Senator and Soldier

Discovery

Fox faced her. Even with the helmet on, she was sure he was giving her a confused look. "Clay and I were deployed from Kamino at the same time. Our squads trained together a lot. When we got to Coruscant, he was placed under my command. Archer came later on. His squad was a group of reinforcements, sent after  the Separatist attack on the power grid."

"I remember that. It was right after Senator Mina Bonteri convinced the Separatist Parliament to open peace negotiations." She shook her head, gritting her teeth in frustration. "The war could've been over if people had just listened to her and the Separatists hadn't been so desperate to win. Then they had the audacity to say that Republic assassins had killed Mina. Padmé told me it was one of Dooku's hands that killed her."

"I don't understand all of the politics behind the war," Fox admitted. "I just know that things got worse on Coruscant after that and more members of the Coruscant Guard were needed. Archer came then, and actually, Jairo did too. From the records, Jairo had been on Kamino for a few years, actually, before he came to Coruscant with Archer."

"Was he a new clone or something else?"

"I don't know. Archer hasn't told me. Clay has asked him about it a number of times."

"Couldn't you look at his personal records and see when he was..." Riyo paused.

"Made?" Fox finished. "It's all right to use the terminology, you know. We're all used to it."

"It feels wrong," she replied.

   He stiffened ever so slightly. "Yeah, I could pull his records, but I figured that if Archer won't share, then Jairo won't want me snooping. I can respect that."

Riyo smiled to herself. "I think it's good that you can. I wish more people thought that way." Fox didn't get the chance to reply. They landed on a platform, jutting away from the Archive building.

    She spied a group of guards a few levels down. There were none on this platform, but it wouldn't be long before someone came to investigate the speeder. She jumped out and chased after Fox. The hallways in this building seemed to lead to one massive main room.

    Fox snatched her around the waist suddenly and pulled her back against him. A group of Neimoidian guards walked past, casting flashlights down the dark hall. He let her go when the guards were gone.

    "Thanks," Riyo whispered. She was grateful for the dark hall. It hid the flush that had crept into her cheeks. Fox dipped his head and led the way into the massive archive chamber. Several files glowed blue along the thousands of shelves. "How are we going to find anything in here?" She groaned.

    Fox pulled his helmet off and crouched down beside an access panel beside the door. He plugged the datapad into it again. "What do you want me to search?" He asked.

    "Separatist, Confederacy of Independent Systems, etcetera," she replied. "We just need to know what their dealings with them have been."

    "Can they be arrested if they shipped them items?" Fox asked, holding up the datapad. Riyo skimmed over the information displayed.

    "No. That wouldn't break their treaty, unless the items being shipped were war materials. Battle droids, blasters, explosives, that sort of thing. Nothing in their treaty or Declaration of Neutrality says they can't provide funds or trade to the Confederacy."

    "So I'm looking for something that ties them directly into the war or the Separatists?"

    She nodded. "For example, killing a Republic Senator would be a breach of their treaty."

    Fox nodded and continued searching. She crept to his other side and checked the surrounding aisles. No one had come to investigate anything yet, thankfully. "Here. I found a private transmission between Sib Canay, someone called Far Modem, Nute Gunray, and Count Dooku."

    "Yes! Can you access it?" Riyo dropped down beside him, excitedly.

    "I can play it from here. Record it in case it does have evidence."

    She took the holodisk he offered and switched it on. Fox waited a second before playing the recording. The datapad projected a hologram onto the floor of the four of them.

    "Yes, I agree. Senator Chuchi has proven to be a thorn in the side, as of late," Count Dooku said. "She's almost as much an inconvenience as Senator Amidala."

    "I can't stay for long, Count, but I will tell you this. She is trouble. If you want this plan to succeed, get her out of the picture," Sib Canay spit. His hologram disappeared.

    "Viceroy, what do you know of this particular senator?" Count Dooku turned his attention towards Gunray.

    "Not much, my Lord. She is a powerful voice in the Senate. Lott Dod has spoken of her often."

    "Is she a danger to my plan?"

    "Yes, my Lord."

    "Modem, I know you have several contacts who could handle her. Take care of it."

    "Of course, Count." The unfamiliar Neimoidian, Far Modem, replied. "I have just the man for the job."

    The hologram flickered off. Riyo ended the recording and slipped the holodisk into her pocket. "So Far Modem is the one who must've hired Bane. That's good, but this recording doesn't condemn anyone else in the Federation."

    "One person at a time. You found out who hired Bane. Now, we need to find him and take him to Coruscant," Fox replied. "Let's go." He unplugged the datapad.

    Riyo gasped as a blaster clicked behind her. "Not so fast." The barrel of a blaster burrowed into the nape of her neck. A hand grabbed her arm and forced her to her feet. "What do you think you're doing here?" A cold voice sneered.

    Fox drew his own blasters. "Release her, now!"

    "I'm afraid I can't do that. Not with the valuable information she carries. Don't worry. I'll take her to someone who wants her."

    Riyo gritted her teeth and stomped her foot down onto the guard's. He screamed with pain as she grabbed his arm and wrenched it back. Fox quickly stunned the man and pushed her away. "Let's go!" Footsteps pounded down the aisles behind them. "Run. Get to the speeder and warn Clay," Fox ordered. "I'll delay them as long as I can. Signal me as soon as you're back at the speeder and I'll tell you where to pick me up."

    Riyo nodded and sprinted on ahead. Fox slowed behind her, his blasters at the ready. He disappeared from sight as she rounded another corner.