Orto Plutonia arc

Orto Plutonia - III

Chairman Cho moved up the stairwells of the garrison's pinnacle, flanked by his grandson-heirs and followed by the troopers from the 212th. Two troopers scouted ahead of them while Riyo and her four men brought up the rear.

The four troopers gone silent for a while, an argument according to their gestures and modes. Kev had been in Primary Fear, Secondary Duty and Tertiary Conciliation. Echo and Fives each had been in shifting modes of Friendship, Respect, Conciliation, Duty; while Chopper had been in Foundation. For the most part it seemed a disagreement about something rather than at each other. Now they maintained open communications but didn't speak much as they moved through the rooms of the garrison, observing and saying those soft words of duty at each dead trooper. Kev or Chopper stayed at her side.

They reached the upper-most level of the garrison. It was identical to the lower levels, down to troopers' corpses, dead and scattered.

"If anyplace has power in the garrison," said Echo in respectful quiet. "This will be it."

Chairman Cho strode to the command console as though he were, once again, leading the Pantoran forces into battle. "I want the weapons system back online and the shields operational." He snarled in anger and frustration. He'd said some variation of that on each level and, so far, they'd had no success. "There's no telling what the Separatists have planned." Chairman Cho looked over the operations area. "You! I want you on…" he pointed to Fives at the operations console who glanced up then ignored him.

Chairman Cho stuttered inchoately then turned to come down the ramp separating Command from Operations section. He was in Primary Confrontation made. As she moved to intercept him in Conciliation mode, Riyo saw a small gesture from Chopper, inspecting one of the communications stands, to one of the troopers who was on the upper level with the rest of Chairman Cho's men. He moved to intercept the Chairman.

"Sir, I think you should see this." The unknown trooper saluted and gestured toward the back of the Command Section.

Chairman Cho froze, caught between modes of Confrontation and Observation. It was the man's salute that turned the tide of his momentum. While they followed his orders, none of the troopers had saluted Chairman Cho. Observation won and he turned toward the other trooper.

Riyo moved toward Chopper as he worked on communications. "What did you say to him?"

Chopper gave a slight shrug with one shoulder. "That we have different orders and whatever happened wouldn't be good to offer General Kenobi when he returned." He glanced down at her. "Jester's a friend of mine, my lady." This time the words rolled off his tongue almost naturally. "We used to be in the same squad."

He was silent as his fingers moved over the controls. At his touch, several of the jewel-like lights flickered on momentarily. His helmet bent down staring at the floor and his body turned square to hers. Tertiary Fear warred with Secondary Courtship in him but once again his body wavered then dropped into his Foundation.

"I mean no insult, Senator Chuchi, and I'm not trained in civilian ways. If I am using the term incorrectly, tell me and I will stop. If I'm using the term correctly and you want me to stop…" She heard his breathing, fast and raspy, through the vocals of his helmet.

"There is no insult, Chopper, though I do not know what you mean by the term. Different cultures use the words for different types of relationships."

He was silent, facing her behind his helmet and she waited.

"Flirtation, Senator Riyo Chuchi, if you permit." His voice was hopeful; his mode in Courtship.

For a moment she was disappointed but immediately realized he was a clone trooper and could offer nothing more. His body moved from the mode of Courtship to his Foundation and back again. In a Pantoran his body modes would be a declaration of love, an offer of marriage, the adoption of a child, or a joining of clans. How sad that he could only offer flirtation.

Riyo took a deep breath and brush his breastplate over his heart with her gloved fingers. "Flirtation, it is, my lord Chopper."

There was a gasp from his helmet, as if he'd release a breath he'd been holding and the trooper in plain white seemed to waver at her words. He swayed and, for an instant, his knees seemed to buckle. He put a hand out and grabbed the console next to him. Several jewel-lights glowed with functionality at the pressure of his palm.

There was silence then he spoke again. "Now that I have permission, I have forgotten everything I ever knew." His voice was quietly amused and she heard his smile.

Riyo blushed a deep blue. "Yes. I quite understand."

She didn't know how long they stayed in the position, him in his helmet, looking down into her eyes, she looking up into his helmet with her fingers on his armor over his heart. He put his hands to the helmet, preparing to lift it.

"Keep the bucket on, Chopper," came Echo's voice over the external audio. "Senator Chuchi, I'm sorry, but there's work to be done."

He did actually sound regretful. Chopper gave another shrug and an amused noise. He watched her fingers slip from his armor.

"Echo's right, Senator," added Fives. "They've made a break room one floor down and brought up some heaters and hot caf if you'd like to go there for a rest."

"It should be safe and you won't need us for escort," added Kev hesitantly. "One of my skills is slicing and I'm of better use up here." He glanced at the other men, "If it's agreed."

"Good idea, Kev." Chopper gestured toward the console he'd been working on. "I've got this one functional; see if you can find out what happened."

Kev moved toward the console, his body in Conciliatory, Duty, and Observation modes. He slid the blaster over his shoulder and bent over the console, Chopper at his side.

Riyo turned and made her way toward the stairwell. Chairman Cho had just turned toward the command platform and looked over the operations area. His face tightened and his eyes narrowed as he saw the four men; her men, men who did not follow him. That had been made very clear.

Riyo sighed. He'd gone beyond stubborn and hidebound into obdurate. Remembering the conversations of her four troopers downstairs, she turned toward the Chairman in Conciliatory mode. Surely he would liston to reason. He remained in Confrontation. His Foundation had once been Duty; she hadn't seen him in Duty mode for over a decade.

"Chairman, what makes you so certain the Separatists are behind this attack?" Riyo kept her body angled, her head slightly tilted; Primary Conciliatory mode, lower status, clan member to clan leader.

"Look around, Senator, isn't this carnage proof enough?" His hand gestured harshly, beginning at the edge of her body and sweeping out in Tertiary Conflict.

"I know," she moved back into Conciliatory, reinforcing it with Peace mode. "But there are no dead droids here, no blast marks. The clones' injuries were not consistent with what…"

She moved forward, toward the Chairman, leaving Fives and Echo behind her checking the operations computers. In the far bank of computers, Chopper and Kev were talking, their voices excited in triumph as the communications board made small sputtering noises.

"So, you're an expert on war now, are you, Senator?" His voice was sharp, rude; his body shifted beyond Conflict to Quaternary Fight mode.

"No, Chairman. No, I only…" Her eyes were wide; Fight mode was almost unknown between male and female; between clan members.

"Let me tell you something, Senator. I have led our people since before you were born. I've seen a hundred planets rise and fall through force of arms." He strode down the ramp leading from the command platform and Chuchi suddenly realized she was once again looking up at him. "If it's not the Separatists out there, then it's a malevolent and aggressive enemy nonetheless, and I will not let whoever it is jeopardize the security of the people of Pantora."

He'd gone from Fight to Speech mode, she realized with a breath of relief. A mode he had mastered so many years ago, a mode which made him one of the preeminent politicians on Pantora as well as Chairman of the Assembly and Commander of the Pantoran military. So many of their conversations had actually been speeches; his words ringing clear and stern against what he considered the weakness of her thoughts.

She moved in front of him, slightly at an angle. She moved from Conciliatory to Interrogatory mode. Questioning, not confrontational; the difference was minimal but crucial. "But if the Jedi discover that the Separatists aren't behind this, then perhaps there is a peaceful resolution." His answer to everything had always been confrontation and conflict.

He stepped by her into the elevator and pulled his cloak around him.

"Senator, I am willing to fight and die for my people. It's time to ask yourself if you are brave enough to do the same."

She bowed her head to hide her angry expression. How dare he think she would do no less for Pantora.

The elevator doors shut before she could voice her anger.

Chopper sat next to her in the break room. His helmet was off and his mismatched eyes sparkled as he sipped the hot caf between sideways glimpses at her. When he and Kev had come in, he'd sat next to her and she had moved incrementally closer. Kev, in Primary Observation mode, had cautiously sat at the same table but across from Chopper.

At first Chopper had been a little shy of removing his helmet; he had a tendency to turn his head away from her. She had the dawning realization that he was afraid he was ugly.

"We got the communicators and computers up and operational, Senator," Kev explained after his caf was gone and Chopper hadn't said or done anything more than simply glance at her, smiling occasionally.

"Fives and Echo are running through the garrison records. Echo said the print was a narglatch but the attackers appear to be big, white, furry, bipedal and very fast. They also have claws." He looked at the bottom of his mug and waited for Chopper to say something. Chopper merely nodded his head, turning his face to hers.

Kev sighed and bit his lower lip, his body in Tertiary Fear and Riyo realized she'd seen nothing of his Foundation mode. She'd seen Echo's Foundation of Knowledge and Fives' Foundation of Modes. Chopper practically lived in his Foundation of Truth. But the closest thing to a Foundation in Kev was Fear.

"With communications up, we were able to extend our helmet transmissions to Captain Rex." Kev continued as Chopper said nothing but he did look at Kev and given an approving nod. "The generals met with the hostile species while checking the droid base. They're on the way back right now."

Riyo closed her eyes and felt Chopper's warm hand on her fingers.

"What's wrong?" He dropped his head for a moment, glancing into his mug then raised his eyes to look into her face. "My lady."

Kev stiffened at Chopper's words and looked miserable. Too many modes – Fear, Duty, Conciliation, Conflict, Friendship – warred in him for his body to be clear to her. Whatever frightened him was mingled with Chopper's actions to her.

For the moment Riyo simply let her fingers relax in Chopper's hand.

Kenobi & Skywalker made it back after dark, long after the troopers had returned. The temperature had dropped and the wind velocity had increased, the snow had become little needles of ice as they hit the skin. Hot caf had been pressed into the hands of the Jedi as soon as they dismounted the Freeco bikes.

Chairman Cho, Chuchi at his right hand, one grandson behind each of them, faced the generals in Primary Confrontation. At his side, she tried to ameliorate his forceful physical declaration with the mode of Peace. She didn't think they even noticed her.

"What did you find?" Chairman Cho demanded as though they were both lower status servants.

The planet was inhabited by a non-space-faring race of isolationists. They were no threat to Pantora. Chairman Cho's anger threatened to take him too far. She stepped forward, again at a conciliatory angle,

"Your majesty, if there are life forms here, then the Senate must decide jurisdiction."

He turned, facing her, looming over her in Primary Conflict. "They are savages."

General Kenobi leaned slightly to her side, also in Conciliatory mode. "They only want to be left alone."

"They're dangerous." Chairman Cho moved from Conflict mode to Primary Command. "Captain Rex, prepare your men for battle."

The captain jerked slightly then looked to General Skywalker for confirmation.

General Skywalker's Foundation may have been Confrontation, but his words were peaceful. "We promised there would be no retaliation."

"They're animals. They can't be trusted."

"But your majesty,…" Riyo was still in Concilatory mode but the Chairman cut her off.

"No. It is obvious these creatures are not covered by the Convention of Civilized Systems. The Jedi Council has no say in the matter."

Riyo tried again. "If the Jedi are able to communicate with them, their status is in doubt."

Cho pulled himself up to his full height, his mode was Command and Chairman and Clan Leader. "Do you stand against your chairman, Senator?"

"Of course not, your Majesty." He was more than her Chairman; he was her clan-leader and the clan father of the extended family to which she belonged. She had no loyalty that did not lead back to him.

The last trooper had not dismounted from his bike before the Chairman was summarily ordering the troopers into position. Chopper and the rest of her troopers stayed at her side, wary, their helmets on external, including her.

"Switch to IR," suggested Echo. "Any life form should be a heat source."

"I've got two at our ninty." Fives shifted, covering her from that angle of attack.

"Two on the other side of the chairman; at two sixty and two eighty." Kev's mode was all Duty, now, as he moved between her and known hostiles. There was no fear in him for battle.

Kenobi's words to Chairman Cho were harsh. "They trust you no more than you trust them."

The Talz rose up from the snow. Riyo turned to her troopers, her eyes wide. How could she tell them to 'take care'? They were troopers and she saw they'd all fallen into the mode of Duty.

Fives nodded at her. "We will, Senator."

She followed the Jedi with Senator Amidala's protocol droid at her side as her men moved into formation with the others. She glanced back, once, at the Chairman, who stood, frozen and angry. Riyo suspected he was angrier at being outmaneuvered than at the rebuke from General Kenobi.

The creatures were big, taller even than the Chairman, covered with white shaggy fur. They seemed to have two sets of eyes and a proboscis rather than a mouth. She glanced at their hands; each finger terminated in a long and sharp claw.

"Listen droid, translate everything I say, exactly as I say it." He was beyond Confrontation, beyond Conflict and had moved into Quaternary Fight.

She moved quickly and intercepted the Chairman. "Do you wish me to represent Pantora in this matter." Her body was in Conciliatory and Peace modes. It could be so easily done. They wanted peace. What was the Chairman fighting for? Orto Plutonia was a frozen planet and, after years of exploration, had produced nothing of value. Its greatest value had been as an outpost rented to the Republic for their base and as a tidal moon for the Pantoran seas.

"Not on your life, Senator." He pushed her with his arm; again Conflict mode with her. "There will be no diplomacy this time."

"Listen here, you savage…" began the Chairman and peace crumpled before Riyo Chuchi's eyes. His Conflict mode crossed barriers of species. Even the Talz, so different, could see his intent and harsh growls rose in their throats at his threats. The Jedi generals stood away, their arms crossed in barrier and disagreement.

Before the protocol droid could begin translating, Senator Chuchi stepped in front of the Chairman in Primary Confrontation stance; a mode she rarely took and never before with Chairman Cho. "Your Majesty, we can't," she began, her fingers coming up to touch him, another Confrontation mode leading to Quaternary Fight. But the Chairman's hard grip was on her wrist and she was jerked behind him, almost falling to her knees but for the quick reflexes of General Skywalker who caught her, unable to say more in her shock at his actions.

"I promised Thi-Sen we would leave them in peace." Kenobi's voice, even in anger, was smooth.

"This is now an internal affair of Pantora." Chairman Cho dismissed the Jedi with a gesture, as if they were no more than a child's fairy tale, no more than lower cast servants, no more than clan orphans.

The great white creature spat and growled; his arms moving, gesturing area, the extent of his lands. Riyo hoped it was only this valley; only this continent, even only nine tenths of the planet. She could work peace if it wasn't the entire planet.

The protocol droid listened carefully and turned to the Chairman. "The great Thi-Sen, "Son of Suns," asks again that you leave, or it will mean war."

"Then war it is." Chairman Cho's voice was harsh and hard and triumphant.

Riyo Chuchi closed her eyes in despair. She opened them to glance up at the Jedi, hopeful, but they didn't see her look as they grimly watched Chairman Cho turn and, followed by his grandsons, stride back to where they'd left the troopers.

Why, Chairman, why? There is nothing here for us.

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