Senator and Soldier

Delicate Gift

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Senate Building
Riyo Chuchi

    A few months had passed since they'd captured Far Modem. His trial had been swift. It didn't take long for the courts to sentence him. He was locked up in the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center, along with Sib Canay, where he would remain for the rest of his life.

During the months that had gone by, Riyo had seen very little of the clones who'd protected her. She'd seen Clay once or twice. Archer and Jairo were on duty in the apartments every now and then. Mairin always dragged her along on those days, when she went to see Jairo. Somehow though, they never managed to find Commander Fox.

Riyo sighed and watched the information being displayed on her datapad. The Senate had been in session for hours, discussing new bills, military reports, and more. Padmé was sitting beside her, equally bored.

    "We wouldn't have to discuss all of this if they hadn't chosen to create more clones," Padmé whispered. "The deregulation of the banks is only pushing the Republic towards a larger debt. It's certainly helping the Banking Clan and Trade Federation, though."

    Riyo nodded her agreement, but said nothing. Her gaze wandered over the crowd of faces. She glanced up towards the viewers boxes. Her lips parted in silent surprise. Commander Fox was sitting there. He left abruptly, as though he'd realized she'd seen him.

    Padmé elbowed her. "What is it?"

    "Nothing," Riyo said. "How much longer do you think this will last?"

    "It can't be much longer." Riyo stifled another sigh and tried to focus on the meeting.

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Republic Military Prison
Commander Fox

    Fox drifted down the halls of the prison, lost in his own thoughts. "Hey, where did you disappear to this morning?" Clay asked, appearing beside him. Clay pulled his helmet off and tucked it beneath an arm.

    "I went to the Senate Session."

    "How was it?"

    "Boring."

    "That's your answer every time you go," Clay laughed. His expression became solemn after a minute. "Why don't you just go talk to her, instead of stalking her?"

    "I'm not stalking her," Fox protested. "If I was, I'd follow her around and spy on her, not just go to the Senate Sessions."

    "All right, but you know what I mean."

    "I don't know," he sighed. "I want to talk to her but I can't seem to make myself. I don't even know why I want to, much less what I'd say if I did."

    "Wow. You've overthought this way too much." Clay swiped some of his silver hair out of his face. "You want to talk to her because she intrigues you. You've said as much. She treats you differently than other people do. She's friendly, smart, funny, stubborn, and she knows how to handle you. Not many people can claim that, and she figured it out over the span of a week or two."

    "I know. I don't really know how to feel about that."

    Clay gave him a sideways glance and smirked. "I know how I'd feel if someone was that way towards me."

    "How?"

    Clay shrugged. "I'm not going to tell you. You have to work it out for yourself. I will say this, though. Mairin didn't ask you to adjust our schedules just for her and Jairo."

    Fox arched an eyebrow beneath his helmet, but decided to ignore the comment. "How are they doing, anyway? Is he actually interested in Mairin?"