A/N: Aaaaaaand another chapter! Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. I only own my OCs Cas Andé, Tani Kenobi, Niobé Skywalker and Sehr, as well as the plot surrounding them.

7. A mole in the system

Vice-Admiral Amalyn Holdo was a tall, purple-haired woman with gentle features but a steely personality that would have suited Tani quite well.

She welcomed Cas on deck with a smile that seemed genuine, but with a cautious gaze that told her everything she needed to know about the woman's views on her presence among the highest-ranking members left in the Resistance.

Cas had been surprised when Poe had told her that she could join the Admiralty on deck whenever she felt like it, and knowing the growing peril they were in, she hadn't wasted any more moments in her 'death-bed', had made sure her Padawan plait was still on display, and had strode in the com-room with her chin held high.

She had introduced herself to the new leader, and then had moved to study each and every screen in the room, trying to analyse and understand what she was seeing. So far, little made sense. She could see the fuel levels, being checked almost every minute; the head count of every person on board; and something that resembled the map of the Raddus, with some sections of it being steadily shut down.

So Holdo was actually saving fuel by shutting down portions of the ship that were useless to them at present. That wasn't half-bad, as far as Cas' brain could compute.

"Padawan Andé?" came the call about half-an-hour after she had arrived on deck.

She turned around to see Holdo and her faithful D'Acy looking at her expectantly. She stood straight and held her ground. "Vice-Admiral?"

Holdo smiled again, something that looked almost like pride, although Cas didn't know what she could be proud of. "Have you had any contact with Master Kenobi recently?"

There was a silence. Cas didn't know how the tall woman could possibly know about a Jedi's inherent power to converse through great distances, but she thought that they were on the same side, and there was no twitch in the Force indicating that Holdo could possibly be a traitor.

So she smiled back. "This morning before I woke up. Although we did not discuss strategy. We merely talked about General Organa's health and recovery. And mine."

"But you would be able to contact her again, should the need arise?"

Cas tilted her head to the side. "Would there be any need, Vice-Admiral?"

Holdo smiled wider and got closer, and while Cas stood her ground still, she couldn't help the unease that washed over her at such proximity. She had to crane her head to stare Holdo in the eye.

"I remember the Jedi's help during the fall of the Empire. I was there when Yavin IV was saved, and I was there when the second Death-Star was destroyed. I couldn't possibly deny that those victories were mainly down to Masters Skywalker and Kenobi. I therefore know that you are out best asset on board, and I'd consider it an honour if you put your powers to use to help us."

Cas stared at her for a moment still, trying to find any fault in what she had just heard. Anything that would bleed sarcasm or sufficiency. But instead, she just found a deep respect for her and the Order she now served, and a genuine need for her abilities.

So she couldn't help but reply "I'll help if I can."

Holdo smiled another bright smile, and turned back to D'Acy to continue their plotting.

The next hours were excruciatingly slow. Cas would stare at the fuel levels every once in a while, becoming increasingly uneasy as the deadline and their death-sentence got closer and closer still.

She was even more scared that when Vice-Admiral Holdo asked for her help, she'd be unable to deliver. The last time she had used the Force, she almost entirely depleted her life-force. She couldn't do it again, and she was slightly more scared to use any Force she might have anymore.

So she decided to settle in a chair and to try and make it spin. As simple as that.

The look of concentration on her face would have startled anyone, but the Resistance officers either were too busy to notice, or chose not to question her. At first, it was painful to force the chair to spin, so much so that she let out a groan of pain once or twice, but after a while, it started becoming easier. Cas could almost feel the atoms holding the chair together, and soon, she felt as if she could take it entirely apart if she so wished.

"Padawan Andé?" Cas raised her gaze and saw Major D'Acy staring down at her. "I apologize, but we need assistance."

Cas nodded and followed the older woman towards where her purple-haired superior was standing, chin in hand as she stared at a screen.

"You need my help, Vice-Admiral?"

Blue eyes settled on her. "Yes, Padawan Andé, if you may. Look here," she gestured at the screen. It showed a collection of escape-pods, several of which were being fuelled up. "I am wondering whether it is wise to fuel up all of our pods, or if only a few should be."

"You intend to abandon ship." It wasn't a question, for the answer was plain enough. But Cas was still surprised at this turn of event.

"There is a bigger chance of us getting out of here alive when the First Order has no idea we are evacuating. They'll keep firing at the Raddus without looking for smaller ships." There was logic in this plan, Cas had to admit. "So, what do you think?"

She didn't have to think for long. "I think that as long as there is still enough fuel in the Raddus to keep the pretence of her continuing her doomed flight, then we should use as many pods as we can."

Holdo nodded. "Sound strategy. Do it," she gestured one officer to give the order, before turning back to Cas. "Thank you."

"You're-you're welcome," Cas stuttered a bit. She was not used to being treated in such a way, to feel important in such a way. It was addictive and also enormously distressing. She was responsible for so many lives now…the decision she had just helped make could turn out badly if she hadn't chosen well…

She chose to ask someone else.

Poe was hanging to his comlink like a drowning man to a plank. It was therefore not a surprise when he took her call after just one bleep.

"Cas?"

He sounded on edge. She could understand.

"Poe, Holdo is planning to abandon ship. We have a greater chance to escape if the First Order doesn't scan for smaller pods."

"What?" He was even closer to anger by then. "She is doing what?"

He shut to communication, and before Cas could try to understand what was going on, he had stormed into the room and walked straight to the Vice-Admiral to confront her.

D'Acy's eyes went to Cas as soon as Poe talked about a plan he was not supposed to know about, and she couldn't help but blush. That was a bad move…

But was a small treason this grave when Captain Dameron had no way to force things to change?

It probably was…