CHAPTER TEN - THE RAINS OF HOUSE RASH

One Month Later

AHSOKA

My holoprojector rings at the worst, ungodliest hour possible.

Fuzzy from sleepiness, I mindlessly activate it. "Erm, hello?"

"Ahsoka, where in the galaxy are you?"

Uh-oh…

I sit up on Hutch and Hero's couch, mind instantly clear. "Hey, Master…"

The projector beams Anakin's blue, translucent likeness into the darkened room, instantly lighting it up. Anakin's in an impatient stance, looks furious, and – to my horror – he isn't alone.

"Hi, Padme."

Padme doesn't look any happier. "Ahsoka, where did you go?"

Oh man, should I come clean or lie? Let's start with a half-truth. "I'm just visiting some friends."

"That's nice. Which friends?" Padme demands.

"I would understand visiting friends for a week, but it's been almost a month! Rex has sent intelligence agents out to look for you, the Council is in uproar -."

"You haven't always done what the Council says either," I protest.

Wrong move. Anakin inflates like a puffer pig and seethes. "I also didn't run away for a month!"

"Ahsoka, we're worried about you," Padme interrupts. "You don't have the credits for a trip this long. How do you plan to pay for your food and shelter?"

"I'm managing." Credits and space may be tight for Hutch, Hero, Saw, Tandin, Ivy, and me, but we manage. The paychecks from the palace certainly don't hurt. "I swear I'm fine, Padme. Really, I am. I'll be back," I pause. "Soon."

"Soon isn't good enough, Ahsoka!" Anakin snaps. "I am ordering you to come back immediately and -."

Saw reaches from his spot on the floor beneath my couch, grabs the holoprojector, and shuts it off. With one fluid motion, he hurls it at the wall. The device shatters.

"Thanks, Saw."

"Least I could do." He looks around the apartment. "It's too early to go back to sleep and it looks like we already woke up Hutch and Hero."

"You did." Hutch sits upright. "Hero's awake too; she's just in denial."

"It's too early," Hero groans and buries her face in the pillow.

"Chronometer doesn't matter," I rub my temples. "I'm not going to get to sleep anytime soon. We might as well be productive. Hero, what do you have on Bastian's court?"

Hero rolls over. "Griff obviously wants you. As far as I can gather, Octavia's there because she wants to. Aria, I'm not sure about."

"I did some digging on them so I didn't go stir crazy," Hutch walks over to his computer and boots it up to peruse the files. "Hero's right, Octavia is definitely the boss of the handmaidens. She's the oldest, and she washed out of the Royal Militia."

"So she has combat training?" That's certainly not good.

"Some, but I doubt that was the only reason Bastian hired her in. She's been working at the palace since Sanjay Rash took over. I guess Bastian figured he could trust his father's toadies."

From the look on Hero's face I can surmise that Octavia isn't exactly a shining example of sentiency. "What about the other one?"

"That would be Aria Pradesh, who at twenty is the youngest," he announces. "At first I wasn't sure how she got in – she didn't work for Sanjay, she doesn't have any military or law enforcement experience, nothing. And then I found her lawsuits."

"Lawsuits?"

"Aria has a fourteen-year-old brother, who's a ward of the state. She's made repeat petitions to get custody of him, but she's been turned down every time for a lack of financial stability. Now here's what I'm thinking: Bastian makes a deal with Aria. She works for him, he'll eventually give her custody of her brother."

"So blackmail? That makes sense. Sierra says Aria and Ean were the only people who were nice to her," Hero says. "Griff is where I'm hitting a brick wall. He wants Ahsoka, but what else?"

"His own name," I answer. "Think about it. He bullies Ean every chance he gets; he wouldn't let him become Lord Ean and consume House Bonteri unless he got the same. Hutch, is House Gould noble?"

Hutch snorts. "Not by any stretch, and you don't have a house for Griff to marry into. So what's he after? It's not like there's a spare fortune lying around."

"Yes, there is." I close my eyes, mind whirring. "It's a stretch, but it would suit Griff's needs."

Saw looks at the calendar on the wall, specifically at Steela's due date circled in red. "It's been a month. We need to do more than digging into handmaidens' records."

"Couldn't agree more. Which is why I told Steela we're done with damage control. It's time to go back to the plan."

A satisfied smile grows across my face. "Yes, it is. Hero, brief the ladies. Bastian's going down."

SIERRA

"The plan's back on."

My face lights up. "Steela okayed it?"

"Better. Ahsoka did." Hero takes a seat on the edge of my bed. "How are the Goulds holding out?"

"Griff's sure not in top form," I admit. "I think he's getting antsy because he doesn't have Ahsoka yet. And we had a close call with Ean. I told him to stop talking at dinner last night, and then Bastian asked him a question."

It takes a second for that to sink in. "You muted Ean?"

"It was only for a second. I repeated the question and then everything was fine," I fiddles with my shirt. "After what Bastian did with the dress, I've been laying low just like you asked."

"Well, we're in crunch time now. Steela's about to pop." No kidding there. At nine months along, Steela's so disproportionately enormous it's almost funny. She can barely squeeze into her maternity clothes.

"So what's the plan?" I perk up.

"First thing's first, we finish up the old plan. You're eating dinner with Griff and Ean tonight, right?"

…

"Griff, will you pass the salt?"

Griff practically throws the salt at me, eyes on his plate like it's the most interesting thing in the universe.

"Thank you," I set the shaker by my plate and turn my attention to Ean. "Ean, I forget. How long have we been engaged?"

Ean looks up. "Nine months."

I smile. "You know, I wasn't hypnotized when I agreed to it. He couldn't put me in a trance even for a second."

Griff's fork stops moving.

"My brother taught me the same kind of resistance tricks Jedi use," I say. "They teach it to younglings."

"Younglings?" Griff repeats.

"Yes, he said Ahsoka told him about it when she visited us."

Griff's eye twitches, but Ean speaks first. "Sierra, when are we getting married? Bastian's said he might move it up."

"I'm not sure. He just has to iron out all the assets first," I go out of a limb. "There's House Bonteri, and House Tandin too."

This time Griff actually puts his fork down. "What does House Tandin have anything to do with your marriage?"

Looks like Hero and Ahsoka were right about Griff wanting to take House Tandin. "I was his ward, so I inherited it when he died. It's all in his will."

Griff stands. "How can you hold the control for two houses?"

"Part of it was supposed to go toward my education. He put it in my name," I lie. "I wasn't a part of the family, not really, but what I had was enough to give me the house."

Ean pipes up. "General Tandin was very good about his paperwork, Griff. He always had everything in order."

Griff sits back down at the table, every muscle in his body tight.

"Really?" he asks, gripping his fork so hard his knuckles turn white. "Tell me what else Tandin put in order."

THIRD PERSON

"Griff, can I ask you a question?" Steela asks, a piece of flimsi in her hand. "The baby will be born soon enough, and Bastian wants me to ask if you'll be his godfather."

Griff puffs up with pride. "I would be honored, Your Grace."

"Oh, thank you," Steela gushes. "That's a load off my chest. I had a planner running around doing all this for me, but he didn't pan out. Too concerned with medical aids during childbirth, but I don't want the heir to come out woozy from drugs! So Bastian fired him. If he's one thing, he's efficient with his staff."

The twitch of Griff's lips isn't lost on her. "Efficient?"

"Oh yes. I can't even tell you how many cooks we've gone through. One mistake, and poof! They're out the door." She puts the flimsi back in her pocket. "Thank you for agreeing to be the godfather, Griff. It means so much to Bastian and I."

It takes all Steela's willpower not to smirk as she walks away.

…

Bastian Rash paces around his office, debating.

It's risky, without a doubt, but not doing it is even riskier. He's thought about other solutions and nothing has worked: no threat, no punishment is great enough to stop her.

He rings for a handmaiden.

"Ivy, I need your assistance."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Hero keys in the access code and lets herself in. "How can I be of service?"

"Come here, please." He busies himself at the desk while she approaches, fingers finding what he needs in the drawer. When Hero draws close enough, he holds out a hand to stop her.

"Can you hear me?"

"Hear you? Yes, sir." Hero nods, a little confused."

"Listen to this, Ivy dear..." With a single deft motion, he rings the silver bell on his desk. "Listen to the tone as it fades out, and listen as my voice meets it, and continues on. Are you listening?"

Behind the holographic disguise, Hero's eyes glaze over.

Bastian remembers that evening nearly a year ago in his office, where he stroked Steela's hair and spoke into her ear as she slept on his office desk.

You love me, he told her. You love me more than anyone or anything in this galaxy. You would do anything I asked, and if I asked you to marry me you would do it right now.

"Good," Bastian purrs, swirling his finger over the top of the bell before reaching into his desk and removing a vial. "Ivy, this is the second time Sierra Bonteri has created trouble for me. And with my queen so close to her time, I can't take any risks."

He hands her the vial. "You will mix this into a drink and serve it to Lady Bonteri tonight. You will tell her that Steela has sent it and you will not leave until she drinks it and has fallen asleep. Do you understand?

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Then you will wake up and go home. You will not remember this conversation."

"Yes, my lord," Hero drones.

"Go on your way." Bastian gets up from his desk, satisfied at last. Sierra Bonteri may somehow be immune to hypnosis, but no one is immune to this.

…

Hero returns home late at night, so late in fact that she finds herself wishing that she had a blaster in case she comes into contact with any riffraff on her way to her apartment.

"Babe, it's almost one in the morning!" Hutch cries when she finally walks through the front door. "What were you doing?"

"Stuff," Hero says, because she honestly doesn't know. "What are you all doing up?"

Ahsoka clears her throat.

"Steela's due date is in a week," she says, "And we can't waste any more time. We're breaking her and Sierra out of the palace tomorrow night."

SIERRA

"Sierra, wake up."

I sit up in bed and fumble for the lamp. "Hero? It's late – what are you doing?"

Hero holds out a steaming mug. "Steela sent something to help you sleep. She's worried about you."

"Okay," I accept the mug and take a sip, cautious of the heat. I really don't want to get on a stressed-out, hormonal Steela's bad side. "Thanks, Hero."

Hero presses a finger to the bottom of the cup and tips it up. "You need more."

I take a few more gulps and then pull the mug away and put it on my bedside table. "I'll drink more if I need it during the night."

Hero checks the level of liquid. "All right," she says and flicks off the light.

And doesn't move.

"Good night," I say cautiously and lie back in bed.

"Good night," Hero replies, still not moving.

I bite my lip. "Hero, I don't want to sound like a brat, but I can't sleep if people are standing over me."

"I'm not supposed to leave until you fall asleep."

Steela told her to do that? But why – she probably can't sleep with people standing over her either. "Why'd she say that?" I ask, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

"I don't know. Sierra, lie back down."

I've no sooner opened my mouth than my feet start tingling, the pins and needles feeling coming on hard and fast. I ignore it. "But she always explains stuff – Hero, is something wrong?"

"No!" she blurts out. "She just wanted me to give you a sleep aid."

The tingling that began in my feet starts traveling to my hands, then up around my mouth. "Something's wrong…"

Hero pushes me back down. "Just go to sleep and it'll fix it."

It's not until she comes close that I realize her real self, reflected in her Ivy disguise: the dull eyes, the stiff motions – she's the mirror image of me when Lux hypnotized me into robbing the cookie jar.

Adrenaline hits my veins with a nearly audible ping! I can only think of one person who would hypnotize Hero, and only one reason why he would have her bring me a cup of tea.

Calm down, I tell myself. There's no way you're getting through Hero unless she leaves by herself.

I lie down, close my eyes, and take a few deep breaths, trying to minimize my trembling until I hear Hero walk out of the room and the door shut behind me.

I push myself up in bed, and the world spins. My mouth is completely numb - there's not a doubt in my mind what's in that cup, and it's fast-acting.

I need help. I need Steela.

Using the wall as a crutch, I hobble down the hallway to Steela's room, ignoring the other doors and the cameras. I don't care about being caught on camera, the game is over anyway. If I don't do this, then I'm already dead.

Steela's door looms into sight and I stumble toward the control panel. Almost there…

Someone hooks their arms around my chest.

"I think you're lost, Sierra," Bastian says.

No, not him!

I despetely reach for the door, intending to slam it and wake Steela, but Bastian pulls me back. "Don't wake the Queen; she needs her rest. And as for you," he hoists me into his arms, pressing my face into his shoulder to muffle any sound I could make. "It's a good thing I'm such a kind, caring king."

I try to twist out of his arms, my body growing heavier with each step, but Bastian's too strong.

Aria rounds the corner, blinks, and bows her head. "Your Highness! I wasn't aware you would be out at this -."

"At ease," Bastian rocks me back and forth, as if he's cradling me. "I found her sleepwalking. Kids, you know?"

No, no, no! Aria, don't listen to him. Only little kids sleep like this, not ones my age. Please, help me!

"Amir used to do the same. Would you like me to bring her the rest of the way, sire?"

"No, I thought I would tuck her in. I need the practice." He brushes past her. "Good night."

I crane my neck past his shoulder, trying to signal her. Aria, help me…

"Hush," Bastian grabs my head and places it against his shoulder. "I could have made it worse for you, you know. This isn't a painful way to go."

He nudges my bedroom door open with his hip and lays me supine in bed, smoothing the covers over me. "Comfortable? I wouldn't want it to look any other way."

I cough hard, my chest aching. Bastian stands. "I'm afraid that's not going away. Don't worry, you'll sleep through most of this tonight and tomorrow. It's a terrible disease, meningitis. Too bad Lux didn't have you inoculated. Of course, this isn't actually meningitis."

I hate you.

Words might be impossible for me right now, but Bastian can see it in my eyes. He tucks me in tight.

"Rest well, Sierra," he says. "Your brother will be with you when you wake."

The second he leaves I throw myself over the side of the bed with all my might, landing hard on the floor. My arms and legs are so much noodles; I can't raise myself on them.

Help…

Black spots dance across my eyes.

Steela, Tandin, Lux, Unifar … anybody. Please help me.

…

When Bastian returns to his room he finds his bride curled around the pillows, grimacing.

"You're still awake? It's late." He settles in under the blankets. "Steela, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Is the baby kicking again?"

"No, it's back spasms. Nothing serious," she grunts before tossing to her other side.

If she doesn't sleep he won't either. "Come here," he offers, holding out his arms. It's no sacrifice; he likes to hold his wife at night.

Steela winces and rolls over, settling into Bastian's arms and laying her head against his chest. Pleasantly surprised at this sudden display of affection, he rubs the base of her spine to soothe the spasms as she braces her body against pain.

A/N: Well, I did say this story took some inspiration from Game of Thrones. You can't have that without assassination. Those of you who are familiar with the series might recognize the chapter title's reference to "The Rains of Castamere," one of the most infamous episodes in the series. While nothing can really beat the shock value of that episode, it's time for the crew to face their own version of the Red Wedding.

Thank you to starwarshobbitfics, Rose Ravenclaw, and McAwsome for your reviews. And speaking of which, please review!

Until next time,

LS