Wrehn watched the Mandalorians run out the back of five durasteel shipping containers, which simulated five dropships. The five shipping containers were situated in and around the simulated grounds of the chancellor's mansion.

The Mando warriors each ran to and deployed against several fixed targets. They would then return to their containers and wait for the signal to come running out again.

In the meantime, heavy work droids and combat engineers moved the simulated train of speeders to a different location on the simulated driveway. The combat training droids, which simulated the security forces protecting the simulated chancellor were also moved, the droid handlers telling the droids where to go and where to stand. When all was in readiness, the signal was given.

The Mando warriors ran out of their simulated dropships again, quickly adjusting to the changed target environment. They immediately zeroed in on, deployed against, and began their assault on their relocated targets.

Wrehn watched as one mercenary from each of the five simulated dropships zeroed in on the chancellor's speeder and deployed practice repulsor lift generator disruptor mines, RLGDM-242-P. The P in its designation meant that it was a practice munition.

The reusable training aid mimicked the RLGDM-242, which, in essence, was a specialized EMP munition especially tuned to the electrogravitic resonance frequency of repulsor lift generators. These disc shaped devices could be manually placed magnetically anywhere on a target which used gravitic levitation and directional gravitic repulsion for locomotion, for example a speeder equipped with a repulsor lift generator.

A time delayed fuse was set to allow the warrior time to get away before it activated. Warriors with cybernetic implants of any kind could never be allowed to such duties. The EMP discharge would certainly cause grave injuries and burns, and very likely death to the cyborg warrior.

RLGDMs could be deployed over a long distance, but were too unwieldy and too heavy to throw, but they could be deployed with lobbers. Lobbers were specialized weapons used for deploying RLGDMs and other EMP munitions over long distances, up to two hundred meters for point targets, and three hundred for area targets. Cyborgs could be assigned to deploy the RLGDM-242 and any other EMP munition with a lobber, as long as the target was greater than a hundred meters. However, for this operation, Ymmiir Sharratt was careful to select warriors who had no cybernetic implants of any kind.

The weapon that Clan Sharratt warriors would use for this mission was the MG-574 mine and grenade lobber. This was a low powered electromagnetic rail gun used to lob mines and grenades. Grenades could be lobbed further, at faster velocities, and most importantly, more accurately than could be manually thrown.

Four of the five practice disruptor devices made loud, metallic clanking sounds as they slammed into and magnetically stuck onto the sides and the top of the simulated speeder and began to emit bright blue flashing lights, simulating the activation of the devices.

The one that missed, magnetically clanked onto the durasteel deck of the training grounds, also flashing its blue flashing light. If the surface that it had impacted were made with a non-ferrous material, the device would have continued to roll, clatter, and skid away from the target area. However, before it had moved too far along, it would have flashed its red light, indicating that the general purpose EMP function would have been activated instead, destroying or damaging any electronic device within a thirty meter radius.

Meanwhile, the five Mandalorian platoons rapidly dispersed to establish a perimeter designed to keep reinforcements away from the stopped speeder, while one special team, a squad of Mandalorians, surged to the simulated disabled speeder.

In this scenario, the signal had gone out that the heavy duty salvaging droid had been destroyed. This was the scenario where the Sith would use their lightsabers to cut through the very tough, heat resistant armor to get to the chancellor. Wrehn watched Vindis and Calaverous go into action along with the special squad of Mandalorians.

Calaverous deftly deflected the very low energy blaster bolts, with most of the bolts flying right back at the droids who'd fired them at the Sith lords. In so doing, he shielded Vindis as she did her part.

Wrehn shrugged her shoulders, resigned to accept that things invariably could go wrong, both during training and during live operations, and in this case something did go wrong.

Vindis forgot to deactivate her weapon in order to simulate cutting through the speeder's heavy armor. Needless to say, the simulated speeder was mere thin eighth inch plate metal. Vindis' lightsaber cut through it like nothing was there, with a white hot shower of molten durasteel droplets fountaining around herself, Calaverous, and the speeder.

Yet, Vindis didn't stop there. In her excitement, she used The Force to rip the sheet of durasteel from the frame of the simulated speeder and tore the training aid apart, flinging the torn shred of durasteel, over Calaverous' head, far across the training area.

Calaverous was surprised by the shower of sparks raining down around him, but was startled by the violent sounds of rending durasteel behind him. He turned about, just in time to see a large warped section of sheet metal fly high over his head. A moment later the hunk of durasteel crashed onto the deck of the training ground, a respectable distance away, behind him.

After realizing what Vindis had done, Calaverous began to laugh at his peer. Vindis' predator's grin instantly vanished, replaced with a look of realization of what she'd done. She sighed heavily, and turned about to make her way back to Wrehn and Ymmiir, where they stood observing the progress of the training.

An officer overseeing the training, saw what Vindis had done, and immediately discharged a pyrotechnic. The rising projectile left a column of red smoke in its trail, emitting a very loud shrill whistling shriek as it climbed into the air. The projectile struck the ceiling thirty stories high with a distant, ringing, metallic bang. It bounced back towards the mega floor, thirty sub-stories down, leaving a cork screw trail of red smoke, this time without its whistling shriek.

This signaled a pause in the exercises for a break. During the break, combat engineers would get a chance to replace the wrecked simulated speeder.

Wrehn and Ymmiir watched as Vindis and Calaverous approached them, where they stood observing the training. When the Sith lords came to a stop before them, Vindis had a one word comment for the two.

"Oops…"

"Yes, oops just about covers it," Calaverous remarked, smirking.

"Your enthusiasm is admirable!" Ymmiir said, nodding with great approval, "Our warriors will be inspired by your fighting spirit.

"Yep," Wrehn said, dryly, "truly inspirational."

Vindis eyed Wrehn, coldly, recognizing her sarcasm. Wrehn effected not to notice the Sith lord's glare, instead commenting on the progress of the training.

"It's going very well," she said to Ymmiir, "The warriors you picked for this job are sharp. They give me confidence that we can pull this off." Turning to Vindis, Wrehn added, "Your squad is especially motivated. They're going all out for you."

Turning to face Calaverous, Wrehn said, "You were a blur with your lightsaber. Damn! You're fast!"

Calaverous shrugged his shoulders at the compliment.

"It was nothing special," he replied, adding as he turned his face to regard Vindis, "It's a standard skill."

She'd been staring wonderingly at the Chiss woman. Vindis wore a mystified expression on her face as she closely scrutinized Wrehn, as though something seemed very strange about the Chiss woman.

"Who is she?" Vindis asked Calaverous, "She isn't the same surly Chiss woman I've gotten to know."

Wrehn rolled her eyes at Vindis' attempt at poking fun.

"Do you know who this civilized woman is?" Calaverous asked Ymmiir, but the joke was lost on the grizzled warrior.

Peering carefully at Wrehn, he answered as though confirming to himself and to the others, "This is Yehw'reh'nomai, Grand Champion of Great Hunt."

Wrehn smirked, with real mirth, realizing that Ymmiir didn't get their joke. She was pleased, however. It was proof, to her, of a growing esprit de corps between herself, the Mandalorians, and the Sith lords.

A messenger approached and spoke in Mando'a to Ymmiir. Wrehn blinked in surprise at the contents of the message, but kept silent and otherwise effected not to hear. Ymmiir sighed and shook his head, great disgust written all over his face.

"I have clan matters. I must go," the clan chieftain said, before turning to leave.

Wrehn and the two Sith lords looked on as Ymmiir took his leave.

"Is there some problem?" Calaverous asked Wrehn, when Ymmiir and the messenger were out of earshot.

"Family problems," Wrehn answered simply, before explaining, "A clan is made up of a bunch of different families."

"Yes," Vindis said, nodding her understanding.

Calaverous' affable manner was his poker face. It never gave away anything of how he really felt or what he really thought of the bad news that he realized was coming.

"One of the major families is threatening to split off from the clan," Wrehn said, pausing just long enough to be sure Vindis and Calaverous were following, "They feel they have been slighted. The insult to them is that their family had been left out of the operation. It's a big family with a lot of well qualified warriors, but none of them were chosen for this operation."

"If the family leaves, the clan will fall," Calaverous said, as though describing an unpainted wall, "Am I wrong?"

"No," Wrehn replied, "You're not wrong."

"Is there anything we can do?" Vindis asked, starting to worry about the mission.

Wrehn shrugged, shaking her head and expressing her doubts.

"It's clan business," she said, "A family squabble. They'll have to sort it out themselves."

"What's gotten into you?" Vindis asked out of nowhere, "Where is the surly, snapping Yehw'reh'nomai I met on the Spirit of Vengeance?"

Wrehn was truly taken aback and surprised at the question. Realizing that perhaps Vindis had not been poking fun after all. She found it absolutely hilarious and laughed out loud. After a while, she caught her breath.

"Is that why you kept staring at me so hard?" she asked the Sith Pureblood, grinning with mirth and laughing, before explaining, "The clan chief and I are putting on airs," Wrehn said, "We're being ultra polite to each other, minding all of our Ps and Qs."

"Another Mandalorian thing," Vindis said, "It makes no sense. I thought Mandalorians were rough and tough."

"It's a contest to see who loses their temper and loses control first," Wrehn said, "It helps build mutual respect and helps to break the ice, too."

"Will their family squabble impact our operations?" Calaverous asked, concerned that he might miss out on thirty million credits.

"Not sure, but they're gonna ask for more money and ask that at least a platoon from their family be added to the operation," Wrehn said, a bit of disgust showed in her features, "I won't have a choice but to accept."

Vindis nodded her comprehension of the situation.

"So, it's just a lot of posturing for the sake of drumming up more business," Calaverous said, smirking.

"Yeah, that too," Wrehn said, "but if they don't come to some kind of understanding, the clan really will break up. More than wanting more credits, I think it's 'cause one of the officers ran his mouth, and they found out what our objective is. They don't want to be left out of that."

"Recall that Darth Tormen will not pay any more than he already has," Vindis reminded Wrehn, "You'll have to pay for the added expense."

Wrehn smiled impishly.

"I'll have to pay more to Clan Sharratt from the extra that Darth Tormen gave me. Your cut just got smaller."

Wrehn laughed at Vindis' shocked expression.

"Oh, no you don't!" Vindis protested, adding, "I'm paying Lord Calaverous from my cut. I'll not allow you to cut into that!"

Wrehn shrugged, smirking at Vindis' displeasure.

"I was joking! Don't worry. I'll eat the cost," Wrehn said, adding with a laugh, "Should have seen the look on your face when I said that, though. It was as funny as a barrel of monkey lizards."

Calaverous smirked and shook his head on hearing that.

"Lord Vindis," Calaverous said, "It would have been troublesome if you could not pay me the agreed amount. Aren't you glad your client has agreed to cover the added cost?"

Vindis made a face, showing her displeasure.

"Or I could kill you after the job is done and not pay you a single credit," she said caustically, her anger showing on her features.

Calaverous laughed, uproariously, replying, "Impossible! Yet, that gives me a great idea. I could get you out of my way, and then ask Yehw'reh'nomai to pay me your share. "

"Knock it off, you two," Wrehn mildly scolded the two to their great astonishment, "He's coming back. Let's see what he's got to say."

"This impertinence is what I've had to put up with since Darth Tormen tasked me to oversee this operation!" Vindis complained hotly, "I'd have done something to put her in her place, but then Darth Tormen would kill me for sabotaging his operation!"

"She is Mandalorian, Lord Vindis," Calaverous replied before Wrehn could object, "They tend to believe their place is above all others, even above the Sith."

Vindis was scandalized by Calaverous' seeming acceptance of Wrehn's attitude towards them.

Wrehn, Vindis, and Calaverous all watched as Ymmiir took his last few steps to where they awaited his return. His original grumpy facade was back on as he approached. Wrehn could tell he was upset, because he was muttering sourly as he approached.

"Yehw'reh'nomai, I must to include them in operation," he began, "I convinced them only one squad, and only half million credits." His face soured, as he added, "They want important role in operation."

Wrehn thought a moment. She shook her head. All she could think of was to put them in the reserve, providing additional security against counter attack.

"The chancellor's mansion is probably full of priceless art," Calaverous said, speculatively, "They could raid the mansion and loot it. That would throw salt onto the Republic's wounds."

Wrehn perked up on hearing that idea.

"If he has an office where he works while at home, maybe there'll be cabinets or safes filled with state secrets," she said.

"Stealing state secrets, primary mission. Looting priceless art, secondary mission," Ymmiir agreed, smiling broadly and nodding his satisfaction at the idea.

"They'll have to be quick," Wrehn said, becoming concerned, "The more time they spend in the mansion, the better the chances for the Republic to cut off our escape.

"We could sell the secrets to whoever wants to buy them," Wrehn said, speculatively.

"Or you could give them to Darth Tormen as a gift," Vindis suggested, to the laughter of both Wrehn and Calaverous.

"Selling secrets for extra credits is good!" Ymmiir agreed, as though he didn't hear Vindis' suggestion.

"I've got to return to my ship," Wrehn said, shaking her head in disgust, "I have to hire another dropship. The expenses just keep piling up!"

Wrehn turned about and proceeded towards the exit of Clan Sharratt's enclave. She worried about the added cost, especially since she was going to order an extra stealth dropship almost at the last moment.

"They're seriously gonna gouge me for that," she thought, morosely.

A whistle's shrill shriek got everyone's attention. Break was over, and it was time to get back to training.

Wrehn was furious. She fully expected to have to pay high prices for getting the sixth stealth dropship at such short notice. However, the mercenary organization that operated them had gouged her well beyond what she expected.

She was already paying two million credits for each of the five ships, totaling ten million credits, but they twisted her arm for an additional five million for the sixth stealth drop ship.

"Fifty million for the stealth heavy cruiser to transport the warriors, and fifteen million for the stealth dropships," Wrehn groused, "sixty five million credits!"

She had to pay an additional five million for the additional dropship, and it burned her to think about it. She had no choice but to pay the cost, otherwise the operation might be compromised.

The only part left to worry about was whether the Mandalorian destroyer that she hired would arrive on time. The destroyer had the needed landing bays and troop berths to accommodate Clan Sharratt's warriors, their equipment and supplies.

This destroyer, the Hammer and Anvil, would take them deep into Chiss Ascendancy Space to rendezvous with the Chiss stealth heavy cruiser that she'd paid fifty million for. There, Wrehn and her hired guns would transfer to the other warship. The Chiss sales rep for the stealth heavy cruiser and the original five stealth dropships was the same who'd gouged her for the sixth dropship.

The Hammer and Anvil was currently on another mission. The owners of the destroyer promised that they would complete their other mission in time to support her operation. Wrehn was starting to have her doubts, though.

She heard voices, heavy armored footsteps and the clatter of armored suits from the cargo bay below. The Chiss woman rose from her seat at the intragalactic transceiver at the Command and Communications section and made her way to the back of the upper cargo deck of her starship.

Looking down, she saw Torian helping a limping Mako, Skadge carrying Mako's weapon and helmet, and Gault teasing the cybernetically enhanced petite human woman.

"Keep saying that, Gault," Mako angrily chided the Devaronian, "I'll slice your datapad and plant a burrow worm in it!"

Gault stopped teasing her, but his smirk and snickers continued.

"What'd you do to your leg, Mako?" Wrehn called down from the railing at the end of the upper deck.

"I took a tumble," she replied dejectedly.

"She thought she could jump the gap between roof tops," Skadge reported, laughing as he spoke, "but she only caught the ledge of the roof with her hands. Then she let go and dropped like a jabbuu nut! Ha! Ha!"

"Did you let the field doctor have a look at it?" Wrehn inquired, worried that she'd lose a member of her team for the mission.

"That quack wanted to amputate my leg and replace it with a cybernetic prosthetic!" Mako replied, angrily.

Skadge, Gault, and Torian laughed at Mako's declaration.

"He was joking," Torian told Mako, "He was having a bit of fun."

"Yeah, Mako," Gault confirmed, "He was just pulling your leg!"

Gault and Skadge laughed at the pun. Torian stifled his laughter, under Mako's baleful glare, but he couldn't help but grin at the joke.

"You're a real comedian, Gault," Mako replied, in a surly tone, "but that doctor didn't look like he was joking, to me! He was taking measurements!"

"But did the doctor check out your leg?" Wrehn demanded.

"No!" Mako replied, angrily.

"Torian," Wrehn commanded, "Take Mako the the field doctor and make sure he looks at her leg."

Mako began to protest, but Wrehn cut her off.

"We're deploying, soon!" Wrehn said, quite sternly, "I need to be sure you'll be at one hundred percent before I let you take part in this mission!"

"Mako, he's not gonna amputate your leg," Torian said, trying to reassure her.

"All kidding aside, Mako," Gault offered, "Wrehn's right. If you've got a fracture or some other kind of injury on Go Day, it could not only jeopardize the mission, but endanger the crew."

"Fine," Mako dejectedly agreed, "I'll go. But Torian?"

'"Yeah?"

"You and Gault are traitors!"

Torian raised an eyebrow as he shifted his gaze towards Gault. Gault merely shrugged his shoulders.

Torian helped Mako hobble to the speeder which was parked in the corner of the cargo bay.

Wrehn, high up at the back of the upper cargo deck, looked below at the two as Torian helped Mako into the speeder, then watching as the speeder glided towards the ramp. She looked downward at the enormous opening at the back of her starship as the speeder gently eased out of the starship, down the ramp, gradually picking up speed on its way to Clan Sharratt's enclave.

Just as she lost sight of the speeder at the right edge of the cargo bay entrance, a pair of armored warriors began to enter her view at the top right edge of the cargo bay hatchway.

They gradually entered her field of view as they neared the back of the starship. First, their armored boots, then their armored leggings became visible just below the top edge of the hatchway. Wrehn finally recognized that it was the Sith, as their armored cuirasses, gauntlets, and finally their faces came into view. The two Sith lords neared the bottom of the ramp as they walked unhurriedly.

Strolling causally towards the ramp at the back of the starship, the pair were quite absorbed in their conversation. Wrehn smiled at the sight.

"Vindis' got a new boyfriend," Wrehn said to herself, with a chuckle, "Now maybe she'll quiet down."

Calaverous used The Force to gain Vindis' attention. She turned to regard him, and found him lagging behind Yehw'reh'nomai's crew. She followed his example and began to fall back, letting the riff raff get further and further ahead.

"Are you hungry? Would you care to join me for dinner?" Calaverous asked.

"I eat my meals on the ship," Vindis said, by way of turning him down.

Calaverous stopped in his tracks, forcing Vindis to stop and turn to look at him. She found him pointedly eyeing her with astonishment.

"You eat your meals with those common thugs?" he asked, in disbelief.

Vindis laughed on hearing that.

"I eat my meals in my quarters. My droid prepares my meals."

"Oh, that makes sense," Calaverous replied, adding, "In actuality, I wanted to speak to you. There is something we need to discuss."

"If you can't tell me here, then I'm not interested, Lord Calaverous."

"Have you thought of how you would escape that world? You know, in case things go wrong, and our transport has left us behind?"

"Yehw'reh'nomai has not paid me a single credit. She wanted to give me the incentive to stay and complete the mission to get paid," she told him, "I imagine it's the same with her other subcontractors."

"Suppose everything goes wrong, including the capture or death of your employer," Calaverous countered, "How will you collect your payment? How will you escape?"

When Vindis gave no answer, he went on, with his proposal.

"Join me for dinner, and we can plan."

"Fine," Vindis agreed, "However, I must get out of this armor and get into the fresher. I'm absolutely grimy."

"I agree," Calaverous said, deadpan.

Vindis was left to decide whether he'd meant that he agreed and should do the same, or that he agreed, she was grimy.