Senator of Pantora

Chapter 1- The Aftermath of Trespassing


The cool bite of the cold air began to subside. The throbbing pain that had ravaged her bare skin began to deteriorate in a dull throb that was a mere shadow of the sting of her previous ordeal. The LAAT banked towards the Jedi Cruiser, forcing Senator Riyo Chuchi to cling to the overhanging supports to remain stable.

The silent craft gracefully glided into the waiting hanger and without even breaking step collapsed onto the cool metallic deck. The engines whirred lightly, slowly dying out as the power was cut. The blast shields retracted, bathing the dark confines of the shuttle in the burn brightly through the dark shadows of the ships interior.

As soon as the blast doors retracted she was forced out onto the deck by the frantic push of the troopers around her as they scrambled to get their wounded comrades into the safe confines of the bacta tanks. She stepped aside to let them pass. Only now could she see the full extent of the horror wrought on by the Talz on the order of Chairman Cho. Dozens of troopers were being carried by the comrades past the bustle of droids working to load and repair the damaged craft.

She noticed a trooper being propped against the cool wall of the hanger bay. Riyo stepped forward to investigate. When she reached the collection of troopers she tapped her fragile finger against his heavily armoured shoulder.

He turned to face her with lightning speed, nearly snapping her finger clear with the sheer force of the movement. The trooper calmed when he discovered she would pose no threat, or maybe it was disappointment that it was not another- like the med-droid. “Is he ok?” Riyo asked.

The trooper bit back a snide remark, still reverberating from an adrenaline high. “He’s a second lister”

Riyo was taken aback by the comment, unsure of exactly what it meant.

“It means he’s a secondary priority for the bacta tank” The trooper informed her. He indicated his brother’s arm; the joint appeared to be dislocated harshly at the shoulder. “First priority are critical, those who require immediate assistance. Second listers are those too far gone to help or those who can help themselves”

Riyo was stunned- so this was the harsh reality of war in the rim. “Why isn’t he being seen too immediately? Couresant health regulations require that-”

“Couresant has no say in the ‘Grand’ Army of the Republic. We make do with the supplies we can get” He said it with such calm, as though they weren’t discussing peoples lives.

Riyo was hit hard by that. “Can I speak to him?”

The trooper nodded lightly. Riyo stepped past him, lowering onto her knee and holding the troopers shoulder tightly. He raised his head from his chest. “Ma’am!”

He sharply began to raise his damaged arm- a pained expression of piercing damage rolled across his face. He only managed to raise his hand half way too his chest, before Riyo placed her hand against his arm, ending his pain. “How are feeling?” She asked.

“Ready to fight ma’am” He quickly removed the stain of fear and pain from his features- replacing it with pure determination and courage.

She smiled at his shear determination “Thank you trooper-” She stopped abruptly. She finally realized she didn’t even know his name. “What is your name?”

Without hesitation he flawlessly recounted his ID “My designation is Clone Trooper KR1-0396” Riyo seemed rather disappointed by the response.

“Don’t you have names?” She asking, praying for the response she had been hoping for.

“The Komonians only gave us our designations” Riyo seemed heavily saddened by the response. “My brothers call me Tye” He indicated his comrades. “Dar and Jai”

She perked up at the response. She reached into her dark purple cloak, removing a flask of matching design. She passed the water filled container to the trooper. He accepted it with his good arm, taking a deep swig of the drink, enjoying the sweet taste of fresh water against his pained mouth.

He returned the offered canister, Riyo replaced it too her cloak pocket. Riyo placed her hand on the troopers shoulder, squeezing the unyielding metal tightly. “Good luck” She raised to her feet. She turned to Dar. “Can you please update me on his progress?”

The trooper nodded mildly. Satisfied she stepped away from the troopers, lost in a sea of identical faces.


It was only now Riyo could truly see the pain around her. She saw the sea of repeated faces, each covered with another expression of either pain of their own wounds or anguish at seeing their shared brothers in such intense pain. She felt herself being drowned in the sea of hurt- each soldier around her resonating their suffering to her- now that she had consciously recognized it she felt it difficult to shut out. She was being draped in the darkness, the sounds that had bombarded her eardrums since she had stepped onto the deck seemed trivial and silent.  
She threw her palms against her forehead- trying to fight away the pain.

But she suddenly felt a warmth against her shoulder. She was yanked away from the jaws of hell- her conscious mind returning. The noises of the busy dock shattered her senses once again. The cries of injured troopers, the rhythmic hum of the ships drives, the hiss of loader droids as they rearmed the Gunships with rockets. Riyo turned to face the weight on her shoulder- she was face to face with her saviour. The face that met her was Siri, her aide. “Are you alright Miss?” Siri spoke- her face all concern.

Riyo shook her head clear. “Yes- fine” She stepped away, walking with purpose and determination. Siri kept pace with her- but she struggled to maintain the speed necessary.

“It seems you were quite taken by those troopers” Riyo slowed her advance- her stride losing it’s drive when she finally realized that she had no idea where she was going.

“What do you mean?” She asked defensively, her tongue tripping over itself in giving the response.

“I mean it is not common for politicians, especially those as young as yourself. I’m sure the chairman will have something to say about fraternizing with troopers” She said coyly.

But Riyo was saddened at the mention of her departed mentor. “I’m afraid the Chairman is not in a position to comment”

Siri seemed a bit perplexed- but it finally dawned on her when she saw the broken body of Chairman Cho being carried away by another of the aides escorting the Pantorian officials. Siri brought her hand up too her mouth in shock- completely stunned by what she saw.  

“Come on” Riyo gripped her attendant’s arm, trying to pull her away from the true horrors that this short but bloody conflict had inflicted on the both of them. She yanked again. “You don’t want to watch this” Siri finally prised her eyes away from the harrowing spectacle- following her master deeper into the foreboding bowels of the alien ship.


Riyo slotted her key card into the receptacle- opening the bulkhead door leading to their shared quarters. Their quarters were a set of comfortable but simple beds- the room connected on an ensuite bathroom tucked discreetly at the far side of the room. Riyo unclasped the purple cloak wrapped loosely around her shoulders. Siri followed her inside- closing the door lightly behind her, as not to disturb her mistress. Riyo collapsed down onto her bed- closing her eyes as she stared intently at the roof of her room. She removed the golden headdress that kept her hair locked tightly in place- letting the purple locks cascade freely down her back. She raised herself from her bed- raising her arms and unclasping the tense muscles.

Siri followed suit- lying down on her own bed. “You seem tense ma’am” Riyo opened her eyes- retuning herself to the world around her. She stared at her attendant with wary eyes.

“Is it so obvious?” She asked.

Siri nodded lightly. “You should relax- you’ve been in the field for over a standard week now. You should bathe, clean up- and when you are done I shall prepare a warm meal for you” Riyo nodded lightly- rising up from her bed and entered the adjoining bathroom.


She returned an hour later- dabbing her wetted hair with a light blue towel. A lavish purple robe draped lightly over her- helping retain the warmth that threatened to flutter freely from the exposed regions of her body. The warm water droplets that encrusted her helped her too forget the cold sting of the planet’s frozen terrain.

Siri looked up from her plate of rations cradled tightly in her lap. “Enjoy your bath ma’am?”

Riyo nodded her appreciative thanks for the question. “Siri indicated the covered plate lying lightly atop the table lining the far right wall. “I had them bring up our meals from the mess hall”

Riyo scooped up the other palette, bringing it with her back to her bed. She retrieved a morsel of one of the components of the meal- popping it into her mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. She took this time of silence to contemplate over what had transpired over the past few days- first the massacre at the Republic Base, the discovery of the Talz and the eventual confrontation that resulted in terribly large casualties on both sides- most painfully for her the respected Chairman Cho.

“I just can’t believe he’s gone” Siri spoke- filling the silent room with the melody of her voice.

“Who?” Chuchi clarified.

“The chairman. I just can’t believe those creatures managed to kill him”

Chuchi remembered that the memory of the Chairman’s demise was still fresh in her mind. She rose from her bed- accepting Siri’s tray and placing the remains along with her own on the desk.

She returned to comfort her aide- sitting down on the bed next to her and rubbing a soft hand against her back. “I had hoped too spare you from the true horrors of this conflict- but it seems that I had failed you in that”

Siri mimicked her action- softening Riyo’s tense back muscles. “You had done everything and more down there- you ended the war before others could suffer a similar fate”

Riyo could see the sincerity in her words. “Perhaps. But I maintain that I still have a lot to learn both as a politician and as a citizen of Pantora”

Siri batted Riyo’s hand away. She clasped herself around her- their shared body warmth burning even brighter. “You worry far too much ma’am” She leaned in closer- whispering silently into her masters ear, she massaged Riyo’s tense back muscles. “I think I’m goanna have too use my ‘special’ technique to relax these taut muscles”