The New Order

by MastigosAtLarge

After Emperor Palpatine assigns Maia Tarkin to negotiate with the Black Sun criminal organization, she is, yet again, confronted with the way others perceive her in a military dictatorship largely operated by the same people who controlled change in the Republic—her own family.

13. Aide

She was halfway through grading a spelling test when she felt it, an almost unbearably dark turn to an extremely familiar presence. She stood, setting the pen down, and set a hand over her stomach, grabbing her lightsaber from the kitchen cabinet.

He knocked, and she held the lightsaber behind her back like it would make a difference. She walked towards the door, each step just short of the last. When she arrived, she couldn't move, held in place.

"Open the door, Cait." The voice sounded mechanical. "Now."

She keeled over, stabilizing herself with a hand on the cold wall. "D-don't kill me."

"That is not my intention." He said. "Open the door."

She wondered if he had made her obey, but she reached out and unlocked the door. He was much more imposing in person. She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes focused off him. "Please."

Cold anger was the only emotion he felt. "Take a seat."

Cait let go of the door, walking backwards to the table. She dropped her lightsaber on the table. "Anakin. P-please."

"That isn't my name." Vader frowned behind his mask. "Anakin is dead."

Cait's head dropped, and she covered her eyes with her hands, shaking.

"Where is Lyle? You live with him."

"Please don't hurt Lyle."

"If he resists, I will end him."

She closed her eyes behind her hands. "W-why are you here?"

"To collect you both for the Emperor." He almost sounded calm. "No more questions. We wait for Lyle now."

Cait kept her eyes closed, dropping her shoulders. "Let me call him. Please. He'll be scared."

He stared. "And what will you say?"

"I." She stopped herself, shifting a hand to her forehead. "H-he'll be scared, please."

"Because you carry his child?" His anger almost made him shiver.

She wasn't sure how to respond to that and sat in silence for a moment. "He loves me."

"And you're pregnant." Vader said. "The Emperor will use this to control you."

"Why does the Emperor want us?"

"I do not know. You will ask him."

"You have to know something," Cait whispered. She swallowed, dropping her head. "I still have the drawing you brought me."

"I never drew for you," Vader replied, too quickly.

She started to shake. He hadn't seen her in nearly twenty years, but it was difficult for him to not remember how she had been in that last year of her time at the Temple. "Please let me call him."

"Call him. Tell him to return."

Cait stood, moving to the wall to access the comm center. She kept a hand over their baby, calling with only audio.

"Cait?" Lyle asked. Immediately, he sighed, his breath shaking over the line.

"I need you to come home," she said, her breath catching despite her best effort.

"Is Zahk okay?"

"Yes. Please, you need to come home."

"Is someone there with you?"

She closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. "Come home."

"I'll be right there." She could tell he was fighting back dread.

"Don't have your lightsaber out when you get here," she begged.

His pause scared her. "I won't. I will be there right away."

She shoved her hair back and glanced to Vader, who nodded as her body shook.

"I-I have to go. I love you. Come home." Cait hung up, not waiting for a response. She stayed against the wall, shaking harder now.

"How did this come to pass?" Vader asked, his tone grave and slow.

Cait blinked. Though they were alone, it took her a moment to realize he spoke to her. "W-what?"

"Why are you in a relationship?" He seemed less angry now, though what replaced it wasn't anything good. "When did it happen?"

"We first." She shook her head, all-but speechless, and winced. "Nine years ago."

"You first what?" He frowned deeper behind the mask. "Explain."

"D-don't make me talk about that, you know what I'm saying."

"He escaped the Purge," Vader commented. "How?"

"I don't know." She sucked her lips in. "You're scaring me."

"I have that effect." He didn't wait very long. "He escaped the Purge."

"He came here when he left. He didn't like being a general. Murdering people, he said. And how the Order treated the clones." She closed her eyes tight as she could. "He came here. It happened, why do we have to talk about this?"

"Your child will be born before long." Vader frowned behind his mask. "Did he start whatever this is before you left the Order?"

"No," Cait breathed. "Of course not."

"Then when?"

"Nine years ago," she repeated.

"When he left the Order."

"He left much earlier than nine years ago." Cait swallowed, staring at the floor. "Why does it matter when it started?"

"Sit down."

She came back to the table, crowding over herself after she sat. "All I do is teach eight-year-olds. I'm not a threat."

"You're not being brought to Coruscant because you're a threat. You're being brought in because you can be an asset. You won't be harmed if you comply."

"I'm doing everything you say." Her head shook into her hands. "Why are you talking to me like this?"

Vader stood still at first, and then sat across from her at the table. Once she had set her lightsaber down, he pulled it to his hand, wrapping his gloved fingers around the handle. He admired the craft, but set it down on the table, with the dangerous end pointed away from them both. "When Lyle comes, I will need his lightsaber." He fell silent again. "Yours always seemed so precise. So beautifully constructed."

She watched, dropping her shoulders. "It's one of the only things I kept."

"The Order was evil. It had to be destroyed."

"What happened to Master Abbisey?"

"He was destroyed." Vader said.

"He just taught three year olds. And defended me."

"This was never a matter for debate, and it is not now. It didn't happen in the vacuum. Don't try my patience."

She keeled over against the table, starting to cry. "I. N-need to lay down."

"The couch. Stay quiet and still when Lyle arrives," Vader ordered.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Her baby kicked, and she clapped a hand over him, stumbling to the couch. She curled on her side.

Vader watched dispassionately. He had to control his emotions lest they overwhelm him.

Soon, Lyle opened the door, lightsaber still hooked to his belt. "Vader."

"G-give him your lightsaber," Cait whispered, holding in place on the couch.

"Let her go." Lyle said. "Vader, why are you here?"

Vader took a step towards him. "Lightsaber. Now."

"Give it to him," Cait whispered again. "L-Lyle, just give it to him."

Lyle reached for his saber, hand steady even as he felt the overwhelming force of the dark side in the room. He weighed the odds. He couldn't beat Vader alone. The other man held onto his wife's saber, though he manipulated it with a respect Lyle had not ever seen from the former Jedi Knight. "Don't hurt my wife."

"I'll put you in binder cuffs for the transit." Vader commented, calling Lyle's lightsaber to his hand and summoning the acquisition team.

Lyle kept himself from struggling while the Imperial Intelligence acquisition team snapped on his binders.

"No," Vader said when they moved for Cait. "She will comply."

Cait nodded, shaking hard just from the sudden proximity of so many armed, unfamiliar men. "Please."

"We are leaving now. Follow," Vader insisted, folding his arms to watch as Cait and Lyle were taken down the hall towards the docking pad.

He searched the place for stashed weapons or drugs or information pertaining to other living Force users. Finding nothing of note but Anakin's drawing, he messaged the movers to collect their personal possessions for shipment.

---

The team ensured Cait was comfortable. When they finally landed on Coruscant, six figures greeted them, three in sharp off-white uniforms and three in red. A man in grey stepped forward, and then took one more step until he stood in front of a woman in red.

"Let's not make a show of it, Kele," the woman said. "My agents have done their jobs, you're not needed here."

"We didn't know to expect Imperial Intelligence." He turned his head to the side. "I didn't know to expect you, Sara." Before the woman could respond, he turned to Cait. "Welcome to Imperial Center. My name is Kele Toppen, I am a Lieutenant Colonel with the Imperial Security Bureau. Are you all right, do you need water?"

"We'll be taking you to the Emperor once ISB has finished serving you your food." The woman said, before Cait could respond. "I am Special Agent Sara Kultrux, Imperial Intelligence. ISB seems to have volunteered themselves as wait staff, but we were told to retrieve you."

Kele smirked. "You really want to do this when you know you don't have jurisdiction?"

"Well, I didn't get that memo, but I do have a letter here from the Emperor asking me to take these individuals to the Imperial Palace." She displayed the cover page, though no one, including Kele, was close enough to read. "Where is yours?"

Kele maintained his smile. "I'll let you collect the notes, then. Here I thought you'd want to save yourself the paperwork when my friend, the Prime Minister, completes the transfers."

"There won't be any transfer." Special Agent Kultrux smiled. "Thanks for showing up. We'll take it from here."

Kele wanted nothing more than to pet her arm. "Whatever you say. Let's get the pregnant woman some water."

"Please do." Kultrux dismissed. "Thank you." She smiled up at Lyle and Cait. "Sorry for that, unnecessary bureaucracy and the ISB share a definition in the dictionary."

Kele laughed, turning to his colleagues. One pulled a fresh bottle of water from a bag, and carried it to Cait, who twisted the cap off hesitant, sniffing it to be sure it was only water.

"Thanks, that's all you're needed for. Mr. and Mrs. Arche, if you'll follow me and my team?"

Cait took a drink, stepping forward. "Can you take the bindings off my husband? They've been on him for so long." Now didn't seem the time to say that they had different surnames.

"We'll consider it when we've gotten to the Capitol Building," Kultrux said.

"Thank you." Cait cradled the bottle in her arm, taking Lyle by the wrist.

The drive in the speeder was quick, and when they arrived, Kultrux looked up from her comm. " Loosen the binders so his arms can rest at his sides."

Lyle took Cait's hand as soon as he could. She sucked in a harsh breath, touching around his wrists. "Do you have bacta bandages? He's chaffed."

Kultrux raised an eyebrow but nodded to the team medic. He produced a bacta cream from his satchel, handing it to Cait for application.

She lathered it over his wrists, and bowed her head against his. She knew that the Emperor wouldn't have told people to be so careful with her if he planned on killing them. It helped a little bit.

They passed armed Red Guards at every entrance and exit, twice being scanned. "This is the last door. Walk inside and do as he says." Kultrux said.

Lyle tried to enter before Cait, but she stopped him, and moved inside first. She walked, catching sight of Palpatine in the stark, black room. He looked so different. Old, and injured. She stopped after she stepped past the door, just watching him. Having seen him on the HoloNet didn't help.

"Come closer, Cait. Lyle." He didn't sound sinister, but his force presence could not be described as anything other than black.

She clasped her hands in front of her and moved deeper inside, though she didn't directly approach the throne. Lyle followed.

"Cait, it has been so long since I saw you." Palpatine commented. "How are you?"

"I've just been teaching."

"I've been continuing to rule, in one form or another." He commented. "Cait, I'm sorry you had a scare coming here, but the Inquisitorius insisted it was necessary."

"We weren't going to fight. We're not going to, I. Ana-Vader said you wanted us."

"Lord Vader was correct," Palpatine said. "You will be put to work in the teaching center for young force sensitives. We have need of your unique experience."

Lyle stood a little straighter, at least Cait would be safe.

Cait swallowed. "Younglings," she asked.

"Younglings." The Emperor agreed. "We have too many to teach without trained teachers."

"Lyle has experience with older younglings," she offered.

"That was another matter of question. Your padawan is still unaccounted for." He turned to focus on Lyle. "When did you last speak with him?"

Cait looked to Lyle as well. She knew they were in touch.

"Three or four months."

Palpatine watched him carefully and then nodded. "He lives on Corellia, does he not?"

"Last I checked." Lyle blanched.

"We'll speak more on the matter later." Palpatine leaned forward. "We have better use for Lyle than as a teacher, Cait. But you'll have your baby very soon, I believe. We've claim your files from the OB on Serenno. You'll see a new doctor here. And I want you to know that I have no intention of taking your youngling from you."

Cait let out the breath she had been holding. "It's a high risk pregnancy. Because of my age."

"We know, Cait. We'll ensure you have the finest medical care in the Empire. We'll take care of you."

She nodded, and then she swallowed, taking a look around his throne room. She had to bend her neck back to see the Emperor on his throne, sitting atop a metallic platform and surrounded by curved white stone. The pillars lining the room rose above them with outstretched phalanges like claws. A quartet of red guards watched every corner.

"What about Lyle," Cait asked. "You said you don't want him to teach."

"He'll teach occasionally, but we have need of trained Inquisitors. He will serve that purpose well."

Cait watched her husband for his reaction. They all knew what being an Inquisitor would entail-killing Jedi.

Lyle closed his eyes. "You swear you won't hurt Cait or our child?" he asked. This was why they forbade attachments. And yet the Order had fallen.

"I do. Cait is more use to me alive, well, and happy."

"I won't do anything to counter anything. I told Count Dooku the same thing." She sucked in a breath. "I promise, I want to teach, that's it. I can teach here."

"I believe you." Palpatine folded his hands. "Lyle will travel off planet for a week to train. He may spend the night."

She exhaled, taking Lyle's hand. She was grateful that he let her do the talking. "Where will we be living now?"

"You will have special quarters in the Inquisitorius wing of the Imperial Palace."

"Will we move when I have the baby, or is there space for his room?"

"There will be an additional room. Some choose to move to an apartment building after their first two years."

This still felt so strange to discuss. Like they hadn't been kidnapped. Cait dropped her shoulders. "Darth. Vader was asking us a lot about our relationship."

"Is that so?" Palpatine asked, his voice conversational, even casual.

Cait nodded. "I'm sorry, he was probably supposed to,"

"And I'll tell you more of the work you will be doing after your night with your husband. For now, I have a doctor ready to make sure all is well. The agents who led you here will take you back." The Emperor nodded behind her. "Lyle, can I answer anything for you?"

Lyle swallowed. 'Your. Excellency. I don't know what I'll be expected to do." That was a lie. "But, please don't keep me away from my family."

"If you do as you're told, you will be able to live quite the coddled life with your wife and son."

Lyle looked away. If he did as he was told, and killed his friends. "Yes, sir."

"I'll speak with you tomorrow, Cait. Thank you for helping me."

Cait nodded, unsure what else to say, and she and Lyle re-joined the agent outside. She led Cait to a private room in the medbay. The doctor came so soon that Cait had no time to think of the ramifications of their new assignments. Not yet.

---

She didn't know what to think of the man sitting across from her in the speeder. Yulm, the administrator, had made it clear he was here to help. He had a certain earnestness about him, though he wasn't high energy. She couldn't tell yet if he was trustworthy, but he seemed more so than the man who had joined them at the spaceport. "So, do you have younglings?" Cait inquired. The wedding ring on his hand implied it was possible.

"Yes, yes one." Yulm's formal demeanor broke, and he smiled. "He is two, but much better behaved than most two-year-olds I've known."

"Two is a good age." Cait smiled. "Even when they have tantrums. What's his name?"

"Vax." The man smiled, letting the pride and happiness slip through his bureaucratic facade. "After my mother's father. And. You're expecting?"

"Yes." Better, she supposed, than if he'd just touched her stomach.

He nodded, unsure of what to say. They both spend the next few minutes in awkward silence. Yulm broke it when they were just under five minutes from their destination. "How do you plan to spend today at the school?"

"Observing," she said. "I don't want to intervene unless I see something that needs intervention. And I want to keep an eye out for potential abuse."

Yulm pulled up a map of the school and forward it to her comm. "That will come in handy."

"Thank you." Checking her device, she saw a fresh text from Sano Sauro. She knew the man as the egotistical prosecutor from her own abuse case, who had tried to speak with her more than once, but, like Count Dooku, had come to leave the matter to rest. It would seem he was a senator now, and wanted to speak about the decades-old case. She wondered how he had gotten her number, and why he would bring up such an old topic, but for now, she let the text be. "Do you have schedule information?"

"Yes, of course. When we arrive, the younglings will mostly be at breakfast."

"Are you staying," Cait asked.

"I can walk around with you, or go to my office, at your preference. Perhaps we can get a guard for you?"

She frowned, turning to him. "A guard?"

"There were reports of violence. I don't know how much credence to give them."

"What reports," Cait asked. She opened the shortcut on her comm to the school's HoloNet security system.

"I found them under Security, then Reports, then Incidents, then Student Incidents, then for some reason under Alphabetized Incidents. Very odd labeling system, if you ask me."

She clicked around as he spoke, nodding while she scanned the reports. The incidents, which were mostly bullying and minor assaults, were normal, if frequent, for a school setting. What was not normal were the frequent corporal punishments assigned by the Inquisitors who served as instructors at the institution.

Yulm saw her face turn red. "I noticed it as well," Yulm murmured. "Highly unusual."

"Who—" The names of the reporting instructors always seemed to repeat. And they, too, signed off on punishments.

Yulm nodded. "I assume you'll be making policy changes?"

"I'd consider this one abuse, yes," Cait said.

"And I suppose the Emperor told you that you were authorized to fire and hire."

"Yes." The crux of her focus was still on the reports. Three of the Inquisitors who seemed to enjoy their power had signed in for the week. A scan of the staff records implied that many Inquisitors came and went in-between their own missions. That would also need to change. But she would start by introducing herself to those three and their classes.

"I think I'll bring a guard in to help escort some instructors away." First, she would need to find someone to trust with the classes who would soon be Instructor-less.

Yulm nodded. "That's a good thought. Perhaps when those teaching posts are empty I can call on the Coruscant teachers union to see if there are substitutes that we could use until we hire permanent staff."

"Once we're inside." Teachers. She peeked back at the schedule for where she could find those three Inquisitors Yulm had known what she would need. This would all be impossible without the map of the building, especially given that her predecessor was not here. Part of her wanted to discuss the matter with Jerec, and the other part didn't want to open old wounds with another former Jedi. "Will you message when you find the three subs?"

"Yes, I'll start with that right away." He opened his speeder door. She followed, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

"I'll find you once I've got them," Yulm said.

She nodded, peering back to the map. Her office would be in the rightmost front corner on the ground floor.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked, but will you be going to your office first? Our offices are across from each other." Yulm smiled over at her. "Perhaps I spoke too soon about seeing you later."

"Let's go together. And I'll need guards to extract some of these people."

"I didn't forget." Yulm agreed, holding the door for her before leading her towards the offices. A pair of guards played cards at the security desk.

"Hello," she greeted, setting down her brand-new ID cylinder.

The first of the guards stood. "Hello, headmistress." Both guards saluted.

"Cait." She smiled, unsure how to tell them to drop their hands. She eyed their pistols. "Are those on stun?"

"Always, headmistress." The older guard nodded. "Stun pistols only."

"Cait is fine. May we go inside," she asked.

"Yes, ma'am." The younger guard held the door open for her.

Yulm followed, smiling at the two. "They might get it if you repeat it often enough," he whispered to Cait.

She smiled politely and nodded. With Lyle, she might have made a joke. Who knew how many people in this building already hated her.

He led Cait into a fairly empty administrative suite. She saw the nurse tending to a pre-teen Togruta. The other office spaces, while present, were empty.

"Once we have teaching coverage, I'll see about getting you a secretary."

"What have they done this whole time?" Cait glanced around the office, but truly, there was no one to overhear them. "It's like a free-for-all for the Inquisitors."

"I think that was true." Yulm whispered. "I truly think they haven't done much."

"I have the corner office, then," Cait asked. She opened the door. Jerec had cleared his things. It was stark, with plenty of wall-space for drawings and color.

"At least it is big." Yulm offered. "We can place an order for supplies at the end of the day."

She managed to find a lone writing pad and pen atop the desk. Kind of Jerec, she thought. She took them nonetheless, and moved for the infirmary. At first, she just watched, not wishing to interrupt if the girl were very hurt.

"Hello, miss." The nurse looked up from the whimpering girl. "Inquisitors report to the Imperial Palace for assignment."

"Hello." Cait smiled at the girl, and then at the nurse. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I'm Cait Sellin. The new headmistress."

The girl sniffed, trying to straighten up. "Ma'am. S-sorry for. What I look like. My appearance."

Cait immediately shook her head, searching for a water fountain or dispenser. "No. No, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"N-nothing. I. I just ran into. A table." The girl winced. "It's okay."

Cait frowned, filling a plastic cup with filtered sink water. "You ran into a table," she asked, handing the cup to the girl.

"That isn't the first time, is it?" The nurse murmured. "Are you sure you weren't pushed?"

The girl's eyes widened. "No-no, I mean. I mean yes, I'm. I'm sure!"

Cait took a seat. "What's your name," she asked, studying the girl's arms and legs for bruises other than the one the nurse had covered with a bandage. "Mine is Cait."

"Tiara." The girl avoided eye contact.

"It's nice to meet you," Cait said. She bit her lip. "You won't tell me who's not being nice to you?"

"That would just make them angrier."

Cait shook her head. "They won't know you told me. What are their names?"

She swallowed, looking between the nurse and Cait before bursting into tears.

The nurse grabbed a box of tissues. "It's okay, Tiara," she whispered. "Drink some of your water."

The girl whimpered, breathing hard as she reached for the water.

"I've been bullied too," Cait offered. "When I told people, it stopped." It was sort-of true.

Tiara looked down, holding the tissue to her eye. "They're my bunkmates. N-Natlee and Gorgeena."

"Natlee and Gorgeena." Cait committed the names to memory. "And the three of you are eleven, or twelve?"

"T-twelve. All three of us." She sipped the water again, sniffling.

"How did you hurt your arm," Cait asked.

"I. I was pushed into. Into the bed." Tiara winced. "Out of the bed. There are others. They're mean to. To me and. The other twelve- and eleven-year-olds." Tiara whispered, looking up as an older girl knocked on the door. "Can Chelsea come in?"

"Chelsea?" Cait turned to the door. An older youngling, perhaps seventeen or eighteen years old, stood past the glass. Her hair was long and dyed blonde, tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes were a deep brown, and she stood straight with her hand on the doorknob.

The nurse nodded, walking to the door. "You'll want to speak with Chelsea," she told Cait. "She one of the oldest, and she likes to care for the girls. Very sisterly."

"You can come in." Cait called, tilting her head.

"Headmistress." The older girl nodded. "Tiara hadn't been to breakfast, I wanted to check on her."

"I'm here," Tiara said, bowing her head. "S-sorry."

"No, no. What happened?" Chelsea murmured. "You're hurt?"

"I'm okay," Tiara said, shivering. "They pushed me. Again."

"Oh no, honey." Chelsea whispered. "I'm sorry, Tiara."

Cait stood, stepping back against the wall to observe as Chelsea comforted the younger girl. "Chelsea, will you be late for a class? I can send someone to tell the Inquisitor."

"If it's all right, I'd like to stay with Tiara for a while, Headmistress."

"Cait," she corrected. "That's fine. I'll make sure you're not in trouble." She paused, frowning. "What happens here when you do get in trouble?"

Chelsea frowned, catching Cait's eyes. "Maybe we can speak about it later? If there is a chance to change things, I'd like to help."

"I have to patch the youngling up when the Inquisitors. I don't know the word," the nurse said. "Jenna and I tend to the younglings."

"Who is Jenna," Cait asked.

"The other nurse," Chelsea scowled.

"Which of the Inquisitors can you tell me have used corporal punishment? Hit the younglings," Cait asked.

"A lot of them," Chelsea said. "I've only seen Kel Var and Grigir recently. They're here today."

"Do you know of anyone else," Cait asked the nurse.

The nurse shook her head. "No one else comes to mind. They're certainly the worst."

"Just hitting," Tiara asked. She took another sip of water from her cup.

"What else have they done?" Cait asked. "You can tell me anything, even if they just make you uncomfortable."

"I don't know," she whispered. "I don't think that a lot of them want to be here. So they're not so nice. And then some of them like the boys better than the girls, and better than the nonbinary younglings."

"And they treat you girls and the nonbinary younglings badly." Cait murmured, closing her eyes. "Who acts like that?"

Tiara turned to Chelsea. "You probably know better."

"Ma'am, there is so much to tell, I'd rather tell you when we have a meeting about it. I'll write out whole lists on the dirt I have.

Cait nodded. "Then you don't think there is anyone else I need to remove today, right now," she asked.

"Chelsea knows everything," Tiara said. "She'll tell you."

"I'm going to check on you later," Cait said. She turned to the nurse. "Please let them stay as long as they need. Do you have something that Tiara can eat?"

"I have some energy bars." The nurse nodded. "And some fruit. That should take you through to lunch, Tiara."

"Thank you for trusting me with who has been bullying you," Cait told Tiara. "I promise, I will take care of it."

"Jenna shouldn't work tomorrow," Chelsea said. "We'll talk later."

Ali frowned. "I'll take her shift. But I don't know why."

"Later," Chelsea repeated.

"We'll let her know," Cait said. "Later today, Chelsea."

"Today," the girl agreed.

There was too much for Cait to do to stay here. She turned for Yulm's office. "I've gotten more names. And I wonder if best might be to have them summoned to the Imperial Palace. We can issue their termination from a distance."

"A wise move." Yulm nodded. "Could you call this number, they want to speak with you. The teachers union."

Cait frowned, accepting the information to her comm. She wrote out the names from Chelsea. "Please have these Inquisitors recalled for punishment. I suggest taking them on pretense and arresting them off campus, please tell the arresting Inquisitors that I say so."

"Yes ma'am, I'll send that request to the Grand Inquisitor immediately."

"Thank you, Yulm." She retreated to her own office to call the union, who agreed to send substitute instructors and more permanent faculty for interviews in the coming week. Jodi, the union representative who answered the comm, coaxed more out of her, and sent literature on classroom management, psychological health, and sexual assault prevention, and Cait decided that they would need guidance staff and a sexual assault prevention coordinator as well.

When the call had ended, Cait returned to the nurse's office. Tiara now leaned on the older girl's shoulder, Chelsea's arms wrapped around Tiara's back. "I'm sorry to interrupt again. Which instructors can I depend on if I need them to watch two classes at once for the time being?"

Chelsea frowned, listing off a trio of names, but Cait considered sending everyone about their own devices for the day. She needed to make up her mind. "Yulm," she called, circling back to his office.

"Will you have the lead Arresting Officer call me when they are about to arrive?"

"Yes, ma'am. Is everything set up with the union?"

She nodded. "They're sending the forms over soon."

"To my comm or to yours? I can fill them out if you forward them to me." He watched her. "If you need to rest a minute, that's no problem."

Cait narrowed her eyes, turning to the door, and then back to Yulm. "I want to give the younglings a free day. It's not fair to ask the acceptable instructors to cover six more groups, and we're about to send Inquisitors away, with no substitutes until this afternoon or tomorrow tomorrow."

He returned her nod, "There is an assembly scheduled for this afternoon for you to introduce yourself. We can call the day over after that." Yulm checked his watch. "The Inquisitors will have been escorted out by then."

"No, let's cancel it," Cait said. "We'll reschedule it once we have the school running smoothly." She sighed, taking a deep breath. "I have to make sure those girls aren't in trouble. Is there a way to communicate with the Inquisitors directly? Via a message or something."

Yulm glanced through the comm options. "Here. There is a push message."

Cait sent one to each of the girl's instructors, and turned back to Yulm. "Chelsea, she is an older girl, she gave me a list of some of the Inquisitors she thinks treat them better than average," Cait said. "I want to see what better than average means, but truly, I'm going to dismiss all of the younglings for the day. I think that once some of the instructors have been removed, I'll call a faculty meeting."

Cait's comm buzzed as a message from Inquisitor Grigir came across the group chat. Has anyone seen my 7yearold girls? They're nearly ten minutes late.

I saw them at breakfast, they must have gone back to their rooms, Inquisitor Stevens responded.

I will take care of it, Cait sent. And hello, everyone, she sent a moment later, checking the map for the seven-year-old girl's dormitory.

Are you certain, headmistress, you don't need to trouble yourself with them. I have control of the class. Inquisitor Grigir's response came a moment later.

I want to meet them, Cait sent with a smiley. And, so that you all may prepare, I will suspend classes for the day at the turn of the hour.

I'm going to meet you at their rooms, Grigir sent. What will they do for the day if they're dismissed?

The same things they do when they're otherwise unsupervised, Cait sent. Very nice to meet you all.

She followed the map to the dormitories. When she arrived, Grigir stood by the door. "Headmistress." He said, a little more loudly than if he were just addressing her.

The seven year olds looked up. "She isn't the headmaster. He doesn't have eyes."

One of the girls, a small mousy Twi'lek with a button nose, hugged another girl whose mid length brown hair was disheveled. That brown haired girl's eyes were still red with tears.

"They were being mean!" The Twi'lek girl shouted, pointing at two of the girls sitting along a wooden bench snickering.

"What happened," Cait asked, stepping past Grigir.

"They j-jumped on me." The brown haired girl whimpered. "It hurt."

"That's not what happened, Mireè." One of the two rolled her eyes. "We were playing and you acted like a baby like always."

"On top of me!" Mireè whimpered. "Tell them, Val."

"They jumped on her and messed up her hair!" The Twi'lek girl declared.

"We did not pull your hair," the second bully said. "Stop lying, we were only having fun."

"You messed it up and it was on purpose!" Mireè shouted, pointing at the two girls again and burst into tears.

"Oh—Mireè," Grigir said, shaking his head. He sat on the floor beside the huddled pair "It's okay."

"That's not nice," Cait agreed, turning to the two bullies. "Will you say you're sorry?"

"We didn't do anything wrong. She was spending too long on her hair."

"Don't speak to the headmistress that way, Trysha."

"It's okay," Cait told Grigir. "Are the others in the classroom?"

"They are. The boys were on time, and they are at centers now."

Cait smiled at the instructor, pausing for effect. "The classroom might be a mess."

The Inquisitor winced at the realization. "I'm sorry, Headmistress, that's my mistake."

"It's fine. I'll help the girls," Cait said.

Suddenly afraid of a fire starting, Grigir nodded. "Yes, headmistress, I'll go watch the boys." He all-but ran for the door.

Once he had gone, Cait turned back to face the girl's. "What's your name," she asked the girl beside Tanya.

"Orellia." She grimaced. "And what's your name again? I like your hair, it's shiny. And better than just brown."

"My name is Cait Sellin. And I am the new headmistress. I'm happy you like my hair, but you shouldn't touch Mireè's hair without permission. And it's not nice to say that we don't like someone's hair."

"We didn't, we told you that," Tanya exclaimed. "She just said your hair is nice, isn't that nice?"

"Well," Cait started, ignoring the compliment this time. "If you did touch her hair, you wouldn't be in trouble for admitting it. But we don't treat people like that, yes?"

"Of course not." Tanya said, her suspicions of a trap written in her eyes.

Cait nodded. "What are your names," she asked the other girls, and smiled to Mireé. "Are you from Naboo?"

"I am," She whispered. "H-how did you know?"

"From your name," Cait said. "The ending is like Padmè's Amidala's. She was a very important senator from Naboo."

"I'm from Corellia," another human girl piped up. "Mireè is already treated like she's better, that's what happened. She wants to take forever on everything."

"Oh, well I'm sure Mireè doesn't think she's better than all of you. We need to be nice to each other." Cait declared.

"Mireè is so nice to people." Val exclaimed, rubbing her left lekku. "Always nice, and never mean, like some people!"

"We didn't do anything," Tanya repeated. "Okay? We always play like that, and we always play with each other's hair. Or we would if you had any hair."

Val glared, stomping her foot once.

"We don't when we're on top of each other, Then it's mean," Mireè exclaimed.

"You braid my hair all of the time," another girl said. "When we're hugging or sitting together."

"But then it's invited," Cait said.

"Sorry for hurting you, Mireè," Tanya said lightning fast, and then she sighed. "I didn't know it was such a problem."

"It was," Cait said. "You should always ask for permission. Can you say sorry too," Cait asked Orellia.

Orellia frowned deeper. "Tanya already did. And I didn't mean to hurt you, Mireè, it was just playing."

"I think it would help if you said sorry too," Cait repeated.

Orellia sighed. "I'm sorry." She looked over at Mireè, eye furrowed. "What should I do different?"

"Please don't make a pile on me." Mireè begged.

"Well maybe we wouldn't if you weren't taking so long to get ready." The Corellian girl shrugged.

Cait frowned. "And what's your name?"

The girl crossed her arms. "Brenna. Why doesn't she have to apologize?"

"Mireè did nothing wrong. Do you understand the ways in which you've been mean?"

"I didn't do anything." Brenna retorted. "She made us late because she was so selfish."

"I was ready to go, you're a liar," Mireè exclaimed.

Cait shook her head. "You're not being nice, Brenna. Why don't you take a minute to collect yourself? We can wait for you."

"I'm ready. I've been ready." Brenna shrugged, picking up her bag.

Again, Cait shook her head. "I don't think you are. You're not being so nice." Cait turned to Mireè. "I'm sorry on Brenna's behalf. But I promise that we're all going to work together to make sure that we're supporting each other, not being mean. And, girls, later today or tomorrow, I want to speak with you about the grown-ups here. I want to know if they've not been nice, or if they've hurt any of you. Can you think hard on that, and tell me when you're ready?"

They all nodded. Brenna folded her arms. "We should go."

Mireè grabbed Cait's hand, and Cait smiled. "You girls will have to show me the way."

"Okay!" Mireè exclaimed bouncing to lead as Val took Cait's other hand.

"Hey, why do you get to hold her hand?" Brenna demanded.

Cait smiled to the girl now. "Why don't you be the leader in the very front?"

"The leader?" Brenna beamed. "Good idea, I'll lead and and show the way!"

"Go on then. Tanya, can you help her," Cait asked.

Tanya rushed forward to stand by Brenna, but Orwellia stood back, following deep in thought. This was very different than what they were used to.

"We should go through the courtyard." Mireè proposed.

"No, I'm leading and that will take longer." Brenna said. "But. If we weren't late it would be smart."

Cait considered reminding them that it was all right that they were late, but she kept quiet. So far, the girls seemed to reason well enough with each other when they weren't being bullies. They arrived a few minutes later and Cait could tell it wasn't a minute too soon by Grigir's face.

The boys were cleaning the mess they'd made, but they would need much heavier cleaners to take the permanent markers off the walls and the children's skin.

Cait breathed out, dropping both girl's hands. "Go take your seats now." She smirked, walking to Grigir's side. "We'll clean the walls later. They won't be able to get the marker off, why don't you have them put everything away instead?"

Grigir nodded, turning closer so he could hear her clearly. "I was afraid of that." He cleared his throat.

"Boys, put away the markers, please," Cait added.

Grigir glanced at her and nodded. "You heard the headmistress. Please be quick."

"Who are you," a boy asked, dropping to the ground to collect a stack of markers. "My name is Cait Sellin. You may call me Ms. Sellin."

The boy took a deep breath and spoke quickly. "Hi, Ms. Sellin, I'm Brody. I like green. Do you like green? I like when green is on lots of other colors. What do you like? You like blue, right, that's why you're wearing blue?"

Cait laughed, sitting beside him. She started collecting the markers beside her legs. "I like blue, and green, and pink, and all of the colors."

"All of them. Especially gold and silver, right? I think you'd look nice in a really burgundy dress. That's a color. It's like purple."

Cait nodded. "I like burgundy. But I don't usually wear it. Like how I don't wear silver, because I'm already so sparkly."

"But burgundy helps darken the look and make it really nice. It makes you look like fire but good."

"Good fire. Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"Ms. Headmistress, are you. Why're you so. Big?" Another boy inquired.

Cait looked down to her stomach, and then to back to the youngling. "I'm having a baby."

"A baby? But why does that mean you're so big?!"

"Because he's here, in my tummy," Cait said.

"Why?" The boy frowned. "How can he grow in the dark?"

"Babies grow inside of their parents," Cait said. She glanced around for the Inquisitor, who stood beside his desk.

Grigir hung his head in embarrassment. "The suggested lessons don't cover that."

"Do you teach them science," Cait asked.

"Somewhat, but less than we probably should." Grigir offered. "Will you be reforming the curriculum?"

"Definitely," Cait said. "But they are past the age where they should know of humanoid reproduction."

"They are?" Grigir winced. "I don't know much about instruction. We weren't told to teach them that."

Cait nodded. "Do you have children of your own?"

"None, no." He shook his head. "A. A girlfriend though. Are you asking about-"

"What are you talking about?" A boy inquired from the floor.

"How babies are made," Cait said. "What's your name?"

"Miggel." He smiled. "You have a baby, right?"

"I'm having one very soon," Cait said. She dropped her markers into the proper container and held it out for him to deposit his own handful.

"Thanks." He smiled. "How long did you know you were having a baby?"

"About eight months. Humanoid babies take nine months to grow," Cait said.

"Oh, that's a long long time." Miggel frowned. "I like little babies."

"I like babies too," Cait said. "Do you get to see the babies who live here?"

"Not often but. One time, one of their nannies said they needed help and I helped."

"Wow. When did that happen," Cait asked.

"It was two months ago." Miggel frowned. "I wish it was sooner. Can I see them again?"

"I'll speak with the nannies," Cait said. "I'm sure you can."

"Really?" The frown transformed into a big grin. "I'd like that a lot. Can you?"

"Absolutely." Cait smiled, scaling along the rug towards another pile of markers.

"Why do you want to play with babies like a girl?" Another boy asked, seeming disgusted. "They poop in their diapers."

"But they're cute," Cait said. "Don't you think so?"

"I think they stink." The boy shook his head. "That's for girls to take care of."

Cait shook her head. "People of all genders take care of babies."

"Really?" He frowned. "No. All the nurses and nannies are girls."

Again, Cait shook her head. "Many nurses are boys. And daddies take care of their children just like mommies do."

"Really?" The second boy kept cleaning, picking up some of the last markers. "Why?"

"Because all parents take care of their younglings."

"Hmm. I don't know about that. I don't know my parents."

"None of us do, Demitree." Miggel pointed out.

"I'm sorry about that." Cait frowned. "I didn't know my parents for a very long time."

He sighed and nodded. "I think that's going to be me too."

"That's all!" Brenna called out. "You're done cleaning, boys!"

Cait turned. "Almost. Brenna, could you help us put the marker containers back in their cubby?"

"Sure." She shrugged, taking the nearest container and walking it to a cubby. "You boys worked fast."

"We're good workers. Strong and stuff." Demitree exclaimed, putting another container back near Brenna.

"Thank you for helping, Brenna." Cait stood, holding a second container out for the girl.

"Oh. You're. Welcome." She frowned, wondering how she had happened into helping. "Put this back too?"

"If you could, you're being such a good help."

Brenna nodded, taking the last marker container over. "But. Now we are all done, right?"

Cait nodded, looking up at Grigir. "I'll text with further instruction for the end of the hour. For now, carry on. You're doing fine."

Grigir took a deep breath. "You heard her, class," He managed a smile, "You can take your normal seats and we'll learn about how plants turn sunlight into food from the experiment we started last week." He looked up at Cait. "Thank you so much, Headmistress."

"I'll see you all very soon." She bowed, and returned to her office.

---

She had dismissed the younglings before lunch. In truth, Jerec had no idea if it had been a good idea of not. He should never have held the position in the first place. He smoothed his cloak so that it sat tight on his chest. The school always loomed large in the Force. He'd known to expect Cait's presence, but it surprised him that it was so vibrant. Cait was doing well, it seemed. The younglings already had a glimmer of hope and optimism that had been lacking last time he visited. When he arrived at the headmistress's office, he knocked thrice.

The door pulled open at Cait's command. She looked up from her desk, her eyes locking with him in recognition. "Jerec. Hello."

"I'm pleased to sense you doing well, Cait. So few from our time can say the same."

She stood, bowing her head. "Please, come inside. You are. Well?" He had turned completely to what many would call the Dark Side. She felt it immediately, but she pushed back the initial urge to identify that as automatically bad. The Jedi had done their share of terrible things in the name of the Light.

"I am well. Better than ever. As are you." He bowed. "I like what you've done with my former office."

"I didn't know until recently that it was yours."

"I am thankful that someone who knows how this is to be done will be taking my place. My work often takes me far from here" He rubbed his chin. "You carry a child. Yours and Lyle Arche's."

Cait blinked, sitting back down. "Yes." She was happy he didn't press the point.

He took a seat in front of her. "The Emperor has put much trust in you, but it is well worth it. The school already feels more. Adequate." Jerec moved his head as if he was looking around, taking in the ebbs and flows of the Force through the room. "Something has shifted. In the best way."

"I'm glad you think so. I've tried not to make more than the absolutely necessary changes before the meeting today. I've learned that instructors here were. Hurting some of the younglings."

"And you've had them removed." Jerec sighed. "My frequent absences have to bear some of the blame that such things could happen."

She swallowed, pushing down her own dark memories after so many years. "We have to stop it from happening. We won't repeat what the Jedi Council used to do if I'm in control of the response. And I've told the Emperor that I need to be. This cannot happen again."

"I have to agree. Keeping these children safe is as high a priority as training them. I'm glad they have you now." Jerec didn't need damaged Inquisitors. "What other changes have you commissioned?"

"Some of the seven-year-old's were bullying each other. I asked their nanny to sleep in the room with them until we could find a better response."

"What do you suspect that long term response will look like? What other changes are planned?"

"Why didn't you take the teachers from the Temple?" Her eyes shone, dewy. She looked back his way. "Some of these people are not nice to them, and very few of them know how to instruct. Why didn't you just take the Jedi Academy system and change it? Use the adults to manipulate the children, I don't know."

"I daren't question the Emperor's decision to have them killed, especially when some of us were allowed to survive. Perhaps he regrets it now, and that is the reason to bring you in." Jerec shook his head. "I know it made our job harder, I likely would have been killed if I hadn't been away on research."

"He didn't come for me either. Maybe he has some other regrets."

"He is a man of much emotion. If some of them were not regret, I would be quite surprised." Jerec stared at her. "Most of us have regrets for what happened."

She exhaled. "It was a very long time ago."

Jerec nodded. "It is strange to think how much has changed, and to realize how much has yet to change." He turned to face her. "What other changes are you making overall to the curriculum?"

She pulled both palms up, and shrugged. "Is there really a planned curriculum as it stands? I don't mean to insult you, but it seems like there are Inquisitors who aren't trained as teachers instructing learners at age and ability inappropriate levels, when those Inquisitors aren't qualified to teach anyone at all."

"There should have been documents made available to you. There are subject and goal guides, but you're right, nothing we've done here is cohesive. If anything, a poor reflection of Jedi Temple Youngling training, but much more lacking even than that."

"I've seen the guides. I don't think the teachers really follow them, and even if they do, they're confusing. I understand that planning for primary education isn't your skill set. It's just unfortunate when we could have had great teachers and continuity for the younglings."

"The Emperor wanted to break the continuity, and that informed my structuring of the goals. But I would like to help in any way to make this transformation successful. For now, how is Lyle?"

"I think it's a strange time for all of us." She stared at the desk, shaking her head. "I'm just trying to focus on these younglings. I'm having my own in no time at all."

"I don't have any intentions to have a youngling, but I can understand why it raises powerful emotions." Jerec said. "Do you feel ready to lead this school?"

Cait sighed. "I've never been in an administrative role before. But. Yes." At first, she sounded the word out, but then she nodded. "Yes."

Jerec smiled small. "That is half the battle. I'm excited to witness what you do here. I expect you will do better than I ever could have. I am certain they intend for your role to be a dual one of both teacher and administrator. What do you want to teach?"

"I'm going to loop classes, if I can. And I'd like to get back to teaching the youngest loop. Four to six."

He nodded. "Those formative years are vital. I strongly suspect some of these learners will need to be held back."

Her shoulders dropped and she sighed. "Learners. Yes, I'm so glad you agree. I plan on bringing that subject up with the Emperor."

"He won't agree to a multi-year re-education program," Jerec said. "We need new Inquisitors. But he may agree to allow a year or two."

"Then I'll ask for two," Cait said. "You have Lyle now. You'll have relieved teachers from the school."

"It will help. I'll be certain to remind the Emperor of that fact."

"Thank you for that." She paused. "Have you met Yulm?"

"A few times. I've heard he is a generally competent administrator, but I haven't seen him in action. What is your evaluation?"

"I think that's right. He answers my questions, he helps when I need it, but he can also sit down when he knows he's not the most knowledgeable person in the room."

"A skill so many lack." Jerec mused. "What do you see as his shortcomings, and do you believe I need to advocate for additional support?"

"I've only known him a day." She pushed her chair in. "I have yet to see any real shortcomings."

He nodded, his hand passing over a knot on the wooden desk. "I have a bit of business to attend to before our meeting, but is there any other question you have for me?"

Cait shook her head. "Will I be able to speak to Lyle?"

"As far as I'm aware, asynchronous communication should always be allowed, text and voice messages. But you will have to ask the Emperor about holo conversations while he is away."

"Thank you." She suspected Palpatine would allow nearly anything for her. "It's good to see you again."

Jerec inclined his head, "It was pleasant to be near you as well." He turned to walk for the door. "We'll have further discussions later, but you seem to have the school well under control for the time being."

"Thank you." Cait repeated, watching as the older Force-user made his way out of the room. She opened a holo-document with some of his notes, sighing as she read over the remarks. There would be so much to that needed to change.

---

The Imperial Ruling Council discussion had been focused on propaganda so far that day, but Maia dreaded the next segment. She wouldn't suffer through it without lodging protest. She barely paid attention to their discussion of search programs within the HoloNet, even though her family controlled a large portion of the HoloNet and media production for the Outer Rim. When the decision was made, she voted in favor. Her father had asked her to. The Emperor watched her carefully before leaning forward. "The next item on our agenda, Maia, is very close to you."

"May I just say, that I think COMPNOR should be fully ready to host celebrations across the Empire for the day of the child's birth?" Crueya Vandron smiled at Maia, his jowls shaking as he nodded. "A joyous day. A day when one of the first families of our great Empire-"

"Kira's birth," Maia interrupted, sitting up straighter. "It must be the day of?"

Alec Pradeux almost choked on his caffeinated milk. "Really? Kira, like Kira Sarntornin, the singer?"

"Or perhaps you reference my Great Aunt, Kira Lorke-Crueya?" Crueya slapped his knee, smiling. "She was quite a philanthropist."

"No," Palpatine said. "A common name, and the name of a Force-sensitive woman from a long time ago. Maia knows that she has my support in the matter."

"Ah, also a good reference, I'm sure." Crueya exclaimed, smiling wide. "But a former. Was she a Jedi. Is that safe? People might ask questions. The Jedi, you know, are not normally discussed."

The room heard as Vader's rebreather turned on an additional fan to counteract his heavy breathing.
"We don't have to advertise the fact, Vandron." Pradeux rolled his eyes while the bigger man couldn't see.

"You have to be at a certain knowledge level to have any idea who the Jedi was," Maia said. "And the name is from Dahn's family as well."

Sate frowned, holding back a snarkish smirk. "I suspect Maia is right."

"Anyway. Her name is Kira. I'd like to keep that in this room."

Pradeux's shoulders slumped and his mouth went slack for a moment, his eyes glassing as his brain processed the phrase. When he realized the room had turned to look at him, he cleared his throat, but the hurt still showed in his eyes. "We cannot announce it yet?"

Maia shook her head. "I'd like to maintain some exclusivity, if more than family will see holos of my daughter an hour after she's born."

"And we do need those holos." Pradeux nodded, tapping his pen on the table. "Very well. I'll make arrangements."

"I'll have members of the Ministry of Information there to ensure quality." Crueya commented. "Who knows what would happen if only the art group was involved in the shoot?"

"Where were the scare quotes around information, there, Crueya?" Isard commented with heavy eyebrow action. "I thought we decided to do away with misleading names after someone mailed a complaint to the office of Critical Issue Resolution."

The other man smiled too wide, blinking twice. "The Office was named perfectly well, degenerates just misunderstood."

Maia's mouth almost dropped. Instead, she picked up her head. "Must we?"

Vader tapped the fingers of his gloved right hand against the metal of his armor. "Irrelevant." He hissed.

"I don't think we must." Palpatine turned to Maia. "How has your transition gone in preparing Fema Baab? There is still time to substitute someone else. I know you've rejected Sano, but he would be very capable of filling your position with little preparation."

"No," Maia said, with hardly any pause once he'd finished speaking. "Fema is doing a wonderful job. And she's always been loyal to you, much more loyal than Sauro. Do you really feel the need to keep an eye on him anymore?"

"No. But Sano knows what he is doing. He has been doing it for decades."

"So has Fema," Maia said. "I want to keep working with Fema."

"What do you have against Sano?" Creuya smiled. "I'm joking, of course. He's a wonderful man, despite his questionable politics before things had settled. But don't you sometimes hate how he behaves? Then again, very well respected. Very respectable."

"When I'm home with the baby, there won't be any women in these meetings, except for when Ysanne or my father's aide-de-camp attend. Not without Fema. Who is capable, and never actually tried to kill you, my lord." She turned to Palpatine. "How come he still has a pass, now that you don't care about keeping an eye on him?" Creuya pursed his lips, glancing at Sate Pestage, who didn't comment on Maia's observation.

"Because I still find him useful." Palpatine said. "If he ceases to be useful, then he'll cease to be alive."

The group went quiet for a moment, and then Sate flipped a page in his notebook. "Right. So, the media campaign after Kira's birth."

"Dahn and I don't want to do it before she's born. And we have to maintain a certain sense of decorum. Privacy. No sonogram photos."

Pradeux kept from flinching at every word of restriction.

"I think that's more than fair," Ars Dangor commented. "So long as Alec keeps from having a heart attack."

"I understand and agree that that's important." Alec bristled. "The point isn't to make Maia seem attainable."

"I'm only jesting with you, Alec." Ars smirked, pleased to have given the other man a rise.

"Unobtainable is ideal, yes." Crueya agreed. "Pregnancy has an exquisite effect. The subject is already developing a new life, and thus far beyond normal reach." He smiled small. "She's glowing."

Maia tapped the table, pushing the bullshit away the best she could. "Will there be pictures in the hospital?"

"Most likely." Pradeux nodded. "We spoke of it just a minute ago. I already have the ideal team in mind."

"We would like some time alone with her before those pictures. I'll have just finished labor, do I really need makeup reapplied as soon as I'm holding my daughter for the first time?"

"Of course, a few minutes would be no obstacle to the shooting schedule." Pradeux mused.

"Why would you need makeup? The strong Imperial woman is one who relies on her sheer will, and presence." Crueya said, taking a deep breath and gesturing in excitement. "Like now, you look perfect."

Again, she stared at him. "This makeup took an hour and a half for my hair and makeup team to apply, Crueya. This was a light day."

He blinked in surprise. "Well. It looks very natural."

"Maia gives much of her time to sending the messages we need her to send," Alec said. "Much goes on behind the scenes to get you your images."

"Well, I'll make sure they're distributed to the right place when they're ready." Crueya nodded. "The right people will see them, COMPNOR will make sure of that."

"Oh yes, we all know everyone sees what COMPNOR does," Isard muttered. "Maia, you're still concerned about this. Should they give more time?"

"I think so. I would like that very much." Maia folded her arms. "I can't have an hour?"

"We'd like some holos with the doctors, when she's brand new," Crueya said.

"Like you'll be able to frame any of my behavior in those holos," Maia shot. "I won't look nor be acting like the perfect lady."

Vader would have blinked if his eyelids remained.

Crueya smiled too-patiently. "I know it is a hard time for a woman, Maia, you want to see your baby, you want time with her. But let me tell you, this is extremely important."

"Prime Minister Tarkin and her child could have died, not a few weeks ago." Vader snapped, his fury bubbling to the surface, just out of containment. "An hour isn't enough as it is!"

Palpatine nodded as Maia took another drink. "I agree. An hour is more than reasonable. Perhaps even two." He looked around, as if daring them to dissent.

Maia exhaled, setting her glass down. "Our parents will be pleased as well."

"That's right," Palpatine said. "And before I forget, I've spoken with your father, regarding moving the weddings to after your delivery. Truly, not enough time has gone into planning. Invitations haven't gone out yet. And you deserve time without the added stress of both a pregnancy and wedding planning."

Her first impression was to protest, but truthfully, she couldn't think of a better idea. She could not imagine the stress of going through those weddings while pregnant.

"Maia always has the Empire's best interest in mind." Sate commented. "It is very fair to give her this time, my lord."

"Maia puts herself into everything," the Emperor said, nodding her way. It was almost easy to pretend this was years and years ago.

"I'd just appreciate some time with my daughter before cameras see her."

"An hour, as we discussed." Palpatine said. "It will be sufficient, though I'm sure you'll welcome the time of leave that follows."

"We do. We're both looking forward to it." She wouldn't argue with time alone with Kira and the family. Him sending her home every other day before the delivery just seemed like a waste, when they kept insisting her presence was so necessary.

"You'll need the time." Crueya declared. "My wife certainly did, and I helped significantly."

"Dahn is happy he'll have so much time with her."

"You both deserve it." Ars Dangor assured her. "Both working very hard."

"And I'll keep working hard." She nodded to the Emperor. "Thank you. We need time alone with her in the hospital room."

"You will have it." Palpatine assured her, nodding. "Now, as some of the infighting within this room might revolve around this next topic, I would like Isard and Vandron to remain calm." It wasn't so much a request as a statement of what would be to come. "Some of you are aware that Lord Vader has returned Cait Sellin to our employ."

Maia frowned, turning her head to the side, touching her stomach as she thought an additional moment. "That name sounds familiar."

"You likely studied her as an undergraduate," the Emperor said. "She was a Jedi who left the Order following abuse by her master. You were very young at the time."

"She's alive," Maia asked.

Several of the assembled turned to her. "She is with Lyle Arche." Isard commented. "Another former Jedi. But she is alive, yes."

"I have no idea who Lyle Arche is," Maia said. "But we've hired her? Is that a euphemism?"

"We forced her to come, but we've provided for her safety going forward," Palpatine said.

"She hardly protested," Vader remarked.

"Why would she protest at the chance to work for the finest government in the galaxy? She's joining us as a fine time. A fine time indeed." Crueya commented. "We're making the galaxy a better place. Great to live in, and worth fighting for."

"Lord Vader brought her to Coruscant." Palpatine explained. "She will be running the Inquisitorius School now. She will have her own leave soon enough-she's eight months pregnant."

"Ah, so she will have something in common with Maia then." Crueya exclaimed, still overexcited.

Palpatine spoke after a moment of silence ruled by Maia staring Crueya's way. "Perhaps news for our friend Prince Xizor," he said. "We found her while we were investigating the raids on his ships."

"Shame he wasn't on one through an attack." Maia paused, rapping the table. "Those were her?"

"Absolutely not." Isard said. "But it was something we considered possible for a short time. But it seems more likely that it was Lyle Arche's apprentice. He also escaped Order 66."

"Are we telling the rapist that yet, or waiting for evidence," Maia asked.

Palpatine shook his head. "I know your feelings on this, Maia. He will not hurt you again. But as to your question, I believe we should wait. Best to speak with certainty."

Maia straightened out in her hover chair, searching for a briefing with either name. "And I assume I'll have the information I need when I meet with him. If it must be me who tells him when we know."

"It must." Sate assured her. "And I've updated access for you, so that when we have more information, you'll be pinged."

"I have as big a staff as anyone, we have COMPNOR, we have the entire Army and Navy and Stormtrooper Corps," Maia countered. "Why do I have to be the one to speak with him? Why?"

Crueya chuckled. "He's an important man, Maia. But yes, ISB can take even more responsibility, even if he might see it an insult to his princely station."

At first, Maia stared. When he flinched, she rolled her eyes. "Do not laugh at me. How he sees it is not my job, it's yours."

"Perhaps you're right, Maia." Palpatine said, interrupting an uttered retort from Crueya. "No, indeed you're quite right. We'll make other arrangements."

"Cait Sellin, then. I assume this will need some internal spin." Pradeux frowned. "Sellin is going to be one of the more senior members of the Inquisitorius overnight."

"We hire plenty of former Jedi," Maia commented. "And we've had problems in that school for years."

"Ideally they'll be partially resolved with her leadership." Palpatine said. "That's the intention, and I think her up to the task."

"Of course, sir. But I expect resentment from within both II and ISB, much less the Inquisitorius," Isard said. "I can control it in both organizations I manage."

Creuya rolled his eyes. "If you can call them controlled. II barely has operations capability beside the Inquisitors, thus the clear and obvious change to having the Inquisitors under ISB."

"Please, save the fighting for some time I'm not here," Maia growled.

"It's your proposal," Creuya said.

"And I." Palpatine frowned. "Any changes will be contingent on mature behavior."

"We need fewer men in these meetings." Maia glared at Crueya.

Vader grunted his agreement. "We need fewer fools in these meetings."

Ars grimaced. "The next topic on the agenda perhaps?"

"Well, wait," Crueya frowned. "I'm not certain the full implications of this Cait Sellin girl have been laid out for us."

Isard rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure how much more we have to spell out for the slower members of our audience."

"How many people will it piss off that this new bureaucrat has such an important position?"

"How many people care?" Vader implied his own disinterest in their opinions. "If they oppose the Emperor's will, they have no place in our administration."

"I don't understand why they would be angry either," Maia said, turning her head to the side. "It's not like they want to curriculum plan for an entire school. Right? They can't want that."

"You want to return to academia," Ars commented. "I suspect some would want the honor to plan the curriculum."

"Well, they're not qualified." Maia shrugged. "It sounds, from what you've all told me, that Cait Sellin is. When can I meet her?"

"Soon, I hope. I meet with her later. She is an extremely qualified teacher and we will test her administrative capabilities, which I am confident will be considerable."

"Has she been an administrator before," Maia asked.

"She was the testing coordinator for the school she was in before her most recent post." Isard commented. "And she was the lead representative for her teacher's union in an interim between elections."

"And that's a good thing," Crueya scoffed. "We like unions now? What's next, neo-Separatists?"

"Some of us like being educated." Isard commented, voice dry as Tatooine in the summer.

Maia didn't bother to hide her smirk, passing the pitcher to Crueya. "Need more water?"

He nodded. "Thank you. Um. Hydration is important." Crueya poured the water, before taking a drink. "I won't distinguish that with a response, Isard. COMPNOR supports education in its most important forms."

"Have these answers satisfied you?" Vader leaned forward in his chair.

Crueya blinked. "No. As Ars said, there will be competition for the spot."

"Terrible word choice, the position is assigned. There are no opportunities for competition," Ars said.

"Enough." Palpatine shook his head. "Ars is right. And as Lord Vader established, those who do not submit will simply be removed."

"A relevant question, though," Maia started. "You said she was heavily pregnant. Who will administer the school when you put her on leave?"

"I trust her to put a system in place. She's being given considerable resources. And I will expect her to come in once a week during her time off." It was the same expectation he had for Maia, though she would have many more months of required time off than Cait Sellin would.

"And the father? Lyle Arche, you said, an Order 66 survivor?"

"That's correct." Vader said. "But I don't see how it's relevant." It was disgraceful both that Arche had stooped so low as to parent a child with his own master's younger apprentice, and that he had survived this long.

Maia swallowed, watching him head askew. "You don't see how it's relevant for me to ask what the father of the baby's role will be once the baby is born? Perhaps we don't know yet, but I'm the only person here who knew near-nothing about either of these people until thirty minutes ago."

"He is serving with the Inquisitors." Palpatine said, his voice even and calm across every word. "But he will have a significant time off when his son is born."

Maia folded her hands on her lap. "Good then. Are we finished?"

"Unless anyone has other action items?" Palpatine glanced around and waited a pair of seconds. "We are adjourned."

Maia pushed her chair back from the table.

"I like what Sienar has done," Isard said, walking to her side. "Do you feel more in control of it now?"

She shrugged. "I'd still prefer walking. I can see how chairs like these can mean freedom for disabled people, but when I'm so used to walking and whatever else, it's not freedom."

"But is it a comfortable prison at least?" Isard inquired, pocketing his comm. "I hope so."

"I shouldn't be complaining." She checked her own comm, just staring through the myriad of messages she didn't see the need to open.

Isard leaned in whispering, "Perhaps we should sign Crueya up for rudimentary speech classes. Did you hear him tell me he wouldn't 'distinguish' me with a response?"

The door was open. She laughed her practiced, calculated laugh, glancing at Crueya with a nod.

---

Cait had been glancing at Jerec every few moments, mentally reviewing the list of things she needed to discuss with the Emperor. She was confident she had it, but a triple check seemed prudent. When the door to the chamber opened, a group of mostly men, clearly important and wealthy from their shimmersilk robes stepped out, continuing down the hall. And then she saw the sole woman, whom she immediately identified as Maia Tarkin, laughing along to something said by one of the older men. She rarely watched government programming, but that laugh looked and sounded like every other laugh Cait had seen Maia Tarkin perform on camera. She wondered if Maia put on a show now, or if it had become so rote that there was no difference anymore. Maia spotted Cait and smiled, turning her head to the older man for what Cait assumed was a confirmation from the fact that he then nodded and walked the redhead forward.

Jerec nodded to the crowd as they approached. "Cait, I'm pleased to introduce you to Maia Tarkin, Ars Dangor, Sate Pestage, Crueya Vandron, Alec Pradeux, and, of course, you know Lord Vader." He nodded to each in turn.

Vader was the first of the men to greet Cait, though it registered more as a curt nod. He walked past the group without a word.

"Cait Sellin!" The second surprise of Cait's impromptu meeting with Maia was the redhead's Eriaduan accent. "I've heard you'll be fixing a failing school."

"I plan to, yes." Cait bowed. "Prime Minister, I'm honored to meet you." She felt uncomfortable, but supposed even that was part of the new normal here.

"Thank you." Maia smiled. "We need the school fixed. I'm sorry to say there might be some changes at the top organizational level quite soon. I hope it's not too confusing."

"I am certain it will be," Cait said

"Look at your hair. And your skin. You're so beautiful, you will have to appear for some photo-shoots." Crueya said with a smile. "I'm Crueya Vandron, one of the more important men in this great Empire. You may know that I head The Commission for the Preservation of the New Order."

"Crueya, she's busy, she and I are going to chat," Maia said. She offered Cait just a bit of an apologetic smile. She hoped Cait was comfortable with her imposition.

"I'm just being polite." Crueya protested, smiling back at Cait, reaching for her hair. "You have lovely, lovely skin. Very photogenic. Would have to modify the flash for the holos, of course."

Cait's eyes narrowed, but she wasn't sure what to say.

"Crueya," Maia repeated. "Stop it."

He nodded, dropping his hand to the side. "I'm sorry."

"Come to my office," Isard told him. "I have you talk to you about a thing. About something. With holos."

"Good idea," Maia said, and gestured for Cait to join her down the hall. "I'm sorry. He wasn't going to stop. Isard is the leader of one of our intelligence agencies, but he's ironically not invasive in the same way many here are. I know you probably have to return to the school. I just have a question."

Cait nodded slowly. "Don't apologize, I really appreciate that, actually." She touched her stomach as Zahk kicked. "I do have to go, but I have time to answer a question or two or three."

"Thank you." Maia kept up her smile as her guards converged around them. Cait couldn't help but jump. Again, Maia apologized, and she smiled, still, as they greeted her staff and entered her internal office. "When you arrived on Coruscant last week. I think someone dropped my name to make himself sound important. Is that true?"

"Oh, I." Cait closed her eyes. She didn't want to get anyone in trouble. "An agent, Kele Teppen, I think, mentioned that you were supporting the Inquisitors moving to ISB."

"Because of him, he said," Maia asked. She stared at her desk. "You're not in trouble. He did, didn't he?"

"In more or less words." Cait murmured. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier."

"We haven't spoken until now." Maia shook her head. "What did you think of him? Do you think of him. Honestly."

Cait frowned. "Madam. Prime Minister, I don't want to speak badly of one of your friends. I. Did think he was more disrespectful of the woman that Imperial Intelligence sent than he would have been if she were a man."

"He's not my friend." Maia frowned at her desk. "He's not."

"Well. I thought he took advantage of you. Using your name like that. I didn't know he wasn't your friend."

"It's not your fault. Thank you. You don't have to go, but that's all that I wanted to ask." Maia blinked, picking her head up. "Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"I'm sorry." Cait rocked forward. "Maybe it's not my place, but I get the sense that this isn't settled in your mind."

Maia looked up at Cait then, and she looked her age, even through the pounds of makeup. "It's really complicated."

"Want to tell me about It?"

She knew she shouldn't. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

Cait scratched at the back of her hand. "With the part that's bothering you, probably."

Maia shook her head. "My fiance just said something that I didn't like."

Cait grimaced. "But something about Kele?"

Maia shook her head again, her eyes glazing over. "He said that Kele and I kissed. At a party ten years ago."

"Kissed? Or he kissed you?" Cait said, taking a seat and leaning forward. "Is it okay for me to ask?"

"I don't even remember the party," Maia said.

Cait swallowed, nodding, and left the silence for Maia to add more.

"I thought Kele was my friend." Maia's hand jumped to her hair. She readjusted the hair framing her face. "He never liked my boyfriends. He wouldn't shut up about it until I started dating Dahn."

"So he was possessive?" Cait winced. "What was different about Dahn?"

Maia frowned, shaking her head. "Dahn is completely different."

"Is that a good thing?" Cait offered. "I'm not sure if you mean different from Kele or from. Maybe other men you dated. It was. It was very different when I started dating Lyle."

"Kele apparently kissed me. And." Maia's mouth stayed open, and she shook her head. "I have no memory. At all. And no one who was there said anything for ten years."

"Force." Cait whispered. "It. Sounds like." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I don't want to assume anything, but it doesn't sound good."

"I know what he did," Maia said. "I know, and I know he thinks he's gotten away with it."

"Has he?" Cait whispered, wiping at sweat that was forming on her brow. "Do you need water or something to drink?"

Maia almost shook her head. Instead, she took a drink from a water bottle already on her desk. "He hasn't."

"So you're going to confront him?" Cait smiled. "That's brave."

"I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm going to do something," Maia said.

"I'm sorry, I've probably long overstayed my welcome." Cait shook her head. "I can leave, if you need space to yourself."

"Thank you," Maia said. "For. Helping me. For answering my questions."

Cait paused. "If you're confident that I did help, then. I'm glad I could."

"Please don't tell anyone."

"I'll leave that to you."

"Please." Maia gripped the water bottle, eyes focused on the older woman.

"I promise, I won't. Should I go, Madam Prime Minister?"

Maia nodded, setting her elbow on the desk and her head in her hand. "You don't have to call me that."

"I'm sorry." Cait winced. "I just gave a speech about how my learners should call me Cait or Ms. Cait. But you can call me Cait."

"Maia," the younger woman whispered. "Sorry. You can call me Maia."

"Pleased to meet you properly then, Maia." Cait stuck out a hand.

Maia stood, holding Cait's eyes as they shook hands. "Thank you," she repeated.

"Of course, Maia." Cait nodded, keeping the eye contact. "I appreciate that you confided in me."

Maia dropped her hand, and sat back in her chair. "Let's talk again soon. Good luck with your pregnancy."

"Thank you!" Cait nodded, smiling. "It's almost over, thankfully." She moved towards the door. "And good luck with yours. I know you probably have many friends of your own, but if you want to talk, just let me know."

As much as she had already shared, Maia couldn't find it in her to comment on just how few friends she felt she had. "Please, let me know if you need anything."

Cait nodded, dropping her arms to her sides. "One thing. Sano Sauro texted me this morning. I guess the Republic assigned him to my abuse case a thousand years ago. He wanted to talk."

Maia frowned. "Sauro? Was he even a sex crimes prosecutor?" She hoped not.

"No. I don't know why he had the case. I didn't follow it closely, I wanted it to be over. But I mostly remember he seemed to really hate the Jedi Order. Not that I have many fond memories myself."

"I don't care about how you feel about the Jedi," Maia said. "I'm sure you have both fond and dark memories, and that's your right. You could tell me, or even the Emperor, of your fonder ones, and you wouldn't be in trouble. But I would never trust Sano Sauro."

"Then I should ignore his message." Cait pressed the button to silence the conversation on her comm. "I appreciate that. I would have felt I needed to answer if you didn't say so."

"You have a lot of leeway to ignore things like that now," Maia said. "The Emperor has a lot of respect for you. And even if he didn't, you'd have the plausible deniability of being new. If you do have more questions about people who reach out, feel free to message me first."

"If I did that for every question." Cait shook her head.

"I mean it." Maia hoped for a smile, but she couldn't even produce one herself. "My office, then. It's probably better, nothing against you, but I get so many messages, sometimes I just don't read anything. Some of the people in these buildings." Maia frowned, rubbing the top of the desk. "Anyway. I will tell people I trust in my office to answer your questions."

"I will reach out if I find I need to." Cait agreed, managing a genuine if tired smile. "It really was wonderful to meet you, Maia. Thanks for your help."

"Thank you for yours," Maia whispered. She bit her lip, jumping to her feet. "Really, thank you." Maia watched Cait leave, and sat down at her desk to think. Kele. As she sat and considered her options, she was thankful that Lunette did not announce any visitors.

She didn't give herself a chance to reconsider. She wanted revenge, to be sure, but she also wanted to stop him from maintaining the power over her that allowed him to list her name as support for his endeavors. And she didn't want to risk the chance that he would keep doing to others what he had done to her.

She realized, then, that truly, she didn't know what he had done to her. Not truly. She remembered none of it, and all that Dahn remembered was Kele kissing her. When she called Speikre to report Kele Teppin, she called it a sexual assault.