A week later. 11:43 A.M. Juniper Market and Trade Outpost

Ambassador Shalon Vidarix smiled proudly out the giant observation window of Juniper Outpost's Grand Conference Chamber. The glowing sun of the Sawwo star system flooded his body with light and made his eyes twinkle in its brilliance. "This is perfect, Madam Administrator." He turned around to face Maya. "The Koolians will be most pleased with it."

Maya shared his proud smile. "Good. The negotiations should go well then."

"With a station like this," Bryan said from across the room, feeling somewhat out of his place in his plain flight suit. "I don't see how they could go wrong."

Vidarix nodded his thin head at him. "My sentiments exactly, Commander Rawling." To Maya: "Your station is wonderful; a marvelous piece of art, Administrator." He bowed to her.

Maya bowed in return. "Thank you."

Bryan suddenly realized, as he swallowed a dry gulp, how thirsty he was. "Excuse me Ambassador, but do you need me for anything else for the moment, 'cause I'd like to sample the local bar if it's all right."

The Vost Ambassador dismissed him with another nod. "Sure, Commander. Go ahead. Just be back in time for us to leave. Do you know the way there?"

Bryan gave him a scrawny salute. "Yes, sir. To the left then down, then directly to the right. Right?" he asked Maya.

Maya nodded matter-of-fact. "Mmhmm."

"Good. 12:30 isn't it?"

Vidarix nodded a third time. "That's it Commander."

"All right then. Until then, sir." He waved goodbye to him and started for the door.

"Goodbye. Have fun, Mr. Rawling."

"Thanks," Bryan responded. Nodding his goodbye to Maya, he walked out of the Chamber and immediately left. As he left, he heard Vidarix ask Maya, "May we start going over the details of the conference?"

Bryan grinned. Sorry Maya.

--

A half hour later, as Bryan was enjoying his third Fedrellon Glazer in the central Promenade deck bar, the Wildfire, and having a casual conversation with the bartender, a human named Avar, when Maya walked into the bar, still dressed in her formal Administrator robes, an out-of-place sight in the informal–and practically sloppy–bar. She walked up to the bar and sat in the stool next to Bryan, placing one hand flat on the bar, and opening the other one, setting down two 1/32 reb coins. "My usual Ale please, Avar."

"Yes, ma'am," the black bartender grinned, and walked to a glass case containing all sorts of different bottles.

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "Ale? I didn't know you were a drinker. Are you?"

"I don't," she answered, somewhat defensively. "I have Avar take out the alcohol in it."

"Oh. Really...?" He eyed her with playful suspicion. "How do I know that that's true?"

Maya giggled. "Shut up. I don't drink."

"Right, gotcha." He gave her a playful thumbs up. "Hey Avar, does she really have you take out the alcohol in the drink?"

Avar, who had been listening to the whole conversation, smiled with his back turned to them as he fixed Maya's drink. "Yes, I take it out. But only for her."

Maya smiled victoriously at Bryan. "Haha," she said, then giggled again.

Bryan stuck his tongue out at her.

But it got basically no reaction from her. "Wow, that was mature," she said instead.

"I'm a pilot holding a Fedrellon Glazer, gimme a break," he said, taking a sip.

Maya chuckled for a moment, then he face screwed up into an annoyed look, and she started pulling at the band in her hair, sighing in frustration and respite. "I hate my hair." Shaking her head furiously, she practically ripped the band out, finally managing to untangle it from the graceful and beautiful hair design it held up. Maya's curly black hair fell down to just below her shoulders, bounced once, then stood still on her back.

Bryan raised his eyebrows at the sight. "Oh, you grew it out," he said as an observation.

She smiled. "Thanks. You like it this way."

"Yeah. It looks...good."

Maya reached out and grabbed her Ale from Avar. "Thanks. But this time I'm actually going to pay you myself." She slid the two 1/32 reb coins across the top of the bar to him.

Avar stared down at the coins with a hint of surprise. "Thank you ma'am," he said with a curt nod.

She turned her attention to Bryan. "My supervisors usually pay for my drinks for me. I feel guilty about it sometimes." She took and drink, closing her eyes as she swallowed the soothing fluid.

"Oh, so your that broke?" he asked jokingly.

Maya giggled again. "No," she responded. "My supervisors manage the funds, and they pay Avar through my account."

"Oh." He shrugged. "Hmm. Interesting system but okay."

"Yeah," she agreed, taking another sip. "That's the first time I've paid Avar personally in a long time."

"Well it was awfully nice of you," Bryan complimented.

"Thanks."

Bryan gulped down the last of his Glazer, refreshed completely by it. "Good stuff," he commented off-hand.

"Mmhmm. What is it?" she asked after she took another drink.

"Fedrellon Glazer. Best tasting non-liquor drink in the whole galaxy. " He grinned. "I'm not a drinker either."

"Cool. So you like Fedrellon drinks?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. They may be the horniest bunch of bastards in the galaxy but they sure as hell know how to make drinks. Fedrellon Glazers, Grape Duunef 's, Ivory klip's—that's my favorite, but bars rarely have them. Rare stuff."

Maya swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, there aren't many places that have that, or the Duunef. Glazer is the most common."

Bryan cocked his head. "Yup, but that's okay," he said with a stifle, "They're still pretty good."

"Mmhmm," Maya said again, taking another sip. "Have you ever tried one of their ferregrino's?"

"No," Bryan answered with another, rather rude, stifle. He hadn't meant it to sound so rude. "That's an liquor drink—or drinks. I don't drink, remember?"

"Yeah I know, but their isn't much liquor in it. Just a small drop, I know."

"I know, but I just...I dunno." He shrugged, "Still liquor."

"You want to try it at least?"

He hesitated. "Maybe if I feel like it, yeah."

She gestured towards the door. "I have a bottle of Fruit ferregrino in my room. You could try it," she said quickly.

Bryan started to laugh. "Whoa, whoa, okay, calm down there Maya." What's she up to? Bryan thought. His mind started racing for answers to the question, and several came to him. Some a little more wrong than others, and some just stupid. Oh come on, its Maya. "You sure that drink isn't alcoholic?" he asked as another joke.

Maya gave a cynical look and slapped him on the shoulder. "No, you—jerk, it isn't, I'm just asking."

Bryan smiled and ran the question through his mind. He shrugged. "Why not, let's go."

"Okay," Maya said with some cheer. She gulped down the last of her Ale, breathed, and set the tumbler down on the bar. "Thanks Avar," she called over to the bartender. She slid off her stool.

Avar looked up from the drink he was making now, and smiling graciously at Maya. "Your welcome, ma'am. Come again soon."

"I will. Bye."

"Buh-bye." He swung his eyes at Bryan. "Nice to meet you Commander."

"You too Avar. Take care." He and Maya stepped down from the bar and started for the exit.

Maya's personal quarters weren't all that far away from the bar, so it only took less than a minute's walk to get there. It gave Bryan a chance to admire how large and insanely shocking station Juniper was. It reminded Bryan-the-Star Wars-fan of Cloud City, the immense metropolis that Lando Calrissian had run in The Empire Strikes Back before he betrayed Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia and the rest of them. As they walked down the final corridor to Maya's door, the Administrator took off her crimson lace shoulder drape, balling it arm in her hands. "It's too hot in this thing," she commented.

Bryan raised an eyebrow at her.

She saw it, and gave him a flustered frown. "What? This is a heavy outfit; let's see you wear it and not get hot."

"Hey, I never said anything," Bryan said in his defense.

"Yeah right; like you weren't going to."

Bryan rolled his eyes.

"I'm just kidding," Maya laughed.

"Right."

She laughed again as the double doors opened and she walked in. "Sit down anywhere you want. I'll go get the ferregrino." She walked into another room.

Bryan stood a moment in the middle of her immense quarters—much larger than Emilie's plush Admiral's quarters aboard the Liberty. He looked around at the three salt-white couches and one beige carpeted chair that were encircling him right now. The living room that he was currently standing in was larger than his entire quarters that he shared with three other people. It was broad, and shaped like an oval, reminding Bryan somewhat of the oval office of the White House back in Washington D.C. on Earth. This—room wasn't the only one though. It opened up into three separate rooms, complete with three foyers as well, each on one angle of a triangle. The first foyer to his left ran into another set of double doors that were closed. Bryan assumed that that was Maya's bedroom. The second foyer directly ahead of him led into what appeared to be a den, with an observation window enclosing a sightseeing balcony that seemed to bring the stars to life. The third and final foyer, to his right where Maya had gone, led to what seemed to be a small kitchen. It looked normal and out of place is these astounding—house-like quarters.

Not wanting to seem rude again, Bryan complied with Maya's request and sat down in the beige chair, sinking back into it, happy to be off his feet. The tour Maya had given him and Ambassador Vidarix had been exhilarating, if also exhausting. He only let himself enjoy for a moment, before sitting up comfortably.

Maya walked in a moment later, carrying a labeled bottle with a bubbly, mysterious raspberry-colored liquid in it and a tall glass. The bottle was half full. She held it up for him to see. "Here it is." She "popped" the cork out of the bottle and poured only a small amount of it into the glass. "There you go," she said, handing him the drink. "A baby drink considering you don't drink."

Bryan grinned at that remark and took the drink down in one gulp. The berry flavor splashed all his taste buds and his body felt a surge of energy unlike anything he'd ever tasted. Looking at the few drops left in the glass with awe, he snickered in amazement. "Wow! Are you sure this thing only has a little liquor in it?"

Maya chuckled. "Yes, only a little per serving."

Bryan snickered again. "Damn."

Maya stood passively and smiled again. "You want another one?"

Bryan was about to turn her down, but then felt the left side of his flight suit vibrate fiercely. He cursed himself for forgetting to turn his comlink's "vibrate" mode off and the "buzz" mode back on. Quickly, the man pulled out the comlink and flipped it on. "Rawling here."

"Bryan!" exclaimed the supercharged, angry voice of Emilie Rodenski. The sudden explosion of sound made Bryan jump a mile in surprise. "Maya betrayed us! She turned us over to the Empire! I don't know why! You and Ambassador Vidarix need to get off Juniper now, though! And hurry, the Eraser is right behind us!"

"Bengold's ship?!" Bryan said loudly. He turned to face Maya completely. "Maya betrayed us?" he questioned her, suspecting Maya but not able to believe just yet. The look on Maya's face looked innocent enough—but also nervous. She swallowed. "In what way?" he asked Emilie.

"Wha—!" Emilie said in a puff of air. "In what way?!" she yelled furiously. "Bryan, I can't—we need to—" she sighed in exasperation. "Do I have to spell it out for you, Commander?!" she shouted at the top of her lungs into the comlink, causing Bryan to push the com farther away from his face. "Maya turned us over to the Empire!" She yelled even louder. "Now hurry up and get outta there! The Eraser is right behind us!"

Maya took one step back from Bryan.

Bryan noticed her breathing had quickened, and her face had become much more flustered. Her eyes betrayed her–nervous and scared as hell. He looked over at the far away observation window, and saw both the Cruiser Liberty and the Faith, along with some of both task forces support ships: the lone Nebulon-B Frigate Sortana; the Corellian Gunship's Catorgan and Basil; the light Calamari Cruiser Rocket, and the front port side of the Medium Transport Thunderchild. Then he heard the double doors to Maya's bedroom open up.

"Freeze Rebel!"

Bryan turned around, only to face three gun barrels pointed directly at him, one a BlasTech LD-45 hand pistol, held by an Imperial military Lieutenant. The other two were BlasTech MD-44 Battle Rifles, held by two white-armored Imperial Stormtroopers. Bryan's heart suddenly sank at the sight, and he knew Emilie was right. He turned and gave Maya a true dark look, the darkest and bloodiest he could muster. His anger rose to an unexpected level, and his hands balled up into fists. But he didn't move towards hers. He kept his anger in check. After all, anger was what had led Anakin Skywalker to become Darth Vader. Keeping his eyes on Maya, he raised his hands above his head, not wanting to risk a daring–and very risky–escape out her room's double doors. "Get outta here, Emilie. They got me, and I'm sure they've already got Vidarix too. Good luck." He flipped off the comlink, and dropped it.

--

Emilie Rodenski heard Bryan's last sentence with a empty heart. "Wait, Bryan–!" she started, but stopped when she saw that on her armrest comlink that he had cut the channel. She pounded her fist on the armrest. "Dammit!" Her voice diminished to an angry whisper. "Damn you Maya!" she said through gritted teeth. You won't get away with this, she added in her mind, looking angrily out at the peaceful-looking Juniper Outpost.

Just then, the alarm klaxons and red lights started flashing all around the bridge.

"Shit!" cursed the bridge's navigator, Lieutenant Barry Carr. "It's the Eraser Admiral, dropping out of hyperspace behind us. Vehement and Vindicator are with it still."

Emilie sat up in her chair and straightened her white command jacket. "Get us out of here Barry! Signal the other ships and tell 'em to follow us!" She turned her head to her right towards the weapons sector of the bridge. "Resume static fire! Same pattern, same flux, same power! Launch all fighters to cover our escape!"

"Admiral?!" called Carr. "Where are we supposed to go?! The Eraser is blocking our only exit route back to Alliance territory!"

"Any exit will do, Lieutenant!" Emilie answered quickly. "Even if it takes deeper into Imperial space! Better yet, make it Autrellien space instead! Head that way; first jump coordinates you can find!"

Carr hesitated then gave in. "Aye, ma'am."

That made Emilie actually think about the order she had just given. Oh well, she concluded, What other choice have we got. We're screwed no matter where we go. She thought about her trapped friend back on Juniper. Hang in there Bryan. We'll be back.

--

The Imperial Lieutenant gestured for the Stormtroopers to arrest Bryan with a flick of two fingers, keeping his gun locked on him. Five more troopers came out from behind the other three. In a hurry, they had Bryan on his stomach, cuffing his hands on the middle of his back with gold Imperial binders. They then stood him up on his feet, and lined up in pairs of two all around him. One stepped forward towards the Lieutenant, the one Bryan assumed to be the leader, and said sharply, "Prisoner secure sir!"

The Lieutenant finally lowered his weapon and placed it back in its holster, walking towards Bryan. "We've killed your Ambassador. He's dead." He stopped directly in front of Bryan. "And you'll be too if you don't cooperate, Rebel. I have permission to kill you anytime for any reason."

"Well what are you waiting for then? I mean, you've already killed the Ambassador, and I'm not expecting to live that long—or does the young part of you not want to kill a man in cold blood?"

The Lieutenant laughed heartily. "Believe me Commander Rawling, I have no problem killing you. It would help my career a lot. However, you've been requested to be captured alive."

"By whom?" Bryan asked quickly, not really caring but asking anyway.

"Lord Vader," the Lieutenant answered with a twisted grin. "Good man. Knows how to properly interrogate Rebel's like you."

Bryan shuddered on the inside at Vader's name. He looked the Lieutenant straight in his eye. "What's your name, pal?"

The Lieutenant snickered. "John Doe," he answered as a joke. "Take him away," he ordered the Stormtroopers. Bryan looked down quickly and spotted his rank tag. His name was Peter Kath. With one last evil look at Maya, Bryan allowed the troopers to drag him out the door without any fight at all.

When the Commander was gone, Lieutenant Kath turned to Maya. "Your payment is in your office. In full. The Empire thanks you for your services Ms. Ranadon–"

"I told you I don't want it; the money," Maya spat at him, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "Take it back. Get out of my room!" she shouted, pointing him to the door.

Kath regarded her with a neutral expression, and calmly walked out her door.