Icarus: - First of all. I would like how a clone, a "dead" and a bounty hunter ended up here. - He said calmly.

Mirana: - I see that you are very perceptive. - He said as he took off his helmet for the first time.

The masked mystery, who had now been recognized by the droid as a bounty hunter, was a human woman with thick brown hair. On his face stood out a huge cybernetic black patch that covered his right orbit from his cheekbone to his eyebrow, and an impressive red robotic eye stood out from his tanned complexion. A scar protruded from the metallic patch that crossed a large part of his face, the product of an injury that seems to have also slightly deformed his nose and mouth. However, the left hemispheres of her face brimmed with great beauty.

Even so, none of those present made any comment. The clone and the Zygerrian already knew of his appearance, and Icarus wouldn't be impressed by something like that, he was a droid after all.

Mirana: - Good. I guess I'll start. - He said as he sat in a chair, and carelessly climbed his feet on a coffee table.

------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------

Narrates Mirana:

I used to work as a bounty hunter since I was fifteen years old. The rest of my story I will not tell, since nobody cares. I'll just say that I grew up in Onderon. For a long time I accepted requests from both sides of the war as long as the reward was worth it, but when I found out about the atrocities the Republic was committing... Let's just say... I didn't like it very much.

[Remember that in the Clone Wars the Separatist side had a strong propaganda campaign]

I started doing work for the Separatist Alliance, to the point of becoming one of the most precious resources for the Alliance. Even Count Dooku himself entrusted me with a special mission, a mission that would tip the scales in favor of our side.

It wasn't a simple mission, but nothing that couldn't stop me and my Trident ship. He had to go to Tatooine and rescue Jabba's son from the Hutt and take him to an old monastery on Teth. According to the information in my contract, the Republic planned to frame the Separatists for such an act. But when I handed him over to the droids at the monastery, I knew he would be safe.

Mirana's story is interrupted by Boil.

Boil: - I've told you hundreds of times that it wasn't like that. The separatists were the ones who kidnapped Jabba's son and locked him up in that monastery. -

Mirana: - Of course. And you're also going to tell me that the Jedi saved the little boy. -

Boil: - The Jedi did it. -

Miraj: - Come on, come on. That is already in the past. - He intervened to avoid an argument like the one that Boil and Mirana used to have all the time.

Follow Mirana's story:

Anyway. A lot happened during the war, but I would never expect the Separatist Alliance to be so easily defeated after the battle of Utapau. As the alliance worlds surrendered one by one, I had to hide on the outer world planets and survive with whatever mission I could accept.

A year had passed since the Empire rose when I was on the planet Celanon. She was undercover, trying to remain inconspicuous when the Imperials raided the cantina where she was quietly drinking. I still remember the voice of that lieutenant with his fake voice.

Lieutenant: -Mirana Coxter. For your crimes of trafficking, raids, extortion, among many others, for the power granted to me by the Galactic Empire, you are under arrest. -

I still remember his face when I took out my blaster and took down two of those stormtroopers in the blink of an eye, but it was no use. When I tried to run away from the place, I found out that I was surrounded by the soldiers, so I had no choice but to surrender.

I still remember the face of that bastard, with his blue eyes looking at me as if I were his prey. If I remember more, I think his name was Nolan, Nolan... I don't know what... Later I found out that he got a promotion for catching me. Just like how he thanked me very much when I found out that one of his subordinates killed him.

But back to the topic. After I was captured, I spent a few days in the Celanon prison, when they decided to take us to Coruscant on a prisoner ship. Me and seven other prisoners. And it was there that I met him.

Mirana concluded her story by pointing at Boil

Boil: - Good. I guess it's my turn to tell how I ended up here. -

-------------------------------------------------- -----O-------------------------------------------- ------------

Narrates Boil:

The end of the Clone Wars was somewhat... appalling. I still remember that day in Utapau, when we were ordered to kill our General Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Icarus interrupts him.

Icarus: - Obi-Wan Kenobi. So you're a clone of the 212 Corps of the Republic Army.

Boil: - Yes. He belonged to the Ghost Company. Under the command of Commander Cody. -

Follow Boil's story:

I remember when Commander Cody gave the order to AT-TE to shoot our general, but what I still struggle to understand, was why I didn't even defy his order... I mean... we fought alongside our general for countless battle... Why should we kill him?... But at that moment he was only following orders. And it wasn't until a while later that I understood why.

For a year, my brothers and I dedicated ourselves to subjugating hundreds of worlds. Both the separatists and those who remained neutral during the war. We went from being those who brought justice to the Galaxy to those who imposed the yoke of the Empire. For a long time I felt ashamed of my actions... and rightly so. And in the end, we clones were just discarded as scrap metal. No offense.

When they saw no further use for me, they assigned me to a passenger transport ship. It was the pilot. It was not a very large ship. There was just enough room for eight prisoners, the pilot, and one officer on board. I don't want to remember that cursed man I had to put up with for four months.

Silky black hair, white robotic eye, in his "fancy" white clothing. But he was an idiot. Worst of all, he barely had the rank of sergeant, but he was my superior, and he kept pestering me or pointing out that he was superior to me. Christopher Torkez. I hope the hell I treated you as "best" as possible.

It was a day like any other. As a pilot, he didn't have to see the prisoners. He just had to pilot the ship to Coruscant. I didn't know who they were or what they had done. I didn't have permission to ask.

We were just a few clicks away from Celanon, and were about to jump into hyperspace, when our ship received a heavy blaster barrage.

Torkez: - And now what the hell did you do!? - He yelled at me despite being a meter away from me. -

Boil: - Sir. They attack us. They damaged the hyperdrive. -

Torkez: - Well, don't stand there like a fool, do something. -

Boil: - Sir, this ship has no defense system. We can't do anything. -

Torkez: - You are useless, clone. They all are. - I had to contain myself not to strangle him at that moment.

Then, a loud metallic sound was heard on the fuselage of the ship.

Boil: - Sir, they have attached to the hull. It seems they want to board us. -

Torkez: - Those bastards dare to intercept an Imperial transport? Very good. Take your weapon, clone. Let's see if you're at least useful for something. -

We retreat to the rear of the nave and find ourselves in the central corridor. At the end of the fuselage you could see how sparks were coming out of the console, it was clear that someone was trying to enter the ship. Then the sergeant went crazy.

He slammed the door terminal of the cell next to him hard, and the metal door swung open, revealing a little girl of African descent. It was Stela, but at that moment I could never imagine what plan the sergeant had with the little girl. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her towards the corridor, lifting her up with his arm without caring about the little girl's cries, but before being able to make him see reason. The ship's door opened, revealing someone I never thought I'd see again.

A white clone armor with blue patterns that he would never forget. One of my most skillful and brave brothers on the battlefield, with whom I fought side by side on countless occasions.

Boil: - Captain Rex!? - I screamed in shock.

Rex: - ¿Boil? -

Torkez: - Not a step back, clone. Or this little girl will suffer the consequences of your actions.

The clones entered the interior of the ship, raising their weapons to try to intimidate my idiot sergeant, but he was just out of his head. I remember Rex and Hunter pointing their pistols at them, Wrecker with his DC-17M rifle, and Crosshair aiming his sniper rifle right at his skull. Still, Torkez was not determined to give up.

Torkez: - Do you think you can damage property of the Galactic Empire and get away unscathed!? -

Hunter: - Easy. We just want one prisoner and we'll leave. Nobody has to get hurt. -

Torkez: - Shut your mouth, clone. You are nothing but property of the Empire. Petty trash. Waste. That is what they are! The Empire should have charred them long ago, but don't worry. I'll take care of that personally. -

Torkez raised Stela's head and showed her sobbing face to the clones with the intention of making them hesitate by risking the young woman's life while placing the muzzle of her blaster over her head. Those who were present looked horrified, even those who were locked behind the metal doors knew what was happening and tried to calm the sergeant, despite not seeing anything.

????: - You don't have to do this! -

Mirana: - Let her go! Bastard! -

????: - She is not responsible for anything! - Voices could be heard shouting from the cells.

Torkez: - Quiet! You all are nothing but trash! And I will shoot them all here and now! Starting with this dwarf bastard! -

Rex: - No! -

The sound of a blaster rumbled through the cramped space. The voices of those who were shouting from inside the cells faded, fearing the harsh reality, but it was not the young Stela who fell to the ground with her body dead.

It was Torkez who lay on the ground, killed by the impact of a blaster that entered his back and destroyed his heart. His ornate white robes were of no use to him against Boil's blaster. Followed by a few long seconds of silence where my hands trembled and my thoughts were not very clear. He had betrayed the Empire.

Rex: - Boil. Are you OK? - He said as he approached.

Boil: -Rex. What have we done? - I asked remembering all those innocent lives that we ruined because of the Empire.

Rex: - It's okay. OK bro. It was not your fault. It wasn't any clone's fault. -

Boil: - But we did. -

Rex: - No. They didn't. It was the inhibitor chips' fault. -

Icarus interrupts him.

Icarus: - Inhibitor chips? - He asked something surprised.

Boil: - Yes. Little biomechanical chips that we all had implanted in our brains. Well... Almost all. - He told her while showing him the scar on his skull over his right ear. - That thing was the cause of all the atrocities we did.

Follow Boil's story:

When I managed to regain my composure I could see the other clones opening the cell doors and then I saw them. See the prisoners for the first time. Emaciated and rickety from the hunger they suffered. Never before have I felt so guilty about what I did. Independent of transporting them or not. I felt how the veins were tearing from my heart. Among them were Stela and Mirana, and an eighth passenger that she hadn't waited to see.

Boil: - Commander Wolffe? - His scar over his right eye was unique in the entire Clone Army.

Wolffe: - It's been a while since I've seen a familiar face. - He said with a smiling tone, but he looked in a clear state of malnutrition, in addition to having some marks of blows on his body. Without a doubt, he was "interrogated" in the least peaceful way possible.