Sioux - Agreed that she played it too close to her chest. From her point of view she let the most important person in her life get captured, and she's trying to keep her emotions under control by being a bit of a control freak with everything else. While she's still performing in a very calculated and driven way that is having success for the Vornskrs, underneath she's not handling the situation well. She lost her temper, she miscalculated a key element in the battle, and she doesn't entirely see that it is her fault for that. But she's still the big boss when it comes down to it. Regardless of what anyone else might say, she is right. Or at least needs to maintain that she is. On the flip side...Cooper's fleet was firing lasers, not torpedoes. There was no reason why they should've continued firing when told not to.

Onimi, thanks for the correction. I've put that in. As for Luke and Mara post-Thrawn, I would say that is one of those 'liquid courage' driven mistakes that left them both a bit embarrassed for a while. On top of that, I could see "Emperor's Hand" Mara being scared of getting too close to Luke, perhaps that she did feel something for him at the time.


Chapter 16 – Bread Crumbs

Lowie's four day journey finally brought him back to the super dense cluster of black holes near Kessel that made up The Maw which protected the two bases of the Black Vornskrs. He docked with the outer base, traded his transport for an old T-65 X-wing that had been modified with enhanced inertial compensators he had designed to better withstand the gravitational sheering effect of the gauntlet tunnel to the primary base, and set off as soon as he could. Once he arrived at the main base he docked the X-wing upside down relative to the asteroid and hoisted himself into the docking tunnel, easily flipping himself around with his Force-enhanced Wookiee agility. He reached up and removed the seat from the X-wing and used the Force to open a panel that opened up into the storage area on the bottom of the snubfighter. He extracted a small satchel that held almost all of his few belongings and slung it around his right shoulder.

As Lowie worked he ran through the responsibilities and duties he had to address now that he had arrived at the Black Vornskr base. Trusted on Jacen's recommendation, Eriana had put Lowie as her third in command should she and Jacen be compromised or indisposed. His thoughts ran through the need to assess fleet deployments and missions, intelligence operatives, and figure out some sort of way to expand the covert diplomatic influence of the Vornskrs to forge new channels of resistance and covert distribution of personnel and material.

The base was not overly big and was only occupied by about sixty of Eriana's most trusted members, plus the Hapan royal family, so he was not surprised to see nobody as he travelled the bleak white corridors. He debated whether he should retreat to his quarters, one of the only three private rooms on the base, but after seeing that the local time was in the middle of the base's night cycle he decided to proceed directly to the central command centre and get an early start on the looming workload ahead of him.

As he approached the command centre, something felt out of place in the Force. Everyone working in the centre seemed far too focused, far too alert and far too busy for a night shift on duty while the boss was away. He pushed open the door and found all the technicians sitting in the outer rim of the circular room intently working at their terminals on their own or in small groups quietly discussing their projects. The inner ring of technicians all seemed to be coordinating their efforts, chatting freely across the room with requests or responses for information. All in all, one third of the staff on the base filled the room, but the most startling thing of all was right at the centre of the room.

The woman standing in front of the central display was using one hand to interact with a map of the galaxy that was overlaid with various reports, and she was issuing orders to the first ring of technicians amid their constant chatter. With the other arm, she was holding a sleeping baby.

"Greetings, friend Lowbacca," Tenel Ka said when she sensed his presence. She looked over her shoulder and had an uncharacteristic twinkle in her eye when she smiled ever so slightly. "Welcome to the rebellion."

[[[[#]]]]]]]]=(=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Despite the tense atmosphere aboard the Jade Shadow, Mara was glad that some progress toward finding Jacen was being made. She and Ami seemed to have come to an unspoken agreement to use Ben as an intermediary between them, and to avoid being in the same room as each other. While Ami and Ben worked in the cockpit on modifying the sensor system with the communication system to tap into Fang's surveillance system, Mara spent most of her time in her quarters watching their progress from a hidden security camera feed.

"Try networking it this way," Ami pointed to something on the screen in front of Ben. "That'll allow you to tie in the decryption matrix from the comm system into the sensor grid."

"But can't we use the main computer for that? It has ten times the processing power."

Nope, Mara thought to herself. The communication system does it faster.

"You could," Ami said and crossed over to the other side of the bridge to the communication suite, "But the comm system is designed to process encryption prototcols in real time. Even though the hardware is slower, the main computer will never be able to keep up with a system designed specifically for that purpose. While you're doing that I'll set up the decryption protocol from the disk. If it works, and if we tied the holonet receiver into the array properly, we should be able to find any communications in the entire network on that encryption protocol and nobody will be the wiser."

Karrde taught her well, Mara said with a grim smile as she sat back and crossed her arms across her chest. She realized now that keeping Ami from the family was a mistake. She had thought that Ami's anger toward her would translate to Ben and Luke, and she wanted to protect them from that. But, thankfully Ami seemed to be smarter than that.

"Try it now," Ben suggested.

"That's it," Ami said.

A transmission immediately came across the speakers in the cockpit, but Mara could not make out the words through the hidden intercom. After a minute it ended.

"Well, that was better than I expected," Ami said with a smile.

Mara grabbed her lightsaber from her bed and clipped it to her belt on her way out of the room. She jogged along the empty corridors until she came to the door to the bridge. She stopped for a second, took a deep breath, then opened the door and walked in. She walked right past Ben and Ami, who were on either side of the bridge, and took her position in the pilot's seat.

"What's our destination?" Mara asked, activating the navicomputer and powering up the engines in one fluid half turn in her swivel chair as she slid to face forward.

"What makes you think...?"

"I'm a Jedi," Mara interrupted Ami. "I know when people's emotions change."

"Umbara," Ben said, giving Ami a warning look. He knew what it meant when his mom went into Captain Mom mode, and it was not a mode to trifle with. "Krayt just summoned Jacen to Umbara."

[[[[#]]]]]]]]=(=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

She watched him for a minute, wondering what exactly was going through his head. She knew what was going through her head, what the end result would be from their interaction, but she did not know exactly how it would play out. She tapped on the transparisteel with the knuckle of her middle finger, startling Don Cooper. He jumped to his feet and approached the airlock exit. She noted that his eyes appeared red as if he had been crying, but she doubted that was the case. Still wearing her helmet so he could not see her expressions, she jabbed her gloved finger against the intercom button.

"For a second I thought you were serious about being upset," Cooper said. "What's with the act?"

"Act?" Eriana asked. He thinks this is a show?

"You blew one of the most important, delicate operations we've done. I did want to capture that ship. I need information from the Bogans on their fleet movements to find out where Jacen is. What the hell did you think we were doing? All the planning and preparations, refitting ships and using gravity well projectors over this worthless planet? Are you really that stupid?"

"I..." Cooper looked away from her. She could hardly believe how surprised he looked. "I guess I am."

"Yeah, you are," Eriana reinforced with a mocking tone. "I was serious about the gamble. Care to guess how the search for information turned out?"

Cooper stared at the emotionless face of her helmet for a moment before looking away.

"I...I'm surprised you came down here to do it yourself," Cooper said. "I guess if I'm going out an airlock for the right reasons, it may as well be a Jedi doing it."

"I'm not a Jedi, Don," Eriana said, her finger hovering over the release button for the airlock hatch. "I never was."

She pressed the button, opening the airlock.

"Krayt's flagship is going to Umbara," Eriana said. "You're damn lucky we were able to pull that out of the damaged data core."

Cooper stepped out of the airlock in tentative disbelief, looking at Eriana as if he was sure she would still find a reason to kill him. The moment he started to relax, Eriana's lightsaber flipped off her left hip, slapped into her right palm, and the yellow blade snap-hissed into existence beside his neck.

"I need a General who is actually going to listen to my orders and realize that I'm deadly serious when I tell him to stop fraking firing on a target when I tell him to," Eriana continued. "Do you want this last chance to prove you can be that General?"

"Yes," Cooper said, swallowing hard. "I'd be honoured to serve you again."

"Then prep the fleet for battle, General Cooper," Eriana said, deactivating her lightsaber. She took a step forward and pressed the emitter to his chest, staring up at him through the menacing Bha'lir modelled helmet. "I may have given you a lot of leeway in the past, but right now you're on a very short leash. I'll be overseeing your fleet personally. Understood?"

"Understood, Overlord."

"Get my fleet ready," Eriana said, pushing him away from her with the end of her lightsaber hilt. "And don't even think of betraying me again."

[[[[#]]]]]]]]=(=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Admiral on the bridge!"

It took Jaina about five seconds to realize that the announcement of a present admiral was a reaction to her entrance onto the bridge of her new command ship, an ancient Harrower class dreadnought that looked more heavily modified than even the Millennium Falcon. On her flyby, Jaina had noticed that over the extremely long life of the 950 metre long ship, the armour plates had been entirely replaced, the engines had been upgraded with different models at different times, and all of the weapon emplacements had been converted to double turbolaser canons. On her final approach into the main hanger bay between the two prongs that split down the middle of the ship, Jaina noticed that the shield emitters had been replaced with some planetary shield generators, a modification that seemed contrary to Wedge's initial assessments of the fleet refits.

As she strode up to the front viewport with Erinn in tow, she noted that the bridge extended nearly fifty metres in either direction and beings on either side were standing at attention, awaiting her command.

"As you were," Jaina said, standing at the viewport. Anxiety crept into her heart forcing her to use a Jedi calming technique to settle herself down. She was certain she was looking like an aloof and arrogant new admiral, ignoring the crew and staring out the viewport, but inside she felt like a scared little girl trying to enter her bedroom without the lights on.

"Admiral?"

"Yes?" Jaina asked, turning around to face a man so old she almost giggled when the thought entered her mind that he might have been the original captain of the ship when it was launched three thousand years ago. To her surprise, the man wore an old Palpatine-era Imperial Captain uniform, complete with the grey cap and old style rank bars. "Captain Gerimiah Pearl, correct?"

"At your service, Admiral Solo," Captain Pearl replied in a gravely Coruscanti accent.

"This is my administrative aide, Erinn," Jaina gestured to her apprentice.

"A pleasure," Pearl shook Erinn's hand. "Welcome to the Ol'Faithful. You won't find a finer ship in the fleet."

"She looks like she's been around a long time," Jaina commented. "I don't think I've even seen a Harrower in person before."

"Last one flying," Pearl said proudly, his bushy grey moustache lifting at the corners with his smile. "Admiral Pellaeon had her refit just before the war with the Mandalorians broke out. She's quite a treat to command."

"I noticed the shield emitters were replaced with planetary shielding when I was flying in," Jaina said, getting another smile from the old captain as they turned and walked towards one of the consoles on the left side of the bridge.

"She's so old she's wired for alternating current," Pearl said. "We upgraded the output with some new fission generators and the only upgraded shield generators that were compatible came right off Bastion's defense network. She'll take a beating, and she'll give one, too."

"If Wedge has things his way, we won't see much action," Jaina said. At the console Jaina turned her attention to being introduced to her chiefs of staff. Vryy'roo, who was charged with overseeing the repairs on the damaged ships, was the shortest Wookiee Jaina had ever met. Jaina grunted a few Wookiee greetings that Lowie had taught her to Vryy'roo's amusement, and was complimented on her control of the Wookiee language. At that point Jaina laughed and admitted that was all she knew, which everyone got a chuckle from, except for a tall Togruta woman. Her name was Emriss Kol, and she did not look happy about Jaina's appointment. She introduced herself as the commander of the fighter group which would ensure the safety of the fleet. Finally, Jaina was introduced to the executive officer of Ol'Faithful, Aton Hyn, another former Imperial who looked to be too anxious to sit around and meet someone new.

"Something bothering you, Aton?" Jaina asked, picking up on his impatience.

Aton turned to Vryy'roo and passed him one of the four data pads he had been carrying, effectively ignoring Jaina.

"Vryy, here are the reports on the availability of parts you're looking for for the Aggressor, the Entrapment, and the Emerald Viper," Aton said. "I've included dates that the manufacturing team can produce the parts, and we've had to prioritize based on critical systems. I'm sorry I can't do much better."

Vryy took the pad from Aton and shook his head, growling something about needing four shipyards and only having a hammer.

"Would you mind elaborating, Vryy?" Jaina asked, somewhat oblivious to the problems the fleet was facing.

"You can go ahead," Pearl dismissed the team and led Jaina back to the main viewport. "We've been tasked with fixing up the damaged ships of the fleet, but the only part manufacturing facilities are on this ship. All of the shipyards are under Admiral Antilles's orders to complete the refits of the superlasers and the shield generators, leaving us with doing everything the old fashioned way."

Jaina nodded and looked out of the viewport beyond the pronged front of the ship and at the ships floating in space around her new command ship.

"Can you get me a report on the status of every ship we have, as well as profiles on all of the captains and command crews?" Jaina asked. "I want to know what we're up against."

"I'll have them in two hours," Pearl said sharply. "I'll say, Admiral, I'm relieved you're here. Until now, I had your job, and I don't envy you one bit."

As Pearl walked away to prepare his report, Jaina got the sinking suspicion that her job might be a lot harder than she initially thought.

[[[[#]]]]]]]]=(=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"You seem startled, my friend," Tenel Ka noted as she settled into the comfortable chair behind Eriana's desk. Lowie took the seat on the other side of the desk, noting that everything had been rearranged or replaced since the last time he had been in the office. "I suppose there have been some changes you were not aware of."

[Let's start with your arm,] Lowie barked, gesturing to her left arm that still cradled her son, Anakin.

Tenel Ka gave him a grim smile and looked to Anakin, remaining silent. Despite her composed face, Lowie could sense her emotional conflict.

"I always thought that my disability should not impact my life," Tenel Ka finally said softly, turning her cool grey eyes back to her friend. "But recent events have made me reconsider what is best for the safety of my family. Doctor Elsa, the base physician, has experimented with a technique to attach lost limbs from cloned replacements. It is odd to have the arm back, but useful."

Lowie chuffed with a short laugh. Only Tenel Ka would refer to a replaced arm as "useful."

"As for the rebellion," Tenel Ka continued. "I found myself restless doing nothing. Beyond the small gym, there is very little to do here. On one day I wandered into the control room and began reading reports on various instances of government corruption. I thought it was prudent to suggest some courses of action for our undercover Jedi. It began as a small game, trying to find small ways to undermine the Bogan regime. It did not take long for everyone on the base to become involved. We began suggesting targets for Wedge's fleets to raid and offering political recommendations to several diplomats and Jedi. Some Jedi are doing sabotage and espionage missions as well. All of this is to undermine Darth Krayt. The Black Vornskr fleets have been on manoeuvres with Eriana for the last week, so we have yet to coordinate with them. I hope we can soon use Talon Karrde's organization to aid us in intelligence."

[You started the rebellion out of boredom,] Lowie growled thoughtfully.

"Eriana started the rebellion," Tenel Ka corrected him, adjusting Anakin in her arms as he squirmed in his sleep for a few seconds. "I am merely organizing it."

Lowie grunted thoughtfully and stared out the window for a second.

"Friend Lowbacca?"

[Yes?]

"Could you assist me by leading the team for a short while?" Tenel Ka asked, cocking her head to the side to indicate the door behind her. "It is time to feed Anakin."

Lowie's eyes went wide and he nodded, almost jumping out of his chair. He barked his reassurance and retreated to the command section, happy to know that his friend was finally on the road to recovery.

[[[[#]]]]]]]]=(=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Most spies and commandos would agree that if there was one overlying theme governing the theories of infiltration itwould involve some measure of stealth. At the very least, one might even say they should infiltrate "real quiet-like." However, some might take a more unorthodox approach. And a dying Han Solo wearing nearly indestructible Mandalorian armour with nothing to lose had very little reason to not regard the established rules and theories of infiltration methodologies in favour for the unorthodox.

"Grenade!" Han shouted with glee as he chucked a small sphere down the length of hallway at the Bogan soldier, still firing randomly at the enemies with a blaster rifle in his left hand. He picked up a second blaster rifle from a fallen enemy in his free hand and let another flurry of blaster bolts loose as the thermal detonator exploded, incinerating a sizeable hole through the walls, floor and ceiling where the sphere had landed. Han and Fett rushed toward the smoking crater and jumped through to the next level, sprinting as best they could in their physical condition down the halls.

"Is this how you normally operate?" Fett asked incredulously.

"Usually ends up this way," Han panted, firing wildly at random targets as they ran. "Chewie and me did this all the time."

A blast door ahead of them began to close and Fett activated his jet pack, blasting through the diminishing hole between the four angular doors. Han did likewise, scraping his shoulder and arm armour as he barely made it through the gap.

"It is…exhilarating!" Fett said, blasting several more troopers as they ran along. One barely got a shot off in Fett's direction that narrowly missed Han's helmet as they continued to run along before he was mowed down by the old Mandalorian clone.

"Makes you feel twenty years younger!" Han said. He skidded to a halt and punched an armoured finger against one of the display panels. "Proton torpedo storage is two floors below."

"Sensors showing more troops approaching from both sides," Fett said, assessing his display. "Weapon energy signatures look like some lightsabers."

"I was wondering when they would show up," Han said and yanked another thermal detinator from his belt. He activated it and chucked it down the hallway, counting to three and watching the explosion create a ten metre sphere of empty space through the floor. He and Fett approached the hole and looked through it to see another hole in the deck plating the next floor down, directly into a large dark cavern.

Han flicked his tongue against one of the switches inside the helmet and watched the HUD populate with sensor data, images overlaying shapes he could barely see. While a lot of Mandalorians loved the HUD sensor data, Han felt his own eyes made a better targeting system by far and rarely used them.

"That's the torpedo storage," Fett said, referring to the similar sensor data he was seeing on his own HUD. He reached over and grabbed one of the three explosive devices clipped to Han's back, noted the time remaining on it, and activated the magnetic clamp for a three second delay. He dropped it through the hole and the unlikely pair watched the explosive device disappear into the dark storage bay.

"Next one?" Han asked.

"And as many as we can," Fett said. Despite the raspy voice, Han could definitely hear a smile behind the Mandalorian's words. He knew they were both thinking the same thing – it felt good to feel alive.