Inside the Jedi Temple...
"Now this is what I call good eating," said a clone trooper in custom red armor, enjoying an Earth delicacy called pizza.
"Pretty amazing, right?" asked a brown-haired teenager, lounging in a web hammock he'd created.
"This is significantly better than our standard rations," the clone admitted.
"Hear, hear," another clone commando agreed beside him.
"Glad you guys like it," Peter Parker said cheerfully, taking a bite of his own slice.
After considerable experimentation, Peter and the other Avengers had successfully recreated pizza and other Earth foods.
It wasn't that they disliked galactic cuisine—they simply missed the flavors of home.
"Hey, Commander, don't hog the rest!" protested the third clone in their group.
"Commander's privilege, Jack," the Clone Commander said with a smirk.
"What about us two, Commander Thorne?" Barriss Offee asked in a playfully teasing voice.
"Aren't you and Ahsoka commanders too?" Peter asked, glancing down at the two Padawans.
"So?" Ahsoka said, her mouth full of pizza.
"So that means the remaining pizza goes to one of you three," Peter explained. "Don't worry, Jack. There's more—I just need to pull another batch from the oven."
Ever since the Avengers had begun introducing Earth food, games, music, and other entertainment, clones and even Jedi had been flocking to them like moths to a flame.
The clones were particularly enthusiastic about any new cuisine they encountered, and Earth food had spread like wildfire throughout every legion.
At this point, it had become a form of currency among the clones as they traded snacks and meals with each other.
What had started as simple snacks, introduced to clones and Jedi with Kix's help, had evolved into access to more sophisticated, complex Earth dishes.
And, admittedly, mostly delicious greasy junk food.
The clones weren't the only ones benefiting from these new culinary options.
If the Avengers were going to remain in the galaxy long-term, this was essential. They had begun selling food recipes to certain establishments on Coruscant.
With Obi-Wan's assistance, they'd met his friend Dexter Jettster, who had opened a new restaurant specializing in Earth cuisine.
Needless to say, the bank account they'd established with Padmé's help was growing at an astronomical rate.
Soon, the Avengers' goal of having their own permanent residence outside the Jedi Temple would become reality.
While they could have accepted the Supreme Chancellor's offer of official positions, something about it felt off—even wrong.
"Well, as much as I'm enjoying this, we need to head out on patrol," Thorne announced, standing up from beside Jack and Reese.
"Don't worry—I'll grab something from the oven so you can have snacks on the shuttle."
"Thanks, Peter," Reese said gratefully.
"Let's move out," Thorne said, rising from his seat.
Peter gathered the plates and trays, placing them in a nearby sink. The two Padawans helped him clean up before he retrieved the remaining food from the oven.
The clone trio and three teenagers eventually made their way to the Jedi Temple's landing platform, where a Coruscant Guard shuttle awaited them.
"Save me a good spot," Peter said, handing the food to the clones, each of whom thanked him.
"Oh, what a surprise," Jack said with mock amazement. "You're actually coming with us?"
"Yeah, yeah, this humble web-slinger has been reduced to delivery boy status."
"Hey!"
"Besides, I'm going stir-crazy being cooped up in the Temple all day," Peter said, pulling his mask over his head.
"Appreciate it," Thorne nodded.
Ahsoka and Barriss observed this exchange, with the former looking thoughtful.
"Mind if we tag along?" Ahsoka spoke up, surprising Barriss and the others.
"Since when?" Thorne asked.
Ahsoka shrugged. "Master's in meetings right now, and I've finished most of my assignments for the day, so I'm free to help."
Barriss gave her fellow Padawan a knowing look, then touched her chin thoughtfully.
"Master Luminara has been in meditation all day," Barriss mused. "I suppose it would be acceptable for both of us."
"Uh, Commander, it's just a routine patrol," Jack said hesitantly.
"Don't jinx it," Thorne elbowed him. "Remember what happened last time you were with Master Yoda?"
Reese chuckled. "Good point. You Jedi have a way of finding trouble wherever you go."
"That's right," Ahsoka said proudly.
"Which is probably why you're behind on your training," Peter teased.
"Hey!"
Peter laughed heartily, joined by Barriss and the clones, while Ahsoka pouted dramatically.
"You don't have to come along," Peter said after the laughter died down.
Ahsoka smiled at him. "We know."
"But we want to," Barriss added.
Peter smiled beneath his mask as the clone shuttle lifted off.
"Well, try to keep up."
Peter fired a web line that quickly adhered to the craft's underside, and moments later he was yanked from his position, soaring through the air behind the ship.
The two Padawans grinned and rushed to the nearest speeder. Soon, engines roared to life and they were airborne, following the Avenger and clones as they began their patrol through Coruscant's endless skyways.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writing takes time, coffee, and a lot of love.If you'd like to support my work, join me at [email protected]/GoldenGarudaYou'll get early access to over 50 chapters, selection on new series, and the satisfaction of knowing your support directly fuels more stories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~