Vette knelt beside Theron and opened his cuffs. He looked at his arm or rather his stump and touched it cautiously. She truly felt sorry for him.

"Regrettably I wasn't able to save your hand, Agent Heian," said Quinn who stood next to Badesh in the back of the room. "However, I have arranged a cybernetic replacement on the Medbay here on the station."

"Thanks," replied Theron and rose to his feet, "uh, you don't seem to hold a grudge that I shot you."

"As the responsible medical officer on the Fury it is my duty to see to the well-being of all my patients," Quinn stiffly retorted.

"Unless you have to shut down their neural pathways, right?"

"Indeed."

Vette smiled as she heard the exchange while she bent down to Kalda to free her too.

"Ah, I'm gonna miss you, Quinn. For a stuck-up imperial you're alright," said Theron with a chuckle.

Vette turned in time to see how Quinn glared at Theron.

"Mock me all you like, but since I have always employed your correct title, Agent Heian, I insist that you call me by mine. I would like to think that you owe me at least that much."

Theron smiled at him. "I wasn't my intention to insult you, Major Quinn. On the contrary, you are mistaken if you think that my casual way of addressing you is a sign of disrespect. It is rather my clumsy attempt to show you that I actually like you. You helped Kalda and me and even stood up for us on occasion, despite the fact that we are on different sides. So, thanks for everything."

Quinn shifted from one leg to another. "I… I see."

Kalda was still rubbing her wrists when she joined them. Then she put her hands on her hips and looked at Quinn in a challenging fashion. "What he said. It's a pity that you're on the wrong side – I valued your professional opinion."

"Likewise, Agent Biss." To Vette's surprise Quinn snapped at attention and saluted Kalda. He really respected her – military protocol was something that was essential to Quinn.

Kalda crossed her arms and said somewhat halting: "I appreciate your gesture, Major – but I was never even near a military academy. I am no soldier."

Quinn eased back in his usual posture. "A pity, I am sure that you would have excelled and made an exceptional officer."

Kalda blinked a few times before she answered. "Thank you."

Theron had followed the exchange with an unusually serious expression on his face. Now he turned to Badesh. "It has been quite an experience to meet you, Darth Tenebra. Despite everything that has happened I am glad that I came to you. I am certain that you will see it through."

Badesh nodded. "I will. It was the right choice to join forces… republic worm."

The way Theron smiled led Vette to believe that the insult had another meaning – but as far as she recalled Badesh didn't used dirty talk during sex. Instead he had used his exquisite tongue for other things… But now wasn't the time for reminiscing. Vette focused again on the present.

"Agent Biss, I enjoyed our conversations," Badesh clasped his hands behind his back. "May your hate serve you well."

Vette assumed that it was a rather nice good-bye from a bloodthirsty Sith and hoped that Kalda understood the respect that was embedded in his words.

"Darth Tenebra – you have my gratitude," she replied with in a firm voice.

"Come on, I will accompany you off the Fury," said Vette and walked towards the exit. She heard Theron's and Kalda's footsteps behind her as she opened the hatch. Finally they stepped in the airlock hallway, Vette turned to face Theron and Kalda. She knitted her hands together.

"Well, there is an escort waiting for you just outside the airlock. The soldiers will show you the way to the Medbay." She handed Kalda a small bag. "Here are your communicators and your weapons."

"Thanks," said Kalda.

"Yeah, okay – I'm not good with good-byes…" Vette hugged Kalda and then Theron. "I hope you are doing well…"

Theron smiled sadly at her. "Not so fast, I had this really sappy speech prepared… the hugs were supposed to come after it."

"All the better – then we can hug twice!" Vette beamed at them, but she felt how a small lump formed in her throat.

"Okay, here it comes… you can tell anybody who criticises your choice to stay with the Empire that you are actually making it a better place. You are an improvement for every side, but I think that the evil Sith Empire needs you more than the Republic. I mean… who else could sway Sith Lords and fanatical imperial Officers?"

Vette wanted to joke about what Theron had said, but then she changed her mind. "Do you really think so?"

"Hey, you should know that children and fools always tell the truth." Theron hugged her again. "Take care, Vette."

He let go of her and Vette turned to Kalda. "I'm going to miss you two – I hope we will see each other again under better circumstances."

Kalda surprised her when she hugged her even more forceful than Theron. "You have another view on the galaxy than I have, Vette. I sincerely hope that you can keep your optimism despite being an 'evil minion of an even eviler Sith'. But if somebody can pull it off – it would be you."

"Be careful, someone might think that you like Imps," Vette jested.

"We can't have that, can we?" Kalda said in a throaty voice. "Good-bye Vette."

Vette watched how Theron and Kalda walked to the exit and stepped out of the airlock. She would miss them, she had liked them both more than she should. Vette exhaled and entered the Fury.

ooOOoo

When they entered Badesh's penthouse in Kaas City Vette felt like she was coming home. She threw her bag on her bed and stepped to the window. Of course it was raining as always, but the sound of the raindrops against the glass calmed her.

She heard how the door slid open, Vette expected to see Quinn, it was Badesh who had come to talk to her.

"So, any news from Nox, boss?"

Badesh didn't answer right away, instead he wandered through the room and looked at her paintings. Vette assumed that he was trying to find the right words for whatever he wanted to discuss.

"No, nothing," he finally replied. "Where did you get these pictures? It is rare to see hand-painted tableaus."

"I brought them from an artist in the city. This one," she pointed at a picture that depicted a desert, "is my attempt to do something creative. It's not very good – but I trust that I can get better."

"I didn't know that you painted at all – reminds me of Tatooine."

"Well, just reading reports would drive me insane – and my ear for music is so bad that drawing is the only creative hobby left for me." Vette smiled at Badesh and waited to hear the real reason for his visit.

"Uh, well… I just wanted to say that I enjoyed being intimate with Quinn and you. I would like to continue our relationship, provided that you agree…" She registered that he seemed nervous.

Vette had to tiptoe to give his a peck on the cheek. "Who would say no to great sex? I'm game."

Badesh was visibly amazed. "Just like that?"

"Just like that – that's there more to discuss? We like each other and life is too short to make things complicated."

Badesh suddenly pulled her in an embrace and said quietly. "For me it's more than just sex, Vette. I hope you know that."

She returned the hug and laid her head on his chest. "I know – it's more for me too. It's just… hard to say it. It makes everything so real."

"There is no need for words; just know that I would kill half the galaxy to keep you save." Badesh let go of her, his expression was solemn.

"You are a truly a romantic… but wouldn't you slaughter half of the galaxy anyway?" Vette couldn't help herself, it was all too close to home – she felt an uncomfortable pressure in her chest. What when he changed his mind and decided that the lowly Twi'lek wasn't good enough for him and Quinn anymore? If she truly started to take it seriously… it would hurt so much to lose them.

"Of course, but that would be the other half," retorted Badesh with a straight face.

For a fraction of a moment Vette mused whether he had made a joke or not. Then she grinned at Badesh. "You are getting the hang of it, boss."

He smiled coyly.

ooOOoo

About two hours later Badesh called her and Quinn – Darth Nox had apparently discovered something disturbing.

When Vette entered the meeting room she was greeted by the Dread Force. Quinn and Badesh were already standing in front of the commstation. The bluish-grey holopicture of Darth Nox dominated the room and Vette shortly mused whether Nox had enhanced his signal to come across tall than he was.

"… do you really expect to hear from the republic agents?" asked Nox pointedly.

Badesh remained calm. "No, but it was either that or letting them waste away in some imperial prison. And should they choose to betray us we can always use the implants to discipline Agent Heian as we please."

Nox shrugged. "A pity, I was looking forward to play with Satele Shan's son. But there is of course a more pressing matter: I spoke with my old Master Darth Zash – she knows more about harnessing the force than these so-called mystics – it appears that there was once a Sith who was able to feed on force energy by draining entire planets with a unknown device."

Vette felt slightly sick, because of the Dread Force but also because the thought of a Sith eating planets unsettled her.

"The Sith was known as Darth Nihilus – a rather fitting name I might add – and it is thinkable that the Emperor has studied ancient holocrons and discovered how to drain the force for his purposes," continued Nox. "I suspect that the Emperor plans to absorb the Dark Councils power during his speech."

"Forgive my ignorance, my Lord" interjected Quinn. "But the Emperor is already the most powerful being in the known galaxy. Why would he cripple his own Empire?"

"Power is an end in itself, Major. Once the appetite is whetted… the hunger grows even bigger," replied Nox cheerfully. "And I highly doubt that a being that has lived for a thousand years truly cares about his or any other Empire."

Vette saw how Quinn's face displayed shortly something akin to shock before he rearranged it into its usual unreadable expression. He was slowly getting used to the thought that the Emperor wasn't what he expected him to be, but she assumed that it still disturbed him to hear someone talk so bluntly about it.

Nox turned his attention on Badesh. "Did you learn something from Revan that could be useful?"

"No, I wasted my time – he was barely coherent," said Badesh and crossed his arms. "Time is running out, the anniversary is tomorrow. We don't have enough time to locate the device should the Emperor really plan to use it on Dromund Kaas. It seems that we simply have to be ready to fight the Emperor himself."

"But isn't the Emperor supposed to be immortal?" asked Vette. "How can we fight someone like that?"

"Brute force," replied Badesh. "If the Dark Council unites we should be able to defeat him."

Vette thought that she had heard a slight tremble in Badesh's voice.

"I like the sound of that, Darth Tenebra. I will gather my strength for tomorrow; may the Force favour us." Nox slightly bowed and his holopicture vanished.

When she was finally free of the Dread Force Vette took a deep breath. Badesh removed his mask and looked at it as he held it in his hands. Without looking up he said quietly: "We need to come up with a contingency plan. If even a fraction of the rumours about the Emperor and the powers at his disposal are true even the combined power of the Dark Council wouldn't be able to defeat him."

"Well, if raw power isn't gonna cut it we should use our brains," retorted Vette. "Even a being like the Emperor has to have a weakness we can exploit."

Quinn straightened his jacket. "Indeed, but we have to consider that the Emperor isn't alone – the Imperial Guard and his apprentices are likely to guard the Emperor with their lives."

Vette stepped to the commstation and pulled up a map of Kaas City. "If there is a weakness in his security we will find it."