Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 24

Jyn swore as she hit her head on the edge of the pit but quickly crawled out and sealed the crawlspace, running up to the bridge to join the rest of the crew. They had just entered the Five Points System…. right on top of an Imperial patrol. She'd been caught before, had a nice long record of crimes against the Empire and was using an alias she'd used before. If they were boarded it was over for her. thankfully no smuggler would go quietly when it came to being boarded and the ship was thrown into evasive manoeuvres even as a new course was being calculated by the navcomputer.

"They've got us! Tractor beam," the co-pilot groaned and Jyn slipped away to her bunk, going through her things to make sure there was nothing too incriminating within. Soon the troopers were aboard, and the crew was lined up, their identities being checked before they were carted off to the detention level to await sentencing.

"Liana Hallik, wanted for forgery of Imperial documents, resisting arrest and possession of unsanctioned weapons. Take her away."

No matter how much she wanted to, she didn't resist, there was no point yet, no avenue of escape. But it would come.

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Leia stood at the window, looking out at the impressive view of Coruscant's skyline. Luke had spared no expense when it came to her rooms while also keeping them to her liking. She hated the fact that a threat to her life had necessitated the move and that Luke was not here. The tower was lonely with only the staff and her guards for company. The investigation had stalled but Jesse had admitted they thought someone close to the Emperor had hired the assassin, someone with an eligible daughter whom they wanted to see as Empress one day. Unfortunately, one could not accuse the Emperor's Court without strong evidence, evidence they lacked. So, she remained safe behind the walls of the tower when not in the Senate.

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Luke sighed and leant back in his chair, looking out at the nearest ship, the Accuser. He was surprised he had yet to be recalled to Imperial Centre over his failure to capture Mon Mothma, he feared for Leia as she would be a candidate for the person to have warned her mentor, despite the fact she hadn't known about the warrant. Then there was the attempt on her life that Jesse had sent a report on. He was happy she was safe in the tower although he knew she had to be frustrated over the investigation stalling and lonely. He would love to join her, or even move her on board but the Emperor had Vengeance patrolling the outer rim, looking for rebels or sympathisers while taking care of a group of smugglers that were annoying several Moff's.

He kept up his training as much as he could without someone to watch over him and teach him, but it wasn't easy. Was that why Sidious kept his Father away? But if the man planned for Luke to take his Father's place one day or fight him to the death then why lessen his chances to train? It had to be to keep them from growing too close, to try and ensure they would not join forces to overthrow him…too late. He knew why Sidious had made his Father punish him many times over the years and he always blamed the one truly responsible. One day the Emperor would fall.

He forced himself back to the paperwork, looking for a new pilot for Blade Squadron. Bigg's wingmate had died in the latest engagement, taken out by debris from a destroyed B-wing. This was why he was working to bring in shields for the Tie fighters, many in the navy supported the move but it wasn't getting through due to the expense, it would take credits from the corrupt Moff's and politicians and they didn't like that. He looked over the records form the other ships in his Squadron and came across one Lieutenant Tycho Celchu, a classmate of Bigg's from the Academy and an ace pilot. He forwarded his recommendation to Han and left his desk to join his men in the mess for dinner.

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Jyn stepped into the cell, her new home for the next twenty years, not that she expected to live that long. She knew the expected lifespan of those sentenced to labour on Wobani, it was five years at the most. She had no friends to rescue her and no way to bribe the guards, she hadn't managed to smuggle any sort of weapon in either, all she had was her kyber crystal necklace and that was only because they had mistaken it for glass. At least they only thought she was Liana Hallik and not Jyn Erso or things would be a lot worse. Then she glanced at her cellmate and hid a grimace, could they get any worse?

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Draven accepted the report from his best operative, Cassian Andor. He was glad he hadn't wasted him on the assassination attempt on Skywalker, the newly promoted Captain had proven far too valuable to the cause. He had recruited the young man himself into the Alliance and then the Intelligence branch under his command. It hadn't been easy to recruit him, Andor had fought for the Confederacy as a child during the Clone Wars so why would he want to restore the Republic? Turned out he hated the Empire more for their atrocities. Operation fracture was finally gaining support and information. Galen Erso was a traitor to what the Republic and Alliance stood for and was working under Krennic on the project, what it was he still wasn't sure, but it was big. Rumour was, Erso had a daughter who had once been one of Gerrera's for several years before vanishing. The name Jyn Erso had popped up once or twice in Imperial warrants, perhaps it was time to look into her and see if she could be used to get to her Father for intelligence.

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Vader entered the tower, cloak billowing behind him as he walked towards his quarters only to find Princess Leia at a junction. She froze for a second before curtsying deeply and he inclined his head.

"Welcome home Lord Vader."

"Thank you, Princess, I trust your accommodations are to your liking?" She was so much like his Padme and a good much for Luke.

"Very much so, I wish the extra security had not been necessary though."

"Indeed. It was a cowardly act. I am glad they were unsuccessful."

"Agreed. Do you have any idea when Prince Luke might return?"

He smiled beneath his mask at the question, it seemed the infatuation ran both ways. Good. He did not want to see his son's heart broken. "I believe it will be soon, but I do not know what the Emperor has his squadron doing."

"Thank you," she curtsied again and then continued on her way to the waiting Speeder, mentally going over todays schedule for the Senate. It was nothing exciting, it never was. The Senate was just for show, all the power lay with the Emperor and the Moff's.

TBC…