Jedi Council arc - II
A Little Light Night Reading
"Where'd you get this, Echo?" Chopper softly gestured to the screen readings.
"From the Jedi Council archives as funneled through Tipoca City Training Center on Kamino." Echo shrugged and gave a dismissive wave of one hand. "Command Code Regulations subsection 4.08.8545a to 51.85.4613b subsection External Command Structures." The words rolled off his lips flawlessly, without thought and, as an afterthought. "It's fairly interesting reading."
"You're kidding," Fives looked agog as the letters flickered up with increasing speed. Echo only gave him a hurt look.
Chopper chewed on his lower lip then the inside of his cheek. A worried frown covered his face. "Are we allowed access to…"
Echo laughed and put a reassuring hand on Chopper's shoulder. "Chopper, per Regulation 1.0526.32, we're supposed to memorize it."
Both men looked at him aghast with horror and awe on their faces.
Kev came in from his shift to see the three men using the main holoscreen for some kind of research. It wasn't Chopper's droid research which, Kev had to admit, could be interesting from what little he'd seen Chopper do on the big screen. Chopper usually used the datapad until he was finalizing a presentation.
They were engaged in boring research. Words, lots of words and in minuscule print as well. It had to be some research of Sergeant Echo's though Kev didn't know how he had roped Fives into it.
For a moment Kev simply watched the three men; Fives still half armored, Chopper in the body glove and Echo only in night shorts with one foot hitched up on the edge of his seat.
Everyone on the Resolute, Kev knew, really appreciated Chopper's research with the droids even if they thought Chopper himself a bucket shy of fully armored. In spite of Chopper's oddness, there wasn't a trooper in the 501st who didn't, in some way, owe his life to the man. Nor was there anyone who didn't count Echo as expert in rules, regulations and technical details of all sorts. And Fives; well, Fives had spent a week on Zeltros.
For all three of them to be going through files meant it could be important. Kev slowly removed his armor, cleaned it and locked it down, smiling at the design. He'd met Sketch that morning during sparring. He had made plans with the other trooper to visit while they were still on Coruscant; to thank him for the armor and actually talk with him about it. Maybe even ask … Kev shook his head. No, Sketch was Chopper's friend; he wouldn't answer Kev's questions.
When Kev returned from the shower, only Chopper and Echo were still looking at the files. Fives was face down on the console, snoring lightly with a thin line of drool on his lips. Even as Kev watched, Fives opened his eyes and licked his lips, rubbing his face with his hands.
"Sorry, Echo. Chopper." He pulled up some files, leaning his crossed arms on the console, but his eyes were already flickering, drooping; his head nodding, falling slowly to his forearms.
"S'ok, Fives," murmured Chopper.
"Fives, go to sleep." Echo took a moment to guide his semi-awake, half-armored brother into the nearest bunk, one of the unused ones. "Your expertise comes later."
Kev grabbed a blanket and pulled it over Fives. Echo gave a nod. "Thanks, he'd just come off a back to back but wanted to help." Echo returned to the large holoscreen, his fingers flicking through the controls, closing off Fives portion and reducing the reading panes from three to two.
Kev sat down on his bunk, cleaning his helmet electronics, his blaster and his belt pouches, occasionally looking up at the split screen. They hadn't invited him to help them but neither did they ask him to leave. Maybe they assumed he would? But they weren't acting like that either. Kev thought about leaving, but Kru and Marker were on the Resolute and he didn't really want to sit in the Coruscant Guards mess by himself.
He noticed the other troopers had begun avoiding him now as well as Chopper and Echo. Fives had the Zeltron stories and no one wanted to avoid those. Their avoidance bothered him because he was the same man.
Kev touched his chest absently. Well, mostly the same man with only a small scar and a medal to show for Orto Plutonia. With a helmet holo of Senator Chuchi smiling at him and a single piece of chocolate he'd secretly saved from the sabacc game along with the memory of a hug from Ash. He thought other's avoidance might change as they became Sergeant Echo's squad instead of 'the men in Chopper's barracks'. Time would determine that, but probably not because Echo and Fives would be going to ARC training soon and it would only be him and Chopper. The men in Chopper's barracks.
Slowly Kev buffed his helmet. Chopper's friend had done a small naglatch head behind the right ear; beautifully detailed and no larger than his thumbprint.
Except, Kev realized, it wasn't all the other troopers avoiding him. The specialists didn't avoid him, didn't avoid sitting with him – the medics, the pilots, the heavy gunners; Coric and Kix, Matchstick and Broadside, Caber and Tank; good men all. They'd sit with him and discuss events. It was often conversation above his comprehension especially with the medics, but he was beginning to understand and his tentative questions were treated seriously. The sergeants, also, would stop and say a few words if he sat alone in the mess.
Even Captain Rex, late last night after gym, had stopped in the Coruscant Guards mess and, seeing Kev seated alone, had asked how things were going. Kev, after standing and saluting had stammered out a single lying word. "Fine, sir." Then, cautiously, he had asked about Marker and Kru.
"Are they still with the 501st, sir? On the Resolute?" Kev had wanted to drop to his knees and beg, though he wasn't really sure for what.
"Of course, Kev. I've got them on different shifts and in a different deck than you at the moment. They're assisting Zeer ensure there are fewer one-on-ones."
"It's not.." began Kev then he gulped hard, "punishment for what I did?"
"I never punish men, Kev, and if I did, it certainly would not be for what someone else has done."
"But if it's not punishment, sir, why am I in Chopper's barracks?"
The captain had refused to answer, saying only, "It's not punishment, Kev." He had even rested his hand lightly on Kev's shoulder.
The captain had been in a relaxed mood and there'd been one more question Kev had dared ask. "You said on Orto Plutonia that Chopper would make a good sergeant." The captain was already nodding. "What did you mean by 'when the time comes'?"
Captain Rex has been still and Kev was afraid he'd gone too far. But the captain had only looked at him and spoken softly. "You'll need to ask Chopper about that." Kev knew he wouldn't ask.
Sergeant Zeer had said that it wasn't punishment also and so, most of the time, Kev wondered why he was in Chopper's barracks. He glanced over to Chopper and Echo. Every few minutes one of the two would pause his side of the screen and point out some words; the other assessing some quality of the information as they quietly discussed it. Kev looked at the screen for a moment and words grabbed his attention. Jedi High Council. Attachment. Marriage.
Marriage? Oh fierfik, Chopper! What's going on?
"It's not like I want to marry her, Echo. Why's that in the search perimeters?" Chopper pointed his finger to the offending word and Kev breathed slightly easier.
It wasn't what it had originally looked like. He had a sudden thought that, with Chopper, nothing was what it had originally looked like.
Maybe you had to wait as the qualities of the man were slowly revealed. What he'd observed on Coruscant and Orto Plutonia hadn't revealed anything exceptional except that Chopper kept to himself and could make friends of female citizens.
And that he had the Captain's respect.
Kev brought his fingers to his chest. There wasn't even much of a scar. Not one that showed anyway, just a small one barely as wide as his thumb where they had inserted a tube to drain liquid from his lungs.
And that Chopper cared about his brothers, even ones who considered him... What did Kev think of Chopper anyway?
Kev twisted it around, mimicking the bouncing off each other common to Fives and Echo's discussions. What had Chopper thought of him? He didn't know what Chopper thought of him, but he blushed in shame at what Chopper should think of him.
"Because the entire thing hinges on the 'attachment' clause of the Jedi Code," muttered Echo, not so much as to keep it secret but because it was late and their mugs of caf were empty. "And marriage is about as attached as two people can get. Starting with that, we can work backwards to attachment; find the whys and wherefores, then forward our research with your and Commander Tano's friendship. I cannot find a reason in their code to deny your friendship with the commander except this 'attachment' clause."
Kev thought about refilling their mugs, but that would take a trip to the mess and he didn't want to miss whatever this was.
Are you sure, Kev? If you know, then you'll have to inform the captain. He flushed slightly. He had started the fight with Chopper, had pushed it on the man. He'd been envious. Why does the commander prefer the loner trooper anyway? He remembered thinking when the commander had pulled Chopper as her second several times during practice. He got an answer he didn't want to hear. Because he's not you.
Kev shook his head, he had experience with the man now and could come up with better reasons. Because Chopper is worth knowing. Because he's a good trooper. One of the best.
Because he's not like me. Kev frowned and brought his fingers to his chest again. Truth like that, it hurt, cut deep into who you were. He looked at his breastplate in the armor lock. It was beautiful. Maybe he should try to be worthy of it. He stood and locked his helmet in the grid with care and touched the narglatch with a fingertip for luck then turned toward the other two.
"Can I help?" Kev asked softly. Maybe he could steer them away from any big trouble before it became too much for the captain or the general to ignore.
"Sure." Echo split the screen again, into triads, and Kev took the seat Fives had recently vacated.
"Captain," Chopper was on the comm leaving a message: "Kev's working with us. Let us know if you're going to clear his schedule."
OK, captain already knows. That made Kev marginally happier and he turned to Echo's words.
"The Jedi Council doesn't approve of the commander's friendship with Chopper because of some 'attachment' clause in their code. They're considering taking the commander away from the 501st but it doesn't make sense because so many of the Jedi are friends with their clones." Echo spoke as his fingers flicked over the screen controls and Kev nodded. "Kenobi and Cody, Secura and Bly, Skywalker and Rex, even Ahsoka and Rex, others." He suddenly realized it wasn't quite as many as he'd thought. "Why are they singling out this friendship between Chopper and Ahsoka? So we want to find out more info. Who, what, why, exceptions, code wording, exactness of interpretation." He frowned as he stared at the screen, his fingers tapping irratably on the table. "Maybe we should search for the history of this non-attachment clause. Kev, could you check for exceptions?"
Kev nodded, turning toward the holoscreen divided into thirds. Echo quickly keyed in … something and a swath of information was suddenly in Kev's third of the screen.
It was Kev, more interested in people than in regulations, who found Ranik Solusar.
"Will this help? It's one of the few places that a name is associated with the word marriage. And he's not Cerean like General Mundi."
Echo scanned it rapidly with a growing grin of satisfaction. "This is excellent; a good start. We now have two exceptions."
Chopper frowned. "It says here he was reprimanded by the Council for his attachment to his family."
"Reprimanded, Chopper. And what else?" Echo asked gleefully.
Chopper was silent for a moment, his eyes touching words. "Reprimand. Reprimand. Reprimand and nothing. He's still a Jedi Master; still married and trains his child; still goes on assignments. What's a reprimand to a Jedi? It doesn't appear as though anything has changed in his life." Chopper's temper began to rise. "How dare they? He's married, lives with his family and trains his own son. While the commander cannot even have a friendship with people she commands? Who give their lives?" His fists clenched and his jaw tightened.
"Not now, Chopper. Save righteous anger for Fives to work with." Echo put a softly restraining hand on Chopper's shoulder.
Ah, Fives would be giving Chopper benefit of his social expertise.
Kev bit his lip, remembering flushes of envy at Chopper's closeness with the commander; her reciprocal closeness with him. "Maybe they're concerned that it will move toward marriage, Chopper," he offered tentatively. "Or something close to that." Both men were silent, contemplating his words and he continued. "They don't see your daily interactions; they don't really know that it is friendship." Kev nodded, slightly more serious. I know that now, Chopper. "Maybe they have someone feeding them rumors, sowing dissent." He glanced down, then back up into Chopper's face. "Like I did." It was an oblique apology, more heartfelt than the public one Chopper had beaten out of him. "Maybe what they know is more rumor than anything else."
Chopper grunted, but his fists loosened as he slowly nodded.
"That's a good point, Kev." Echo's eyes shadowed then glinted in the excitement of battle. "Now, how do I track down rumor?" It was a murmur to himself.
"Say, Echo," Kev glanced at the screen with a worried look. "Where did all this information come from?"
Echo grinned and Chopper laughed.
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Notes: From Wookiepedia General Ki Adi Mundi is married because of Cerean's low birth rates. It's not an argument I would buy under the circumstances. Ranik Solusar was also Wookiepedia-ed. There is less information on him, but he is also apparently married and running around on mission during this time. Thank you Wookiepedia.