It was time for the evening meal. Hera could hear the guards' footsteps and the cell doors opening down the hallway. Her contractions had grown progressively more intense over the last few hours, and she prayed they would hold off for just a little while; she couldn't let the guards know she was in labor. It was her only chance at ensuring her child's safety for a little longer.
Hera quickly put on her uniform. After her water broke, she had hung it up to dry, but it was still a little damp. Unfortunately, she wasn't scheduled to get a clean one until tomorrow morning. As she buttoned the front of it, her cell door opened. The troopers beckoned her out of the tiny room and she slowly climbed the steps, bracing herself on the door frame. She stood in line, wishing the troopers would hurry up with roll call; her feet were already starting to go numb.
Her unit once again entered the mess, and an intense odor of a cooked aquatic animal nearly smacked them in the face. Hera went through the line to get food, not sure if she'd be able to stomach it, and sat at a table with Andrexis and Kna'tzhuk. She and Andrexis ate everything else on their plates and avoided the main dish while Kna'tzhuk nearly swallowed it whole.
"Waul'uree," he said, wiping his thin black lips with his napkin. "That's what my people call it. We ate it all the time back home."
Hera picked at it with her fork and tried not to think about it as she continued eating her grain mix. When she was finished, she glanced around to make sure the guards weren't watching and spoke.
"There's something important I need to tell you both," she said in a hushed but serious tone.
Andrexis stopped eating for a moment and directed his attention to her. Kna'tzhuk pulled a bone from between his teeth and set it on his tray, remaining silent.
"I need you to know that I'm in labor," she stated. "My water broke maybe an hour and a half after midday meal."
"Oh, kriff," Andrexis muttered. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Do you need anything?"
Hera sighed and shook her head. "Not anything you can give me. And yes, everything's going smoothly. So far."
"We've got to get you out of here, and fast," he said. "The next cargo shipment isn't for another two days, but we could try a TIE if you're feeling up to it..."
"Andrexis, I won't make it." She choked back tears after she said this. "Even if we made it to the hangar, I wouldn't be able to fly us out of here without getting caught."
"What other option do you have?" he replied.
"I have to make it through this meal. I can't let the guards know I'm in labor." Hera glanced around the room again to make sure their conversation was still private. "That way, I at least have a chance of seeing my kid."
Andrexis looked at his food again, trying to formulate another plan. "What about your crew?"
"I hope they're on their way, if they're coming at all," she said. "But if they can, they will. I know my crew."
"I hope you're right," he replied.
Hera felt tension building in her lower back and belly again. She took in a deep breath and pursed her lips slightly, trying to remain calm. She exhaled slowly, and the pain quickly became more intense.
"Oh, no—" she said with a strained voice. She tensed her legs and upper arms, her body quivering. She pressed her hands down hard on the table, and a slight movement in the corner of her view caught her eye; one of the guards had turned his head and was now looking at the group. Her eyes quickly darted away. She took in a deep breath through her nose and held it without realizing it, trying her best to keep a straight face.
"Breathe," Kna'tzhuk reminded her in a low voice, holding eye contact with her.
Hera exhaled shakily, and could feel her face become hot. The trooper still had his eyes on them. Suddenly, her contraction became twice as intense and she leaned forward, her eyes welling up with tears. Her lips trembled vigorously. Kna'tzhuk reached a paw under the table and she grabbed it, squeezing it harder than he'd expected.
"Just a little longer. Look at me," Kna'tzhuk said quietly.
Hera shifted her gaze over to him, and Andrexis kept an eye on the trooper. It took all of her strength, but she had to keep a straight face for a few more seconds; her child's fate depended on it. She squeezed Kna'tzhuk's paw even tighter; she was experiencing the worst pain she had ever felt in her life, and it would only get worse from there. She forced herself to exhale the little amount of air she held in her lungs and gasped for another breath.
"He looked away," said Andrexis. "We're safe."
Hera hunched over, squeezing her eyes shut and pulling back her lips. She opened her jaw slightly as if to scream, but nothing came out. She curled her other hand into a fist and froze for a while, hoping the contraction would end soon.
Finally, the pain abated, and she released Kna'tzhuk's paw and sat up straight again. He shook it a few times and heard his knuckles crack. The guards called the prisoners back to their cells, and everyone got up to clear their trays.
"Hopefully the baby will come by morning," said Hera to the two men. "Otherwise I might not ever see you again."
"Talk to me if you need to," said Andrexis. "I'll be there."
He and Hera joined up with their unit and the troopers called roll again, but Kna'tzhuk was nowhere to be seen. The imperials didn't seem to notice his absence.
Kna'tzhuk, still wearing his prison uniform, had no trouble navigating the imperial corridors. He passed many stormtroopers, none of which moved to stop him. He stepped into one of the elevators, and it took him up to Admiral Thrawn's office. He opened the door and stepped in the room, seeing Thrawn sitting at his desk and Governor Pryce standing to his right, both surrounded by various art pieces. The Shir'ik bowed and spoke.
"Grand Admiral," he began, "the time has come for General Syndulla to give birth."
"Excellent work, Kna'tzhuk," Thrawn replied serenely as he stood up from his chair. "Lord Vader will be quite pleased."
"Is there anything more I need to do? Should I stay with her?"
"That won't be necessary," said Thrawn. "Now, let us discuss your reward." He strode slowly over to the wall to his left and opened a small compartment. He lifted a flat, gray case out of it and held it with both hands, then carried it over to Kna'tzhuk.
"I would like to personally present this reward to you in thanks for your service," he said. He pressed a button near the handle and the lid popped open, revealing a sheet of hundreds of neatly-stacked golden credit chips. "This is the original two-hundred thousand posted as Syndulla's bounty, with an additional forty thousand for your work here."
Kna'tzhuk's eyes floated over the surface of the credit chips, his vertical pupils dilated. With this money alone, he was set for a few cycles. His trip across the galaxy to the Rishi moon was worth every bit of his time. Being in the Bounty Hunter's guild had certainly paid off.
"Thank you, Admiral." He bowed his head as Thrawn closed the case and handed it to him.
"Your ship is being stored in hangar bay three," he told the bounty hunter. "I ask that you leave this system immediately when you are ready."
Kna'tzhuk nodded. "Yes, sir." He took his bounty, left Thrawn's office, and headed for his ship.
Thrawn paused for a moment, facing the door, and pulled out his comlink. "Send a medical droid to cell 024-601," he commanded. He received an affirmative response and he returned it to its clasp on his belt.
"What comes next in this... elaborate plan of yours, Admiral?" Governor Pryce asked after a brief silence.
He looked over his shoulder and slowly turned around to face her. "We must wait until Syndulla gives birth," he answered. "Then, we will transfer her and the child to Lord Vader's ship, where she will then be under his charge."
His statement didn't require a response. Pryce remained silent and waited for him to continue.
Thrawn slowly walked past the Syndulla family portrait projected from the ceiling, once again looking over the fine details of the mosaic. He opened his mouth to speak, but just then, the Chimaera's sirens began to wail. He faced the door again and spoke into his comlink.
"Captain Pellaeon, what's your status?"
"A few dozen Rebel ships have just dropped out of hyperspace. Deploying forces immediately."
Suddenly, Thrawn saw a red flash illuminate the room. He felt his left shoulder become extremely hot. He reached his hand up to touch his white tunic, now a deep gray from carbon scoring, and stumbled to the floor. He lay on his chest with his arms sprawled oddly, the back of his tunic emitting a thin wisp of smoke.
Pryce still held her blaster pointed to Thrawn's back. She slowly lowered it and put it back in its holster, a serious look on her face. She stepped over his legs and looked down at his pale blue face and red eyes staring off in the distance. She nudged his arm with her boot, and sure enough, it was limp.
"This triumph," said Pryce, "will be mine."