Ten Letters

[Broderick Kenton]

Priveleged.

He hated that word. He hated it while he was getting dressed in his gay uniform, he hated it when he was eating in the monumental dining room hundreds of feet across the table from his parents, he hated it when he was writing Aurebesh during an exam.

Even now, touring the Senate building on Coruscant, young Broderick Kenton hated it. He was a clone, one of twenty-five clean-cut boys in dark green blazers and gold ties. So what if this trip was costing his father a small fortune? Had he asked to be able to see the galaxy?

Broderick wasn't paying attention as their tour guide explained things, choosing instead to sulk, scuff his shoes on the polished floor.

"Mr. Kenton!"

The boy jumped, looking guiltily from under his brown mop at Mr. Kariyan. The teacher raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Would you like to repeat a point you found interesting, Mr. Kenton?"

Broderick shook his head.

"No."

"Pardon me?"

"No sir."

Mr. Kenton was significantly embarressed, and said nothing more as he walked along red-cheeked.

Until they exited the building. Broderick, knowing that it was his last chance, slipped away from the long line of boys and darted back into the Senate building, through a pair of doors, and into a courtyard where several serious looking people were strolling. The boy looked extremely out of place.

Broderick sighed.

Yes, he hated being priveleged.

[Senator Thareena]

Fa'un Thareena was walking through the Senate grounds, finally free of aides and annoying pencil pushers. She'd met with a group of lobbyists that morning, and was thoroughly sick of listening about the need to de-arm the galaxy.

The only thing that kept these stupid people safe at night was the fact that there were men with guns surrounding them, figuratively speaking. And yet they still railed against the weapons of the universe. Surely only our enemies should have blasters. Not us. Think of all the little children who shoot their own toes off with their father's guns.

Bloody stupid fathers, if you ask me. And speaking of children - Thareena stopped walking suddenly to avoid running over a boy wearing a smartly pressed school uniform. He looked up, startled, and she frowned down at him. "Lost your way, child?"

[Broderick Kenton]

Broderick looked completely unsure of both himself and his answer.

"No Ma'am. I'm not lost."

Then, as if deciding that this was a bit unusual, the boy shook his head, his strickly combed hair falling into his eyes.

"I mean, what I meant to say was, no, I'm not lost. I just... I was just looking."

Broderick frowned.

"Sorry."

[Senator Thareena]

She looked around for his parents or guardians, not convinced that anyone would be foolish enough to allow a boy to wander around the Senate buildings. "If you are not lost, then where are you going?"

[Broderick Kenton]

"...Here."

Broderick spoke slowly, eyes kept on the womans face to gauge her reaction. So what if he'd never been good at lying? It wasn't as if he'd had a lot of chances.

"I was going here. I...like...courtyards."

The tops of the boy's ears were turning read, which looked rather out of place attached to his unaffected face. Broderick was aware that he was fidgeting, and so turned the questioning around.

"Why are you here?"