A/N: According to some research I did, the longest recorded time a human has gone without sleep is 111 hours, but since the times below are for Near-Human species with specialized training in a sci-fi setting, I figured longer was acceptable for at least the one with military background.

Leyna tried to stay awake as they waited for news, switching from tea to decaf and her eyes kept drifting shut while she sat with her friends.

"You should get some rest." Gaur said sympathetically.

"I am worried the moment I lay down something will happen." She yawned. "I don't know how you two seem fine."

"With frequent 72 hour shifts in both our lines of work, a whole day is really not difficult to deal with." Atun shrugged fractionally. "Not everyone has that kind of training. Military and politics on our planet fight on different fronts for long periods of time. One Senate meeting Gaur attended lasted nearly one hundred hours."

Gaur waved a hand dismissively while she gaped. "That was nothing compared to when you had to fly around in the rescue unit for one hundred and twenty during the floods on the moon."

"Thank goodness we both had a month off after those."

"Indeed."

She shook her head in amazement. "I can't even imagine staying awake for that long. If I rest, will one of you come wake me?"

"Of course." They promised in unison.

She nodded and walked slowly to her room. She laid in bed and passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

It felt like she had just fallen asleep when there was a chime at her door. She flew out from under the covers and to answer it in record time.

Atun was standing on the other side looking as unreadable as ever. "The Imperial Captain reported in. You may want to sit down before I begin." He waited till she did so and joined her. "They couldn't find Tynan or his father. Upon further investigation, Corin Mendax was one of the first people who reported missing when the raids began occurring and things in his house had been disturbed recently presumably by Tynan, but there were no signs of a struggle. They are still pulling the call records for his comm, though it doesn't look promising considering they also found papers hidden in what they assumed was Tynan's room which showed he had been in contact with the Vagaari to make a deal."

"Make a deal? Why would he do that? I know he has his issues with Lysatra, but betraying it...?" She felt tears prick at her eyes.

"I do not think you would like the answer I could provide."

"Atun...please tell me."

He sighed just audibly. "What I tell you does not leave this room, agreed?"

"Agreed." She managed, swallowing the lump in her throat.

He slowly removed his glasses to reveal the glowing red eyes of a Chiss. "For some time there have been raids on the star cruisers in this region and the Empire asked the Ascendancy for help looking into the matter since it was one of our former Commanders who is now a Grand Admiral in their Fleet that defeated a large chunk of the Vagaari a few years ago.

"My cousin who became Gaur's fiancée was the first to disguise herself and came aboard this particular star cruiser that Tynan happened to be piloting at the time. She noticed he was paying far too much attention to her and after the Vagaari attack, she went all the way to Pantora in hopes of dispelling any suspicions he may have had about her, though from what you told me after we met he never lost those suspicions.

"There was not enough direct evidence to convict him, so they have had operatives posing as wealthy passengers keeping tabs on him to no avail. Finally they got a break when a woman named Sadi Asga asked to speak with authorities on Agaris upon arriving there to work and she reported concerns about her former boyfriend, saying he had received a call from a neighbor to say that his father had disappeared and he hadn't seemed to be affected by the news in the least.

"When she asked him if something wrong, he pretended the call had never happened and she overheard him later on the comm with audio only and she feared for her safety when he declared he hated Lysatra and wanted everyone starting with the countryside gone now that his father had been taken away. She moved from her country home as soon as they returned without telling him anything while he was on shore leave and changed her comm number so he couldn't possibly track her.

"That of course is where Gaur and I came in, as a matter of fact. We arranged transportation out here from Pantora with me looking like an inhabitant from it's moon and it was clear from the start he was distrustful of us, even before you confided in me. I fear that transferred to you because you spent time with the two of us and it is possible this last attack was an attempt to get rid of you or for him to escape, perhaps both. I am sorry to be the bearer of such bad news Leyna, but you deserve the truth."

"How do I know that's the truth? You have been pretending to be Pantoran this entire time." She sobbed.

He stood. "The only way to know is to seek it out for yourself Leyna, however my real identity must remain a secret. I only showed you as an act of trust and hoped you might agree to come undercover with us."

"How long do I have to think about it?"

"There really isn't a time limit. The star cruiser hasn't been given clearance to take off yet."

"Did the Captain say anything about my mother?"

"They are still looking into their records, though he assured me they should be finished by the end of the day."

She nodded. "Thank you, Atun...if that is really your name."

"It is my core name. Ar'atu'nan is hard for most non-Chiss to say." He stepped out of her room once his goggles were secured over his eyes again. "I will leave you to your thoughts, Leyna."