If it weren't for how much i love Korkie i could totally ship these two. this one's dedicated to those guys at the guitar store who used to pull down $3000 guitars for me to try when i was 17 because they liked to hear the way i could fingerpick. the troopers are a pretty impressed with Fox's Mando girl and he's a little jealous.

The guards at the entrance to the base didn't give her more than a glance. It probably helped that she was actually force sensitive and was projecting an aura of 'I'm a Jedi. I belong here.' It wasn't until they got to the firing range that she started to get some looks from the troopers.

Then she distinctly heard one of them say, as he elbowed his brother, "That's no Padawan. That's Fox's Mando girl."

"He managed to get her on the base?" asked another.

"I'm just amazed she actually exists," laughed a third.

"Fox," Soniee stopped him walking with a hand on his arm and confronted him. "You didn't by chance tell them that you took me out to Dex's a few nights ago?"

Helmetless but looking like he wished he still had the bucket firmly in place, he avoided looking her in the eye. "Might've mentioned it."

"Well, I'll try not to embarrass you." She grinned evilly, "much." Then she strode out ahead of him toward the other clones making him hurry to catch up with her.

"Soniee," he called but she didn't look back.

The Mando girl adopted her very best Concord Dawn accent, the one she'd been taught to drop when speaking Basic before a audience in her oration classes. She rolled all her 'R's almost like a purr and twirled her fake Padawan braid around her finger. "Ner al'verde said I might be able to get in a little weapons practice while I'm on Coruscanta. If it's alright with kaysh vode, eh, his brothers."

They all jumped up at once to help her each offering his own blaster for her use.

Fox shoved is way through the crowd toward her. "Come on, Soniee. I'll show you my DCs."

She gave the others a wave and followed him with a grin. That got a few whistles.

She was giggling when he opened the door to a booth and ushered her in.

He just shook his head, "I had no idea you could be such a vixen."

"Fitting though. Just adding to your legend. Now, you gonna show me those DCs or not?"

He removed one of his weapons from it's holster with a grin. "I'm still not sure I believe you can handle one of these. Weren't you Academy cadets all pacifists like your duchess?"

"I wasn't always at the academy," she took the DC-15 and looked it over with the same interest and care that she had taken with his helmet in the diner. "My ba'buir oversaw my early education before I ever set foot in Sundari. He was a marksman." She was impressed with the weapon but she didn't show it. Instead she shrugged, "Well it's not a Westar but I suppose it will do." She turned toward the target let out a slow breath, aimed, and fired.

The shot actually went a little low of where she was aiming, somewhere around the chin of the humanoid figure when she'd been aiming for right between the eyes, but it still earned her a cheer from the troopers who were avidly watching.

"It's cheating if you use the Force." Fox whispered close to her ear.

She jumped in surprise and said a little louder than she intended. "You accuse me of cheating while I'm standing here holding your DC?"

That got a few hoots and whistles and she blushed when she realized how her words had sounded.

Fox raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. "I suppose it was a pretty good shot for a girl," he teased.

She took the challenge. "Ba'buir used to say, 'Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya.'" She turned back toward the target and "Pew, Pew, Pew, Pew, Pew!" fired five shots in quick succession, this time taking into account the weapon's tendency to fire a hair low. Then she pushed the button to bring the target closer for viewing the exact hits.

There were groans this time from her audience when they saw the five blast points that circled the figure's crotch. "Train your sons to be strong but your daughters to be stronger."

Fox nodded, clearly impressed.

Soniee smiled at the unspoken adulation.

"Watch out for that one, Mate." One of the troopers called.

"Yeah, sure am glad the Mandos are still neutral. Don't even want to think about the Seppies getting her on their side."

She laughed and blushed again.

"Don't have to tell me." Fox called back to them still grinning at her. "Last bloke who tried to kiss her got sent to the med center."

He hadn't meant to make her sad, but at the reminder of Lux her smile faded.

She held out the blaster to return it to him and he took it but he laid it aside, keeping a hold of her hand. "I'm sorry, Soniee." He said softly. "Sorry I said it, sorry for whatever it was that happened to you. You're safe here, you know? I won't let anything happen to you."

She smiled at the sweetness of his words, knowing he meant them and truly feeling safe. "I think I already proved that I'm capable of taking care of myself." She gestured back toward the target.

"Well, but wouldn't it be better if the need for that never arises?" he asked.

"Let's hope not. I've never been comfortable shooting at organic life forms." She shivered.

He frowned as if he were trying to remember something. "It's something to do with the Force, isn't it?"

She looked at him, amazed at his intuition.

"You said before that sometimes you wished you could just shut it off."

"Yeah, I do." She admitted.

"And what happened at the Chancellor's was..." His jaw tightened and she knew what was frustrating him. The Force was one thing he couldn't protect her from.

She nodded.

"They're awful quiet in there." One of the troopers called.

"You wanna risk going in there and interrupting something?" another asked.

"The way she shoots? Sorry, I value my shebs too much for that."

Soniee smiled and blushed.

Fox winked at her. "You wanna try the rifle?"

"Yeah, show me what you got."

When it was clear to the other troopers that weapons testing was the only thing going on in Fox and Soniee's booth they all came around offering more choices for her to try out. Apart from the more traditional blasters she got to try a Wookie Bowcaster and a Lasat Bo-rifle. She was still most at home with the Mandalorian made Westars, though.

Fox was right there 'protecting' her the whole time. He never let the other clones get too close to her but if her stance or form when she was holding a new weapon was ever off, he was quick to correct her. He seemed especially keen on positioning her shoulders or hips to face the correct angle to the target or placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her to take a small step forward. She allowed it. It was comfortable being around him, like when Amis used to put his arm around her and she'd lay her head on his shoulder, like having an ori'vod watching out for her.

She was laughing at something one of the clones said and satisfied with the shot she had just made when she finally leaned back against Fox and he put his arms around her. "I hope this is okay," he whispered. "I don't think I've ever felt anything so nice as having you in my arms."

So, maybe not so much like a big brother, but she didn't push him away. "I don't think I had near enough to drink at that party." she said with a broken laugh.

"Would you like to go to a club, or maybe something quieter?" he asked.

Another nervous laugh. "I might be a little under dressed for either."

He didn't say it aloud but it was clear what he was thinking as he rubbed the hem of her tunic between his fingers, I was thinking a little overdressed.

And yet, she didn't feel the darkness from him like she had felt when Lux was coming on to her. Fox just seemed to honestly like her and want to spend more time with her. Still, it was Korkie she loved. She spun out of his arms. "Maybe a club. Do you dance, al'verde?"

"If the right partner is available." He nodded gazing at her.

She took a deep breath. "Maybe we could invite your brothers?"

She could tell he was a little disappointed by the suggestion but he smiled tightly. "Sure, if that's what you want, Miss Ordo."

"Ner al'verde, are we no longer on a first name basis? If so I think I prefer Mando-girl."

He broke into a grin. "My Mando girl." The emphasis on his possession was unmistakable. He stepped toward her as if he wanted to embrace her again but she took hold of both his hands before his arms could go around her.

"Fox, I..."

Then it seemed to dawn on him or something did because he couldn't possibly know her true reason. "Oh Soniee, I'm sorry. After what you've just been through and here I am... Osik, I'm an idiot. Forgive me, will you?"

"Of course," She smiled at him still holding both his hands. "I really do appreciate you looking out for me. I - I feel safe with you. I just..."

"Hey, I get it." He smiled and he didn't stop looking her in the eyes as he yelled back over his shoulder. "We're headed to 79's. Anybody want to join us?"