ensely； 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 process wasn't in his job description。
Taun We cocked her head a bit to the side； eyes blinking slowly。
Jango recognized her expression as curiosity； and it nearly brought a chuckle bubbling to his lips。 The Kaminoans were much more alike than were humans； especially humans from different planets。 Perhaps their singular concept； their monness within their own species； was a part of their typical reproductive process； which now included a fair amount of genetic manipulation； if not outright cloning。 As a society； they were practically of one mind and one heart。 Taun We seemed genuinely perplexed； and so she was； to see a human with so little apparent regard for other humans； clones or not。
Of course； hadn't the Kaminoans just created an army for the Republic？ There wouldn't be wars without some disagreement； now； would there？ But that； too； held little interest for Jango。 He was a solitary bounty hunter； a recluse…or he would have been if not for Boba。 Jango didn't care a whit about politics or war or this army of his clones。 If every one of them was slaughtered； then so be it。 He had no attachment to any。
He looked to the side as he considered that。 To any except for Boba； of course。
Other than that； though； this was just a job； well paying and easy enough。 Financially； he couldn't have asked for more； but more important； only the Kaminoans could have given him Boba…not just a son； but an exact replica。 Boba would give Jango the pleasure of seeing all that he might have bee had he grown up with a loving and caring father； a mentor who cared enough to criticize； to force him to perfection。 He was as good as it got concerning bounty hunters； concerning warriors； but he had no doubt that Boba； bred and trained for perfection； would far outshine him to bee one of the greatest warriors the galaxy had ever known。
This； then； was Jango Fett's greatest reward； right here； sitting with his son； his young replica； sharing quiet moments。
Quiet moments within the tumult that had been Jango Fett's