So what does a song about watching too much TV have to do with a galaxy far far away in the early Imperial era? Well, when you're stuck up in the frozen north of the planet Onderon for the foreseeable future the holonet might be your only window to the outside worlds. And you never know what or who might show up on the ol' idiot projector.

Trapped in a box, four walls as sky

Got a screen for a window about two feet wide

My mind rides and slides as my circuits are fried

No room for thought, use the box as my guide

Oh, trapped in a box, I'm not alone

I know of others with a box as their home

A light only enters from a crack or a hole

Oh, this is not enough for a human to grow

Trapped in a box

Ooh, trapped in a box

Watch the world as it flocks

To life's paradox

And we're all trapped in a box

Always wanting a different view

Instant gratification for you

Reality gone with a single click

I just hope that, that switch won't stick

Ah trapped in a box my life becomes void

And all of the thought for myself's now destroyed

Controlling my mind, what to eat, what to buy

Subliminal rules, how to live, how to die

Trapped in a box

"Almost got it! Just refine a little more."

"Not that way, chirn head. Turn it the other way!"

Genna had been hoping that the media room would be empty so she might zone out to whatever was on the old holoproj but there was little chance of that while all the Blackwells (sans one Mollymauk) were stuck up here during the seemingly never ending freeze. Judging by the voices emanating from the room however there might still be an opportunity for a bit of entertainment.

The voices, if she wasn't mistaken, were those of the two young teenaged boys that the family referred to as "double trouble", and if the sounds of electronic static and a small hand tool whirring were anything to go by, the cousins were probably up to something dangerous or destructive or both. It was almost definitely something that their mother/aunt would not approve of.

Genna had spent enough time with Shara Blackwell and listened to enough of her mothering wisdom that she was certain she could pull this off. She cleared her throat softly and then in her best approximation of the woman's northern accent called out, "Boys, have you finished your lessons?"

The immediate result was the sound of shuffling and a muttered, "Osik, put it away!"

As she turned the corner into the room a shock equal to their own caused the laughter to die in her throat. Cade, Dalla's youngest brother who had not survived their family's shipwreck unscathed, had some sort of spanner attached below the elbow of his right arm where he usually wore a more convincing prosthetic hand. And Emoth, Shara's second son, had a pair of safety goggles pulled down over his eyes to protect them from the device he had been soldering a moment before. It was almost like coming upon Echo and Tech working on some project on their ship.

"Salt gods, it's you." Emoth grinned, relieved, and pushed the goggles up onto his forehead.

The resemblance to her husband melted away and she breathed again.

Cade laughed, "I was so sure it was Aunt Shara. You sounded just like her!"

"Don't worry," Genna assured them before they could ask, her own smile returning. "She's still in the kitchen baking pies. I just barely escaped."

Emoth nodded, replaced the goggles, and went back to work on the network receiver for the holo projector.

"What are you two doing?" Interested, Genna maneuvered her way around the sofa and sat down.

Emoth indicated for his cousin to make some adjustment with his spanner arm and then shrugged. "We're trying to get the galactic sports network to come in."

"Well it's not limmie season." She would have totally been up to watching a match of the beautiful game. "So what were you hoping to see?" Possibly something 'Aunt' Shara wouldn't think was appropriate? "Not something like Geonosian Gladiatorial combat?"

"Oh no, nothing like that." Emoth removed the goggles completely.

With one more adjustment the holo came into focus and Cade grinned. "It's called Riot Racing!"

The boys joined her on the couch on either side as the racers on the holo zipped around the track.

"What is it they're racing? Doesn't look like standard racing pods." Genna studied the competitors ignoring the curious glances the two were giving her.

"Most of them are twelve series speeders, but they've been modified for racing speed."

She nodded. She didn't really know much about makes and models. Tech surely would have been able to tell her all about it. And then she winced as one of the vehicles slammed into the side of the track and another let loose a barrage of lasers. "It looks like it's a free for all."

As if in agreement the commentator announced, " A friendly reminder to all our spectators, be mindful of blasterfire. Safa Toma Speedway is not liable for any injury, death or disintegration. Thank you and speaking of injury and death, the lead racers are approaching Gambler's Gulch ."

"I can see why Aunt Shara wouldn't want you watching this." Genna smirked.

"But you don't mind it?" Cade asked clearly hoping that she wouldn't give them away.

"I'm Mandalorian, I had four older brothers and I was a college athlete. I was born competitive." Then she focused again on the holo image. "What's the deal with the left tunnel?" It was blocked off and surrounded by red lights.

"It's a death trap," Emoth informed her, settling in to enjoy the broadcast.

"And the entire race isn't?"

Cade shrugged on her other side. "Most of the racers are droids. They're the only ones who can make the split second calculations."

There was a sentient she knew who might have been capable.

" Final lap and Jet Venim remains in the lead but Uh oh the challenger is closing in fast! "

All three of them were now immersed in the action and listened intently to the commentator. " Uh oh it's steel claw time! I feel a Venim crunch coming on! "

Genna gasped and then cursed at the holo excitedly, the boys laughing and cheering along with her.

" TAY-O takes a tumble! "

It was a good thing that Aunt Shara was on the other side of the Hold and didn't hear some of the words that issued from the spectators.

" And Jet Venim wins! "

"That Kriffing Aruetii!"

"Actually that was yesterday's race." Cade snickered at her vehement reaction.

"So you already knew the outcome." Genna shoved him as she would have one of her own brothers and then sank back against the couch cushions. "I guess Tay-O is well out of the running after that crash."

But Emoth pointed at the listing that had just been posted on the holo. "Must have a pretty wicked pit team because he's racing again today!"

"Seriously?" She straightened back up just as the announcer broke in.

" We have a wipeout down in the pits! "

Cade hissed at the image, "Or he was racing today. Ouch!"

"So they'll have to forfeit, then." Genna was ready to see that Venim get his comeuppance and geared up to see what would be the outcome of the next bout. It was brutal!

" Alright place your bets! Our racers are ready. Safa Toma's Riot Champion, Jet Venim ."

The crowd at the speedway cheered as the commentator continued with the introductions. " Bosco "the mad bomber" Brix… "Steel Claw" Kane… "Vicious" Vid Santari… Haxxon "the war gnome" Trajanix… "Quick draw" quasar… "The trickster" Flash Raktor… "Hyper" Rod and his seven deuce blaster… " Most of them were droids as Cade had pointed out.

" And finally, Tech ."

"What did he say?" Genna's heart nearly stopped.

" Tech? "

"I don't know. I've never heard of him." Emoth shrugged, curiously.

It was impossible and yet when the holo narrowed in on the driver of the last speeder it couldn't be anyone else.

" Anything else on this guy? No? Guess he's a late arrival. Is that his name? Tech? Just Tech? Okay, here we go. And they're off! "

Her attention was now laser focused on the images being streamed from across the galaxy to their holo unit.

" Uh-oh "mad bomber" Brix is up to his old tricks! "

Tech was almost dead last for the entire first lap but then as he edged his way forward in the pack he began to garner more notice and became the target of their blaster shots. Genna could barely breathe. And then he zipped off of the track and into the pit and something large clattered to the ground behind his vehicle as he sped away.

"What was that?" she shrieked.

Emoth gulped, "I think those were his weapons."

" It looks like Tech's got a vaporization wish and has removed all his weapons. "

Genna cursed and the boys both looked toward the door to see if anyone had heard and come running to tell them off.

But Genna's attention would not have been diverted in any event. "What is he kriffing doing?!"

Tech had taken the left tunnel.

" Whoa looks like a couple of blaster brains took the ole "Nellis express to Lotho Minor!" A bold move. Let's see how this pans out. "

By some miracle or more likely the precise calculations of her genius husband, he made it over the unfinished section of the track and pulled ahead of nearly the rest of the field of competitors.

And then she watched in horror as that shabuir Venim attempted his signature move with the claw once again. Genna screamed at the image as Tech jinked quickly to the left to avoid the claw which might have grabbed the speeder behind him. They were moving so fast and kicking up so much dust that it was impossible to tell.

" Here they come. It's gonna be close! And the winner is…. Tech! Tech, right? Tech wins! "

Genna was on her feet, her walking canes laying forgotten on the floor. She was actually jumping up and down and hugging the Blackwell boys until she looked again at the holo and saw Wrecker and Meg behind her husband as he climbed out of the speeder and tears filled her eyes. She missed them all so much.

"What is going on in here?" This time it actually was Shara Blackwell who was coming down the hallway to see what all the noise was about.

Cade quickly reached over with his mechanical appendage to shut off the broadcast before she could see the reality of their viewing preference.

"We were just watching some boloball, Mom," Emoth lied as she entered the room. "Genna was giving us the play by play since she was on the team at UofO."

"Love me some limmie," Genna agreed helpfully with a sort of guilty chuckle.

The matriarch didn't look quite convinced but then she noticed her nephew. "And what is that thing you have attached to your arm?"

"Oh this?" Cade held up his new prosthetic. "Dalla gave it to me last night. She wanted to at salt and light but the order didn't come into Iziz until last week."

"Dalla's back?" Genna asked suddenly.

"Yeah," said Cade. "She's probably in Dad's office trying to get some work done."

"If you'll excuse me." She limped past them, letting Shara get along with grilling the boys about what they had actually been watching.

She had to hold onto the wall as she made the short walk down the corridor to find the Mollymauk but she was inspired by Cade. He had only been six standard revolutions old when he lost his arm but she had never once heard him complain, in fact the family joked about his superpower and called it his 'lucky fin' like the character in the children's holo about deep sea creatures.

His big sister had been the one, when she started bringing in the credits, to make sure that he had the very best doctors and medical technology to make his life easier. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Dalla had taken such an interest in Genna's surgical procedure.

Genna didn't think she had really ever properly thanked Dalla for her part in making the surgery happen.

She mused while taking a short break to lean heavily against the wall. She had been putting on some weight and while she needed to bulk up her leg muscles she seemed to be packing on Shara's extra calories in other areas and was feeling a little top heavy and out of balance.

Genna continued on her way but when she reached the office door before she could even knock she saw the blue glow of a holocom and heard voices from inside:

"So they didn't get any of the war chest?" That was Dalla.

And a female voice answered her, " Well the one with the lovely magnified brown eyes got a broken leg out of it. I offered to kiss it and make it better ."

Genna gasped and then belatedly covered her mouth to keep from making a sound but no one seemed to have noticed.

Dalla asked, "What about Cid? What is she up to now?"

" Has them running nerf nuggets or something completely beneath their potential ," said the woman, "Wait. No, I take that back. She actually split them up and took a few of them with her to check on one of her other ventures… don't worry I'll keep an eye on them when they get back. They aren't hard to look at after all. Maybe I can lure them into a little side quest for fun and profit and eke out a little more clearly where their loyalties lay ."

That woman had to be the 'she' Dalla had sent to keep an eye on Cid and they were talking about Genna's husband. He had appeared in good health, other than being shot at and careening around a death trap of a race track, on that live broadcast just now but… he'd been hurt? His leg broken? And that woman had…

Genna's legs buckled and she slid down the wall into a heap on the floor of the corridor. She didn't know if she could make it back to her own room or to the media room where she had left her canes. And when Dalla emerged from her 'meeting' she would surely want to know why Genna was there, what she had overheard.

Was this why Genna was here on Blackhold? Was Mollymauk's supposed hospitality while she healed actually a way to make sure that the Batch would lay their loyalties with her network? Was Genna more hostage than guest?

"Hey there." Sloan Murphy, one of Dalla's operatives who Genna had thought of as a friend, came around the corner and discovered her before Mollymauk could. "Looks like you still haven't quite got your sea legs."

He smiled and reached out a hand to help her up without, she had to guess, any ulterior motives.

"Thank you." She accepted his help but then backed away one shaky step. "Did she bring you up here to keep an eye on me when she goes back to Iziz?"

"Who Dalla?" he scowled. "I'm not gonna say I wasn't hoping to say hello while I was in town. But it was your husband who made me promise to look out for you, me and Ellie both, and while El is on some network business I thought it might be nice to have an old friend to keep you company. Someone who isn't a Blackwell?"

She sighed. "Of course." She knew he was completely sincere. "I'm sorry." He was the one, after all, who had raced Tech to the space dock so that they could be reunited after their misunderstanding.

He accepted her apology with a nod and a smile. "Now, if you'll forgive me for saying, you look like you've been fighting a riptide and could use a little rest and relaxation. Has anybody up here in the frozen north informed you of the health benefits of a dip in our famous hot springs?"

She wasn't offended at all but she glanced at the door to the office where Mollymauk was still seeing to her business. "I've heard of them, but I haven't gotten the chance yet to take advantage of the amenities."

He offered his arm genteelly but she was going to need a little more support than that so he slipped the arm around her instead and began to guide her down the hall.

After all, why not? If the rest of the Batch could enjoy, what had 'she' called it, side quests for fun and profit? Then surely Genna could also make the most of her enforced vacation.

…

As soon as they were out of Safa Toma's air space and had entered hyperspace on their return journey to Ord Mantel, Tech couldn't help himself. He pulled up the holo on his datapad of Genna's final limmie game.

She made a spectacular goal and then gave the cheering spectators a salute. She was amazing. She was the one who should have been out there in the galaxy performing for fans chanting her name.

"Is that the girl you gave my ring to?"

He hadn't noticed Cid creeping up behind him and looking over his shoulder at the image projected from the unit.

"Yes." there wasn't much use in denying it. She already knew.

"And the surgery was a success?"

"She is back on her feet and she will continue her recovery wherever she ends up in the galaxy."

Cid knew that Genna was from Onderon. Their patron did not need to know that she had returned to that planet.

Tech closed out the holo and turned to face the flying console even though there was really nothing for him to do till they dropped back out of hyperspace.

He was perfectly able to feign indifference and if it kept Genna safe he would continue to do so indefinitely.