Coruscant: 19 BBY
Coruscant Guard Barracks
Commander Fox
Fox woke the next morning with Chancellor Palpatine's words still ringing through his mind. He rolled over and spotted Clay in his usual bunk. They must've gotten back last night, he realized.
There was no sign of Jairo, but Archer's bunk was empty so he assumed they were off together somewhere. Fox jumped off his bunk and pulled on his armor quickly. Clay woke a few minutes later.
"How was it?" Fox asked.
"Uneventful. We got the fundraiser organized and came back," Clay replied shortly.
Fox looked down, flipping his helmet over in his hands. "How's Riyo?"
Clay gave him an incredulous look. "What do you think?"
Fox set his helmet down and crossed his arms. "Does this really have to come in between us?"
"This is your doing, Fox. Not Riyo's, not mine, not Jairo's, and not Archer's. You're the one who chose to leave her. You're the one who decided to change your schedule. You're the one who stopped talking to us." Clay jabbed a finger into his chest. "Stop and think about your actions. Then come and find me. And don't ask about Riyo again. I've got nothing for you." Clay threw his helmet on and stormed out.
Fox scrubbed at his face angrily. I would tell him if I could. I would tell all of them. He put his helmet on and headed to a speeder. Archer and Jairo are on duty at the prison today. I'll check in on them later. I'll go to the Temple first, he decided.
Minutes later, he was soaring through the Coruscant airways. The towers of the Jedi Temple rose in the distance. As he passed by the Senate Building, a dull headache formed within his temples. Fox shook his head. That seemed to be happening a lot lately and he couldn't figure out why.
He parked the speeder on one of the unused landing pads and entered the Temple. The same old activities were occurring. Fox stepped into one of the gunship hangars and watched the clones and civilians going about their jobs. He moved onto the next one after a few minutes.
"You're here again, Commander?" Fox groaned inwardly as Barriss appeared beside him.
"I'm just making sure that everything is running smoothly," he said.
"Of course."
"Don't you have training to do?" Fox asked, when he moved on to the next hangar and she followed.
"Master Luminara is off world, currently. I've been instructed to remain here and continue with my lessons in the Archives," Barriss explained. She sighed. "Sometimes it feels like I'm just a burden to her, honestly."
"I'm sure that's not true."
"Maybe, but when I look at the relationship between other Jedi and their padawans, I can't help but feel like there's something missing in ours. Thinking specifically of my friend, Ahsoka Tano, I suppose. Master Skywalker has an unusual bond with her, sort of like her brother, or her father. They aren't afraid to joke with each other and to have fun when they can."
"And Master Undulli doesn't do the same?" Fox arched an eyebrow beneath his helmet. The thought didn't surprise him.
"No, she doesn't. She's always very professional. She's the perfect Jedi," Barriss scoffed.
"It must be difficult to have her for your master."
"It is. Not that I'm not grateful for all that she can teach me, of course."
A thought came to him, suddenly. "Why do you spend so much time down here?"
Barriss began to fumble for words a bit. "Oh, well, I usually finish my studies early in the morning. I like to come down here and see if I can help out any. I'm friends with a few of the workers."
"I see." Fox narrowed his eyes, sensing the halfness in her words. Maybe I should mention her to the Chancellor?
"I get lonely quite often," Barriss continued. "Helping down here gives me some sense of purpose, where I feel that I have none."
No, I won't tell him, Fox decided. She's just lonely and looking for something to keep herself occupied with. They left the final hangar. "Maybe you should try to make some more friends your age," he suggested. "I've got to go now."
"It's been nice talking to you, Commander," Barriss said quietly. "I suppose I'll see you next time."
"Maybe." Fox tipped his head towards her and returned to his speeder. It didn't take long for him to reach the prison.
He jumped in a lift and went up a few levels to the main office. Fox sat down at a monitor and checked the scheduling and who had signed in. He scrolled through the list of names and numbers, finding Archer and Clay almost immediately. When he reached Jairo's name, something was off. Fox peered down at the monitor.
"That can't be right," he murmured.
"Is something wrong, Sir?" Another clone asked.
"Didn't Jairo ever sign in?" Fox asked.
"What's his number?"
"CC-1113," Fox replied. The clone ran it through another monitor, then shook his head.
"It doesn't look like it, Sir."
Fox stood abruptly and brushed out of the office. He heard the clone call after him, but ignored him. Fox kept walking until he found Clay on guard near Far Modem's cell.
"Where's Jairo?" He demanded.
"How should I know?"
"Didn't he come back with you yesterday?"
"Yeah. I haven't seen him since last night."
"Lost one of your precious brothers?" Far Modem sneered.
"Zip it before I have someone glue your mouth shut," Fox growled. Far looked taken aback. He retreated further into his cell. "Are you sure you haven't seen him?"
"No." Clay crossed his arms.
Fox stared at him a moment longer, then walked off. He found Archer close by. Archer held up a hand. "Don't even ask. I don't know where Jairo is."
"So you know he's not here?" Fox asked. "What's going on?"
"I don't know."
"Yes you do. You always know what's going on when it comes to Jairo."
"Maybe he took a lesson from you and decided not to talk to me," Archer snapped.
"Well, he would've told Mairin something."
"Leave Mairin alone. She'd throw you out of Riyo's apartments before you even started talking."
"We'll see about that." Fox started off. From the corner of his eye, he saw Archer join Clay. There's something going on, he thought.
Coruscant: 19 BBY
Senate Apartments
Riyo Chuchi
Riyo lay on the sofa, not wanting to do anything. A few of her other handmaidens were quietly moving about the apartment, but they were careful not to disturb her. She'd woken up late, still on the sofa.
Mairin was gone and already, she missed her terribly. Still, she couldn't help but feel excited for her friend. Riyo just hoped they would find a safe place to live.
"Senator, there's a speeder landing on your private platform," Delaney, one of her other attendants, said.
"Who is it?" Riyo arched a brow.
"I don't know. Should I send them away?"
"No, it's all right Del. I'll see what they want."
"I'll be out here if you need me." Delaney dipped her head as Riyo stood.
She nodded and made her way out to the landing platform. Riyo's heart dropped, recognizing who was there. Fox crossed the platform and stopped in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" Riyo demanded. Surprisingly, she'd thought she would be happy to see him. Instead, she felt nothing but a biting anger.
"Jairo is missing. I need to ask Mairin if she knows where he is," Fox replied.
"She's not here right now."
"Then I'll wait until she is."
Riyo blocked the door. "No, you won't. You don't get to walk out on me for almost three months and then show up again when you need something from my best friend."
Fox removed his helmet, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Riyo, I don't have time for this..."
"It's Senator Chuchi. You lost the right to call me Riyo a while ago." She narrowed her eyes, hoping they portrayed her anger. "Mairin isn't here and neither is Jairo. Find someone else to ask. You're not waiting around here."
"Did something happen to him while you were on Pantora?"
"No." Riyo crossed her arms and tapped her fingers impatiently.
"Where did Mairin go?"
"She had some errands to run. Leave her alone. She's threatened to kill you, you know."
"I'm not scared of Mairin. Where did she go? I'm asking for specifics."
"I'm not giving you specifics."
Fox took a step closer. Riyo pressed her back against the door, but refused to move aside. "What's going on?" She said nothing. "Riyo," he lifted her gaze to his. She bared her teeth, but resisted the urge to bite his finger.
"You need to leave," she growled.
"Where are Mairin and Jairo?" His gaze flickered to her lips, then back to her eyes.
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do."
"Leave me alone." Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I have been and it's been killing me."
"Then why?"
"Because I had to."
"And you couldn't have told me? You didn't think that I wouldn't try to help you?" Riyo shook her head. "Instead you just...left me?"
"I made a decision and I had to stick to it."
"You're bad at making decisions."
"I know." Fox cupped her cheek with a hand and brought her lips to his. Riyo let him kiss her for a moment, before she pushed him away.
"Don't come back unless you plan on giving me a good explanation and an apology," Riyo said. She started to open the door.
Fox grabbed her arm. "Where did they go?"
"They left."
"Why?"
"I can't tell you. I shouldn't have told you that."
She could see the gears turning within his mind. Fox stiffened after a moment. "Mairin wasn't just sick from the poison, was she?" Riyo didn't answer. He let go of her arm and brushed his hair out of his face. "Riyo, you have to tell me where they went. This is serious."
"I don't know."
"If they're found out, Jairo could be court martialed. This is desertion. He'd be charged with that and treason and he could be executed!" Fox shouted.
Riyo shook her head. "I told you to leave."
Fox's gaze hardened in anger. "Fine. But you know, maybe the Chancellor was right."
"The Chancellor?"
"Don't worry. I'm leaving." Fox whirled on his heel and stormed off. He jumped onto the speeder and disappeared from sight.
Riyo swallowed and wrapped her arms around herself. He can be angry at me all he wants. I don't have to tell him anything, and I don't know anything anyway. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty.