Chapter Five: Impressions and Complications

Queen Sita was the first member of any royal family that Stonewall had ever come across and he had to admit, he was not particularly pleased with her at the outset. Though he knew it was not his place to consider how he or his brothers were looked upon by anyone other than their CO, he found her open disdain for the clones hard to swallow, especially given the fact that they had come to Aruna to help her. The only comfort he took from the situation was Kali's immediate defense of his brothers, though he found that he missed the helmet that obscured his face; without it, he struggled to keep his expression aloof and unaffected.

However, when he saw the young queen break down in the next room and watched Kali comfort her, his feelings softened. She's just a kid, he realized. And clearly out of her depth. Again, it wasn't his place to speculate, but he couldn't help it. She seems to like Kali well enough, which means she can't be all bad.

After the Jedi and the queen finished their discussion, Sita rose. "You should take some time to rest and refresh," she said, bowing to the Jedi who had also come to their feet. "Would you join me for dinner tonight? We can discuss this further as well as other, happier things."

Kalinda bowed as well. "Of course," she said. "We would all be honored." She gestured to herself, General Kenobi, Stone and the others; the queen hesitated for a moment before replying.

"I'd hoped that it would just be the three of us," she said, her words careful. "I'll have dinner sent to your men."

Stonewall felt Kali tense as she replied, though her tone was calm. "We're a team, Sita-"

General Kenobi stepped forward, his hands spread. "But we have no desire to go against your wishes, your Majesty," he said. "Perhaps only the Captain can attend?" Stone noticed that he and Kali exchanged looks; hers was frustrated but the other Jedi's remained neutral.

After a moment the queen sighed and nodded. "Very well, Master Kenobi. It will be as you suggest." She looked from one Jedi to the other and smiled. "It is so good to see you both, still side by side," she added. "I am glad to know that some things have not changed."

"Dinner sounds lovely. Thank you," Kalinda replied, her tone abrupt. General Kenobi said much the same thing and one of the strange, silent servants appeared at the door to lead them out of the room.

The clones replaced their helmets and followed the Jedi across the marbled cast a surreptitious glance at Kali and tried to ignore the mild churning in his stomach. It's no secret that she and General Kenobi have a history. I saw what happened after the last time he was done with her and I shouldn't worry about it. She's over all that now. A deep breath helped him push the feeling of unease away as he turned his attention to more practical matters, such as getting a sense of the layout of the palace.

"This building is incredible," Weave said in the comm. "Just think of all the history that it has seen..." They were passing a colorful tapestry with the image of an ancient battle woven within the threads; along the walls there were gleaming statues and wooden carvings of multiple-armed deities.

Traxis clucked with disapproval. "It's too fancy for me. And I don't like being treated like a droid with skin." The sounds from their movement echoed throughout the corridor as they walked and Stone could see his own reflection in the polished floor.

"That was kind of weird, wasn't it?" Milo added. "We're here to help." The servant who'd been escorting the group paused before a large door.

There was a beat of silence; Stone cast a glance at Crest, who normally would have had a ready quip at any juncture in the conversation, but his brother was silent. Strange. Usually you can't shut him up. The door was opened to reveal a room that may as well have been a house, given its size: there was a sitting area and fully-equipped kitchen, everything either plush and silk or lustrous chrome; to each side he could make out large bedrooms, with swaying curtains and stacks of pillows; a series of large, curved windows overlooked the glittering city stretched out below them.

The servant moved to the kitchen and gestured to a smaller, narrow door. "To the quarters for your...for them," he said with a nod to the clones. "Will you need anything else?" His tone held an edge, but Kalinda didn't seem to hear it as she cast a questioning glance around the suite.

"Is this...are we all staying here?" Her arms extended to encompass the room and the rooms adjacent. "Together?"

"This is our finest suite," the servant said, his voice tremulous. "Is it not to your liking? Her majesty thought..."

General Kenobi stepped forward. "It's perfect, thank you." He nodded as the servant bowed and hurried off before glancing at Kali. "I think there will be enough space, don't you?"

"I suppose so. It just...caught me off guard." They stood facing one another before she turned to Stone and the others. "Why don't you guys check out your room? I'm going to go to the gardens, at the center of the palace," she added. "To meditate." Her eyes touched on him and he caught her meaning. As she made her way to the doorway she paused to look back at Kenobi. "I'll see you at dinner."

The general studied her for a moment before nodding. "Very well." With that, she slipped out of the room. After a moment, the Jedi glanced at the clones. "Captain Stonewall? If I may speak with you a moment?"

Though he tamped down the flash of alarm at the Jedi's words, Stone thought that he noticed the general's eyes narrow slightly. "I'll meet you in the room," he said to the others. Once his brothers had left, the Jedi motioned to him and they moved to stand before one of the wide windows that overlooked the city.

"I have a feeling that this mission is going to be more complicated than we anticipated," General Kenobi said after a moment. "And while I do not doubt the Queen's word, I would like some more... comprehensive information. That is why I would like you and your squad to take to the city streets and see if you can't ascertain anything else, anything that might lend credence to her feelings that the head priestess, Neerja, is starting a bid for power."

Stonewall hesitated. "General Halcyon informed me that we would play an intelligence-gathering role on this mission," he said. "But it was understood that the Separatists might be involved. Sir." He didn't mean to tack the honorific at the end, but it happened anyway. However, the Jedi did not seem to notice as his hand went to his beard and he studied the cityscape a few moments.

"I'm not sure that's exactly the case," he said at last. "But something is definitely wrong here. The Force is very clear about that." He continued to stroke his beard, though he turned back to Stonewall. "I have a feeling that the answer lies within the city."

Stonewall took a breath. "The kind of thing you're talking about...it might be difficult for a group of armored soldiers to get the locals to trust them – especially if the queen's sentiments about us are shared." At this thought, he removed his bucket.

General Kenobi nodded, though he did not reply immediately; Stonewall wondered if that was a Jedi trait. "Kalinda has said nothing but positive things about you, Captain," he said at last. "About you – and your squad's – ability to find creative solutions to difficult problems. It was the main reason that you were allowed to accompany us on this mission." He paused here and Stone got the sense that he was letting the words sink in. "I'm certain if there is a way to uncover this information, you will do so. If not," he shrugged and raised his brow as he looked back at Stone. "Then that's what I'm here for, I suppose."

That won't be necessary, Stone thought, his back straightening. "I have faith in my men, sir," he replied. "We'll find a way."

"Excellent," the general said. "Kalinda has spoken very highly of you," he added. "Personally, I mean." He turned his gaze to Stone, who found it difficult for a moment to meet the Jedi's stare even as he sensed another querying brush against his mind.

However, he was not without his own mettle, so he kept his eyes level and his voice even as he replied. "Always good to hear, sir." They looked at one another for what felt like hours, though it was only a matter of seconds before Stone spoke again. "It's been an...honor to work beside her these past months; I'm glad to know that she feels the same way about the rest of us."

"Indeed," Kenobi said with a smile. "In the many years that we've known one another, Kali has always made it a point to recognize those she is...fond of." He looked back out the window at the sun that was starting to set below the horizon. "She has the ability to bring out the best in those around her," he added, his voice quiet.

"That's very true," Stone agreed. "Sir." The Jedi nodded but said no more, so Stonewall took that as a dismissal and slipped out of the room.

"Okay, I'm never leaving," Crest said as he flopped down onto the nearest couch. "And did you see the size of those bedrooms back there? Fancy." He gave a low whistle. The servants' quarters were naturally smaller and more humble than the main suite: in the single, long room there was a series of trundle beds along one wall, a seating area and a 'fresher. All of the clones had removed their buckets upon entering the room and he was tempted to shed the rest of his armor as well.

Traxis glanced around and shrugged, though he took a seat at the edge of one of the beds. "It's okay. Not too many potentials, which is a good thing." He pulled out one of his blasters and began to disassemble it on the bed, running a cleaning cloth over the individual pieces.

"Right. No flowy curtains for seppies to hide behind here," Crest replied with a smirk. "That was my first thought, too. After the lack of a minibar."

"Shabuir. Do you even know what that is? Or is it something you picked up from a holovid?"

"You're so touchy, sometimes, Trax. It's almost like you find me annoying." He studied his scarred brother. "Seriously. What's going on? You seem grumpier than usual." The other clone made no reply, instead turning all of his attention to his weapons.

Ignoring Trax, Milo sat beside Crest on the couch and put his hands in his lap, drumming them on the plating of his armored legs. "So...what now? Are we supposed to just stay in here?"

With a sigh, Crest closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Why can't they just relax and enjoy the moment? For once we're not crawling around the jungle or desert on some backwater moon; we should savor it here while we get a chance. An image of the young queen came unbidden to his mind and he found that she was even prettier up close, though she seemed a bit sad and lonely. Her eyes were a nice color...light blue. Haven't seen any like them before. Absently, he pictured her face a moment longer before he shook the thought away, thankful that his brothers were incapable of reading his mind.

From the center of the room, Weave spoke. "I hope they'll want us at that Parliament meeting the queen mentioned. It sounds really interesting." He'd pulled out a datapad and was scrolling through it, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

Crest opened one eye and looked at his brother. "If it weren't for the fact that we were clones of the same man, I'd swear we weren't related in any way." He chuckled as Weave rolled his eyes. At that moment, Stonewall entered the room, pausing as the door closed behind him. "Hey, Cap," Crest called out. "You don't want to go to that Parliament thing, do you?"

The captain studied him a moment before speaking. "I don't want to ask, do I?" he said, looking at Weave, who shook his head. Stone sighed and ran a hand over his close-shaved hair before glancing around the room at the group.

"You look like a man with something on his mind," Crest said.

After clipping his helmet to his belt the captain crossed his arms and nodded. "General Kenobi just gave me our orders," he replied, the words coming out slow and deliberate. "We're to get to the bottom of this business with the high priestess by doing a bit of exploration in the city, feeling out the locals...that kind of thing."

At this, Weave looked up from his 'pad. "And how exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"I'm guessing it's not by blowing anything up," Crest said with an exaggerated sigh. Behind him, Traxis muttered something under his breath.

Stonewall shook his head. "We'll figure it out." He looked at Trax. "What was that?" There was silence for a moment and Crest winced inwardly at the tension that his volatile brother was exuding.

"I asked you a question, soldier."

There was the click and clatter of weapons being set down haphazardly, which was not at all like the scarred clone. "Nothing, Captain."

"Somehow I'm not convinced." Stonewall stepped across the room to his brother and regarded him. "What's up with you? You've been edgier than normal since we got off leave." Along with his brothers, Crest turned to watch the exchange, noting how Traxis' muscles were tense and his jaw was tight as he looked up at the clone captain before he seemed to reach a decision.

"And how would you know, Captain? It's not like you've been around lately. At all."

Though his posture stiffened, Stone's gaze remained fixed on his brother. "What exactly are you saying?"

Traxis looked down at the disassembled Deece beside him. "It won't work out, you know," he said, his voice hard. "You and her. She's just..." He frowned and shook his head. "Never mind. It's not my place."

Stonewall's reply was sharp. "You're right, Traxis. It isn't any of your business. But since we're discussing it, why don't you finish the thought?"

A flicker of movement across the room caught Crest's eye; it was Weave, looking as though he wanted to run for the door. Can't blame him. Not like I want a ringside seat for this bout, either. Beside him, he felt Milo tense even as he pretended to study his armor. Sensing the others' discontent, Stonewall glanced at them and then back at Traxis.

"Let's take a walk."

"No," Traxis replied. "We're a team, aren't we? What happens to one of us affects the others, right?" When he stood, the movement was sudden and swift; he faced Stonewall and mirrored his posture. "Fine: you and the General...it's not real. You must see it, Captain. She's just using you..." He faltered at the last word, but seemed to collect himself. "I thought it was just a...passing phase, but-"

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Trax."

"But I know you," Traxis replied, shaking his head. "We're the same, Stonewall; we're brothers. And I see how you look at her...but it's not going to work. It's wrong." He shook his head again and frowned. "She's a General, a Jedi Knight and you're just a clone. You may as well be different species."

If I didn't know any better, Crest thought. I'd say he was concerned.

The room was utterly still. Crest risked a look at Weave, who had been edging to the door, though he'd paused at Traxis' words. A glance back at the Captain showed that his hands were clenched at his sides though his face was inscrutable. Finally, Stone spoke in a curt voice. "I appreciate your input, Trax, but you were right the first time: it isn't your place." He glanced at the others. "Anyone else share Traxis' thoughts on my personal life?"

Silence.

Traxis snorted and sat back down, picking up the barrel of his weapon. "Forget I said anything."

There were another few minutes of silence before Crest couldn't stand the tension any longer. "So, are we going to have to go around the city in disguise or what? I think we kind of stand out in our armor." He smiled to himself as the others – save Traxis and Stone – chuckled and the edge that had come over the room softened a bit. "Not that I want to get rid of my kit," he went on. "But I do think the shiny would look pretty spiffy with white hair..." He reached out and tousled the younger clone's neat hair and grinned as Milo glared at him.

"At least I have hair."

Crest raised his eyebrow. "For now. But you're also a heavy sleeper, and I do have quite the light touch with the clippers."

In the distance, Kali could see the mountains.

Dusk was fast approaching and someone had lit the torches that were placed at intervals throughout the garden; the glow of the firelight created flickering shadows beneath the leaves. Bright green tips of nearby plants indicated that spring was coming though the breeze still held a nibbling chill and she could smell distant snow. Above her head she could feel the leaves trembling as the tree shuddered under the wind's touch.

It was a good place to disappear for a while.

Kali's boots rested beside her on the soft grass and her back was against one of the thick biraj trees that had been planted amidst the bushes and shrubs; the garden had been crafted by Arunai hands and great pains had been taken to ensure that it mimicked the natural world as much as possible.

Though it seemed to be a futile effort, she really was trying to meditate. However, her thoughts refused to lie in an orderly place so she could take a mental step back, collect the threads and weave them together to try and make sense of the confusion that she felt. I almost get the sense from Obi-Wan that he wants to rekindle what we felt the last time we were here. The smile she knew so well, his attentiveness to her...they were small indications, but they were there nonetheless. She took a deep breath and shook her head. No. I'm imagining things. Being surrounded by all of these memories...it's making me sentimental. I had a feeling that coming back here would be difficult.

Rather than dwell on her old pain, she turned her mind to Sita and her situation. Something the young woman had said bothered her: 'it will be good to have someone on my side.'

Her eyes opened and she looked around the empty garden. She feels as though she is alone, despite the fact that she's the ruler of this world. Perhaps she's right; the last time we were here there was no shortage of members of the court. The only people I've seen this time are servants and guards, who all seem...strange. A little hostile. It could've just been the presence of the clones, but it felt as though there might be more to it.

Kali took a deep breath and tried to extend her awareness to the city beyond, trying to tap in to the Force and get a sense of the sentiment among the people, but it was like trying to look through a smudged and dirty window or trying to drink from a stream that was drying up; she caught faint traces of discontent and discord, but it was not as clear as it should have been, especially if there was as much unrest as the Council and Sita had each indicated. Her eyes opened and she rubbed at her forehead. Maybe I'm just tired...I didn't get much sleep last night.

"Kali?"

She glanced to her right as Stonewall's familiar form appeared through the thick, manicured shrubs. "I was wondering where you were," she said, getting to her feet and taking his hand as they met beside a rhododendron bush.

"General Kenobi wanted to speak with me," he replied after a beat. "We're to take a look around the city and see if we can't uncover some more information about what's going on, Though I'm not sure exactly how that's going to work, given that the locals seem to think we're droids with skin." There was a frown in his voice. "And here I thought this mission was going to be straightforward."

As she released the breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding, Kali laughed. "They often start out that way; the next thing you know, you're tangled up in something far more complicated than you thought." She gave his hand a squeeze. "I know that you and the others will figure it out; I'll help if I can, though I have a feeling that Obi-Wan and I will have our plates full with Neerja and the Parliament. Perhaps while we're at dinner, the guys can go take a look around the city."

Stonewall nodded, though she could sense his doubt. "Perhaps."

"Come on," she said after a pause. "Let me show you my favorite spot." Wordlessly he followed her as she wound a way through the garden, straying off the usual paths until she reached a small pond that was covered in lily-pads and surrounded by low willows whose branches fell in ribbons over the water's edge. "Do you know why I like this place so much?" she asked him as they faced one another. There was a low, stone bench beside the water though neither of them took a seat.

"Because it's beautiful?" His voice was warm; as they walked he had removed his helmet and was looking at her in such a way that suggested he was unaware of anything else in the entire galaxy.

She smiled. "Because it's isolated." With that she reached up to kiss him, her arms moving around his waist as she clung to his sides. Beneath her hands she felt his body tense, then relax into the embrace as his own hands wrapped around her back and held her as close as he could. The agitation from the day receded from her mind while they kissed and she felt the Force thrumming through her veins again. Maybe I was worried for nothing. After several minutes they pulled apart and he reached forward to stroke her cheek.

"Kali?" His voice was uncertain.

"What is it, Stone?"

He took a deep breath and glanced around the area; she felt hesitation and doubt trailing from him as he looked back at her. "I-" In that moment they heard a loud clamor from the direction of the palace and Kali sighed and looked up at him.

"That's the gong for dinner," she said. "I'm sorry...can it wait? Why don't you go ahead? I'll catch up in a moment." The clone captain took another deep breath but he nodded and slipped off through the garden, leaving her alone.

Kalinda took a moment to look at the nearest torch, watching the flame flickering against the encroaching darkness before she left as well.

Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing! It really means a lot...

What will happen at dinner? Will Stone ever be able to tell Kali what he's been trying to? And what's Trax's deal, anyway? Hmmmm...There's quite a bit more story to go, so I'll be posting over the weekend. Keep an eye out!