Chapter Two: No Official Support

This marked the second time in the last few months that Cress had testified before the Senate. He fervently hoped it would be the last.

He had wanted to spend time at the hospital, to keep tabs on Lt. Jorgan's recovery from the injuries he had suffered on the Brentaal Star. Instead, he was here, trying to maintain his composure as the politicians made a show of outrage for the sake of holo-cameras.

For the sake of expedience, three senators were leading the inquiry. Senator Voralla of Mirial was the chair. She was joined by Senator Arnus, a human representing Coruscant, and Senator Krasul, a Cathar representing the planet Anaxes.

Voralla opened. "The purpose of this inquiry is to investigate the defection of several members of Republic Army Special Forces squad number 326, code named 'HAVOC Squad,' to the Sith Empire."

Oh. Thank you so much for clarifying that. Cress had to force himself not to speak aloud.

"You recently served on Ord Mantell. Is that correct?" Arnus.

"That's right, Senator."

Arnus continued. "While serving on Ord Mantell, all of the members of HAVOC Squad, excluding yourself, defected to the Sith Empire. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Senator. That is correct." Not much point in denying it. Either Tavus or the Sith had been smart enough to make sure the feed from their suit cameras made its way onto the holo-net. Pretty much everyone in the Republic not only knew of the defections – They had witnessed them on their entertainment units.

"In fact, you were directly present, were you not?" Senator Krasul. The Cathar's voice and stance were hostile, almost seeming to accuse Cress.

Cress remained calm, answering flatly and with minimal expression. "That is correct. I led a team of soldiers into the separatist base. The details of our op have been classified. But once the primary objective was achieved, we proceeded to our secondary task – rescuing HAVOC Squad. It was there that we discovered that the Squad members were themselves working with the enemy."

"And you were the only survivor of that team," Krasul sneered. "Isn't that true, as well, Sergeant?"

That punctured Cress's forced calm. He felt his temper rise, and his hand shook slightly.

Voralla interceded. "Let's all keep these proceedings civil," she said, her tone polite but firm. "We are here to ascertain the truth of what happened, and what precautions we may need to take in response. Isn't that right, Senator Krasul?"

Krasul harrumphed, but settled back.

Arnus fielded the next question. "Did Commander Tavus or any of the other members of HAVOC Squad show signs of instability?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, Senator."

"Did they seem angry?" Arnus clarified. "Frustrated?"

Cress reflected. Tavus had shown clear disdain for the Senate – but not to a degree that seemed unusual. It had been the first thing Cress had bonded with him over.

"Aside from Commander Tavus, I spent little time with the members of the Squad," he said. "As soon as I arrived, Tavus split us up and assigned us each different objectives. At the time, I believed he was maximizing efficiency. I now realize that he was deliberately keeping me away from the other squad members."

"So you saw nothing that worried you before the defection?"

Cress shook his head. He had only been there for a couple days. "I had only barely been assigned to the Republic's elite combat squad," he said. "At first, I was amazed just to be there. Then the situation itself occupied all of my attention."

"What about Lieutenant Jorgan?" Krasul again. His sneer was more controlled after Voralla's reprimand, but the accusatory tone remained. "He interacted with them a lot longer than you did. Don't you think he should have seen this coming?"

Cress restrained a sigh. So that was the game the Senate was playing: Pick the Scapegoat. If Cress himself wouldn't fit the role, then they would blame it on Jorgan.

"Aric Jorgan is a fine officer," he said firmly. "His coordination saved the operation on Ord Mantell after HAVOC's desertion. The Republic would be less safe now had it not been for his efforts."

"So you say," Krasul responded. "But you conveniently can't tell us about this 'operation,' or Lt. Jorgan's role in it. We know he was in close contact with HAVOC Squad the entire time they were on Ord Mantell. I doubt Commander Tavus was able to keep his squad away from the lieutenant for all of that time. So we must conclude one of three things: That the members of HAVOC were all such exceptional actors that they were able to fool an experienced Republic officer for weeks on end; that Lt. Jorgan was so incompetent that he could not sense that something was wrong within the squad; or…"

Cress leapt to his feet.

"Lieutenant Jorgan is currently in the hospital with critical injuries after defending our ship against an Imperial attack!" he snapped. "He is alive only because of first aid efforts applied on the field, while the attack was still ongoing, Senator!"

Again, Voralla defused the moment. "I'm sure Senator Krasul intended no accusation," she said. "We all pray for the lieutenant's recovery. But once he is able to testify, there will be serious questions about his judgment during all this."

"In any case," Senator Krasul grumbled, "it is clear that special forces has been allowed to operate with too little Senate oversight. I'm sure the other Senators will agree that we will need to take that up with the military after we eliminate HAVOC Squad as an active concern."

Cress gaped. "Eliminate HAVOC Squad?"

"Of course," Krasul said. "Of its members, only you remain. One man is not a squad. And after the events on Ord Mantell, the 'HAVOC' brand is forever tarnished."

"With respect, Senator, I disagree."

"Oh? And how would you argue that HAVOC Squad remains viable?"

Cress felt his throat grow dry. He took a steadying swallow from the water cup at his desk. Then he leaned into the microphone and spoke.

"HAVOC Squad has been a consistent inspiration to the Republic," he said. "Both its military and its citizens. That's a legacy that outweighs one shameful incident."

Krasul laughed. "So you would dismiss high treason as – what? – an outlier that should be ignored?"

"No, sir." Cress's temper rose again. He grabbed onto that anger, using it to energize his words. "Tavus and his traitors aren't HAVOC Squad, not anymore. Probably not for a long time. If they set foot on Republic soil, I would happily go after them myself. HAVOC is bigger than them. I witnessed this first-hand on the Brentaal Star. We repelled the Imperials – drove them first off the bridge, then off the ship. As the Imps retreated, the soldiers with me were chanting 'HAVOC Squad.' Chanting it with pride."

His eyes held Krasul. He read the contempt in the Cathar senator's face. The other two senators, however, seemed to genuinely be listening.

"Senator Krasul is right that the 'HAVOC' brand has been tarnished," Cress said. "But you don't throw away your most valuable possessions at the first sign of rust. You clean them, you restore them to their former glory. Because otherwise, you may lose something irreplaceable. I urge the Senate to take the long view. Rebuild HAVOC, stronger than it was before – As was done with this Senate tower, after the Occupation. Show the Empire and Tavus alike that an act of treachery won't break our pride. Make them realize that instead of destroying HAVOC, they actually saved it – and have HAVOC Squad at the ready to lead the charge against them, should that day ever come."

A murmur ran through the Senate. Voralla and Arnus exchanged a glance, while Krasul looked on sourly.

Voralla leaned forward. "Thank you for your impassioned words, Sergeant," she said. "Let's take a short break before we resume this hearing with our next witness. Sergeant Va'Shann, please leave yourself available for any follow-up questions we may have."

"Of course, Senator."

"Forget the military. You should go into politics."

Cress grinned as he saw Mira Kahl leaning against the wall opposite the Senate chamber, arms folded across her chest.

"I don't think I'd have the stomach for it," he replied. "If anything, I'm probably going to get chewed out for that. It wasn't in my list of talking points. How the hell are you?"

"I'm good," she said. "And I might just have a favor to offer you. That is, if you think this might be a good time to get a Senator on your side."

He frowned suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

She explained that she was meeting with a Senator Kayl, who might have a job for her. "All I know is that it's something discreet and off-the-record," she said. "But I doubt she'd have a problem with a member of HAVOC Squad tagging along."

"And this is a favor for me, is it?"

Mira shrugged. "It's never bad to have someone in power owe you a favor. What, you have better things to do?"

He had to admit, he didn't.

"I'll have to clear it with my superiors," he said.

"You do that," she said. "I was just about to meet with Senator Kayl. Anything stopping you from joining me?"

He wasn't scheduled to meet with General Garza for two more hours. He had planned to check on Lt. Jorgan. But that could wait. Last he'd seen, Jorgan was floating in a bacta tank. He was out of danger, but it wasn't like there'd be much conversation.

"OK," he said. "I'll at least see what the Senator has to say."

"It's always a pleasure to meet one of the Republic's finest."

Senator Vanara Kayl shook his hand, her grip firm and confident. If she was the slightest bit surprised at his presence, she showed no sign of it.

"Many of us were impressed by your testimony today," she told him.

"I hope my superiors agree," he replied. "I went a little off-script."

The senator smiled at him. Then glanced at Mira. "This is a matter of some delicacy."

"The sergeant can be discreet," Mira promised.

"Within limits," Cress added.

Sen. Kayl seemed to accept this. "Very well."

She reached into her desk and activated a device. Cress recognized the telltale blue light that swept across her office. A basic surveillance scan. It wouldn't prevent the best efforts of Republic SIS or Imperial Intelligence, but it would serve to protect her from most independent operatives.

"We can speak freely," she announced. Still, she was a politician first and foremost, and could not stop herself from opening with a bit of self-promotion. "It is my privilege to lead the effort to rebuild what was destroyed during the Sith Empire's invasion. Healing those old wounds has been slow and painful."

Mira coughed. "I assume you didn't contact Darmas to collect credits for the reconstruction."

Cress saw a hint of irritation at the interruption. She recovered quickly, though, and then threw back her head and laughed. The irritation was genuine; the laugh was not.

"You are direct," she said. "This world faces many crises. A shattered infrastructure. A booming refugee population. Whole sectors, descending into anarchy. All of these hinder the rebuilding."

Cress felt his own temper rising. There was a refugee crisis down below, hindering the rebuilding of the poorer sectors. Somehow, neither that nor even worse infrastructure problems had kept the Senate from rebuilding their own tower, though, or the new tourist centers. It had only been a problem when it came to the places regular people actually worked and lived.

"The Senate owns some of the responsibility," he pointed out, straining to keep his voice level.

Kayl agreed. "Of course it does. Too many past efforts have focused on lending comfort to the comfortable. That was the reason I ran for office, to change that. But I can't do it alone."

Cress gave a nod, encouraging the senator to continue.

"As you may be aware, refugees have taken over the Old Galactic Market Sector."

Mira scoffed. "Yeah, that's a recent turn of event. Dating back... what? 18, 19 years? For some reason, they weren't on board with having their planets handed over to the Empire."

To her credit, Senator Kayl didn't flinch from the bitterness in Mira's voice.

"I didn't say it was a recent problem," she replied. "Just one that hasn't been resolved. Have you heard of the Migrant Merchants Guild?"

Mira shrugged. "Darmas told me a little. An advocacy group turned street gang?"

"If only they were just a street gang," Kayl said. "Pressure from the Black Sun and the Justicars has transformed them into a ruthless criminal syndicate."

Cress understood all too well. When you are surrounded by predators, the last thing you want to be is prey.

"They have grown increasingly violent," Kayl continued. "I've received intelligence that their enforcers have acquired military grade weaponry."

Cress stiffened at this. "Did you notify SIS?" he demanded.

"That was the first thing I did," Kayl said. "The SIS believe the Guild is preparing to expand into Black Sun territory. They labeled it 'incipient gang-on-gang violence in a non-priority sector.' Meaning..."

"Meaning they're going to do nothing," Cress translated, not bothering to hide his bitterness. As long as collateral damage was restricted mostly to refugees and didn't make its way to the public areas, the gangs were mostly left to their own devices – with the unspoken understanding that they would be stamped out hard if their activities created a disturbance for those citizens who actually mattered.

"The SIS is probably right about the Guild's intent," Kayl continued. "Even so, these are not last-generation castoffs. If the Guild uses up-to-date military weaponry against their rivals, it will lead to chaos. If one gang has military-grade weapons, the others will have no choice but to obtain their own. Eventually, the lower levels will erupt into a warzone."

And if that happened, Cress reflected, then the Senate would no longer be able to just pretend the gang weren't there.

"So what do you want us to do?" Mira asked.

"I don't expect you to retrieve the weapons yourselves," Kayl said. "That would require a large force, and my goal isn't to create an incident. I just need evidence the SIS won't be able to ignore. Find out where they have the equipment and proof that it is current military-grade supply. With proof in hand, I can make the authorities act."

"I will have to get approval from my superiors," Cress said.

"I understand you're meeting General Garza this afternoon," the senator replied. "I feel certain she will authorize your involvement."

General Elin Garza was a human woman, whom Cress pegged as being one side or another of sixty-five. Despite holding what was predominately a desk job, she had kept fit. She probably got up early each day for a regimented workout.

Cress stood at attention the instant he entered her office.

"Sergeant Va'Shann. It's good to finally meet you in person." She indicated an empty chair. "This isn't a parade ground. You may sit."

"Thank you, General."

He settled into the chair. The upholstery was soft, all but demanding he relax into it. He maintained a straight posture, but not without effort.

"You did good work on Ord Mantell," Garza said, "in the most difficult of circumstances. Then you did it again when you chased the Empire off the Brentaal Star."

She fixed him with her sharp blue eyes, scrutinizing him with a predator's gaze even as she complimented him.

"I did my duty to the best of my ability," Cress replied nervously.

"Your performance in front of the Senate this morning was more than that."

He coughed. "I apologize for going off book."

"Don't. HAVOC has long been the Republic's best recruiting tool, as well as an effective weapon against our enemies. If we can mitigate the damage Tavus has done, I would prefer not to discard it."

She had an actual paper file open on her desk. She seemed to be thinking furiously as her eyes flicked between the file, her desk monitor, and Cress himself.

"It's a shame that footage leaked to the press," she mused. "I doubt we could have kept Tavus's defection secret forever, but I would have liked some time to manage a response."

"Jorgan – ah, Lt. Jorgan and I suspect that Tavus leaked the footage himself. If not him, then the Empire."

"I suspect the same. You spoke strongly in the lieutenant's defense today."

"Lt. Jorgan is a fine officer," Cress said.

"The lieutenant's record is hardly spotless. He would almost certainly be at a higher rank by now if he… played better with others."

"He's not the easiest superior I've ever dealt with," Cress acknowledged. "Tavus was a lot more pleasant. But Jorgan is loyal."

Garza's smile grew broader. "Touché, Sergeant. I believe you have a bright future." She laced her hands together below her chin. "You met privately with Senator Kayl. You and a… ah, free trader. What was that meeting about?"

Cress summarized the conversation with the senator. Garza listened intently. She did not interrupt his narration, waiting until he had finished before asking questions.

"What was your impression of her?" she asked.

"The Senator?" Cress shrugged. "She seemed sincere in her concerns. I did not get the sense she was telling us everything, though."

"Politicians never do. As it happens, she was telling the truth about reporting to SIS. An agent has been assigned to investigate, though the senator is right that it's not a priority investigation. Still, her off-the-books operation may give us a unique opportunity." Garza leaned forward. "Senator Kayl is a rising star, Sergeant. If we make an ally out of her, get her to vote our way, the other senators will vote with her."

"So the mission is a go?"

Garza leaned back, steepling her hands as she carefully chose her words.

"I cannot officially sanction such an operation," she said. "But you are off duty until or unless either the Senate or I call for you. Anything you do in your own time is your responsibility. And if you happen to come across information that might be of value... Well, I make it a policy to never turn down information. Do I make myself clear, Sergeant?"

"Not really," Cress said. "But I think I get the gist."

Garza smiled in a way that again reminded Cress of a predator.

"Excellent," she declared. "Oh, and if you create an incident, Sergeant, you will have no official support. Not from me, not from the Senate, not from anyone. So do be careful."