Obi-Wan had never seen Admiral Channa look so angry. He sighed, and began again, this time trying not to allow the Admiral's feelings to aggravate his own, "Anakin has no need to defend himself."

The Admiral glared at him through sunken eyes, "Your Padawan defied direct, Senate mandated orders."

"His is not a Padawan any longer, but a Knight. And through his defiance he saved us all."

Captain Fein of the Queen of Darkness cut in sarcastically, "Yes, I'm sure you're very proud."

He was right, of course. Obi-Wan was proud – in that special way that mixed just so with anger and exasperation that only Anakin seemed capable of earning.

"What I want to know," began the Captain Sellis of the Endurance, "is how he knew to disobey orders."

Obi-Wan bit his tongue, It's Anakin. He always 'knows' to disobey orders. Instead, he said, "Knight Skywalker has always demonstrated exceptional intuitive abilities. If you'll recall, he tried to share this with you before the battle."

"He said nothing about landed capital ships to me, General," corrected Admiral Channa shortly.

"Intuition is rarely that specific," Obi-Wan snapped back.

"But the location was, and Skywalker found it rather quickly," started Fein. "He was already out there once before us. We've only got his word, and the word of his extremely loyal squadron, that they did nothing but reconnaissance. Skilled Jedi that he is, he may have communicated with the Separatists and then covered his trail. Wasn't Count Dooku once a Jedi?"

Obi-Wan ignored the bait, "To what end?"

Fein shrugged, "Treason, of course. With the side benefit of being proclaimed a hero."

₪₪₪

Hurana felt sick. It was dizzying, walking back into the lounge as though the past six hours had never happened. It was the same room, but it seemed bigger, brighter, harsher. Everyone was positioned as usual, but she noted a subtle division between those who had followed Anakin and those who stayed back. The sabacc table was fuller than usual.

Fyvve, perhaps noticing her distress, perhaps continuing with her 'welcoming roommate' charade, took her by the elbow. It was neither, Hurana decided when Fyvve leaned up to whisper in her ear.

"We're trying to keep Lead distracted."

Just more conspiring. Hurana swallowed past the lump in her throat, whispering back, "It's typical. Save everyone, get a free court-martial."

Fyvve looked at her seriously, "That will not happen."

Hurana did not know where she got that faith from, but it buoyed her spirits. Fyvve pulled up an extra chair to the table, and they both sat down. Hurana was not quite sure what she had done to deserve inclusion.

Trying to lighten the atmosphere, as per the suggestion, Hurana asked, "So who's winning?"

"I believe Captain Fein is," responded Commander Skywalker, without looking up. "However, the last Obi-Wan told me he'd got them on the run, worrying them about the Separatists following us to complete their rout. Don't worry, if Fein wins you can all just say I mind tricked you."

"That isn't funny," growled Elenia.

Commander Skywalker feigned contemplation, "Not funny, but certainly you have to admit it's ironic."

Elenia's face contorted into a scowl. She slammed her cards onto the table, "I fold."

"Sir, aren't you concerned?" asked Fyvve.

This time the Commander did look up from what he was doing – some sort of painting – to smile wryly, "Lieutenant, you have absolutely no idea how many disciplinary hearings I've had. But, yeah, I'm worried. I'm just really good at hiding my feelings."

"A Jedi trait," quipped Emitai.

The Commander nodded at him, absently.

The round concluded – Mully crowed and showed off his Fool's Array. Insults and debris were tossed at him as he collected his winnings. Fyvve picked up the cards and started shuffling. Noticing this, the Commander set down his notebook. Hurana tilted her head; a flood of black ink outlined the delicate features of a woman, paper white and pale in innocence.

Elenia was peering at the portrait as well. Her bright dark eyes look up at the Commander, "Who is she?"

Emitai shook his head at her slightly, his friendly features cautioning. It didn't matter. Commander Skywalker ignored them both. He closed the notebook abruptly.

"Deal me in."

"Sir, if I recall correctly, you aren't allowed to play sabacc, anymore," reminded Fyvve.

"I'll be good," he promised, trying on an innocent look. It wasn't very convincing.

The other players looked horrified, "No!"

But the light, distracting atmosphere was brittle. No one spoke, careful not to break it. Someone not at the table flicked on the holovid. Comforting documentary noise filled the silence.

Hurana tried humorous confusion, "Does he . . . you know?" She made a 'concentration face' and wiggled her fingers next to her eyes.

Commander Skywalker frowned, " . . . have seizures?"

She put her hands down, "I meant read minds."

"Ohhhhh," went the group, Commander included. The room went quiet again. The narrator talked about the Toydarian voles.

"No," replied Fyvve, with inappropriate determination. "He counts cards."

"I can't help it," the Commander protested.

"That's true," Elenia smiled. "Like a machine, he is."

Commander Skywalker's eyes drifted slightly toward his right arm. He smiled stiffly at the joke.

Hurana picked up the cards she had been dealt. Fyvve hesitated as she came to the Commander. He smiled ingenuously.

"How is my card counting any worse than what the rest of you do?"

Mully studied his cards, "He has a point."

Emitai scoffed, "Logic is not a party to this game."

Fyvve gave in, dealing to Commander Skywalker. She finished dealing and picked up her own cards. The harshness of the room seemed to ease slightly with something to focus on. Hurana picked up her last two. One of Coins, Two of Coins, Six of Flasks, and Bounty Hunter. Eighteen, not bad.

Betting went around the table, each pilot tossing in music discs, memory chits, ration bars – things of minor worth on the ship and no where else. Hurana dug around in her pocket for something. She plunked a hydrospanner head into the middle of the kitty. Commander Skywalker eyed it covetously.

Fyvve flicked at her cards with her claws, "So what's your past with our Lord, Hurana?"

Hurana focused on her cards, "I thought you'd get around to bringing that up. The Commander and I go way back."

"We flew together when we were kids," Commander Skywalker added. Hurana looked over at him, trying to get a read. Either he was amused with the question or his cards.

"We raced. I beat the school-issued trousers off of him," Hurana lied, waiting for a response.

The Commander glared at her, "First you try to kill me, now you slander me."

The card players stared. Fyvve smiled happily to herself, "Shift!"

Hurana laid down a card at random. "I thought you said it didn't matter."

Emitai chuckled, "Looks like there's a story here."

Commander Skywalker's gaze shifted away from Hurana. His expression was tense, "Hurana here met me while I was on a mission as a Padawan."

Elenia and Emitai exchanged a look. Keir set his cards down without even looking at the shifted one. Even Fyvve looked interested. Hurana heard movement behind her from the excluded pilots, presumably relocating to listen. Apparently the Commander didn't talk about his Padawan days.

Hurana picked up the tale with a sigh, "I was involved with a not-so-legal group in an elite school. We took jobs, thefts, bombings, air strikes – that sort of thing. Commander Skywalker infiltrated and we set him up to die."

He lifted his scarred eyebrow at her, "And that was before they knew I was a Jedi."

She smiled ruefully, "We were fools."

"I believed what you believed," he said quietly, echoing words from the past. "Out of curiosity, do you know what eventually happened to the others?"

Something occurred to her. "I did," she started, "and maybe I'll tell you if you tell me why you were in so much trouble with the other Jedi."

"No."

She swallowed, deflated, "Well, after the tensest hyperspace flight of my life we became the terrors of juvenile detention hall for a bit. I calmed down. They didn't. I remember hearing Marit escaped, but I was working off my sentence in a school by then."

The Commander looked sad to hear it. Hurana remembered that Marit had been his contact. "I guess you were the strongest of them."

"Hey! Are we playing sabacc here or not?" asked Elenia, trying to break up the touching moment.

We're not, to be honest. Fyvve had effectively distracted them all from the game. They'd all bet at least once without realizing what they were doing.

Keir took a look at his neglected cards. He shrugged, "Call."

Hurana picked up her cards. And swore. Her Six of Flasks had been replaced by a Lord of the Sith.

"I'm bombed out," she said, showing the group her cards.

They went around the table, no one had much of anything, except Fyvve. She had a decent showing – total score 21. Commander Skywalker played coyly with his cards, hiding them. Fyvve glared at him.

He laid out his cards: Jedi Knight, Jedi Master, Four of Sabres, Six of Sabres. A Jedi Array.

He smiled, "Fitting, isn't it?"

Elenia shook her finger at him, "This is why you don't get to play. You always cheat!"

The Commander watched them impassively, "I did not. I'm just very lucky."

The sound of emergency klaxons suddenly split the air. The sabacc table and its petty prizes were abandoned as they jogged to the hanger.

Hurana, falling behind the Commander's long stride quickly, muttered, "I don't think I like your kind of luck."


Based on characters and situations created by George Lucas, copyright Lucasfilm Ltd. Not for sale, no copyright infringement intended.