Beginning Again arc V

Coruscant II – Dawn

It was late, closer to dawn on Coruscant than midnight. Although excited, the others had gone to their bunks for the night. Chopper had heard Hardcase whispering, Conjure and Slack laughing softly, in the dim reflected light of Coruscant, at what they'd done to bring such a smile from the commander. Chopper, in the window, overlooking so much of the city, smiled as well.

She'd given them each a kiss and Chopper absently touched his cheek. She had gently pressed her palms on his face and given each man a soft kiss on the cheek after they were done. They'd made sure the blue gems were attached securely to the sandals, made sure a few of the bracelet crystals were securely set between the akul teeth bringing a touch of sparkle to her face to reflect the sparkle in her eyes. Slack had intercepted Jesse at the door and pushed him, eyes closed, into his room and acted as his second.

Jesse's response to the commander had been gratifying. He'd come out of the room, laughingly complaining that he was glad he didn't normally have a second. Then he saw the commander.

Chopper could identify with that moment of breathless wonder.

Jesse had taken a position similar to attention; standing straight and tall before the commander. One arm had been folded behind his back and the other reached out to her, palm up, in invitation.

"My lady," he'd hesitantly said in a soft voice and Chopper knew it was something he had been told by the dance instructor, understood it wasn't quite what Chopper meant when he called Senator Riyo Chuchi 'my lady'. "May I have the honor of this dance?"

She had smiled, just as hesitantly as Jesse had spoken, and reached out for his hand with her slender fingers as she timidly glanced up into his face. Jesse had swept her around the room in a flowing measure.

"Is he… humming?" whispered Hardcase to Chopper and Chopper nodded as he noticed that Ahsoka had closed her eyes in complete trust to Jesse's lead. Her smile had gone from timid to ecstatic.

General Skywalker had come out of his room while they were dancing and sat, one leg hitched on the back of the large sofa, as he observed his padawan with a strange expression on his own – a bit wistful and a bit quizzical and not a little stupified – as if he wondered where his Jedi padawan had gone. He'd caught Chopper's eyes with his own and given a nod. Chopper knew that nod. Good work, trooper.

The general stood and took a step toward the dancing couple. "Sergeant." He was suddenly beside them as they came to a stop, the sweep of her dress flowing around to encase one side of Jesse from the knee down, the general's hand reaching for the commander's. "I don't think I've ever been so glad to outrank everyone as now." He spoke softly and her hand went to his. "Since it gives me the privilege of escorting Ahsoka to the party."

Jesse gave a sharp nod and took a step behind them; to the commander's right hand side rather than the general's. It wasn't quite military protocol, perhaps it was something the dance instructor had mentioned. The general said nothing to Jesse, turning instead to Chopper.

"Make sure Captain Rex returns from his run and makes the party, Chopper. He tries to avoid them, but I don't believe him when he says he loses track of time." Chopper nodded softly; troopers had a near-perfect sense of time.

"You can tell him that's an order from me, if you must." One side of Skywalker' face quirked up, giving him the look of mischieveousness. a much younger man with no responsibilities. "To really scare him, you can tell him it's an order from Padme." General Skywalker turned back to the commander, escorting her from the apartments trailed by Jesse in military perfection.

Chopper had been in the commander's room, trying to reset all the other clothing back into the transport box that Senator Amidala had sent and pack up the remaining pairs of dainty shoes and sparkling jewelry. Hardcase had come to the door and stood as if at guard.

"Captain's back, Chopper."

Chopper merely grunted acknowledgement. How had the senator gotten that much clothing into the confined space?

"Not in a good mood either. Conjure offered to second him and captain told him he could dress himself."

Chopper frowned, moving from the problem of the clothes to the problem of the captain. A good run usually relaxed a trooper; settled him mentally as well as physically. Even a bad run was worth the effort. Unless you ran into an obstacle. Chopper touched his lower lip and sat on the edge of the bed. It sank luxuriously beneath him. Unless you're running back to something bad – something you know was an ambush, or a reprimand, or…

Chopper stood, suddenly aware of the ambush Captain Rex was expecting.

"I'll take care of it, Hardcase." He strode to the door and glanced back, "if you can get all this back into that box in original condition."

Chopper nodded to himself. He had warned the captain the best he'd been able.

He heard the door open and listened. There was a soft, tired sigh. A happy sigh, from the commander.

"I had a wonderful time, Jesse. Thank you." Chopper heard the movements of her dress as she walked, the soft click of something – the bracelet jewels? – being set on the table.

"It was my privilege, commander, and my honor and…" Chopper could imagine Jesse's expression in the dark. "And I will be available to escort you at any time in the future." There was a pause. "Good night, Ahsoka." Jesse almost whispered her name beyond Chopper's hearing, but not quiet.

Chopper heard soft noises, clothing against clothing. He thought about letting them knew he was here and awake in the window. Then he gave himself a mental shake. The commander, at least, knew he was here.

"Good night, Jesse." Her voice was sweet and tender; but Chopper listening hard now, heard nothing of the tone she used with the captain. The door to her quarters closed.

Jesse's footsteps were moving toward him, toward the window. Chopper made a small noise, warning the other clone he was there, and the footsteps stalled. There was a long pause then they turned and moved toward the room where Jesse was bunking.

Chopper turned back to the lights that glittered in the distance. No, he wouldn't want to spoil a night like that by talking with another trooper either.

Captain Rex was next. His footsteps were military precise, even when he didn't know anyone was there. Except, between the apartment door and the door to the captain's temporary quarters, they stopped. Chopper risked a glance. The captain was at the commander's door, simply staring at it with an unreadable expression. Slowly, one hand came up to touch the door panel. A ghost of a smile touched the captain's lips and he turned again toward his quarters, jerked into stillness at the sight of Chopper.

For a moment Rex's face was like stone, closed and hard, then Rex sighed and tilted his head in thought. He- came over to the window; standing at Chopper's hip. He was too close for Chopper to move and stand at attention or parade rest, too close for Chopper to do anything except continue sitting on the window's edge.

"She was beautiful, Chopper." Rex's voice was low, holding a measure of wonderment and he lifted a gloved hand to touch his reflection in the glassteel window. "And happy." Rex dropped his head to look at the floor. "I understood why you warned me not to dance with her unless I could enjoy it. She…" he paused, looking directly into Chopper's eyes. "She glowed with happiness and I could have taken that away from her."

Chopper nodded and turned his head toward the window, toward the lights. Rex continued speaking.

"General Skywalker danced with her several times as did Senator Organa. The new chairman of Pantora, Papanoida, claimed a dance from Jesse saying it was a Pantora custom that no one could dance three times in a row with the same partner." Absently, Chopper locked that in his memory. "She was incandescent, Chopper." Rex breathed deeply and shifted, nervously.

Chopper caught that shift. "You danced with her?"

Rex nodded, his face still trooper grim. "When I walked into the room and saw her dancing with Senator Organa, I knew I would dance with her that night. By the time I could claim a dance with her, I wanted to take a blaster to every male there. Including Jesse. Including the general. I wanted to be the one to compliment her; to put that wide-eyed, surprised delight on her face with my admiration. I wanted to be the one holding her in my hands as we danced." Rex relaxed momentarily and looked down at his hands. He began pulling off his gloves, gently loosening them first at the fingertips. "I danced with her and I enjoyed it. I will remember that to my dying day, Chopper."

There was silence between the two men but Rex didn't move back to his quarters so Chopper waited, knowing there would be more; knowing in this timeless moment between dark and dawn he was not a trooper of the 501st under the command of Captain Rex. He was Rex's friend, Chopper.

"She told me that Togruta are adults at sixteen." Rex finally spoke. "While we were dancing."

"What did you say to that?" Chopper frowned, contemplating his commander and his captain as a pair, as a unit, as brothers by choice. He shrugged; surely it wouldn't be too different than the way things were run now?

Rex chuckled, glancing down at his gloves with a smile on his lips. "I told her I'd wait until I was sixteen. She called me a few choice names and went to dance next with Jesse."

"What if she doesn't wait for you, Captain?" Chopper didn't think that likely. The commander's heart beat with loyalty; he couldn't fathom her loving anyone other than the captain.

Rex bowed his head softly. For a moment he didn't answer. His brows lowered and his lips became a firm, tight line. "That's what I'm hoping for, Chopper. Ultimately, I'm a clone trooper. What have I got to offer anyone?"

It was a rhetorical question. Rex wasn't expecting an answer, but Chopper had one for him. He put his hand on Rex's shoulder.

"Yourself."

More tomorrow... probably unless I get too caught up in holiday shopping.

As always, enjoy.