Orto Plutonia arc

Journey to Pantora

"Sir, where's the commander?" Chopper asked the captain through close channel as General Skywalker stalked up the ramp past Kev, Echo and Fives and slammed himself into the cockpit.

"Move it," called Fives, the troopers running into the ship pulling on their helmets even as the ramp began closing.

"I don't know, Chopper." Rex narrowed his eyes, frowning. "The general isn't happy about it, where ever she is."

Chopper also frowned inside his helmet as the baffles cut in. He had a suspicion but only twisted one arm around a security strap as the general took off.

The general's flying followed his moods. It was fast and abrupt this time. The troopers, used to the general's flying, had their legs braced as they sat but Senator Chuchi slid sideways on the metal bench, almost falling to the deck. Chopper caught her easily, in one arm. Kev held out a steadying hand, started to withdraw it then looked at Chopper through the visor of his helmet and defiantly kept his hand under her shoulder.

"Flight will smooth out as soon as we reach atmospheric boundary, Senator Chuchi." Captain Rex spoke in his normal voice as he reached for her portfolio of papers skimming across the metal decking. "I'm sorry for not preparing you for the take-off. Chopper, Kev, make sure the senator doesn't get thrown around."

"It did seem a bit abrupt." Her voice was shaky as she reached to Kev's arm for stability and, reluctantly, Chopper let her go as Kev brought her up next to him, sitting her on the bench and fastening the strap around her waist.

Chopper went closed channel to Kev pinging once as a request to open the line.

"What, Chopper?" Kev's voice was both defensive and antagonistic, his body stiff in his armor.

Chopper paused. Kev wouldn't listen to him; not about friends or women or anything. "You might want to ping Fives for advice about dealing with citizens or women before we remove our helmets." Then he signed off and went to open channels, listening to background static until first the captain then Echo went open.

"She can only be at the Jedi Temple," Echo was explaining. "The general is rarely happy when he's come back from the Temple."

"Neither are we," quipped the captain darkly as his voice turned hard. "Every time he goes to the Temple, I lose men."

"He doesn't usually leave his padawan, though," mused Echo. "I wonder what that's about."

Chopper made a noise. "Me. Probably." He leaned back against the hull.

Captain Rex nodded softly even as Echo fell silent. Then Echo closed the open channel and went private to Chopper.

"Why, Chopper?" Echo asked quietly. "You're just friends with her. Fives and I can vouch for that."

"Jedi aren't allowed attachments, Echo." Chopper's voice was sad and turning brittle like it did when he was hiding.

"Just friends, Chopper." Echo repeated in a whisper. "Surely..."

"Apparently not, Echo." Then Chopper went open channel; conversation over.

Chopper observed Senator Chuchi as she spoke with Kev. Kev's was not a good conversationalist; no trooper really was except by experience or training, but he'd had a little practice the previous evening with Ash. Ash had been in a good mood, smiling and drawing out the troopers with questions. Senator Chuchi did not appear to be in a sociable mood. Her answers were short and terse. Kev asked a lot of questions; several times the Captain had coughed and interrupted with a soft warning of 'inappropriate subject, Kev'. The first time Kev had gone pale at the captain's words, the senator had blushed a dark blue and Chopper had wanted to renew the fading bruises on Kev's face. Kev apologized and continued speaking, again mostly asking questions. Conversation between the two became disjointed then there was silence between them. Kev gave Chopper a confused look with hurt eyes then turned his face back to the senator one last time.

"I'm sorry, Senator Chuchi. I'm not a good conversationalist."

"It's my fault, Kev, my mind is on other things," she had replied graciously.

Kev jerked straight as he realized she had recognized him; with wide eyes he glanced at Echo in question. Echo nodded and touched a painted portion of his armor. Kev slowly gave a nod; she recognized him by his armor, shiny like him, but she had cared enough to know his name.

Both Captain Rex and Chopper nodded at the trooper. He'd done his best. Chopper remembered his own first conversation with a civilian woman. He'd mostly grunted and nodded his head when she talked to him on Zygerria. He hadn't removed his helmet either though he knew that was considered rude. At least he'd taught her to fire a blaster. Chopper decided he'd tell Fives and Echo that experience and if Kev happened to be in the barracks to hear, then so much the better.

As the flying reached altitude and space, smoothing out, The troopers removed their helmets. Chopper glanced at Fives staring, unobserved, at the senator with a small frown. It was the same kind of frown that Kix had when someone was injured and Chopper turned his attention to her. It was hard for him to see past the senator's loveliness, but he pushed it aside.

She was reading one of the documents from her portfolio, her lips moving softly as she read. She sat stiffly, but that could be the discomfort of the bench, the cross-hatching metal of the storage rack behind her, sitting next to Kev in his armor. She brought a hand to her face absently, then suddenly remembered and set it back in her lap, stiffening a bit more. Her face, which had begun to relax, tightened. All without her conscious thought.

You've been watched, Riyo Chuchi, haven't you? Chopper remembered being in Slick's squad; always being watched for mistakes. Until you made one and Slick's lips would thin and smile because then he knew he could make you mess up even more simply by watching you. Who is your Sergeant, my lady?

Chopper glanced over to Fives with a nod. He'd seen what Fives wanted him to see. They'd talk about it later. Fives nodded, tapping his helmet with a long finger. No, they wouldn't talk, Fives would simply download whatever had passed between them into Chopper's helmet.

General Skywalker landed the Twilight easily in the docking hangar of the Resiliant where General Kenobi waited. Chopper saw troopers in the 212th's armor and smiled inside his helmet. Jester was probably here. The troopers slipped on their helmets.

Senator Chuchi carried her portfolio, Kev a step behind her and Chopper grabbed her pack, taking his place at her other side.

"Chopper," Fives voice came closed channel. "I wanted to say earlier the Senator is unhappy about returning home but she's no happier in Coruscant either. Maybe it's political; but I got the feeling it was something personal." There was a small whir sound in Chopper's helmet, a download from Fives.

"Is that why she didn't want to talk to Kev?"

"I warned him she wasn't receptive to a conversation, but he wanted to talk to a woman." Fives chuckled. "I think he wants with her what you have with Ash."

"She's not Ash."

"And he's not you."

Next up, meeting Chairman Cho in our leisurely trip to Pantora and Orto Plutonia.

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