Warning: HUGE SPOILER for the end of the Smuggler's prologue on Ord Mantell. You have been warned! Extended cut of the final scene from "Hitting Where It Hurts."

"Hurting Where It Hits"

Vacy Fiorst, former (and hopefully future) starship captain, and her new crewmate Corso Riggs returned to Viidu's warehouse after completing a harrowing - though successful - "acquisitions expedition." As they trudged up the ramp to his office, Vacy slowed, because she heard a voice that sounded very familiar. Very familiar, and very unwelcome.

"I can't believe you fried Viidu, babe. So he caught you talking to the separatists. So what?"

They turned the corner and looked into the room, and saw Syreena standing in front of the holo, talking to That Dirty Rat, Skavak. Vacy reached immediately for Flashy in her holster, but Corso put a hand on her shoulder, pointing to the form of Viidu, motionless on the floor on the other side of the room.

Fortunately, Syreena didn't seem to notice them. "He threatened to turn me over to Rogun! I had to kill him," she insisted. Her voice softened, and she smiled at the figure on the hole. "And… now we can be together. Like we always wanted."

Skavak scratched the back of his neck. "Yyyyyeah… see, the thing is, my hold is full and I've got a lot of stops to make to get everything delivered… I'll call you sometime, though. Promise."

Syreena's jaw dropped. "What? You PROMISED to get me out of here! I've done everything for you!"

Shaking his head, Skavak waved a finger at her. "You did it for the money, babe, same as me. The difference is, unfortunately? You're not gonna get paid. But I promise, I'll never forget you. See you 'round, darling." There was a moment of static before the image disappeared.

The dark-haired girl let out a howl of frustration, turning on her heel to storm angrily from the room. But she stopped abruptly. "Captain! Uh. I didn't see you come in." She forced a smile. "Glad you made it back… when did you get here?"

Vacy's eyes were narrow, her mouth a thin line. "Drop the act. I heard everything." She walked across the room and stood right in front of the traitor, arms folded.

Syreena's shoulders drooped. "Then I guess I may as well not bother lying. Skavak used me just like he did everyone else. I thought… but I guess he could charm the armor off a Mandalorian." Her smile was sad, but when she noticed that Vacy's expression didn't change, she took a step back nervously, rubbing her arms. "Rogun the Butcher's bounty hunters are on their way right now. We don't want to be here when they arrive."

The ex-captain rested her hand on the blaster at her hip. "We? What do you mean 'we,' Syreena? I saved your hide, if you remember, and all along you were scheming against every last one of us."

Syreena gulped. "I… I didn't mean together or anything. But I've got to get off-planet, same as you. Skavak isn't going to help me, but… somehow I just can't be mad. I kind of hope I get to see him again someday. When you find him… please… go easy on him, will you?"

Vacy rolled her eyes, looking back over her shoulder at Corso in absolute disbelief. Then she turned back to Syreena. "You have got to be kidding. This is the part where I kill you."

"But I, uh - I can help you!" Syreena talked quickly, trying to find some way out. "Look, Skavak took your ship to Coruscant. If you go now, he won't know you're coming for him."

Vacy's words were tight and clipped, and as she continued, she found herself yelling at the cowering woman. "Getting there might be tough since SKAVAK STILL HAS MY SHIP!" By this point, she was shaking with barely-controlled fury.

Syreena shook her head, desperately trying to get Vacy focused on her earlier goal. "You don't need one to get from Ord Mantell to Coruscant - not anymore. Since you've got the separatists on the run, the Republic has reopened the shuttle port. I'll give you a shuttle pass if you let me disappear." She took a wobbly breath. "Deal?" she whispered.

"I don't need you alive for that shuttle pass." Flashy slipped easily from the captain's holster. She pointed the gun at Syreena. "I can just pry it out of your cold, dead fingers."

Dropping to her knees, Syreena begged for her life. "No - please! I… I can pay you! Just please… please don't kill me! I'm not the one you want! I've never even owned a blaster - it's not like I'm the one who actually hurt you! Please, I'm not the one you want!"

The sight of someone she'd once protected quivering in terror in front of her made Vacy pause. But she reminded herself that the girl had betrayed her, and that if word got out that she was soft, she wouldn't last a standard week. "No," she said, setting her jaw. "But you helped other people who did." And she pulled the trigger.

The echo of the blaster shot seemed to muffle the sound of Syreena's limp body crumpling to the floor. Then, for what seemed like forever, there was silence.

Finally, she heard footsteps behind her. Vacy blinked the moisture from her eyes and holstered her blaster, hoping her trembling wasn't as obvious as she felt it was. She turned to Corso, but she didn't have anything to say.

He shook his head. "Captain, that was cold. I hope you don't ever ask me to shoot a woman." He shrugged. "I was raised to be tip my hat an' open doors for ladies, not blast 'em."

"Syreena wasn't a lady," Vacy said, trying to convince herself as much as him. "She was a RAT." But somehow, the anger that had been coursing through her had vanished.

"Even the bad ones," Corso said. But his tone was kind, rather than harsh. He chuckled, then. "You prob'ly think I'm some dumb farm boy, huh? Head full of old-fashioned ideas?"

His attempt to distract her from what she'd just done was transparently obvious… but Vacy realized she didn't mind, and was even a bit grateful. She found she was able to smile. "Old-fashioned I'll grant you. But not dumb. I can tell you mean it kindly... and it's sorta sweet."

It was even sweeter when he blushed all the way from his hairline down to the top of his armor. "Oh… well.. thanks, Captain. I like you too."

Her smile came a little more easily, and she winked at him. "Also? I got a pretty keen blaster out of all that, too… so I can't complain too much."

Corso looked over at the body of his boss, and sighed. "Poor old Viidu. I wish he could hear what we did. It would've put a smile on his face." He turned to Vacy. "I know he promised you a big payout, but … I was wondering if we could use that for some kinda memorial."

"Yeah, I suppose so." She smiled wryly, lifting her shoulders. "After all, I don't have a ship that I can put upgrades on anyway."

He chuckled. "Soon enough, Captain. Soon enough." He crouched down by Syreena and rifled through pockets and pouches until he came up with the shuttle pass. Vacy silently thanked him for doing it so that she didn't have to. He stood, handing her the pass. "But it's not healthy for us to stick around. I believe what Syreena said about bounty hunters comin'. We don't know how long Skavak'll stay on Coruscant, either. Let's hop a shuttle an' catch him while we can."

Vacy blinked. "We? Hold on just a sec - you're planning to tag along?" She frowned - that hadn't been part of her plan. "I thought you'd want to stay here, continue the fight against the separatists."

Corso shook his head. "You heard what she said - the separatists are on the run. I figure the troops here can get things back in order. And I can't go back to the ranch - it ain't much more than a crater. Besides, my Torchy still needs rescuing."

Heading for the door, Vacy grinned. "Guess you're right, Riggs. Too bad, though."

He followed, puzzling through what she said. "Too bad? Why's that?"

She jogged down the ramp and through the warehouse. "Well, I was planning to have some fun with you before I headed off-planet. But it sounds like we're in a rush, and besides, that sort of thing can make it real awkward between captain and crew."

Corso stopped in his tracks. Fun? "Wait - what? 'Thing'? What sort of 'thing' d'you mean?" He hurried to catch up, stepping in front of her. "We, uh… we don't really have to leave right away."

Vacy grinned and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "C'mon. Let's head for the shuttle port. We'll have my ship and your gun back before you know it." She jogged away, grinning broadly.

Corso Riggs watched her for a moment, sighed, and followed.

[Author's note: Poor Syreena! Check out some of the playthroughs on youtube. I don't think anyone ever lets her live! And it's understandable, what with the way it's written. I tried to give her a little more depth, because I really don't think the original story quite does her justice. RIP, Syreena. I hope in whatever afterlife there is, you find somebody better than Skavak. And yes, there at the end, Corso is having a moment of "I hate to see you go... but I love to watch you leave!"]