Ketsu stormed through the auto door, perpetual glare in place, "Can I hire someone to take the stick out of Taskmaster Sandoval's ass?" she slammed her data pad and chem kit down onto the cluttered desk, not bothering to wait for a reply from her dorm mate, "Scratch that, I don't have enough creds for that job. Maybe just a well placed adhesive when he's not looking?" she considered, then shook her head, "No, Professor Carroll is still pissy from the last time I used the lab off hours. Sabine? Got any ideas?"

Finally turning around, Ketsu looked over at her dorm mate. Even though she was nearly a year older, they both were in the same class at the academy and she had hit up a quick camaraderie with the artist. The normally energetic Sabine was quiet though, facing away on her bed, "Sabs? What is it? " Ketsu stepped closer to try and peer around to see her face, "Did that blowhard Lewis flame your painting again? I'll kick her in nuts for you, free of charge." the underclassman had it coming.

No response.

"Sabs?"

Finally she turned around, long hair disheveled and lank around her face., not in the regulation bun, "They did it…" she croaked out, eyes looking at some faraway place beyond the dorm room, "…they…"

"What?" Ketsu urged, never having seen Sabine like this, suddenly scared, "What happened?" she grasped her shoulders tightly, nearly shaking her, "Tell me."

And it all poured out, every excruciating detail.

Ketsu stared at her in shock, unable…unwilling… no, it was Sabine. She needed her. And she wasn't about to let the Empire take her away.

Hands shifted from shoulders to face, and Ketsu caught her eye with determination, "Hey, remember when we said we would break out of here? Tell all the assholes to stuff it and become famous bounty hunters?"

A nod.

"Let's go," Ketsu begged, "Now. We can steal a shuttle- hardly anyone is on the landing pad at this time of day. We can- we can take it to some off world dung heap and sell it. Get ourselves a nice ship with a turret."

"We," Sabine swallowed thickly, the faintest life coming to her features, "We would have to create a distraction, though. Even a couple of bucket heads is too many for us to handle unarmed."

Ketsu was grinning, "That new paint we have been saving for a special occasion?"

"Yeah, it could work."

"It's decided then," Ketsu leaned forward and sealed it with a kiss, "We'll leave together."

AN: So this happened:) the episode isn't even out yet. Likely to get Jossed.