He does

Parsus had thought about turning back and taking Sofia up on her offer, but it was time to have his and Hector's pre-drop ritual. Parsus walked along the ship's corridors, heading toward the quartermaster's, Lt. Moyamoto, office. Moyamoto was a womb-born, and as such sought the logistic officer path. To earn their citizenship, womb-born had to enlist to either the navy or the army as soon as they reached adulthood. Most refrained from being enhanced since it more than often deadly and the process renders the subject infertile, making someone wanting to become a citizen and have a family impossible. Because of it, most will seek an administrative, bureaucratic or logistical position, where the chance to be killed or harmed is much lower. Many of them were honest and hard working people, but also many of them treated the fleet-bred soldiers and clones as beneath them. Parsus and his brothers never got angry at this, they always knew how the world works, a man being born and raised by loving parents had the advantage to know more about life and how everything should be, than those who weren't. Those who weren't born can't possibly know what's best for the rest of the population, they were never part of civilian life and as such shouldn't participate in decisions concerning the lives of other citizens. They were bred to protect the citizens and residents not to be them. Residents who wish to become citizens enlist, so they will have the perspective on the full spectrum of life, only citizens can vote, elect and decide on the fate of humanity and the resident aliens of the federation.

Parsus stood before the door of Lt. Moyamoto's office, the Quartermaster was a pleasant man, but it was still forbidden for a clone to disturb a womb-born's peace. Inside the company clones, fleet-bred and womb-born treat eachother the same, with the exclusion of some individuals, but outside the company, Parsus was very careful about approaching the personnel. From inside the office, Parsus could hear loud panting and banging. Placing his glove on the door, Parsus used the glove's vibrations to make a loud creak pattern of three high pitched squeaks followed by a lower grate. A sound that to anybody else will sound just like another sound the ship makes in space, but Hector will recognize it as their secret signal for each other. Parsus waited for a moment, hearing the panting and squeals increase in frequency, a minute later it ended and there was nothing but silence.

Parsus waited at the end of the corridor as his brother walked out of the office few minutes later, still dressing himself. "I think he likes you, maybe you should try and start a family together", Parsus jokingly remarked as Hector walked towards and passed him. "Fuck off, it's not like I had any say in the matter." He answered a bit annoyed. "I was supposed to meet up with Sara, when the Lieutenant took me away. I hope there's still some time for us" Hector finished, in a saddened tone. Sara was a 65 template, she was a med-evac pilot and had so much life and grace in her you could swear she was a womb-born, or at least a fleet-bred. Most of the 65 template were nice but stern and serious group, though more opened up and warmed towards 98th template. But Sara was more than warm, she was cheerful, optimistic, could see the beauty of each world and hope for the best outcome always, no matter how mangled and battered the troops she helped save, or how destroyed the world she was rescuing them from was. Parsus was always happy his brother could find a partner like her to take his mind off of fighting and war, but it seemed Hector was also Lt. Moyamoto's favourite toy, which complicated the matter of spending time with Sara.

"Sure, I'm sorry but I thought it would be best to finish with the ritual first, before we move to other subjects" Parsus said to Hector, receiving an agreeing nod. "We can bring Sara if you want, she could witness us." Parsus added, but Hector shook his head, "No, it should be a 98 thing, even when it will be just one of us." Hector said, turning towards the secluded torpedo bay they were using for the ritual. Since the ship wasn't on alert the bay was empty, it was spacious and in a part of the ship no one comes into when not needed since it was far from the quarters. This gave Parsus and his brothers a place to gather without raising concern from anyone and conduct the ritual without being bothered. They weren't sure this ritual or assembly for clones was forbidden, but best keep it secret in case prejudice will make it illegal for the officer who will happen upon them.

Hector secured the door as Parsus moved one of the wall panels, revealing a folded table, a silk table cloth a box of candles and a small chest. Hector dimmed the lights as Parsus unfolded and covered the table. They began to arrange the candles and the small trinkets that belonged to their fallen brothers. It used to be a small gathering of all the 98th template clones, a small honouring of those of their brothers who died and will die. Unlike womb-born, clones can't receive citizenship, they are bred and created for war, and they are good at it. But Parsus and his brothers wanted to feel a little human, they did want to commemorate their comrades, and since it's only Parsus and Hector left, they had to carry on with the tradition. Each of the trinkets had the identification tags of the fallen attached to them in some manner, some welded, others plastered, glued or screwed on. The tags had a blank space where the womb-born or fleet-bred names should be inscribed, but since clones didn't have names, they engraved the names they gave themselves on the empty space of the tags.

Out of all the names on the tags, Parsus missed Pharis most, he was his best friend and a true comrade, from training to each of the drops they dropped at together. When Pharis died Parsus was devastated, it had affected him more than any other ****, either of a comrade's or another clone's. The trinket Parsus made for Pharis was a golden egg-like orb they found in some palace they cleared together right before Pharis's ****, engraved with a poem from old earth. Pharis always loved old Earth artists, so the quote Parsus chose for him was "Never gonna give you up" by Richard Astley. He believed since the orb also originated from old Earth, Pharis would've liked the gesture.

"So.. Let's start?" Hector asked Parsus as they finished placing everything, Parsus sat beside his brother and nodded.