A/N Timeline may be a little off.
Besany Wennen's Apartment
Coruscant
Their evening together, alone, had been going well until the brother, who, in some respects, was the polar opposite of Ordo, had disturbed them; now the two brothers had to make a decision on what to do about the images, which she could not get out of her head. Images that were indelibly interspersed with her thoughts of Ordo.
She didn't know the woman but she knew the looks, touches, conversations between them. The man was a clone, like Ordo, like his brother, like Corr, like all the others she met recently and they said it was Captain Maze.
Captain Maze from the CSF club, who kissed her hand like old fashioned Coruscanti gentry.
The brother, Mereel, had said some unflattering things about the Captain.
If he is in a relationship, then there is hope for her and Ordo.
Glancing at Ordo, she watched him looking at the screen, with that intense focus he had; it was an intensity that attracted her among other attributes.
She wanted what they had but with Ordo; the looks, touches, conversation. It was a decision she had come to rather quickly, for her.
But if they decide something has to be done about the couple, then where does that leave her and Ordo, or her alone.
These were not your run of the mill clone troopers, hells from what she could see, no clone was run of the mill.
Now she was back to brewing caf in the kitchen, while they made their decision, unless she made her feelings known; she took the mugs through, together with some cake she found in the conservator. Jogan fruit flan— she forgot why or who she bought it for. It may have been Corr. It should keep their hunger pangs at bay for a short while.
"Thanks, Cyar'ika." Ordo said as he steadied the tray in her hand, touching it in the process.
She wanted Ordo to keep his hand on hers, to entwine his fingers with hers, as she put the tray down but he removed it, going back to the datapad.
"I think we should do more checks on her, get Jaing involved." Ordo didn't like loose ends.
Could she, Besany Wennen, be a loose end in a few weeks, or months time?
"Perhaps she is just who she seems to be." Besany commented, as she automatically cut the flan into eight.
"No one has that small amount of info on them out there, without a reason." Mereel was emphatic.
"Is there a lot of information about me out there?" She asked, handing him a piece of the cake on a small plate.
"Of course." Mereel answered, smiling that smile he had. The one that Ordo had but rarely used.
Ordo looked a little uneasy. So they had checked her out. She understood.
"We check everyone Cyar'ika." Ordo explained, no apology and there again with that word. But she understood. She had to, it was their business.
"Surely Captain Maze…."
"He's an Alpha, you never know what they're going to do. I mean take the CSF club." Mereel said.
Ordo visibly bristled.
Besany felt more confident on seeing his reaction.
"Is it against …regulations to be in love?" Besany asked, she had never thought about this before. It had never been a problem. There was nobody she truly wanted to be with until now. Not even Corr.
The two clones looked at each other.
"Not regulations as such. But there are other considerations, and there may not be a future ….." Mereel didn't finish, he could see her looking at Ordo.
"Is this something more than the accelerated ageing?" She had very quickly accepted that, lots of species aged at different rates, she had researched them all.
The brothers looked at each other, for special forces operatives, she could read these two like a holobook on this subject.
"So there is but I can't know yet. But does she?" Besany was not a stupid woman and could make inferences from facts. Although she preferred facts, figures to be exact.
No answer again.
"So it may not apply to them." She deduced. She sat down with her caf and cut a small piece of the flan. She suddenly needed sugar.
The three sat in silence.
.
ARCA Barracks
A delivery was made to the Barracks and Maze was taking it down to the Medical Centre, a large box with Tualin Oola emblazoned on the side; Nat and Sol had branched out into deliveries and taken on extra staff. The influx of clones who liked their sweet and savoury pastries had increased their turnover; even the Coruscant Guard went there. He saw a Null coming towards him.
Lieutenant Mereel.
I thought he was off world.
Maze turned sharply into the med centre and put the box on Jab's desk in front of the medic.
"Ooh, you shouldn't have Cap!"
"I hope you share these out because if you don't, you're in danger of consuming too much sugar, which could lead to diabetes."
"Pfft. Of course. Anyone who comes into med bay can have one."
Maze looked around at the row of neatly made, empty beds.
"Busy?" He said sarcastically.
"I was."
Maze raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm. Are you doing a glucose test then?" Maze had already taken two pastries out, one for himself, one for the General. "Or should I send Omega in for a check up before their next mission. I understand Darman could clear this box in minutes. Then there's the new trainees."
"Pfft. This from the ARC who avoids examinations."
Jab opened the box. "There's two missing." He said, looking accusingly at Maze, before picking up his first pastry.
"Privileges of rank."
"Pfft." Jab took a bite.
Maze took another one, biting into it; he chewed thoughtfully.
"How's it going at the gym." Maze lowered his voice, changing the subject.
"Good." Jab glanced either side, "Nat calls me if there's anyone he's worried about. Essie?"
"She's good, all healed."
"Freyu is quite a girl."
Maze cocked an eyebrow, "A little old for you, isn't she?"
"I'll be catching up with her pretty quick before long, won't I sir?" He took another bite out of his first pastry.
Maze smiled as he walked out of the medcentre and his com pinged. 'Parade ground. 13:00 hours. N7.'
"Now what? Shab'la Nulls." He shook his head, he'd been hearing far too much Mandoa recently; it was catching. He had 15 minutes before his next meeting with the General.
.
Maze walked in ten minutes early to the meeting; Zey brewed the caf and Maze produced the pastries. The General was partial to this particular one, just as Jab was.
"Thank you Maze." Zey took a bite out of the pastry, he was as bad as any clone for having a sweet tooth. "Are they making regular deliveries now?"
"Yes sir. Compliments of the baker. Says it's in gratitude for our work in the war. They also have special rates for any clone who visits their establishment."
"Sometimes Maze, the good people of Coruscant restore my faith in the nature of beings."
"Yes sir."
"Let's pay these pastries the compliments they deserve and enjoy them."
The office was silent for a little while.
Maze wondered if Jab really meant anything with Freyu, he couldn't blame him if he did; she was a good looking woman and he would have no problem with the scar, unlike some Nat borns. He had already heard comments from some of the other gym users. It was good that Nat or Jab hadn't heard them.
The peace was shattered as Skirata and Ordo entered the office. Maze wanted to smile, the little shabuir was limping again. He stood up and nodded to Ordo, pouring caf out for the two of them. Skirata never took his eyes off him, as if expecting something more since the CSF club.
"Thank you Captain." Said Ordo.
Kal looked at him a flicker of disbelief crossed his face; the last time these two met, Maze thumped Ordo, twice, in front of his girl. Then kissed her hand, just like Fekking Vau would. When Vau heard about it, he smiled.
"Update please!"
Zey looked tired, it was the norm now for almost everyone in SOB; the sugar rush from the pastry had worn off.
"Prudii and Atin have been busy." There was no pretence now of who was in charge.
Ordo took over, "N5 obtained the details of the correct amount of carvanium needed to adulterate the molten metal prior to it being pressed into droid parts. This was from a reliable separatist source. The Separatist droid Factory at Olanet, in the Siskeen system was targeted and the infiltration was successful."
Zey nodded. Maze wondered what else they'd been doing but he knew the General wouldn't ask; Ordo looked at him as if expecting him to question it. He continued.
"We are already seeing the kill count rise in the ground troop battalions."
"Good."
"But the droid figures are wrong."
Zey's eyes narrowed, "How far wrong?"
"Olanet's only produced Nine Hundred, Seventy-six thousand, one hundred and twenty-five, so far this year. And that's supposed to be one of the biggest manufacturing facilities outside of Geonosis."
Ordo let the figures speak for themselves.
"Every factory we hit is producing numbers like that." Skirata emphasised the point.
"So nothing like the Quadrillion Republic Intelligence are talking about." Zey confirmed.
He twisted the stylus in his hands.
"Grievous?" Zey asked, the Jedi were obsessed with him and the Chancellor was feeding it.
"Nothing yet." Skirata lied.
"I know what you're going to say and I agree. We need a big push and General Windu reminds the Chancellor at every opportunity, and the answer is always the same. He thinks it will be seen as excessive force and will alienate neutral worlds, possibly forcing them over to the Separatists. And he thinks underplaying the droid numbers may be foolhardy."
"Tax payers like to know that their hard earned money is going to prevent an invasion, eh?"
"I'll say it again Sergeant, you're cynical."
He nodded, then continued, "So we haven't found the main hub of the Droid production yet?" Skirata asked.
More smoke and bloody mirrors, thought Maze. A short sharp campaign could end the war but the Chancellor…..
"It would appear so, and the Chancellor is most insistent it be found."
Maze was satisfied with what the Nulls did. They were efficient, crazily so, but for whose war and he had to question, at times, if the right man was in charge of the Republic.
But never out loud.
.
12:57 - Maze entered the parade ground, an expensive folly, in that it wasn't used most of the time. He could see Tay'haai and Bralor putting the latest intake through their paces; they didn't look too bad, hardened troopers but even they took up only a fraction of the space. He looked around. N7 was in the far corner. He marched towards him, wondering what the bloody hell he wanted, especially without his brother joined at his hip. He completed a three sixty degree scan just to make sure—clear.
Ordo was hurrying, as much as he could without running, that would draw attention to himself and questions would be asked, questions he couldn't answer, or didn't want to, about what Mereel had been up to.
Besany's questions ran through his head, after he had shared Jaing's slicing results.
Just because they're in love?
Is it against regulations?
She made a mistake with that Professor, should she, should they be punished for that?
She's a librarian whose parents loved her enough to protect her, is that too much to ask?
Wouldn't Kal do the same?
Didn't he?
What does all this say for us?
He couldn't answer. But he could stop his brother being killed; there was no way to guess which way Maze would go, when he was told what they, Mereel, had done and how much digging they, Jaing, had done. He rounded the corner, hoping he wasn't too late.
Mereel stood, a datapad in his hand. He pushed in a data card and turned it to Maze.
"Remember this ner vod. Very athletic."
It was the recording. Maze wanted to kill the Null, right here, right now. Simply for seeing them together. Their most private, intimate moments.
"How much do you know about the Librarian?"
"Enough."
"Junior wrestler eh. Nice traps. It took some digging to get through to all her info. Held under a different name. Some under a court order. Nice parents. Nice adoptive parents. Nice pastries."
"What do you want?"
"How much do you know about the child's father."
"Why?"
"Humour me."
"Before I kill you, you mean, if that recording isn't erased from everywhere?"
Mereel smiled, the perfect one that didn't reach his eyes.
Maze heard footsteps—Ordo— he turned to him.
"Captain, are you behind this?"
Not my idea Maze.
He didn't answer but there was something Maze saw in his face. Maze shook his head minutely and Ordo picked it up. His eyebrows moved upwards, equally minutely. Maze head moved slightly to one side in acknowledgement.
"I see."
Maze succumbed to his curiosity.
"He was her Professor and left Coruscant before the war started."
"His name was Giddean Perrive. Ring a bell?"
Maze looked at him, blank.
"Sorry, I thought you were up to speed on Corufresh."
Don't push any more buttons Mereel! Ordo thought and tensed ready.
"I know what happened."
"That Perrive was Giddean's cousin. His cousin, Maze. Family." He turned to his brother, who stood behind Maze, "Isn't that right Captain?"
"Mer'ika. We don't know anything. They split up before the war." He knew this was Besany speaking but he couldn't argue with her. He'd tried to, but when he did, it just sounded petty. She pointed out that they had more dangerous people to pursue, another more important agenda and he found himself agreeing with her.
Mereel looked at his brother, as if to say you should be enjoying this but he wasn't; even so, he'd back him if it came to that. He pulled up more details. "They were close. Grew up together on Jabiim, until Giddean moved to Coruscant. Then he married, progressed to a professorship. Made a habit of seducing one highflying student per year. He's back on Jabiim. New wife. One who has the same Separatist ideals as him."
Maze was impassive. He held out his hand.
"Data card."
Mereel looked to Ordo, who nodded, ignoring the question in his look.
"Bigger fish Mer'ika. Bigger fish."
Mereel reluctantly handed it over.
Maze grabbed his hand, held it and leaned in, Ordo tensed, ready to back up his brother if Maze turned. "If any of this finds it's way to being public. I will kill you."
He turned, stared at Ordo, a look was exchanged between the Captains— keep your own house in order.
"Give my regards to Ms Wennen; there may be something you need to check," Maze added, then he turned and marched away, data card burning a hole through his glove.
"Ord'ika?"
"There's no evidence against her. Nothing against Maze."
"There's potential."
"Then we'll deal with it at the time."
And he would, brother or no brother.
"What did Maze mean?" Ordo focused on that.
"Nothing! Perhaps you should see the copy. Get some pointers with the lovely Besany." Mereel jibed. His fun with Maze spoiled.
Maze heard the scuffling as he turned the corner, "There's more than one way to skin a bloody Tooka." he muttered.
.
Rav called a halt to the training, as she and Wad'e Tay'haai, watched fascinated by the two Nulls wrestling on the floor.
"Thought they'd grown out of that by now." muttered Wad'e.
"Is that Maze leaving them?" asked Rav, as she watched him striding away from the two Nulls.
"Yeah!"
"Alpha's can wind anyone up, worse than the Nulls, who are worse than Commandos." she muttered, shaking her head. "Is it Mereel and Ordo?"
"Yeah!"
"Explains it!" she turned back to her troops. "'Tenshun!" there was a synchronised thump of boots on durocrete.
.
It was busy on the EasyRide train but Del liked to see the buildings flash by, as they travelled to the gym. She had heard nothing from Maze since that night and he had checked, there was no other recording equipment. But she still felt as if she was being watched and didn't know why. More to the point Maze didn't know why. It wasn't against the law or any regulation she could find. She couldn't understand what anyone would gain from it, unless it was some perverted voyeurism.
She manoeuvred the pushchair off the train, and saw Nat waiting, looking concerned.
"Kriff! I'm glad you're finally here."
"What's wrong? Sol?"
"No Maze, he's like….just come and see quickly."
She rushed to gym, following closely behind Nat.
He was pounding the bag, no gloves, bloodied knuckles.
He was angry, she didn't need to feel that, she could see it.
"How long?"
"Don't know. He was here when I took over from Tag at 16:00. And Tag couldn't remember exactly when he came in."
"Take Del. I don't want him to see Maze like this."
Nat pushed the stroller away, as she walked slowly over.
"Maze?"
He punched the bag again.
"Maze? Let's sort your hands out."
He hesitated, then punched again.
"Maze? Do we need to talk?"
He dropped his arms.
"Yes."
"Come on." She dragged him by the arms to the office.
"Sit!"
Maze sat.
"Hands!"
He held out his hands.
"So?"
"I have the data card from the cameras and been promised that it hadn't gone further but …..it's raised questions." She dabbed at his knuckles, they were split. She wished Jab was here with his kit, as she squeezed Bacta onto them.
"Who? What kind? Make fists!" She watched him squeeze his hands into fists, and checked that the Bacta sank into the splits. "Open them!" she bandaged them carefully.
"Clone Intelligence set the cameras."
She looked up for a few seconds, then continued to bandage his hands.
"I have some….questions." Maze continued.
"I can deal with them, but not here."
He nodded.
.
Maze was itching to ask the questions but waited patiently until they reached her apartment. She made Caf, not attempting to answer his questions before that. They sat on the sofa. Nat insisted he and Sol take Del for the night, while they sorted this out.
"Del's father? His name."
"Giddean Perrive.
"Did you know he was from Jabiim?"
"Yes. He still had the accent but he'd lived on Coruscant for years."
"Did you know he seduced one student, each year."
"Not originally." She paused, not comfortable with this but if Maze needed to know, "Not until after it ended, after he left, because of the War. Then everyone came out of the woodwork. His position was lost. He had no job to come back to."
"Did you know he was married?"
She shook her head. A flush crept up her neck.
"If I had…."
"Did you know he was part of the Jabiim Nationalist movement."
"No! I …."
"Did you know his cousin was the leader of a group of Jabiimi terrorists, stationed here and were responsible for several bombings?"
"I …met…. a….cousin." She said slowly, "but he was a businessman."
"Some business." He leaned in her face, "Did you know?"
"No I didn't know. Like I don't know what you do, do I?" She retorted. "I know you report to a Jedi General but for all I know you could be in charge of the droid cooks in the mess hall."
Maze leaned back and watched her.
"The only good thing that came out of my relationship with Giddean, is Del, so I'm not going to say it was a mistake. It happened, it's over. He wasn't the man I thought he was."
They sat quietly for a few minutes.
Maze cleared his throat and leaned forward, taking her hands in his battered ones.
"ARCA Barracks isn't just any barracks; it's the Head quarters of Special Operations Branch. I'm the aide to Jedi General Zey, General In charge of SOB."
She slipped her hand into his. "Hello Captain Maze. It's good to meet you." It didn't matter to her what Maze did. She couldn't care less.
He squeezed her hand. "Good to meet you too, Librarian Essie Devro."
"More caf?" She asked.
"Please. Just to let you know being in charge of the droid cooks is above my pay grade."
She chuckled, as she made the caf.
.
Besany Wennen's Apartment.
Besany heard the door lock click, she was expecting no one; she primed her blaster, the one Mereel had given her, and flattened herself to the wall, by the end of the entrance hall. There was a pause, then she counted the footsteps, knowing how many it took to get into the room.
Five, six, seven, she stepped out. Her blaster pointed at Ordo's cheek.
"Good try Bes'ika but you really must fire, otherwise I could easily have disarmed you in seconds."
She flung her arms around his neck. He tensed. She ignored it.
"I am so glad I didn't."
He carefully removed the rest of his armour leaving it in a neat pile in the corner of the room, where she told him to leave it the first time he came around. It was out of the way, tidy. He padded unselfconsciously around her apartment in what he called his body suit. It left nothing to her imagination. She took her eyes off him and swallowed.
"Hungry?"
He nodded.
"Good, I ordered plenty."
.
Ordo leaned back from the table feeling satisfied.
"So what's happened with the Captain and the Librarian," she asked, "It sounds like some tawdry romantic holonovel." she joked.
Ordo stared at her.
Okay not something to joke about.
"Mereel thought there was something in it but I disagreed."
"So you agreed with me?"
He turned his jet black eyes on her, "Yes. Your arguments were in the main logical. But if logic was the main consideration in this war, we wouldn't even be fighting it."
She was flattered.
"Good." She felt more settled now and held out her hand. "Dessert?"
Ordo's eyebrows rose in a question, as he couldn't see anything sweet on the table.
"In there." She nodded towards the bedroom.
Ordo rose, continuing to hold her hand and followed her; checking the windows for nano cameras first.
.
Maze hands hurt but that still didn't stop him giving as much pleasure as he could to Essie, and yes, he felt smug, as she cried out for the third time that night, clinging to him as she shuddered through her last orgasm. He held her steady by the hips before planting his feet firmly on the mattress, and caressing her backside; he squeezed it while he pushed upwards, as he chased his own release, before pulling her back down on him. Both their bodies covered in a sheen of sweat.
It hit him now, how invested he was in this relationship. He would do anything for her, and Del. He had to make plans for the future.