THALIA

Thalia sat in what was left of the throne room. The shattered stain-glass windows had been removed, leaving the room open to the elements. The calm, warm breeze that floated through them, carrying the scent of blossoms was an odd juxtaposition to the chaos that was currently being wreaked over Troska.

Thalia's army had managed to reign in the crime syndicates, but it wouldn't have been possible without the help of the Class Five warriors. While it was good for Troska, Thalia was running out of patience with the rogues. She knew they had a hidden agenda, and some connection to the havoc being caused over the entire planet. The people's resolve was holding but Thalia didn't know how long that would last?

"Your majesty, Kaz and her warriors have entered the palace." Minister Guin said beside her. "Should we stop them?"

"No." Thalia answered adamantly. Beside her, Padme nodded in agreement. Thalia had tried to send her friend back to Coruscant, but the Senator had refused, insisting that Troska had her full support.

If there were still doors to the throne room, they would have burst open with the exuberance Kaz and her warriors displayed when they entered the room. They ran in with blasters drawn, ready for a fight. But all they were faced with were Thalia, her minister, Padme and her personal guard.

"If you are here to talk, then you will do so without your weapons, otherwise I will not hear you. As much of a mess this room is, I will not have it covered in blood." Thalia began in her best 'don't test me' voice. Kaz thought for a moment before conceding, and the Class Five soldiers allowed Thalia's guard to take their blasters.

"Listen, your highness. Your reign is at an end. My Class Five soldiers have put an end to the wave of terror created by the Black Sun Clan and the Pyke Syndicate." Kaz began. "The people cheer for us. We have their support."

"You have their thanks." Thalia corrected. When Kaz was about to continue, Thalia held up her hand to stop her. "Enough of this. Tell me what is going on."

"What's going on is a revolution." Kaz smiled.

"No." Thalia interrupted, feeling anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "You will tell me what it is you hope to achieve with this."

"Thalia, what we hope to achieve is a peaceful, safe Troska." Kaz crowed sincerely. "We fought alongside your warriors to help bring those gangsters to justice."

"And those so called Sith?" Thalia asked, not buying Kaz's earnestness for a second.

"We haven't been able to defeat them yet, but we will, with your support and blessing." Kaz smiled.

"You do not have it." Thalia replied flatly. "I will give you a choice. You can keep your freedom and leave Troska now and never return or stay and face the consequences of your actions."

"We will not abandon Troska's future as you have." Kaz growled, all playfulness gone from her demeanour.

"So be it." Thalia finished and gestured for her guards to return the Class Five weapons to their owners. Kaz nodded cordially before leading her warriors from the throne room.

"We know just as little as we did before." Padme sighed.

"Perhaps not." Thalia assured her with a sly smile before turning to the captain of her personal guard. "Did you get it done?"

"Yes, your majesty." He nodded, handing Thalia the small, wrist communicator Obi-Wan had given her. He'd said to use it if she needed him, and she had, though not in the way he'd probably imagined.

"This communicator has a two-way transceiver. By taking out the transceiver, we are still left with the receiver." Thalia explained to Padme, prising open the tiny device to show her it's internal workings. There was space for two, small discs, one red and one green. While a green wire was attached to the green disk, a red wire hung loose without a disk to connect to. "By disconnecting the transceiver, we can no longer send messages, and the transceiver cannot be shut off. Therefore, we receive a continuous stream of transmissions from whoever has the transceiver, and they have no way of shutting it off without destroying it."

"Okay." Padme said slowly. "And what does that have to do with Class Five?" Thalia grinned, she'd hoped Padme would ask that.

"When my guards take their weapons, my captain attached the transceiver to the lining of Kaz's blaster when she wasn't paying attention." Thalia explained. She closed the communicator and pressed the activator. She heard voices coming through the communicator, and one of them was Class Five's leader.

"You are brilliant." Padme gasped in amazement. "Now she can't give the answers she wants. We'll know everything."

"Indeed. It's just a matter of time." Thalia nodded.

And they didn't have to wait long. Whatever Kaz had in mind, Thalia knew she'd be talking to someone about their conversation, and she desperately wanted to know who.

"The transition of power will be seamless." They heard Kaz say. "The people are stubborn, but with your help in removing the Queen, they're sure to come around given time. People need a leader and they'll come to trust us."

"Yes, you will have your rule and I will have Kenobi." A voice Thalia didn't recognise said. It was sly and gravely, and it made her shiver. What was more unnerving was the fact that this voice wanted Obi-Wan, but how he fit into the equation she didn't know.

"And with his demise our deal will be complete, Maul?" Kaz asked.

"It shall." The second voice, apparently named Maul, crowed. "You have done well with your crime families. They shall be compensated for their efforts when you take charge. Now…leave the Queen to me. Once she is out of the picture, you can move into her government seamlessly."

"It will be done." Kaz replied and then there was silence.

"So…" Guin began but Thalia held up her hand, asking her to wait. She got to her feet and walked over to one of the empty window frames overlooking the city.

Kaz had hired the gangsters to wreak havoc across Troska so Class Five could swoop in and save the day, and in doing so, gain the people's support to make overthrowing Thalia's regime all the more easy. Somewhere along the way they'd gotten themselves involved with a man named Maul, whom Thalia assumed was one of the so called Sith, who seemed to have a grudge against Obi-Wan. They wanted to use Thalia as some sort of bait to ensure he would come to them, and they would destroy him.

"As I understand it, we have Class Five and the Sith who want different things but have found a common ground in how they intend to go about achieving those desires, yes?" Thalia asked, turning to the group assembled behind her. They nodded slowly, thinking it over in their heads. "Class Five want to rule Troska, so they need me gone. This Maul wants Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and is under the impression that I'm the way to him."

"Thalia, that man, Maul. He had a run in with Master Kenobi and Qui-Gonn on Naboo years ago." Padme said quietly, the colour drained from her face. "He killed Master Qui-Gonn but I was under the impression he, himself, was killed by Obi-Wan."

"How dangerous is he?" Thalia asked.

"He is a Sith. Was a Sith. I don't know." Padme answered apologetically.

"What do we do?" Guin asked quietly.

"We deal with one problem at a time. We know Kaz and we know Class Five. I say we start with what we know." Thalia decided and turned to her captain. "Can you track them with this?" She asked, tossing him the communicator.

"Of course." He smiled.

"Good. Find them." She ordered. "I'm tired of doing nothing."