Orto Plutonioa arc
Chairman Cho
General Skywalker flew them smoothly into the hangar deck of the Resiliant. In deference to Senator Chuchi's inability to mask out the vibration and roar of the engines during landing, none of the troopers put their helmets back on. Kev, sitting next to the senator, started to, lifting his helmet then catching a glimpse of the captain's face. Changing his motion, he flipped it as if to inspect the inside, made an adjustment and returned it to his lap.
The senator winced as the engines hit a keening screech and put a hand over one ear, the other holding on to her papers.
"Allow me, ma'am", said one of the troopers as he held his hand for the papers. She put both hands to her ears and suddenly recognized the tenseness in their faces as sound-induced pain.
"Please, put on your helmets."
They made no move to do so.
"You can consider than a senatorial order," she smiled at them. Captain Rex smiled back then nodded to his men.
"Helmets on, gentleman. External audio."
They followed suit, each man pulling on his helmet, all but the scarred man beside her who held her papers. Chopper, she remembered. Chopper and Kev were in unmarked armor, Chopper was scarred and shaven. He was squaring off the corners, one calloused finger holding her place.
Her fingers twitched and she started to reach down to take the notes so he could pull on his helmet.
"It's ok, Senator Chuchi, I have it." He finished squaring the pages and pulled on his helmet with a single hand in an oddly graceful movement. It was difficult to hear his words over the noise, but she could have sworn he added something else. She could have sworn his voice softened as he added 'my lady' right before pulling on white anonymity.
As she put her pages back into her portfolio, the noise ceased and the troopers stood as General Skywalker came out from the cockpit followed by a small, round-topped droid, tweeting voraciously.
"I apologize, Senator Chuchi, for the roughness of the flight. I was in a hurry to meet up with Master General Kenobi." It was as much as truth as possible; a diplomatic lie. "We are in Pantoran-controlled space; the Resilient orbiting Orto Plutonia. I believe the Chairman is to meet us here."
"Of course, General Skywalker." How like the Chairman to choose the ground. She stood and turned toward her pack but one of the troopers, full blue lines on the sides of his armor, had already retrieved it. Fives or Echo, she remembered from Padme's quarters. The troopers stood, prepared for orders, the two in unmarked armor flanking her, their captain flanking Skywalker and Echo and Fives radiating the unspoken 'ready for orders, sir' attitude she'd seen in all of the troopers. They moved down the ramp, following her and the general, in some sort of formation. She saw that even here on the deck of the Resiliant, on the deck of a Republic ship, they maintained a combat readiness.
"Senator Chuchi," General Kenobi's voice greeted them and she saw him come gracefully forward. "I am so glad to see you've arrived." He glanced at Skywalker with a raised eyebrow. "Anakin, have you forgotten your padawan?"
It was a teasing question, she noted, between friends, his tone light, a soft smile on his face.
General Skywalker scowled; a clear message of 'later' in that expression. "The Jedi Council wished her to stay in Coruscant."
"I see," murmured Kenobi, no longer so relaxed, then he turned to her. "Senator Chuchi, would you like a few moments to freshen up before we go to the meeting?"
It sounded wonderful to her; just a few moments to splash her face with cool water, to reset the clan marks and push her mushed hair back its formal senatorial style. A few moments to shut bloodshot eyes.
"Is Chairman Cho here?" she asked Kenobi.
"He is, Senator."
"Then we should not keep him waiting." She gestured with a graceful hand. "Lead on, General Kenobi."
It seemed a punishment fit for the afterlife; endless corridors, hard booted steps echoing, figures moving to their own business but no one noticing a lonely, small blue girl with golden eyes. She felt clumsy following the Jedi with their smooth, Force-enhanced, walk.
Riyo straightened, pulling her shoulders back. She was the Senator of Pantora. She was no longer the clan-less orphan living in her grand-uncle's house, no longer a shadow that kept out of the way. She was the Pantoran Senator and if others thought she had reached the position through nepotism, she knew better.
They stopped at a door and, without a spoken word, two of the troopers stood and turned sharply, taking positions on either side. They were the two with blue markings on their armor, Echo and Fives, though she still didn't know who was full lines and who was stuttered lines. One handed her pack to one of the troopers flanking her and he took it smoothly, hiking it onto his own shoulder. The door slid open silently and the remainder of the party entered.
Chairman Cho was standing, waiting for them, his two son-heirs flanking him in the way the troopers flanked her. His golden eyes, so old they had darkened to nearly black, seemed to pierce her as they had done so often when she'd been a child and could do no right.
He turned to General Kenobi after looking at her; a direct insult. "I'm happy that you have decided to take this matter seriously." He didn't look happy, but then, he never had.
"We always take attacks on Republic garrisons seriously, Chairman Cho." Kenobi's reply was soft, courtier to king.
"One never knows in what direction the senate will move on any matter." Chairman Cho turned again to Senator Chuchi at her sharp breath. "So you have decided to grace your home planet with your presence."
She flinched as her face tightened. "You, yourself, have stated I serve Pantora better on Coruscant," she replied deferentially in her soft voice. She tried not to look up at the tall, regal man who'd been Chairman of the Pantoran Council for so long. She would feel like a child. He always made her feel that way; as though she could do nothing right, as though her every decision was flawed in some way. Perhaps it was but she pushed that thought aside.
"So why return now, Senator Chuchi?" His voice was sharp and he inflected the title as insult.
Her mind whirled. Hadn't he just implied that she didn't come to Pantora often enough? Was he now implying that she shouldn't be here? What did he want from her? What had he always wanted from her? Was she such a disappointment then?
She felt something on the small of her back and, for a moment, Senator Chuchi froze. Then she realized it was a hand, the strong, steady hand of one of the two troopers behind her. She took a deep breath; a childish tantrum would not help.
"The destruction of a Republic military base is a matter of great concern for the senate. We must determine what it means, Chairman. We must determine the perpetrators of destruction."
"The Separatists, of course." He whipped around, all wiry muscle and warrior-energy in spite of his age. "It could be nothing else."
"That is still up for debate, Chairman Cho," General Kenobi spoke softly but this time his voice was edged, no longer courtier to king. "Until we have made our inspection."
"We will accompany you, General." Chairman Cho glared at Senator Chuchi with eyes that seemed to spear her with accusations. "The Senator and I."
"That is not suggested. General Skywalker and I are certainly sufficient…"
"That is my decision, General," Chairman Cho didn't even allow General Kenobi to finish his words, "and on Pantora I am the law." He turned to one of the men flanking him. "Prepare my guard, we leave in seven turen." Then he turned and strode from the chamber, no longer listening, his boots making the noise she had always hated on the steel decking.
Senator Chuchi sighed and turned to the men. "General Kenobi, General Skywalker. I suggest you have your men gear up. Seven turen is equivalent to a Coruscant half hour. Do you have warm clothing? Orto Plutonia is quite cold."
As she turned, she smiled wanly at both Kev and Chopper anonymous in their white armor. One of them had been kind enough to offer support in dealing with Chairman Cho.
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