The little snake of younglings, holding each other's hands, made their way to the freighter, Hallena letting them in. The stormtroopers had been sent running around after Maze, as a diversion. He was grinning as he left, "Oya!" He had shouted down the com, "Catch me if you can!" She and Estree were watching, guarding.

These younglings were Force sensitive and someone had gathered them in one place, then disappeared. The older ones had said he had a laser sword. It wasn't very often you saw one of those now, unless it was red. His was blue.

Essie studied Estree, watching his foot as it tapped the floor intermittently.

He looked up, as if sensing she was watching him, "Am I bothering you?" He asked, trying to look all wide eyed and innocent.

"No." She shook her head.

It wasn't him that was bothering her.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, sensing he was conflicted; not entirely good and but not totally bad. Like a lot of people but he was doing more than most.

"I need the credits and I like having credits." It was a phrase, he had told someone else, not long ago but he had heard that their path hadn't ended well. He didn't like to admit it but he felt a twinge of guilt about that. He had promised he would help them.

"I don't think the amount of credits you get from us are exactly life changing."

"I'll get by." He had changed after the Inquisitor had been in his head.

"Don't we all?" She replied, sardonically. It was all you could hope for at the moment. "You could just take the money. Let the Empire get us."

"I could but I wouldn't sleep then and sometimes sleeping well at night is worth more.

Estree had, in the past, taken large amounts of money off desperate people pretending to be someone he wasn't. He still took the money, though not as often and not as much.

"A conscience?" She hadn't necessarily sensed that but now she got fear.

"Have you ever had an Inquisitor in your head?" He asked, eyes boring into hers.

"No! Just heard of them."

"You're lucky!" He paused, "They're like you— force sensitive…"

"I'm not.."

"They are like you." He continued, ignoring her protestation, "Force sensitive but on a whole new level. They've been trained to hate, if they didn't already. There is no peace for them."

"You sound as if you feel sorry for them."

"I suppose I am. I've had nightmares since she was in my head. And if those are my nightmares. I pity her, with hers."

"Surely they have a choice? You chose."

"I'm not sure they do."

She leaned back against the wall, she could sense her husband, his feeling of exhilaration; he was enjoying himself.

"So…how long have you been doing this?" he asked.

"Since the beginning!" She replied enigmatically.

"They're all on and secure." Hallena commed.

They watched the freighter take off, it wasn't fast and with Hallena on board, it could be tracked. Although she wasn't sure who Ordo was sending with the Cornucopia. They watched as it finally left the atmosphere.

"We rendezvous back at the house and wait for your partner there."

He pulled on his hood and they set off, he was looking just like a Jedi. She shook her head, surprised they wouldn't be stopped.

.

There was hope in this building, despite its history.

"So-how did you convince them you were a Jedi?"

"Magnets "

"Magnets?" She couldn't keep the incredulity from her reply.

He demonstrated as he pushed out his hand and an object came rushing towards it.

"And their desperation."

She knew that feeling.

Magnets and desperation, a simple recipe.

"The Inquisitors?" She asked, she had never been this close before.

"Gone as quick as they came."

Maze pushed the door open; he was elated after taking on the troopers and caused a few problems for them along the way.

"Probably got ten years on them, and in Beskar, and I can still run rings around them." He gloated.

Estree listened fascinated.

Maze pulled off his helmet, his eyes shining bright with exhilaration.

"Happy?" she asked, already sensing the feeling of satisfaction; that he was still able to prove himself. He still needed to fight, even now.

"Just need to get those younglings safe now."

He turned to face Estree.

"You're a clone!" Elstree exclaimed.

"Yes." Maze couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"But you're helping the Jedi!" Estree backed away from him.

"Yes." Maze replied patiently.

"You killed them!"

"I didn't…."

"But…"

"How do you know I'm a clone?"

"Seen a few around."

"I didn't kill my Jedi, or any other."

"The chip malfunction?"

"You seem to know a lot about it?" Maze advanced towards him.

Estree didn't stay and they were left in the empty building.

.

"You coming? Or have you decided you like this place?" Maze asked as she stood hesitating, one foot on the bottom of the ramp. He was still on a high after having taken the Stormtroopers on a merry dance around the city.

"I need to tell you something."

Maze stood arms on hips. "I knew something was wrong. What is it? Are you ill?"

"No, but I can't just leave him."

"Who?"

"The beggar."

"Is he force sensitive?"

"No! He's a clone."

"Now you tell me! Reg or Commando?"

"Reg, I think. He still had his armour."

"Stormtrooper's?"

"No clone's. Phase two, I think. It was dark and then he was gone."

"You want to go back." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes!"

"What if his chip is still active?"

"Do I look like Jedi?"

"You're wanted just like me. He would have the images uploaded to his HUD."

"It looked a bit worse for wear."

Her husband stood still; his helmet moving minutely, he was debating the possible outcomes. She could no longer sense anything from him other than apprehension on her behalf. She pulled up her shields, she also knew that sometimes he could feel her emotions. He had told her about the feelings and they had talked it over with Djinn a long time ago. His helmet moved fractionally, he had felt that. He walked back towards her.

"Okay! But you need to realise you can't save everyone; you're not Sargeant Skirata, when it comes to clones!"

"I know but everyone needs a chance." She tried to forget that he had 501st colours on his armour. It was that which had made her hesitate.

"There's something else isn't there?"

"His armour—it was 501st colours."

"Huh! Ordo was right, all those years ago. The 501st were keen, too bloody keen!" He closed the ramp. "We've got four hours before we have to leave."

Maze strode to the area she had seen the beggar, she jogged to keep pace with him, indigestion causing her to stop and catch her breath and she sensed his sudden anger. She thought he had taken it well.

"Maze slow down!"

"If we're going to get him we need to be there soon."

"You're angry, I understand that but…"

Maze stopped dead.

"Angry? Yes I'm bloody angry. You always do this. Keep things from me, even after all this time."

He turned and walked away; she skipped to catch up with him again.

"I didn't mean to. I meant to say straight away but then things happened. And I knew you wouldn't like it after what they did in the Temple."

He stopped.

"Hmmh!" He grunted. His hand slipped into hers; she felt his sudden anger slip away, as always. Walon Vau had told her that Jango could be like that, angry enough to kill one minute, perfectly reasonable the next. "I'm angry because I worry about you—these bloody Inquisitors."

"I know. I'm sorry."

His forehead dropped gently to hers.

"Let's find this kriffing clone."

.

Essie looked around the dumpster and there was no sign of him.

"You sure this was the place?" Maze asked, knowing it was. His helmet moved around, steadily. He was scanning the area. "Looks like there's been a bit of a scuffle here, fresh marks." He added, then set off down the small street off the main one.

Then they heard the sounds of a street fight. Maze jogged on ahead, stopping at an alley.

"Oi! Leave him alone!" He headed in.

Seconds later, Maze came out of the alley, pushed backwards by an Aqualish, shouldering him in the stomach.

Essie turned into the alley, she couldn't do anything to help Maze yet, and she was certain he could take care of himself, but she could still hear scuffling and found a Weequay and a human taking it in turns to have a go at the clone that had been begging.

Her anger rose, through her stomach and then her chest, as she rushed forward, pulling her blaster out. She tried to aim, shouting, "Stop! I'll fire!"

She was never confident with a blaster, better than she had been but she still had to hold it with both hands.

But she couldn't get a clear shot and then she sensed something, just a moment before what felt like a boulder hit her in the side and bowl her over. The blaster went skittering along the ground out of her reach. The Weequay turned around back towards her, as she struggled to catch her breath; he was leaning over her, when she heard the blaster fire and he dropped. More blaster bolts followed, fired into the alley; she pulled herself upright to see her husband heading towards a body slumped on the ground.

It was the clone.

.