Orto Plutonia arc

After the Battle

Kev woke. He hurt too much to groan, almost too much to breath. He tried to define where it pained him but realized it for an impossible task. The lights, even as dim as they were, scalded his skin. The very air was an excruciating heaviness.

"Are you thirsty, Kev?" It was a quiet voice, one of his brothers' voices, though he couldn't define who in his murky confusion. Marker, maybe? Kru? Were they here? Was he there?

"I'm going to hold a wet sponge to your lips; just to keep your lips moist. If you think you can swallow, move your lips and I'll dribble just enough to keep your mouth moist."

Kev identified the voice. Echo. Grumbling, complaining, low-voiced Echo. Sergeant Echo now. Kev moved his lips and felt cool liquid drop onto his lips and slide gently into the desert that was his mouth.

"Anesthesia gives a bad case of dry mouth. There's a reason, but I promised Fives I wouldn't torment any wounded brother with it."

Definitely Echo.

"They're getting a bacta tank ready for you; you shouldn't hurt like this too much longer. We're in post-op on the Resilient."

"In jurs," mumbled Kev, wanting to know the extent of his damage; wondering if he'd be sent back to Kamino. Resilient. Bacta tank. Probably not Kamino then. Kev was glad his mind, fuzzy as it was, still worked. That was good, it was long travel. He'd heard vague rumors but didn't really believe them.

"You've got internal injuries, Kev, and they had to do surgery before the bacta. Bones that aren't broken are your lower legs and feet; maybe a few fingers. Your skull is cracked, you've got a concussion as well as a broken back. Your warmsuit was damaged in the crash; the cold appears to have prevented swelling damage to your spinal cord and it wasn't torn, so that looks good." Echo paused a moment to do something. Kev felt moisture against his lips and moved his mouth again. Echo squeezed a few drops of some sweet liquid onto his tongue. Kev, in his entire short life, had never tasted anything so redolent of life.

"It's just muja juice, Kev," Echo whispered conspiratorially so the medics wouldn't hear. "Coric allows it under certain circumstances like this."

Kev tried to smile. He wasn't sure if he managed. Echo continued talking in his normal voice.

"Your ribs broke and caved inward, puncturing your lungs. You have a stent and they're draining fluid from one of your lungs. Your heart stopped several times and Chopper was terrified about giving you CPR with your injuries."

"Ch'per din," objected Kev, but he had an odd memory of armor shards, icy cold and someone's body against him, someone's arms around him. He remembered a voice urging him to stay.

"Yes, Kev. Chopper." Echo's voice was suddenly tired, as though he'd had this argument before. Perhaps he had, Chopper had a bad reputation. Or did he?

Odd memories slipped through Kev's mind; Caber hearing some comment about Chopper and, stone-faced, moving his tray to another table. Matchstick saying Chopper had a pilot's eye for detail, and once, even Sergeant Zeer nodding and making room when Chopper had come into a late-night battle-theory discussion.

"Others?" His denial of Chopper slipped out of his mind, he'd think about it later when there was no pain distracting him and he could reconcile the image of Chopper frowning, sitting alone at his corner table with the image of Chopper leaning over him, saying a cadence like a prayer; "Stay with us, Kev, stay with us."

"I got some skin glue and anti-infectant on my ribs where a narglatch grabbed me and pulled out the armor. Nothing broken, but I've been told not to 'stress my ribs'. Fives has a spear hole in the back of his knee and will be on crutches until there's a bacta tank for him. Rex has what he calls a scratch from a narglatch trying to chew on his armor. Skin glue and anti-infectant for him also."

He paused and Kev smile, this time he could feel the worn muscles of his face making the motions. "Go…od."

"But that's it for Torrent." Echo pressed a few more drops of juice on Kev's lips. "Chopper's friend, Sergeant Jester from the 212th took a spear that cracked his shoulder blade but he's angrier about his three lost men. Total was eleven troopers dead as well as the Chairman and his two bodyguards."

"Sen'tor?" Kev wanted to know that Senator Chuchi was alive. He had touched her and for a moment his fingertips felt warm in memory.

Chopper had growled through closed channel, "Put your hand lightly on the small of her back, Kev."

"Why, Chopper?" Kev had snapped back. What would it mean to touch a woman?

"She's being verbally attacked and needs support. She needs to know we've got her back." Chopper said. Chopper's voice had gone all gravelly, like it normally did after a sentence or two; as if he forgot to talk and had to remember the words.

"Why not you, Chopper?" Kev had retorted.

"Because I'm flanking the wrong side for it."

Kev knew that much was true. Kev was on her right and could simply reach out with his unseen left hand. Chopper would have to shift the deece to his other hand as well as the pack he was holding. It would be too obviously noticeable.

Kev had been worried it was some sort of trap, something to make trouble for him with the captain, but he had softly placed his fingers low on her back, between and slightly below her kidneys. She had flinched, straightening at the touch and Kev was cursing Chopper. Then she relaxed, even leaned ever so slightly into his touch. He'd let his fingers spread, the palm side of his armored hand supporting her, reminding her that there were two troopers here for her. As the Chairman left the room and she had leaned forward Kev had let his hand drop, reluctantly, to his side.

He had worried it was forbidden. Women touched first and she hadn't given him permission. But Chopper had been right. She had gathered strength from his touch. Kev felt odd; strong and humble that a simple touch could mean so much.

There were more sounds, other voices and Kev drew his attention to the painful present.

"We have to go, Kev," Echo was saying. "The medics want their time with you, but after you're set up one of us will be here with you until you're out of the tank."

Kev didn't believe that. There was no reason Fives or Chopper or even Echo would come see him again while he was in the bacta tank. They weren't really a true squad. There was a sergeant and a trooper, both preparing for ARC training, there was misfit Chopper and there was him. Not a real squad; not a team that worked together.

There was a hiss and the pain trailed away with Kev's consciousness.

Senator Chuchi leaned back in the chair and threw the stylus at the wall. It made a pinging sound, metal against metal and landed somewhere on the floor. The Chairman's two sons were attending the Chairman's body as well as their own sons but soon they would come to her and demand answers. She had none to give them. What would she say? Your sons died because their grandfather didn't want to die alone or in peace. No matter that it was true, neither man would be pleased.

Riyo snorted at herself. She wasn't here to please the delicate sensibilities of two men; her duty was to the Senate and peace. She had learned that on Orto Plutonia; her duty was not to the clan but to the greater good of Pantora and the Republic. She stood and picked up the stylus, dropping it on her desk as she paced, running her fingers through her unbound hair. She could let them know the Chairman's final words or she could substitute something else. 'I died in battle' seemed right; it would give the old man the legacy he craved yet it wouldn't cause an uproar of anger against the Talz. Riyo nodded to herself. She would give them those words, attend the Chairman's funeral as first mourner and, after a year, quietly petition to join her mother's clan.

The tone of the door let her know she had visitors and Riyo wondered who it was. Surely, not the Chairman's sons, they wouldn't be done so soon with the bodies. Probably one of the Jedi generals; though she'd already informed them she would be staying on Pantora for the state funeral before returning to Coruscant. She opened the door.

He stood there, the clone trooper in the plain armor; who had been introduced on Coruscant as the commander's second. The trooper who had called her 'my lady'. Chopper, his scars making him easily recognizable. He stood at stark attention at her door, tall and solid, with his helmet in the curve of his arm. He stood in Truth and Courtship touched with Sorrow.

The other two troopers were behind him and slightly offside on either side, like an honor guard, though Fives was on crutches, his helmet attached to his belt, and Echo stood … carefully. She recognized the position as the one they used when escorting her; conveying both protection and honor. Except, with her, they'd stood in the Mode of Duty; with Chopper they stood in their Foundations and Friendship.

They'd spent time cleaning up. Their armor was burnished to a soft pearlescent sheen; all of them freshly showered and shaved, Fives and Echo's hair was trimmed to sharp corners.

"Yes, Chopper?" Her voice was tentative and she took a step closer to the tall man, her hand rising to touch him on his heart with her fingertips. They were all tall and her head tilted up so she wasn't staring at their chest. They were almost as tall as Chairman Cho but they didn't make her feel like a child, didn't use their height to separate. Their shoulders relaxed and their bodies seemed to open as though preparing for a hug; making her feel protected, wanted, warm and safe.

"My squad is going back to Coruscant, Senator Chuchi then back to the Resolute." Chopper's voice was low.

She nodded, her face sad. "I had hoped we would have more time…" She smiled and lowered her eyes then glancing up at him from the corners; Secondary Courtship. "For flirting."

"I would have liked that," he said, the corners of his lips turning up in the barest hint of a smile. "More time." He swallowed, pursed his lips together for a moment. She identified Secondary Fear, watching even as it dissolved. "I have nothing to gain from this, but I wanted to tell you, to let you know." He stopped and Riyo blinked.

"To let me know what, Chopper?" Riyo tilted her head in curiosity. So many emotions crossed his face. He took a deep breath and for a moment, the galaxy tilted on its axis.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, my lady. Wise and kind, peaceful and gentle. If I could, I'd give you the galaxy. If I had even myself, I would…." His voice faltered into nothing. He closed his mouth, sucking in his lips and cheeks. He began again, staring straight ahead as though facing danger almost beyond his comprehension. "My lady Senator Riyo Chuchi, if I had anything, it would be yours."

"Oh," tears came to her eyes and she took the single step closer, touching her palm softly to the center of his armor then both her palms as she gazed upward into his face showing him her tears, showing him her love evident in her face.

Of course, a man who risked everything each time he went to battle wouldn't hold back. He stood in Primary Courtship and his own Foundation of Truth; she returned his mode, standing in Primary Courtship and Peace. "I have never been offered anything greater." Her fingers moved up the surface of his armor to touch his face.

He bent his head down to look at her, his mismatched eyes sad then wide with surprise as her fingers cupped his jaw then stroked his cheeks, the fingertips of hand resting on the marred side of his face. She went up on tiptoes, tilting her face upward with her lips softly parted, her fingers guiding his face down to hers.

It was barely enough because Chopper didn't understand her actions until she was kissing him, her lips warm against his where they barely touched.

"Chopper," the words came softly from one of the troopers behind him. "When a woman kisses you like that, you're supposed to kiss back."

Chopper grabbed the senator around the waist, lifting her until her toes barely touched the deck of the Resiliant. Slowly he bent, kissing her with enthusiasm and hope; his breathing raspy from needing her yet overcome by the sorrow of leaving. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, the curve of her eyes, the edge of her ears where her hair hid his face. "I love you, my lady," he whispered softly, hesitantly, his body his breath warm against her.

She whispered into his ear, her fingers stroking his skin, her face against his. "I love you, Chopper. My home is your home. Know that, my dear love, my Chopper. When you are on Coruscant or if you ever return to Pantora. My home is yours."

*sigh* I do love kisses and true love and ... well, no HEA for our couple. At least not yet. We have to get back to Coruscant and find out what happened to the commander.

As usual... read & enjoy & review. Another update in a few days...