Tualin Oola Cafe

Coruscant

14 days after the Battle of Umbara

Sol shook her head, as the three Corrie Guards came in and sat down at the corner table. Half a dozen 501st followed and it looked as if there was going to be a stand off, before the Coruscant Guard all stood up and saluted the boys in blue who then backed off. She'd heard what had happened at the Battle of Umbara; news had spread fast wherever clones were. Now all she wanted to do was give them each a big hug and tell them how much she and Nat appreciated what they did. Instead she gave them double free helpings and let her hand rest on theirs for longer than normal, not wishing to impose on their grief.

"Thank you Ma'am." The bald one with the large tattoo said; she wouldn't have minded if they had said nothing. She patted his hand again and went to rescue Freyu from the Coruscant Guard.

The Guard should know better, especially the one in the grey uniform, an officer, he was the Commander Essie was seeing tonight.

He wasn't Maze.

"She'll be down in a minute." She added as she took their order.

She was glad Nat wasn't here and then on cue, he came in.

Damn! He's home early.

The smile left Nat's lips as he saw the Guard and he headed straight to the back.

Sol followed him, "Nat, they're behaving and the 501st are here."

"I know but still doesn't mean I like them. Especially him."

"You didn't like Maze when you first met him."

"Yes, I did. And he's not Maze."

"I know."

She prepped their order, as he stowed his bag in the back and pulled an apron on.

"It's their bloody sense of entitlement that I don't like." He groused to his wife, as she filled up their tray.

"There must be something good about him, if Essie likes him. She can sense these things."

"I'm not so sure now. She seems to get a lot of headaches. Do you think this Force thing is disappearing?"

"I don't know but the Doctor says nothing is physically wrong. The Senator arranged for her to have scans and everything, thinking he was working her too hard."

Nat took the tray. "You sort out the 501st. I'll deal with the Guard."

Stone rose, as he saw Nat coming to their table.

"Good Evening Sir. Good to meet you again." He held his hand out.

Nat ignored it, putting the tray down.

"It's Commander Stone. From when you had trouble at the gym. I trust there's been no more problems?" He withdrew his hand.

"Dad!"

Nat felt the disapproval in Essie's voice, especially as she called him Dad and he forced a smile to the Commander. "Yes lad. I remember, thank you. There hasn't been."

Essie appeared at his side, "I wasn't expecting you back this early."

"I took some time out to help your Mum. It's busy." He looked around the cafe, "we have some of our weekly deliveries to make. We thought we might do a special one to the 501st Barracks?"

"I'm sure they would appreciate that Sir." Stone butted in. "You look lovely Essie." and held out his hand. She took it and walked out with him.

Nat was quietly fuming, he still didn't like him.

.

"I've borrowed a speeder bike. Are you okay with that?"

He climbed on the Red Aratech170i, it would have matched his armour, had he wore it.

"Of course!" She climbed on behind him and put her arms around his waist, holding tight.

"What's this?" She pointed to the box, perched behind her.

"Dinner!"

"Where are we going then?"

"A safe house!"

"What's a safe house?"

"Where we hole up Senators, if they're threatened or witnesses we need to protect. Hold on!" He accelerated through the sky lanes.

Essie relished the speed. The temperate Coruscanti air rushed across her face; it had been a while, as she never went fast with Del, in fact she rarely used the bike since Maze left.

She tried to stop thinking about him.

She had to move on.

She squeezed Stone tighter.

This was part of that.

.

Stone opened the door; they were on the edge of the Senate District, in an anonymous building, tall but not your average Senate residence she knew that. The Apartment was near the Penthouse.

"We're safe here! Alarm system. Reinforced transparisteel windows." Stone indicated, "fresher, kitchen, bedrooms, panic room and here." Which was a living come dining room. The place wasn't large but was comfortably furnished.

She nearly asked if they were allowed here but that was Stone's problem.

He put the basket on the table and produced a data chip.

"The information you wanted, Stitch is thorough."

Must be a medic thing, she thought.

"You've had mine." She reminded him, as she took it from him and inserted it into her com to read.

"So we're good to go?" He asked.

"Yes."

He pulled her to him.

"Good." He said before claiming her lips roughly, pushing her towards the wall. His knee pushed between her thighs, as he worked his way down her neck with his mouth. His hands were everywhere, until they found the bottom of her dress and hitched it up. His fingers moved her pants aside and he pushed in two knuckles deep easily. He pulled away from her mouth;

"You ready?"

"Not yet." She said catching her breath.

He pulled a thigh up to his hip, as he ground against her, crooking a finger. He was rewarded with a moan.

"Soon." He whispered into her neck, feeling her thigh pull him closer as it wrapped around him and her arms around his neck. Finally he could wait no longer, he lifted her and immersed himself inside her; she could do nothing but hold on, as he headed towards his release. He finally groaned into her neck and slowly released her, still claiming her mouth for a few more seconds.

.

ARCA Barracks

14 days after the Battle of Umbara.

Zey was at the Council again. This Pong Krell incident had them all worried, another Jedi turned to the dark side. It was not unheard of but at this stage in the War and with the losses they had sustained.

"Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the meeting with Skirata. Please give my apologies. I'm sure you will be able to deal with any requests he has."

"Yes sir. Any other instructions."

"No. Thank you Maze…... Your time's your own after that, unless anything comes up but feel free to keep me apprised."

"Of course Sir." He saluted and switched off the com.

Maze sorted through the datapads and retrieved the ones required for Ordo and Skirata. He drank the caf, he brewed earlier in preparation for the General's return. It was a little too strong now but it would do. He could never quite get it the same as the General.

"Bloody traitor!" Muttered Maze as he remembered the image of the 501st returning from Umbara, marching down the ramps of the Resolute in incomplete squads, gaps highlighting every missing brother.

The 212th were nearly as bad, but you couldn't see their gaps, but you could count the reduced numbers.

Jab had left him a bottle which was unopened; it was in his locker.

"Rex might appreciate it more than me at the moment." He said to himself as he prepared the meeting table.

Skirata and Ordo entered the room taking their seats as usual. Skirata looked angry.

"The General's at the Council —Pong Krell."

"Shab'la Jetii, can't even keep their own fekking house in order."

"Yes, Sergeant."

It was what he expected from Skirata. He looked towards Ordo, he looked just as angry but was keeping it in and was studying his datapad. Something had changed about Ordo and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Agent Wennen sprang to mind. In the words of the Sergeant—Di'kut — where did he think it was going to get them; unless the Sergeant had a plan for his boys, his lads he called them.

Stone's discussion and warning came to mind.

Skirata was planning something. The absences. Unexplained credits and equipment going missing. Nulls not where they were supposed to be for most of the time.

Jusik!

How much Vau, Bralor and Tay'haai were involved was anybody's guess and now Gilamar.

The least he was doing was stealing, the worst was betraying the Republic.

No! He might be a bounty hunter, mercenary but if he betrayed the Republic he'd be betraying clones and despite what he thought of the Sergeant, that was one thing Skirata would not do.

The worst thing was, both he and Zey were complicit in whatever he was doing.

"You okay Captain?"

"Yes Sergeant. These are the missions assigned to your teams." He needed to continue with this and deal with the other later; he handed datapads to both Skirata and Ordo.

.

501st Barracks

GAR HQ

Coruscant.

Later that day.

"Captain Maze to see Captain Rex." Maze addressed one of the Sentries on duty.

"Is he expecting you?"

"No but he'll see me."

"Yes sir. He's in his office or the Mess Hall." He saluted and let him through, giving him the instructions on how to reach him .

Maze strode through the barracks. They should have been teeming with clones training, preparing but it was eerily empty and quiet.

He swung the bottle by his side.

The Mess Hall was nearly deserted.

Training rooms were three quarters empty.

The corridors were equally deserted, only the sound of his own footsteps.

He reached the Captain's office and rapped on the door.

"Enter!"

Maze obliged.

Rex rose from behind his desk; his office was even smaller than Maze's, little more than a cupboard.

"Maze! Good to see you, ner vod!" Rex came around and clasped him by the forearm. The Mandoa surprised Maze but then he remembered Alpha17 had trained the Captain.

He produced the bottle. "Best Toydarian!" And pushed it into Rex's hand. "Thought you might need it!"

"Thanks. It's been a tough few weeks. "

"Do you want to talk?"

Maze wasn't a talker but he could listen or whatever his brother needed to do.

Rex examined the bottle, "Let's crack this open." He reached into his drawer for two mugs and poured hefty measures in each.

They both swallowed a good part; Maze winced as it went down. Rex didn't.

"It was a mess from the beginning, as soon as the Chancellor recalled Skywalker." Rex started.

He poured more into the mugs.

"We knew Krell's history. His past treatment of clones, his casualty rate."

Maze listened, officers didn't have anyone to talk to unless it was another officer or a Board of Enquiry.

"He planned it from the beginning and I helped him. I allowed him to use me. I lost men, good experienced men, brothers and now a junior officer, Corporal Dogma is being held because he did what I couldn't."

"You couldn't kill Krell. It wasn't up to you."

Maze had obtained details of the report. It made for grim reading.

"He was a traitor, Maze, if he escaped… he used four lightsabers. Cut my men to pieces."

"I know Rex. I'd probably have done the same."

Rex poured another for them. Maze didn't stop him. If it helped.

"What do we do when this war is over? This is all we know."

Maze shook his head.

"You've got Essie!"

"Not anymore. I…"

"For kriffs sake, vod. Don't throw that away. We troopers don't get the chance, it's not fair on ….on the other person. But you. You had a chance."

.

Safe House

Essie lay back, letting the cool air from the climate control system roll over her sweat drenched body.

Stone was nothing if not thorough.

She was thoroughly satisfied.

Must be a clone thing.

She watched him, as he wandered out of the fresher, totally at ease with being naked. It had taken her a number of years to accept her body; it was different to other women's, more muscular but now she preferred it that way.

So apparently did Stone.

He had appreciated every part.

She watched as he wandered from the fresher to the kitchen and unpacked the food he had brought. Piling up two plates and pouring a drink. Highly defined muscles contracted and relaxed with his movements. He was as impressively built as Maze, but not quite as bulky.

"Hungry?" He asked.

"Oh yes."

He wandered over with a tray. She sat up pulling a sheet partially over her. He smiled.

"I don't want to drop anything down there." She quipped.

"I can always retrieve it." He said licking his lips exaggeratedly.

She couldn't help but laugh at him.

"I'm sorry we can't stay here all night." Stone said out of the blue, when he'd finished eating.

"I didn't expect to. It wasn't part of the plan was it?"

"No." He grinned. "I'm glad you understand."

"Can I at least clean up? Have a shower. Find my clothes."

"Of course. Then I send in the cleaning droid and it's ready for the next occupant."

She wondered who that was going to be; she had a sneaking suspicion that this was a bolt hole for a number of the Guards.

.

Tualin Oola

00:30 hours that night.

Stone brought the bike to a stop as quietly as he could and switched off the engine.

"So we had fun, yes?" Asked Stone

"Yes, we did." Essie agreed.

Stone pulled her into a kiss, not as passionate as before, nor as urgent.

"I'll call you."

"Yes, do."

She watched as he climbed on the speeder bike and pulled away. Essie let herself in and walked quietly to the rear.

"I wasn't expecting him to actually bring you back." Nat's voice rang out.

"Nat what are you doing up?"

"Waiting for you." He sat arms folded across his chest.

"There was no need. I'm fine."

Essie switched on one of the lights, it was dark in the cafe. Now it was simply dim.

"Are you?"

"Yes. I had a good night."

"He's using you."

"Perhaps I'm using him as well."

"He's not Maze."

"No he isn't. Maze has gone."

"He still cares about you."

"But he's not here."

"And Stone?"

"We have fun."

"Hmm."

"Don't say it like that."

"Come—sit!"

"I need to get to bed." She moved away but he caught her hand.

"Sit down."

Essie sat and Nat pulled her close, just like he did when she was little.

"I hope you're not seeing him just because he looks like Maze."

"He's not Maze."

"We know that but…"

"I know what I'm doing Dad."

"Do you?"

He hugged her close and his lek rested on her shoulder.

"You have the work at the Senators. What you always wanted. And Del."

"Sometimes I need more."

"More?"

"I'm lonely."

Admitting it was difficult, she didn't want to hurt them. She blinked back the tears.

"When Maze was around. We talked, discussed things even before…and now no one."

"The Senator and Rik, your Sabacc games, us."

"Fine for a few hours..."

"But."

"Then I go home to Del, put him to bed and sleep— alone."

No one to reach out to. No one to be close to.

"I thought you liked your own company, you always said….." he realised. "you lied, to make us think you were okay."

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"And Stone helps?"

"It's someone to be with…..occasionally. To be close to someone."

"You could move back with us."

She shook her head, that wouldn't help.

"You know we're here for you."

She nodded.

He squeezed her closer.

"I like it when you call me Dad."

"You are."

She kissed his cheek.

"Night Dad!"

"Night love!"

Nat waited until he had heard her go upstairs, to her old room and heard the door close. Del had a small bed in there too.

"You did well." Sol said, sitting down in the seat Essie had vacated. "There's nothing more we can do, except be here for her."

.

Besany Wennen's Apartment

She looked at the chrono, 00:30. It could be anytime where Ordo was. She had not heard from him for some time again. She thought of the night they married, as she twisted the impossibly expensive ring around her finger. Remembered the words.

Besany carefully put her set of cutlery for one away and then the one plate, one mug, one dish and finally one glass.

The recycler already ate the remains of her dinner for one.

Her mind went to Lemmeloth's wife, as it often did in these quiet reflective moments. She would have probably just been told she was a widow when they married.

She wondered about Essie Devro, was she able to tell someone about her boyfriend, Maze, or was she just as lonely keeping secrets.

Besany admitted she was lonely.

.

Senate Administrative Building

820 Days ABG

"Morning Rik, Den!" She shouted as she entered the office. "Good Morning ADA!"

"Good Morning Ms Devro!"

"Morning Essie." Den replied. "I'll need to see you in a couple of minutes. Okay?"

"Yeah, just shout!"

"I will!"

She could hear the good humour in his voice.

Essie headed towards the kitchen and ADA followed her, "There are some important updates Ms Devro."

"Okay, run through them please."

Essie hummed as she made them all caf; she and Stone had a good night last night and she was relaxed. Nat had never said anything about him again. She still thought about Maze occasionally, sometimes she still sensed him near her, especially outside her apartment but she never saw him.

"The Chancellor will be visiting the building today."

Essie nearly dropped the caf mugs.

"Chancellor Palpatine?"

"Yes, the Republic Chancellor."

"Why?"

Thinking about it there had been more of the Coruscant Guard outside this morning. Thorn and Stone were both there, with their Sergeant. They called him Hound and the Massif.

"He's visiting the amenities the Republic makes available for the Senate Employees, which enables them to work without distraction and in comfort. A goodwill stroke thank you visit." The droid repeated the details of the update word for word and punctuation."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"Nothing Ms Devro!"

"Essie!"

"Coming Den!"

She grabbed her datapad, the mugs and went to join him.

"Ahh! Caf! A lifesaver." he took an eager sip.

"The Nursery has asked you to attend the Chancellor's visit there today."

"Me?" She pointed at herself.

"Yes. They want a cross section of their users. I assume Del is there today?"

"Yes, I just dropped him off. Do I have to?" She had a bad feeling about this.

"It's not that much of a chore, you probably won't get to see him, the others will be desperate to talk to him. Put their Senators' point of view."

"Is that what you want me to do?"

"No. Don't bother him about that. Just make sure you have your badge on. He'll see that."

.

"Ms Devro. It is 2:40, the Chancellor is visiting at 3:00. You need to leave now." ADA reminded her.

"Okay! Okay! I'm going." She checked herself. She looked reasonable and had her badge on.

"With any luck I can stand at the back."

.

"Just my luck." Muttered Essie, as she saw the list of events for the Chancellors visit.

Del had decided that week to be very well behaved and help his friends, so he had a Certificate and the Chancellor was presenting them. Now she stood in a row behind Del and his friends who were getting their 'Helping our Friends' certificates.

They stood patiently in a line.

She looked down at Del.

He looked up at her and grinned.

"And now last but not least.." the Chancellor's voice rang out, "Master Del Devro."

He was directly in front of them now and leaning towards Del. He handed him his certificate and Del stuck his hand out. Palpatine looked a little shocked at first, then shook it several times.

He turned to Essie.

"You have a very polite little boy and one who is considerate of others. Perhaps a politician in the making." He turned around and smiled at everyone. There were a few chuckles.

"I try Chancellor."

Palpatine looked down at Del and said, "What do you enjoy doing young man?"

"Eating jelsweets an' playing with my clone soldiers and droids sir!" Del answered politely.

"Who wins?"

"The soldiers sir!"

He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a packet of jelsweets, "Have one Sir!"

"Oh no I couldn't possibly."

Del stuck his bag of sweets closer.

"I insist."

Essie suddenly felt very hot.

"Well, in that case. Just one." He picked a red one, "I will save it to have with my tea, young man. Thank you."

Essie prayed Del wouldn't say anything else.

She watched as he carefully put his sweets away and grinned at her.

"Well done Ms Devro!"

Palpatine moved away to talk with the Nursery Manager before leaving with his entourage.

Essie felt drained and didn't know why.

.

Separatist HQ

Jabiim

"Still can't see why we have to monitor HNN." Rak muttered, stirring his substitute caf

"Perrive says we can still pick up snippets." His partner, Nik explained.

"Hmm. How can we pick up snippets from the Chancellor's visit to a Nursery."

"Is one of the younglings his?"

"He hasn't got one that we know of."

"Hasn't he? This one has come up flagged. Well the name has."

"Pass it on to whoever flagged it."

##

A/N - Palps doing politician things.