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Riyo should not have dressed like that, should she?
She could not understand why some people who never gave her a second glance were suddenly starting to notice her and trying to talk to her, but it was starting to make her uncomfortable. All of it had started in a simple, logical and pragmatic consideration, Riyo had started to get really hot in her traditional, everyday clothes so she had decided to treat herself to some new outfits to be more comfortable and to look a bit more professional. Her Pantoran outfits were acceptable and respectable to her own kind, but here she was not surrounded by her own people here and she had come to accept that using a different dress code would benefit her, so she was adapting.
Unable to see herself wearing dresses as imposing and ornate as some, or even just long ones that she knew she would trip over unless she practised moving in them in her living room for days on end, the young Senator had sought the advice of certain colleagues who had advised to her boutiques for clothes appropriate to her social class and budget, and she had easily found what she was looking for.
Admittedly, she had chosen businesswoman's clothes, but they matched the Senate atmosphere quite well, and all her closest colleagues had complimented her on her makeover, which suited her well, and on top of that Padmé Amidala and all her handmaidens had asked her where to find her hair accessories. She had bought some for them and to give them as gifts, it never hurt to make influential friends.
Still, now she was apparently desirable. Ugh. If she was not good enough for them in her favourite ponchos and comfortable clothes, did they really expect her to be interested? Unfortunately there was an art to rejecting suitors and turning down dates, and Riyo was starting to get them all exhausted because some just did not want to hear it and kept asking again and again and... she was tired. Even her strategy of starting to work early so that she could leave early too had its limits, but for the moment she did not have a better idea and was content with that.
Being in the Senate building when there were more Guards assigned to protect the building and more clones than employees at this hour did not bother her, at least they were professional... not that they had a choice, poor men.
Having no desire to rush for nothing, Riyo decided to take the next lift, seeing that the last one still open on the ground floor was already quite busy and quite far away, so she made her way quietly along when a black-gloved hand blocked the closing of the doors that had engaged, catching her eye.
The clone's visor was riveted on her and Riyo was intimidated to see that there were literally six clones in this medium-sized lift, but thanks to her encounters with clones it was not as if that was enough to stop her so she quickened her pace and nodded, a thank you on her lips.
"Which floor, Senator?"
"My delegation," she replied, blushing, not expecting them to know who she was.
Proving that this one at least knew exactly who she was, he pressed the corresponding floor and assumed a resting position like his comrades, also looking straight ahead.
It was incredibly relaxing, they knew who she was and had all seen her coming but none of them were really looking at her and it was incredibly nice, especially at that moment, to just disappear into the background.
Pleasant, until a stranger, but not quite a stranger, got into their lift, of course. She had not remembered his name but she knew where he worked, and more importantly, she had refused to eat with him three times this week and he kept coming back, as if it was a game to him.
"Oh, Senator Chuchi! Well, hello, how are you? I've reserved a table for lunch, the second chair is still available you know."
... Bingo. Riyo exhaled very carefully through her nose, screaming the most massive mental "AHHH" she could muster before forcing a tight smile onto her face. Unwavering politeness and constant diplomacy were her watchwords as a Senator and some moron was not going to divert her from her path.
"Look, I'm not interested. You seemed to have understood.
The hand that grasped hers left her speechless and extremely embarrassed, to do it in public in a crowded lift, was not he embarrassed at all?
"I'm-"
"Don't do that."
"Uh?" He paused to look towards the audience he had so far ignored.
"Touching her. Don't do that," the clone repeated, turning his head, immediately imitated by his comrades who showed a united front.
All his energy seemed to be transmitting a vicious "try me", so when the clone pressed a new button that made the lift stop on the next floor and said "I think this is your floor", the human got out without further ado, rebellion clearly not even entering his mind if that was what he had to face.
"I hope you weren't offended, Senator."
"I might have been."
"Oh, really?" The helmeted man replied in a conversational tone, looking amused, as if daring her to continue.
"You didn't hit him."
He chuckled as Riyo smiled impetuously, releasing some of the tension of the last few weeks.
"I'll go and teach him a few things later on tonight, I've got plenty of time, no need to interrupt my shift for a louse like that."
Riyo looked at him in disbelief, unsure why a senator's first assistant would be called a louse when she was entitled to the respect of a great woman.
"Commander, wouldn't that be an insult to lice?" Another suddenly asked, and Riyo burst out laughing when the first shrugged and replied.
"Probably. Rhys will escort you until we're sure you won't face any more nuisance."
"As you wish, sir."
"I don't want to monopolise one of your men for something like this," she objected, but the Commander was shaking his head and would not be convinced.
"You are a Senator and it is our duty to protect you."
"I see... thank you for your concern."
She did not want to make things more complicated for this poor soldier who was about to endure all this. Then she realized that she had a meeting with Ahsoka in three days, when the 501st returned.
"And how long do you think it will take before it's safe for me?"
"Two days should be enough," the clone replied to her great relief.
"Wonderful, thank you very much... Commander... ?"
"Renard," he replied with a satisfied nod as a soldier followed her upstairs. "Good day, Senator, and be careful."
"I will be, good day to you all."