The Kenobi Saga Book One:The Clone Wars

7. Shopping for Beginners

"We're going shopping!" Padme announced as Lore-Val and Solitaire entered her apartment.

Solitaire grimaced under his helmet. How was he supposed to provide surveillance and safety when he'd never been to a store? When he painted his armor he just used someone else's leftovers rather than go to the store himself.

"But you just gave me clothes?" Lore-Val asked with a quizzical look.

"Yes, but I've been told you still haven't decorated your room and we need to fix that."

"Do we?" she asked.

"Yes," she came and held the teen's hands, hoping to get the girl excited about the idea, "Because you are fourteen and I've been told fourteen year-olds are supposed to have interests that should be bursting at the seams coloring their rooms."

Lore-Val frowned at her, "What were your interests when you were fourteen?"

"Politics," Padme said with a half smile, pulling her towards the door, "I have a driver waiting for us, let's go."

With a final sigh Solitaire stepped out into the hall to go with them to the speeder.

.   .   .

Solitaire swept a glance behind him to check on Lore-Val and Padme. Padme was showing Lore-Val a blanket or something. The poor kid looked overwhelmed and tired. Solitaire could relate, but he just shrugged back at her before something caught his eye across the aisle.

Why were these pillows so small? And they were round. What was the point in that? Maybe Lore-Val would buy them and he'd get to see what she did with them.

Lore-Val placed a pinstriped blanket in the cart that was next to Solitaire. He reached down to touch it, even with his gloves on he knew it must be soft and it was thicker then he'd have expected. It must be warm. The blanket on his bunk wasn't soft, but it was waterproof which was nice though not exactly necessary since he wasn't out in the field anymore.

He heard Padme say something about Lore-Val going to school and felt his stomach tighten. School was another one of those places he didn't like the idea of. Security was going to be difficult with so many people in one place. If he had his way, the General would tell the girl she couldn't go, and would find another way for her to get her lessons.

The girls started walking out the other end of the aisle and Solitaire frowned under his helmet. He was supposed to lead, not follow, to provide protection for his charges, yet here he was doing the job of a droid, pushing around a cart full of who knows what following behind the two. He was walking quickly when a woman pulled her child back from running in front of Solitaire's cart. She held the boy tight against her, watching the clone closely. Solitaire ignored it, walking a little faster to catch up to Lore-Val.

He stopped at the end of the aisle the two were in. A quick look proved the aisle was clear. The other end of the aisle was blocked off by a display so he wouldn't need to worry about Lore-Val and Padme wandering off again.

The little boy from earlier was standing across the main aisle from Solitaire. He nodded at the boy, hoping it would stop the kid from staring at him. Instead the kid sneezed, snot running down his face. Solitaire grimaced, he hadn't realized how lucky he was that Lore-Val wasn't a snot nosed little kid like this. She was actually very nice. She'd asked him to teach her his favorite card games, and he'd been kicking her butt at sabacc the last few days. The kid's mother came and pulled him away, scolding him for bothering the soldier. Solitaire let out a sigh, moving his sights off the mother and son to look back down at Lore-Val.

"Solitaire?" she asked as if she'd been trying to get his attention, "Are you ready to get lunch?"

Yes he thought desperately. He gave a stoic nod, "Up to you ma'am."

Lore-Val turned to Padme, "That means yes."

He smiled under his helmet, smart kid.

AN: Solitaire my boi!! I hope you guys like him, he's gonna get some character growth so get used to seeing him around. Shout out to my brother who told me to rewrite this chapter from Solitaire's POV. I hate admitting when  he's right but yeah a clone in Space Target is legit.
As always a HUGE thank you to @delicattie for reading over my story. If you haven't read her book yet you're doing it wrong