Vode An arc

One-on-One

Rumors went around the Resolute about how Commander Tano and Chopper had been found; the commander's small frame curled up inside Chopper's shirt, pressed against his chest. There were a few jokes that reached Captain Rex's ear, but not as many as could have been. Chopper's reticence prevented most men from joking to him while no one would confront the Jedi padawan. Rex suspected General Skywalker had more to do with that than himself, though he had invited one of the ruder jokers to a one-on-one in the gym and pummeled him into bloody regret, something a captain didn't often do. Echo and Fives told him that had only stopped the words from reaching the captain's ears, that the jokes were rampant. Rex had sighed. "Please keep me informed."

As Chopper walked into the mess, he thought he heard a comment, but he had the data pad and he'd heard the 41st Elite had encountered commando droids as well as a magna guard. He was looking forward to the vids; he had discovered that magna guards worked as a unit and he wondered if a magna would work with in unit with commandos. It was an interesting problem. Gus had also sent a short message that respect was sufficient and Chopper had been glad.

"Hey gigolo, I asked 'was she sweet'?" This was louder and the ambient noise in the mess stilled at the incipit confrontation.

Chopper stopped and glanced around. Kev, one of the newer guys to Torrent, made a face, puckering his lips in mock kissing. Chopper could see Fives bearing down on the table with anger in his face, but Chopper was closer and reached the table in two long strides.

"What are you implying?" ask Chopper in his normal tone of voice. He felt Fives' presence behind him.

"I've got your back, Chopper." Fives' voice was quiet, not reaching any but Chopper's ears. Fives spent little time in the barracks and even less time in Chopper's company, but he had told Chopper his experiences on Zeltros and answered a few hesitant questions about women. Chopper wasn't ... quite ... surprised at his support.

"Just asking if the Commander was a sweet …" Kev paused long enough to imply something else. "Kisser."

"I don't know," said Chopper. "I didn't kiss her." He hadn't; not the way Kev was implying.

"Ha, the di'kut has a pretty girl in his lap and doesn't even kiss her." That was another transfer at the table, Chopper didn't know his name. He was right though. The commander was pretty and she was a girl. Not a woman.

"She wasn't a data pad; he didn't know how to handle her." Marker snickered. He had it all wrong. Chopper had handled the situation wonderfully. They'd both survived. He'd handled the commander well also. She was a friend.

Chopper relaxed. They were ragging him. Not a problem. He shrugged and started to go to his table. Fives would probably follow. You didn't do one-on-one for another able-bodied trooper.

"I would have given her something to enjoy." Kev made an obscene gesture then half-rose from his seat grabbed his crotch pushing his hips forward, stoking himself through his uniform with his hand. "She'd be begging for more." There was laughter around the table and Marker made a comment about her taste in men, clones in particular.

Chopper's brows drew down and he frowned. He didn't like what they were implying about the commander. He thought it through as they continued their laughter, their snide remarks about her. It wasn't proper and even if she knew about their words, she couldn't defend herself. Not because she had no power, but because she had too much.

"Fives," he asked beneath his breath. "Is that appropriate for one-on-one?"

"Yes, Chopper and if you don't, I will." Chopper could hear the scathing tones of Fives' quiet voice, the anger in his words, and hoped it wasn't directed at him.

"Chopper pointed at the clone who'd made the original comment. "One-on-one, Kev. Tonight." He felt Fives' hand lightly and quickly brush his shoulder.

"I'll be there, Chopper. In the slot." Five's voice was louder now, letting everyone know he was backing Chopper.

The news traveled rapidly through the clone troopers on the ship. Chopper, who'd never gone one-on-one with anyone, was taking on Kev with a 4:1 record.

Echo made his way to the Captain's office and knocked. Rex, in his workout gear, opened the door.

"A word, sir?"

Rex nodded as he stepped back into his office. Echo didn't waste time; Echo was good with information, knowing what was important and what was urgent; rarely bothered Rex unless it was both.

"What's up, Echo?"

Echo looked Rex up and down. "I'm glad you're going to the gym. Chopper's going one-on-one with Kev tonight."

Rex closed his eyes. "About finding them in the cave?"

"Yes sir."

Rex frowned. "What's Kev's record? Four wins, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"How long has he been with Torrent? Barely two months." A trooper's one-on-one record zeroed out when ever he transferred and Kev had come from Kamino after the assault on Tipoca City. "Five fights in such a short time is not good. We'll need to check on the why's of his previous fights." He saw Echo's quick smile at the 'we'll need'. "Does anyone have Chopper's back?" Rex knew Chopper thought he had no friends. He would have been surprised.

"Fives has the slot, but I'm going to ask for it. We'll both be there for Chopper."

"Then what are you here for?" But the captain smiled at Echo.

Echo grinned. "I don't think you'll want to miss it. Chopper doesn't do one-on-one, but not because he can't fight."

"Why's that, Echo?" Rex asked. For a moment Echo was stumped. Surely Captain Rex knew; he was the captain, he knew everything. Then he realized that Rex wanted to know if he understood.

"He's scared he's wrong. He doesn't voice opinions and is always double-thinking himself. He actually asked Fives if what Kev said was appropriate for one-on-one." Echo grinned. "But you know he's good. He's the only one who doesn't realize how good."

Rex nodded. "He's one of the best in Torrent." Echo had his own question.

"Why is he so…" Echo shrugged a shoulder, confused and looking for the right term but couldn't find it, "that way, Captain?"

"I'll tell you when you're sergeant; if you don't know by then. I'll see you in the gym." That was dismissal and Echo turned to go. Then he heard Rex's voice, slightly softer, simply trooper to trooper. "Suggest to Chopper that he remove his shirt before they start fighting. Just ... suggest."

Echo was out the door and halfway to the barracks before he realized the Captain had said "when you're sergeant". He got a grin on his face and his chest puffed up in pride.

Rex was sweaty when Chopper came into the gym in an old shirt and well-worn pants, with Echo and Caber to warm up. After Chopper had sparred with Echo and the heavy gunner for a bit, Rex offered him a few rounds, taking his measure. Afterwards, Rex nodded to himself. Chopper's measure was as good as he'd expected.

The gym was getting crowded with spectators and Chopper, being there first, picked his side of the mat. The corner wall side, of course. He was surprised at how many of his brothers moved to his side. Echo was there, of course, and that pleased Chopper. Echo was quiet and dependable. Fives was there too, just off duty and still in armor, in the slot. No surprise. Echo decided and Fives followed. Although sometimes it was the other way around. He'd been a little surprised that Fives hadn't relinquished the slot to Echo when Echo asked. But then, maybe Fives was there for the commander.

Rex moved to his side also, forgoing captain's neutrality, and Chopper was proud of that support. But maybe he'd heard what Kev had said and was there on behalf of the commander. It didn't matter. He was there and he called captain's privilege to sit the corner. To sit the slot; willing to pick up the one-on-one if Chopper went down. Fives nodded, relinquishing the slot to his captain, and sat the line next to Echo; both willing to fill the slot if necessary. When Kix and Coric came in, they also sat the line, giving up medic's neutrality and Chopper's eyebrows drew up in surprise. Then he nodded. They were medics and understood the dangers of hypothermia. They were undoubtedly here for the commander; Kix didn't even like him.

Kev had been warming up on the other side of the gym then talking to some of the troopers who'd been at the table with him but he took his side of the mat and slid off his work-out shirt. Chopper waited until Kev was ready. The trooper whose name Chopper didn't know took his slot, but no one took the line for him. Perhaps Kev was confident or perhaps they'd noticed Rex in Chopper's slot and medics in his line. Rarely did a man want to go against the captain. Perhaps it was just the number of men in the line. Chopper hadn't even heard of a one-on-one with more than a man in the slot and two in the line. Here he had the captain in the slot and four in the line. He was sure they had to be here for the commander. Except Echo who joined him most nights in the mess and had offered his friendship. And maybe Fives, who had told him the Zeltros adventures. Chopper stopped thinking about it as soon as he realized that he was there for the commander and that was all that mattered.

Kev wasn't a rookie anymore though he had come out of Kamino when Fives and Echo got their ARC nominations. Kev had never seen battle ; had never faced down blaster fire or smelt the burning of downed gunship. He wasn't a rookie; he'd been on several assignments already with Sergeant Zeer, but he was a shiny. None of his assignments had encountered enemy forces. Kev stretched; his skin all sleek and smooth. Once Chopper had had skin like that.

In a single move, Chopper had the old shirt off. Half the room gasped. Echo didn't; he'd seen them earlier when Chopper had to explain why the shirt didn't come off. Upon seeing the scars, Echo had explained that the captain's idea was a good one.

"Captain Rex suggests you remove your shirt to fight Kev."

"No. Shirt stays on."

"Why Chopper?"

"I've got scars."

Echo shrugged. "Most of us have scars."

"Not like mine."

"Show me."

Chopper simply stood there, frowning and chewing the inside of his lip as he did when he was making a decision. "It's this and more," he pointed to his face and head. "All over."

Echo stilled, sudden understanding seeded in his mind. "Show me, Chopper," he said softly. Maybe Captain Rex wouldn't have to explain why Chopper was the way he was.

Chopper frowned as his fingers toyed with the edge of his shirt. He knew what Echo's reaction would be. Disgust. Revulsion. He wouldn't sit at Chopper's table anymore, reading his regs while Chopper scanned vids of droids. Wouldn't trust Chopper to cover him in battle. Would whisper in the night to Fives. In a rapid move, too fast to think anymore, Chopper pulled the shirt off.

"Kriff!" Echo jerked back at the sight of Chopper's chest, a map of burn and blaster, shrapnel and pain. Chopper jerked the shirt back on quickly, turning away from Echo, staring at the steel deck with a stubborn, stony expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, Chopper." Echo reach out his hand slightly; then pulled it back to his side. He paused. "How far?"

"Head to knees," was Chopper's brusque reply.

Echo nodded slowly. "I'd be interested in know how all that happened to you. I'm glad you didn't end up at Kamino." He reached out again and his fingers brushed against Chopper's shoulder. Chopper moved away and Echo's fingers dropped slightly. Chopper didn't bother to correct him about Kamino. From the corner of his eyes Chopper watched Echo, tilting his head slightly toward the other trooper. Echo was leaning forward, one hand reaching, palm up, toward Chopper.

He didn't act disgusted; more sympathetic.

"It's a good idea, Chopper." Echo said, a slow grin etching itself on his face as Chopper didn't move and Echo's hand rested lightly on his scarred shoulder. "A very good idea. You've got scars, but its survival. It's a record of how much you've fought – not just droids, you understand. It's a record that you don't go down easy. It will scare Kev because he doesn't have any scars. Kev only thinks he's tough."

"I'll think about it, Echo." Chopper's voice was harsh.

Echo nodded. He couldn't ask for more. It also explained why Chopper usually worked the off shift, why he never stripped in their quarters when they were there, why he usually showered after or before everyone and in the far corner, why he wore the long night shorts and shirt. "Chopper, it bothered me for an instant and I suspect Fives would react the same way the first time. But it won't bother us if you want to strip here in the quarters." He paused, looking for the right thing to say. "They're just scars. They're on you, but they aren't you."

Chopper looked at Echo, seeing just barely over Echo's shoulder and almost in his eyes.

"I'll think about that too." And his words weren't harsh at all.

The medics knew about the scars also, most of them anyway, from his records. Rex knew; knew that – for some reason to do with Sergeant Slick – Chopper was ashamed of his scars. Rex smiled grimly and his eyes sparkled. The troopers would look at Kev and see a strong, fighting man but they would look at Chopper and see a survivor. Rex saw Kev's eyes round into soft moons of wonder. He's already lost. Kev really didn't know how much punishment a body could take and still keep on going, Chopper did. Intimately.

The fight was over quickly. Chopper beat Kev into bloody sorrow. Kev's slot man took over and Chopper downed him just as rapidly. Kev started the public apology but Chopper only told him to shut up. Then Chopper looked around the gym. There were only troopers there. He looked to Kev's side until he saw another man who'd been at the table. He strode up to Marker. "Do you want a one-on-one? Here? Now?"

Marker had his eyes down. It was obvious Chopper had survived more battle than his squad combined had even seen. The captain sat his corner. All the medics sat his side, some on the line, and Marker thought about that. He hadn't thought of it before, too intrigued and entranced with the idea of a clone and a woman stranded alone together, but he remembered arctic training. Hypothermia killed people will less body mass first, the cold sucked out their body heat. He'd heard about some mix-up with warmsuits. The 40 kilo commander would have - should have - died in only a couple of hours. This trooper had saved her life and they'd been teasing him about kissing her? Keeping his eyes down, Marker stood, walked the edges of the mat and sat Chopper's side. Just the outskirts. Just enough to say, you're right.

Chopper asked each man he'd seen at the table. "One-on-one?" and was declined. He returned to Kev who had moved to the side of the mat, wiping his bloody face with the back of his hand. Chopper leaned over him. "Tomorrow, you go to the commander and you apologize to her." Kev paled.

"But she doesn't know..."

"Osik! She knows!" Chopper snarled. "Do you think there is anything on this vessel that the Admiral and the General and the Commander do not know?" Chopper shouted and his fist clenched again. He saw Rex frown, hoping he wouldn't take a swing at either Kev or Kru. Chopper wouldn't disappoint the captain that way. One-on-ones were sanctioned by the presences of command and medical, but there were rules and hitting a downed trooper wasn't one.

"Tomorrow, you apologize." Chopper looked over the men sitting Kev's side. "This ends it." declared Chopper from the center of the mat.

He walked to his side where Fives handed him a rag for the blood on his fists and Echo pressed some fluid replacement into his hands.

Kix stood, nodded. "Good for you, Chopper." He turned to Coric. "I'll check the others." He didn't expect a reply from Chopper, in spite of the fact that he'd been in the line. Chopper was, as usual, frowning and staring at the decking. Surprisingly, he hadn't pulled on his shirt which still hung over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Kix," mumbled Chopper. "For sitting in the line. Maybe..." he paused and shook his head then looked square into Kix's face. "I owe you one."

Kix snorted. "I was here for the commander. She would have died."

"I owe you," reiterated Chopper glancing into the medic's face, catching his eyes. "Same as I owe," he paused and swallowed softly as he glanced at Echo and Fives, the same he looked at Coric and Caber, "my friends."

Read and enjoy, reviews are appreciated.

By this time the events of Laloga's story Better and my story Going Home Again have already occured but are only obliquely referenced.

Next chapter in a couple more days...