Coruscant

GAR HQ

"Saw you talking to Kenobi in the hangar." Mayday said, matching his stride with Cody's.

"Yes. He's spending the day at the Council. They think CloneInt finally came through with Grievous' whereabouts but there's some questions."

Mayday stared at his brother, "Questions? CloneInt was always reliable."

"You know the Jedi, overthinking things again." Cody shrugged.

"But they've actually found his base?" Mayday asked.

"Where he's hiding. Yes." Cody smiled, "I think Kenobi will be going after him and we'll follow him to secure whatever planet he's on, after we've resupplied. But this all depends on the Council."

Mayday had noticed the additional activity by the loading droids and his brothers; there was an element of focus as they prepared and he noticed Cody was actually smiling.

"You're getting ready?"

"Of course. We have to be ready." Cody frowned, his moment of relaxation and thoughts of possible peace evaporated.

"Of course we do." Mayday grinned, before draining his mug of GAR caf.

Cody, another little smile playing around his lips added, "Thought you might want to see someone before we leave. It may be the last chance in a while. Things could be changing a lot soon. We could be near the end, with Dooku dead, and Grievous in our sights; this is just what we've been waiting for."

Cody was cautiously optimistic.

"Is it true that Skywalker beheaded Dooku?"

The rumour mill was in overdrive.

"All I know is, they caught up with Grievous, retrieved the Chancellor and the General was injured slightly and in the ensuing fight Dooku was killed. it doesn't matter how, and Grievous did his usual and escaped. Dooku paid for his crimes." Cody was all business now.

Mayday wasn't sure if a quick death was sufficient for what Dooku had caused but he didn't voice that.

"You're right."

Cody was not going to add to the rumour mill. Although the Chancellor had been saved, there was some thing between the General and Skywalker when they returned, that he could put his finger on.

"And Skywalker still managed to bring that ship down more or less in one piece." Mayday added, they had watched as the Invisible Hand headed downwards towards the planet, seemingly on a collision course but at the last minute touched down, more or less intact.

"Less than more." Quipped Cody, "When we come back, it will be a whole different game for us. This is a turning point. I can feel it."

"Let's hope so, or we'll be out of a job." Mayday smirked.

"Doubt it. There will always be some Seppie holdouts to clear."

"Yeah, they're not going to give up that easy." Agreed Mayday.

"Always will be. But go! Before I change my mind and put you in charge of the re-supply." Threatened Cody.

Mayday didn't need telling again, despite how much he enjoyed talking to his brother, this was unexpected. He knew she was safe but still wanted to see her, touch her to make sure.

"Say hello to her for me." Shouted Cody after him

Mayday raised his hand in acknowledgement but didn't turn around; he was already on his way.

His com blinked, "Mayday here. This better be good Hexx!"

"It is. Meet me at the Squad room."

"I'm in a hurry."

"I thought you might be. I can meet you at the exit if you want?"

"Agreed. It had better be kriffing good!"

"It is Boss."

Mayday upped his pace and reached the exit just to see Hexx coming around the corner with a bunch of Blue Plom flowers in his hand.

"I liberated these, sir. Knowing how much she likes them."

Mayday grinned, they hadn't opened yet.

"Thanks. See you later."

.

Hela's

Mayday walked into her Apartment, armed with his liberated flowers, having carefully negotiated the construction droids which had already started work on certain areas of the city.

"Mayday!" Her voice greeted him; he was amazed how good it made him feel, the warmth he felt through this body, just by hearing that voice. He had never felt like this about anyone before, how could he. All the other women had been fleeting meetings of their bodies not what you could call a relationship.

This was a relationship, in the truest sense of the word.

He knew he didn't need to bring the flowers but it felt good that he did.

He held them to one side and braced himself, ready to be bowled over. Instead, he received a tentative embrace, her arms not quite reaching all around him, and moving, pressing, feeling; she was checking if it was actually him and if he was uninjured.

"Are you alright? Any injuries?" She whispered, after checking but still holding onto him.

He shook his head, "None. I'm fine."

"Here!" He gave her the flowers.

As she took them her other hand rested lightly on his cheek; her thumb brushing it, rubbing the stubble. He'd been so desperate to see her he hadn't shaved, all the time staring into his eyes.

"Are you sure? You look tired."

"I am —fine but yes —tired."

Then her bloodshot eyes registered with him and that she was holding her shoulder oddly, she held the flowers gingerly, almost as if they were too heavy for her.

"What happened to you? Your eyes." He wiped the tears that were still running down her face, from the bloodshot eyes, red veins spreading out along the white, nearly covering it all.

"I was out shopping when they attacked. Then people panicked. Buildings were damaged, with falling ships and there was falling durocrete everywhere. This— ," she blinked, "it's just the dust."

"Just the dust?" She flinched when he touched her shoulder, to emphasise what he saw, "And this?"

He couldn't touch her without her wincing with the pain, moving away from him. The last thing he wanted.

"I fell against a wall— the crowd— but I'm fine now, we all are."

She turned and pulled him into the room.

He looked around; he had been aware there were other people here but now he really looked and there were faces he didn't know, all dusty and dirty but looking relieved. They were drinking, it looked to be wine, something fizzy and there were bottles and food on the table.

It looked like a party.

He felt a flare of anger and tensed up.

Hela looked around, and turning back whispered, "It's not what it looks like."

"No?"

She pulled his face down to her.

"No it isn't. Come on in, meet everyone—thank you for the flowers." she whispered in his ear, kissing him gently on the cheek.

He took a deep breath.

As she turned him around he was greeted by a sound he had never heard before, applause from the people in the room, who had all stood to greet him. These were people he had never met before, but they had now experienced the war, his war, for a few hours and they were grateful to him.

"Hela invited us here. So we had somewhere to stay while we checked if our Apartments had been damaged." Admiral Rys was the first to speak.

"It was difficult to see. Zur checked for us first. But thank you, both of you, and your men." she raised her glass to him, as did the others in the room.

She nodded to the Falleen who was leaning against the wall with a glass in his hand. He scowled at the gratitude.

.

The last one finally left, still gushing at how brave the Clones were as he and his son were being ushered out by the Admiral, who followed him after hugging Hela and shaking Mayday's hand.

"I'll leave you both together, it's time you two had some time alone after all this."

Hela leaned against him and they sat quietly.

"I never expected all that." Mayday admitted, taking a drink of the wine that had been opened in his honour, although his brothers should also have been there, "I was just doing my job."

"There was nowhere else for them to go until the droids had made their apartments safe; some were quite seriously damaged. Mine was the only one of a few that the debris missed. They brought the food. Then Cody let me know you were coming."

Mayday huffed his reply and looked out on the deck, she was lucky there were only small fragments out there and Char had been sent away, otherwise the small hound may well have been out there when everything happened. It enjoyed running around the large landing deck and roof top garden.

Hela had been worried she would jump of the edge but the hound was cleverer than that.

"So you took them all in?"

"Who wouldn't?"

"The others whose apartments weren't hit."

"I don't know about them, I just did what I had to do."

She slipped her arm around his.

"What I saw, Mayday, all those people killed. How did the Separatists manage to get through without us knowing?"

It was a question many of them were asking.

"I'm sure the Jedi and the Chancellor are looking into it. Where's Zur?"

He had just noticed he was missing.

"He left not long after you arrived. He's gone to look for Anoon. He lost contact with him during the battle."

"No contact at all?"

"No and that's not like Anoon. And Zur is worried about him."

"And you're worried about Zur?"

"Yes. I've never seen him like this with anyone else. Anoon means so much to him."

"I could help." He offered. It didn't feel right just sitting here, despite wanting to be with her, she was safe, "He looks after you when I'm not here."

"True!"

She watched his face and knew from the expression, he was considering something.

"Mayday?" She asked but she knew the answer before he said it, it was something he had to do.

"I need to help him."

"Zur? Are you sure? Haven't you done enough? You have to rest."

"I need to help."

She studied his face, there were more lines on it now, new crows feet, frown lines. They had appeared over the last few months. They just made him look more handsome in her eyes, despite them being a constant reminder of his accelerated ageing. Another problem they would have to deal with in the future. But she had plans for that; she wasn't going down without a fight. Nola was already making enquiries.

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

A pang of guilt hit him.

"You always are."

He pulled her into a kiss, holding her tighter than normal; as they pulled apart, she warned him, "Com him first!"

He winked as he walked out of the door.

.

Hela sat and closed her eyes; she was tired and her eyes hurt, more than she had admitted. Her com pinged; she kept her eyes closed, tempted to ignore it but thought better especially when she saw who was calling.

"Chief? Is everything okay? Is the Chancellor alright?" She hadn't heard anything nor had she enquired; she had been thinking long and hard about her relationship with him after what Zur had implied. The Holonet confirmed he escaped unscathed but the Holonet wasn't always that accurate.

"Yes. He's fine. He asked me to check on you and, if you feel up to it, to attend the Ballet tonight?"

Hela hesitated, she hadn't been expecting this, not so quickly after the battle.

"He needs to send a message to the Separatists, to show they can't win. That we're still here. Business as usual."

"I'm not sure—"

The battle had shaken her up more than she expected; then the Chancellor's voice took over from the Chief's.

"My dear. Are you alright? Were you caught up in it? Do I need to send a medical team over to check on you?"

"Chancellor. I'm fine, a few bruises, that's all. And you?"

"Not a scratch my dear. But that was all due to Anakin. He saved me from Dooku and Grievous. Now about tonight. It's the Mon Cala Ballet, I know how much you enjoy that. I will see you there won't I. It will be a boost to the citizen's morale to show everyone we will not be beaten by this War."

She could see him, in her mind's eye, giving that speech to the Senate.

"Yes of course." She heard herself say, despite her misgivings, "Of course I'll be there." and put the com down, immediately wondering why she had agreed to this when all she wanted to do, was be with Mayday.

She wandered into the fresher; now she needed to make herself look presentable. She thought there were some Bacta eye drops somewhere. They would just have to work quickly, she hoped.

And what to wear.

Something with sleeves.

Nothing too provocative. It was the Mon Cala ballet after all.

She sent a message to Mayday; she had to go, the Chancellor requested her, she couldn't be late.

.

Mayday looked around; this was the Coruscant he didn't see very often and wondered why Zur would be this far down. There didn't appear to be any damage in this area but he wasn't an architect and had never understood how all this worked, building on top of building, on top of building, manufactured canyons in the landscape.

He pinged his com again. He should be around here somewhere,

"What're you doing here?" Zur's voice slurred in his ear, his blaster pointing to just round his carotid, in the gap between his helmet and body suit.

"Looking for you."

Mayday pulled off his helmet, turned around slowly and the smell of cheap toydarian whisky washed over him.

"Why?"

"Hela's worried."

"She needn't be. I can take care of myself."

"So I understand. Have you found him?"

"He's gone."

"Dead? How?"

"No, not dead, just gone—left."

"Do you know where?"

"Ryloth—to fight for his planet. Joining someone called Cham Syndulla. Says he should have done it years ago but he didn't because of me."

Zur leaned against the wall; a look of defeat on his face.

"You could follow him—"

"No I can't."

"I'm sure if you explained to Hela she'd understand, if you followed him—"

"No! You don't understand. I can't leave Hela. She wouldn't be safe."

"I'm sure she'd be safe with any other dresser and there's me now. The war will soon be over and…" Mayday hesitated, he wasn't sure how much Hela had told Zur of their plans for Naboo. "She wants to move back to Naboo."

"Naboo?"

Zur was shocked she hadn't told him.

"When?"

"When the war's over. No definite plans yet."

"That's even worse. Much worse," he muttered. "They could get to her. Kill her."

Now Zur was rambling.

"Is someone going to kill her? Who?"

"We're all in danger."

"From who?"

"I don't know. I've said too much."

"Yeah, and drunk too much."

His head slumped on his chest; it was only Mayday who was keeping him upright now. He was tempted to leave him here on the floor but Hela would never forgive him.

"Come on. Let's get you back."

Mayday dragged him up. Slung his arm over his shoulder and dragged him back to Hela's.

.

"Kriff! You're heavy." Mayday groused as he finally pushed Zur into Hela's apartment.

The Falleen lurched forward before rushing to the fresher.

"Hela?" Mayday shouted, "Not back yet." He said to himself and headed to the kitchen. He was hungry now.

.

Galaxies Opera House

Hela climbed into the sky car she ordered.

"We'll have to take the long way round." Advised the droid driver.

"That's fine."

Hela stared out of the window, there were fires still raging, orange spots glowing in the landscape of the city. Some areas were far more damaged than where she lived. She shivered, but it wasn't cold; she had been lucky. Some weren't, they slowed down as the demolition droids working pulled out what looked to be bodies from a damaged building. The driver quickly detoured treating it as a normal accident.

The Opera House was buzzing with life. She was surprised, so many people were attending; She watched all these people seemingly oblivious to the problems on the outside, many of them speaking to the Chancellor and was surprised to see Anakin enter.

"My dear!" The chancellor's voice startled her.

He grasped her hands, holding them tight.

"It's good to see you're well, after everything."

"And you Chancellor." She replied automatically.

"I'm well, thanks mainly to Anakin."

"Good." Another automatic answer but she couldn't help thinking about all the other people involved in the battle.

"Now my dear. I've put you in the box next to me, with the Chief. Enjoy the ballet."

With that she was dismissed.

.

Hela sat watching the ballet, as perfect and precise as it always was. She was impressed after what had happened over the past forty eight hours but then they had been battles on the Mon Cala homeworld.

"Are you okay my dear?" The chief's voice sounded different, not the crisp efficiency she normally displayed.

"Yes. I'm fine. A little tired. And you?"

She turned as she answered and saw The Chancellor and Anakin in an intense conversation without Sly Moore and Mas Amedda, who had been with him before. She focused back on the Chief.

"I'm well. I've not seen you to really speak to you, since you went to Naboo. How was your time there?"

"Good!"

"It's a planet one could settle on isn't it?"

"My home planet." Hela reminded her.

"Ah yes. So thinking of returning home?"

"Not sure."

"Where would you advise someone to live, if they had never lived on Naboo previously?"

"Theed! It's beautiful."

"Ah yes. Anywhere else. A little less well known?"

"Is this for you?" Asked Hela, her voice low.

The Chief smiled, "For a friend."

Hela didn't believe her but she played along.

"There's Dee'ja Peak in the Gallo Mountains. Or Keren which is more commercial. Kaadara is a coastal town which still boasts a few Naboo fishermen." She paused, "How do you feel about Jar Jar Binks?"

"He's well meaning, why?"

"There's Moenia built in the traditional Gungan homelands of the Lianorm Swamps. If I didn't have The Cabin. I would live there."

"Why's that?"

"It's where Naboo's most successful authors, artists and musicians reside. I think your friend would like it there."

"Thank you. I'll look into it."

They turned back to the ballet.

.

Hela avoided the Chancellor at the end, as he was surrounded by Senators; she didn't have the patience to deal with them tonight and headed out.

"Remember what I said."

Hela turned to face the Chief, who smiled and melted away.

Slightly confused, she made her way to the entrance, ready to get away from all this and see Mayday.

"Your carriage awaits Madam!"

She stared at the Clone trooper standing in front of her, "Mayday?"

"Who else? Come on!"

He pulled her away from the crowd dragging her along and around the corner, "Just a minute!" She hopped along, besides him.

"What?"

"My shoes." She teetered on high heels and bent over to slip them off, pulling out some fold up slippers from her small bag.

"Why?"

"Sometimes, I need to rush."

"Come on then." He dragged her with him, "You've kept this quiet?"

"What?"

"The Speeder."

"You knew I had a speeder." She protested, sure they had talked about but he had never been in it. When he needed one he'd borrowed from the GAR, as a Commander he could.

"Yes but not what kind and how fast it goes. You've had it turboed."

He opened the door for her holding it.

"It's been enhanced." She huffed in reply, as she slipped in and put the seat belt on.

Mayday started her up and opened up the throttle, "And then some." He said as he toed it out of the parking bay.

Hela held onto the arm rests, as they pulled away; she hated other people driving her speeder.

.