world below, the Mandalorian strode beneath the often blaring neon lights. The Black Sun dug their claws in as of late, their insignia scattered about the duracrete walls. Some of which in disrepair. Though regardless of the species that went on by, either opposite in the dense foot-traffic or too slow that Fett sped past them, the eyes beneath the T-visor remained affixed on the back of another, foreign and familiar. A stalking hunter that caught whiff of his prey, followed from the headquarters of those that would see him imprisoned if not dead to the sunken lowly sides of Coruscant.

Perhaps a taste their shared DNA favoured.

A scummy diner, seated by the window. Koda was less than discreet with his presence, his armoured frame leaning on the railing and merely watching. With food served, so too would Koda be. Settling into the seat across from him, Driver's own voice spoke to him from beneath the Mandalorian helmet.

"You've scored yourself a cushy life," Fett said with flat disappointment, "tell me how a clone serves, is set free, then serves again?"

 

[Driver]

Coruscant, Underbelly
Tags: Koda Fett

"We all have our vices," Driver responded calmly as he sat awaiting his meal. "Some people don't know anything more than to march under a banner. Wave the flag of some larger than life state that could never on any astronomical level care for you. Set a dog free, and you may very well find it licking the heels of someone else."

A grin spread across the clones face. What a striking voice on that Mandalorian. He didn't speak in a manner like any of his brothers, not truly, but he recognized the voice. They were of the same template. That wasn't a huge surprise. The modern age had seemed to have gotten pretty good at cloning people.

"I guess jumping feet first into hell is just in my nature," he shrugged. "I'll be able to tell one hell of a story when my joints start failing. Not many of my brothers could ever say that they got to blast a Sith into atoms."

The waitress arrived with his food, whom he thanked with a silent nod before shifting his focus back to the Mandalorian.

"I know who you are, Koda Fett," the clone stated, "I must say that it's quite the honor to be tracked down by one of the most wanted men in the Galaxy... But let's be frank, I'm no fool. You've been tailing me since the moment I stepped foot out of DF headquarters. I'd be dead if that was the wish of your employer," he had to make the distinction. Koda was a man that worked for money, not vendettas. There was no threat here. "Who's looking for me?"

 

[Koda Fett]

CORUSCANT - Driver
​

"Most do," the muffled voice sounded out from beneath the beaten in helmet. From Sith to Imperial, Sith-Imperial and the Hutt scumlords with all manner of types both above, below and adjacent, credits from their pockets often ended up in Fett's own. Lately though, the lesser contracts; the downfall of the Empire and the end of relations between himself and the Sith, it only turned him into what was once Hutt Space - the Black Sun bit out their meal there.

He lounged in the seat, an armoured arm cresting upon the top of the booth.

"Kaminoan. Jedi, too." He said, straight into the meat of it. "Says there's a convergence coming, something big. A new war, bigger than the last."

Koda sounded less than enthused. The tone of a man that saw credits in place of people, a price over a life. As was his nature, his reputation; cold-blooded, callous and cruel. Any hint of warmth that may well have once been there seemed snuffed out, a fire drowned in sand and stone. Only the ash lingered.

"I'm paid to be on round up, wants as much of our DNA as she can get."

The Kaminoans were cloners, Jedi or not. The mention of DNA spoke enough of her intentions, given the past.

 

[Driver]

Coruscant, Underbelly
Tags: Koda Fett

"I'll be damned..."

The story of Driver's life right there. Bigger threats, bigger wars, and all bets thrown in on cloning. It was the very chaotic fire that had birthed him into this turbulent galaxy. Whatever this Convergence was, it certainly sounded ominous, enough for a Jedi to believe that an army was necessary.

How ironic.

"I'm picking up the plot here," Driver nodded, stroking at his cleanly shaved chin. "This Kaminoan seeks to call us home."

A siren's call in a vast ocean of stars, hailing him back to his birthplace. For so long had Driver fought off the urge to return, to see what had become of the place where he was created. Now it seemed that the Galaxy himself was pushing him back. That didn't bother Driver. Not a damn bit. As long as there was a war, the sergeant had his purpose.

"You won't need to drag me back kickin' and screamin' if you're wondering," he chuckled.

There wasn't much thought needed. After all...

Good soldiers follow orders.

 

[Koda Fett]

CORUSCANT - Driver
​

"Easier than I imagined." Fett remarked dryly, "Figured there'd be too much bleeding heart in there to listen."

He shuffled in his seat, the sound of a blaster slipping back into a holster slyly came from beneath the table. The Mandalorian had some doubt that all clones would be so willing to have their DNA harvested, to see their compiled selves turned into a purer slate to become much like themselves, condemned to the same fate of servitude.

"This is all off books, too; one word slips, be a waste of good genes. For now." Even from behind the helmet, there seemed to be a stare that awaited an answer that called out, "But while I have you, do you know any others? Saves me the trouble of hunting you all down."

 

[Driver]

Coruscant, Underbelly
Tags: Koda Fett

Driver grinned when he heard the man's blaster click back into his holster. Truth be told, he was prepared for the worst himself. He similarly returned his weapon it it's holster, the hand cannon he had received when with he was with Task Force Null.

"Copy that," Driver responded. "Can't say I know of any other clones out here... Met a Sergeant Omen way back when. He was with the Enclave. I doubt you'd ever find the guy, especially with Mandalorian space in shambles. And, well, I suppose guys like him might be hard to pin down. I can't imagine others would be receptive to... well, you get the idea. You're no idiot."

The clone sighed, taking a sip of his caf. Some of his brothers would surely look at the morality of it all. That was fine. In fact, Driver would applaud any who may resist joining this operation. Ultimately, however much this pushed the boundaries of ethics, the clone understood why this was occurring.

"Now don't get me wrong, this brings me no pleasure," he clarified, "But this is war. Sacrifices are always necessary. I see no reason to cause a fuss over it."

 

[Koda Fett]

CORUSCANT - Driver
​

"Save your justification for someone else," he replied coldly. "I'm paid to round you all up; reasons for or against mean little to me."

Selfish suited him well, even if it came accompanying cruelty. The talk of the others, the implication of a brotherhood, it served to do little more than tie him in with them. He liked to think he was different, that he was better; the role of a ruthless bounty hunter with a name known across the star systems, a reputation to match their donor and carry that name well. A Fett, not just another clone.

He slid a communicator across the table, "Take this. I'll call on you when it's time, but you know what happens if you decide not to show, don't you?"

 

[Driver]

Coruscant, Underbelly
Tags: Koda Fett

"I wasn't sayin' it for you," Driver stated plainly. He took the communicator, slipping it into the pocket of his jumpsuit. "I got what you're putting down. I meet your Kaminoan, you get paid, business gets taken care of. You have my word."

He was a man of his word. The clone had to be, of course. As a military leader or otherwise, honesty went a long ways. Even if he ultimately had to do something terrible for the greater good of the galaxy, Driver was at least going to be honest about it. Perhaps it wasn't much, but it separated himself from the cowards that made up his peers.

Recruit soldiers had their ups, but Driver had seen some officers that would have never flown in his day.

"So what's your deal?" the clone asked. "You aren't from my gen. Don't talk like them."

Might as well ask while he had the chance, even if it ended up going nowhere.

 

[Koda Fett]

CORUSCANT - Driver
​

Altruism. A poor man's reward, of knowing he did a good thing. It lacked the feel of cold, hard credits; the weight in your pocket, the ever-rising number on a screen. Good men died for a cause, the Mandalorian had come to know, with tears shed and songs sung and empty accounts.

Koda Fett would not make the same mistake.

"My deal?" The T-visor stared in silent contemplation, "I'm the bounty hunter, none of you are like me."

 

[Driver]

Coruscant, Underbelly
Tags: @Coda

"To each their own, I suppose," he shrugged. "Who am I to judge?"

Driver knew what Koda was about. Credits, or at least he had convinced himself of such. It was sad, really, tying one's self to material possessions. In a way, the Mandalorian was just as shackled as he was to his past. They were two sides of a rather sad coin. The only difference was that Driver wasn't in denial. Be it an Alliance or coin, they had to serve something.

Even if they didn't want to admit it.

"Well, suppose I'll be off then," Driver decided, taking a moment to finish his caf and prepare his meal to go. "Good luck with your hunting. You're gonna need it."

The Fett would most likely succeed. After all, he was the galaxy's most dangerous man. But Driver knew his brothers well. Even if they were outmatched, they were still going to give him hell.