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Clone

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genetically reproduced beings, clones were created from genetic material taken from a specific source. Among the best cloners in the galaxy were the Khommites and the Kaminoans. Both races used genetic manipulation to maintain their civilization. The Khommites cloned individual family members who exhibited desireable traits, so that each succeeding generation was a replica of the previous one. Very little variation occurred, so that the Khommites were assured of stable generations. The Kaminoans, by comparison, produced clones for other beings. Their work first came to light shortly before the Battle of Geonosis, when Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered the clone army which had been commissioned by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. These clones, grown over a period of ten years from the genetic material of Jango Fett, were used to augment the forces of the Jedi Knights in defeating the Geonosians. This vast clone army was later used during the Clone Wars. The Kaminoan clones were provided with growth acceleration, producing a twenty-year-old clone in just ten years. Over the next generation, the average growth period was reduced to just 3-5 Imperial years, and there was an accepted doctrine that the shortest time needed to create a stable clone was 1 year. There was speculation that a method was found that could allow them to be grown in 15 to 20 days, and this speculation was shown to be true when Grand Admiral Thrawn began mass-prodicing clones to crew the Katana Fleet ships he obtained some five years after the Battle of Endor. Investigation into his cloning activities revealed that Thrawn was growing his clones at the Mount Tantiss facility on Wayland, in the presence of thousands of ysalamiri. The ability of the ysalamiri to create bubbles that repelled the Force allowed Thrawn's clones to grow without the "normal" influence of the Force, resulting in exceptionally fast growth rates. However, this lack of contact with the Force warped the minds of these rapidly-grown clones, which eventually led to insanity. Thrawn felt that the risk of insanity was sufficient in order to quickly create a legion of armed forces.