98. Fordo, Kit, and Plo whump where Fordo's finally done with the republic?
98: “I am done with…”
Characters: Fordo, Monnk, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto and Bant Eerin.
Summary: Fordo gets a call to come down to the Temple.
A/N: I apologize for getting this in late. I hope you enjoy it. This is set in the Shadows of Republic Verse. The other is on the way.
Beep…
Beep..
He groaned, as he tossed to his other side, pulling the blankets closer. He sighed, attempting to return to dreamless sleep. There was creaking above him as his vod’ika turned, beeping clearly disturbing the other.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
“Fordo…” the voice above him sighs.
There was no response.
Beep.
Beep.
“Ori’vod…” they said again, growing irritated, tossing. “Ori’vod, get the comm.”
Still no response from the one below, only the sounds of tossing and turning.
Beep.
Beep.
Bee–
“Ori’vod!” The other hissed, banging the bunk.
“...Yes, Stec?” The one below huffed, tiredness edged at his voice.
“Answer the comm, Fordo,” Stec hissed. “It’s been beeping for half an hour.”
“I know.” Fordo replied flatly, though muffled by the pillow.
“So answer it.”
“The vod’ika know not to call me after the fourth ring. It can wait.”
Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep.
“Clear it can’t, Fordo.” He states. “Now answer it.”
There was a sigh and the sound of shuffling underneath.
Fordo huffed, reaching for his comm on neat nightstand. He blinked as the bright blue light of the holocommunicator sprung to reveal another one of his younger brothers.
“Monnk,” he said, gazing at his clearly dressed brother. Presumably it was morning where he was. “What is it that you need?”
Monnk was fairly capable like all his brothers were. He rarely needed assistance like Kote, Rex or Wolffe did, but he wasn’t like Doom or Gree who preferred being a solo platoon. Then again, he was more suited for diplomatic missions when the underwater missions weren’t available.
“Master...Fisto..” Monnk starts, glancing somewhere off screen, seeming worried, “has been... irritated lately.”
“How so?” He asked, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes.
Kit Fisto was a...difficult Jetii to deal with. Not disobedient or uncooperative on missions per se–at least from Monnk’s opinion–but is rather hesitant to trust. He always says that he patrols a ways away from him, while being as always as upset. Though the leading General could not blame him. The Republic is full of a bunch of shebs. With only a few trustworthy ones–which are few and far between, in his opinion.
“I assume you read the reports of the Umbaran incident?” Monnk asked, clasping his hands on his helmet, rubbing it.
He raised an eyebrow. “No...we’re a bit preoccupied with the Hunter crew. Why?”
“The...Besalisk, Pong Krell was killed on Umbara.” He continues carefully.
“So? He’s a sheb and sheb’urcyin to the Republic. I fail to see why Master Fisto is upset.”
His younger brother was silent for a moment, glancing once more at presumably Fisto, who was presumably standing angrily somewhere.
“I think it’s best that you come to Coruscant, Ori’vod.” He said, gazing back at him.
He hums. “Very well, Monnk. Just don’t call unless he becomes more upset. Jate ca.”
“Nuhoy pirusti, Ori’vod.” Monnk said, as he turned off the comm.
He sighs, setting the comm back on the nightstand.
“What do you think it is?” Stec asked.
“I don’t know,” he grumbled, as he laid back down, “but if Fisto seems more agitated than usual, then it either has to do with the Grandmaster or…”
“The Koon?” He inquired.
“Hopefully not.” He replied. “Jate ca.”
“Jate ca.”
____________________________________________________________
They landed on Coruscant two weeks later after completing their mission. He and Monnk walked through the be’Jetiise Temple, passing by younglings who peeked behind their Masters’ legs or behind marble columns, looking at them with fear in their young eyes. While their elders frowned distasteful at them. The vod had free reign of their only home. It was natural for them to be upset, even if they seemed used to it at this point of the War.
As they walked, slowly but surely, the types of walls changed from those that were old, stained and cracked—to those of better conditions. They were more of beautiful marble that glistened with the sun shining through the tall windows, almost giving an air of peace and tranquillity. It almost gave him a false sense of hope for why he was called here in the first place.
“Is this wing closed off?” He asked, as he glanced about, noting the decrease of Jetii in the area.
“You could say that.” Monnk replied casually.
Though he did not say a word since he arrived, his casual nature seemed offsetting to him.
“This is Councilors Hall,” he continues, smiling, “or as it’s also known as–the Favoured Hall.”
He frowned. “What?”
The younger one asked, he halted in front of a pristine beige colored door. He glanced around the empty hall before he raised his hand and knocked.
“You remember the bounty hunters that were causing trouble for the Republic?” He asked, as they waited.
“Yes.” He answered, adjusting his helmet under his arm. “The ones who were ‘kidnapping’ the Jedi, yes?”
“Indeed.” He nods, as he glances once more before knocking again. “They were apparently the ones who killed Krell on Umbara.”
He chuckled. “They had every right to.”
The red head nods in agreement.
There were rumors of bounty hunters kidnapping Jedi and taking them to who knows where. Originally it started with those in the Outer Rim, picking up Padawans and Knights. Before becoming more bold and taking those of who Guarded the Senate Building. The head of security went missing halfway through the previous year. Since then, security has been lacking at the Senate Building with Senators becoming furious by this.
Though they weren’t the only ones, apparently. There were hushed rumours of the Grandmaster of the Order becoming more distant and irritated by the event.
Monnk sighed, as he knocked once more. “Fisto. It’s us.”
They were greeted with more silence.
“What’s wrong?” Fordo asked.
“There was...an investigation on Krell’s death.” He said slowly, knocking. “There’s a Padawan and a Knight missing from the mission.”
“I see...though not too worrying.” The General nods.
“Well that isn’t the—”
The door suddenly opened and revealed a Mon Calamari standing in the doorway. They were short, with big blue eyes staring at them, rubbing their hands on a towel. Though, Fordo couldn’t help but notice how parts of their dark blue robes and brown pants were stained with–what he hoped wasn’t–dried blood.
“Who—”
“Enter.” The Mon Calamari said simply, as they turned back into the apartment.
He glanced at Monnk, who calmly followed after the Jetii. He followed them into the rather large apartment, but it was hardly what he would call up to code with med kits covering the floor, packets of juice littered the counter and the dining table, the liquid staining it. Whereas the caf table–that was pushed to the side of the room–was piled with new or used gauze, a suture kit, and a few glasses of juice.
For a moment, he could’ve sworn that the fan must’ve been turned on low, as there was a faint whirring sound that buzzed through the apartment before he gazed at Fisto, as he sat cross legged on the floor with–what he feared the most–Plo Koon.
They sat there with Fisto holding him close, resting his chin on his head, while the other rested his head on his shoulder, wheezing as he slept. Though from what he could see, there were half attempts at bandaging laceration wounds along his back, sides and arm, as blood seeped through the gauze and onto the Nautolan’s robes and pants. If he cared he would have changed it by the looks of it, as he stroked his broken wrist.
“What...happened?” He grits out, glaring at the injured Kel Dor, fist clenched.
“Umbara.” Monnk answered, frowning with his arms crossed.
“What?” He hissed, glaring at his vod’ika. “Explain.”
“I told you, the Knight and the Padawan were unaccounted for after the mission was completed on Umbara while Krell was killed by the bounty hunters. Rex and Wolffe only mentioned that Krell was killed by bounty hunters, but failed to tell as to why the two leading Guardians were unaccounted for.” He explained calmly.
“Knight Skywalker and his Padawan?” He asked.
There was a faint whistle from the Kel Dor, but Master Fisto hushed him while stroking his forehead.
“Yes,” Monnk answered. “They are considered important as they are a part of the Grandmaster’s line.”
Kit hissed at the mention of the Grandmaster, glaring over his shoulder at them before returning to Plo.
“I understand...It is usually more of the...lesser known and easier to catch Jedi. Not much investigation being done for them.” Fordo mused. “Though it does not explain why they would harm Plo over it.”
“Well he was the other senior Jedi there with them, as well as having close ties with Skywalker and Tano.” Monnk said, stroking his chin. “The only other one was killed.”
“So? They interrogated the only suspect they had?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Indeed.” He nods. “The kidnappers got away through the ceiling so he and the vod say.”
He gazed at the wheezing Kel Dor, curled on his side, clicking softly at the Nautolan. His breathing sounded off, making small noises as he attempted to breathe.
“They nearly killed him over this.” He seethes, tightening his fist as he turns to walk to the door. “I am done with this karking Republic.”
“Who said it was the Republic who did this?” The Mon Calamari Jedi asked, as they leaned against the sofa behind the Jetiise.
He paused in his step.
“The injuries on Krell were too precise to be any given bounty hunter,” they continued, as they glanced down mournfully at the other Jedi. “The Grandmaster believes that most of the blows dealt to Krell were from a highly trained individual. With the final one being a Lightsaber to the chest which ended Krell.”
Fordo glanced back at his vod’ika.
“Skywalker and Tano are the recent ones who were taken. The other being—”
“Cin—” Master Fisto whispered.
______________________________________________________________
Mando’a translations:
Ca: Night
Jate: Good.
Nuhoy: Sleep.
Ori’vod: Big brother/sister/special friend.
Pirusti: Welll.
Shebs: rear, backside and butt.
Sheb’urcyin: “Butt kisser”.
Vod’ika: Little brother/sister/younger sibling.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. I apologize for the delay and take full responsibility for it. I really enjoyed writing it and hoped it had a proper tone of suspense.