Approximately six years earlier, aboard the cruiser Black Knight, Outer Rim Territories

"So what have you got for me Chief?"

Daru pulled herself out from under the fighter and lifted the scanner off her eyes.

"I can confirm a few things for you sir."

Garin knelt down besides her and looked at the underside of the TIE, "and those are?"

"They are built using Imperial methods and the quality of the material is the same standard as what you'd see on product model units, these aren't just slap-stick jobs, these came off the assembly line like this."

Garin's expression darkened, did that mean these were Imperial fighters? And if so, that meant he'd ordered his pilots to fire on an Imperial capital ship and assisted Rebels destroy an Imperial facility. The thought was troubling if true. If this was another of the Emperor's pet projects and he'd just blown it to dust, then even Thrawn wouldn't be able to protect him. The thought of dealing with the Emperor's fury sent a shiver down his spine. He looked down at Daru, if it came to that, he'd make sure it was just him that suffered, none of his people.

"Anything else you can tell me?"

She shook her head apologetically, "I can confirm that they are remotely piloted, but they have absolutely zero on their computers when it comes to information. Whoever is making these things doesn't want anyone to get anything from the craft themselves."

Garin's expression soured, Daru reached up and put a hand on his arm. "Its okay sir, you did the right thing, and everyone on this ship is behind you."

"I don't think doing the right thing will matter much if this project meant anything to the Emperor."

"If the right thing doesn't matter to him, then why are we fighting for him?" She asked quietly, her expression annoyed.

Garin's insides froze and he looked down at her, pulling himself away from her hand, "don't ever say that again Daru. You're too valuable as my crew chief to lose because you said something stupid."

Her smile vanished and she nodded tightly, "sorry sir. Was there anything else?"

"Did we get anything useful from the rest of the junk?"

She nodded, pulling herself to her feet and brushing her jump suit off. She tossed her leku around her shoulders and picked up a datapad from the workbench.

"We got a good haul actually, spare parts mostly but since these are TIEs those parts will be a big boost on our stores. There wasn't much else, some weapons and munitions; again we'll use them as spares."

Garin nodded, at least it hadn't been a total waste then, the extra parts would come in handy. Daru looked up, and she snapped into a salute, Garin turned to find Iriana joining them.

"At ease Chief," she said, Daru dropped the salute and returned to her work.

"Something come up?" Garin asked.

"I think the Rebels are going to be attacked sir."

Garin blinked, looking at her curiously. "Excuse me?"

"I had the techs scan their hyperspace trail; it was the same one they used when they jumped in."

"I'm missing something here I think." Garin said, feeling stupid.

"There are no signs along that path that they made multiple jumps."

Garin's eyes widened, "are you saying they jumped from their capital ship directly to that factory and back?"

Iriana nodded, handing him a datapad, he looked at the telemetry. "How accurate do you think this is?"

"I can back it up with every tech in CIC and on the bridge. I had all of them go over this."

"Those idiots," Garin murmured.

"They probably didn't expect to leave anyone behind that would be able to trace them."

"They could have made multiple jumps on the way back though."

"I doubt they had time to calculate a new route and they probably wanted to be as far away from you as possible in case you changed your mind about that truce."

"If we can track them, then there is no reason to think that our friends won't' be able to as well."

He thought for a moment, looking over at Daru thoughtfully before sighing and shaking his head, in for an inch, in for a light year.

"Emergency meeting, and have the bridge crew calculate a course to this position. We're going to help them."

She didn't question, merely smiled and nodded, getting on her comlink immediately and making the necessary calls. Garin looked back at Daru again, his mind racing with her words and his actions. This entire thing was getting out of control, but he was going to make the best of it that he could.

"Our goal in this operation is simple, jump in, assess the situation and if the Rebels really are in trouble, then we'll provide assistance."

"You have lost your mind." Vic'que said.

Garin saw several of his other officers nod agreement; he swallowed and stood up straighter.

"We may have just destroyed one of the Emperor's pet projects; if that is indeed the case then we could very quickly find ourselves being hunted by our own side. Should that happen the Rebellion may be our only hope of survival, that or selling ourselves off as corporate mercenaries or to a crime lord's service. Out of those options, I personally would take the Rebellion, especially if the Emperor is authorizing projects that target civilians indiscriminately like this fighter project seems to be doing."

There was a chilled silence as this sank in with everyone, glances were exchanged wordlessly, Garin let the silence drag on for a moment before continuing.

"I understand if some of you have your misgivings and if you do not wish to participate in this operation then I will fully understand. However I have already ordered the Knight to jump and we are en route now. Those of you that want to take part in this mission; I'll see you on the flight deck, those of you that choose to remain aboard the ship will not be lesser in my mind. In fact you might just be a whole lot smarter than I am."

Again the silence followed his words, it dragged on for minutes before Vic'que of all people finally spoke up. "You are probably going to get all of us killed, considering what you've already put me through I don't know if I can accept that."

He opened his mouth but she continued; "however," and here she smiled, though it was far from friendly. "I agreed to fly as part of this unit and work as a team. If we are a team, then we can't let you do this by yourself."

There was no pause or awkward silence this time, everyone nodded agreement and Garin let his breath out.

"Okay then, get to your fighters, if the techs are right then we'll be arriving shortly and we won't have time for a proper briefing."

Seven minutes later, Garin was suited up inside his Defender with the rest of Hades arrayed around him in the hangar. He watched as the sealed doors of the Knight's hangar opened into space, when the space between the two halves of the door were two thirds open he revved his throttle and accelerated out into the void. The scene he came upon was insanity at its finest. The Rebel cruiser was maneuvering as only the Mon Cal designs could in an attempt to avoid the stream of ordnance being fired at it, between it and the incoming missiles fighters darted this way and that, beyond them Garin's sensors detected the escort shuttles controlling the enemy fighters. The most important part as far as Garin could see was that the Rebels were outnumbered five to one; thankfully none of the big hangar ships had made an appearance.

He began an open broadcast on all frequencies. "Attention Rebel command, this is Hades Lead, we are here to offer assistance."

"Unknown craft, identify yourself;" came a gravelly, watery voice, Garin guessed it was the mon cal commanding the cruiser.

"I say again, this is Hades Lead offering assistance."

"By your markings we see you as Imperial, why would you help us?" The voice asked suspiciously.

"We may have just destroyed a secret project funded by the Emperor, if it's all the same to you, we'd like to hedge our bets just in case we need your help in the future."

There was a long pause before the voice returned, "I presume this is the Blackened Rebels unit, so we finally meet…very well Hades Lead, you are marked as friendly on our targeting sensors. Feel free to join us."

"Thank you Captain. Alright Hades, we have authorization, lets slag some fighters. Diamond, I want you to engage those shuttles, Raptor you are to deploy and attempt to board and capture any shuttlecraft that you can, try and take the crews alive. Shadow and Wyvern, mix it up."

His pilots peeled off on their prospective tasks, he had been surprised to learn that every single member of his wing, and the entire crew of the Black Knight had agreed to go along with this. He'd expected many more to protest and opt out of helping the Rebels, but none had. Whether it was peer pressure or actual loyalty he had no idea. Even the newer pilots assigned to Diamond had come along, were they all just Rebels waiting to happen he wondered? It was possible Thrawn had thrown together a group of Imperial personnel all with the same misgivings and sentiments. It sounded absolutely ludicrous, and yet here they all were. Above him, the Black Knight opened fire with a missile barrage towards the fighters that had broken off to engage her and Hades. Garin switched on his own missiles and selected the nearest target, waiting for a solid tone and squeezing the firing stud. The missile was joined by others from his fighters and those from the Knight.

The enemy closed rapidly, their cannons flashing as they flashed through the missiles, though they were able to destroy some, many more of the weapons struck home and destroyed their intended targets. And then they were in the thick of it, dodging and weaving as lasers, ions, and the occasional missile or torpedo was exchanged. Garin counted three of the enemy for every one of his, the odds were terrible, but he'd committed to this, so there was no use complaining. Then red laserfire joined the green and A-wings, followed by X-wings joined the fray. For once Garin was glad to see the Rebel fighters and he gave a silent cheer for their arrival.

"Hades Lead, is that you?" A familiar voice called out.

"Hello again Lieutenant, hope you don't mind us cutting in."

Azzameen laughed, "they might, but please don't let that stop you."

Garin found Azzameen's X-wing and joined his wing, firing into the swarming fighters. They paired off again and reformed to make another pass through the cloud of enemies, and then a cluster of the TIEs went dead and began drifting.

"This is Gold Leader, we just knocked out one of those transports, happy hunting."

"Good work Gold Group," came the cruiser captain's voice.

The fight progressed like that for the remainder of its course, with the shuttles being slowly knocked out of commission and more and more of the enemy fighters going dead. Slowly the tide began to turn, of course by that time the controllers aboard the transports had called back many of their fighters to cover them and the fighting moved from the cruiser and the Black Knight to the transports. The battle lasted for forty-three minutes before the last of the enemy was finally destroyed. All tolled, Hades wing had one hundred and seventy-eight kills to seven losses. It stung to have lost his pilots, but it was a kill ratio Garin was proud of nonetheless.

"Attention Imperial forces, thank you for your assistance, what will you do now?"

Garin checked his scanner and noted that the Raptor transports had captured two of the controller shuttles intact, perhaps they'd give the answers he needed.

"We'll call it a day and be on our way Captain."

"I see, you mentioned before that the facility you helped our pilots take might have been run by the Emperor. If that is true, then wouldn't it be prudent for you and your men to join us?"

Garin considered for a moment, it was a decent offer, and the whole reason he'd decided to assist the Rebels was to assure an option for himself and his men. He still wanted answers though, and the only way he'd get them was if he stayed with the Empire.

"No thanks, but there is something you can do for me."

"And that is?" The Captain asked suspiciously.

"The data from the factory, I'd like to go over it. I think it holds the answers I need."

"If you decide to stay with the Empire what will you do?"

"Continue to serve Her as best as I am able." Garin responded.

"A good an answer as any I suppose, very well; I am transmitting the data to your ship. For both our sakes, I hope we never meet again. I am taking a tremendous risk in letting you leave you realize that I hope."

"No larger than the risk my men and I are already taking Captain."

"Good luck then Hades, you'll understand if I don't wish you happy hunting."

"Of course, same to you Captain. If this data does prove that we've destroyed legitimate Imperial targets, you might see us again sooner than you'd like."

The Captain chuckled, "well I suppose in that case, I hope you have destroyed an Imperial target. Liberty command out."

"So that's the Liberty." Toth said quietly, "she's pretty well known to the Empire. We could get a pardon if we took her down."

"If it's all the same to you Toth, I'd rather not slag the people we just saved."

Toth chuckled, "I'm just saying Gar, at least we have the data though. It might save our hides as surely as destroying the Liberty."

"Hades Lead, this is Red Seven, you there?"

"Copy Red Seven, what do you need Azzameen?"

"Nothing, just wanted to say it has been a pleasure flying with you."

"You too Lieutenant, try to hide yourself better next time."

Azzameen laughed, "we won't be making that mistake again, don't worry."

The Liberty retrieved the last of her fighters and jumped to hyperspace, leaving the Black Knight and Hades wing floating in a vast sea of debris and dead fighters. Garin hoped that between the transports and the data from the factory he'd get the answers he needed to save his people's skins.

Present, interrogation room aboard the Mon Cal Cruiser Home One, Bilbringi Shipyards

"So you voluntarily decided to help a Rebel command ship despite the fact that they were possibly being attacked by fellow Imperials?"

I nodded, at the time it had been the best course I could think of. "I was trying to secure the future of my people. I would have done anything to make sure they had somewhere to run to if it came down to running."

She considered her datapad's screen for a long time before she spoke again. "Deanna."

I frowned, "pardon?"

"Lieutenant Deanna Pardice, you asked what my name was before."

I blinked and smiled, nodding. "Commander Garin Durives, pleased to meet you Lieutenant Pardice."

She scowled, though it was a friendlier expression than it had been before. "I already know who you are Commander."

I shrugged, "it's all about being polite. I can't have you presenting yourself and not return the favor."

Deanna shook her head in bewilderment, a smile crossing her face, she really was quite lovely when she smiled I mused.

"What did you do once you found out who it was backing the project?"

"I contacted Thrawn, he ordered us to rendezvous with the Avenger and her task force at the second site where the TIEs were being built according to the data the Liberty gave us…."