Mayday walked slowly and silently along the corridor, listening at each of the doors, most appeared silent and empty. The last one, he heard someone moving inside. He checked the corridor, "Huh! Kriffing Enforcers." Then sliced the lock using his slicing cylinder. It was still working despite the Empire.

He slowly opened the door and slid quickly behind it, no one spoke; if it was the wrong room he would deal with them. He closed it slowly and quietly behind him and looked around the room.

The dress she had been wearing was draped haphazardly over a chair.

Right room.

He heard a water shower running; this ship even had water showers. The difference between the have and have-nots in the galaxy was still there, some people couldn't even get water to drink.

He was not surprised she was showering after watching her attempting to avoid the slimy hands on that ex Republican Senator from some nondescript planet in the Outer Rim. He had her backed into a corner and was surprised when Vos's guards had removed him and the Crime Lord followed them. Vos returned later having changed into different clothes, the striations on his face reducing in colour.

Enfys had warned him about Vos.

Mayday checked for surveillance cameras but there were none he could see, then he walked further into the room and around it; it reminded him of her apartment on Coruscant. He opened a door, revealing a large closet, holding gown after expensive gown, made with what looked to be the best materials.

If there were cameras it was too late now; he stood still waiting for the Enforcers but no one came. He was in the clear so far.

He reached out and touched a cloak; it was velvet.

He moved to a small desk with a datapad and keyboard just like she had on Coruscant. There was a dressing table with jewellery; one item caught his eye, it was hanging from some kind of jewelled tree. The blue Plom flower looked oddly out if place. He smiled. Then he saw all the perfume; he picked up a bottle and sniffed. It was her own, created specifically for her, only available on Coruscant.

What are you doing here?

Are you here by choice?

The shower stopped — he turned, knocking the perfume bottle off the table but reached out and caught it before it hit the floor. He braced himself, suddenly unsure what her reaction would be.

"N'ina! It's okay. I don't need you. I can —"

The refresher door opened and she stood still in the door, her mouth opened slightly, when she saw him. Her heart raced. He was taking a risk coming here; there were always guards wandering around. Dryden was paranoid.

Mayday started towards her, then stopped himself, now was not the time. He needed more intel.

She was staring at him.

"Mayday? Is it really you?" She asked, pulling the wrap further around herself, wondering what he thought of all this.

He shrugged and took a step forward.

"I could say the same." Those words came out of his mouth wrong, they seemed harsh to him.

"What are you doing here?" she wrapped her arms around herself, as if she was protecting herself, " I thought you were dead."

"Alive and kicking and getting Intel!"

His voice was deeper than she remembered and he looked older; had it been that long?

Had she forgotten so much?

"For the Empire?" Her left arm moved outwards towards something.

He saw the button, "No! Why?"

"Dryden has no love for the Empire. He simply uses it." Her hand dropped back to her side.

"We know. Dryden?" He asked, eyes narrowing, wondering why they were on first name terms.

"His name."

"Huh! Why are you here?"

She stared to the ground, unable to meet his eyes.

"That's a long story."

"I'd like to say we have plenty of time to go through it but we don't." He held her gaze and offered his hand, "Come with me now."

Hela looked at the offered hand, as Mayday glanced back towards the door.

"Now?"

She moved closer to the button.

"Don't press that!"

"Why not?"

"Are you here of your own free will?"

"Not exactly."

"So what does that mean?"

She revealed her forearm and slipped the top of her wrap off her shoulder.

Mayday stared at the brand, burnt deep into her skin.

"You're part of Crimson Dawn?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes." She moved toward him, "I'm sorry."

He took a chance, stepped forward and slipped his hand around her neck, pulling her to him. She didn't resist. He dropped his forehead to hers.

"By choice?" His words came out rough.

She shook her head, "No. I'm sorry."

"I'll get you out."

Their foreheads still touched.

"I can't leave. Not with you?"

His fingers rubbed along her neck, feeling something on the back. He looked at her, said nothing and moved her now long hair from her neck and leaned over; he saw the small scar at the top of her spine and another mark.

"Slaver chip!" He growled.

She nodded.

"Explosive. I wouldn't last fifty metres away from the ship or anyone with me."

She grabbed the edge of his jacket and pulled him into a kiss, as soon as he felt her lips on his, the last few years melted away and he wanted it to last forever but all too soon it was over and she pulled away.

"I can't do that to you.".

She carefully straightened the creases in his clothes, brushing the cloth smooth, spending time ensuring they were correctly adjusted. She let her hand rest there for a few seconds more than necessary

"I love you. Can you forgive me?" She asked eventually.

"Always!"

"You have to leave now. Dryden will kill you. I'm —"

"Dryden?" He asked again, suspiciously.

"It's not what you think but you do have to leave. It'll be your only chance."

"Why?"

"I'm going to scream. Distract them. Vos is busy, in a meeting. The Enforcers will come immediately. Can you take them?"

"I'm an ARC."

She closed her eyes.

He pulled her to him and he kissed her hard, then let her go.

He was ready.

She looked into his eyes and screamed.

He pulled her to him again and he kissed her desperately.

The door burst open and the guards dragged him off her.

"He attacked me!"

They pulled his arms tightly behind him.

Dryden was busy but one of his lieutenants was already on the com to him.

"Kill him!" She heard Dryden's voice shout.

"Not here!" She protested.

One of them yanked Mayday backwards further away from her and the other punched him in the stomach; he bent over gasping. They pulled him away backwards and out of the room.

She would never forget the look on his face.

She hoped he was still as good as he was in the Clone Wars.

Otherwise, they were both dead,

.

They dragged him off the ship and around to a darker area of the spaceport. Vos wanted him away from the ship. Their orders were to do this out of sight of Hela. She was already upset; they had their orders from Vos not to upset her further. They could see her watching them from her viewport, until they turned the corner.

Mayday looked up at her and as soon as she disappeared from view, he took his chance; he leaned over, unbalancing them. Sweeping their feet from under them he pulled the knife from his boot. A small but efficient vibroblade. He slashed at one; red blood spurted about from the carotid artery he severed, the other grabbed him. Mayday flung his head back, smashing hard into his nose, or the equivilent; he felt and heard it crack under the force and his opponent staggered back. Not as efficient as a Keldabe Kiss as Alpha called them but it was the best he could do at the moment.

He twirled around, jabbing at his opponent's thigh. The Enforcer staggered back, watching the femoral artery spurt blood, before he dropped to the ground, his blood pressure stopping quickly with the massive loss of blood.

His guess on their anatomy paid off.

Alpha 17 had taught them well, passing on his expertise from Jango.

Mayday knelt over him, the Enforcer was fading fast; Mayday finished him off with a slice across the neck. If he did survive he would not be able to vocalise. He wiped the blood off the knife on the Enforcers clothing and sheathed it again.

He had learnt early that if you start a fight, you have to be able to finish it.

Finally Mayday was satisfied they were both gone. He took a deep breath, it would take a while for the adrenaline to subside, he adjusted his garments, the sooner he was out of them the better. He dug in his pocket and found something new in there. He pulled it out.

A data chip.

Hela?

He put it in his inner pocket, next to his chest, safer there. It must be important for her to go to this much trouble. Mayday dropped the Chandrilan cloak and rearranged his shirt, rubbing dirt into it. He pulled his hair down fully, it was already dishevelled and walked back into the light of the space port. He glanced up at the First Light. She was gone. Then he calmly walked out of the spaceport, as if nothing had happened.

.

Vos sat watching her; her eyes red and swollen from the tears. It was the first time he had ever seen her cry, even when she had been branded. She had never let him see her so vulnerable.

He leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder, she did not tense or flinch away from him this time.

"What happened?"

She sobbed, "He burst in and grabbed me. Then started kissing me."

"Do you know him?"

"No!"

Dryden heard the incredulity in her voice.

"I saw him watching me during the Reception but there are always some of your guests who do. I thought no more of it. Who is he?"

"Not who he was supposed to be."

"Then who?" She asked, worried he knew more. That he knew who and what Mayday was, what he was doing and more importantly where he was based.

"Nobody you need to worry about my dear."

He felt her sigh.

"The guards killed him?" She had not seen what happened.

Dryden's striations flushed the deepest red she had ever seen and she knew then they hadn't killed Mayday.

"He will pay for this, be assured of that." His arms slid around her

She relaxed and let him hold her close.

For what felt like a long time.

He didn't try anything else.

.

Enfys and Weazal were waiting at the outskirts of the town, taking cover as they watched the First Light fly into the upper atmosphere.

"Either we're screwed. Or the clone's dead. Or both." Weazal muttered.

"It'll take more than a few wannabe Stormtroopers to stop me." Mayday said leaning against the wall of the deserted building they were using as a meeting point, watching the same ship.

"Cocky bastard!" Muttered Weazal.

"Yeah. But you like me." He held up the data wafer between two fingers. Hela had been the only one who got anywhere near him. The only others were the decraniated or droids or guards, so he was fairly it wasn't them.

"What's on it?" asked Enfys.

"I don't know but it must be important for her to put it on me."

"Her?"

"You said there would be someone who may get in touch with me. So…"

Enfys narrowed her eyes; he was holding something back.

"Data reader!" She eventually demanded.

Weazal put it in her hand.

She read the information on the screen, "Kark! It's encrypted."

"We have someone who can probably decipher it. But he's back at base."

"Come on! We've wasted enough time."

.

Hela sat, Dryden had left ages ago. She replayed what happened with Mayday remembering his face. It had changed. He'd gotten older. They both had. She was conflicted knowing he was alive but she couldn't go with him and she had let her guard down with Dryden. That worried her. She had the feeling that all this was part of a game for him, a chase and once he caught her she would mean nothing more to him than any of the other slaves he had.

She started when the door opened but relaxed when she saw N'ina.

"Are you okay?"

Hela nodded, "Are you? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes. We're alright." N'ina knew who she was referring to, "Some of the guards have disappeared.

"Yes. I thought so."

"We'll have to make a stop. Take some new ones on."

"Where?"

"Don't know yet. It's a secret."

"Gremm and Ra?"

"Just seen them."

"Your mother's— " Hela was unsure what to call him.

"Been promoted."

"Ah."

N'ina went to put a dress away, "Leave it I'll do it. You go be with your mother and brother."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Thank you."

N'ina looked a little confused but then left.

Hela lay, trying to imprint Mayday's face in her memory, reliving the kiss and the feeling of his arms around her.

.

Barton IV

Donca turned the chip over between her fingers, a frown creasing her forehead.

"So Hela managed to slip this into your clothes?"

"Yes." He regretted telling all the story now.

"Where were you?"

"In her room."

"What were you doing there?"

Mayday raised an eyebrow.

"No! Don't tell me." She looked away.

"How far did Zak get with it?"

"He managed the first level and made it safe but he's needed elsewhere."

"So we have no idea what's on it

"We'll get it sent to Fulcrum. Get it checked out further. It could be a plant from Vos. He wants the Empire to stay as much as we want it gone."

Mayday raised an eyebrow again.

"Enfys spoke to me." Donca said, still twisting the data wafer through her fingers, "Crimson Dawn is making millions from the Empire or from when it turns a blind eye. So much for an era of Order. The gangs are as bad as they were during the Republic, if not worse but then at least we had some sort of say in the matter."

"Some of us." Mayday retorted.

Donca ignored his comment.

"Hopefully this will give us some idea of what the Empire is working on, or Crimson Dawn. Either way one of us wins."

"I need to get her out of there."

Donca watched him; she remembered what she said when he agreed to join them.

"It's too dangerous. He'll be looking out for you."

"I think that decision is mine to make." He stood hands on hips, feet planted hip width apart, a picture of defiance. She had not seen that from him recently, not since agreed to help them, which he had and now he was an integral part of their cell.

"We need you." She admitted. They had been more successful with him, lost less people. He made a difference. If they had more clones the rebellion would be unstoppable but that was never going to happen. She had struck lucky with him.

"So does Hela." He glared at her.

"You can't let your feelings dic—"

"I can. If it wasn't for my feelings I wouldn't be here now. You agreed that I could look for her. I didn't but I found her. Now I am going to look for her and you're not going to stop me."

Donca had seen him angry but nothing like this. He raised his voice to her. Finor stepped forwards to defend her.

"Hey. She saved you. You'd be dead. A set of white bones on that outpost now if it wasn't for Donca. You owe her."

"Don't you think I've paid my dues old man. Half of these men would be dead if it wasn't for me." He swung his arm out towards the door.

"We're not saying you haven't done your bit—" Donca tried to calm him.

"More than. And now I want to find Hela."

"Mayday, now's not the time—" Finor started again.

"It can't wait. Enfys and Weazal are already tracking him."

"They always are."

"So I'll get to her quicker. She deserves that."

Mayday turned and stormed out.

He'd found her once by chance. He'd find her again. Just had to work out what to do about the slaver chip.

.

Zak and Dash looked away when the door to the briefing room swung open and Mayday marched out, with an angry expression. They heard the argument and that had never happened before.

Lin was leaning against a wall, waiting for him when he rushed out; the other eavesdroppers scuttled away not even making eye contact.

Perhaps they knew him better than her.

"Hey slow down soldier. Wait for your favourite pilot."

He slowed slightly.

"I need a drink."

"That bad eh?"

He shrugged.

She'd heard the raised voices but she couldn't get exactly who or what they were arguing about. Something that Mayday wanted to do, she caught the drift of that. She had never heard Mayday get this angry before. He was always a laid back sort of guy and she liked that about him.

She struggled to keep up with him as he strode towards the mess area.

He was already leaning over the cobbled together bar to retrieve a bottle from behind the counter, when she caught up with him. It was a help yourself sort of place with an unwritten law that you replaced any beverages that you took when you could. Especially the hard stuff.

He immediately reached for the hard stuff and was pouring himself a large beaker full.

"I'll have a small one." She asked.

Mayday grabbed another beaker and filled it, pushing it over to her.

"Problem?"

"Nothing I can't overcome."

"Good!" She took a sip of the liquid and grimaced. It didn't improve with age unlike the clone that was standing at the side of her.

"If you need a lift anywhere…."

"I may take you up on that offer." He finally smiled.

.