Hyperspace en route to Jelucan.

Maze watched hyperspace swirling past them.

Raxus had been a close call, the Empire appeared without warning and they had to get somewhere safe soon. They couldn't keep running like this, not without backup. Ordo's words came back to him.

'Let me know if you want relocation, then. I can do a better job than Zey.'

He looked at Zey. Essie and Del were asleep.

He could leave them; he would survive. But where? That's what Jango would have done—survive. Its what he did do.

Zey was watching him.

If this was a training exercise he would fail because he's not like that. He hadn't done all this just to bail on them,

"There's Mandalore." He ventured.

Zey's expression was unfathomable, "Mandalorians and Jedi don't mix."

"Skirata!"

"You think that's where he is?"

"It's logical. He deserted, was making a hideaway for clones. Ordo practically told me."

"He told me he had adopted the Nulls. It makes sense he would have getaway plans." Zey looked at Maze for a reaction; he received none. "It could be where the money from the Corufresh mission disappeared to. The Separatists money."

"Yes. It'd cost a bloody fortune to make clones disappear, safely." Maze considered his next comment. "I can try and contact him. Make arrangements. It doesn't have to be permanent. Just give us a breathing space."

Zey nodded. They needed something. The Galaxy was getting smaller with the Empire meeting little resistance if any, in places.

"We can't just land on Mandalore, but we need somewhere closer." Maze pulled up the star map and jabbed a finger in the middle of the projection.

"Fradian— industrialised."

Zey nodded.

Maze looked at Essie and Del; he put the coordinates in.

.

Essie looked at the two men; she agreed, they couldn't keep running like this. Maze on his own would be alright, Zey at a pinch but her and Del that would be difficult; she was totally out of her depth and they were all wanted.

"This place has other clones there?"

Maze and Zey exchanged a glance.

"We think so. I just need to get hold of Skirata."

"He was a training Sergeant?"

Maze nodded. "I'll need to check with him first."

"For all of us?"

"Yes— all of us."

"Are we going there now?"

"No— a holding planet first. I'll contact him from there."

Essie nodded.

.

Fradian

Day 32 of the New Galactic Empire.

They dropped out of hyperspace with a shudder. Maze negotiated the patch of woodland and brought them down to rest.

"Intel shows there's a small garrison here and we met no resistance, when we came out of hyperspace."

"So?" Asked Essie.

"We're lucky it's not teeming with Stormtroopers. I'll do recce first to make sure then we'll need to move out and I'll contact Skirata."

Essie squinted.

"How's your head?" Asked Maze, his hand moving involuntarily towards her.

"I'll live." She had a thumping headache.

He still had feelings for her.

He checked the outside, it was clear and walked slowly down the ramp.

He had failed her and were his feelings even true; sometimes he doubted it as something to do with the Force. He had never contemplated having a life outside of the GAR and then he met her.

He shook his head.

She had not been truthful with him, just as Jango had not been truthful with them. Their reason for being.

Lies. All lies. He hated lies.

He reached the empty road and kept to the side, jogging towards the city.

.

Day 33 of the New Galactic Empire.

Maze looked around. He hadn't been followed and seen no troopers. This was the third public com booth he tried, the others had been trashed. He deciphered the tags of several local gangs and already had to deal with the members of one. They had mistaken him for local law enforcement, who it appears were fair game, that misapprehension did not last long.

Now, if he wanted, he had the names of several dozen masseuses or girls and boys willing to give him a good time.

"All I want is a public com booth that bloody works." he muttered.

He checked the link. It was live.

Tapping in the memorised number, he hoped the recipient was there.

There was a delay then someone picked up.

"Sergeant?" Maze asked. It was an innocuous question, could mean anyone, hopefully he would get the answer he wanted.

"Who wants to know?" A voice replied, Maze's nervousness dropped a notch as he recognised it.

"It's me, Maze. Formerly Captain Maze." He was wanted here. He'd tapped into the local Law Enforcement Imperial Warrants. They were all there, even Del. The public were warned not to approach him or Zey as they were dangerous but to report their whereabouts. The 501st would be after both him and Zey first and he couldn't let them get to Essie and Del.

"You need help, son?" Skirata's replied.

"I heard you were … running a relocation service." His reply was as non committal as you could make it.

"We'll get you sorted out. You want to tell me where you are?" Maze heard the relief in Skirata's voice. What he was doing was dangerous. He appreciated that.

"How do we handle this?" Maze asked, cautious as ever.

"We don't give coordinates over the comm. Pick an RV point, and we'll come to you."

Maze paused.

"Fradian. The ore terminal."

There was another delay.

"Might take a couple of days." Skirata eventually replied. "You okay to hang on?"

"Yeah." They would have to be.

"Want to give me your comlink code? It's not showing."

"It's a public com booth," Maze said. "I'll call you again when I get to Fradian."[1]

He disconnected the call.

If anyone was listening in, they wouldn't know he was already here. The least they knew the better.

He stepped away from the booth, scanning the area; it appeared deserted. He took a few steps and then they appeared from nowhere. He sighed.

"We got a problem!" The youngish human, with some mods declared.

"I just want to make my call and go." Maze said evenly, mentally assessing his opponents.

Four—armed in a fashion, untrained but probably highly motivated. Then so was he.

They rushed him.

One at a time.

First mistake.

He sidestepped the first one, who somehow hit the wall and bounced back, while he was already poised for the next one.

This one had a knife, he dodged the blade, grabbed his assailant's wrist, twisted the blade out of his hand, twirled him around, both his hands automatically grabbed his opponents head and he felt the bones snap in the neck as he twisted.

This move was automatic. From training as a child.

He pushed the body away from him ready for the two who launched themselves at him.

Finally, some modicum of sense.

He traded hits and kicks with both of them for half a minute until he became bored and finished one off with a jab to the neck destroying his oesophagus. He scuttled away struggling to breathe and spitting blood.

The last one took one look at him and legged it. He was fast, ignoring his slower comrade.

He watched as they both disappeared in their own ways.

"Bloody amateurs!" He muttered, pulling his collar back up, "They might've stood a chance if they'd all rushed me at once." He checked again before disappearing into the shadows.

The city was deserted until he reached the business centre. It was either go through it or skirt around the whole city. That would take too long.

He turned the corner and retreated immediately, leaning back against the wall, listening. The Stormtroopers were patrolling in twos, the first ones he'd seen. He tried to hear their voices but they were obviously on a private channel; he could only hear the strange squeaks and buzzes from the new helmets. They were brothers, standard troopers; he recognised the stature and gait of a clone.

He disappeared further back into the shadows and listened until the echoes of their boots on the durocrete had dimmed, not wanting to take them on. Then he ran for the hideout.

He was right with the decision to approach Skirata. They couldn't continue alone. They needed help.

.

General Store, just outside the Ore Terminal.

"Chain code? What's one of those?" Essie asked.

This was the first time anyone demanded it when she bought food.

"It's your ID love. Details your family history. New orders from the Empire, I can't sell you any food unless you show it me."

Essie pulled her hood further over her face trying to hide the bruises and cuts. Del grumbled, he was hungry and Essie had a basket of food ready to buy and the cash credits to pay for them.

"Where do I get one?" Essie's heart raced, she had a bad feeling about this.

"From the Imperial Office, love. Didn't you know?"

"No, we're new here."

"I thought I didn't recognise the accent."

"We've been out of Holonet range. The receiver broke. Speeder accident." Her own stomach rumbled now. "Where is it?" she was surprised how calm she sounded.

"The other side of town. Past the freighter terminal."

"Ah yes. I know where that is. Thanks." She pulled Del to her. She couldn't run, not with him.

"Your face…"

"Speeder accident." She pulled the hood further down.

"Yeah!" The woman replied disbelievingly. "You need to get it seen to. Get some Bacta on it."

"Mammy, I'm hungry." Del was struggling; their last rations had gone.

"We'll get something soon." She shushed him slightly. He whined a little. He had been good for so long; she couldn't be angry with him.

"Can't I pay and then bring the chain code thingy next time?" She asked the woman, hoping against hope. "I can pay more." She pulled out some more credits ready to give to the woman.

"Sorry love. It's more than my job's worth."

Essie gazed quickly up at the ceiling again, there was a camera, she tried keeping out of its range. She'd already stayed too long.

"Thanks." She dropped the basket, picked up Del and rushed out of the shop. Looking quickly around, the street was almost empty, she turned to the left to go back to the Freight yard.

Tears pricked at her eyes; she felt useless, unable to get food for her son.

"Hey!" A voice called out. She stopped as panic rose. She looked down the alley where the voice came from. It was the store assistant. She beckoned to her. Essie walked slowly down, apprehensive. It was a dead end. There was no way out.

"Here." The assistant pushed a bag in her hands. "I have kids of my own. This stuff is out of date but it's edible. It would be thrown in the recycler. I've put a Bacta bandage in as well. People will ask about that."

She pointed to the bruises, then smiled.

"The Empire hasn't started counting this stuff yet. And be careful, there's some of those new Stormtroopers snooping around."

Essie wanted to hug her. She put her hand to the woman's arm.

"Go quick, before anyone sees you."

"Thank you."

"Just stay safe and out of the way of the person that did that to you.".

Essie didn't argue; she turned, then went back, pushing some credits into the woman's hand.

"You said you had children."

Then she turned and walked away without a backward glance, holding tight onto Del's hand.

.

Pria watched the woman and her son hurry away; she was convinced she was in trouble and there was a man behind it. A dangerous man. She opened up her com. "Ka! Do you still help people?"

There was a delay at the other end. She hoped she hadn't disturbed him.

"Yes! Long time no hear. How are you my friend?"

"Good!"

"The kids?"

"With my parents."

"So who needs my help?"

"There's this young woman….."

.

They reached the disused office they were now holed up in; Maze still hadn't returned. He'd been gone a long time.

"You okay?" Zey asked. He looked even more gaunt; every time he used the Force it seemed drained him. He was getting no respite now, no recovery time. He had to keep the night watchman away but this was the best place they had found.

She nodded, "I managed to get some food. It's not the best. We have to have Chain codes now before we can buy food. The ID issued by the Empire. You get it from the Imperial office, on the other side of the town."

"That wasn't what I meant." Zey replied.

"This is harder than I thought…."

"You're doing fine."

"It doesn't feel like it."

She looked at her chrono; Maze left before her and he still wasn't back. She was worried for him, admitting to herself that despite what he had done, she still had feelings for him.

She opened up the bag and pulled out one of the ration packs, it was self heating; she opened it, checked the temperature and gave it to Del. There was a plasti spoon with it. He sat and sniffed at it, wrinkling his nose and turning to look up at her.

"It's all we've got." She tried to explain. It was difficult trying to explain to a three year old this was all he had to eat. Her eyes filled up.

Zey touched him on the shoulder and he started eating.

"Forgive me. He needs to eat, as do you."

"Thank you." She pulled another one open and offered it to Zey. He shook his head.

"Arli, you haven't eaten for a couple of days. You need to, especially if you keep using the force. I can see it draining you, you need to rest."

"Share it with me."

Essie watched him, if she did, he would get some food; he had lost weight these last weeks. They all had. She wasn't really hungry herself but Maze would ask and expect them to have eaten. If they hadn't he would be angry; he felt angry most of the time.

Her anger had dissipated. She no longer had the strength to be angry.

She opened a bottle of water for them. You even had to buy that on this planet or risk some kind of infection or worse from the local water.

They daren't risk a Diner, now the Stormtroopers had been seen.

The door moved; she jumped.

"It's Maze." Zey looked at the door, he had that look on his face when he was accessing the Force. It eventually scraped open.

Maze slid in and closed it.

"I've made arrangements with Skirata. It'll be a couple of days at the ore terminal. We'll go there tomorrow and find somewhere to hole up. To be sure. Then we'll have to be quick."

Zey nodded, "Are you sure about this Maze? You three could get picked up. I could leave. Disappear."

"No!" Maze and Essie exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm not losing anyone else!"

Essie closed her eyes. She thought the same.

"Here." She offered Maze a ration pack and water.

"Have you all had…."

"Yes. We've all eaten. You need this." Maze looked equally gaunt and he desperately needed a shave.

"Thank you." He hesitated a few seconds, then sat on the floor against the opposite wall.

Essie opened her mouth then closed it quickly again, going back to Del who was sitting on the floor watching.

Essie sat with him, her arm around him.

"Not long now. We need to sleep first though, okay?"

"Okay mammy." She pulled him onto her knee and the thin blanket over both of them, letting Del snuggle and get comfortable against her. Then she leaned back and tried to sleep.

.

"Essie! Essie!"

Someone was saying her name but she didn't recognise the voice. She dragged her eyes open.

"Arli?"

"It's time to go."

"I can't believe I actually fell asleep."

"You needed it. You haven't slept properly in days."

"You…"

"Yes. I'm sorry but you did need it and you and Maze need to sort out whatever this is between you, or neither of you will survive. We all need to be mindful."

Essie was still too tired to argue. They didn't have time.

"Maze has found somewhere we can hide. So they can come in pick us up and leave quickly. We don't want anyone to see us. Or endanger the people who are helping us."

She nodded.

"Agreed."

"Del wake up. Here eat this and have a drink. We're leaving this place."

She saved some sweet biscuits for him and a bottle of water. This pick up had come just in time. They had only a few things left from what little she had been given.

He sat with bleary eyes crunching them.

Maze picked him up; it was early morning but they had to see where they were going. Besides, clones don't have children.

He peered around the corner; the little crowd had disappeared. It was not the ideal area but was little used. People didn't go to waste processing areas unless forced to.

"Come on." He sprinted into the middle of the parked, speeders opened it, and gestured for Zey and Essie to get in.

Zey climbed in, Essie followed.

Maze lifted Del onto her lap, then slid into the driver's seat next to her.

"Thank you Maze." She whispered into his ear.

It's not over yet.He thought.

.

Day 37 of the New Galactic Republic.

Del was struggling, he was squirming on her knee. Essie hoped they wouldn't be much longer. Del whispered in her ear. She looked at Zey. He nodded.

Watching Maze, she could feel how tense he was but daren't ask how much longer this was going to be. They had to come here early to ensure they could hide.

Maze didn't want whoever was picking them up to see them all and that made her anxious. There was something he wasn't telling her.

"Del needs the fresher. He can't hold it."

Maze closed his eyes.

"Right now?"

"He's been holding it. I can take him just around the corner."

"Okay. But keep your com on."

She nodded and slipped out of the speeder, waiting for the go.

There were a few people hanging around, then there was a leak of steam further along the Terminal. Several people ran towards it, as Essie crept between the parked speeders, coming out a few rows away from Maze and Zey. She headed to the corner, to the public freshers.

.

Maze's com vibrated once, he answered.

[2]"Maze? How you doing?"

Maze looked at his surroundings, hyper alert.

"Welcome to Tin Town. Picturesque, isn't it?"

"I must buy a holocard to send to the folks," Jusik said. "Okay, shall we meet up at the tapcaf with the least food hygiene violations?"

"I've borrowed a speeder. Let's not." Maze replied, tensely.

"The lawful owner's unaware, of course."

"What transport have you got?"

"Freighter."

"Can it take a small speeder? Two-seater?"

"Sure. But you don't need to hang on to it. We'll kit you out with everything you need."

"I'm in the speeder now, and getting out will be … awkward." Maze didn't elaborate. "Can you get to the waste processing area and park up ready to open the hatch for a quick exfil?"

"Give me ten minutes to walk back to the ship. I'll land on the junction with the service road."

"Good plan, sir."

"I'm just Bardan now, ner vod."

"So you are," said Maze and closed the com a few moments later.[2]

Maze craned his neck to look around.

"Zey where are they?"

"Can't sense them Maze. They're gone."

"What?"

He tried Essie's com.

Static.

"I'll get them." He slipped out, frantically looking for her, finally making it to the public freshers.

The woman there denied all knowledge of seeing a woman and child. He studied her, not wanting to frighten her, then left slipping around the corner.

There was no sign of them anywhere.

"Ess. Where the bloody hell are you?"

His com blinked. He headed back to the speeder.

"Any trace Zey?"

"No. I'm so sorry. They're not here."

.

It had happened so fast; one moment she was helping Del to wash his hands the next she was face down on the floor. She had felt the hand on her shoulder and reacted, twisting around. She took the man down but there were two others and then it was the woman from the shop. She twisted and turned, looking for Del, hearing him shout for her.

"Kriff doesn't she know we're trying to help her!"

"I didn't exactly have time to explain before she lashed out. Fek! Someone's coming!"

Essie shuddered as the stun stick jammed in her back, before everything went black.

.

His com vibrated.

"Maze, have you got a visual on me?" Jusik said, "Monarch-class crate. Flashing my nav lights now."

"Got you. You're hard to miss. Cargo doors open?"

He looked around.

Zey shook his head.

"Come on in." Jusik could now feel something very odd in the Force.

"Have you nicked one of the waste company's speeders?"

"They'll notice when I start the thing. I've been holed up here since daybreak. I'm moving now," he said, voice tight and strained. "Just hold position until I'm in."

"Get a move on, Maze …"

Maze sighed audibly.

"Hundred metres."

"Remember you've got brakes, Maze …"

"Fifty meters."

"Start braking, ner vod."

"Whoa …"

"I said brake!"

"Clear!" Maze shouted, the cargo doors shut behind them and they hurtled into the sky.

"So what if that isn't Maze?" A woman said.

"Maze?"

"Ruu, when the nav computer indicates, hit the jump button," Jusik said.

"We can't dump things out the air lock in hyperspace …"

"Just do it."

"Maze, get out. Hands on your head. Stand clear where I can see you." A man's voice ordered.

Maze stepped out, both hands on his head, "It's not how it looks."

"And your buddy."

"Get out on deck. Hands on your head. Just freeze, or you won't have a head."

"General?" Jusik said, shocked. "Master Zey?"

"I'm not armed," Zey said. "Maze took my lightsaber."

Jusik looked at Maze, still keeping Zey in his view and ready to take his own lightsaber to him if he moved. "You shot him. Ordo said you shot him. The night of Order Sixty-six."

"Ordo's not half as smart as he thinks he is," Maze said. "Well, he is, but he got this one wrong."

"You lied to me, Maze. You set us up."

"I just left out a detail."

.

[1] [2] Star Wars: Imperial Commando 501st - Karen Traviss.