The Rebel Twins

by GradGirl2010

For 15 years I was alone. Fixing spacecrafts to numb the pain. The Clones' betrayal of the Jedi stole my brother from me. At the time, it seemed as if it would be forever. Reunited through this war of Imps and Rebels, Caleb...huh...Kanan wants me by his side again. The problem is...the idea of fighting again terrifies me. The screams...they won't stop.

9. Owing a Favor

Owing a Favor

Let's move on.

Fighter Flight Episode.

xxx

Zeb and Katerina's spontaneous trip to Pantora had a fundamental impact on them both. Kanan was ready to rip them a new one for not sending hourly reports of their status. The second they set a single foot on the ship he was going to scold them like the children they are. The tirade he planned generating the steam whistling from his ears was doused by a cooling splash. Before Zeb and Katerina exited from the docking Phantom, Kanan sensed something...light in the air. As if a tremendous pressure in the shape of a constricting serpent he wasn't aware the pair carried was shed clean off. The parting doors signaling their return, Kanan gaze in awe of Zeb and Katerina. There was something different about them. In appearance, they were no different. It was so much more. He sensed a new lift in their spirits. As if they managed to shed an imposing weight off their shoulders. He hardly recognized them. As a result, he let their lengthy departure slide. This time! He couldn't bring himself to ruin their auspicious growth. He planned on talking with them later. For now, the prime focus was a supply run on Lothal. Again, they were low on everything. Being conservative will be what comes afterwards.

The time spent wading out the Imperial Storm swarming Lothal and Garel put The Ghost crew on a momentous setback. Kallus issued planet wide warrants for the arrest of Rebels fitting the descriptions given. Vague descriptions at best. An adult male and female, a juvenile male and female, a C-i droid, and a Lasat. Zeb and Chopper made plans to net be seen too often to avoid rousing suspicions. Chopper isn't so rare a sight for his model. But Zeb sticks out like a beacon in the vacuum of space. Their calculations involving their rations were off. Fuel was being stretched thinner than paper. Food was lessened. Ammunition would end up needing to be sold elsewhere in the Outer Rim, which would put The Ghost at a dramatic disadvantage. Not to mention medical supplies were low, and The Ghost is going to need parts fixed or replaced. Which is no small feat. The Ghost crew was literally walking on thin ice in necessities. And either they brave The Imperials, or see how long they can drift before something runs out.

Reports sent from both planets stated a constant change in Imperial Forces working 16 hour shifts scouring the planets. Literally every rock and crate were decimated trying to find at least a scrap of bread that would lead to The Ghost Crew. This storm lasted for the better part of a month. Three and a half weeks, to be precise. A lucky break happened when those above Agent Kallus's head ordered a cease and desist, and Troops were pulled back. Hera advised she and her crew wait another day to be sure. Those 24 hours passed torturously slow. She confirmed with contacts she has on Lothal and Garel. The Empire, with the exception of common guards, were extracted. Entry to the planet was restored. Eventually, Hera guided the ship back home. Though not without the utmost caution. The Empire may have a sharper eye scanning the skies for The Ghost. By pure luck The Ghost has gone unrecognized. That luck could run out today. They would be docking in an hour.

In the meantime, the team went about their business. Sabine was in her room mixing up a batch of new paints. Adding in her batch was an explosive substance guaranteed to bring her art to new lights. Zeb was catching up on much needed sleep. Chopper was watching Ezra try - and fail - the levitate a bowl. Kanan and Katerina were taking an inventory check.

"Boy oh boy are we the opposite of conservative." Kanan huffed, adding things to his tablet's list.

"I believe the term is squanderers." Katerina bellowed bent inside a large crate. She tossed rotted rations with the pile in a corner. She puffed her bangs from her eyes, glaring at a rotted pomato. "And there's a word for those who don't check for expiration dates on their food. I'll tell you once it comes to mind!" She threw it with the rest. She wishes gas masks were on the list. It was starting to stink.

Kanan groaned miserably, itching his head with the digi-pen. The wasted food is a bad on his part. "So that's food, medical supplies...wax for the hull?" The last one sent his blood pressure skyrocketing. "Hera loves a shiny ship!" He rolled his eyes.

"It's not about the shine, Big Brother." Katerina leaned her thighs to the crate, showing Kanan a shiny rotator plug. "It's all about taking care of your babies, and women love their babies to be clean." She kissed it, gently placing it back in the box. She cooed chipperly, rubbing the ship part lovingly.

Kanan pursed his lips, wiggling the pen disturbed. "You would make a creepy mom. You know that?"

"Grim might have mentioned that." She shrugged. Kanan paused for thought. Why would Grim mention motherhood to her?

"CHOPPER!" Ezra's scream echoed across the ship. Chopper harped mockingly. The pair could be heard sprinting through the ship. This brought on an inquiry Katerina has been having.

"So…" Katerina decided to take a break, and leaned on Kanan's shoulder, "How IS Ezra's Jedi Training coming along?" She bat her eyes teasingly.

"It's...coming." Was all Kanan could say. A halfhearted response. He set the list aside. Katerina's brow furrowed disconcerted. Kanan can see she was wondering what he meant. He slapped hands at his thighs, sitting on one of the crates. He doesn't know how best to explain. "Ezra...is horrible at meditating. He can't sit still longer than five minutes." Reminds Katerina of someone else she knows. "Nevertheless, he completed that portion beside his usual teenage rebellion. Now he's attempting to levitate objects as lesson two."

"Okay…" Ezra's making progress. Fending against his usual chagrin and forgoing an effort in order to better himself. Meditation is only the first of many steps. Through it, a Jedi can immerse himself fully and completely within the force. Open themselves to allow their spirits to connect with all that is around them. Clearly a stall tactic so Kanan can create a lesson plan. But good for Ezra. Now that he has gotten a feel for communicating with the force, he is in the process of learning how to utilize it. "So what's the problem?" Katerina bent forward, tilting her head to meet Kanan's uncertainty. he was tightlipped, shaking his head. "Kanan. Talk to me." Katerina wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Kanan placed a hand to hers. The squeeze hitched her breath in her throat. "I'm scared." He croaked.

"Of what?" Her tender reply coaxed him to proceed.

"Of failing him…" Kanan's head slumped. He folded his hands behind his head, tilting back to alleviate the tension on the front of his skull. "I don't know the first thing about teaching someone. What if I'm not good enough?"

"There isn't a manual for teaching a portege like there is for fixing an engine." Katerina shouldn't be surprised this was his concern. It happens to be the one fear that tied his. "Sometimes, the best lessons are the mistakes we've made, and the knowledge we've obtained." Kanan sighed dismally, shrugging his shoulders resignedly. Katerina turned his head. She won't let him fall into dissolution just yet. "You won't be like the Masters or Padawan's before you. And you shouldn't strive to be. You're your own Jedi, Caleb." Caleb! He shuddered. The conversation turned serious. "Be your own Master, and mold Ezra."

Kanan snorted with disbelief, falling into an uncharacteristic fit of laughter. Katerina tilted her head confusedly. She puffed her cheeks angrily. She's having a serious moment and he's LAUGHING! Then, from the blue, she was hooked in a headlock. Put at the mercy of a loving brotherly noogie. "When oh when did my baby sister become so WWIISSEE…" He twisted his knuckles in her skull. Katerina flailed and pried at his deceivingly strong arm. She hated this as a kid, she hates it now. Though she won't deny missing it.

"WILL YOU STOP IT! COME ON!" Katerina punched at him. Kanan wasn't letting up. Until...CRASH! Katerina and Kanan both froze. Gaping eyes darting from each other to wherever the noise emanated from. The whole ship must have vibrated. What in the seven rings of Loopalla was happening on The Ghost? More importantly, what's Hera's plan for handling it? No need be told twice how touchy she is about her flying toys.

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Ezra's voice echoed.

"TELL IT TO MY FIST!" Zeb's was heard roaring.

"Faith and Fallouts, not again!" Katerina groaned, shoving Kanan's arm off.

"Don't tell me they're still going at it!" Kanan motioned his hands with disbelief.

"All day, everyday!"

Zeb and Ezra have been arguing and fighting nonstop for days. Morning, noon, and night - worse than siblings, those two are. Kanan and Katerina don't think they argued as heatedly as them. Not that their egos would allow them to admit to it. The soundless void of space itself was begging for earplugs. The ship can't sustain much more of Zeb's rampaging, or Ezra's constant teenage obnoxiousness. Katerina, Kanan, and Hera sure can't.

"How do we make them stop?" Kanan pleaded for an answer.

Katerina shook her head, lifting her hands. She doesn't have the first clue. "They say the best of friends argue." She shrugged cluelessly. What else can she say? She rifled in the crates, inspecting the condition of parts she had custom ordered. The one rotator plug was in good shape. She'd need another one soon.

"Say that makes me think we were never friends as kids." Kanan teased, resting an arm on her back. "I don't think we ever argued like them."

"Nope!" She jerked up, spinning around and hugging him. "You and me, me and you…"

"Thick as blood, through and through." Kanan hummed the finish, wrapping an arm to her and kissing her forehead. "That's us." A corny phrase they exchanged back in the day. But it's theirs. Then rampaging feet spoiled the moment. Coupled by animalistic roars shaking the windows. Katerina and Kanan turned curious brows to the second level.

Ezra charged into the cargo bay at a dead run. He dragged himself by the bar so he wouldn't flip over it. He scampered like a mad squirrel, twisting for an escaped. He lunged both feet sliding down on the ladder. Miraculously he stopped on a dime before barreling into Kanan and Katerina. The boy was breathless and sweating bullets. Kanan put his hands on his hips, ready to demand an answer from the winded boy. Zeb's bombarding entrance halted the words on his tongue. He sprang to the railing. Katerina pushed Kanan to a far away wall. Zeb lunged and tackled Ezra, knocking over every crate like a domino. Kanan and Katerina gawked utterly dumbfounded. Things were tense between the pair, but for it to reach this point. They were aghast. Zeb was on top of Ezra pummeling him, while Ezra was throwing his stick arms in a pitiful counter strike.

"AHEM!" Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Kanan and Katerina spread their hands where they could see them. Zeb and Ezra, however, were at the center of Hera's leering spot light. On top of their constant bickering, they have both managed to successfully trash her cargo bay. If neither has a good explanation, she was jettisoning them into space.

"IT'S HIS FAULT!" Ezra and Zeb blamed each other. Not what she wanted to hear.

Thank goodness the ship finally landed. Otherwise there would be bodies dropping from hundreds of stories. Katerina started helping fix up the place so that Hera would have less to stress over. The sorted supplies were in a jumbled mess scattered across the cargo hold. The monetary plates from an old job that went sour, the oils for the ship and food, pill bottles spilled. It was going to take her forever to sort it all out again. Frames were dented, glass plating was shattered, and the cannister for a paint gun was leaking. Katerina doubted the mess could be worse. Brushing away the broken debris, Katerina turned hotter than a thermometer at what she found.

"MY FAULT?!" Zeb rose to his feet. Ezra practically had to shove him for elbow room. "This YOUR fault!" Zeb jabbed Ezra's shoulder.

"Don't go blaming this on me!" Ezra smacked his hand away.

"Well I AM pinning THIS on both of you!" She shoved the cracked rotator plug in their faces. Cracked, bent, and rubber insulator band was torn. It's nothing more than a paperweight now. Zeb and Ezra became terrified all over again. Hera has her ship, Sabine has her explosive art, and Katerina has her parts. One does not simple touch these items without losing a hand. "This is the last one I had, and our current one out of the four in The Phantom is about to strip itself!" She dropped it at their feet, stomping it to scrap and making them flinch. That will be them soon if they don't watch their step. "Thanks to you two, I have to go out and get another one. Luckily my garage in the Capital has plenty. Might as well check in with Dominique while I'm there."

The Garage Katerina opened in the Industrial District of Capital City had its grand opening while Katerina was on Pantora. Dominique, a young yet promising Togrutan Mechanic, is the head honcho hired on to manage it. Her skills rival Grim's and Ken's combined. Katerina will acknowledge that she feels competitively threatened by her. And Katerina loves competition in her field. Especially when that competition is as magical with her coffee brews as she is with he welding torches.

"Capital City is 80 clicks in the other direction." Kanan protested her venture. "Need I remind you that those 80 clicks could be swarming with Empire Sentries looking for us."

"I'm well aware, Kanan. But do you realize that without this," She ground the broken plug to metallic splinters, "The Phantom's gears and belts won't rotate properly and put tons of stress on a handful of multisyllabic parts." Multisyllabic parts is Katerina's way of defining how important the inner mechanisms most label superfluous truly are. And how expensive and rare those parts are unless you know who to buy from. "The one near the steering wheel is being held together with glue and tape. Unless you want a Phantom spiraling out of control..." She trailed off, knowing that was the thing he wanted. Kanan would like to lessen to close calls his team has had to endure.

"I understand that you need one, but I don't like the idea of you going by yourself." The Phantom is in no shape for travel, meaning she'd have to use a speeder. Exposed and vulnerable to ambushes or long range fire from any given direction, with nothing to keep her safe put her peashooters and an electrified stick. "Maybe I should go with you. Safety in numbers."

Katerina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Hera curled a palm to her lips so she wouldn't insert her two sense. "Okay. You win. I won't go alone." She stepped back, hands raised. Kanan raised a suspicious brow. That was too easy. Then she smiled.

xxx

The Ghost's hatch opened. The wafting weeds blew over from the exhaust. Katerina was wheeling a speeder out with Chopper on her heels. Kana was storming after them, fuming his sister duped him. Ezra and Zeb growled at the snarky little mech, looming at the top of the slope. That mech got off lucky Katerina was taking him with her. Otherwise they'd tear him apart and sell him to Vizago for credits. Wherever that swidler was hiding.

"Don't look so jealous, Boys!" Hera shoved them both off her ship. Kanan and Katerina flinched at their painful pile up on the weeds. "You wreck my ship, I kick you off of it! Plan and simple." Zeb and Ezra started to beg and plead for her to take one of their sides. The whining about how someone is like or how unbearable the other is twisted her brain.

Kanan wants to handle that precarious situation. First he needs to talk sense into his saddling up sister and the mech she's employing. "When you said you wouldn't go alone, this isn't what I had in mind!" He was of course talking about a viable target of the Empire taking a weaponless astromech as he backup. Chopper bleeped profane offence at his lack of faith. "Why are you taking him again?"

"I promised him a free cleaning and oil change, complete with a fluid flush. He wants to collect." Katerina pat Chopper on the head. He jostled his gears as a mischievous laughter. The promise comes from her losing a battle royal chess game three times in a row. She accused him of cheating, but can't prove it. He is her most stubborn customer with a propensity for insulting every fiber of her work ethic. But he doesn't pass on free work. "Besides, I don't need big brother hovering."

"I don't hover. I observe at a close range."

"Kanan!" She's burning daylight.

"Okay! Okay! Just…" He juggled with what else he can use to discourage her. She leaned on the handlebars, sneering impatiently. He slapped his thighs defeated. "Wear a helmet?"

Katerina threw her head around. Chopper hooked himself to the speeder. "I'll see you in a few hours!" She twisted the handles and slammed a foot on the gas.

Kanan guarded his face from the fumes. Shouting for her to slow down over a whirring engine and 20 yards was pointless. For now, there is the matter Hera booting Zeb and Ezra off the ship. By her handing him the shopping list he created, she was concocting the perfect therapy to help them come to better terms.

xxx

The speeder launching off the peak of a steep hill filled Katerina with the adrenaline rush she craves. That free falling feeling that makes her whole body tingle from head to toe. The wind coursing up her body and out from her hair. The sense that she flying as high as the clouds, admiring the earth passing by miles below. Followed by the anchoring jolt that irks her to no end when gravity brings her back to ground level. Capital City on the horizon reminded her of why she was breaking every speed law in place. And Chopper's wailing brought on a twinge of regret.

"Sorry, Chops! Forgot you were back there!" She nervously tucked hair behind her ears.

"^No you didn't! You did that on purpose!^" He used his prongs to stop his top spinning head.

"You think the absolute worst of me, Chopper!" She shook her head. Then again, if he wants to think the worst of her, who is she to deny him that bit of fun. She certainly enjoys making him flustered. "Nevertheless, I'm glad you came. Otherwise, Kanan would be scolding me for my driving."

"^Wouldn't blame him in the least!^" He locked himself down on the seat. The way she turns, it felt like he was going to go flying for a mile. And that jump? Riding on the outside of a ship in hyperdrive felt safer. "^Tell me again why Kanan couldn't come with you?^" Katerina twisted his servoes to get him to go with her. Her reasoning was less than satisfactory. He doesn't buy she wanted a wingman - mech!

"Because Kanan's reasons for coming are because he wants to play hero for his helpless little sister." If Chopper was capable of facial expressions, absolute shock would be petrified on. He expected her to dodge the question, change the subject, or remain silent. "He doesn't bat an eye when I lunge into fire fights or am playing with experimental parts! Because he's always right there to spring into a rescue!" She sarcastically darted her hand. Kanan's superhero complex was his most aggravating trait. "But when I ask to walk around the corner on my own, or so much as leave his sight he has a panic attack."

"^Geeze. How do you really feel?^" Chopper scoffed. Katerina shook off the double edged question. How she really feels is irrelevant when it comes to Kanan's desire to constantly protect her. She has survived Hell and back for 15 years without him. He should trust her a bit more. Unless being able to play big brother was the only reason he invited her along. Not that she minds entirely. She loves being able to play the role of the doting, little sister with the big brother complex. Still, though, Kanan's taking his big brother role too seriously.

These concerns of hers moved to the back of her mind where they should stay. She crossed the last set of hills. Capital City erect on the vast horizon. She tensed anxiously as she and Chopper drew closer. The spires climbing - scraping the very sky - towered like a bad omen. On an impulse, she was decreasing her speed while passing the city's checkpoint. Stormtroopers at the checkpoint gate seemed to ignore her. But that brief breath of contact was enough to send her running in the opposite direction. Crossing onto the stretch of highway, a sense of isolation encroached on her. She's crossing into enemy territory with a weaponless droid for a small ship part. Her one reinforcement being her guns and staff she hid in the seat compartment. Great. Maybe she should have asked Sabine along too. Then again, she seemed busy with something. She's always inspired on the spot for ways to decorate her room.

xxx

Sabine nibbled rabidly on the end of her pen. Her face contorted as it scrunched. Her brow furrowing so much imprints were left on her forehead. Pensive growl reverberated her throat. "Yes...maybe-no! Oh! Wait! How about...NO! That's not gonna work!" Sabine balled up her tenth piece of digital paper on her tablet, throwing it with the rest of her rejects in the corner. The tablet's trash bin was overflowing, so it added the discarded ideas on the screen. A glorified decoration to prove she believes in a clean space. "This has to be good! GREAT even! Something to really stick it to Ezra!" She cackled. Then she groaned feeling a headache come on. She grabbed at her head, smashing her face into the table.

Ezra's far from being a bad kid. He's good when he behaves. He's also obnoxious, immature, loud, always causing trouble, and never stops bothering Sabine. Seriously. She can't walk an inch out of her room without Ezra showing off one of his moves, and failing miserably at flirting. Not to mention he's always kissing up to Hera and Katerina. Securing his position with the motherly types. Sabine would try that. But she has too much self respect to kiss up to anyone. Even her friends. Ezra has NONE! Somehow, while threatening Chopper's life that morning, he stopped at her room to grace her in his presence. Commenting on how she was painting, desperately wanting to cling onto her good side - another fail - and offered to be her inspiration. Ezra's bunk flattening Zeb was a better source of inspiration.

Sabine gasped, darting upward. A epiphanic light bulb popped over her head. "The...BUNK!"

xxx

Hisses of air escaped the insulted sealing of an elongated hexagonal shaped skylight. Hydraulic drivers spaced alternatively to one another inside and outside the windows apart, and gradually fanned them upright. Straight down the middle the detailed windows parted. The recently refurbished joints clamored on their first use. Briefly sticking due to bits of caked rust within the hinges breaking off. The hydraulic pumps wheezed strenuously. Liquid that should grease the poles was pooling at the rubbering, dripping out. Down below, an operator in the skylight control room was losing nerve at the mere thought of the skylight remaining stagnant, or breaking. The first use testing the durability of recycled parts. The skylight dropping a half inch raised a few heartbeats. The rust in the refurbished hinges cracked off.

"EASY! Lower it in gently!" Dominique howled on her headset. She motioned a pair of glowing orange batons, guiding the transport driver left and right to avoid hitting anything. Or anyone. A set of industrial goggle raining chunks of decay chiseling off the cargo being dropped. The exhaust from the descending cruiser, and the multitude of chemicals being used were repelled as well. The Togruta flipped her head tail behind her shoulders, wrapping them in a band so they'd stay out of her face.

Via the skylight she managed to get operational, Dominique approved an airdrop of a tank from The Clone Wars. Acquiring the cables that are capable of supporting the intense and uneven weight of such a piece of military arsenal was tricky. Lowering it inside would be a cakewalk. None of the doors were big enough. The blast doors might have been large enough. Dominique's inner child wanted to use the huge doors in the ceiling. The other garage on Chandrila - the one at the second location - doesn't have a skylight. She's never gotten to use one before. And the ones in the shop Katerina put her in charge of needed to be tested. They are a work of beauty.

"Just a little more!" Dominique motioned her batons. The pilot nodded, dropping at a faster rate. The tank swayed side to side on a pendulum. The distribution of the weight threw the cruiser askew. The pilot in the cruiser tried to maneuver to steady it, but that only made it swing more. He was starting to lose control. "And...DROP IT!" The pilot cut the cables. The tank landed with a BOOM. Shrill grindings of sawblades and drills, ear drumming hammering, and forklifts silenced to a halt momentarily. Welding masks and goggles lifted from squinting eyes. The old tank landed square on the jack platform, just as Dominique knew it would. The landing earned praiseful nods. The tank itself was admired as well. In good shape for something found in a swamp on Toydaria. "Pefect! Thanks, Jimmy!" She praised the bearded man operating the cruiser's crane.

Mechanics herded to the tank, whistling wolfishly at the plethora of parts inside the relic. A human male sauntered to the side, cleaning the muck from the logo. It was a Separatist tank. Meaning it was operated by the very droids used to battle the clones. A droid might still be inside. The mechanics cackled impishly. They were drooling at the mouth to crack that antique open and see what goodies waited inside. Goggles and welding masks were donned, grins of eager anticipation stretching.

"Alright, Ladies and Gents! Let's get to work!" Dominique gave the green light.

The main floor was alive with dynamic passion. Projects on the zenith of completion being flooded with adrenalized urgency. A touch of this, a wled of that, use the anvil and mallet to flatten one more piece. The final touches were being applied. Those nearing the finish line refused to trip - so much as stumble. Dominique's mechanics poured their hearts and souls into their work. Never is a project begun without thorough research and diagnostics from different systems. The same diligence is expected and applied while working. 100% is a must when working under Dominique. Anything less than personal best diminishes the quality of the work, and ruins a reputation before it has a chance to take off.

A handful of workers providing a bird's eye view operated on the walks suspended above. The ceiling being a short ladder climb away. Support columns at intersections or corners kept the metal walkway sturdy, while welded bars ensured it didn't crash and crush someone below. Stripped, withered, rotted, and useless metals were poured inside a chute imbedded in the wall on the northeast end of the upper walkway. The scrap metal is poured inside, then emerges in individual piles on a conveyer belt just below. The conveyor belt adds the metal in a massive melting pot boiling with scalding water, and molten metal is brewed. The molten metal is then poured from a hole in the bottom, oozing inside a ten step prism, flowing to a pipe running to a smithing operation Dominique organized in the catacombs. Excess molten metal is diverted along separate irrigation piping to a press operation. An added job position for the skill of hand to create parts from scratch, or make dinky sculptures for the gift shop outside. It's a major hit.

The Skylight control room and the Main Control room were fully operational. The Skylight controls were sketchy at best. A handful of times the skylight won't respond to the controls, or works in the opposite. And, not to be put in any public record, but a fire or two erupted. As for the Main Control room, it was more of a security room than anything. Cameras were installed around and inside the shop. There are also controls to open the passage to the unground smith operation. Special clearance is required to enter.

Business at the new shop was coming at a steady rate each day. There are dry spells here and there, but those are the days Dominique fashions a renovation crew to lay out plans for some well needed improvement. There's much to remove and add to the new shop. As it was bound to be named condemned, areas are presently unsafe and require the most drastic work. Imperial officials like Aresko and Grint have pestered Dominique and her workers, threatening them with citations, obstructions, and other violations. A smokescreen to earn discounted work for the Imperials. Or it's just so Aresko can recover and punish Katerina for her insolence. Dominique wasn't bothered by them. In fact, she welcomed the Imperials with open arms. She dares them to throw whatever they have at her. She can take it. Nothing will chip her poker face.

The tank was being dismantle piece by piece. Two worked on removing the hatch, while others worked on the sides. The goal was the turret. They can melt that down and make something new out of it. Dominique was so engrossed in deep thought of what to use the remaining parts for, she never realized someone was standing beside her. "Unique Fix!" Dominique yelped, jumping out of her skin. Katerina flashed a roguish grin at her, "I like the name, Dom!"

"Katty!" Dominique threw her arms around Katerina in a tight hug. She felt the air being crushed out of her. Togrutas are deceivingly strong. "I'm so glad you came! I was worried you'd forgotten about me!"

"I find you lack of faith in our friendship disturbing!" Katerina wiggled free of her iron embrace. She thinks she lost a few inches in her waistline. "I could never forget the girl who got me out of my slumps back in the day."

Dominique puffed her chest in pride. That's her second job. Helping her fellow grease monkeys stay encouraged, and boost morale. Katerina grunted in discomfort. She growled at the annoying stump behind her. Chopper nudged roughly against the back of her legs, griping about something. "Who's this?" Dominique crouched, ogling Chopper adoringly.

"This is Chopper. He's a friend of my brother's." She grudgingly massaged her sore thighs. She's going to make him pay for that.

Dominique pet Chopper's head in a greeting. She loves Astromechs. Their personality rivals humans. "Oh yeah!" She bounced back, cupping Katerina's hands, "I heard you were reunited with your brother! Congrats!" She blushed excitedly.

"Thanks!"

"I don't suppose he's here with you!" Dominique scoured with a hand to her like a visor, searching for the older half of Katerina. She always wondered, if Katerina had family besides Kendril, what they would be like. Smart? Funny? Serious? Pranksters?

"Sorry. He stayed back on the ship. He does send his regards, though." She lied to sooth the savage Togruta. Dominique pouted solemnly. Grim talks about Katerina's new friends all the time. She's glad to meet the droid, but she wanted to the Twi'lek, Mandalorian, and others who make up this apparent team of rebels she's involved with.

"By the way, is it true?" Dominique whispered sheepishly.

"Is what true?"

"Your brother...you...are you Rebels?" The question came in a nervous squeak. Dominique feared she'd bring the entire wrath of the Empire down on their heads. Katerina replied with a dismal sigh, and a weak smile. She cannot deny it, but she isn't too proud of it enough to admit it yet. Chopper beeped angrily at the girl, wanting to know right then and there if being a Rebel was going to be an issue. They don't have to be there. They only need a part and they can leave. "Don't think wrong of me, Katty. I don't care if you're a Rebel or a Revolutionary." In this instance, they might be one in the same. "I'm just worried about you getting hurt, is all. You...aren't exactly a fighter." She regretted to remind Katerina.

Chopper almost exploded with laughter. Katerina? Not know how to fight? Is she serious?! There must be another Katerina hiding in the universe, because this one can hold her own. Katerina bucked a foot backwards into his chassis. The droid howled angrily at her. She knit her brow dangerously, warning him to stay quiet. For good reason, Katerina hasn't made it public knowledge to her friends that she's adept at fighting. It would...raise questions. Grim, Dave, and Kendril are the only ones who know of her past with the Jedi and Clones. She intended to keep it that way.

"Not to worry." Katerina chimed with feigned innocence. "Kanan's made me chief mechanic on the ship. The most I fight with are Auxiliary Cannons."

"I hear that!" The dry joke earned a brief giggle. "So what brings you here?"

"I need a rotator plug for The Ghost. I was hoping you had one in storage."

"Sure do! We just got a whole box of them. They're in the office." Dominique guided her to the room bolted to the wall on the far end. "Help yourself to a few."

"Thanks, Dom. I owe you one!" Katerina and Chopper raced for the office. Dominique shook her head. Katerina always seems to be on the move.

xxx

"THERE HE IS!"

"GET HIM!" Stormtroopers howled.

Vizago came sliding through a narrow alleyway. He rebound in a spin off the wall, stumbling back into a sprint. He leapt over trash and other large objects, running for his life with what little breath he had. Hot on his tail were Stormtroopers. Stun rings firing from their guns, scarcely missing the Devonian by a hair. Vizago drew his own gun. Frantically he fired above his head, hoping to hit something. He shot the links to a fire escape loose, bringing a metal plank swinging and swatting the Stormtroopers like bugs. Vizago howled with cheer, finding himself home free. Exiting the alleyway, Vizago was stopped horrified in his tracks. A second team of Stormtroopers already arrived to back up the team unconscious in the alley. Vizago spun on his heels, taking off in a random direction.

"Hold on…" Vizago hummed pensively. He recognized where he was. If he was right, his salvation was another three blocks away.

xxx

"JACKPOT!" Katerina cheered. As Dominique promised, a fresh batch of plugs ready for use. Grabbing a bag underneath the desk, Katerina borrowed four. She'll replace the ones in he Phantom and bring those to Dominique and let her fiddle with them. Should be a fun distraction for her. "Got what we need, Chop. Let's head back and-"

Beep-bee-beep, beep-bee-beep...A light flickered on Chopper. "^Incoming transmission from Kanan.^" Chopper announced.

Katerina wasn't able to help rolling her eyes. She's barely gone two hours and he's calling to check up on her. Oh well. She should have checked in the moment she arrived to the shop. No time like the present. "Patch him through, Chop." She didn't have to tell him twice. Chopper broadcasted the hologram of Kanan. "Checking on me already, Kanan?" She winked.

"Not at all." A lie, but she'll let it slide. He did let her and Zeb slide on their unapproved trip to Pantora. Kanan clapped his hands together in prayer."I'm actually curious if you wouldn't mind picking up something for us."

"Yes?" Katerina wasn't sure she liked the sound of this.

"Think you can find a vendor who sells unique fruits. We could use the produce."

Unique fruits? A bit of an odd request. "Any particular reason? Besides a healthy diet?" And why he can't go find a vendor himself? There should still be another speeder or two inside The Ghost.

"Well...you see…" Kanan sheepishly trailed off. Katerina crossed her arms. Her grouchy brow raised, demanding her explain what he's done this time. "Hera pulled a devious prank on Zeb and Ezra. She asked them to go shopping and forbid them from returning without a Meiloorun fruit."

Katerina and Chopper were thrown for a loop. "A Meiloorun? On Lothal? Seriously?" She laughed incredulously. "I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure Meilooruns don't exist on Lothal, Bro." That's when it dawned on her. Zeb and Ezra have been driving everybody mad with their constant bickering. Being stalled by finding a foreign fruit will grant a much needed peace on the ship. As well as - hopefully - help those two come to an understanding. Hera nudged onto Kanan, cackling maniacally. "You're evil, Hera." She knows. She's not hearing anything new.

"They're bound to figure it out sooner or later." Kanan reassured her. Figure out which part? That Hera sent them on a wild goose chase? Or that Zeb and Ezra are being forced to put up with one another for no reason. "But...you know…"

"You want me to see if Capital City doesn't have a Meiloorun or two?"

"Pretty please?!" Kanan batted his eyes adorably, cooing like a baby, "I'll be your best friend forever!"

"You already are!" He;s such an idiot sometimes. "Anyway...I'll see what I can do." The garage doors burst open with a SLAM. Katerina poked her head out of the office, curious of the loud noise. To her astonishment, Vizago was slumping to the ground, huffing and puffing hysterically. Oddly, still, was that he was frantically trying to peek out the window. "Right now...there's someone I need to speak with. Catch you later?"

"See you soon." That was more of an order than a suggestion.

Chopper ended the transmission. Katerina hummed suspicious of Vizago. She left the office, staring harshly at the panicking Devonian. A few of the mechanics passing by him weren't sure what to make of him, therefore ignored him. The couple that tried to approach were frightened off by his outbursts.

"What's Vizago doing here?" Katerina snarled.

"^Nothing good. That's for sure.^" Chopper decreed. Katerina had to agree.

Vizago darted left to right, smashing his face to the windows. He flinched at the tiniest bang or crack. He stared frightened out of his mind at the ceiling, as if expecting someone to come crashing through. He was fogging up the windows from breathing so hard, preventing him from seeing farther than two feet. He muttered incoherently, snarling under his breath. They're coming…they're coming! He said repeatedly.

"Vizago?!" The Devonian jumped out of his skin with a shriek, plastering his back to the wall. Katerina threw her hands up. "Easy, Vizago! It's me!"

"Katerina?! Oh thank the stars!" Vizago lunged in surprise. He grasped her by the head, desperately kissing both of her cheeks. Chopper gagged secretly. Katerina clamped to his wrists and connected her knee with his groin. He doubled over in agony, holding his tender manhood. "Apologies!" He heaved. She has a strong knee.

Katerina wiped her flushed face free of his lips. Not where she wanted her next kiss to come from. "Please explain why you're here before I put you in the melting pot!" Vizago sweated at the massive cauldron poured molten metal inside a prism. "Actually, now that I think about it…" Vizago wailed in agony. She yanked him by the horn, twisting his head to the ground, "I should throw you in there anyway for what you pulled!"

"What?! You mean at the drop?!" He feigned innocence, earning himself a harder twist. "Self preservation! One of my charms! Can you blame me for running?!"

"I can when it brings you huffing and puffing in my place of business!" Vizago will grant her that one. His goof taking the wrong turn at Albuquerque's Pit stop. Although, in his defense, it might be slightly intended. "Why are you here, Vizago?!" Vizago fumbled with his silvertongue to create the most outrageous story behind his fatigue. Katerina couldn't wait to hear it so she can cook him alive.

Sirens outside turned Vizago's blood to ice. Waves of silence rippled the cluster of chatter and banging. Heads twisted and ears strained to isolate and recognize the sirens growing louder. Dominique placed herself ahead of the crew, wanting to be the first to receive The Imperials drawing near their workplace. Vizago laughed nervously, dripping in sweat. Katerina scrunched her nose. She peered out the window. Stormtroopers were forming a perimeter around the shop and further down the street.

"Imperials?!" She screamed. Spines stiffened to boards. Katerina grabbed his collar, "You brought Imperials with you!"

"Not by choice!" Vizago waved his hands, not wanting to be punched. "One of my men ratted me out! I needed a place to duck! You came to mind!" He laughed bashfully.

"GIVE-ME-A-BREAK!" Katerina put fingers to her lip and unleashed a shrill whistle. Everyone stood on their toes. "EVERYONE! CLOSE HOUSE! IMPS ON THE PROWL!" Code for: The Imperials are looking for anyone to arrest and make an example out of. Tools were dropped where they stood. The melting pot was shut down. The two control rooms were sealed. Masks, goggles, and gloves were thrown in the gaps beneath platforms. In a controlled stampede, everyone stampeded out the back door, racing for home until the heat died down. The closed sign was flipped outside. Katerina dragged Vizago into the office. From the main computer she accessed the electricity, activating a shutdown of the entire facility. All went silent and dark within Unique Fix. Katerina shoved Vizago into the desk chair. She planted hands on the arms, trapping him there at the mercy of her dagger sharp glare. "Start talking! What's going on?!"

Vizago took a breath, starting from the beginning. "One of my boys, after we ran from the disruptor exchange-"

"Which you still owe us credits for, by the way!" Katerina interrupted aggressively.

"We will talk about who owes whom later!" Vizago raised a hand. Katerina snarled animally. "My man ratted out me and my business to The Imperials for immunity! Thus…" He gestured to the darkened office. "I am here, in an enclosed room, with you!" He chuckled with a small pur, cupping her cheek. "And I confess, it's not all bad!"

Katerina slapped his hand away. "It'll be worse if my place gets destroyed for helping you!"

"You? Help me? Perish the thought!" He joked.

Katerina whipped Vizago around by the collar, slamming him against the wall. She was in no mood for his stupid games. "You did not come barreling in my garage for kicks! You want my help!"

Vizago cackled at her clairvoyance. She's a sharp one. And the calm face she wears belies the temper she has. "Okay. You got me. I need your help." He acquiesced. "And I fully intend to get your help no matter the cost."

"That's pretty bold for the man who ducked on paying for disruptors that nearly cost us our lives to get!" Nearly cost Zeb his life! She would never forgive him if ANYTHING happened to Zeb. OR THE OTHERS! The others matter too. "You want my help? You pay what you owe!"

"Ah! But I owe YOU," He pressed a finger to her forehead, "Nothing!" He flicked her. "Not after acquiring you this lovely work station, Anastasia." Katerina hissed through gritted teeth. The tone of a businessman cashing in. The location, her alias, the background - all from the goodness of Vizago's black heart. Her swindling him did not come free. She knew he'd ask for reparations. Just not so soon. "You are a businesswoman. I am a businessman. Let us talk." He grasped her wrists, removing her hands. "My man is currently being safeguarded at a safehouse located in the Bronx of this city. I would like your help in recovering him."

"Why…?" Not so much a why as in why do you want my help. But a why would he want to rescue a traitor. Katerina's kind of new to the rules of betrayal, but she's sure that once someone betrays a group, they're left for dead somewhere.

"I do not take kindly to employees with two pockets." Vizago growled ominously. Katerina bobbed her head. That made much more sense. "Help me recover him, and I will consider us square for your business."

In other words, he plans to exact his own justice. Katerina isn't a fan of personal justice, but knows she can't stop him. She's being very hypocritical being a Rebel. "That doesn't change the fact that you owe us for the disruptors!"

"HALF of the disruptors!"

"Better than nothing!" She snapped, returning the flick. "And before you try to bandy words - this is for my team! Not me!" Vizago granted her that. If it was personal, he'd be able to bleed her dry. For the team that he robbed...that's a catchy situation. "Half the pay for half the disruptors! Agree," She flipped her wrench from her pack, pressing it to his chest, "And I'll let you bear witness to the darkside of my engineering."

"Ooh. There is a darkside to your craft. You have me intrigued." He tingled with anticipation. "And I agree. BUT," She knew there was a but somewhere, "My man is recovered ALIVE...or you get nothing but your name leaked to the Imperials...Katerina!" He purred menacingly.

Katerina felt dread crawl down her skin. There's a pit of sand at her feet, and she's sinking fast. "Suddenly, shopping with Zeb and Ezra sounds like a treat."

xxx

Compared to Capital City, Kothal was a speck in the middle of miles of open meadow. Meadow is a pretty kind term. What with all the tall blades of dried weeds lapping in the wind. A not so barren wasteland might be appropriate. Whatever you want to call the open field, Kothal is the sole place within 70 clicks breeding life. And, in spite of its drastically smaller acreage in comparison to Capital City, it was still large enough for a walk to make the day pass by. Not fast enough, though.

Ezra's head was going to explode if he and Zeb didn't finish their shopping soon. He doesn't know how much longer he can stand being alone with that guy. Zeb's been doing nothing but giving him heck since he arrived on The Ghost. Always shoving him, commenting on how short he is, making fun of his inability to properly channel the force. The guy is ruthless. And yet he wants to get mad when Ezra's throws his debt to him in his face. Ezra saved HIM from being killed by Kallus. He saved the Lasat race from going extinct. Zeb owes him so much, Ezra should make him a slave. Complete with crown. Although, you know, he'd never do that. That's cruel and unusual. But he definitely should be waited on hand and foot.

The familiar face of a local merchant in Kothal lifted Ezra's damper mood. Mr. Sumar, a farmer who lives not too far from Kothal, recognized Ezra from a mile away. Both were certainly surprised. Neither one has seen the other for years. They both looked great. Being offered a yogun, Ezra wondered if his old friend had any spare Meilooruns on hand. Sumar laughed at him. Turns out, Meilooruns don't grow on Lothal. Ezra put two and two together, and realized he and Zeb were played for idiots. Sumar suggested an off world importer. The rub being it would cost him a pretty penny. A penny Ezra doesn't have. He bid his old friend farewell, deciding to go find Zeb.

As Ezra left Sumar's stand, Imperials up ahead in the road rooted him in place. An officer leading a group of Stormtroopers marched to Sumar's stand. Ezra hid to watch what they were up to. The officer hassled Sumar about selling his farm. When Sumar told him no, the officer was all too compliant with his rejection and left. Ezra came out of hiding, leaving while the getting was good. He ended up bumping into Zeb in the process.

"I got everything on the list…" Zeb huffed tiredly. Two large boxes of supplies were under his arm. Should last them for a good long while. "Did you find the Meilooruns?"

"No! And I don't think we were meant to find any!" Ezra fumed. Hera played them like cheap instruments.

"Someone has to be selling those things!" Zeb seethed. He groaned irritated. "If I'd have known Meilooruns would be on the list, I would have gotten some while on Pantora!" He set the boxes down, leaning agitated to them.

"Pantora sells Meilooruns?"

"Some places have a whole grove of them." Zeb itched the back of his head. "Riina and I passed by a vendor with the ripest of fruits on sale!" He pursed his fingers, emphasising how exquisite those fruits were. The ripe aromas wafting off them.

Since they seemed to be taking a break, Ezra sat to one of the boxes, fluttering his legs. Zeb was sitting to the ground, arm propped to a bent knee. Ezra kissed the air in thought, sly glancing side to side. "So...you and Riina…" He hummed teasingly. Zeb twisted an irate look at him, "Did you guys have fun on Pantora?" An obvious redirection from what he was truly going to ask.

"Yeah. We did. It was a good visit." Zeb shrugged, not entirely sure how to answer.

"What'd-uh-what'd you guys do?" Ezra stammered. He doesn't want to be too obvious, but he wants to know every scintillating detail.

"Talked, walked, found an old spot I used to lounge in." The Lasat summing up the long trip in a few words was starting to get on Ezra's nerves. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just...you know…" Ezra laughed weakly. Zeb growled in the back of his throat, wanting him to get to the point already. He flinched at the Lasat's irritation. "You guys were gone for a pretty long time! Kanan was about to flip his gourde!" He exploded his hands outward.

"The guy flips his gourde when there aren't any Melf Cakes in the fridge."

"True. But YOU were ALONE with his baby sister." He bounced a taunting brow.

"What are you getting at?" Zeb hissed. He makes it sound like he was setting Katerina up to be sold as a pleasure toy.

"All I'm saying is Riina's a fun person to be around." Ezra listed off on his fingers, "Easy to talk to, always listens when we have problems, and she has a pretty smile." He flashed his own charming smile.

"That she does…" Zeb chuckled dreamily. He gazed to a puddle near his feet. The way the sun reflected off the water creating a glistening array of colors. "She lights up a room with that smile…" He hummed.

Got him! Ezra's mind cheered. "Seems to light you up too." Ezra nudged him with an elbow.

Zeb exploded cherry red, his voice cracking in a gasp. He choked on the air. His throat ran dry with his tongue tripping over itself. Ezra grinned sneakily. "WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU-"

"Come on, Zeb! I can see it on your face!" Ezra smacked him upside the head. "Don't tell me some tiny part of you doesn't like her!"

"NOT LIKE THAT, YOU MORON!" Zeb shoved him back. He hit the ground with a THUD! Zeb leaned over the crate to the groaning boy. "Riina is a nice person! It's hard not to like her AS-A-FRIEND!" He stressed the last part. Ezra rolled his eyes, glaring doubtfully. "Don't give me that look! I'm telling you, I only like Riina as a friend!"

"Are you trying to convince, yourself, or working on what you'll tell Kanan?"

"What's Kanan got to do with this?"

"Just...I don't see Kanan sharing his baby sister."

"Okay! You wanna play like that?" Zeb wrenched the boy up and close to his face. That grin of his was sending chills down Ezra's spine. "How about I share with Sabine all of the things you say about her in your sleep?"

"What!? I don't say-"

"Oh Sabine! Let me paint with you! Sabine, can I brush your hair! Sabine-" Zeb hoarsely mimicked Ezra, batting his eyes adorably. Ezra shoved his chest.

"OKAY, SHUT UP!" Ezra couldn't take anymore. Zeb wins this round, as long as he stops. "Let's just find someone with a Meiloorun and get out of here." Though both sincerely doubt there are any. "Riina's gotta be having an easier time than us."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's back on the ship, right now, laughing at us with Kanan and Hera." Zeb envied her.

xxx

Thick globs of sludge peeled off a dank ceiling, splattering to Vizago and Katerina's heads. "DISGUSTING!" Vizago howled. Katerina shivered, feeling it touch her scalp and slither down her neck.

Vizago bent forward, wildly wiping the suspicious ooze to the rotted ankle deep sewer water. He was terrified as to what hit him. It was foul smelling. Then again, if he thought about it too much and discovered what it was, he'll start considering what it is he's stepping in. Katerina was gagging as she smoothed her hands to drive the sludge off. Her ponytail was caked in it. She's going to need a six hour bath. No, she'll throw herself into a washing machine set to scalding hot for a few hours. The things she'll endure to settle a debt.

"Remind me again why you have dragged me to these filthy tunnels!" Vizago kicked off sludged wrapped to his boot.

"So sorry, your highness!" Katerina sarcastically bowed, still fiddling with her dirtied hair. "Would you like to walk topside where every Stormtrooper and their mom's are searching for you?"

Vizago grunted under his breath. The sewers are better than the alternative. "No need to be sarcastic. I just don't want to get lost on top of being defiled."

"That's why I have this." Katerina showed Vizago the palm sized GPS navigator. She directed his attention to the two blips registered to be below ground, and the blip above ground. "Chopper's monitoring our progress in case the GPS fails or the map doesn't match our route." "He'll also warn us if its safe to go top side or not."

"Clever." He approved. Ready for any situation this one was. So far. "Are you sure you're allied to Kanan and his Rebel crew? They don't come prepared like this. Or possess a strong business sense." He added, teasing her about their arrangement.

Vizago is one of many who aren't aware of Katerina and Kanan's relationship. A secret that would stay within The Ghost crew for extra measure. As for their business deal, Katerina's arm is being twisted to the brink of popping in order to seal Vizago's lips about her OTHER secret. She is to help him recover one of his guys that is being protected by the Empire in exchange for the capture of Vizago and information on his lucrative business. In return, Katerina earns half the pay Vizago owes for half the disruptors, and her identity as Anastasia won't be compromised. This is all contingent on him being captured alive. Anything less and the deal is off the table. The whole deal. Serves Anastasia Stark right for swindling Vizago. Hera warned her that her sharp tongue would get her in trouble.

"Shall we proceed?" Vizago swept a hand, allowing the lady to progress first.

Katerina rolled her eyes. Chivalry might as well be dead where Vizago is involved. "Chopper, how are things topside?" She groaned over the communicator. He'd better have good news or she's going to electrify the water with her staff. Extra crispy Devonian sounds oddly delicious.

xxx

Chopper leisurely rolled through the flow of traffic. He bumped into people now and then, warning them to watch where they are going. He knocked into a vendor dressed as a particular product and was threatened to be shut down. Chopper tased him, dropping him into a trough of pickled eggs, and went on his merry way. Stormtroopers ignored him, not finding roaming Astromechs odd in Capital City. They're a norm when Protocol Droids aren't available to run errands.

"^Crowded!^" Chopper griped. People were aggressively shoved to walls or on their butts. Squads of Stormtroopers jogged the streets. Their communicators were ablaze with chatter on finding the Devonian Vizago. "^Stormtroopers have the streets covered. They're literally searching every dumpster and hideaway for Vizago.^" Chopper edged back behind a corner, spotting Stormtroopers dragging a Rodian out of a bar. "^And they're arresting people for no reason! They took this Rodian out of a cafe called...^"

"La-Le-Lu-Li-Lo?" Vizago guessed.

"How'd you guess?!"

"That's a cafe I frequent when I am in the mood for a Coca-Cara-Chino." Vizago rolled the syllables to stress the quality he desires in his beverages.

"^Sounds like a pretty feminized drink.^" Chopper mocked.

"Think what you wish! But on cold winter nights, or just when I need a pick me up that doesn't cause hangovers..." Vizago swooned lecherously. Chopper was going to be sick.

"Thanks for the update Chopper!" Katerina spared him more of Vizago's idiocy and ended the call.

"^Thank goodness!^" Chopper moved onward.

xxx

Katerina's head was throbbing. She never thought she'd say it, but Vizago's more irritating than Chopper. "Somehow I pegged you as a the guy with debts at every brothel within five blocks." She grumbled.

"You think the absolute worst of me!" Vizago feigned being wounded.

"I'm about to knock you down another peg. You do know where we're going, right?"

"Of course! Why do you-oh!" She stopped at a fourway intersection, gesturing to the number of ways they can take. Two out of the three being wrong. "I see your point…" Vizago moaned. He curled a hand to his chin, humming nervously. Left, ahead, or right. One of these ways would lead to the safehouse holding his guy. He just...wasn't sure which one.

Rather than assume Vizago doesn't have a clue as to where he's taking her - which he obviously doesn't - she granted him a chance to redeem himself. "Remind me again. Where was your man seen?" She pressed fingers to her throbbing forehead.

"He was seen being escorted to a safe house somewhere here in the Bronx." He pointed to street above the sludge covered ceiling. By the rowdy voices he heard from passing by manhole covers, they arrived to the Bronx a while ago. Plus it helps there are signs labeling the districts on the sewer walls.

"The Bronx is huge! Think you can narrow it down?"

"As a matter of fact, I can." Vizago held a palm open. Katerina handed him the GPS. "When one is a snitch for the Empire, they are obligated to cater to the every whim on their charge." Vizago educated her, zooming out for a bird's eye view of the neighboring areas. "Therefore, they are going to take my boy to his favorite places, or bring him his favorites from wherever he wishes."

"I trust you know your man like the back of your missing horn." Hopefully better than he knows his directions.

"And better." Vizago showed her his results. There were at least three different places Vizago's inside man liked to frequent. A pub famous for beverages packing a peppery punch. He loves spicy. A sandwich shop that makes the best gyros. And then there's a fast food eatery with all of his burger, burrito, and carbonated drink desires. Vizago's aware they can't search them all. Thankfully, the traitor has a schedule he keeps to in order to experience all of his dining and alcoholic pleasures. Today was a visit to the pub. And they just so happen to serve food that the traitor loves to indulge in. "How old are you again?"

"23?"

"Perfect!" Vizago hoisted her over his shoulder.

Katerina kicked and screamed, demanding he put her down and explain what he's up to. "SO WISHING I HAD GONE SHOPPING!"

"You're about to get your wish." Vizago promised, scaling a ladder. She's really not liking the sound of that.

"Chopper, if I don't make it back, please make sure Kanan knows Vizago is behind this."

"^Why not tell him now! I'm patching him in!^"

"WAIT! You're what?!"

xxx

Kanan stretched his arms above his head, twisting his neck to the sides. Pleasant cracks released months of stored tension in his muscles. Slouching to the lounge couch was the cherry on top of that Sunday. Now all he needs is an actual Sundae, complete with melted chocolate and strawberry syrup and he's crossed over to heaven. He's got to admit, he was nervous about Katerina going alone to Capital City with only Chopper. He can't help but remember her as the little girl with no force powers but tons of attitude. She wasn't frail, helpless, or unable to defend herself or anything. He just...always wanted to keep her safe. That's what big brothers are supposed to do. From what he's witnessed, she become quite the capable person. He was starting to come to terms with her being able to take care of herself now. She's done alright so far. Maybe he is being a little too protective over baby sister. In the meantime, he kicked up his feet on the table, folded his arms behind his head, and drifted off to dreamland.

"Taking advantage of the kids being gone I see." Hera teased him, sliding beside him. Of course she was referring to Zeb and Ezra. Sabine was staying quiet in her room.

"Might as well while the opportunity is knocking." Kanan retorted, snuggling to his spot. "It's so much quieter without them here."

"Yeah. But I'm feeling a little guilty for sending them on a…" What is it called again when you're sending someone out to get something that doesn't exist in that area?

"On a wild meiloorun hunt!" Kanan's sides split. That was genius on her part. Devious, but genius.

"That, and asking Riina to cover for it by finding one for them." Hera added, unable to stifle her laughter. Then she thought of something that made her check the time. "Shouldn't she have been back by now? Unless she's visiting with Dominique, she should have been back over an hour ago."

"Then she most likely is visiting with Dominique." Kanan reassured her.

"Whoa! I'm surprised to hear such a grounded response!" Hera taunted, snuggling under his arm. "Normally you'd be flying into an irrational tirade and want to go find her. Guns blazing!"

"A bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?"

"Not even a little!"

"Look, Riina's…Riina's not a little kid anymore." Kanan folded his arms. It was a little saddening to say that out loud. "She can handle herself. And what's the worst that can happen?"

"Specter 7 to Ghost! Please come in before I lose my mind!"

"Speak of the devil." Kanan could almost time his watch by her. "How's it Riina? You and Dominique chatting about the old days?"

"I wish! An old acquaintance of yours is abducting!"

"Who?"

There was clattering on the other end. The communicator was being handed to someone. "Hello, Kanan! How's life on the Rebel Side?"

"VIZAGO?!" Hera and Kanan howled heatedly. "What the Hell are you doing with Katerina? No! KATERINA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM?!"

He must be furious if he's using her given name. "Long story short, Vizago's willing to pay me what he owes us for the disruptors if Chopper and I help him with a small matter."

"What kind of small-matter?" With Vizago it's never anything small. Those credits for that job are rightfully theirs, and The Ghost crew needs the money. Kanan and Hera are nervous about what hoops Vizago has Chopper and Katerina jumping through to get that money.

"No need to fear, Kanan! She will not be in any danger!" Vizago promised. A promise from sour lips. "We are just visiting a friend, and she will be back to you! Goodbye!"

"VIZAGO!" Too late. He hung up. Kanan growled venomously, crushing the communicator. "What the Hell is he up to now?"

"I don't know…" Hera moaned, finding she needs to lie down too. "But I'm sure Riina can handle whatever it is."

Kanan roared loudly, smashing a palm over his eyes. "Please tell me Zeb and Ezra haven't done anything so reckless in the last few hours."

"Specter 4 to Ghost...we stole a TIE Fighter!"

xxx

La-Le-Lu-Li-Lo wasn't one of Capital City's most prestigious, popular, or go to places for a drink. In every literal way of the phrase, it was a hole in the wall with a steady cash flow. The pub was apart of a complex, with a second floor. That portion belonging to the pub was falling apart at the seams. Not very appealing to the passersby. The dated interior matched the poor reputation the pub has around Capital City. Mostly derived from the clientele that regularly visit. Questionable, gruff, rough, scary, and degrading towards any new faces that enter. It's a miracle the place hasn't been shut down. Has to be because of the food. That's where most of the money is going in the first place. Who cares about a pub's look when the food can taste great? Would be a shame if people actually felt comfortable or safe walking in.

Heads snapped as two cloaked figures entered. Both wore hoods and masks that only exposed half of their face. The green skinned man's boots tromped on entry. His all black attire, and the muscles flexing from his exposed arms enticed those leering to either see what he's made of, or back as far away from him as possible. He cracked his knuckles in the fingerless gloves, balling fists that were ready to fly. The woman beside him sauntered after him. The heel of her knee high boots clopped loudly. The bare midriff of her black tube top attracted some eyes. The arms in the forearm braces raised a few brows.

The mysterious pair occupied a booth in the corner. Patrons returned their attention to their food and drink. Sideways glances out of the corners didn't go unnoticed. The woman sighed irked. "This is so stupid!" Katerina lowered her mask momentarily, needing fresh air. There was none. It was rife with cigar smoke and charred meats. And she's quite sure she can smell the Zabraks at the bar. She's never felt so out of place in her life.

"Now, now, Katerina. No need to be so glum." Vizago teased her. "We won't have to wait here too long. Amadeus always likes to eat around noon." In another half hour. If Amadeus is being guarded, then he should either arrive with an escort, or those in charge of guarding him will pick up the food.

"I don't mean the wait!" Though that is partially the reason she is in a sour mood. She fanned the cloak, "I'm talking about the cloak and dagger disguises. Why are these necessary again?"

"Because you would stick out like a sore thumb, and Stormtroopers and Amadeus know my face." Vizago thoroughly clarified while lifting her mask back up. She's going to hate him after this. A miracle she doesn't now. "Now relax. Amadeus is a creature of habit. He or someone else should be coming soon." Soon can't get there any quicker.

Katerina used to rough scenes. The garage on Chandrila is loaded with testosterone. On days off when they go out to eat, the pent up aggression from a hard work day just comes in a flash flood. Well, on the bright side of it, Katerina hasn't had a chance to visit too many places on Lothal. The exception of Dominique's Shop and most merchant stands. Maybe this stakeout could be educational. It's definitely going to have a decent payout when its done. Take what you can with a grain of salt. That was Ken's motto. She just wished that grain of salt could pass the time.

"So, Katerina, I am genuinely curious." Vizago slid closer to her. He walked two fingers up her shoulder, relishing in her shivering. "Do you have a significant other wrapped around your well toned arm?" He traced circles to the shoulder.

"I don't…" She twisted his finger. Vizago whimpered in agony of the crack, "And there isn't a spot open for you!"

"I meant nothing!" He squeaked. He'd like his finger back. Katerina scrunched her nose, releasing him. Vizago whipped his hand, kissing the swollen finger. Note to self: touch with caution. "I just find it odd someone so lovely isn't scoured for by others. Unless…" An epiphany lit over his head. Katerina was unnerved by the twinkle in his eye, "Unless your eye is already on someone."

"Why are we talking about this again?" Katerina cringed.

"Who is it? Kanan?" Katerina wasn't dignifying that with so much as a reaction. How your head would spin. "No. Didn't think so. Kanan is far too serious for you." At least he was on the mark. "Let's see...that new boy is too young. Unless you're into children." Her brow knit sharply. "Nope. You aren't into women, so the Twi'lek and Mandalorian are out. Which only leaves...the Lasat?" He let Zeb's species roll off his tongue like a delicacy. He saw it. Katerina scoffed derisively, turning away from him. "It is, isn't it? You like the Lasat!"

"Of course I like Zeb! We're friends!" How much of an idiot is he?

"No, no, no, Dear! I do not mean platonically!" He had hoped she was smart enough to realize that. Her cheeks tinted pink at how close he was, "I mean Dear Old Zeb gets you hot and bothered."

"HUH?!" Katerina turned cherry red. Steam whistled from her red ears. Vizago hit the nail on the head. "What the Hell are you talking about? I don't like Zeb like that!" She shrieked. Her heart was pounding.

"Yes you do. It's written all over your face." He teased her with a wiggling finger. No I'm not! Katerina cupped her hot face. She was feeling dizzy. "No need to be embarrassed. We are all victims of our heart's desires."

"Keep it up and my fist will write all over your face!"

"Is Zeb into your violent side too?" As she promised, Katerina drove a strong right hook to his left eye. The cushion backrest felt like a brick wall. He was seeing stars.

"Idiot…" She pouted. The pub door opening was a welcomed distraction. "Vizago! Wake up! Look!" She shook him out of his daze. Vizago's spinning eyes steadied. He looked where Katerina was turning him. He growled heatedly.

Two Stormtroopers entered the pub. Customers sat on pins and needles. Glares sharpened finer than daggers tore through the suits, shredding the human being inside the polished armor to ribbons. Teeth bore in hateful growls, hungering to tear their flesh clean from their bones. Hands clamped to sidearms, clubs, and smaller bombs. The Stormtroopers paid the threats no mind. Telling those wanting to pounce that they have reinforcements waiting to raid the pub the second an alarm was raised. Always so confident in numbers, yet absolutely useless in a real fight.

The pair of Troopers went to the barkeep. Patrons at the bar scattered like cockroaches under a light. "We're here to pick up an order!" One of them demanded. He showed the barkeep an order form. The barkeeper scoffed, laughing in familiarity of the order. He went to the kitchen in the back to get it ready.

Vizago elbowed Katerina, moving for the stools three seats away from the Stormtroopers. Katerina sat on the other side of him, the Troopers in plain view. "Do not stare!" Vizago faced the bar, grabbing an abandoned drink. "Remember, you must be causal in a place like this." He lowered the mask to drink. He invited Katerina to drink what was in front of her. She was desperate for credits. She's not stupid. She doesn't trust drinks she didn't order herself.

"Can't believe this!" One of the Troopers behind Vizago snarled. "Having to go for running for that piece of trash! Who orders a sandwich with both soy sauce AND buffalo sauce?" Vizago snorted under his breath. That's confirmation right there. Amadeus, that's who. Katerina raised a brow. He nodded to her.

"Save it!" The other Trooper dismissed his friend's whining. "The sooner we feed him, the sooner we find the storage units containing the contraband of that Vizago bastard!" Vizago almost burst into laughter. The sweetest things people say when backs are turned. He almost revealed himself in order to lavish in their reactions. He restrained himself. "Besides, let him enjoy whatever he likes. Stuff his face until he explodes. Let it be his last supper!" The two Troopers laughed maniacally. Vizago and Katerina exchanged uneasy stares. Once they get what they want from Amadeus, he becomes expendable.

"Here you go!" The barkeep threw a bag to the counter. "One Twisted Gyro with a bottle of the finest spirits." He set a green bottle inside a paper bag. "Enjoy, boys!" The barkeep sarcastically wished. The Stormtroopers snatched the goods. They were about to leave.

Katerina spun off her chair, grasping a full bottle at someone's table. The guys at the table were infuriated. Katerina took three quick gulps, pat some to her body, and starting walking dizzily. "HAPPY NEW YEAR! MERRY HOLIDAYS! LONG LIVE CHOCOLATE MILK!" She cackled hysterically. Viazgo tore at his head, mouthing what the heck are you doing! She was nuts. The Stormtrooper turned to see who was causing that much noise. "WHOOPS!" The bottle spilled entirely on one of the Troopers.

"GOD DAMMIT!"

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!" The Troopers shoved her into someone else's arms.

"I AM-HIC-SO SORRY!" Katerina put hands to her heart. The whole bar was holding their sides laughing so hard. Drinks were shooting out of their noses. "SO-SO-SO-SORRY!"

"I SHOULD ARREST YOU FOR THIS!" The sullied Trooper howled.

"Forget it! Clean back at base!" His partner wrenched him by the arm. The Trooper spat at the falsely inebriated girl. She gave him a dumb smile. Unable to stand to humiliation any further, the Troopers stormed out of the pub. The tension died on the wind, returning the atmosphere to normal. Katerina snapped out of her act, fixing herself to be respectable. "Glad they're gone…" She went to the table she stole the bottle from. Applause echoed for her valiant strike against those pigs. She gave the two Korun men 20 credits. "This should cover the bottle, and have a round on me!"

"An angel in devil's clothes!" The drunken men cheered. Katerina giggled, feigning her angelic persona.

"HURRY UP!" Vizago latched to her wrist, dragging her out the door. He pushed her into the next archway, shushing her. He leaned around, spying the Troopers barely ten yards away. The one was roaring rabidly. The spilt drink was staining his armor. It was going to take forever to clean. "Nice work."

"Thanks. Now comes the hard part." Following them to Amadeus's location. "I hope Chopper's working on our getaway ride."

"Is that where he is?" Vizago's noticed the astromech hasn't been around.

xxx

Chopper sorted through ten varieties of vehicles. Speeders, two seaters, buses, those weird ones with the side car. He's having a hard time finding one at the drop of a hat. "^The crap that girl puts me through!^" He's going to run her over with the getaway car, back up over her, then serve her as pancakes to Kanan and the others. Maybe he's being too sensitive. Nah! He's gonna run her over.

xxx

The Stormtroopers were extremely cautious. Both took turns glancing behind for a tail. They'd divert to longer routes, or backtrack the way they came in order to spot leering eyes. At one point they split off into different directions, then met up at an intersection. Once they were certain no one was there, they returned to their normal route to the safehouse. Little did they come to realize, Vizago and Katerina were on their trail from the rooftops. For some reason, Stormtroopers don't find it necessary to look up during their patrols. Makes it all the more fun to pounce on them.

After five minutes, the Troopers stopped in front of an apartment complex. They checked in with the guards at the door, then entered inside. Katerina and Vizago were crouched at a dumpster, finding their luck turning sour.

"Great! Guards at the doors." Vizago fumed. Even if they managed to convince them they lived there, there's no way the Troopers would let them in. Not without checking their identification. Which both of them either didn't have, are currently under aliases, or are being hunted. Nevertheless, Amadeus is within his grasp. He can't let this opportunity pass. He'll never get another one. "How are we supposed to get to him? We don't even know what floor he's on."

"Yes we do." Katerina crooned, waving her GPS navigator. She synced the navigator with a frequency transmitting from the building. Bars scrolled the screen, searching for the wavelength, and homing on the precise location. The sync was successful. A marker was floating in a straight line. Likely the elevator. It stopped on the fifth floor. Vizago was at a loss for words. "I dropped my communicator on that Trooper back at the bar. I've been tracking them ever since."

The act she put on. She spilled the bottle, while weaseling her communicator into his suit. "And you continue to impress. Now how does that get us inside?"

"Remember that dark side to engineering I've told you about?" Katerina grinned maliciously to the two Cleaner Droids skulking close by. Insects legged, mushroom headed droids scanning for filth with their tiny arms. Pike arms shot from their back to stab trash, while pincers sprouted with rags and cleaner for the smelly messes. "Consider this a gray area, but you'll be able to witness an old prank I used to pull. One of my favorites, actually."

xxx

"Guard Duty…" The Trooper on the right whined. He placed a hand at his stiff shoulder, stretched his neck side to side. "What'd we do to get this crappy shift?"

"You were late checking in, and I got lumped as your partner!" The trooper on the left snarled.

"Well excuse me for getting stuck in traffic!"

"You're an officer of the empire! Blare the sirens and go!"

"Last time I did that, I got a citation!"

"Excuses, excuses!" The fed up Trooper shooed off that lame excuse. Citations are just warnings with complaints on them. Two Cleaner Droids emerged from the nearby alley, stabbing at every scrap of trash heatedly. "Look! There's the future of your job! HA! Or that just might be your new job!"

"Good! The first piece of trash I pick up will be you!" The antenna on the two droids crisscrossed, scouring for signs of filth. They weaved to the two Troopers, lighting up bright red. "Hey! What are you looking at!"

The droids blared with their own sirens. The Troopers clamped hands to their ears. "FILTH! FILTH! FILTH!" The droids repeated. Half a dozen pincers and pikes sprouted from their backs. They charged and tackled to the Troopers. "FILTH! FILTH! FILTH!" Cleaner doused their armor. From the creases to where the neck was exposed at the helmet. Rags were slammed, scrubbing hard in the more tender areas. The pikes jabbed to pry the armor off and throw it away.

"OW! HEY!"

"GET OFF ME!"

The Troopers lost their blasters in the attack. They wrestled with the droids, rolling to throw them off. "FILTH! FILTH! FILTH!" The droids screeched, swatting at their victims. The Troopers kicked them off, scrambling to their feet. They dove for their blasters. Incinerator beams fired from the antenna, reducing their blasters to a pile of ash. The Troopers whimpered hysterically. The droids crept closer in a spasmed manner. "FILTH! FILTH! FILTH!"

"RUN, FORREST, RUN!" One Trooper ran for his life.

"MY NAME'S FORGUST!" He screamed, running after his partner.

"WHO CARES! JUST RUN!"

The Cleaner Droids chased them down. Shouting, "FILTH! FILTH! FILTH!"

Katerina and Vizago casually walked up to the front door. Her sides were splitting watching them run. She hasn't pulled this sort of prank in a few years. "What did you do?" Vizago asked nervously. That's something he doesn't see everyday.

"To avoid using multisyllabic words," Multisyllabic is also her way of noting the explanation would be long and winded, "I tweaked the droids' cleaning protocols into overdrive, sending them into a cleaning frenzy." The screams in the distance prove how seriously the droids are taking their new job. "The smallest speck of dirt on anywhere or anyone, and they'll attack it in a rage."

"Those Troopers will have the shiniest armor of the lot by the time those droids are through." He cackled.

"Let's go…" Katerina and Vizago ducked inside.

xxx

The elevator was too risky. Troopers can either be waiting at the lift, or will hear the ding and come running. Vizago and Katerina performed a marathon up five flights of stairs. Their legs felt like lead. They had to stop on the final stretch because their lungs were burning so fiercely. So much work for one guy. If he isn't killed by the Troopers immediately, Vizago's going to throw him out the window. The stair doors opened with a whoosh of air. Katerina and Vizago walked on their tiptoes, sliding their backs along the wall. The marker for the tagged Trooper stopped moving. His partner might very well be lurking. They peered around the first corner. Lo and Behold, the two bozos from the bar. The one still hasn't cleaned his armor. Amadeus was just past them and that door. Vizago can practically feel his neck in his hands.

"I don't see a cleaning crew for these guys." Vizago rumbled.

"Nope. But I do see sprinklers." Sprinklers trailed the ceiling. She hummed pensively, scanning the hallway for a box. "And, if I'm right...each floor should have...AH-HA!" Katerina spotted a control box at the end of the hallway by the elevator. Opening it up, she was in luck to find the manual sprinkler controls. "Old buildings like this have a different system protocol for fending fires. Each floor has its own sprinkler control system." A measure so if a fire breaks out on one floor, all the floor won't be soaked. This one hasn't been approved in quite some years. It might not even work.

"So what are you planning to do? Give these ones a shower?" Lord knows the stained Trooper could use one.

"Nah. I was thinking a little electrotherapy." Now Vizago was confused.

xxx

"GRAH! IT'S TOUCHING MY SKIN!" The Trooper kept wiping at it, only making himself even more sticky. His partner was starting to find his predicament funny. The bright red stain tarnished his uniform. The rubber joints were starting to stick together. And his skin wouldn't stop peeling off the inside of the armor. "When is this shift gonna be over? I need a shower!"

"No kidding…"

Dry heaves coughed from above. The Troopers looked up. Something was up with the sprinklers. Bubbles hissed and gargled. They shrugged to one another and went to ignore it. Water rained from the sprinklers, soaking the Troopers through their armor and to the bone. "What the Hell…"

"There's your shower!" The partner busted up laughing.

"THIS ISN'T WHAT I MEANT!" Loud thumping was coming from the next corner. Katerina darted into the corridor, jumping onto a dry end table with her lance drawn. "HEY YOU!" The Troopers aimed their guns. She flourished her staff off to her side. Sparks of electricity shaped in a ring, surging at the baubles to their lancehead forms. The Troopers trembled at the electrified lanceheads. They glanced at their wet feet and armor. Katerina raised an end up. Her hard aquamarine eyes locks to those abysmal helmets. "WAIT!" She slammed the lance down. The water conducted a multitude of flashy pops. Flurries of electrical streams webbed across the floor, snaking up the Troopers' armor and shocking the flesh and bones within. Cries of anguish broke Katerina's heart. After a few seconds she stopped, watching in dismay as they collapsed. Breathless groans escaped their mouths. Katerina was relieved they were alive.

"That was pretty morbid." Vizago approved. He glared forebodingly at the door. "I don't suppose Amadeus got a dose of water."

"No. I restricted the flow to out here." Amadeus should be none the wiser.

"Then that will make this all the more easy for me." Vizago cracked his knuckles. He knocked at the door. "House keeping!" He put on his best female voice. Katerina couldn't bear to watch this. She dragged the unconscious guards off to the side.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming!" A Zabrak accented man answered. Vizago's skin tingled. He quickly loaded his pistol, spinning the chambers and clicking them back into place. "Look..." The door unlocked. A portly, Zabrak male with unkempt hair gruffly answered, "Why don't you come back-" The barrel at his head hitched his words in his drying throat. His eyes widened in horror.

"Hello, Amadeus! The lap of luxury nice and cushy for you!" Vizago growled venomously. Murderous eyes bore holes in the doomed Zabrak.

"Vizago! What-what-what brings you here?!" Amadeus laughed nervously. He tried to back away. Vizago followed him inside his trashed room.

"Imperials have been chasing me since yesterday, and have been raiding my old storehouses!" He stated suggestively, confirming to Amadeus he knows he's been flapping his gums for special treatment.

"About that! You see...I...it wasn't me!" Amadeus panted, flapping that tongue of his to dig him out of his deepening grave. "There were these guys with guns and they threatened me-"

"With your favorite sandwich and drink?!" Vizago kicked over the small table. The sandwich splattered, and the bottle shattered. Amadeus yelped, falling to the couch. "Luckily for me, you weren't made aware of my moving my businesses elsewhere. You've been sending Imperials on a wild goose chase." Amadeus was breaking into a sweat. He cursed himself for losing face. Vizago put the pistol back at his forehead. "Your debt is long overdue, Amadeus." Vizago drew the hammer back. "Time to pay up."

"VIZAGO! WAIT!"

xxx

Katerina inhaled heavily, psyching herself up to get to work. The two Troopers were lying unconscious at her feet. She opened a storage closet. They should be fine in there for now. She moved the first one. Man was he heavy, though. That armor adds another 50 pounds to their muscle mass. It was like pushing three bags of bricks inside a cramped spot. She went for the next one. Her muscles reduced to noodles by the time she got his head inside. Katerina remembered to retrieve her communicator, then fully stuffed the second guy inside. She punched the door button, slamming the door closed. Hopefully they won't wake up until she and Vizago leave. Which they should be doing right about now. Patrols could radio to check in any minute.

She ran to Amadeus's room. She pounded at the door. "Vizago! We have to-" Shrill blaster fire turned her blood to ice. Katerina darted inside. She froze in pure horror. Vizago lowered a pistol. The laserbolt in Amadeus forehead smoked. Despair forever etched to his dead face. "What...what have you…" Katerina's knees quaked. Her vision was blurring. Her head feeling lighter than air. Dead...he's dead...he killed him…! Katerina...attributed to another's death. This is her fault. This is my fault! I'm so-

"COME ON!" Vizago tossed her over his shoulder. He jumped out the window, grabbing hold of a clothes line stretching between the adjacent buildings.

The line broke, swinging Vizago and Katerina safely to the street. He twisted back. He grinned sinisterly and pushed a trigger. Katerina shot her glossy eyes to the room. There was a thunderous BOOM! Amadeus's room was consumed in a monstrous explosion. Surrounding buildings and the ground trembled. The shards of glass lying across the air glistened in the Hellish orange and red. Katerina was about to scream. Vizago ran several blocks from the scene. Crowds gathered in waves.

Vizago let Katerina down near a local market. He was feeling pretty proud of himself for that daring feet. All was square now. "Now that we've settled that little problem-" Vizago was thrown off his feet by a devastating punch. Trash bags cushioned his fall. He gaped in shock at the punch. Katerina was fuming. Her eyes wide in a crazy fury.

"WHAT-THE HELL-WAS THAT?!" She screeched.

"Business!" Vizago spat up blood, and a tooth. She knocked out my tooth! He massaged his throbbing cheek. "Amadeus owed me for his very life! He betrayed me and my business, I collected on that long term debt!"

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

"And so his debt is paid! As is yours!" Vizago grasped her wrist, pulling her palm out. He sent a pouch of credits in her hand, stifling her frothing mouth for the moment. "The credits for the half of the disruptors, and the truth of your name kept secret."

"This is blood money!" Her voice quaked. Tears welled at her eyes. Vizago asked for Amadeus alive. He never said a word about killing him. OR BLOWING UP AN APARTMENT. "You never said you'd kill him!"

Vizago held his stomach laughing. "Dearest Anastasia. Let me reveal a little a golden rule about business ventures." He leaned in to her ear, whispering in a ghoulish tone, "You've got to ask the right questions." Her eyes spanned, consumed by icy terror. I never asked. She never once considered why someone as ruthless as Vizago would want a traitor alive. In his line of work...dead men tell no tales. Seeing that she understands, Vizago pat her shoulder, taking his leave of her. "It has been a pleasure, Katerina. We simply must do this again."

Katerina fell to her knees. Vizago mocking laughter echoed in her ears. What have I done?

"^THERE YOU ARE!^" Chopper howled. He drove a four body vehicle into the market. Katerina barely acknowledge him, lost in the repetitive nightmare. "^I saw the explosion! What the Hell happened?!^" He twisted his head around. "^Where's Amadeus? And Vizago?^"

Vizago...Amadeus...Katerina wants to just forget they exist. The smoke scaling the sky in the distance made her stomach churn. "They're gone." Her voice cracked. She climbed into the vehicle, slouching into the seat. She showed him the credits promised. Chopper was glad to see them, but worried why Katerina looked so pale. "Let's get the speeder and go home. I've had enough excitement for one day."

xxx

The day was drawing to a close. Hera and Kanan met with Zeb and Ezra as they returned with the supplies, and one meiloorun fruit. The pair were in better spirits than when they left. However, there is an important matter Kanan wanted to discuss. Katerina and Chopper drove up on the speeder before he could so much as utter a word. Zeb choked on his own breath, turning several shades of pink. Huge eyes ogled her ensemble as she dismounted the speeder. The four were wide mouthed, humming in unison of what to say.

"Ask about the outfit and I turn you all into rotator plugs!" Katerina warned. She far from in the mood. The mouths closed in an instant.

Ezra elbowed Zeb in the stomach, motioning a wrist for him to wipe the drool off his mouth. Zeb growled at him, pouting as he wiped up drool that wasn't there. "How did your day go?" Ezra initiated. It wasn't about the outfit, so he should be safe.

"Oh, you know..." She threw the credits to Kanan... "Just got paid half the money for the disruptors by Vizago, who dragged me all over the Capital, dressed me up in this costume, to find a rat in his crew and make business safe for him again." The four shared shocked glances. She made it sound like it was no huge deal. Chopper was shrugging it off. He went inside the ship for a much needed power down. "Chopper and I had fun. What about you guys?"

"Ohh...the usual…" Zeb shrugged his folding arms.

"Went into town…" Ezra continued.

"Found some meilooruns."

"Lost them, then found them again, and had some blow up." Katerina arched a brow.

"Fought off Imperials trying to burn a farm to ashes."

"Managed to save one meiloorun." Ezra proudly pointed to the one Hera held up.

"Oh and we stole AND CRASHED a TIE fighter." Zeb stressed for Kanan, knowing that was a major concern.

"Keeping it out of Imperial hands!" Ezra puffed out his chest. Bringing a conclusion to their rather productive day.

"Wow. And here I was worried you two would have killed each other." Katerina was sorry she doubted them.

"Come on! You thought we couldn't handle one day of shopping." Zeb scoffed.

"No, I knew you guys could handle shopping." Katerina walked up with her hands behind her back, nudging her shoulder into him. "I just doubted you could shop together." Zeb groaned under his breath. Ezra found her lack of faith most disturbing. She giggled at their adorable faces. "Well, I'm glad we all had a good day. I'm going to just collapse on the couch, then I'll change out of this!" She marched sluggishly into The Ghost. Kanan walked after her, worried she might collapse.

Katerina thought the lounge would never get there. She fell like a cut tree, bouncing to the sweet plush bliss. She could fall asleep for ten years right then and there. Kanan stood behind her. Hands on his hips, he wasn't too sure fatigue was all that was weighing her down. Something seem off about her.

"You gonna stand there all day, or sit?" Katerina invited, patting her foot to the empty space.

Kanan snorted, joining her. Katerina found some strength and sat up with him. Kanan was taken aback. Her usual perky cheeks were sagging. And there are rings under her eyes. He sure she looks like she's lost color. "You look green. What happened?" Katerina stiffened. Amadeus's dead face, the explosion, and Vizago's making a fool of her turned her white as a sheet. She folded her knees to her chest, moaning with her chin on her knees. "Riina?" Katerina curled up against him, closing her eyes in the security of Kanan's arms. "Riina. What did Vizago make you do?" He growled. The outfit aside, if he did something to her, there will be Hell to pay.

"Nothing…" She hoarsely replied. Kanan wasn't sure if she was lying, or just doesn't consider it that way. She snickered derisively at herself. "Though I guess...that's what makes it worse." She grasped at his shirt.

"You're shaking." Kanan felt her trembling like a leaf.

"Am I?" She couldn't tell. She felt numb right now. Though there is an uncomfortable tingling in her legs.

"Are you sure nothing happened?" Kanan pressed.

"Caleb…" She sighed, wrapping an arm to his torso. She should tell him, but then he'd panic and never let her out of his sight. And, to be frank, she really doesn't want to talk about it right now. It's all too much for her fragile mind. "This is one of this situations where I need to sleep it off knowing it will all be better tomorrow."

"R-Right." Kanan acquiesced.

"Thank you." She moaned, falling limp against him.

Kanan rested a hand around her back, letting her lie there safe and secure. At least, that what it seemed like she wanted. Kanan always felt better when Katerina was close by. And she felt safer with him than anyone else. I don't know what it is...but I get the feeling she's not telling me something. Kanan huffed defeatedly, smiling to himself. No matter. Like she said, He rested his head to hers, both drifting off to a blissful slumber, It'll all blow over by tomorrow.

CRASH! The Ghost quaked. Kanan and Katerina jolted awake.

"IT'S HIS FAULT!" Zeb and Ezra were heard roaring.

Kanan and Katerina looked at each other, and then laughed dismally. At least some things will blow over by tomorrow.

To be continued.