Occasional asteroids escaped the belt and floated into the proximity of the massive star destroyer. Large asteroids were monitored, and if they proved to have a trajectory that would endanger the hull of the destroyer, the turbolasers would take them out. Small asteroids were ignored: even if they hit the side, they would do no damage.
One small asteroid, slightly larger than an escape pod floated so as to pass by the starboard side of the Finalizer. It was too small for First Order analysts to bother with, there being larger asteroids to calculate trajectories for. If it had been monitored, it would have been observed that at rare moments it changed direction slightly with no obvious reason. It continued to get closer until it came to a stop next to the destroyer near an open docking bay.
On the far side of the asteroid, hidden from First Order observers, a very small starfighter was attached, firing boosters to direct the asteroid's movement. The name of the ship was the Phantom, and it was an auxiliary ship, and normally docked into the top rear of its mother ship, a Corellian freighter: the Ghost. It could fit one pilot and four passengers, and currently, it was occupied by Zeb, Sabine, and Boba Fett.
"You know, I'm never going to forgive you for that scene in the conference room," Sabine jabbed at Boba Fett.
"What? Could you think of any other way that it could have gone?" he asked.
"Not really. I know we couldn't say anything," she sighed. "But it was embarrassing."
"Ha! Are you going to complain about your reputation?" he blurted.
"Maybe a little," she said.
"Well, don't you think this cause is worthy of your tarnished reputation?" he said, being sure to remind her of her tirade on him earlier.
"Enough, you two," Zeb interrupted. "We will have to leave this asteroid and attach soon. Are you ready?"
Boba, who was sitting in the pilot seat grabbed an oxygen mask and jetpack and set it next to him.
"Everyone else, suit up," he ordered.
Zeb put on an oxygen mask and his jet pack. Sabine donned her Mandalorian helmet and pack.
"Let me get this straight," Zeb said. "We break their communications, and that somehow ruins the First Order's plans."
"Kind of," Sabine said. "We need to jam their communications. If I can get to the HoloNet operations room, I can rig it to be a jamming device."
"You can do that?" Zeb asked.
"Yeah, that's how the Rebels used to hack into the HoloNet; but instead of transmitting a message, we will transmit a jamming signal," she said.
"And how does that help the Resistance?" he asked.
"Two ways," Boba Fett answered. "If General Leia has any sense, she will see that their frequencies are jammed and realize it's an ambush. And also, the jam will prevent the First Order from calling the rest of the fleet, giving her some time."
"If we couldn't give them a great opportunity against the Order, at least we can give them some time," Sabine said solemnly.
With that Boba Fett cut the conversation short. "We've got to go. Hold on."
He released the Phantom from asteroid and made the quick trip to the side of the star destroyer next to the open bay door and attached to the side.
"It's a quick space jump to the dock, only a few seconds, but don't play around. The face masks aren't intended for long jaunts in space. Move it," Boba ordered as he put on his mask and pack.
"Decompressing," Sabine said as she pressed the release for the door. The air exhaled out of the Phantom and the door opened.
The three of them jumped out the back of the Phantom and activated their packs to send them toward the open dock just twenty yards away. They flew in past the shields and landed just inside the dock. The bay was filled with TIEs lined up on both sides. At the far end, a few squads of stormtroopers were stationed, and the pilots of the TIEs were suiting up readying themselves.
Boba, Sabine, and Zeb quickly ran behind the nearest TIE.
"We can just sneak up behind all of these, but then what?" Zeb asked.
"Just leave that to me," Sabine said, pulling out a few of her bombs and rolled them out behind her as they ran up the length of the dock toward the interior. The exit from the dock was blocked by four stormtroopers.
"I don't think smoke bombs are going to work here," Zeb said.
"Those weren't smoke bombs," Sabine smiled.
The first explosion blew one of the ion engines off a TIE fighter behind them. The second rolled next to a maintenance supply chest. The explosion sent it flying into the air and through the cockpit of a nearby TIE.
The stormtroopers abandoned their posts and rushed to investigate the explosions, leaving the door unmanned for a moment. Boba, Sabine, and Zeb took advantage and slipped out.
"Follow me," Boba called out. "We don't have a lot of time before these halls will be crawling with troopers. We need to find a personnel transport. Every dock should have one nearby."
"There!" Sabine said pointing to a door at the end of the hallway.
They ran to it and pressed the control panel to call the transport, then ducked into an alcove on one side.
The transport arrived, and the door opened. Eight stormtroopers rushed out, too focused on responding to the docking bay call than to notice the three of them just to the right.
Boba, Zeb, and Sabine slinked into the transport and closed the door.
"Well, that was easy." Zeb huffed. "Sure going to be even easier to head back this way when we're done." His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Their transport soon arrived. It's door opened and they cautiously studied the corridor. A few officers and ship personnel were walking away from them. They hurried and moved silently behind them till they came to an intersection.
"The operations room should be right around the corner to the right," Sabine said checking a small readout on her wrist.
Boba Fett peeked out.
"Two guards," he said. "Not very alert, though."
"Let me take care of that," Zeb said. He rushed out around the corner.
Boba and Sabine heard one of the guards make a surprised noise, then a few thumps and nothing.
Zeb reappeared. "Good to go."
They came to the door, finding two unconscious guards crumpled in front of it.
"Dead?" Boba asked.
"Not my style, you know that," Zeb said.
"Yeah, well it is mine," Boba quipped as he pulled out two small side arms and opened the operations room door. Within three seconds, Boba had rushed into the room, fired off a dozen shots and then called out. "All clear!"
Sabine entered. Zeb followed dragging the guards in with him.
"Shut and lock the door," Boba ordered.
Sabine did so.
The room was large, accommodating ten working stations, each recently manned, the defunct bodies lying at each station. Sabine ran up to the closest station, took off her helmet and began working eagerly at the console.
"First, I need to shut down the HoloNet; then I can upload the jamming code." She held out a data chip. "This may take a while. You two will need to watch the entrance."
….
The black container was placed in Kylo Ren's communication room at the front. All six of the knights of Ren were present. Above it, surrounded with darkness, loomed the giant image of Snoke, sneering as he looked down.
Kylo Ren bowed, maskless before him, the knights genuflecting in a semi-circle behind Kylo Ren.
"Everything is happening exactly as I have foreseen. Skywalker and his apprentice are coming even now. Their destruction is inevitable," Snoke said.
"Yes, My Master," Kylo Ren said.
"You will remain with the mother," Snoke began. "Then you-"
His image disappeared and they were all in darkness.
Kylo Ren arose and looked around baffled.
"The HoloNet seems to be down," Jax said from behind his green Mandalorian helmet.
"Considering what we are here for, it could be Resistance tampering," Tanut added.
"Yes," Kylo Ren stated. "They are here. Jax you report to General Hux, see if you can aid in getting the HoloNet back up. Kiam, report to the flight deck, they will need your flight skills shortly."
They left. Gabo the brute, Lura the sharpshooter, Sikiah the staff-wielder, and Tanut remained.
Kylo Ren walked to the large portable black cell and placed his gloved hand on its cold metal side.
"Your daughter will come to you soon."