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ign； the extra firepower； and； particularly； the astromech droid hardwired into the left wing； tootling happily。
〃This is a Delta…Seven；〃 the excited Boba announced； pointing out the rear… cockpit position。 Jango nodded； glad that his son had been taking his lessons seriously。 These were new ships… so new that they hadn't yet been fitted with hyperdrive engines； Jango realized； and he inadvertently glanced up at the cloudy sky； wondering if parent ships were up there。 He shook the thought away； turning back to Boba。
〃And what of the droid？〃 he asked。 〃Can you identify the unit？〃 Boba climbed up the side of the fighter and studied the markings for a moment； then turned back to his father； finger to pursed lips； an intense expression on his face。 〃It's an Arfour…Pea；〃 he said。 〃And is that a mon droid for this type of starfighter？〃
〃No；〃 Boba answered without hesitation。 〃A Delta…Seven pilot would usually use an Arthree…Dee。 It's better at keeping the guns targeted； and the fighter is so maneuverable that handling the laser cannons is tricky。 I read that some pilots wind up shooting their own nose cones off in this fighter！ They do a snap…roll； ing out over and around； but they haven't pensated the manual swivel。 。 。〃 As he spoke； he moved his arms over each other and about； tangling them up in front of him。
Jango was hardly listening to the details； though he was thrilled that Boba had taken to his lessons with such energy。 〃Suppose the pilot didn't need the extra gunnery skills of an Arthree…Dee？〃 he asked。
Boba looked at him curiously； as if he didn't understand。
〃Would the Arfour…Pea then be a better choice？〃
〃Yes；〃 came the halting response。
〃And what pilot wouldn't need the extra droid gunnery skills？〃 Boba stared blankly； but then a smile spread on his face。 〃You！〃 he blurted； seeming quite pleased with himself。
Jango took the pliment with an appreciative smile…and it was true enough。 Jango could wheel any fighter； and if he ever had the opportunity to fly in a Delta…7； he'd likely choose an R4…P over the R3…D。 But that wasn't what he had in mind right now； for he knew of one other type of pilot； pilots with heightened senses； who would similarly choose the better nav； but less weapon…oriented droid。
Jango Fett looked back up at the sky； wondering if a host of Jedi were about to descend upon Tipoca City。
Great racks holding glass spheres stretched across the immense room to the end of Obi…Wan's vision。 Each sphere contained an embryo； suspended in fluid； and when the Jedi reached into the Force； he sensed strong waves of life energy。
〃The hatchery；〃 he stated more than asked。
〃The first phase； obviously；〃 Lama Su replied。
〃Very impressive。〃
〃I hoped you would be pleased； Master Jedi；〃 the Prime Minister said。
〃Clones can think creatively。 You'll find that they are immensely superior to droids； and that ours are the best in all the galaxy。 Our methods have been perfected over many centuries。〃
〃How many are there？〃 Obi…Wan asked。 〃In here； I mean。〃
〃We have several hatcheries throughout the city。 This； of course； is the most crucial phase； though with our techniques； we expect a survival rate of over ninety percent。 Every so often； an entire batch will develop a 。。。 an issue； but we expect the clone production to remain steady； and with our accelerated growth methods； these before you will be fully matured and ready for battle in just over a decade。〃
Two hundred thousand units are ready； with another million well on the way。 Lama Su's previous boast echoed ominously in Obi…Wan's thoughts。 A production center； supremely efficient； producing a steady stream of superbly trained and conditioned warriors。 The implications were staggering。
Obi…Wan stared at the closest embryo； floating contentedly in its fluid； curled and with its little thumb stuck into its mouth。 In ten short years； that tiny creature； that tiny man； would be a soldier； killing and； likely； soon enough killed。
He shuddered and looked to his Kaminoan guide。 〃e；〃 Lama Su bade him； walking along the corridor。
Next on the tour was a huge classroom； with desks in neat； orderly rows and with students in neat； orderly rows。 They all looked to be about ten years of age。 All dressed the same； all with the same haircut； all with exactly the same features and posture and expressions。 Obi…Wan reflexively looked at the shining white walls of the huge room； almost expecting to see mirrors there； playing a trick on his eyes to make one boy seem to be many。 The students went about their studies without paying any more heed to the visitors than a quick glance。
Disciplined； Obi…Wan thought。 Much more so than any normal children。 Another thought grabbed him。 〃You mentioned growth acceleration…〃
〃Oh yes； it's essential；〃 the Prime Minister replied。 〃Otherwise a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow。 Now we can do it in half the time。 The units you will soon see on the parade ground we started ten years ago； when Sifo…Dyas first placed the order； and they're already mature and quite ready for duty。〃
〃And these were started about five years ago？〃 the Jedi reasoned； and Lama Su nodded。
〃Would you care to inspect the final product now？〃 the Prime Minister asked； and Obi…Wan could hear excitement in his voice。 Clearly he was proud of this acplishment。 〃I would like your approval before you take delivery。〃
The callousness of it all struck Obi…Wan profoundly。 Units。 Final product。 These were living beings they were talking about。 Living； breathing； and thinking。 To create clones for such a singular purpose； under such control； even stealing half their childhood for efficiency； assaulted his sense of right and wrong； and the fact that a Jedi Master had begun all of this was almost too much to digest。
The tour took him through the missary next； where hundreds of adult clones…all young men Anakin's age…sat in neat rows； all dressed in red； all eating the same food in the same manner。
〃You'll find that they are totally obedient；〃 Lama Su was saying； seemingly oblivious to the Jedi's disfort。 〃We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original； of course。〃
〃Who was the original？〃
〃A bounty hunter named Jango Fett；〃 Lama Su offered without any hesitation。
〃We felt that a Jedi would be the perfect choice； but Sifo…Dyas handpicked Jango himself。〃
The notion that a Jedi might have been used nearly floored Obi…Wan。 An army of clones strong in the Force？
〃Where is this bounty hunter now？〃 he asked。
〃He lives here；〃 Lama Su replied。 〃But he's free to e and go as he pleases。〃 He kept walking as he spoke； leading Obi…Wan along a long corridor filled with narrow transparent tubes。
The Jedi watched with amazement as clones climbed up into those tubes and settled in place； closing their eyes and going to sleep。
〃Very disciplined；〃 he remarked。
〃That is the key；〃 Lama Su replied。 〃Disciplined； and yet with the ability to think creatively。 It is a mighty bination。 Sifo…Dyas explained to us the Jedi aversion to leading droids。 He told us Jedi could only mand an army of lifeforms。〃
And you wanted a Jedi as host？ Obi…Wan thought； but he did not it say aloud。 He took a deep breath； wondering how Master Sifo…Dyas； how any Jedi； could have so willingly and unilaterally crossed the line to create any army of clones。 Obi…Wan realized that he had to suppress his need for a direct answer to that right now； and simply listen and observe； gather as much information as he could so that he and the Jedi Council might sort it out。 〃So Jango Fett willingly remains on Kamino？〃 〃The choice is his alone。 Apart from his pay； which is considerable； I assure you； Fett demanded only one thing…an unaltered clone for himself。 Curious； isn't it？〃 〃Unaltered？〃
〃Pure genetic replication；〃 the Prime Minister explained。 〃No tampering with the structure to make it more docile。 And no growth acceleration。〃
〃I would very much like to meet this Jango Fett；〃 Obi…Wan said； as much to himself as to Lama Su。 He was intrigued。 Who was this man selected by Sifo… Dyas as the perfect source for a clone army？
Lama Su looked to T