CHAPTER 45

Devil's Dance

Fortuna – 2 BBY

"Right 'ere Assistant Director, sir," Rain presented the busted up, wretched frigate, which still had filthy armored stormtroopers unloading its cargo. "The Mahogany Vulpine in all her fine, majestic glory. Never really seen one like 'er. Got pretty banged up on the way down, but we're givin' her some love."

Ronan frowned at the sight…now convinced he'd have to inform Director Krennic that Stardust desperately needed some clean-up from the top down. The hangar itself was rusted, dank and utterly disgusting, not to mention the scuttering of rodents almost every step he took. How did this possibly pass as an Imperial outpost?

Something about this didn't smell right.

"What is its cargo?" Ronan asked, prompting Rain to furrow his brow in slight confusion.

"D-uh…well, sir, one of them freighters are always marked, so we're only allowed to unload the boxes, not open 'em. You see what I mean?" he explained, pointing towards the troopers stacking the crates, and Ronan did notice the yellow and black labels slapped onto each of them. "All touch, no look."

That was odd. Stardust was secret…but such a sloppy use of 'just please don't open the box' wasn't Krennic's style. He'd have crews he trusted tearing open cargo, not a bunch of nobodies at the edge of wild space.

"Maybe someone with your rank could get 'em open. I've always been curious what's inside," Rain said, sounding a bit jittery. "What you think?"

"I think your work here is done," Ronan spat. "Tell your men to stop unloading cargo and leave it to me. I'd like to take a personal inspection."

"Sir yes sir, mister sir," he saluted, then whistled. "Hey boys! Quit unloadin' them damn crates! Get on back to guard duty!"

One of the storm troopers slumped as he dropped the crate. "Ah, come on Lieutenant! We've been working on this all day!"

"Ahhh…" Rain rubbed his neck. "Tell you what. I'll get you fine gentlemen some Corellian whisky. How's that sound?"

Nods flowed perfectly, and Ronan clenched his fist. Bribing his men just to follow orders? This was…no…this was too far.

"You tell your men that if they aren't finished loading those crates back up in five minutes, I'll have each and every one of them court martialed for insubordination!" Ronan demanded, drawing a stunned look from Rain, who conjured a bit of sweat from his head.

"Uh…y-you heard 'em boys! Load up them damn crates!" he ordered.

It took them about seven minutes, but by then, Ronan was too annoyed to follow through on his threat. Besides, the work was done.

After dismissing Rain to do…whatever it was he did here, Ronan fished out his code cylinder and plugged it into the scomp port on one of the crates, turning it until the light pinged and the lid popped open. At first glance it was nothing but foodstuffs and various other meager supplies…but sure enough, as he kept digging, he found the pink rods of Venisium Eli had said would be there.

Ronan scoffed to himself. He couldn't believe Thrawn had actually been right about all this…right down to the exact contents. Someone had subverted Stardust without Director Krennic's knowledge, and he had all the proof in the galaxy right here.

Shutting the crate, he paced the rest of the ship, taking note of the hull damage and shattered remains of what used to be a crate scattered around the spot. It looked to be repaired, but Ronan could hardly trust that coming from this crew.

Someone was at the loading ramp.

"I told you to—" he froze, his eyes staring down the barrel of a blaster leveled his way.

A blaster held by Rain.

"Sorry Imperial sir-y sir…but the boss says you gotta die…so time to die."

Nerah knew something was wrong the moment she stepped into the hangar bay, her crimson eyes scanning the rusted heap in one, calculated motion. All the stormtroopers were out of sight, leaving their target freighter completely unguarded. Perhaps Ronan had ordered them away…and was now trying to pull something swift.

"Come on," Eli broke off into a jog towards the ship, prompting Nerah to follow in his wake.

Boots scraped against the floor from behind a wall of crates.

"Eli! Get down!" she shouted, leaping with all her might to tackle him to the ground and roll behind a long obsolete gunship as a salvo of blasterfire was unleashed from out of sight. What an idiot. Running out in the middle of an open area like that? "What the hell were you thinking?!" she scolded him, pulling herself from his body as he grunted in pain from the impact. "You could've been killed!"

"I'm sorry!" Eli apologized, brushing himself off and digging for his concealed sidearm. "You're right…I missed something."

Now she just felt bad for shouting at him, but the pelleting of blasterfire knocked her back into combat sense. Switching her blaster off safety, she peeked beside the cover, only to have sparks smack into her face from a deflection in a sharp sting. The look, however, was plenty for her to realize that those same stormtroopers were now firing on them.

"What the hell?!" Eli gasped, looking through the open blast shields and through the gunship. "Stormtroopers are firing on us!"

"I see them," Nerah bit out, using that same vantage to fire a perfectly placed shot straight through one's helmet as he tried to press the advantage. "That white-caped bastard set us up!"

Eli didn't seem as convinced, trying to peer through more vantages, before having to pull his head back again. "I don't know. He might've, but I'd think he'd be here to greet us if that were true."

Nerah fired another shot, this one not quite good enough to thread the needle through a tight spot. "That spineless coward wouldn't have the balls."

"I don't think so," Eli argued. "He strikes me as the kind of person who wants his face on everything he's a part of. It's more likely that—" a blaster bolt zipped through the vantage Eli had used, and he fell back behind cover.

Nerah felt her teeth grind themselves together. "Eli! Stay the fuck down!"

"Nerah—"

"I'm the Commander, you're the Lieutenant. You follow my orders in combat! Now shut up and let me handle this!" she ordered. Why couldn't he just stay safe and let her do her job? How could that be so difficult for him to fathom?

He sighed, staying down as ordered. "Yes, ma'am."

Turning her eyes back to the firefight, she held her blaster steady once the bolts stopped flying, and did her best to control her breathing in the new quiet that reigned over the scene. Sweat rolled down her cheeks in the humid environment, using her sharp ears to zero in on the stormtroopers thinking about moving upwards. They always did.

Jogging footsteps.

Nerah pulled around the corner and fired two bolts straight through his chest, prompting him to flop over in a heap while she charged, leaping over their cover in a single bound and landing just behind them. They raised their blasters, but Nerah grasped one's wrist as she dropped her rifle, twisting it sharply in a sickening crack that earned her an agonizing scream in pain. Her other hand slipped a holdout blaster, tearing through the weak armor like butter, before using that barrel to press against the other's chin.

"Who gave the order to attack us?!" she demanded, twisting his arm further. "WHO?!"

The man growled through his agony. "An alien…like you…has no place in their future…"

Nerah grit her teeth, shoving the metal harshly against his chin. "Rebel," she hissed. "Traitor!"

The man groaned; his arm still held in her grip. "I never betrayed my people…" he said. "Can you say the same?"

"I'm doing this for my people," she insisted, her finger going hot against the trigger. "While you're just going to die."

"At least – ah! – I die free," he grunted.

Then die, you will.

"Nerah, stop!" Eli's voice sounded, pulling at her shoulder. "You don't operate that way."

Her eyes turned red hot, whipping her head in a fierce motion. "I told you to stay back!"

Abruptly, the man began to cough, his body seizing into death throes as froth began to leak from his helmet…and his body fell limp in her grip. Nerah turned, pulling his helmet from his head…but only found his eyes as empty as ever. She released him, letting his body lie where it had fallen.

Dying free…if that made him feel so much better, then so be it. Then again, he certainly wasn't feeling anything anymore.

Eli knelt beside his body, letting out a deep sigh. "Poison pill…I imagine they all have one."

Nerah gripped his shoulder harshly and violently shoved him up against the wall of crates. "Why can't you follow my orders?! I told you to stay back!"

Eli was speechless, fear evident in his eyes as they panned from her furious expression to her strong hand crushing his shoulder. "Nerah…you're hurting me."

"It's better than being dead!" she bellowed, rage broiling deep within her. "I can't protect you if you're just needlessly throwing yourself out in the open!"

His expression turned vile. "And I can't protect you if you order me to hide behind a crate while you take all the fire."

"That isn't your job, Eli," she insisted, her grip tightening. "I'm the guardian…I protect you."

Eli winced in pain. "Nerah…my arm…"

She looked over, and noticed that she was beginning to feel his bone within her grip. Quickly, she released him, and he let out a groan in relief as he began to rub it in an easing motion. Only then did she realize she had gone way too far. Screaming at Eli? What the hell was wrong with her?

Her expression turned soft and apologetic. "Let me see—" she stopped as he twitched away, his eyes fearful for a moment, before forcing himself to face her.

"It's fine, Nerah," he insisted. "It's fine."

He was afraid of her…Eli Vanto was afraid of her, just like everyone else.

What have I done?

"Eli, please…" she almost begged. "I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have done that, but I just…I was so worried about you and—"

"Nerah," he interrupted her, rolling out his shoulder. "It's fine."

It wasn't fine…not even a little bit. The look in his eyes was genuine, the same look she'd seen from other humans so many times. Her strength was a blessing in combat, yet a curse in every other way.

There was nothing to do now but try to mend the trust she had just destroyed.

"Alright," she inclined her head, picking up her rifle. "Just…please listen to me, Eli. I only want you to be safe. That's all."

"The thought goes both ways, Nerah," Eli countered with an edge to his voice. "I thought you would've known that."

Her face fell as he turned away, breaking her heart in the process. This…this hurt more than any physical pain she could think of, even worse than when she had her elbow between Wraith's boot and durasteel flooring. She'd just shown Eli the part of her she never wanted him to see…and it was too late to take it back. Tears pressed on her eyelids, but she didn't let them fall, not now…not with more enemies surely waiting for them.

Best she could do was watch Eli's back…and do it with less screaming.

The Mahogany Vulpine's thrusters flared to life, and the repulsors began lifting it from the surface.

"Hell!" Eli cursed, breaking off into a futile run that Nerah partook in, only to see the ship blast off from the hangar, leaving them behind. "Ronan!"

Nerah sighed. "Well, the good news is Thrawn told us to let him go."

Footsteps began to pound from across the hangar, radios relaying voices through their speakers.

"And the bad news is we're stuck here and outnumbered about ten to one," Eli grimaced, just as they paced to some cover.

Nerah smacked the side of her weapon, hearing it prime. "Then allow me to even those odds."

Chimaera – 2 BBY

Nara hadn't had the chance to tend to another woman's cosmetics since she had left the Ascendancy, mostly because Bo Katan didn't really wear any makeup. She herself didn't care for it in an entirety sense, but it had served as a way to remind her of spending time with her sister. There were great ways to make glowing, crimson eyes pop out on one's face, and blue skin was always a great canvas to work on. She personally had no idea why humans thought any of the most prominent of their makeup styles were any good, but to each their own, she figured.

Vah'nya, after she had managed to awaken from whatever exhaustion had plagued her, was shaken by something else…something to do with whatever mind-meld thing she did with Un'hee. There was a fresh distance in her gaze, as well as remnants of deep, hidden hatred. Nara figured doing something simple with her could bring her spirits back up…and maybe get her to spill what was troubling her.

"Do you like red on your cheeks?" Nara asked, shaking the small canister from the pouch she had brought along for the journey for the sky walker to see, only to watch her shake her head from her seat on the floor.

"Not really," she said, tucking in a little. "The streaks are too thick."

Nara snorted. "I agree actually. My sister likes it though…never understood why."

Vah'nya's eyes paced surreptitiously. "Your sister…as in…?"

She nodded. "Yes…as in her. She likes to line her cheekbones with it, and then darken her eyeline completely with a full streak, finishing the tips of her eyes with silver highlights."

"I've seen it. She looks beautiful," Vah'nya said, her hands pressing into her arms, her tone with a hint of quiet…embarrassment?

"Yeah, she does," Nara agreed. "My tattoos are usually enough for me, but I've thought about stealing her look before."

Vah'nya had no response, and by now had retreated fully into her knees while her eyes remained fixed on the floor. Nara sighed, placing the canister back in the pouch and zipping it shut.

"You alright?" she asked, gently gripping her shoulder. "I don't know much about the aftereffects of sky walkers post-navigation, but I know the symptoms aren't usually permanent. Is something else bothering you?"

She didn't reply immediately, but slowly nodded her head. "I…don't know if you should know this…but Un'hee and I shared our memories."

So it was true. By now it seemed rather obvious, but the confirmation really let that reality set in.

"I see," Nara pretended to be surprised. "I can imagine…the memories of a seven-year-old from such a traumatizing experience can be…difficult to process."

Vah'nya swallowed roughly, hugging her knees tighter. "The grysks…they…" she trembled, prompting Nara to reposition herself beside the girl, wrapping her in a strong, all-encompassing arm. The shivering remained, but Nara felt it ease slightly in her embrace. "They pierced Un'hee's mind…found her darkest fears…and exploited them. Other alien navigators would force images into her head, sapping all hope of rescue from her soul…her very being."

Nara felt her free fist clench as her lips stiffened.

"They broke her…a girl…a little girl," Vah'nya shivered, and Nara pulled her head into her chest…but the woman resisted. Within her eyes was not terror, not despair and sadness…but unbridled rage. "The grysks…they're savages, spiteful barbarians. I…I hate them," she growled. "I want to watch them all die."

Her instinct told her to try to calm the woman's hatred…but Nara began to feel it in her very essence. The kernel of her heart noticed the sensation…studied it…then consumed it wholly and absolutely in the terrifying claws of her deepest, darkest demons.

"Stay pissed, girl," Nara said. "It might come in handy."

Vah'nya's brow continued to slant, her chin showing hints of tremors. "I will."

The spectre of darkness grew within her, and Nara began to savor that blade she had plunged into the head of the grysk soldier she had murdered. Monsters born of evil deserved nothing less than utter annihilation, and all Nara wanted to do now was slap on her armor and tear through a whole mob of them, slashing their bodies into tiny pieces.

Not just the warriors, or the men…but every beating heart. She could taste the blood on her tongue, savored that feeling, and then—

The door opened, and the feeling was gone.

"Apologies if I startled you," Thrawn said while Nara blinked a few times, unsure as to what had just happened to her. Vah'nya's expression had faded back to one more somber, a far cry to the menace it displayed only moments ago. "We have begun our initial preparations for our attack. Admiral Ar'alani wishes a report on Vah'nya's condition."

Nara looked back to the woman, and kept her arm around her. "She's a little shaken. I think she might need—"

"No," Vah'nya shook her head, rustling to her feet out of her grip. "I…I want to see," she struggled, blinking as she tried to focus herself. "I want to see you destroy them, Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

For the first time, Nara watched Thrawn's expression display distinct surprise for a moment, before morphing back into its resting calm. "Admiral Ar'alani intended to return you to the Steadfast before the battle began. Are you sure that is what you want?"

There was no hesitation in Vah'nya's response. "Yes. The grysks tortured and hurt Un'hee. Now she lives in fear of ever seeing them again. I want to witness your destruction of their forces…so I may bring closure to Un'hee's troubled mind."

Thrawn now had absolute understanding, before his gaze paced back to Nara as she rose to her feet. "So you know?"

Nara inclined her head. "Don't get your panties all soiled, Grand Admiral. I'm Ascendancy first, and you know that."

That was just it. She knew Thrawn could discern from her expression and body language that she wasn't telling the entire truth. Her loyalties were divided, and the more secrets she learned about her own people…the more of a liability she became.

Giving Thrawn more reasons to never let her leave this ship.

If Thrawn picked it out, however, he kept it to himself.

"Your crude language is always…appreciated, Commander Ziara," Thrawn said dryly. "As is your commitment to our people, despite your ties."

Wish I could say the same for you.

The only thing that kept her stable was the reality that Thrawn was also caught between two loyalties, his own precarious situation perhaps keeping his view in perspective for the time being. She could lean on that for now, but not if it faded. Thrawn wasn't one to pass up on opportunities, so she shouldn't either. Vah'nya's decision to stay, of course, would wipe one of her options away…but this was for Un'hee. If she could grant that little girl some peace of mind and closure, then it would be worth it.

Besides, Thrawn would never pull a fast one with Ar'alani in plain view. She'd never allow it, and he'd never harm her willingly.

At least, Nara was pretty sure.

"You are proficient at piloting, are you not?" Thrawn asked, his eyes still on her.

Nara nodded. "I'm alright. Why?"

"No reason as of yet, but I may request your services behind the yoke of one of my TIE Defender vessels. Your knowledge and experience of grysk systems put you at a distinct advantage over my human pilots."

Nara scoffed. "Why not just send me out now?"

"Admiral Ar'alani may not approve, and you are a difficult person to pull from under her wing, despite my arguments. Also, the secrecy of that project relegates your use to…last resort."

Another way of saying he didn't trust her not to tell the rebels all about his super special starfighter. Nara didn't consider herself a rebel, but she had worked with Admiral Vorchenko once or twice…which basically blacklisted her as one for the rest of her life. Part of her did hate the Empire, at least the people who have threatened Mandalore, namely Gar Saxon and his brother…and High Agent Gideon, the man who unleashed the sickly bioweapon on Botajef. If she had the chance to kill any of those men, she'd take it regardless of the consequences, as well as anyone else who worked with them…which she imagined was enough of the Empire to make it her enemy.

There really was no way around it. Thrawn was smart enough to know that her presence could tip the scale of the coming battle…but he also knew that she was inherently an enemy of the Empire, and had an obligation to subvert it if it meant saving Mandalorian lives. She could promise not to tell, but she knew she couldn't keep it…not if it saved Bo Katan's life, or even more so, Alhara's.

"I understand. The risk you've taken allowing me to come is enough of one. I…" she trailed off, unsure as how to frame it. "…thanks."

Thrawn inclined his head. "It is for the good of the Ascendancy, and is a risk the Empire must take. I can expect you will be called upon to assault the grysk base once it is disabled regardless. If Commander Nerah does not return, you will be our only viable option."

Nara nodded, excitement reaching her heart once again as the possibility of reclaiming her armor became visible. "I'll be ready when the time comes. I assume you have a plan to get us there?"

Thrawn's lips flashed a smile for a moment. "As always, Commander. Come, Navigator Vah'nya, and you shall witness the destruction you so crave."

Fortuna – 2 BBY

Nerah was in her element, it seemed.

Eli never bothered trying to keep up with her incredible, nimble speed. She slid around corners and leapt over barriers with a superhuman athleticism he couldn't even describe…making her only seem that much more terrifying. He was glad a woman like her was on his side…at least until the next time he accidently got under her skin.

There were…there were no words for the way he felt when she had abruptly turned on him, crushing his upper arm in the process. It was limp even now, virtually useless from the painful compression she had infringed upon him. He'd seen her upset, but never to the point that she turned on an ally, never showing such unbridled rage over such a small misstep.

It only furthered the mystery of her emotional imbalance. What was it about her that had changed since he'd been reunited?

A question for another time, as blaster bolts and screams continued to rage across the hangar as Nerah tore through the turncoat stormtroopers one by one. He occasionally saw their bodies fly up from behind the covers she raided, but most of them had silencing yelps that came after a shot from her blaster. Her efficiency was second to none, as it seemed…and Thrawn had certainly trained her well.

It wasn't her. Eli was all for the destruction of enemies…but this just felt wrong. Nerah was utterly ruthless, gunning down the injured without a second thought before moving on to the next. That part was wasteful, but then again with the poison pills, she might have declared it a lost cause.

He felt like he should do something…but last time he'd tried, she almost broke his arm. Certainly, her heart seemed to be in the right place, but the way in which she had relayed such feelings had been thus far unacceptable.

But she was the Commander, and he was the Lieutenant.

He instead took the chance to take a once-over and see if they had left any of the crates that were aboard that freighter, but thus far he'd come up empty. Whoever was running this side scam seemed to be pretty thorough.

Footsteps pounded from the other side of his crate, making him tense up, but release once he saw it was just Nerah taking cover beside him. Her expression was intense, but from first glance she seemed to have suffered no injuries, aside from a few blaster burns against her armor as well as a scratch where a blade might've glanced off. She reached out, and he flinched out of instinct from the previous event…but her touch was gentle this time, her eyes soft in the midst of her intense demeanor.

"Are you alright?" she asked, almost pleading for the answer.

Eli nodded, settling in a bit. "Yeah. How's it going?"

She pulled the hand away, fastening it back around the trigger of her rifle. "None of these are Imperials. Can't be. I think that's why their armor is soiled and worn. They also shoot far better than I've ever seen a stormtrooper."

Eli snorted. "I wouldn't say that means much—"

"Kidding, Eli," she winked with a smile. "Their tactics are guerilla style, not fan out and overwhelm with numbers, a staple of the rebels. Unfortunately for them, I already know how to dismantle them quite easily."

"I can see that," Eli noted. "Do you have a plan for getting us back to the shuttle?"

Nerah patted the side of her rifle. "When I say so, push up beside me. My armor can take a few hits, but it should keep you safe."

Eli gestured towards her helmet-less head. "I think your brain is pretty important, Nerah, and I don't want you to take that risk."

"I'm taking it, Eli," she bit out, but seemed to retract rather quickly, the muscles in her face trying to loosen themselves. "Sorry…if you have a better plan, I'm all for it."

He nodded, grateful for the chance, and then turned to the crate, running his hand over it and then knocking with his knuckles. Peeking over, he saw another dozen troopers beginning their advance. Doing one last think-over, he figured this would be their best chance to keep them both safe.

"Do you think you could push this crate?" he asked.

Nerah shrugged. "Sure, but why?"

"It's made out of a strong material, and should stop enough blaster bolts to get us to the other side of the hangar. If you push it with your left shoulder, your head will be behind it and protected, while your armor can deflect any stray shots. Even if they shoot at you, you'll be a difficult target, and I don't think they'll realize in time that you're the one they need to focus on."

Nerah seemed to consider it, and then fished out a stun grenade. "I can flash them with this just before we start. Could buy me some time to push it along."

Eli nodded. "That's what I was going to suggest next. Once they're disoriented, you just push the crate along and I'll stay behind. The flooring looks flat enough that any bumps shouldn't slow you down."

Blaster bolts zipped over their heads, and by then they knew it was now or never. Nerah unclipped the grenade and pressed her thumb against the primer. "Ready?"

Eli nodded. "Go!"

With a tremendous heave, Nerah lobbed the grenade into the advancing crowd, and quickly secured herself behind the crate. The sound of it grinding against the floor was almost maddening, but it moved along fast enough for Eli to keep a low profile and a constant speed. Nerah grunted as the grenade exploded to their left, and there was an immediate cry out in alarm as some suffered the full force of the discombobulating blast. He felt his legs cramp in an effort to be extended fully, but he suppressed the impulse, keeping his balance the best he could behind the crate as Nerah pushed it along.

That's when the bolts began to pound.

They were only halfway there, and as Eli did the numbers in his head, the probability of Nerah being shot more than once was almost certain…but as long as she kept her head behind the crate…

She yelped, stumbling slightly, but quicky began pushing again. "I'm fine, keep moving!" she ordered, seemingly foreseeing his inevitable comment. "Just – ugh! – keep moving!"

Another bolt slammed into her calf, dropping her leg to its knee, before pulling herself up again to keep pushing. A quarter of the way was left, and Eli questioned asking her to stop so they could find a safer route…but the door was so close, and they only needed a few more—

Something heavy pounded into the side of the crate, and Eli watched a bolt tear through it and singe his hair.

"Sni—" he couldn't even say a word before Nerah released the crate and scooped him into her arms…and then heaved. He flew through the air, tumbling until he landed roughly through the doorway head over heels, and came to a painful stop via his feet. He grunted, motioning to turn back to assist Nerah, but he heard a rifle click and level from above.

"'ands up, Imperial dog," the man ordered, this one not wearing any stormtrooper armor. "Tell your lady friend to stop killin' my boys, or I'll give you a new breathing hole 'n your head."

Eli raised his hands, still sitting on his rear. "I could try, but she doesn't like to listen to me."

"You think this a joke, boy?" he secured the blaster. "I'll kill ya right now."

Screams could be heard from beyond the doorway, as well as precision blasterfire and the dropping of bodies. Eli gave the man a small smirk…banking on the fact that this man didn't seem too keen on killing him…not yet anyway.

"I don't think she'd care for that either," he said, just as the screams stopped and the blasterfire ended. "If I were you, I'd put that blaster down and consider your options."

He lunged forward, wrapping his hands around Eli's neck in a strong, choking grip and pulling the trigger on his knee. Pain shot through his body in the form of a scream as his kneecap erupted from the searing burn, and the hold over his neck cut his scream short. It hurt more than he could describe, and his inability to breathe was tunneling his vision, feeling himself fall into a state of panic and inaction.

"I reckon I got a few options o' my own, boy," the man growled into his face. "Now, as soon as your – AH!"

The man's scream tore through his ears as he was dropped to the floor, his bad knee completely collapsing as Eli fell, now getting the chance to let loose his full shriek in agony. Nerah's boots pounded beside him, and he watched as the woman lifted the man with both arms and proceeded to slam his head into the ground repeatedly, using the man's own weight to help crack his skull and splatter his blood and other insides all over the repeated trauma area. She kept slamming him long after he was already dead, and once her anger seemed to be worked out, she dropped his body and proceeded to perforate his corpse repeatedly with her blasters.

Eli tried to move, but his leg was useless, and he felt saliva leak from his mouth as he tried to hold back another scream. "N-Nerah!" he cried out.

She blinked, holstering her blasters, and then he saw the most despair-driven expression he'd ever seen from her. "Eli!" she gasped, sliding to his side and quickly turning him over. "Where?"

"Knee," he grimaced, pointing, only to whimper in pain again.

"Shhhh…you're okay, you're okay," she promised, brushing her hand over his face as she moved to carry him. "I'm going to get you out of here, I promise!"

His knee exploded as she lifted, and he let out another scream. "It hurts!"

"I know, I know," she eased, trying to keep her voice calm. "Just hold on. The shuttle isn't far from here."

He tried his best, but each step was another movement, and only more pain.

"Shhhhh, it's okay…you're okay," she continued to ease…her voice, surprisingly effective at giving his mind something else to focus on other than the pain. "Just hold on for a little bit longer."

It was an eternity of agonizing, endless sting as he bounced in her grip with each step. He'd tried his best to distract himself, but the intensity…the heat…it was too much. For years he had wondered what it was like to be shot, and now he'd wished he had never found out. Ignorance would've been a perfectly fine alternative. Still, the cool, calm and soothing tone of Nerah's low voice was a bit of sanctuary that he clung to in the depths of his agony…a lifeline of hope.

He looked up…looked into those forward-facing red eyes, the eyes filled with lethal determination as she pressed on, half her mind focused on pressing forward…and the other on him and him alone. It was all there for him to see, and he wondered now how he had never seen it before.

She was…always thinking about him, and that was why she had been so upset with him earlier. All she wanted was for him to remain in her life…never to leave…never to be with anyone else.

His thought dropped as they reached the landing pad, that pain searing once again as she threw him over her shoulder, freeing one arm to unleash a hail of precision shots from her holdout blaster, suffering one hit to her armor as she grunted, but cleanly finished the three guards off.

"Hang on Eli…please," she begged as she jogged up the ramp, and then subsequently set him down into the co-pilot's seat. "I'll get us flying."

As that shuttle took off, he couldn't take his eyes off the woman who had just saved his life.

Chimaera – 2 BBY

Faro had learned to manage her anticipation years ago, but every time the Chimaera was about to head into combat, she felt that youthful naivete return with a vengeance. Most young officers itch for the feeling of battle, and the stigma was that in time, all came to loathe it. The cost just became higher and higher with each passing occurrence, and even Faro herself had experienced that growing dread.

This time, however, it was nowhere to be found. The grysks had been a tough enemy to pin down and understand thus far, and their supposed arrogance and feigned superiority would feel good to crush under their boot. She wasn't sure if Thrawn felt the same way…or if he felt any kind of satisfaction or dread in the heat of battle. He was always so calm, so focused, never once diverting his attention from the task at hand. It was a hard skill to learn, one that Thrawn had certainly drilled into her over her tenure under his wing.

Now, she imagined, would be no different…but Faro admittedly did not have her attention utterly on the coming battle. Internally, her gut was screaming that something was wrong, and it continued to gravitate around the chiss guardian who called herself Ziara. Her initial assumption that she was in fact the Mandalorian they had encountered and dealt with on Azure had lost some traction as the woman continued to play her role effectively. She also didn't seem to understand Basic, and the records indicated that Nara was perfectly fluent in the language…but of course, that could all be an act. However, in Faro's experience, it was difficult for a being to pretend not to hear a language they understand…especially if it was their native tongue. Programming and instinct from birth taught those to instantly respond to it, especially one of military background.

Maybe this Ziara really was just 'Ziara'…but if Nerah's upbringing had any indication, her sister supposedly didn't speak Basic until her late teens…meaning pretending to not understand it was all a matter of rehearsal.

Faro grimaced. She could just ask Thrawn what he was up to, but now was about as bad a time as any, especially with him currently embroiled in a lower temperature, yet still intense debate with Ar'alani in the chiss language. It seemed to be something about the girl Vah'nya, who was standing beside Ziara and looking out the viewport…her almost innocent unease in her demeanor seemingly completely eradicated.

Something felt wrong…and Faro just…felt so angry. All she wanted to do was kill something, watch its body implode, blood splatter and insides spread themselves across the floor. All of her damn enemies. Those filthy, skulking rebels, the damn Moffs always interfering with naval business…even that white-caped scumbag Ronan, whose only purpose was to slow down and ruin Thrawn's chance at securing funds for his Defenders. And Vanto…deserter. She didn't care what Thrawn told her…anyone who tucked tail and ran from the Empire deserved to be—

She broke off as the feeling abruptly faded, blinking a few times before her mind finally cleared again. Ar'alani had turned away from Thrawn and relayed whatever the argument's result was to the girl and her guardian…and the Grand Admiral had his eyes fixed directly on her.

"Tell me, Commodore. What do you remember about pulsar-class stars from your early training?" Thrawn asked, prompting Faro to shake her head back into shape.

"I remember that they're merely fast-spinning neutron stars, and because of conservation of angular momentum, they continue to spin off their axis at incredibly high speeds. They also tend to spew cosmic rays out of their poles," she listed off, then winced as her datapad fizzled out for a second, and a double tap with her hand against its side seemed to clear up the display once again. "I've heard they can also disrupt equipment."

"They certainly can," Thrawn confirmed. "Electrostatic barriers especially. Our energy shields are immune to such forces, which is why we only experience flickers of power and system failures."

Faro furrowed her brow in thought. "Are you planning on using the pulsar to disrupt their systems? Wouldn't they be aware of the dangers?"

"Certainly. However, they are not aware of our capabilities to prevent such issues from befalling us. Are my TIE Defenders ready to deploy?" he asked.

Faro double checked her status boards, then nodded. "Yes sir. Captain Fel has been briefed, and it ready for action when you deploy him."

"Very good. You may send him out now."

Faro nodded, and then keyed her comm. "Captain Fel, this is Commodore Faro. You may begin your approach and execute your predetermined microjump."

"Acknowledged, Commodore," Fel said. "Taking the squad out now."

A few moments later, Faro watched the squadron of odd TIEs break out past the bow of the ship, and then vanish into tiny blips of hyperspace. Now was the time for crossed fingers.

"I reckon we've gained about two minutes of confusion from the grysks as they attempt to trace their vectors, Grand Admiral," she said. "I have the next phase on standby when you're ready."

Thrawn inclined his head. "You may proceed."

Moment of truth.

"Helm! Full thrusters forward! Turbolasers charged and ready to fire on command!" her voice rang out across the bridge. Within moments, the Chimaera was charging ahead at full speed, bearing directly beside the twirling bright, white light that was the pulsar, its streams of cosmic rays dancing above and below it out into the depths of interstellar space.

"Open a channel. No encryption," Thrawn commanded.

"Yes sir!" the comm station relayed, and the distinct buzz sounded off.

"Unidentified vessels, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Galactic Empire. You are trespassing within Imperial space. You have thirty seconds to disperse your fleet, or we will engage with deadly force."

The channel keyed off, and Ar'alani finished her walk back over to them.

"Do you really believe they will respond?" she asked in Sy Bisti.

Thrawn shook his head. "I do not…but my words were not for them."

Faro frowned…then who were they for? This wasn't part of the plan…

"Enemy ships engaging cloaking fields, Admiral!" Hammerly called out from her station. "They were just past the star's gravity well!"

Her mind pulled right back into the present, pacing towards Hammerly's station below the command walkway. "Prep sensors for energy fluctuations. Helm! Full stop!"

The Chimaera creaked and groaned as reverse booster engines fired, the blaze below rattling the entire ship as their inertia tried to throw everyone forward at the incredible rate they were traveling. The dampeners kicked in just in time, and before long, the had come to a full resting stop, and Faro paced quickly to the viewport, getting a look through the darkened screen as the pulsar's radioactive tail flashed over their open battlefield. Vah'nya was right beside her, watching just as intently…her eyes blazing with an intense crimson glow that seemed to almost turn the air before her into visible gas. Ziara was just beside her…looking even more menacing than she last remembered.

"Sensors!" Faro barked.

"Nothing yet ma'am!"

Now was the waiting game…and Faro hated waiting. She hated it more than she hated those disgusting rebels, and all of this—

Ziara pulled at Vah'nya's shoulder, and Faro felt her mind clear again. They had a quiet conversation in the chiss language, but whatever the guardian had said, the navigator's eyes still held that hateful intensity.

Faro growled to herself, looking out at the field yet again. The beam from the southern pole of the pulsar swept across…and she saw it.

"Power surge! One hundred kilometers!"

Thrawn's voice was the one that answered. "All batteries lock on," he said coolly, and then inclined his head to Vah'nya.

The girl's eyes narrowed, and she uttered two accented Basic words.

"Destroy them!"

The Chimaera's forward cannons unleashed a barrage of lime-green fire across the field of space that slammed into the malfunctioning cloaking field that was still fluctuating from the cosmic rays that had bombarded it. Barriers immediately suffered under the harrowing assault, the grysks unable to even return fire before their field was completely disabled and had sustained heavy damage.

Seven more seconds.

"Power surge! 20 degrees starboard. 150 kilometers!"

"Come about. Cannons, lock on," Thrawn said, and Faro felt the Chimaera's systems churn with the order as it banked into a short turn.

"Fire!" Vah'nya commanded yet again.

Faro crossed her fingers, but the sweet release of that anticipation came in the form of another grysk warship being plucked out of nothing by Imperial turbolasers as they were revealed by the pulsar's sweeping light. This one was already banking in a retreat, but only made it easier for the Chimaera to blast its rear engines into oblivion and strand it dead in space.

"Jamming pulse!" Faro called out next, to which Thrawn had made this point very clear, as to avoid a repeat of last time. It seemed to work, as no grysk warship had activated its self-destruct up to this moment…but that could just be because the grysk base was still in-system, and they could be banking on reinforcements.

Seven more seconds.

Faro watched the disabled warship hang dead in space as it continued along its trajectory, while the first victim of their assault continued on in similar fashion.

Seven more seconds.

"No more movement, Admiral," Hammerly reported.

"Stay vigilant," Ar'alani said in Sy Bisti, looking towards Thrawn. "The grysks will adjust to your strategy now. I have never known them to fall for the same trap more than once."

"Indeed," Thrawn agreed, and almost immediately on cue, the comm station lit up.

"They're hailing us, sir," they reported.

"By all means, open the channel," Thrawn said.

Within moments, Faro was listening to a raspy, alien voice…but speaking a heavily accented dialect of Sy Bisti.

"Chiss…" they hissed. "You do not understand what you have unleashed here today. Soon you will experience the full might of the Grysk Hegemony and all her children."

Thrawn hardly reacted, while Faro watched Ar'alani's expression morph into a terrifying scowl. "I will remind you that your thirty seconds have expired. I am afraid you leave me no choice."

There was a bone-chilling growl on the other end, as well as a sharp, scratching sound. "There is no species we cannot break, chiss," he hissed. "Even now, chosen of Palpatine's Empire beg for our divine intervention…so shall it be with your precious Ascendancy. Your words cannot mask the fear your own people perpetuate through the stars…and we shall ensure that fear is made to serve us."

Faro heard Ziara's fist clench.

"You speak as if I shall honor any terms of surrender upon your imminent defeat," Thrawn said evenly, but the threat in his voice was evident. "The Hegemony has proven beyond such careful diplomacies. I offer only total and utter destruction…and I assure you…in time, your own people will learn to fear."

There was a raspy, tingly laugh on the other end, before the grysk spoke again. "The Grysks fear nothing, slave of Palpatine."

"We shall see," Thrawn answered.

"Know this as you die in vain, chiss. Your worlds will fall, your species will fall…and in the end, all will bow before the Hegemony and her children."

"Then by all means, let us proceed."

The comm died in an instant, and Faro felt her muscles unclench in relief.

"Admiral," Thrawn said, and Ar'alani gave him a sideways glance. "Send a message to the Steadfast. Inform them that once Commander Nerah has returned, they must join us immediately."

Faro was surprised with his sternness, but to her surprise, Ar'alani merely inclined her head. "Already done."

The Commodore swallowed, shaking herself back to attention. "I will prepare the Chimaera for their arrival…" she said, trailing off.

"Speak your mind, Commodore," Thrawn insisted.

She winced, but there was no use. "Sir…I understand the Commander's capabilities…but I don't know if this delay is worth the risk."

Thrawn paused for a moment, and then turned his gaze back to the viewport.

"Our posterity is at risk…and she is its vanguard."

Next one will be a monster, so expect a little more of a wait. Stay tuned and thanks to all those who have stuck with this!