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

Deanna was looking at me strangely so I decided to wait and see exactly what was bothering her this time since she seemed to be bothered by quite a lot of what happened in Hades.

"Your Chief struck one of your squadron leaders and you didn't so anything about it?"

"Chief Kerrila would have been shot by any military tribune in the Empire. A non-human striking a human officer; she'd be lucky if they didn't torture her first. Despite Vic'que's considerable piloting skills I wasn't willing to exchange Daru's mechanical or organizational genius for that under any circumstances."

Deanna shook her head in amazement, "don't you have any sense of discipline?"

"I'd like to think of it more as unit cohesion than unit discipline actually." I said with a smile.

"Yet you repeatedly alienated one of your leading officers and pilots."

"She repeatedly needed to be reminded that she was no better than the rest of us, true her piloting skills were better than mine and even rivaled Harth's but she was arrogant and didn't understand that if it weren't for the Chief keeping our fighters spaceworthy in the first place none of us would have been doing very well against Zaarin. Most likely we'd be dead"

"So you chose to side with your Chief as a sign of gratitude and a sort of back-handed disciplinary measure?"

I shrugged, honestly that hadn't been the exact reasoning of the time, but it certainly sounded good in hindsight, Deanna examined her notes further before moving on.

"You met with the Admiral shortly after that?"

I nodded, drinking from my infinitely refilling glass slowly.

"And his reaction to the miniaturized tractor beam?"

"He was ecstatic, if it worked as Daru's schematics said it should, we'd finally have a way to engage the faster TIE models that Zaarin was using on equal or in Hades' case, superior ones…."

Approximately three years earlier, aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Admonitor, Outer Rim Territories

Thrawn examined the datapad that Daru had placed on his desk, Garin was fairly certain he'd seen the Admiral going over the same items three or four times, as if he were trying to absorb it all for later use. Finally though, he set the datapad down and considered Daru with a thin smile.

"If you aren't careful Chief Kerrila, I might order you transferred back to my command."

"I wouldn't accept sir," Daru said, standing a little straighter, "I've found a home."

"You presume that I'd give you a choice," Thrawn said quietly, the same smile remaining on his features. "You've come up with quite an ingenious idea, and you say that you've already built several of these devices?"

"Fifty-three sir, they are ready to be deployed to Hades Wing."

Thrawn nodded, his gaze flicking to Garin, "and I assume, since you are here with her Commander, that you approve of these weapons?"

"I've left orders for them to be installed on all the unit's fighters."

"Good, I will copy these schematics and send them to the various engineering divisions in the task force with orders that they be fabricated and installed on all missile and gun boats immediately. We will have to develop new tactics for their use," he smiled giving Garin an amused glance, "but that should hardly be an issue given your history."

"No sir, I plan to start simulation training as soon as we return to the Knight."

Again Thrawn nodded, "this weapon could potentially tip the scales in our favor, and I wish that it could be deployed to more units, but sadly only a handful of our fighter classes have the power plants capable of sustaining these beam weapons and even fewer of our squadrons use those classes. We will make do with what we have however and we will win, regardless of Zaarin's impressive numbers. After all, numbers are never the only deciding factor and he is sadly lacking in tactical creativity."

Garin decided to ask a question that had been nagging at him, "sir, has Harkov been dealt with?"

"Yes, Admiral Harkov is no longer an issue, though I am still hard pressed to convince Imperial Command that we need more ships." He waved around his quarters idly. "I was fortunate they allowed me the Admonitor," he smiled wryly. "It would seem that many in High Command do not approve of a non-human Admiral requisitioning Fleet assets."

Garin saw Daru tense slightly, and he hoped that Thrawn didn't notice it; right now he didn't need to confront the Admiral about the issue between Vic'que and Daru. He wanted to handle that internally before it got out of control.

"Sir, I assume that you'll have no further need for us, I would like to return to the Knight."

"Of course, be careful though, there have been patrols sighted skirting the lanes between here and the station your ship is moored at." He looked away, picking the datapad back up, but then paused. "How long until your ship is battle worthy?"

Daru spoke first, "another three days sir, then we'll be ready."

Thrawn nodded, "best speed and safe journey's to both of you then, I expect to see both Hades and the Black Knight in three days time."

"That went well," Garin said as he boarded the shuttle.

Daru nodded, she looked up at him hesitantly as if considering something, before she spoke. "I just hope that it is as helpful as he seems to think it will be."

"You've designed a beam weapon that lets us stop fighter sized craft in their tracks. I think that's pretty useful Chief."

"Yes sir, but keep in mind that I've only tested it on stationary fighters in a hangar deck. Combat will be different."

Garin eyed her, "when you first showed me this new toy of yours you were as excited as I am what happened?"

"Isn't it obvious," she asked, taking a seat against the bulkhead.

Garin scowled, "if you're worried about Sajuuk, don't be. We'll work it out."

"She isn't going to forgive me sir, you know that."

He didn't answer he knew she was right; Vic'que was still peeved by Garin's methods of command so there was little hope that she'd forgive Daru. So instead of continuing the gloomy conversation, he looked over his datapad, examining the ships that had joined Thrawn's task force. They now had several Star Destroyers of various classes in addition to various cruisers, frigates, and corvettes, though still none of the newest class II Imperials or Victories, both would have been welcome additions. The Tector-class however was proving its worth despite its age thanks to its heavy armor; it was able to slug it out with Zaarin's heavier Imperial Twos even if it did have a lighter armament. The biggest advantage Zaarin had was his fighters, if they could strip away that advantage with this new weapon, then the capital ships under Thrawn could have a better chance against their opposites. Why High Command was taking so long to allow newer warships to be committed to the fight was beyond Garin. Though to be honest it wouldn't have surprised him to learn that there was a prejudice against Thrawn, especially since so few people knew that he was a Grand Admiral now. When it was finally made public, Garin imagined a lot of people would be having sleepless and panicky nights wondering if the newly minted Grand Admiral would remember their stubbornness.

"Jumping to light speed now," the pilot said.

Garin leaned back in his seat, pocketing his datapad and closing his eyes. He wasn't sure how long he slept, or even if he did, but what seemed like mere seconds later warning alarms were going off as the shuttle was jerked violently into realspace.

He stood instantly and punched the intercom, "pilot, what's going on?"

"There's a small corvette with gravity wells in the area, we're being assault by enemy fighters!"

Garin didn't say anything more, both the shuttle pilot and Mantis would do their best to keep them alive, instead he turned to the storage locker near the rear of the passenger compartment. He pulled it opened tossed a spacesuit to Daru, she wrapped her lekku around her neck and draped them over her shoulders as he pulled the suit on over his uniform. She did the same, slipping into the vacuum sealed suit and catching the helmet he tossed her way.

"Do you think we'll need it," she asked, her expression worried.

As if in answer, the shuttle bucked as something hit it, Garin looked at her pointedly. "Do you want to find out the hard way?"

She clipped the helmet into place and returned to her seat just as the shuttle bucked again, then there was an explosion to the fore of the ship, Garin swore as the shuttle heaved and began leaning violently, he keyed the com unit in the suit as he clutched a handrail to keep his balance. Across from him, Daru was bouncing off the opposite wall, she thankfully had the sense to curl up rather than flail around and risk breaking something.

"Pilot report," there was no answer, "pilot!"

When no answer was forthcoming he hailed Mantis. "Mantis lead this is Hades One, what's going on?"

"Sir, a missile impacted on the shuttle cockpit, its gone sir."

"The cockpit module is gone?" Daru asked in surprise.

"Yes ma'am, blown clear off."

"Status Lieutenant?"

"We've got the corvette on the run, but those fighters are too fast and far more maneuverable than us sir, we can't nail them all."

"Have you suffered any losses?"

"Negative sir, we've been able to keep them on their toes."

Garin nodded, looking over at Daru for a moment as he considered his options, "alright Lieutenant, you are going to do exactly what I tell you to. When that gravity well is gone you jump to the Knight and inform them of our position and predicament. With the shuttle in the state it is I doubt they'll bother with what they assume is dead weight. Have the Knight dispatch an EVA recovery team with heavy escort, we'll be waiting."

"Sir I can't just lea—"

"Do it pilot, you said yourself that you don't have the maneuverability or speed to deal with those fighters, get out now while you're still intact."

"Yes sir, we'll do it sir, under protest."

"So noted," Garin smiled grimly. "Hurry back, we'll be waiting."

"Shouldn't they have been back by now?" Daru asked, her legs tucked up under her chin as she sat with her back against the angle formed by the slanting deck and the bulkhead.

Garin checked his chrono, it took forty-minutes to move from the station where the Knight was docked to the main task force's current position. So far a whole hour had passed and there had been no hails, and with the cockpit out, there of course was no way to know what was going on outside.

"They'll be here, don't worry."

"Sir," Daru's expression changed painfully, "Garin, we're going to die out here."

"No, we aren't." He responded simply, not nearly as sure of that as he sounded. He honestly suspected they might die out here, the shuttle had plenty of oxygen, enough for three days, their suits had another eighteen hours, and once that ran out the suits could recycle their carbon dioxide but that was only viable for eight hours. So they had just over four days before they'd died of asphyxiation if help never arrived, food and water wasn't a problem, as per standard procedures the shuttles lockers had enough rations and water for three months plus survival gear. He looked over at Daru, wondering if he'd shoot her to keep her from suffering, if what he remembered of Twi'lek physiology was correct, they needed a lot more oxygen than a human did, their lekku, basically extended brain tissues, needed to be fed and all that extra gray matter required that much more oxygen.

After a few more moments of silence passed, Daru started to speak again.

"I used to think that I'd die in the gutters on Coruscant, once my master grew tired of me. Its part of the reason why I learned everything I could about machines, in the hopes that I could find a job when my master eventually decided I was no longer attractive and cast me out. I never thought I'd end up doing what I do now, and I never imagined I'd die alone on a wrecked shuttle in the Outer-Rim…I wish I could have seen my home world one more time, I barely remember it, or even my mother. I'd like to see them both just once."

"Chief, how is your EVA?"

She blinked; looking up at him in confusion, there was pain in her gaze too. She probably thought he was brushing off what she'd just said without giving it any thought.

"Can you space walk Chief?"

"I never had that kind of training Garin." She said tersely, her annoyance evident.

"Well this is fine time to learn," he stood and dropped down to the opposite wall to sit besides her. He held up his palm, "you see these thrusters? They're fed by theses tanks in your wrist, when you flatten your palm like this," he demonstrated, a small stream of compressed gas shot from the palm thruster. "You can move around, it might be a little disorienting at first, but don't worry, I won't let you drift off."

She looked at him like he'd lost his mind, "what do we do if they come for us and we're not on the shuttle?"

He flipped his helmet around and indicated a flat panel on its back. "Tap this pad when you leave the shuttle, it'll transmit a transponder signal on all frequencies within a parsec. If anyone shows up, they'll find us."

Her silvery blue eyes focused on his gold nervously. "I've never done this before."

"Well that's fine, I haven't done this since training and that was a couple years ago."

"You've lost your mind."

He shrugged, fitting his helmet and securing it. "Possibly, but do you have anything better to do?"

After a moment's more hesitation she fitted her own helmet and followed him to the neck section where the cockpit had been. He supposed that in all honesty he likely had lost his mind, he was taking Daru for a space walk in the middle of a life and death situation; but seriously, what else were they supposed do? Sit and go mad worrying about their impending deaths? He'd been there once already, he wasn't in the mood to do it again. He slapped the keypad and checked to see if the airlock was still intact, surprisingly it was. The bulkhead had managed to hold despite having the cockpit blown away.

"Shouldn't we use the boarding ramp?" Daru asked.

"If you want to lose all our oxygen in the cabin, be my guest."

Daru shrunk away from him, "I'm sorry, I don't think I can do this."

He opened the airlock and stepped in, reaching out his hand to her. "Trust me Daru, you can do this, it'll be fun."

"No Garin, fun is working on an engine block or a faulty power grid, this is insane."

"And that's not fun?" He asked all too cheerily, even to his own ears he sounded a little deranged.

She took a deep breath, he could see the fog from her lips on the visor of her helmet, then she took his hand, he pulled her to him and closed the airlock. It hadn't been meant for two people to stand in like this, so it was a bit of tight fit, especially with the space suits on. He keyed the opposing pad and pressurized the lock, releasing the outer door. The debris from the cockpit was nowhere to be seen, which meant they'd drifted from the skirmish; that also meant that it was less likely for someone to find them without looking. It might explain the time delay, so perhaps Hades was out looking for them, just in the wrong spot. After all, the slightest shift in a hyperspace course could send you somewhere else entirely than where you intended. He stepped off the lip of the shattered outer lock and pushed off with his other leg, turning with his thrusters and beckoning Daru to follow him as he drifted lazily away from the wrecked shuttle.

She paused, tensing like she was about to leap into a pool, then with a heroic effort she pushed herself towards him. As he'd expected, she panicked and began cart wheeling aimlessly. He'd been prepared for this and fired his thrusters, setting himself at an angle to intercept her. They collided and he used his thrusters to stop their movement as he helped her to rotate up relative to him.

"See? Not that hard at all," he said over the intercom, clunking his helmeted head against hers.

"You have lost your mind." She said queasily.