Jedi and Clone

A Game of Protocol

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Senate Apartments
Commander Axe

    Axe stepped out of the quiet bedroom, his armor safely tucked away. He has switched it out for a borrowed Coruscant Guard uniform, courtesy of Senator Chuchi. The Pantoran senator had greeted him with a smile, before leaving to attend to a few things. The main room was quiet, devoid of guards and figures, except for Irel.

    She stood, spying him. "I sent Ziyah with Riyo. Even with Bane locked up, I'm worried someone else might come after her."

    "Always thinking on your feet." He glanced at her legs. "I'm glad you're better now."

    "Me too." She didn't wait any longer. Irel crossed over and flung her arms around him. Axe buried his face against her neck for a moment.

    "I missed you," he murmured.

    "I missed you too." Irel pulled back and eyed his new tattoo. "Subtle," she smirked, tracing a thumb over it.

    Axe shrugged. "Veres and Rigger had been bugging me about getting a tattoo so I decided to appease them."

"It's not like you weren't the only one without a tattoo. Gizer and Patch don't."

He stiffened a bit at the sound of Gizer's name. Irel furrowed her brows. "What is it?"

"The clone I was accused of murdering was...Gizer," Axe replied with a sigh. A sorrowful look crossed Irel's face. She leaned against him, sighing.

"How's Patch handling it?" She asked.

"Better than I thought, or maybe worse. I can't tell and I'm not sure if that's good or bad," he replied. Irel stepped back, biting her lip.

"As soon as Riyo and Ziyah get back, we need to know everything that happened. Riyo thinks she can help, but she doesn't know for sure." She rubbed her forehead with a hand. "I'm sorry. I had no idea Krell had been put in charge of the 918th. I would have talked to the Council if I had known and this whole thing could have been avoided."

"You didn't know so don't go and point this on yourself. Besides, you were preoccupied with protecting Senator Chuchi and gaining a padawan." He furrowed his brows. "How did that happen anyway? I thought you didn't want one."

Irel gave him a wry smirk. "I'll give you a guess."

"General Tiin?"

She nodded. "He put my name in and Ziyah and I were introduced as soon as I arrived."

"Do you like her?"

"She's nothing like I expected. She's very ambitious, energetic, curious, and not to mention talkative." Irel smiled fondly. "But I have to admit that she's growing on me. I just hope I'll be a good teacher for her. I can already tell that we have very different views on the Jedi Code."

"Does she know about us?"

"No, not yet anyway. I don't want her to know unless it's necessary."

"Don't want who to know what?" The door hissed open and Ziyah and Senator Chuchi entered the room, followed by a few Pantoran guards. Ziyah darted over to them.

"It's nothing," Irel replied, turning to her apprentice. Ziyah cast an appraising look at Axe, before turning back to her master.

"Should we discuss the situation now?" Senator Chuchi asked.

Irel nodded. "The sooner we get this figured out, the better." They all took up seats across from each other. R3 rolled into the room and whistled, spying Axe. The droid settled down beside him, whirring excitedly.