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Depa had found refuge in the one place where no one – really, no one – would go looking for her.
She did not really know how else to escape the worldwide attention. Her com, for example, had been left at home, and she kept up with the general news through Fox and his com.
They had gained a kind of common understanding, with Fox, and they were still of the same opinion after several months: it was better to get along.
This was all the more useful as Fox worked a lot with Thire, and Thire was Depa's lover. So... Depa had a fair amount of embarrassing information about Fox, and she even had to remind him to get the right to sit in his plastic guest chair.
To think that she had to threaten to tell Thire that Fox was in a serious relationship with a Jedi who held a Senate Guard post called Feemor for that miserable and very unpleasant chair. There was no denying that Fox drove a hard bargain.
Suddenly, movement through Fox's office window caught the reactive Commander's attention:
- Someone's coming!
Depa did not think, and within seconds she was on the floor, under Fox's desk and wedged between the legs of the unmoving clone who clearly had not expected this reaction.
- "Shh, " she whispered with a wink and an apologetic smile.
- Fox! My apologies, but the Jedi Temple is reporting a crowd heading straight for their doors.
- What does that have to do with me?
- They seem to want to protest.
- Why that?
- That Jedi woman thing with the unknown clone! We don't really know what the crowd thinks yet, but just in case, we have to intervene… right?
- Yes, Thorn, unfortunately we have to do damage control when the Jedi don't know how to dodge reporters, especially when said woman disappears when everyone's looking for her.
Ah, always the tough negociator and soooo sarcastic guy, was not he?
- Yes. Who knew the Jedi were such gossips? In the last hour alone, I've had Fisto and one other who came up to me and ask if I knew who the clone was and the circumstances of the kiss.
- "Don’t even talk about it! I got Windu," Fox replied, reaching out insistently to Depa under his desk. "Windu, can you imagine?"
Depa had to bite her lower lip to keep from bursting out laughing and returned her com to the Commander, her other hand over her mouth.
Thorn was genuinely horrified at the thought of facing her stoic Korun father and was at a loss for words, so Fox took charge of the situation.
- Let's go.
- Yep! Frankly, Thire is unlucky to have to deal with this kind of osik on a daily basis, I'd hate to be him. Did you know that-
The door finally closed, and Depa pulled her legs out from under the desk to stretch, choosing the best angle so as not to be visible from the door.
To think she had woken up in a good mood after a wonderful evening, only to find a photo of her and Thire in a passionate embrace and deep kiss all over the media. The video was only a few seconds long, but it was more than enough. If only it was enough, but obviously it was not humiliating enough to have your private life out in the open: there were comments everywhere. Everyone and their moms seemed to have something to say about her affair, and many demanded to know who her partner was so they could fire him, Depa had never been so happy that Thire had no distinguishing features, visible scars or tatooes, on his face or hands.
Then, between the comments of anonymous citizens and more famous ones, came THE comment that made it all go wrong, Skywalker's comment. If he had not said anything, Depa would have left the Guard Barracks to face her destiny – that is, her father, because the rest might as well not matter when your father figure was named Mace Windu.
But he had spoken, and Depa had no regrets.
It must be said that when she read "I find it unacceptable that such a well-known Jedi who should be leading by example for others is so reckless and have an affair", she got infuriated at everything and immediately replied with a scathing:
"Oh, you, Skywalker, shut up! Do not be a hypocrite with me, especially since you're probably in the arms of Senator Amidala right now! @Master Depa Billaba
Short, sharp and highly effective, it was that Mace had taught her not to leave thing unfinished.
It just was not worthy of her, to be so unpeaceful, but on the other hand she had read enough comments referring to her as a "slut" or a "clone whore" or "depraved" that she did not really care what people thought. If they were so overwhelmingly vehement about her, she had no reason to hold back. Besides, it would seem that she had shut the arrogant greenhorn up, so she was pretty satisfied, until one response made her – legitimately – hysterical.
"Master Billaba, please measure your words." @Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
She could not not react to that, could she?! Even Caleb had privately sent her a teasing "Well done Master 😝" for the scandal and revelation of her relationship then a "How dare he? 😤" seconds after Skywalker's message. So really, she was in the right! Even her 13 year old Padawan could see that! So it was only logical that she had sent a very dignified:
"You, Kenobi, shut up. Just. Shut up. If you think we do not all see hearts in your eyes when you talk about Duchess Kryze of Mandalore, you're wrong. I'm in love, so what? Jedi celibacy is stupid, I know how to love while doing my duty, and so does my partner, you and your Padawan prove it too. What's the problem?" @Master Depa Billaba
The article had gone from 51,327 views to over 534 million during the hour that followed her messages, and that number was still growing. Fox had told her about ten minutes earlier that they had passed the first billion after two and a half hours of publication.
When Depa thought of the number of inhabitants of the planets of the Republic, she distressingly assumed that thousands – billionns, actually, but it was easier for the mind to think "thousands" – of people who would never meet her would only remember her for those two comments that disregardedly clashed two Republic heroes.
After that, because she was not crazy, she had wisely deactivated her com when she received a "What's that, Padawan?" and sent her pseudo-innocent reply "What are you talking about, Master?". Again, she was wise enough not to be overtly suicidal, though clearly the Korun Master of the Jedi Temple was tenacious and looking for her everywhere.
It was at times like this that she was glad she had not told anyone that she had met Thire and they had hit it off when she stopped by the Coruscant Guard after the attack on the Temple that had given her a Padawan was over.
He was incredibly negative and already failing to see the positive side of life, and Depa had been present when he had made a particularly disillusioned comment.
- This world is hopeless.
Facing so much distress, Depa had felt it was her duty to remind the young man that the world could be beautiful. Gradually, Thire had revealed a gentle personality, particularly calm and pensive, which might seem impossible to someone who knew the abilities of clones or even their sometimes incredible actions – Depa had for example heard of a near spontaneous soar by Commander Cody of the 212th who had once leapt forward onto a droid, she was still impressed. Thire was very gentle and subtle, he looked a lot and spoke very little, even today it was still easier for him to express what he felt by looks or touch than with genuine words. And he was so romantic, so thoughtful and tender. He still had not wanted to sleep with her even when Depa had proposed, thinking he was hesitant or maybe just not interested, but she had been blushing for days after hearing from Thire how interested he was in getting to deeply know her, but not without a Chalactan wedding ceremony. Unlike Mandalorian culture – the only culture Thire could identify with – Chalactan culture required both partners to be virgin before marriage and to be engaged for a long time so that the passion would be heightened by the wait. Marriage was the ultimate act of love for her native people, stronger than anything else, and Depa did not think she would ever be able to give him that. She had not even expected him to have asked or cared that much, she herself was not that worried, but... she had been so touched.
- Whatever, I love you, your body is not as important to me as your love.
It was so cute, how could she resist? Suddenly, the special "covert operations" com of the Coruscant Guard rang and distract her from her sweet thoughts, Thire had given it to her before leaving just in case so they could join. It was literally the only thing it could do anyway, it was the one and only function of this secure com. It was probably best not to be able to keep up with the news here anyway.
"T - So... what are we doing?"
Depa thought she was comfortable under that desk, but she was open to suggestions.
"D - What would you prefer?"
"T - Frankly, it could be an opportunity to make a political stunt to stand for people like us, to encourage recognition of couples. They can not do without a Jedi like you anyway."
Depa smiled and shook her head, not exactly as sure as he was, but his idea had merit. She would never normally do this, but this was not exactly a usual situation so... Oh, well, Forcedamn it, could it really be worse?
Probably, but sometimes the wisdom was to not be pessimistic before acting and to keep hoping.
"D - Ok, I'm coming."
"T - In front of the Temple"
"T - Take a suit of armour"
"D - Excellent idea"
With the help of a sergeant who was passing by Fox's office and whom Depa managed to convince, the young woman put on the armour and practiced walking like a clone and left alone so that no one would compare her to other armour and notice that she was smaller.
She walked calmly between the protesters and went up the stairs of the Temple before speeding up when she saw a brown bald man approaching from inside the Temple with a... brisk step.
He had felt her approaching.
She saw Thire in the blink of an eye and walked towards him, smiling under her helmet as he removed his. She could see his face everywhere, but none of them was him.
- Ready to become a symbol?
- Hmm... if it gets me past your father, I can try.
- Then kiss me.
- It's always a pleasure.
Thire put an arm around her armoured shoulders, deftly removed her helmet with his left hand, freeing her braids, before pulling her in for a soft kiss.
If Depa could not convince the Order to let her live her love, then she would leave the Order. She did not have to live in the Temple to be a Jedi.
It was in her heart.
All that remained was to convince her father.