After Felucia IV

A Night of Sabacc…

Sketch and Jester had arrived together and been dealt into the game. Kru was sitting on the window ledge, studiously ignoring them all, and there was muffled singing from Hardcase in the bathing room when the guest tone alerted them.

Zeer glanced up at Coric then to the empty seat behind and to one side of Chopper. "Is this who we're waiting for?"

Chopper nodded. "A friend of mine, Kev, Sketch and Jester," Chopper answered as he stood, but Kev was faster and, not being against the wall, was closer to the door.

Still, Ash was Chopper's friend and guest, so he also moved toward the small anteroom by the entrance. He noted Jester's quizzical glance and slight shifting of his body.

Ash was there, round-bellied, tugging at her shirt, pink embarrassment in her cheeks. Kev hadn't yet gotten a hug, but he had a firm hand under her arm for her. He glanced at Chopper, his eyes almost as big and round as her belly, with a shocked, delighted grin. Gajer was there, his arms laden with various bags.

"I've brought chapiz and fruit," she laughed, giving Kev a hug. This was no practice hug, and he hugged her back, tight around her shoulders. Her body pressed against him and he gulped, suddenly awakened to possibilities. She stayed in the curve of his arm as she turned to the youngling. "Gajer, go put the food on a flat surface. One of the…oh,"

Jester, attracted by the noise, by Chopper's curious words, by the sound of a woman's voice – a familiar voice - had come into the anteroom and grabbed her from Kev, hugging her as though he wouldn't let go, his head buried into her hair. "Ash! It's… I'm…Ash!" She held him tightly, her fingers combing through his hair, murmuring into his ear.

Chopper recognized he'd have to wait for his hug and was glad he'd warned Kev that Jester was also Ash's friend. He pointed the boy towards the kitchen and patiently leaned against the wall.

Jester took a step back, holding her at arm's length with a lop-sided grin. "You've gotten…"

"Pregnant, Jester," she warned with narrowed eyes as she tugged at her shirt. 'Don't you dare say 'fat'."

"Pregnant?" His voice was lower, shocked. He had been about to say 'fat'.

"I got married, Jester." It was an explanation with no explanation but Jester didn't notice in his delight at seeing her again; his expression all shock and awed wonder.

Chopper straightened, moving towards her for his own hug. Her arms were tight around him. "Thank you, Chopper." She murmured into his ear. "Thank you."

Chopper, his arm around her waist, and Jester in a second's position behind them, brought her into the main room where the troopers were inspecting the food the youngling was unpacking in the kitchen with interest. Immediately the men turned to her and moved into a respectful parade rest. Chopper introduced her to Sergeants Coric and Zeer, medic Kix then he turned toward Torque but Kev took over.

"Torque, Kru, this is Pilot Athualla or Ashwaeen."

Ash tilted her head with a look at Kev then reached out her hand in greeting. She was slightly more reserved than when she'd been introduced to the sergeants and Kix.

Torque pursed his lips in a slight, questioning frown. "Chopper, Jester and Kev call you Ash. You were introduced to Coric, Kix and Zeer as Ash. May I ask why I and Kru are to call you Pilot Athualla or Ashwaeen." He paused. "I mean no disrespect, Pilot Athualla but I don't understand."

She smiled and turned her head back to Chopper as she answered Torque's question. "My family and friends call me Ash. Chopper is a good friend and his friends may also call me Ash. I am given to understand that you and Kru," she glanced at the other trooper, "are not friends of Chopper."

"No," admitted Torque then he looked at Chopper. "But not unfriendly either."

"Speak for yourself," muttered Kru then switched to Mando'a as he turned back toward the window. "Ehn cuir shabuir."

Ash was in grabbing distance of Kru and one arm whipped out to catch his elbow with enough force to turn him on his heel. Her other hand caught him on the side of his face with the crack of her palm on his cheek. There was shocked silence in the room.

"Were you there?" She challenged in a hard voice. "Were you at Kaliida? Did you save your brothers and civilian pilots from freezing when the Malevolence attacked, leaving us powerless in space? Does your general have any reason to call you one of the best in Torrent?"

Kru flushed though Ash wasn't sure if it was anger or shame. She dropped her stinging hand to her side. "I will not answer to anything more familiar than Captain Pilot." She turned back to the table, ignoring him, biting the inside of her lip to keep from crying though she didn't know why she wanted to.

Kru stood staring at her, then looked to each trooper there. Sergeant Coric gave a sad shake of his head at Kru and turned back to the table. Kix had already turned to offer the Captain Pilot his arm. Kev had a look of anguish on his face while Sergeant Zeer pursed his lips in thought. Torque's look said he'd made up his mind and it appeared diametrically opposed to Kru's position. It was Chopper's look that scared Kru.

Chopper looked at Kru with compassion; nor anger nor hate but simply compassion and understanding. Then he sighed softly and turned back to the table, back to the game of sabacc.

Kru returned to his place in the window. the lights of Coruscant were haloed by bitter tears gathering in his eyes.

Kix's eyes had lit up when he'd been introduced and after she had slapped Kru, he escorted her back to the table. "Can I get you something to eat or drink? We have nothing stronger than muja juice, I'm sorry."

She sniffed and smiled at him, though her eyes were burning with unshed tears and getting red. "My husband won't let me have anything stronger anyway."

Kix reached toward her face then paused his hand without touching her. "Perhaps a cool cloth…?" He turned at her nod and was moving toward the kitchen.

Kix brought her a glass of juice and a cool cloth. He waited until her face was cool and her breathing was normal then asked if he could palpate her. Once again her face turned red, this time with laughter muffled by her hand. He heard the sudden silence of all the troopers halting in their movement and glanced at them. Chopper, Kev, Jester and Sketch each had a hard expression, each ready to call one-on-one with Kix but Ash laughed softly and brought Kix's attention back to her. Quickly he explained he merely wanted to touch her belly with his fingers to determine fetal placement as he shot glances at the four men standing around them.

"It's Bolo," objected Sketch. Kev glared at Kix with crossed arms while Jester moved to her side in a protective stance gently touching her shoulder. Kix knew that touch. I've got your back. I'll take your slot. She might not understand it, but Kix did.

"Why?" asked Chopper with a frown.

"Medical curiosity. It would be a unique experience. It's not as if any of you…" He noted the four troopers eyeing him narrowly and he sighed, realizing he wouldn't get to undergo the experience of seeing what his fingers could determine, realizing he wouldn't be able to touch her, to feel the small movements of a developing child.

"Of course, Kix." Ash took the decision out of their hands by grabbing Kix's hands and, to his delight, placing them on the roundness of her belly. Delightedly, Kix touched her, determining the curved shape of the child's shoulder, feeling the movements of the child as it turned. He would gladly have knelt there all evening, seeing the child with his fingers but Coric had coughed deep in his throat. "TIme for sabacc, Kix."

Halfway through the game, Hardcase came out of the bathing room jauntily humming Vode An under his breath, a towel around his shoulders and followed by a trail of steam. He was halfway through the room when he realized there was civilian in the room, a civilian of the female persuasion. He stood, suddenly frozen. A pretty female civilian. Should he retreat back to the bathing room or should he advance to his temporary barracks?

"Hardcase," Sergeant Zeer commanded, "your towel."

In retrospect, Hardcase recognized that the sergeant meant 'put the towel around your waist' but Hardcase did what he'd been trained to do, what he would have done on the battlefield if a sergeant had shouted 'medical pack' or 'blaster cartridge'.

He tossed the towel to the sergeant.

The civilian muffled her laughter with her hand, her green eyes sparkling, but it didn't help. Coric was laughing also. Chopper, his body quivering from silent laughter, had one arm protectively around the woman while Jester, on her other side, did the same as he chuckled. Torque laid his head on the table, his shoulders shuddering.

With a laugh, Zeer tossed the towel back.

"Get dressed, Hardcase," snickered Kev, "then come back out for chapiz and sabacc."

"I suppose it's our fault," Kix was saying. "Anyone of us could have warned him."

After several more rounds Ash breathed heavily and leaned back in her chair, her hands resting on the full moon of her pregnancy. "I need to leave the game for a while. Would anyone object if I just put my feet up for a while? Take a short rest?" They shouldn't, she was winning at the moment and a break would give them time to catch up.

"Certainly, Ash." Chopper stopped himself from jumping up to help her.

"No objection, Captain Pilot." Kru's voice came from his place at the window and was quietly respectful. It was the first thing he'd said since she had slapped him. "Please be comfortable." Gajer had kept him company for a while, but had since fallen asleep on the couch.

Chopper nodded softly at Kev then turned toward Jester. "Jester, you're closest. Why don't you take her to my room, there's a window and you can look over the city lights. Keep Ash company, if she wishes. You're losing so badly, it won't matter."

Jester grinned then turned toward her. As she pushed the chair back and clumsily started to rise, he merely grabbed her into his arms. She squealed and grabbed around his neck in surprise at his quickness or his action or both.

Jester laughed as he carried Ash into the smaller room that was still two to three times larger than the assigned barracks for him and his squad.

"It's good to see you, Ash." He said as he gently put her on the bed. "Such a short time and…." He pulled at his lip between his teeth. "Shall I leave you alone or would you prefer company?"

"Stay with me, Jester. Just shut the door and come lie beside me."

He shut his eyes for a moment as if in pain. "I can't do that, Ash." His voice carried no further than her ears and there was a small smile of regret on his lips. "If I lie beside you, I'll remember being on Naboo and…"

She reached up and twined her fingers in his. "Perhaps that's what I want, Jester."

His eyes widened and he nodded. Jester moved back to the door, shutting and locking it, then returned to the side of the bed pulling a chair with him. "I want to touch you, Ash." He raised his hand then paused, his palm floating over her belly. "I'll want you to touch me; like we did at the river. Already, I'm…" He shook his head and pulled his hand back to his side. "But you're part of a bonded pair now. It would be wrong."

"Jester, quiet and listen." Her palms came up to his cheeks and he shut his eyes, smiling in memory at her touch, at what they'd done by the river on Naboo. Nothing in his future would ever be as good as that had been.

"My husband knows you. Accepts you. If you were not GAR, you would be part of our family. He accepts your child as his own."

Jester's eyes shot open and he froze. "My…?"

Ash nodded, taking his hand and brought it down to her belly. "This is your child, Jester, conceived by the river on Naboo, welcome and wanted." She turned to her side, his hand following, molding to her form.

He was wrong; this was so much better. That had been a moment in time, this was a future; not his future, he'd never be anything more than a clonetrooper. But it would be a future of him. It was a greater reason to fight, to protect the Republic and... his mind stumbled over the words... his child.

"Knaps?" he asked softly as his lips turned up and his eyes sparkled.

"Knaps Athualla, citizen of Naboo, my husband and the father of my children," Ash nodded and Jester shut his eyes in the sweet pleasure of knowledge, bowing his head into her shoulder.

The game had broken up shortly after Ash had requested a rest and only Chopper remained in the main room although Kru hadn't moved from the window. Chopper leaned at the door to his borrowed room. He heard sobbing and his fingers curled into fists. If Jester was making Ash cry… He listened harder, for spoken words, for something to explain the sobs.

Ash's soft voice spoke though Chopper couldn't make out her words.

Chopper stood with his shoulders back in surprise. It was Jester weeping? He took a step away from the door. It wasn't Ash and that had been his concern. He wouldn't think or ask about Jester crying. It would bring too many questions that might need to be reported.

"Can't have a woman of your own, three quarter man, so you watch your brothers?" Kru's voice broke his reverie.

Chopper shook his head, his eyes not moving from the door. "Both Jester and Ash are my friends, Kru, not my lovers. Ash said that pregnant woman cry for anything or nothing and I wasn't sure if Jester knew that."

"Where did you meet a woman, Chopper? A citizen?" For once, Kru's voice wasn't hard and accusing. Genuine curiosity spoke out.

"In battle. Kaliida evacuation as she said." Chopper frowned. "Surely you've seen that civilians are affected by battle as much as we are?"

Kru turned back to the window.

"If they ask, Kru, I've gone for a walk. It appears both my room and the sofa," he gestured at Gajer, softly snoring, "are both occupied. I'll make do with the Guards or maybe in the lobby." Chopper grabbed his garrison jacket and moved out the door.

Home.

Once again Chopper opened the door with his code and slipped inside the darkened room.

Home.

He gave a comfortable sigh and moved toward the bedroom. His lady was there, a sensuous curve under sheets and blankets of some luxurious material so different from the GAR issue. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, he watched her for a moment then silently removed his clothing and slipped into the bed with her.

She turned toward him, toward his warmth, with a soft murmur in her sleep. His lady Riyo curled against his chest, her dark fingertips resting on one deep scar. He slid his arm around her and bent his head to kiss her. A feather-kiss against her sleeping lips became a little harder and he nibbled her lower lip, sucking it lightly. He heard another low murmur from her voice, but her fingertips began moving with purpose, caressing his chest and sliding around his waist. He cupped his hand around hers and brought it to his lips. "Riyo, I must ask something."

"Mmm, yes, Chopper?" She moved closer to him, her head resting on his arm, one hand on his chest above his heart. She tangled her legs with his and was smiling though her eyes were still closed.

"I spent this evening with the troopers; Kev and Jester, some other troopers you don't know. Pilot Ashwaeen Athualla of Naboo was also there. We are friends and I am permitted to call her Ash." He paused. "She is kind; most of the troopers can call her Ash and there is usually a hug and kiss on the cheek for each of us."

"I know Ash, Chopper."

"And you know she's pregnant."

Riyo laughed softly and her golden eyes opened. "Yes, she's complained that she's been pregnant for a year."

"I thought human females had a nine-month gestation." Chopper frowned in confusion. If she was a year pregnant, then she'd been pregnant before Kaliida Station, before the Malevolence, before Jester and everything he thought was wrong.

"We do, my love," replied Riyo and Chopper rumbled in contentment at her words. My love. Would he ever get use to those words from her? Riyo nuzzled her head into the space by his cheek. "Ash is simply exaggerating. She also claims it's been a decade since she's seen her feet."

"Oh." Chopper thought about that for a moment then turned on his side to face his lady. "She's beautiful pregnant. Does that bother you? That I can look at another woman and desire her." He paused, searching for words. "I think it was simply that she was pregnant."

"No, Chopper, it doesn't bother me." She pushed herself up on her elbow and pressed a kiss against his cheek then tilted her head. "But there's something about it bothering you?"

Chopper nodded. "What is the cultural significance of you getting pregnant? I don't want to affect your life in any way that would pain you, Riyo." He gave a soft laugh. "I would love to see you round and pregnant." He ran his rough fingers over her slender frame. "But I have no rights in this and if the Kaminoans knew, they would want to take the child of a clone and study it." He gave a harsh emphasis on 'study'. "Riyo, protect yourself from that happening. Please."

She stroked his face with her fingers, the palm of her hand. "I have, Chopper. A pregnant senator for Pantora would be problematic at this time and I'd probably be recalled. When I found you in the apartment that day, I made sure I wouldn't get pregnant."

"I'm glad, Riyo," Chopper nodded. "It's not something I even thought of until I saw Ash all wonderfully round-bellied."

Riyo understood that; Chopper had been born for war. "But when I decide to have children, Chopper, I choose you to be their father."

He stiffened like he'd done when she had seen him in the apartment and kissed his hands. "Me? Impregnate you?" His forehead was suddenly creased with more lines than scars. "On purpose?"

She nodded with a smile. "In a couple of years, under Chairman Papanoida, he's far more liberal than Chairman Cho ever was, the political climate on Pantora will change and permit an unmarried," she saw his nod of sadness, "female Senator with children. I will have more seniority in my clan as well. That also matters."

Absently Chopper shook his head. "A couple of years, Riyo? So much could happen in just a few months. A few years is eternity." He looked into her golden eyes, his own shining with sorrow. "I might not be alive in a few years."

A muscle twitched at the corner of her jaw and Chopper smoothed it with a finger.

"I know, my love." Then she was silent, her fingers flat on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart.

He kissed the soft tears from her face with a gentle smile. "I love you, Riyo. I will do whatever is in my power to stay alive for you."

It was still a wonder to Chopper that she, his lady love, could love him.

Tomorrow or Monday, we begin the closing chapters of Scars with the opening of Geonosis II.