Haaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy! This was hard to write! Hope its worth all of the work I put into it! :)
Sketch glanced up from his drawing to get another good look at his subjects, then went back to the data pad. Across the room Chopper and Echo sat cross-legged on the floor playing cards, completely unaware that they were acting as models for one of the troopers famous pictures. Sketch smiled as he watched them.
He was glad they had become friends. Chopper wasn't the type to let people in, something that didn't help Gus's paranoia in the slightest. But with Echo he seemed comfortable. It was strange. When Chopper talked to someone he always acted like he was trying to hide something. Like he was never giving you the full story. But he was different with Echo he seemed comfortable around him, like he didn't have to hide who he was... Not that he should be hiding something from his other brothers, but you know what they say, baby steps.
Echo's lips moved as though he were speaking. But Sketch couldn't hear it from across the room. Chopper scowled good-naturedly and reached out to smack Echo in the back of the head. The younger trooper caught his arm mid swing and Chopper made a comment that sent both men laughing.
A small smile played on Sketch's lips as he put the finishing touches on his drawing. In his opinion it was one of his best and he planed on showing it to Echo and Chopper before they landed on Coriscant. If he could he hoped to include it in the art show some of his paintings were being displayed in.
Sketch clicked through his old drawings, he could still remember what he was doing when they were made. How he was feeling. He paused every now and again adding a detail. Erasing a line that shouldn't be there. Until he reached one that made him stop.
It was an old drawing. He'd done it months ago but it felt more like years. The picture was of Jester, Gus, Chopper, Punch and one other. They were smiling laughing at something Punch had said. Sketch looked at the face of the man who didn't belong there. He was a brother and Sketch had drawn him. He had even paid extra attention to the details of his face at the time. After all he had been there sergeant.
Sketch flipped the stylus in his hand and quickly erased the sergeant's face. He didn't want to remember Slick. He was the reason Jester cleaned his gun more than ever before, the reason Gus didn't trust anyone, the reason Punch tried to cover it all up by being happy all the time, and he was the reason Chopper never got close to anyone anymore. Sure Chopper had kept to himself before that but after it… he stopped making conversation. He wouldn't talk about it with anyone. And that was just fine. No one wanted to talk about it anyway.
"Touch down is in half an hour so everyone better get on some civi clothing and have their stuff together by then." Captain Rex's commanding voice told them all over the PA system. Sketch snapped out of his own thoughts and returned to the real world.
He quickly jumped up off of his bunk and tucked his data pad into his backpack along with the others. He was planning on selling a couple at the gallery opening. Hopefully he would make enough credits to buy a new set of color styluses his old one's were starting to show their use.
Punch jumped down from his top bunk and grinned at his brother.
"So what are you doing on Coriscant Sketch?" He asked pulling a pair of civilian pants out of his gear bag.
"I got a gallery opening in the mid-upper Coriscant art district." Sketch replied pulling off his body suit and slipping on a clean white dress shirt. "You can come if you want. It'd be nice to have some familiar faces there."
"I'm in!" Punch said smiling. "What about you guys?" he turned slightly to address the rest of the squad.
"Cant." Gus replied shaking his head. "I got paper work." he pulled on his uniform fatigues as he said it.
"Man that phwoars." Punch commented wrinkling his nose. "Jester?"
"Sure." The trooper in question replied with a shrug. Pulling on a pair of dark blue civilian pants. "What about you guys?" He turned to address Chopper and Echo who had just finished changing into their civi's. Chopper opened his mouth to reply but Echo beat him to it.
"We'll be there." He answered quickly. Chopper shot the younger man a glare and received a smirk in response.
"Great!" Sketch said enthusiastically. He garbed a black tie out of his bag and a dress jacket as well. "This is the highest class place I've ever shown in. So dress to impress. If anyone asks were quintuplets." Punch grinned and gave his brother a mock salute.
"Right o mister artist sir!" Sketch laughed lightly at his brother's joke grabbing his backpack and duffel bag off the ground.
"I'm going to head down to the hanger so I can get to the gallery early. But I'll see you guys there!" He turned to hurry out the door. "O ya!" he spun around quickly just remembering something. "Echo, Chop would it be all right if I displayed a picture of you guys?" the two troopers exchanged looks and shrugged.
"Sure." Echo replied. Sketch grinned with excitement.
"Awesome I'll see you guys there!" he turned quickly and was gone before you could say 'kaminoans phwoar.'
"Well he seems excited." Jester commented giving his Blaster one last swipe over before packing it into his gear bag.
"Hope he remembers to drop his gear bag off at the barracks..." Gus muttered as he finished packing his bag. "See you boys planet side." And with that the Sergeant was gone as well leaving Punch, Jester, Chopper and Echo to get ready.
Chopper glanced around him. Sketch wasn't kidding when he said this was high class. The Art gallery main hall was filled with the white-collar citizens of Coriscant. All of whom were wearing outfits that could probably rival those of the court goers of nabo. Several waiters walked around carrying glasses of champagne on large black trays.
All of it made Chopper, with his last minute two-piece suit and untied bow tie, feel very out of place. Not to mention he was ninety nine point nine percent sure they were staring at his scars… Chopper resisted the urge to snap at them to stop looking at him and instead turned his attention to one of the painting projected on the wall. Frankly he didn't get it. Apparently nether did Punch because he was craning his neck to the side staring at it.
"I think this pictures side ways." He stated blankly his bolo tie swinging in the air as he craned his neck to the side.
"It's abstract art Punch it's supposed to look like that." all four brothers turned their heads to see Sketch standing behind them. Jester cracked a smile.
"Not one of yours I'm guessing." Sketch shook his head.
"No my sections over there." He gestured to the left were several people were crowded around a cluster of well down drawings and paintings. "Come on. I'll show you." Sketch headed off in the direction of the crowd. Chopper went to follow him when he noticed Echo out of the corner of his eye. He had that blank emotionless look on his face that Chopper had come to know so well.
Come on not here… a twilek waitress walked past them. The young women tripped on her over sized heals and the tray flew up in the air.
Before Chopper was sure what was happening Echo shot forward catching the woman in one arm and using the other to grab the tray and drinks mid-air not spilling a drop of the alcoholic beverage. The waitress blinked in surprise.
"Wow!" She finally exclaimed. "Nice reflexes!" Echo looked extremely uncomfortable and quickly set the woman back on her feat. He handed her the tray.
"Um… ya… reflexes… let's go with that," he stammered out, retreating over to where Chopper was standing. The young woman raised an eyebrow at him but let it slide. The rest of the room quickly lost interest in the whole fiasco and went back to there conversations. "Ok this is freaky I wasn't even looking for it that time." Echo whispered urgently. Chopper gave his brother a look of mild concern.
"You don't try to see things a lot of times but you still see them." He shifted his eyes to something much more interesting across the room.
"Never when there about to happen! I usually have to be looking for something or expecting danger in order to see them!" Echo noticed Chopper wasn't paying attention any more. "Are you even listening?" as it turned out Chopper wasn't. His gaze had fallen on a beautiful pantoran woman with light purple hair and delicate features. In fact everything about her seemed delicate from her long graceful fingertips to her soft laughter. She made him feel self-conscious and barbarous. Things he rarely felt or worried about. As soon as Echo saw what he was staring at his own problems were the last thing on his mind.
"She's pretty." Echo coxed. Chopper scowled at him.
"Don't make fun of me smart-shebs." Echo shrugged not taking any offence and not backing down.
"Go talk to her brother." The younger trooper urged. He new this would work if Chopper would just give it a chance. After all his dreams hadn't been wrong yet… "Your not a hut'uun are you?" Chopper gave Echo a look that could have stopped a sith lord.
"I aint not phwoarin' hut'uun!" Echo put his hands on his hips.
"Then go talk to her." Echo urged giving his brother a gentle shove in the pantorins direction. Chopper sighed.
When we get back to barracks that little smart-shebs is going to wish he were dead… Choppers thoughts were cut off when he realized he was standing in front of the beautiful pantoran and Echo was no where to be seen. Osik. The Pantoran smiled at him.
"Hello are you Sketch?" Chopper blinked.
"No ma'am." Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I'm his brother Chopper." The pantoran smiled sweetly.
"Well Chopper my name is Riyo. Its very nice to meet you."
VERY nice. Chopper agreed.
Captain Rex was ready for a good long nights sleep. It had been so long since he'd gotten any decent shuteye, the captain would have slept on the floor if need be. But as it was he had his own room with his own bunk. With his luck Rex was practically expecting someone to come running up to him, telling him he needed to go some were or do something. But as it was that didn't happen. The captain slid open the door, and reached into the room to fumble with the light switch.
Where is it?... There! The lights snapped on.
Needless to say Rex was not expecting to be greeted by the business end of a blaster pistol.
"Hello Captain."
Rex's world went black with a smashing blow to the back of his scull.
CLIFF HANGER muahahahahahahaha! *Evil grin* any way how did you guys like the chapter? Good? Bad? Other? if you like the idea of Chopper/Riyo Chuchi Check out Canadiancloneluver for more cause this is just a preview of what i'm going to give you some time in the future. cause this is not a romance fic. ok so what was i going to say? o ya! Please review! Please? *puppy dong eyes* Please?