Clone Wars Oneshots (and some Bad Batch)

A/N:

Karliah is an OC of mine, although I do NOT own the art. I don't know who does, a friend showed it to me. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Now...

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Do not let your adorning be external–the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear–but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

–1 Peter 3:3-4

Cid's Parlor, Ord Mantell; one year after Order 66

(CT-9902) Tech's P.O.V.

   I sigh as the device sparks in my hands. I've been working on this datapad for over an hour, and still, it showed no signs of rebooting. It was an old thing I found in Cid's office. When I asked her about it, she said it was shot up in some kind of firefight, and someone sold it to her, saying it held valuable information. But she couldn't even turn the thing on, because it was so damaged. She said she'd pay me five credits if I could get it working. But it wasn't the offer of money that sparked my interest. It was the chance to actually do something while I'm waiting on Hunter and Echo to get back from their mission.

   I scoff a little as I examine the datapad. Their quote unquote "mission" is to deliver nerf nuggets to the High Priestess of the Sovereign. I think they're a fascinating species, very alike with the Kaminoans in the way that none of them are born naturally. They're engineered, seemingly to perfection. I would love the opportunity to study them, but so far, all I have to work with was the incredibly limited data on them in various galactic records. Such a pity, I think. Then I turn my attention back to my work.

   I insert the tip of my vibroblade and gently pry it loose from its housings. I hear the door to the parlor open, and a pair of soft footsteps echoes off the walls. I pause. That doesn't sound like Hunter or Echo. Hunter's footfalls are eerily silent most of the time, and Echo's are usually a bit on the louder side on account of his mechanical legs, although he can be silent when he wants to. But there's no need for him to try to be silent coming into the parlor, and given the fact that he loathed the "mission" the instant Cid told us what it was, the sound of his footsteps would be even louder, on account of his frustration.

   All of these thoughts run through my head in an instant. I turn, my curiosity piqued, and saw a small, blonde-haired woman walking down the steps that leads into the parlor. She's in a pair of overalls that looks a few sizes too big, with some kind of heavy coat under that looks as if it were made from some kind of wool. She's wearing a pair of strange goggles, and her wispy blonde hair–which is the same shade as Omega's–hangs in a loose ponytail, and big chunks of it frame her face. Her eyes are a dull green color, with a few flecks of a silverish color. She smiles at me as she approaches.