Author's Note: Hey everyone! Merry Christmas Eve or happy holidays (or Life Day) depending on what you celebrate! This chapter is more of a filler before the finale of season one, which is rapidly approaching, but I think it expresses an important side of Jana's character as well as includes the true difficulty of war and deciding what is right versus wrong in it. Hope y'all enjoy, comment if you have any feedback, recommendations, or questions! Y'all's sweet comments have been amazing to read. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars franchise.
Jana was eager to inform her master of all she had learned, but now there was a new task at hand. I suppose this way of life just never slows down, does it? Artie bumped into the blonde's leg as she studied holograms and patterns of the attacks reported on Otto Plutonia. Most of it didn't make sense- why would Sepratists want the blasted planet anyways?
And from what she had heard, the politicians they were working with were not going to make this an easy nor fun mission. It's not like we should be allowing ourselves as Jedi to get sucked into this sort of things anyways. Those are our men that disappeared, period. The Pantorans can put their big girl robes on.
"Jana, we our almost to the rendezvous point. Make sure you have your winter gear on, it will be cold." Plo Koon calmly called in his signature flat tone. Really? A planet of snow? Cold? How curious. Jana felt irritated at everything since this put a delay in getting her mission detailing Kareem out of the way. The stress she had put on her mind in the past twelve hours was immense, almost breaking her brain. At the very least it was decently fried.
The young girl tugged on her tunic and snagged on a skull cap, crushing her tiny space buns. She let out a sigh before heading to the cockpit to strap in for landing.
Upon descent, all Jana could see was white. Just ice and snow for ages. Nothing else to it. It was such a contrast to Naboo, and she definitely did not like it. She much preferred greenery lit by the golden warmth of the sun. The sooner we get this done the better. I'd love to get off this blasted planet.
The moment she walked off the ship, her boots crunching in the snow, she sensed something odd. It felt tense, like a tightly coiled spring. Jana could feel the exhaustion building up already from whatever it was that was amiss. Looking at Anakin and his look of annoyance, she assumed it was from the politicians.
Both Pantoran leaders turned around to look at the new comers. One, who Jana knew to be Chairman Chi Cho, and one was a younger woman. Her hair laid against her head under the hair piece neatly, a soft lavender that seemed well taken care of. Her eyes and cultural markings beautifully complimented her blue skin with a gold tint. Jana took a minute to shake herself from staring for a bit.
"Ah, you must be Master Plo Koon, and this is your Padawan, Jana. Glad to see the Republic taking this seriously." The chairman snidely said. Oh stars, with this stoopa we're gonna have a tough time. The abrasiveness of the Pantoran's words obviously had already begun rubbing the others the wrong way, and this was not helping.
"A pleasure to meet you two, I'm Senator Riyo Chuchi." The stunning senator said, nodding politely at the Jedi. Jana's brain stuttered for a bit before nodding back, adding a quick smile. Seeing as the young Pantoran was stuck with such a snarky old man as an authority, Jana thought Chuchi would need as much positive reinforcement as possible. Thank the galaxies I don't have to deal with someone like that. She thanked the Force for such understanding masters.
"Nice seeing you again, Commander." Rex took off his helmet and grinned at Jana who immediately smiled back. She crunched over in the snow to be nearer to him.
"Same to you, though I don't believe it's a pleasure to meet the old sithspit. He wake up on the wrong side of the ship today?" She snorted in a quiet voice to the Captain.
"Must have, poor ankle biter at his side probably is enjoying this bout as much as we are." Rex whispered back with a bit of a chuckle. Plo-Koon shot a warning glance toward the pair. They both immediately closed their mouths, though Jana doubted he had actually heard what they had said.
"Alright, Captain Rex and I are going to head into the Republic base we lost contact with. Anakin, stay here with the senators. You as well, Jana. Plo, I suggest you take a team to the back of the base and check for any possibly ambush. We need to be on the look out for absolutely anything." Obi-Wan cut to the chase. He must want to drop the politicians as much as we do. Jana huffed mentally at staying with the chairman, but she found much interest in the Senator. It was like she was enamored.
"Good luck, Captain." Jana wished Rex as he put his helmet back on and took out his blasters.
"Stay warm, Commander." He shot back before following the squadron inside. Jana felt Anakin approach her from behind.
"Isn't the chairman just a joy to work with? How about you go have a chat with him? I hear if you say that Plutonia is an independent planet he says the nicest things." The boy's voice dropped with sarcasm to which Jana chuckled.
"How bout you go do that, then? I'm going to, ahem, investigate the Senator." Jana said with a slight heat rising to her cheeks; she hoped her friend would write it off as just windburn. Anakin rose his eyebrows slightly but walked off to other clones. He was in no mood to deal with the old man.
Riyo turned curiously to the Jedi who approached her, the human obviously freezing in the snow. The trembling girl almost made her laugh in amusement, but she fought against it.
"Jedi Kinall, do you need another shawl? I'm sure some of our men have an extra one." The Senator said with a grin. Jana felt her cheeks burn more than ever, but she decided to laugh a little rather than embrace embarrassment.
"Ah, I will be okay, thank you for your concern. I'll warm up as soon as we get inside." The farmer girl pulled her cloak closer to her body.
"Not from a cold planet, I presume?" Chuchi tried to make small talk over the sound of Cho Chi complaining about the situation.
"Well Coruscant has mostly been my home cause of being a Jedi and all, but Naboo is definitely warmer than this." She breathily laughed. Her throat throbbed slightly due to the cold air, but it was nothing worth crying over.
"Oh! My apologies, I forget you are taken so young." Chuchi immediately felt guilty about asking.
"It's fine; it is our way of life, and I may choose to leave it if I wish. Don't worry at all, Senator." Jana reassured before Obi-Wan's voice came over the coms that they were clear to go in.
"Would you like for me to stay near? You're unarmed." Jana observed. Chuchi hesitated before smiling.
"That would be much appreciated, Jedi." The group went inside. Corpses riddled the area, but nothing that they would normally see. No busted clankers, a few blast marks. Strange. Jana looked at Plo-Koon, and the two had a mutual understanding that something was amiss.
"I propose that our group heads to the Separatist base and see if there's anymore evidence there. This base is obviously safe. Anakin, you'll come with Plo and I. Rex, stay with Jana."
"Aye, sir." Rex stood by the Chairman so that the he and Jana were the nearest to the entrances, just as a precaution.
As Anakin passed Jana he whispered, "Don't get too close to certain senators, now." The Padawan mentally groaned but didn't let her face show it.
"Well look who's talking." She shot back, earning a glare from the Golden Boy. He hoisted himself on a speeder and nodded at Rex in assurance.
"Good luck, Masters." Jana waved.
"May the force be with you, Commander." Obi-Wan replied before taking off on with the others in his wake.
"Jana, what do you suppose is happening?" Riyo turned to the frazzled Jedi.
"Well it is interesting. The base is untouched, essentially. If they come up with nothing at the other base, then I'd assume a third party." Jana deducted.
"Impossible! Impossible! This planet has been uninhabited for centuries!" The chairman began a rant which Jana blocked out after a few sentences.
"Your Chairman sure is passionate about what he does, huh?" She accidentally let slip out. Chuchi looked at her with a bit of shock in her eyes. "My apologies, Senator. I mean no offense." A new blush rose to her freckled cheeks.
"Do not worry, I understand what you mean. He means well, and he is my authority. I just wish he'd listen more." The Senator softly spoke, making the corners of Jana's mouth turn upward slightly. How refreshing to see polite politicians.
"Understood. I feel that way about Master Skywalker at times." Riyo smiled warmly at the understanding.
"I mean no disrespect in this, but you are quite young to be a Senator, aren't you?" Jana boldly offered. Chuchi chuckled at the shyness of the Padawan and nodded her head.
"Yes, I'm in the younger realm of politicians, just as Senator Amidala was when she began." Jana's eyes sparked at the reference with familiarity. "She has spoken your name a few times to me, so it is good to put a name with a face finally." Aw, Padme is so sweet.
"I see it's difficult in the political world as a younger senator, especially female." Jana commented while scouting the entrances visually again. She didn't sense anything.
"Yes, unfortunately there's still issues in our Republic: sexism, racism, the idea that the older the wiser should overrule. But we do our best in spite of these things." Well spoken, I see why she's a politician. Jana smiled at her new friend.
"Wise words." She could have sworn the senator's own cheeks went a touch pink, but before she could give much more thought to it the comms went off. The squad at the Separatist base reported the base reflected that of the Republic's. So there is somewhere else here. Jana gave a look of concern at Chuchi, followed by the Chairman crying outrage once more.
"Chairman, I believe the Jedi to be correct. I doubt these murders were due to them if they themselves are dead on their own base." Chuchi tried to speak with the man, but he refused. That stubbornness of his will be his demise. Jana rolled her eyes at the childish, closed minded ways of the politician.
After that Jana did her best to stay by the Senator's side while evading the crazed elder. Across the way she saw Rex keeping as much distance as he could from the politicians. Clever captain. Still, she would not leave Chuchi. The poor girl needed as much support as possible as her authority lost his mind gradually.
Finally, voices came over the coms again. They were to meet a third party, the Talz, at a certain rendezvous point. There they would discuss the matters. Boarding speeders, Senator Chuchi looked to Jana with shy but hopeful eyes.
"Mind if I ride with you? Seeing as I'm unarmed and there aren't many speeders, of course." Riyo bashfully asked.
"Of course, Senator." Chuchi boarded the speeder and slipped her arms around Jana's petite frame. It surprised Chuchi how thin the girl was, though she knew from Padme she had been through some rough times recently. Despite her thin features, at the clasp of her hands she could feel an outline of abs.
The ride should have been freezing, but Jana's whole body was warm and her cheeks were the toastiest of all. She could have sworn she was sweating at some point. Blast, one pretty Senator and I lose any charm I had in the first place. I hang around Anakin far too much.
Upon arrival and setting eyes on the Talz, Jana's stomach dropped. She could already feel the Chairman's snide comments about the species, and at once he began to verbalize his thoughts.
To say Jana felt frustration with Chi Cho for what he said about the Talz would have been a far, far understatement. She just didn't understand how someone, especially a respected politician, could say things so nasty. So bias. So racist. It was despicable, and it provoked the species far too much. Jana could feel Chuchi's disappointment and building stress with the situation, but there was nothing she could do since the Chairman declared it an internal affair. Chuchi would have to handle it, if anyone.
Multiple times throughout the hostile conversation, Jana looked to Plo Koon for validation of her opinions and guidance. He helped give her a sense of calmness, and he nodded when her eyes went wide as if to say, Yes, this is bad. Yes, I think he is a bad person.
Once war was official, Chuchi looked crestfallen as she followed Jana to the speeder. The Padawan, careful to stay on good terms with the Senator, fell to the back of the line of speeders as they headed back to camp to prepare, in order to speak briefly with her.
"Senator, are you alright? This is a very hostile time, I'm sure to your surprise." Jana yelled in the wind.
"I'll be alright, though none of this is acceptable in the eyes of politics. I'm sure the people of Pantora would not side with the Chairman despite what he thinks." The senator said into Jana's ear.
"Is there a way for you to contact them? A way to override his orders seeing he is unfit?" Jana inquired.
"Yes, I could contact the Speaker of the Pantoran Assembly, but I need to get to a ship. And away from the Chairman." Chuchi said with hope beginning to tint her tone.
"Very well, as you wish." Jana sped up to become side by side with her master. She pointed to her com, then gave the number of fingers of the channel she was on.
"Master, we need to contact the people of Pantera. I believe Jedi Master support will aid in their persuasion to override what the Chairman has declared." She said into the com. He nodded in support, getting the other two Jedi's attention before they peeled away from the line of speeders.
It wasn't long before they reached the ship, as it was a bit away from the base. Chuchi, in Jana's opinion, did a magnificent job of reporting respectfully but honestly on the Chairman. Of course, having four Jedi support her say did give her an upper hand. In the end, the people wanted peace, not war.
"Congratulations, Senator. Again your wise words have settled well." Jana congratulated the young woman who looked more than just relieved.
"Don't celebrate too soon, I just got word from Rex that he and the Chairman have been ambushed by the Talz. We have to hurry! They're outnumbered and pinned down." Anakin rushed back in- which Jana hadn't even noticed he'd left- and motioned for the others to follow.
"Senator, in my left pocket there's a blade. It's not much, but please take it just in case." Jana yelled into the screeching wind once again as they sped to Rex's coordinates. She felt the Senator shake her head against her back.
"I cannot claim that I am a woman of peace, represent my people in peace, and show that I am of violence. I trust you to protect me, Jedi." Jana sighed at the rejection but continued on her way. Guess I better not fail. Then again, was failing ever an option?
When the group arrived at the war scene, Jana realized just how pinned the group had been. Rex was barely holding down fort, and the Chairman had a spear in his back.
"Stop! Stop!" Chuchi leapt off the speeder and rushed toward the Talz. Jana felt her heart flutter in panic and awe at the sight of the bold Senator, and she rushed to stay behind her just as a precaution.
Watching Cho Chi learn that his people did not back his decision was not as rewarding as Jana imagined it would be. In contrast, she almost felt bad for the man. He obviously just had wanted to defend his people, but they didn't appreciate his efforts. Well, his efforts were racist.
The Chairman, unfortunately, could not be saved, and he passed on amongst the snow, his blood dotting the white fluff. Chuchi sighed, disappointed in her leadership, but a new air of confidence surrounded her. Jana found it more than just admirable.
The Talz and the Pantorans made peace, then, and Chuchi promised Obi-Wan she would keep it. As they boarded the main transport ship, Jana turned to the Senator, knowing she and Plo-Koon would have no time to waste since they still had their original mission to complete.
"Senator, I must say you have stunned me more than a few times today. I admire your work." Jana confessed with a bit of a blush, grateful she was far enough away from the other Jedi that they could not hear her. "I do hope to work with you again." She gave a shy smile to the Senator, whose golden eyes studied the girl.
"Yes, as do I. Thank you for your help." The Senator then took Jana's hands in her own and gave them a delightful squeeze. "I hope you warm up soon."
Jana could have sworn to the galaxies she saw a sly smirk form on Chuchi's lips, but she never could get full confirmation. Before she could say anything, the Senator left to see to her people. It was strange, she never had felt this sense around anyone before. Perhaps once or twice a twinge of it when discussing Vos, but never at this strength or to this extent. Must be something to do with Jedi and senators.
"Jana, come. We are to pursue our mission immediately. I expect a debriefing in the cockpit." Master Plo informed his Padawan while exiting the ship.
"I thought I told you to keep your distance." Anakin teased in Jana's ear. The Padawan jumped and scowled at her friend.
"She... she was just making sure my hands were warm!" She argued with a new front of scarlet attacking her cheeks.
"Mhm, and I'm actually a Hutt." Anakin said sarcastically.
"Whatever! I'll see you around, Golden Boy." Jana snapped before rushing off to her own ship.
"May the Force be with you." Anakin called.
"And with you!"