Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Ten: Back to Coruscant

Fox waited with his arms crossed. He internally cursed his younger brother for giving him yet another senator to worry about.

He straightened a bit as she stepped out of the speeder, a leather bag slung over her shoulder. Senator Kes wore violet and blue fabric twisted together over her chest. Her long ears were pierced, a transparent brown and gold fabric hung from one of the rings. He assumed the tattoos on her arm and tail were of cultural significance. The twisted purple fabric that hung on her hips had a sun pattern on the top hem. The see through fabric hanging from her arms was a fiery color, and the mask she wore looked almost like a skull of some type.

Her amber eyes fell on him, a purr rumbling through her chest as she walked over, extending a hand, "Commander Fox, correct? Commander Sparkler spoke highly of you. Thank you for your service."

He slowly shook her hand, feeling slightly confused. No one had ever thanked him for his service before. As he retracted his hand, he cleared his throat. "Come on ma'am, I'll lead you to your office."

She seemed content to walk alongside him. She looked slightly discomforted by the helmet. Fox looked at her and tipped his head, "Something wrong Senator?"

"Sorry, I'm just not used to being unable to see other people's eyes. Is taking your helmets off not allowed?" She seemed legitimately curious. When Fox thought about it, her discomfort made sense. Even wearing her mask, her eyes were still visible. "Not usually. In the Guard Center we all have our helmets off, on duty we aren't really allowed to take them off."

"I suppose that makes sense. Is protecting Coruscant dangerous?" She looked actually interested. This felt sort of weird for the Commander. "Yes. The guard is up to their buckets with work. Can't keep the streets clean for more than five seconds."

She smiled, "Well not to worry Commander! I've taken down a predatory animal twice my size before, so I have a good feeling about my chances." She actually seemed pretty confident. "Well most assassinations revolve around poison and sniper shots."

Tolna looked up at him, ear twitching, "Okay? And I'm a small woman who doesn't look like she could put up a fight. But I was on the front lines of the Kalee campaign." She tipped up her mask to let him see the grin on her face, "Your brothers are excellent warriors, Commander. I've never seen such devotion in a man before."

A man.

Fox had never heard a senator refer to a brother as a man before. Senator Kes must be one strong woman if she fought on the front lines. His eyes caught on a mark on the back of her neck. "If this isn't out of line Senator, what's the mark on your neck?"

She didn't seem offended at all as Fox had expected. She seemed happy to explain. "Oh that's my clan marking. I'm Tolna of the Kes clan, therefore, Tolna Kes. We all get our clan mark at around one or two." She got a sparkle in her eye, "Kaleeshi tattoos are done in a very particular way so that all you need to do is keep the area clean and it'll stick!"

"You tattoo your toddlers?" Fox asked, knowing it wasn't a common practice. Tolna nods, "There is a way to remove it, but it's only ever done in certain circumstances. Were I to marry into another clan, I'd add the new clan's mark beneath my birth one."

When they finally reached her office, he opened the door for her. "Interesting. Well, here's your office, ma'am. Would you like me to show you your repulser pod or do you think you can handle it?" "I think I can handle it Commander. Just give me the number and I'll get out of your curls."

He handed her the datapad with all the information on it. She removed her mask and bowed respectfully, which shocked the Commander. "Thank you for your help Commander. I'll see you around I suppose." She waited for him to walk away before she closed the door.

"What just happened."

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Fives and Kaar were walking through the temple. On the way back, the Council had gone through the trouble of placing Desnuri with a crechémaster.

Fives was currently attempting to gently explain to Desnuri that he couldn't stay with her. "Why!" She whined. "Because it's not allowed Des'ika. I'll come and see you, I promise."

Desnuri looked like she was going to cry. "Fives! No!" She gripped the civvies that Fives was wearing, giving him the most precious eyes ever.

"My, looks like someone's upset."
Kaar sighs as the crechèmaster approached, "Desnuri latched onto Fives because he was the first person she saw after a traumatic experience. She bit me when I tried to pull her away the first time. This may be tough Master Drarii."

The Kel Dor's eyes crinkled. "I relish the challenge." She lightly pressed a hand to Desnuri's back. "Desnuri? I'm your new crechèmaster." Desnuri pressed herself closer to Fives' chest. The clone suddenly got an idea. "We have a holotransmitter on the ship. Maybe I could comm every so often while I'm away from Coruscant?"

"I suppose it can work. I understand why she's latched on, though."

Fives hugged her tightly, then slowly pulled Desnuri away from his chest. "Des'ika. I gotta go okay? I'll be back." She sniffled, curling her tail tighter around his arm. "Promise?" "Yeah, of course. I promise I'll be back."

After a few moments, Master Drarii reached out and slowly took Desnuri from Fives' arms. "Bye Des'ika." Fives hummed before he left the room. "Buh-bye Fives."

As the door shut, Fives honestly felt like crying. "That was the hardest thing I've ever done sir."

Kaar lightly patted Fives' back, "Yeah. Master called that the Buir instinct." Really, Cybele had called it the Jango instinct, but Kaar couldn't say that. Fives chuckled a little, "He familiar with Mandalorians?" "She, and you could say that."

He led Fives out of the temple. "Now, stand by the ledge for me. We're getting back the fun way." Fives did as he was told, but looked concerned. "Sir, what's the— PLAAAAAN—"

Fives screamed in terror as Kaar suddenly used the Force to throw him across the busy flight lane and onto the roof of the next building over. Fives laid on his back, heart pounding hard in his chest.

Kaar crouched next to Fives. When he had gotten there, Fives didn't know.
"Sir?"
"Yes Fives?"
"Never again."

—
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—

Fives sat in the barracks. He looked up when one of his brothers asked if he was okay. "No. I'm gonna go with no. The general threw me off a building with the Force and I'm still not quite sure I'm alive."

He jolted to his feet when Hevy pinched the back of his neck, "Hevy! Ow!" Fives rubbed the back of his neck, "What was that for?"

"Vod, you look like someone just told you Kamino blew up. Was giving up the kid really that bad?" Cutup hummed, looking up from his cards. "She cried." Fives deadpanned, "I almost cried and I promised her I'd come and see her next time I got the chance."

"Wow. Fives is a father."

He threw his pillow at Echo.

•—END OF CHAPTER—•