It's been a while, but here's a new chapter. Enjoy.

Saganu POV

I sat quietly in the control room. To anyone passing by, I probably looked deep in thought. The truth was, I was doing my best not to think at all.

I was devastated at the news that Zanthia had been captured during the mission to free our people. I wasn't surprised she sacrificed herself for the others, but knowing this didn't make the blow any easier. I was confident she was still alive. The Republic wasn't the type to kill intruders who surrender to them. There was no doubt in my mind that once the others were gone, she had surrendered and was now in custody.

My mate had spoken to me about the Jedi council. She had claimed they were compassionate and enlightened. My only concern was if she was being held by the Jedi or by the Republic. In my experience, the Republic was neither compassionate nor enlightened.

I sent a message to the Jedi council, asking for her return and opening the doors for negotiation. I had yet to get a reply. This worried me, but I wasn't ready to give up the hope that this situation could be handled peacefully.

The most difficult thing was explaining his mother's absence to Thrane. He was still too young to fully understand, but he was old enough to be impacted by her absence. I told him his mother was on an extended trip and she would return soon. I hated to lie to him, knowing she might not return soon, or at all, but I wanted to remain optimistic. For the sake of my son and myself.

"Sir, there's a message coming in. Looks like a reply to the recording you sent a few days ago." Said a young ensign at the communication station.

"Let's hear it, ensign." I said, straightening up at my seat. The message wasn't live, but I had made of habit of carrying myself with distinction when using the holo. Live feed or not.

An image of a woman appeared before me. She was dressed as a Jedi.

"I am Grand Master Satele Shan, leader of the Jedi council. We received your message, and while I can assure you that Zanthia is unharmed and being well cared for, we can not release her. It was established that the Chiss prisoners being held were taken captive in error, due to a miscommunication by soldiers on Taris, but regardless, it is the ruling of the Republic that she must stand trial for her crimes. She will not be harmed while in our care."

The messaged ended.

I was angry. Beyond angry, but I didn't let it show. I remained stoic as I replayed the message in my head. So, they admit to wrongdoing, yet will net release Zanthia for her forward way of correcting the miscommunication. But there was something else about the message that bothered me.

"Interesting." I said quietly out loud.

"What's interesting, Sir?" My second in command, Freggin, asked.

"She says it's the ruling of the Republic that Zanthia must stand trial, not the ruling of the Jedi council. This Grand Master Shan seemed torn by the news. This implies that it might not be the judgment of the Jedi, but the Republic, that is being enforced."

Freggin shrugged. "Aren't they one and the same?"

I looked up at the younger man. "Are the Empire and the Sith one and the same?"

"Point taken, Sir, but does this change anything?"

I sighed, standing. "No, I suppose it doesn't. They refuse to release Zanthia, even after admitting a mistake was made on their part." I turned to face Freggin. "Assemble the commanders of commando teams Alpha, Beta and Gamma. I have a mission for them."

Freggin nodded and left the control room.

If the Republic was not willing to be reasonable, then neither was I.

Satele POV

It had been two weeks and Zanthia was still unconscious. Everyday, Master Kiwiiks tried to contact her using the Force, but her former student was either unwilling or unable to respond. Master Benzel was monitoring both Zanthia and her baby and had indicated that neither were in danger yet, but the Force only knew when that would change.

I had sent a reply to the mystery Chiss from the message after communicating with the supreme chancellor. Though a quick investigation revealed the arrest of the Chiss prisoners was indeed an error due to a miscommunication and a bit of racial profiling, the chancellor was unwilling to allow Zanthia's release, stating the ends didn't justify the means. I didn't totally agree with her, but I had little choice but to comply, for the sake of relations between the Jedi and the Republic. It was also established that as long as Zanthia remained unconscious, it was better for her to remain in the care of the Jedi.

I had a bad feeling about all of this, but could do nothing but wait as events unfolded.

I was pulled out of my meditation by a beeping holo.

"Sorry to interrupt your meditation, Satele, but something's happened. Can you join me in the council chamber, please." Master Syo said, his words had a slight edge of concern.

"Of course." I replied, closing down the holo and heading up to the council chamber.

The council chamber was empty except for Master Syo and Master Orgus. Both looked worried.

"We just got a disturbing communication from Hoth." Syo said. "Three of our outposts have been attacked in the last week. No one was hurt and only minor systems were damaged in the first two attacks. The third attack resulted in minor damage to some of the more important systems. The attackers were reported to be all Chiss and they left the same message behind each time. Two words: Release Her."

"It's obvious they mean our unconscious friend in the med bay." Orgus added.

I sighed. I'd been afraid something like this would happen. "I doubt the amount of damage at each attack is random. Seems like they're escalating. The first two attacks were meant to get our attention. I have a feeling the longer Zanthia is in our custody, the worse this is going to get."

"You don't think they'd escalate to the point of harming people, just to get back one person?" Syo asked.

Orgus mirrored my sigh. "It depends on the person giving the orders. There's probably a few people who would do what they thought was necessary to ensure her safe return. We have no idea what role her mate plays in their governing structure. If she has a child, there's most likely a husband as well."

"Zanthia wouldn't want people hurt on her account." Syo added, confidently.

"Unfortunately, we have no way of telling her. Bela hasn't gotten to her, either verbally or through the Force. She's not getting the message or just doesn't care. There's no doubt in my mind she would help us stop the attacks, if we could only reach her."

"Has she told Zanthia about the baby?" Syo asked.

"No. She's trying to be delicate." I replied.

"I think she should. The time of delicacy is over. She needs to know about these attacks on Hoth and she needs to know this trance might be hurting her baby. If she's still the Zanthia we trained, she'll respond."

I nodded, knowing Syo was right. We didn't want her to feel like we were threatening her, but the time for subtlety was over. Zanthia needed to wake up. She needed to wake up now.

To Be continued...