The Nightshrike touched down at the Jiguuna spaceport. Watcher Three waited for them at the berth with two Imperial soldiers dressed as bounty hunters.
"Are you trained for combat?" Cipher Nine asked.
"I'm to provide technical expertise on the Eradicator," he replied. "Keeper wanted a Watcher for it. We have two dozen troops at the safe house ready to move on your command."
"Let's get to it," the agent said.
When they exited the spaceport, Kaliyo looked around and chuckled. "The shit I've seen." She stopped for a moment and laughed. "Juda's been... busy."
Cipher Nine spotted the Twi'lek woman in the distance. "Oh, yes. Good for her."
At the safe house, the agent addressed the Imperial troops. "We want the Eagle alive, if possible, and the Eradicator intact. Everyone else is collateral. Minimal grenade use. We don't want the Hutts to get wind of it. The last thing we want is a Hutt getting the Eradicator. Bounty hunter weapons only. We don't want this to look like an Imperial intrusion. Stun when possible. We don't want the Eagle dying in the crossfire. We'll go in small teams and rendezvous at the terrorist base. Questions? Good. If you have your team assignments, move out."
As they moved through the Hutta swamp, Vector said, "This world needs a hive." The agent and Kaliyo looked at him. "It is the hive that cleanses the environment of Alderaan. Without us, Alderaan would be more... industrial."
When they reached the refinery the terrorists used as a base, Cipher Nine appreciated the two dozen troops. The terrorists fought with skill and efficiency, but not much experience.
Kaliyo said, "Is it just me, or are they fighting like Imperials?"
"The Eagle must have been Imperial military," the agent replied.
Once they made it through the first few rooms, the agent's scanner located the Eradicator.
"Damn, that thing's got power," Kaliyo said.
"That's the point," the agent said.
At the Eradicator room, someone said, "Now carve us a path out. I'll follow soon." A young terrorist ran from the room. The agent let him go. "All right. The least I could do was send the boy off with hope."
"The Eagle, I presume?" the agent said. Kaliyo, Vector, and Watcher Three were with her. The troops were clearing out the base.
"The Eagle is a symbol," he said. "I'm just a man. But have you seen the strength of the revolution? Cells on Nar Shaddaa, Tholatin, Molavar, Alderaan, Balmorra... it's an inspiration, no matter how it ends. Look behind me. That is an Eradicator." The grotesque cyber-organic cannon pulsed with energy. The massive weapon was large enough to attack capital ships. Or bombard a planet. "I was a starfighter pilot. I flew in the battles of Coruscant and Druckenwell. Then, I began to lose squad-mates. Some fell to Republic troopers. Imperial Intelligence erased others. I wondered... was my Empire worth it?"
"I really don't care," Cipher Nine said. "Does your story have a point, or are you just stalling?"
"I realized that the Empire destroys people," the Eagle said. "Our once-great society runs on human fuel and serves no purpose beyond ego. Then I was approached by a... patron. Someone who gave me a list of other revolutionaries, other revolutions across the galaxy."
"I still don't care," she said. "Who is your patron?"
"My patron was the spark. I am the flame."
"That's nice, but I wanted a name."
"I sought my counterparts on many planets," the Eagle said. "They hated for different reasons, but we all shared a vision of the Empire's defeat."
"Oh, shit," the agent said.
"I gave up my name to-"
She shot him, stun setting. He fell to one knee and pushed himself back up.
"What the hell?" Kaliyo said.
"He's been programmed," the agent said. "He's probably half cybernetic."
"To... lead... them. I... was..." He gasped for air. "My patron- a servant of the Empire- behind it all..."
"Give me a name," the agent said.
"If I had one," he said. "If... if I had a name." He held up a grenade.
"Fuck!" the agent yelled and everyone dove for cover.
Cipher Nine woke to the sight of one of the disguised troopers. She groaned, and he helped her to her feet. Kaliyo and Watcher Three sat against the wall. Vector stood but leaned on his staff. The agent closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning, but it didn't work.
"What the hell happened?" Kaliyo said.
Vector replied, "He fought the hive."
The agent nodded. "He fought against the programming. That hero was still in him. Watcher Three, get what you can from the computer. He'll have left something to help us."
"In a moment, ma'am," Watcher Three said.
Cipher Nine sat down and waited for the room to stop spinning.
An hour later, Watcher Three said, "It's not good. Six dozen Eradicators in place above six different Imperial worlds. They're waiting for commands. If they don't get them, they'll go mad. Fire randomly at cities from orbit."
"Why would they do that?" Kaliyo said.
The agent replied, "The patron is forcing our hand. Whoever it is, needs something from us. How much damage can they do?"
"Tens of thousands of people could die," Watcher Three said. "But I know what the patron needs. The Eagle stored half the control codes on his computers."
"Can we shoot them down?" Kaliyo asked.
Watcher Three shook his head. "An attack would begin the bombardment, and they are exceedingly sturdy."
"Contact Keeper," the agent said. "We need to know how to proceed."
"The Moffs have placed local forces on alert, and a search for the Eradicators is underway," Watcher Two was saying when they reached Imperial headquarters. "Unfortunately, trends suggest we can only find one device every five hours."
"They'll have killed millions by then," Keeper said. Keeper, Watcher Two, and the best military analysts at Imperial Intelligence reviewed the Eradicator data. "Cipher Nine, welcome back."
"We could have used some kolto," she replied.
"If we have the time," Keeper said. "Watcher Two, damage projections?"
"Estimates are ten to fifty million deaths on each planet targeted," she said. "Forty percent military, sixty percent civilian."
One of the analysts said, "Even at the low end, that's unacceptable."
"Agreed," Keeper said. "It sends the message that the Empire is vulnerable."
Watcher Two said, "In order to deactivate the Eradicators en masse, we need the control codes. We can only surmise that the other half are with the Eagle's patron."
"Yes. The 'patron'," Keeper said. "A man whom the Eagle claims is inside the Empire. I have my doubts that this patron is really a highly placed Imperial."
"I disagree," one of the analysts said. "Too much of this patron's strategy suggests familiarity with Imperial command structure."
"Perhaps," Keeper said. "Watcher Three, did you get anything else from the Eagle's computer?"
"The Eagle had been sending periodic transmissions to someone in the Artus system," he replied.
"Artus is uninhabited," Watcher Two said. "Devoid of resources and off the major hyperlanes. Our patron could certainly hide there."
An analyst said, "Why didn't he encode the transmission?"
"He was fighting the programming," Cipher Nine replied.
"Can we trust the data?" the analyst asked.
"We don't have a choice," Keeper said. "Cipher Nine, your ship is being outfitted with a cloaking device. It will only last one jump, but it should get you in. Watcher Two, I want you on the mission with Cipher Nine."
"Sir?" she said.
"You heard me," Keeper told her. "You know more about the Eradicators than anyone, and we can't risk jammed communications."
"Yes, sir," Watcher Two said, paling a bit. "I'll do what's necessary."
"Don't worry," Kaliyo told her. "I'll keep you safe."
Keeper said, "Get to a kolto tank. You have until the cloaking device is installed."
Watcher Two said, "I've been going over the mission parameters. Studying the Eradicator control codes, scans of the Artus system... We're facing a mystery, and I hate mysteries."
"What do the scans show?" Cipher Nine asked. They'd only gotten half an hour of kolto and were still exhausted. They sat in the Nightshrike's conference room. Kaliyo and the agent could barely sit up straight. Vector was at rest but tense around the eyes.
"A capital ship," Watcher Two said. "We can't determine the configuration. Too much radiation in the system."
"The patron chose well," Cipher Nine said. Watcher Two nodded, obviously strained. "You should get some rest too."
"I don't remember how," she said. "Times like this, I wonder if it took much more to push Watcher X over the edge."
Kaliyo said, "I know some relaxation techniques."
"I'll rest later, if I can," Watcher Two said.
"The traitor worries me," Cipher Nine said. "Sith Intelligence on Tatooine, and the Eagle was Imperial military."
"Keeper knows all that," Watcher Two said. "But now is not the time."
"Do you know how to use a blaster?" Kaliyo asked Watcher Two.
"I've completed standard training and certification," she said.
Kaliyo rolled her eyes. "Let me do the shooting. Would you like to check my bruises? I want to know they're healing."
Cipher Nine said, "Why do I keep you with me?"
"I'm good at shooting things and making everyone's life interesting. What about it, Watcher Two?"
Watcher Two said, "We're about to face untold horrors, and you're trying to seduce me? All right, I answered my own question."
"What's our backup?" the agent asked.
"Two dreadnoughts ready to jump at our signal," Watcher Two said. "We just need to get the shields down."
"Vector, you're with me," the agent said. "I might need a diplomat. Kaliyo, protect Watcher Two with your life. Watcher, find a computer-"
The holoemitter activated and Darth Zhorrid appeared, doubled over with a medical droid next to her. "Cipher Nine-" she began.
"My lord," the droid said. "Physical trauma includes electrical burns, lacerations and retinal damage. Transfer to-"
"In a minute! Damnable thing. Cipher Nine, I know who it is. The patron, the orchestrator. I was attacked by my bodyguards." Medical personnel appeared, but she waved them off. "I chose them, because they were loyal to my father."
"I understand," the agent said, much more awake.
"He'll have contingency plans, resources, followers," Zhorrid said. "You can't stop him, not directly, but you must do something. Anything. If he gets away, he'll build more Eradicators. He'll gather troops. This plan is swift and decisive. If he fails here, it will be civil war. If he wins..."
"Understood," Cipher Nine said.
Zhorrid nodded at the medical personnel, and they lifted her onto a stretcher. Keeper replaced her in the holo.
"You have your orders," Keeper said. "Do anything you can, including self-destruct. Darth Jadus must be stopped. This is our only chance, Cipher. Fail, and we all pay a grievous cost. And, considering your opponent, it has been an honor." He disconnected.
"I never expected to see old age anyway," Kaliyo said.
"We still have options," Watcher Two said. "Darth Jadus is likely using an Imperial ship. I know their systems as well as the engineers. And the floorplans. I can avoid the crew quite easily. Kaliyo and I will disable the hyperdrive and the shields."
"He might be jamming communications," the agent said.
"We will deal with that as well," Watcher Two said.
Kaliyo said, "Watcher, how about a bang before the end?"
Watcher Two sighed. "Keep me alive, and I'll give you an entire day."
Kaliyo smiled. "I'm going to remember that."
Cipher Nine said, "Vector, how are you doing?"
"The shell might perish, but the hive retains the memories."
"We're pushing a lot on you quickly," Cipher Nine said.
Something like a smile appeared on his face. "Every Killik protects the hive. We are now asked to protect every hive. For us, this is every moment."
Kaliyo said, "When bugboy starts to make sense, things have gone really bad."
The agent nodded. "Rest if you can. And..." She sighed. "May the Force be with us."
"You were right," Watcher Two said soon after the ship exited hyperspace. "Communications are being jammed."
"What's the plan?" Kaliyo asked.
"We connect to a docking collar. Too many people in a landing bay for us to enter unnoticed. Vector and I meet with Jadus," Cipher Nine said. "He needs the command codes. He'll know I have them. We can delay him while the two of you disable the systems."
"How are we to meet with Jadus?" Vector asked.
"We make our way to the bridge and get caught," she replied. "But, we need a reason to be on the bridge. Watcher?"
"The command codes, obviously, if you can get them," Watcher Two said. "Get me access to the bridge ray shielding controls, and I can contain him once the strike teams arrive. The more serious issue is the Eradicators. We must get control of them. We have two options. Input your half of the command codes, and I can shut them down, but Jadus will kill you and likely escape."
"Or?" Cipher Nine asked.
Watcher Two took a breath. "Enter the codes at the bridge console. Let Jadus target the Eradicators however he wants, while we sabotage the ship."
"What?" the agent said.
"I promise his victory will be short-lived," Watcher Two said. "He will believe you are on his side. He will drop his guard, and I will be able to activate the ray shielding."
"Set the ship to self-destruct," the agent said.
Watcher Two shook her head. "The security on the self-destruct is the highest. I would be detected and stopped before I could get through."
"How many people, how many worlds are sacrificed?" Cipher Nine demanded.
"If we give Jadus the command codes, then yes, he'll murder thousands before we stop him," Watcher Two said. "But the human cost is acceptable."
"How is this acceptable?!"
"The only alternative is to let Jadus escape and do worse down the line," Watcher Two said. "Use the codes to let Jadus launch his attack. Sacrifice lives and seize this chance. We can end his threat forever." Cipher Nine stared at the dreadnought looming before her. "If you disable the Eradicators here and now, I'll help you," Watcher Two said. "You're in command of the mission. You must live with the choice. I can give you my advice, but I can't possibly make this decision for you."
Forty percent military, sixty percent civilian. Thousands of deaths. Or, he builds hundreds of Eradicators, and millions die. In the Empire. And the Republic. She was supposed to work in a lab. Field work was too risky for an undercover operative. But something about the request made headquarters curious. A weapon designer in the field. They wanted to know why. Her handler told her the right operative in the right place at the right time can change the galaxy as much as any Sith or Jedi. But, he added, I hope that is never you. If she'd been given this decision a year ago, even a month ago, the answer would have been obvious, but she'd seen an Eradicator. Hundreds of them, in the hands of a madman...
"How do I give you control of the ray shielding?" the agent asked.
"Put the system into maintenance mode," she said. "I'll do the rest."
"How long will he have control?" the agent said.
"About twenty minutes," Watcher Two said. "While the system cycles through the maintenance routine. I'll start the routine at the same time you input the codes. When the routine is done, I can establish remote access. But anyone on the bridge could stop it if it's detected."
"But, he will be too busy with his toys to notice," the agent said. Watcher Two nodded. "Casualties?"
"Difficult to determine without more detailed specifications on the Eradicators."
Cipher Nine said, "Based on their energy signature, they have a power output similar to a class four megalaser."
"A what?" Kaliyo asked.
"A small spinal mount cannon," Watcher Two said. "Enough to destroy a frigate with a single blast. If that's the case, tens of thousands."
"Or hundreds of millions if he escapes," Cipher Nine said. She started to laugh. "Someone once told me, sometimes you take the path you hate the least."
Kaliyo said, "Sounds like a Jedi."
"Maybe," the agent said. "In our business, you never know. I'm going to hold you to that twenty minutes." Watcher Two nodded.
"Ever used stims?" Kaliyo asked.
"I've never needed them," Watcher Two said. "But, under the circumstances."
"Discuss it on the way," the agent said.
"How are we to be caught?" Vector asked.
"The cloaking device will last another thirty or forty minutes," the agent said. "We must be on the bridge near the Eradicator control when it drops."
"Vector," Watcher Two said. "I've made cybernetic goggles for you, but they won't survive close scrutiny."
"We are grateful," he said.
Cipher Nine said, "First thing, Vector, we find a couple of fanatics and disguise ourselves. Watcher Two, which airlock is our best option?"
"Watcher Two, are you receiving?" Cipher Nine whispered.
"Affirmative," Watcher Two said.
"I'm at the ray shielding controls," the agent said. Darth Jadus conferred with his advisors on the bridge. Twice now, he'd looked up as if he'd heard something. Vector had done his best to distract the other fanatics, but his tricks were beginning to fail, and the fake cybernetic goggles were drawing attention. Cipher Nine input the commands as rapidly as the system would allow. They were already past the thirty minute mark and could not be caught at the ray shield station.
"That's it," Watcher Two said. "I can start the routine any time."
The agent and Vector moved to the Eradicator control and waited.
"My daughter?" she heard Jadus say.
"Out of surgery, my lord," one of the advisors replied. "She's been transferred to a kolto tank."
"Her bodyguards failed me," Jadus said. He looked toward the crowd of fanatics again. Vector blocked his direct view, but he didn't look away. "No matter."
Five minutes at most. The agent familiarized herself with Eradicator control.
"The Eagle's control codes?" Jadus asked.
"Keeper, Watchers Two and Three, Cipher Nine. No one else has them."
Jadus nodded. His helmet remained turned toward Cipher Nine. "So. You've arrived at last. I expected too little of you. You served me well on Hutta and on Dromund Kaas; I should have known you would serve me again."
Cipher Nine turned toward him. "Darth Jadus. You've been busy."
"My will is the destiny of lesser men," he said. "This... is the Joiner? Where is the Rattataki?"
"Still recovering from Hutta," Cipher Nine said. "Besides, you have no Rattataki followers. Not here, anyway."
"Is this true?" Jadus asked his advisor.
"Possibly," the advisor replied.
"No matter," Jadus said. "She is contemptible... and beneath me. Once before, you were inoculated by the dark side. I will speak now as I spoke then. Accept the gift of your life, agent, and we will discuss terror, the Empire and the Sith."
"Do I have a choice?" she asked.
"In a moment," he replied. "It was my desire that the Eagle unite the terror cells. It was my desire that my flagship be destroyed. I required a weapon that the Dark Council would overlook. The terrorists became my unknowing servants and carried out my plan."
"I know all this," Cipher Nine said.
"Of course," Jadus said. "I accomplished two things during my absence. First was the diminution of the Dark Council. Upon my death, my former enemies began warring amongst themselves, vying to claim my resources. Darth Zhorrid's arrival escalated the chaos. My daughter is doomed, but she is an adequate distraction."
"Do you have a point?" Cipher Nine asked. "You maneuvered, you manipulated, you faked, you fought, you prepared. To what end?"
"Throwing the Sith into disorder was only the start," Jadus said. "The rest of the Empire had to be prepared as well. That was the Eagle's purpose, to sow fright and hatred. All this while, my Eradicators were growing. Now they are ready, and my victory is close at hand."
"Not quite," she said. "The Eagle fought your conditioning. Years of preparation destroyed by the morality of an honorable man."
"If I do not command the Eradicators, they will destroy all before them," he told her. "More deaths than I intended, but my enemies will still be eliminated."
"The Emperor will not let you get that far," Vector said.
"The insect speaks," Jadus said. "The Emperor is... distracted. I could resculpt the Dark Temple into a monument to my glory, and he would fail to object. Under my rule, all people will revel in fear and anger and degradation. These prizes will no longer be hoarded by Sith."
"Apologies, Darth Jadus," Vector said. "But you are mistaken. Your strongest enemies are behind shields or in bunkers deep underground. Without both halves of the Eradicator codes, your weapons cannot be targeted; they will merely cause chaos. Mere chaos isn't enough for you, is it?"
"Does a piece of the diplomat remain?" Jadus said. "In the chaos of the attack, my followers will capture Keeper and the two Watchers. One of them will break. But, millions will die. You can save them, Cipher Nine. Enter your codes into the ship so the Eradicators can target my enemies. Lives will be saved, and you will be rewarded. You will be my herald."
"So was the Eagle," the agent said.
"The Empire fails to recognize your potential," Jadus said. "Soon I shall be the Empire. Authority, wealth, a place in my vision. The respect Intelligence has denied you. Blood purity is a notion whose time is past. Consider an Empire where there is no limit to what an alien might become. Zash's apprentice recruited you for the same reason, did she not? Imagine an Empire where you could be Keeper or Minister, and she could rise to the Dark Council."
Vector said, "Your reasoning is... persuasive, my lord."
"What?" the agent said.
"You are much more than they believe," Vector said. "We have learned this easily. It is time for others to learn it."
"We're here to save the Empire," Cipher Nine said.
"For what?" Vector asked. "War, infighting, corruption, bigotry? When a nest becomes diseased, it is cleansed for the safety of the hive."
"Take time to consider," Jadus said. "And you will see the value of embracing my will."
"All right," Watcher Two said, a hint of panic in her voice. "Stay focused and don't look at Jadus. How are you holding up?"
Vector whispered, "Not all negotiation is conflict."
Watcher Two exhaled sharply. "You're a piece of work."
"We agree," he replied.
Cipher Nine held back a smile. She turned back. "I am a daughter of the Sith Empire, born lower than dirt. For all my success, I am still lower than dirt. 'Peace is a lie.' The Sith live by it. Strength, power, victory. I have struggled to give all of that to those above me." She looked at Vector. "It is time to cleanse the nest."
Jadus said, "A wise decision, agent. Our new age begins. Enter your codes into the terminal, and give control over the Eradicators to me."
Cipher Nine went to the Eradicator control and paused.
"Kaliyo and I are ready," Watcher Two said.
Vector whispered, "Now is not the time to push."
Thousands. Tens of thousands. Sixty percent civilian. How many children is that? Watcher Two would know.
"Your thoughts are confused," Jadus said. "A temporary condition, I assure you."
With shaking hands, Cipher Nine entered the control codes. "It is done, my lord."
"Across the Empire, the Eradicators will burn cities and destroy the prizes of my enemies," Jadus said. "The attack has begun. Watch, agent, watch the Empire burn."
"Of course, my lord," Cipher Nine said.
Jadus said, "The distress calls, the cries of fear and pain, these will be routed to the ship as the Eradicators work. A thousand voices, screaming in terror. Will you savor them, agent?"
"I'll do my best to appreciate them," she said.
"I sense doubt in you," Jadus told her. "But it changes nothing. There is nothing that will let you forget. Let your loathing bring you strength."
It looks like Intelligence failed to catch the Eradicators in time.
We're burning up! We need authorization to evacuate!
What's going on? Is it terrorists? Is it Republic? What's happening?
I'm getting reports of three separate attacks- two on Sith training grounds, one on a blasted hospital!
Anyone who receives this-help us. Our defenses are minimal, we can't-
Twenty minutes of screams of fear and pain. Twenty minutes begging for help. Twenty minutes of death.
"I have it!" Watcher Two said. "Get away from him now!"
"Agent," Jadus said. "I sense-"
Cipher Nine dove away as the ray shields dropped. Jadus screamed in rage and reached toward her with the Force. She threw flash and shrieker grenades to confuse him, and ran into the crowd of fanatics. Vector ran to her side, and the two of them pushed through the crowd and off of the bridge.
"Cipher Nine," Watcher Two said. "The Bulwark and the Judgment just exited hyperspace. Strike teams are on their way."
"Get to the landing bay," Cipher Nine said. "We'll meet you there."
"Understood. Watcher Two out."
They pulled off the fanatic uniforms on the way and reached the landing bay just as the second shuttle touched down. The Imperial troops saw them and raised their weapons, but Watcher Three called them off.
A dozen Sith Lords emerged from the second shuttle and called to her.
"The bridge," she told them. "Contained in ray shields for now."
"We don't have much time," the lead Sith Lord said. "Any other allies?"
The troops raised their weapons again, and the agent turned to see Watcher Two and Kaliyo arrive. Kaliyo had a few more scars and a limp, but Watcher Two was unharmed.
"Those two," Cipher Nine said. "Everyone else is an enemy."
"Go," the Sith Lord said. "The rest is Sith business." He ignited his saber and headed toward the bridge.
"You want to what?" Watcher Two said to Kaliyo.
Kaliyo smiled. "Trust me. You'll like it. Agent, ready to go?"
Cipher Nine nodded. They took a shuttle to the Judgement. The Nightshrike had been taken on board. They waited for the last of the strike teams to leave and headed back to Dromund Kaas. Once the Nightshrike was in hyperspace, Cipher Nine went to her cabin, locked the door, and collapsed.
Cipher Nine sat against the wall of her apartment, her arms across her knees, her hands bruised and bloody from the punching bag. Her door chimed. Her door chimed again.
"I can sense you," the assassin said.
"Open," the agent told the door.
The assassin took in the bloody knuckles and the bloody punching bag and the dents in the walls and said nothing.
"Don't," the agent said. "Not you. Everyone else said it. Watcher Two said it. Kaliyo said it. Keeper said it. The fucking Dark Council said it when they pinned a medal on me. I couldn't stand it if you said it."
The assassin sat next to the agent and put an arm around her shoulders.
"Eighty-two thousand, six hundred and five," Cipher Nine said. "Less than one percent of his intended targets. Less than a tenth of a percent, in fact. Eighty-two thousand, six hundred and five. Twenty times that number died at the Sacking of Coruscant. Forty-seven thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one civilians. Fifty-eight percent. Below expectation. Ten thousand, and fifty-one children. Acceptable losses. Ten thousand. And fifty-one." The assassin said nothing. "This is what it's like to be you, isn't it?"
"Sometimes," the assassin said.
"That story Agenord told, did that really happen?"
"Of course," the assassin said.
"Why doesn't it get to you?"
"I save it until the end," the assassin told her. "I'll have my day. Eventually."
"I don't want to be there for it," the agent replied.
"How are you handling Ter'viro?" the assassin asked.
The agent turned toward her. "What happened to Ter'viro?"
"Oh," the assassin said. "Well-" She looked toward the door. "Later. We have company." She stood up.
The door chimed. "Cipher Nine? It's Watcher Two. I... have something for you."
"Open," the agent said.
"Oh," Watcher Two said. "Lord..."
"Kallig, for now," the assassin said. "Darth Zash's idea. She thought I should move on from 'skinny bitch'."
"Yes, my lord." She looked at Cipher Nine. "Was I interrupting?"
The assassin gave her an odd smile. "Of course not. I was just comforting a friend in her time of distress."
"Yes," Watcher Two said. "Of course. Very good."
"Cipher Nine, I hope you're feeling better," the assassin said. "Shara, wonderful meeting you. I'll just go."
After she left, Watcher Two said, "I never told you my real name, did I?"
"No, you didn't." Cipher Nine replied.
"I'm starting to understand why Kaliyo's so terrified of her. It's Shara Jenn, by the way."
"You had something for me?"
"Yes!" Watcher Two said. "Quite a bit of news, in fact."
"That Sith Lord you've been watching. Lord Mau'te. Everyone's talking about it."
"Lord Mau'te," Cipher Nine said. "That's exactly who I want to hear about right now."
"Yes," Watcher Two said. "Anyway, Jadus tried to escape. His followers had infiltrated the military spaceport. Lord Mau'te happened to be there. He actually held back Darth Jadus long enough for a team of Sith Lords to arrive. Can you believe that?"
Cipher Nine didn't respond for a while. "Yes," she said at last. "I can believe that."
"Hopefully, this will cheer you up more." Watcher Two put a stack of credits on the agent's table. "Your winnings. That bounty hunter you were betting on all year won the Hunt."
"He did?" the agent said. "That's... that's good news."
"Mostly good, anyway," Watcher Two said.
"Mostly?" the agent asked.
"Yes," Watcher Two said. "If you'd like to hear. I have a little time... before I have to surrender myself to Kaliyo."
"Please," the agent said. "Tell me everything."