Aboard the Millennium Falcon - Orbit over the forest moon of Endor

The mysterious and unfamiliar fast-attack patrol ship had reverted to real space and gotten uncomfortably close to them before the Falcon's sensors even ever picked it up. While Chewie sat tensely in the pilot's seat, Leia dropped into the co-pilot's and activated the comms unit, tentatively hailing the ship. "Is that you, Khabarakh?"

"Yes, Lady Vader," came the gravelly mew in reply. "I have come alone as promised. Are you also alone?"

Leia winced internally but kept her voice entirely neutral. "My companion Chewbacca is with me as pilot, as is my protocol droid. I would like to bring the droid along to help translate if I may. Chewbacca, as agreed, will stay here."

The Wookiee looked at her and gave a growl.

"No," she said firmly, muting the transmission just in time to say it. "I'm sorry but that was the promise I made to Khabarakh. You'll stay here on the Falcon, and that's an order."

Chewie growled again, even more insistently this time. It was at that moment that Leia remember something rather important. Chewbacca could ignore pretty much any order he pleased. "I have to go alone, Chewie;" she sadi in a low voice.

She knew that trying to outdo the Wookiee on will power wasn't going to work, so she would have to count on logic and reason. "Don't you understand? that was the agreement."

Again, Chewbacca objected but Leia shook her head. "No. My safety isn't a matter of strength anymore. My only chance is to convince the Noghri that I can be trusted. That when I make a promise, I keep it."

Over the comms, Khabarakh mewed, "The droid will pose no problem. I will bring my ship alongside for docking."

Leia unmuted her receiver and replied. "Fine. I also have one case of clothing and personal items to bring along, if I may. Plus a sensor/analyzer package to test the air and soil for anything that might be dangerous to me."

"The air and soil where we shall be is safe;" assured Khabarakh.

"I believe you;" reassured Leia, subconsciously placing a hand on her belly. "But I am not responsible only for my own safety. I carry within me two new lives, and I must protect them."

There was a hiss in the comms and Khabarakh asked, "Heirs of the Lord Vader?"

For only a moment, Leia hesitated before replying, "Yes."

It was true genetically, if not philosophically.

"You may bring what you wish," he said. "I must be allowed to scan them, though. Do you bring weapons?"

"I have my lightsaber. Are there any animals on your world dangerous enough for me to need my blasters?"

There was just a short pause before the Noghri answered grimly, "Not anymore. You lightsaber, too, will be acceptable."

Chewbacca gave another snarl and his wicked climbing snicked in and out of their sheaths. Leia realized, with a sinking feeling, that the Wookiee was getting dangerously close to losing his composure.

Khabarakh heard it too. "What is the problem?" he demanded.

Leia's gut tightened and she had to remind herself that full disclosure and honesty would serve her best. "My pilot doesn't like the idea of me going off alone with you;" she admitted. "He is a - well, you wouldn't understand."

"He is under a life debt to you?"

Leia was at a loss for a moment, blinking wordlessly as the speaker. Khabarakh's comprehension was a surprise to say the least. "Yes; the original life debt was to my husband, Han Solo. During the war, Chewie extended it to include my brother and me."

"And now the children you bear within?"

Leia looked at Chewbacca, catching the fierce blue eyes. "Yes."

There was a long span of time that the comms were utterly silent, a span of time in which Leia gripped the arms of her chair with white knuckles, wondering what exactly the Noghri was contemplating. If he decided that Chewie's objections were tantamount to breaking their agreement- "The Wookiee code of honor is similar to our own;" returned the gravely voice, breaking in to Leia's anxiety. "He may come with you."

Chewbacca gave a throaty rumble of surprise. Quickly, surprise turned into suspicion. "Would you rather he have said you had to stay here?" asked Leia, her own surprise overruled by relief that the whole thing had been resolved with such ease. "Come on, make up your mind."

He rumbled again, clearly happier about walking into a trap with her than allowing her to walk into one all by herself.

Turning back to the comms, Leia said, "Thank you, Khabarakh, we accept. We'll be ready whenever you get here. How long will the trip to your world take, by the way?"

"Approximately four standard days," replied the Noghri. "I await the honor of your presence aboard my ship."

The comms went silent and a shiver went up Leia's back at the thought of four days aboard a recent enemy's ship. In those four days, Leia was determined to learn whatever Khabarakh could and would tell her about the Noghri people in preparation for quite possibly the most important diplomatic mission of her life.

Unfortunately, Khabarakh spent the majority of the trip to himself, giving Leia no time to question him on Noghri culture. He went silently back and fore between the cockpit and his cabin. On occasion, he would talk to her but the conversations were short and left Leia with the sneaking suspicion that Khabarakh wasn't at all sure of his decision to bring her to his homeworld.

Back on Kashyyyk where the arrangement was made, she had suggested that he discuss the decision with family or friends. However, the closer they got to the world and the more she talked to him, few and far between as such conversations were, a sneaking suspicion began to rise within her that Khabarakh had elected to not do so. Not a very auspicious beginning to her self-assigned mission of diplomacy, as it implied either a lack of trust in his friends and family or a desire to absolve them from any and all responsibility should the whole thing go sour. Neither idea was conducive to a smooth negotiation process.

Chewbacca occupied his time looking through every corner of the small ship, studying every plate and panel in case the need to assume control ever arose. Leia, for her part, spent the time meditating and discussing any and all possible meanings of the Noghri word Mal'ary'ush. Unfortunately, due in part to the six million languages stored in his databanks, the possibilities for its meaning ranged from likely or at least possible to improbable and even ridiculous.

Towards the middle of the fourth tday, they reached the world of Honoghr - and it was worse than anything she had expected to see. White clouds covered an almost unbroken sphere of brown, relieved rarely by a deep blue of lakes or oceans. There were no signs of yellow or purple or any other color that suggested a healthy, live-giving planet. For all Leia could see, the whole planet was quite possibly dead.

Chewie gave a low growl.

"Yes, I know Khabarakh said it had been devastated in the war;" murmured Leia soberly. "But I didn't realize that he really meant the whole planet had been hit."

Nausea began to creep in as she wondered which side had been most responsible for such a cataclysmic event. Immediately, she had to swallow a hard lump of defensiveness. There was no 'most responsible'. Khabarakh's planet had been destroyed by a space battle over his world. There had only been two sides to it. Whatever had happened to destroy this world, the Rebel Alliance were equally culpable for it. "No wonder the Emperor and Vader were able to turn them against us," she murmured. "We have to find some way to help them."

Chewie growled again, gesturing to the viewport. The terminator line was coming up over the horizon now, a fuzzy strip of twilight between day and night; and there, fading through the darkness beyond was what looked like an irregular patch of pale green. "I see it. You suppose that's all that's left?"

The Wookiee just shrugged and rumbled. Suddenly, he went stiff for just a moment before his roar of rage ripped through the air and left her ears ringing. "Chewie, what-" but then she saw it and he stomach churned. Over the curve of a planet, the spearhead shape of an Imperial Star Destroyer came into view. They'd been betrayed.

"No," she whispered, "No, I can't believe that Khabarakh would do this!"

The last words were spoken to empty air; and with a second shock, she realized that Chewbacca was no longer beside her. Spinning around, she saw a flash of brown as he vanished down the corridor leading to the cockpit.

"No;" she shouted after him, running to catch up. "Chewie, no!"

But it was so much wasted breath. The Wookiee was going to murder Khabarakh even if he had to rip the door down or plow it over to do so. One resounding clang was heard as she was only half way down the corridor. A second sounded as she went around the final bend in the corridor. As he came into her view, Chewie was lifting his massive hands for a third when, to both of their amazement, the door slid open. Chewie didn't stay surprised for long. He barreled through the door and lunged for the much smaller alien. "Chewie!" Leia snapped as she dove through after him.

She was just in time to see the Noghri warrior raise his hand and somehow send his much larger opponent spinning sideways from his seated position in the pilot's seat. Halting in her tracks in surprise, she said, "Khabarakh-"

"I did not call them," mewed the warrior. "I did not betray my word of honor."

Chewie roared his disbelief as he managed to climb back to his feet. "You must stop;" said Khabarakh, "you must keep him quiet while I give the recognition signal or all will be lost."

Leia glanced from him to the Star Destroyer out of the forward viewport, her jaw tight with indecision. Thus far since dropping into the system, Khabarakh had given not indication and made no move that suggested betrayal. Chewbacca had been allowed to accompany them. Even now, the Noghri wasn't looking at the threat, a towering Wookiee warrior bent on killing him. His dark eyes were fixed on Leia and his hand was over the comms switch. Just then, the board beeped and Khabarakh's hand twitched in response. "I have not betrayed you, Lady Vader," he repeated, a note of pleading and urgency in his gravelly voice. "You must believe me."

Making a decision she knew could mean the death of herself, Chewbacca and her unborn children, Leia snapped to the Wookiee, "Chewie, be quiet!"

It was so much wasted breath. "Chewie! CHEWIE! Be quiet."

But the Wookiee ignored the order. He was back on his feet and rushing toward Khabarakh. The Noghri warrior caught Chewie by the wrists, slowing but by no means halting their move towards his throat,"

"Chewie, I said stop;" commanded Leia.

She was contemplating blasting the Wookiee back with the force but wanted to save that as a very last resort. "Use your head - if he was planning a trap, don't you think he'd have timed it for when we were asleep or something?"

Chewbacca spat out a snarl in response but his hands continued unerringly towards their target. "But if he doesn't check in, they'll know something's wrong. That's a sure way to bring them down on us."

"The Lady Vader speaks truth;" Khabarkh gritted out, his voice strained with trying to hold back Chewbacca's huge paws. "I have not betrayed you, but if I give no recognition signal you will be betrayed."

"He's right;" said Leia, making one last attempt. "If they come to investigate, we lose by default. Come on, Chewie, it's our only hope."

But Chewie shook his had firmly. That was it. Leia stepped back and lifted her hands, literally pulling Khabarakh and Chewbacca apart and tossing the latter as lightly as possible towards the cockpit door with the force. "Do it, Khabarakh;" she commanded as she placed herself firmly between Chewie and the Noghri.

Chewie rose to his feet, snarling. "Enough, Chewbacca!" said Leia, putting just a little of the force behind her words.

It seemed to give him pause. "I understand the danger;" she said more calmly, stepping towards him. "I understand your concerns and fears but I trust Khabarakh and I don't sense any duplicity in him."

Chewie's blue eyes shot back and forth between her and their pilot, still filled with anger and fear. Leia reached down and took both of his massive paws. "Chewie, do you trust me?"

The anger left Chewie's eyes. "Then please follow my lead. We need to help these people - just like Han helped you and your people all those years ago. Maybe we can deliver the Noghri from their slavery to the Empire just like he did."

It was still very clear that the Wookiee was not happy. That was okay though because, if she was being honest, neither was Leia. Chewie nodded his head and Leia let go of his hands. "Thank you, Chewie."

She turned back to Khabarakh. The Noghri was facing them. "We are safe;" he said, eyeing Leia with a new respect. "I persuaded them that it was an equipment failure on the part of my comms board."

Leia nodded, fervently hoping that he was right. "I have not betrayed you, Lady Vader," he said quietly yet pleadingly. "you must believe me. I have promised to defend you and I will. To my own death, if need be."

Leia studied him and the depth of the situation he was in finally dawned on her. Whatever fear and doubt he had been harboring during the beginning of their four day star voyage, the sight of the Imperial Star Destroyer over his home world had burned them both away. It's presence had called into question his integrity and his honor. He was now in a position of having to conclusively and irrevocably prove that he had not compromised either of them.

"I believe you;" she said, going to the copilots seat and sitting down. "What now?"

"Now we must make a decision," he said. "My intention had been to bring you to ground in the city of Nystao, waiting until full dark to present you to the clan dynast. But that in now impossible. Our Imperial lord has come, and is holding a convocate of the dynasts,"

Leia's neck prickled. Imperial Lord. "You Imperial lord is Grand Admiral Thrawn?" she asked carefully.

"Yes;" rumbled Khabarakh. "That is his flagship the Chimaera. I remember the day that the Lord Darth Vader first brought him to us. The Lord Vader told us that his that his duties against the Emperor's enemies would now be taking his full attention. That the Grand Admiral would henceforth be our lord and commander."

An odd purring sound came from his chest. "There were many who were sad that day. The Lord Vader had been the only one save the Emperor who cared for Noghri well-being. He had given us hope and purpose."

Leia grimaced. That purpose being to die as the Emperor's private army of elite suicide commandos. But she had to be careful how she handled this whole thing. Instead, she murmured, "I hope they don't decide to do a sensor focus on us. If they pick up three life forms, you're going to have a lot of explaining to do. If Darth Diabolis is with him..." she didn't even bother finishing her sentence.

Khabarakh was silent for a long time before saying, "Darth Diabolis restored three of our commando units to us, a token of Alliance and good will to our lord the Grand Admiral and to us, the Noghri people."

Leia wasn't quite sure how to respond to that and before she could come up with anything, the Noghri said, "The ship's static-damping is at full power and should prevent any successful scans."

Leia frowned. "Aren't they likely to wonder about that?"

"No;" said Khabarakh. "I explained that it was part of the same malfunction that caused the transmitter problem."

Leia nodded. Chewie gave another low rumble. It was certainly uneasy but it was no longer threatening or angry. "I don't know, Chewie. Are you familiar with this ship enough to say one way or another?"

The Wookiee rumbled a negative. Khabarakh shrugged slightly, "It has been known to happen before - the static dampeners being triggered by a problem with the transmitter."

Leia and Chewie glanced at each other but remained silent. Khabarakh explained his plan to them. We will go to my home, a small village near the edge of the Clean Land. I will hide you there until our lord the Grand Admiral leaves."

As yet another Clan dynast stepped back into line, Captain Pellaeon shifted his feet and stifled a yawn. His impression of the trip had been that they were there to inspire the commando teams. However, at least up to that moment, the only commandos they had seen were members of the honor guard contingent that had met them at the shuttle. Currently, he was just standing there and waiting on a collection of clan leaders to finish their quaint little ceremony. As he waited, Pellaeon suddenly felt air movement on the back of his neck and heared a murmur. "Captain?"

It was the young Lieutenant Tschel. "Excuse me, sir, but Grand Admiral Thrawn asked to be informed immediately if anything out of the ordinary happened."

Pellaeon, honestly glad of even this minuscule interruption, nodded and asked, "What is it?"

"It doesn't seem dangerous, sir, or even very important;" confessed the Lieutenant. "A Noghri commando ship on it's way in almost didn't give the recognition response in time."

Pellaeon nodded, only mildly disappointed that it wasn't something more major. "Equipment trouble probably," Pellaeon murmured.

"That's what the pilot said;" confirmed Tschel. "The odd thing is that he begged off putting down at the Nystao landing area. You'd think that someone with equipment problems would want his ship looked at immediately."

"A bad transmitter isn't exactly a crisis-level problem;" grunted Pellaeon.

Even so, he had to admit that Tschel had a point. Nystao was the only place on Honogr with qualified spaceship repair facilities. "Do we have an ID on the pilot?"

"Yes sir. His name is Khabarakh, clan Kihm'bar. I pulled up what we have on him;" he said, offering Pellaeon a datapad.

Pellaeon took it and began to glance over it and wondered what he was supposed to do now. Thrawn had left instructions that he was to be notified of any unusual activity anywhere in the system. But this seemed like something far to insignificant to interrupt the welcoming ceremony going on right now. "You have something to report, Captain?"

Pellaeon looked up and saw that the Noghri were waiting silently and patiently while Thrawn gazed at Pellaeon. Clearing his throat and stepping to Thrawn's side, the captain replied, "A small anomaly only, sir. An incoming commando ship was slow to transmit its recognition signal, and then declined to put down at the Nystao landing are. Probably just an equipment problem."

"Probably;" agreed Thrawn, his voice particularly thoughtful. Was the ship scanned for for evidence of the malfunction?"

"Ah..." Pellaeon looked over the report again, "the scan was inconclusive. The ship's static-damping was strong enough to block-"

"The ship was static-damped?" asked Thrawn sharply.

"Yes, sir."

Wordlessly, Thrawn held up his hand. Pellaeon gave him the datapad, and for a moment, the Grand Admiral frowned down at it, skimming the report. "Khabarakh, Clan Kihm'bar;" he murmured to himself. "Interesting."

He looked back up at Pellaeon. "Where did the ship go?"

Pellaeon looked in turn at Lieutenant Tschel. "According to the last report, it was headed south;" the lieutenant said. "It might still be in range of our tractor beams, sir."

Pellaeon turned back to Thrawn. "Should we try, Admiral?"

"No;" said Thrawn after a short silence. "Let it land but track it. And order a tech team from the Chimaera to meet us at the ship's final destination."

His glowing red eyes swept over the gathered clan dynasts before settling on one. "Dynast Ir'khaim, clan Kihm'bar, step forward."

The Noghri in question obeyed. "Yes, my lord?" he mewed.

"One of your people has come home;" said Thrawn, standing to his feet. "We go to his village to welcome him home."

Ir'khaim bowed. "At my lord's request."

"Order the shuttle to be prepared, Captain. We leave at once."

"Yes sir;" said Pellaeon, passing the order on to Lieutenant Tschel with a curt nod.

While the lieutenant issued the orders, Pellaeon asked, "Wouldn't it be easier, sir, to have the ship and pilot brought here to us?"

"Easier, perhaps," Thrawn acknowledged, "but possibly not as illuminating. You obviously didn't recognize the pilot's name; but Khabarakh, clan Kihm'bar, was once a part of commando team twenty-two. Does that jog any memory?"

Pellaeon's stomach tightened. "That was the team that went after Leia Organa Solo on Kashyyyk."

"And of which team, only Khabarakh still survives;" Thrawn added with a nod. "I think it might be instructive to hear from him the details of that failed mission. And to find out just why he's trying so hard to avoid us;" he finished, his eyes glittering and his voice ice cold.

Coruscant - The Imperial Palace

Luke hopped off of his X-wing before turning and lowering Artoo to the 'crete beside him. He patted the fighter affectionately. Recently, he had come to miss flying his favorite starfighter with the numerous TIE's and such painted on its outer hull to mark his kills. Tucking his helmet under his arm, he began to head towards the airspeeder docks when Mara brushed his mind. She was there at the palace. Luke frowned and stopped, causing Artoo to bump gently into the back of his legs. Mara? Why are you at the palace?

The reply was short and slightly distracted. Working on my investigating. Wade's helping too. Come see me in old Palpy's personal library. It's right off where the old throne room used to be.

Luke shrugged and changed direction, heading towards the lifts. I'll see you up there. I'm going to stop and get changed first, though.

Hurry up; was Mara's teasing response.

Luke chuckled and put a little extra energy in his movements.

Mara was leaning back in her chair at one monitor while Wade seemed to be jumping back and forth excitedly between three. Luke leaned down and kissed her. "Hey there;" he whispered, as if worried to break Wade's manic concentration. Mara chuckled and said, "Hey yourself. Watch this, it will happen again any second now."

They watched Wade. Suddenly, as if of its own volition, the screen focused on a particular file which opened and was downloaded to a glowing cube sitting on a strange flat plate-like object which was plugged into the central monitor. It looked as though Wade was somehow controlling all three of them. One file after another were being shunted into the cube - a datacron, Wade called it. It was similar to a holocron except that it didn't project a gate keeper or speak. In fact, it was little more than a massive storage unit and processor of electronic information. To put information in, one simply set it on the specialized reading pad and plugged the pad into a datajack. To take it out, they did the same thing, only in reverse.

Luke was highly impressed. "Wow..." he murmured. "What are you having him search information on?"

"He's finishing up his Thrawn project at the moment. After that, I'm going to have him look through the whole security system of the palace and attempt to find where this info leak is - assuming that it's a leak through our computers and not just a spy in our midst."

Luke nodded and then mentioned, "You know, Kanan, Hera, Ezra, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper all ran afoul of Thrawn way back before the battle of Yavin. Apparently, they were the cause of Thrawn being demoted form Grand Admiral to Captain."

Mara nodded slowly. "That's right. I remember that now. He was assigned to Jerec's Star Destroyer the Vengeance. His failure on Lothal and the setback of the TIE Defender program upset the Emperor. This in turn caused Palpatine to focus on the idea of a superweapon - namely the Death Star project. It was more than half finished at that point - that is to say, the first was more than half finished. I'm having Wade search to get some details on him if there are any."

Luke nodded, amusement coloring his senses. Mara looked at him. "What's so funny, Skywalker?"

Luke resisted the urge to laugh, electing wisely instead to shrug. "Nothing. What are you working on exactly?"

Mara took Luke's chin in her hands and kissed him before asking again, "What's so funny, Skywalker?"

Luke chuckled. "You're still conning Wade into most of your research."

Wade suddenly objected. "Are you kidding? She didn't con me! I'm having more fun than I've had in years doing this. This Grand Admiral Thrawn is a seriously intelligent customer, Luke. Just wait until I show you some of his stuff."

Mara smirked. "See? He wants to do it! Now, I'm looking into the mystery deposit into Ackbar's account."

"Best guess?" asked Luke.

"Someone from Imperial space wanted to give Ackbar a really swell birthday present;" she said sardonically.

Luke and Wade both laughed. "In all seriousness though;" she continued. "it's pretty obvious that this is a smear job in my opinion. The problem is proving it. I highly doubt that the High Council will just take my word for it."

"What can we use as even circumstantial evidence?" asked Luke.

Mara shrugged. "Well the fact that Ackbar didn't do it himself. I was actually about to dig in to any and all communications he may have made from the palace - from his residence, from the comms rooms, from any of the computer stations, from the archives-"

"From the fresher, from the bedroom, from the kitchen;" continued Luke dryly.

"You know me so well;" chuckled Mara. "But yes. But I think I'll save that one for Wade and his super force technopathy."

"Mara..." said Luke chidingly.

"So I'm a little hungry. Are you hungry? I could go for a nerf steak..." and Luke waited just a moment before her eyes closed and she said rather dreamily, "with miasma sauce."

Truthfully, that wasn't the strangest craving she'd had since her pregnancy began. "Sounds good. I'll start on that for you as soon as I get home. Anything else?"

"Hmmm... sliced meiloorun?"

Luke just looked at her. "Seriously?"

Mara pouted and rubbed her swollen abdomen. "Yes, please."

Luke sighed and kissed her before saying, "As my fair lady wishes."

He headed out and back towards the speeder platforms when someone called him. Turning, he saw Winter gliding towards him. "General Skywalker, Intelligence intercepted something that you might be interested in."

Luke took the datapad and glanced over it, his eyes widening. "Are they sure about this?"

"As sure as they can be. We don't really get a lot of reports about Jedi artifacts and the like these days."

The report stated that a treasure trove of Jedi artifacts had been found on Raxus Prime, a planet that could only be described as a junk yard. Because of the volume of raw materials there, shipyards had been constructed twice now - once by the Empire and once, more recently by the New Republic. A massive space dry-dock was in the atmosphere and large load hauling transports with specialized scanners would fly down to the planets junk-covered surface and scan until they found the particular material they needed and haul it up. "I guess it's not all that surprising. I mean, that planets been an industrial/junkyard world for millennia now so it shouldn't surprise me that some Jedi artifacts might have made it there. I'll put a team together and we can go check it out but not immediately."

"Just let me know when you are departing, General, and I'll be sure to tell the local defense commander."

Luke gave her a patient look. "Winter, I'm not a General anymore. You know that."

"I do;" she agreed, "however, it's difficult even now for me to address you so informally."

Luke nodded. "Alright but do please try."

Winter gave the tiniest frown and said, "I will... Luke."

"See, that wasn't so hard. Thanks for bringing me this, Winter. I appreciate it."

He gave her arm a gentle squeeze and headed towards the air speeder pads, contemplating the fortuitous finding of a tidy collection of Jedi relics - and not trusting them one little bit. He was sure that it was a trap set by Thrawn and Diabolis and Luke intended to trip it, turning the trap on it's owners and causing them to bight off more than they could chew.