“But I'll think less of me.”

“Okay, no need to tell her, then. It was my idea, not hers. And Ordo will make sure you two can stay in touch whenever you want.”

Darman brushed the tip of his nose and sniffed hard. “You always put us first.”

“I always will.”

“We know.”

Yes. He always would. “There's two ways you can think of females in wartime, son. One is to get obsessed and let them take your mind off your work, and that gets you killed. The other is to focus on them as what you're really fighting for, and draw strength from knowing they're going to be there for you when you get home.” He tapped Darman's cheek a few times with the flat of his hand, firm but paternal. “You know which you're going to choose, don't you, Dar?”

“Yes, Sarge.”

“Good lad.”

Skirata knew that Darman might never arrive home, throw his kit bag on the hall floor, and sob on his wife's shoulder, relieved and grateful and swearing it would be his last tour of duty. But he'd make sure he brought him as close to that sweet normality as a cloned soldier could ever come.

At least Etain understood what a soldier went through. All Skirata had to do was make sure the kid was safe when he was born, and educate him properly. Jinart had held up her end of the bargain and would see that Etain was taken care of on Qiilura. The shapeshifter understood Skirata's obsession with looking after his tribe. She was doing the same thing herself. They were both beleaguered fighters with no love for the Republic, just an uneasy tolerance.

“Go on, then, son.” Skirata nodded toward the doors. “Go and find Etain. Have a day out. Be a regular couple for a few hours and forget you're soldiers. Just be discreet, that's all.”

Darman smiled and seemed to brighten. He was a resilient lad. “Sarge,” he said. “How can I forget I'm a soldier? I don't know how to be anything else.”

Skirata watched him go and wondered when the desire to tell him would overwhelm him and it would slip out. Maybe Etain would find the strain too great, too. It was a pity that something that was a source of joy to ordinary people was so dangerous for Darman and Etain.

It was a rotten war. You should have grown used to all that by now, you fool. But he doubted he ever would.

Skirata had plenty to occupy him while Omega was away—two datapads' worth and then some. He took a deep breath and opened his comlink.

“Ordo? Mereel? Let's go hunt some Kaminoan aiwha bait. We have plans to make. Oya!”

He was a skilled bounty hunter: they were the best intelligence troops in the galaxy.

There was nowhere in the galaxy that Ko Sai could hide from them.

GLOSSARY

A

a (ah) Mando'a: but

a den (AH-den) Mando'a: wrath, rage

AA: anti-aircraft

AAA: anti-aircraft artillery

ad (and, s.); ade (AH-day, pl.) Mando'a: child, son, daughter

ad'ika (ah-DEE-kah, s.); ad'ike (ah-DEE-kay, pl.) Mando'a: child, son, daughter (used affectionately)

adenn (AH-tenn) Mando'a: merciless

aliit (ah-LEET) Mando'a: family, clan

an (ahn) Mando'a: all

ARC: Advanced Reconnaissance Commando

aruetii (ah-roo-AY-tee, s.); aruetiise (ah-roo-ay-TEE-say, pl.) Mando'a: foreigner, outsider, traitor

atin (ah-TEEN) Mando'a: stubborn

B

baatir (BAH-teer, v.) Mando'a: to care, to worry about

baay shfat: an obscenity of unknown origin about Hutt

bal (tahl) Mando'a: and

Bal kote, darasuum kote, / Jorso'ran kando a tome. / Sa kyr'am Nau tracyn kad, Vode an. (Bahl KOH-day, dah-RA-soom KOH-day, Jor-so-RAHN, KAHN-do ah TOh-may, Sah-kee-RAHM now trah-SHEEN kand VOH-day ahn) Mando'a: And glory, eternal glory, / We shall bear its weight together. / Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all. (ancient Mandalorian war chant)

BRB: Big Red Button (emergency hull seal)

buir (boo-EER) Mando'a: father

buy'ce (BOO-shay, s.); buy'cese (pl.) Mando'a: helmet

buy'ce gal (BOO-shay gahl) Mando'a: pint of ale (literally, the contents of a helmet)

Buy'ce gal, buy'ce tal / Vebor'ad ures aliit / Mhi draar baat'1 meg'parjii'se / Kote lo'shebs'ul narit (BOO-shay gahl, BOO-shay tahl Vair-BOR-and 00-rees AH-leet Mee DRAHR bah-TEE mayg-PAR-jee-SEH Koh-TAY loh SHEBS-ool-NAH-reet) Mando'a: A pint of ale, a pint of blood / Buys men without a name / We never care who wins the war / So you can keep your fame (drinking chant of Mandalorian mercenaries)

C

ca (kah) Mando'a: night

cannon fodder: soldier (slang)

chakaar (cha-KAR, s.); chakaare (cha-KAR-ay, pl.) Mando'a: thief, grave robber (general term of abuse)

Cip-Quad: reciprocating quad blaster

CIS: Confederacy of Independent Systems

con: steer a ship

conc (konk): concussion rifle

Coruscanta (KOH-roo-SAN-ta) Mando'a: Coruscant

CSF: Coruscant Security Force

cuir (KOO-eer) Mando'a: four

cuun (koon) Mando'a: our

Cuy'val Dar (koo-EE-vahl dahr) Mando'a: those who no longer exist (the term is used for a group of Jango Fett's handpicked clone commando instructors)

cuyir (KOO-yeer, v.) Mando'a: to exist, to be

D

dar (dahr) Mando'a: no longer

dar'buir (DAHR boo-EER) Mando'a: no longer a father

dar'manda (dahr-MAHN-da) Mando'a: a state of being “not Mandalorian”; not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and soul

darasuum (dah-RAH-soom) Mando'a: eternal, forever

Deece: a DC-model rifle (slang)

det: detonator

dha (dah) Mando'a: dark

di'kut (dee-KOOT, s.); di'kute (dee-KOOT, pl.); di'kutla (dee-KOOT-lah, adj.): jerk, moron (impolite)

dinuir (DEE-noo-eer, v.) Mando'a: to give

draar (drahr) Mando'a: never

dralshy'a (drahl-SHEE-ya) Mando'a: stronger, more powerful

droten (DROH-ten) Mando'a: people, public

E

e'tad (EH-tad) Mando'a: seven

ehn (ayhn) Mando'a: three

EM: electromagnetic

EMP (s.); EMPs (pl.): electromagnetic pulse

eniki Huttese: understand

EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal (bomb disposal)

ETA: estimated time of arrival

F

flash-bang: stun grenade (slang)

G

GAR: Grand Army of the Republic

gar (gahr, s. & pl.) Mando'a: you

Gar ru kyramu kaysh, di'kut: tion'meh kaysh ru jehaati? (Gahr roo keer-AH-moo kaysh, dee-KOOT: tee-ON-mey-kaysh roo je-HAHT-ee) Mando'a: You killed him, you moron: what if he was lying?

ge'verd (ge-VAIRD) Mando a : almost a warrior

gihaal (gee-HAAL) Mando'a: fish-meal

gra'tua (gra-TOO-ah) Mando'a: vengeance

H

HNE: HoloNet News and Entertainment

HQ: headquarters

HUD: heads-up display

hukaat'kama (hu-KAHT-kah-MAH) Mando'a: watch my back, watch my six

hut'uun (hoo-TOON, s.); hut'uune (pl.); hut'uunla (hoo-OON-lah, adj.) Mando'a: coward

I

IED: improvised explosive device