Sayori moved swiftly through the dense underbrush, her senses sharpened by the distant roar of a waterfall. The sound of rushing water echoed through the canyon, masking her footsteps as she approached a rocky ditch carved into the landscape.

Near the edge of the waterfall, a boy sat curled in on himself, trembling. His cloak was dirtied and torn, and he clutched his knees to his chest, eyes wide and haunted.

Sayori softened her steps, making her presence known without startling him. "Caleb."

The boy flinched, his head snapping up. But when he saw her — tall and imposing, but with her arms outstretched to show she wasn't armed — his expression crumbled.

"Sayori," Caleb whispered.

He stumbled to his feet and ran toward her. She knelt to meet him, letting him wrap his arms around her waist, holding him tightly as he buried his face against her.

Sayori's hand rested on his back, gently stroking his hair. "How are you holding up?" she asked softly, crouching down to his level. She tugged her blindfold up just enough to reveal her eyes — glowing, otherworldly, yet comforting.

Caleb gazed into them, his breathing steadying. For a moment, the panic in his chest lessened. But then his lip quivered, and he looked down, tears brimming in his eyes.

"My master," he whispered. "She's dead."

Sayori nodded solemnly. "I know. I felt it." She touched his cheek gently. "I'm so sorry."

Caleb shook his head, wiping his tears with a shaky hand. "It's not your fault. It's those stupid clones. How could we ever trust them?"

Sayori tilted her head, studying him with a gentle, yet firm gaze. "It's never their fault, Caleb."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"What they're doing — it's not them. It's a chip. A piece of technology implanted in their heads. It's controlling them. If we can remove it, they'll be who they were again."

Caleb's hands clenched into fists. "But I want to kill them."

Sayori sighed, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I know. I understand that anger. But revenge won't bring her back."

Caleb looked away, ashamed of the thoughts swirling in his mind. His voice shook. "But can't you stop it? Can't you use your powers to help them?"

Sayori's expression darkened. "I've never used my powers for something like this before. And I can't do it while they're fighting. If I try to remove the chip while they're hostile, it'll kill them."

Caleb sniffed, nodding. "Yeah... I get it."

Sayori leaned in, nudging him gently. "You need to go."

Caleb blinked. "Go where?"

"To Westeros," she said firmly. "Take a capsule and get off this planet. Ahsoka is already there. She'll help you with lodging and anything you need."

Caleb frowned. "Westeros? I've never heard of it."

Sayori smiled faintly. "It's far away. Safe. There are no clones, no facilities. No war."

Caleb hesitated. "How will I know where to go?"

Sayori stood, brushing the dirt from her robes. "Look for my friends. The Targaryens."

"Targaryens?"

She nodded. "They have white hair. Beautiful. And they ride dragons." Her smile widened just a little. "They're kind, if you're kind to them."

Caleb's expression softened at the thought of dragons. "And if I meet them?"

"Tell them I sent you. They'll help you." She gave him a playful nudge. "Now go. Try not to get frosted on the way."

Caleb glanced toward the cliff's edge, uncertainty flickering in his gaze.

"You want me to jump?"

"I'll be right behind you one day." Her voice was steady. "But for now, you need to go."

After a moment's hesitation, Caleb took a deep breath and ran toward the precipice. He leapt without looking back, disappearing into the mist below.

Sayori stayed there for a moment, watching the waterfall crash into the rocks below. Her heart ached, but she steeled herself.

Footsteps approached behind her. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.

Crosshair and Hunter emerged from the trees, their armor scuffed from battle.

"The kid's gone," Sayori said without looking at them.

Hunter dipped his head. "I'm sorry."

Sayori's lips tightened. "I wasn't bonded to him like his master was."

Crosshair tilted his head. "You sure about that?" His voice was cool, calculating. "I might not be Force-sensitive, but I can sense you're not happy about it. You're not devastated... which means he's not dead."

Sayori's fists clenched at her sides. "Keep your head in the game, Crosshair. Don't follow your brothers into the dark."

Crosshair's expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes.

Hunter stepped forward. "What now?"

Sayori turned to face them, her six eyes glinting in the light. "We're going to Kamino."

Hunter and Crosshair exchanged a wary look.

"Why Kamino?" Hunter asked.

"I'm going to have a talk with the Prime Minister," Sayori growled. Her voice was low, dangerous. "And he's not going to like what I have to say."

Without another word, she spun on her heel and headed toward the ship. Her robes billowed behind her, and her aura radiated power and purpose.

Crosshair and Hunter shared a final glance before falling into step behind her.

"Why do I feel like this is a bad idea?" Crosshair muttered.

Hunter sighed. "Because it probably is."

They followed her into the ship, the shadows of war looming behind them.

SCENEBREAK

The Havoc Marauder rumbled quietly as it drifted through hyperspace, its engines thrumming like a steady heartbeat against the silence of the stars. Inside, Clone Force 99 sat in thoughtful quiet, each lost in their own thoughts — except for one.

Sayori sat cross-legged in the far corner of the cabin, her lightsaber dismantled across her lap. Her delicate fingers moved with practiced precision, turning over the familiar pieces of metal as she inspected the kyber crystal nestled within. The faint hum of the ship's systems filled the air, but she paid it no mind. Her six eyes were focused on the task at hand, though her mind wandered far beyond the confines of the ship.

Hunter glanced over from the cockpit, watching her in silence for a moment before stepping into the main cabin. "You've been quiet," he said, his voice steady but curious.

Sayori didn't look up. "I'm thinking."

"About?" Hunter crossed his arms, leaning against the bulkhead.

Sayori's hands stilled as she turned the crystal between her fingers. It caught the dim light of the cabin, casting a soft glow across her face. "About what comes next."

Crosshair, perched near the weapons rack, gave a quiet snort. "What comes next? We survive. Same as always."

Sayori shot him a look, her blindfold slipping slightly to reveal her lower pair of eyes — sharp and knowing. "Survival isn't enough anymore."

Crosshair raised a brow but said nothing. Tech glanced up from his datapad, ever the observer. "You're worried about the clones still following the Order," he said matter-of-factly.

Sayori nodded, piecing her lightsaber back together. "It's not just about them. It's about all of us." Her voice lowered, thoughtful. "This galaxy is teetering on the edge of something far worse than any of us have ever seen. The Sith's influence spreads like a plague, and the Republic is crumbling faster than anyone realizes."

Wrecker leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "You sound like you've already given up."

"I haven't," Sayori said, her voice firm. "But I won't pretend that things will ever be the same. Not after Order 66."

Hunter studied her for a long moment. "And what do you plan to do about it?"

Sayori ignited her lightsaber with a snap-hiss. The blade flared to life, casting blue light across the cabin. She watched it hum steadily before deactivating it again.

"We find those we can save. And we stop the ones we can't."

Silence fell over the group. The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, each clone processing them in their own way.

Crosshair finally broke the tension, his tone dry but curious. "And what about us? Are we the ones you save... or the ones you stop?"

Sayori's expression softened, her blindfold sliding back into place. "You're not like the others. You've already made your choice — to think for yourselves. That's why you're here."

Hunter nodded slowly. "And Kamino? What happens when we get there?"

Sayori's lips pressed into a thin line. "We'll talk to the Prime Minister. And if he won't listen..." Her fingers curled around the hilt of her lightsaber. "We make him."

The clones exchanged wary glances, each understanding the unspoken truth in her words.

The Havoc Marauder rumbled again as it shot through hyperspace, carrying them toward an uncertain future. But in the silence, the resolve of its passengers hardened.

They weren't just surviving anymore.

They were fighting back.