Chapter Text
Faro lies in her borrowed bunk on the Ghost, mind racing a million parsecs an hour, unable to fall asleep despite the fatigue in her body.
In the end, they hadn’t needed several days to consider Eli’s proposal. Between Bridger’s insistence on lending his assistance to the Chiss’s mission to retrieve the Force-sensitive navigators and Eli’s eerily grave yet oddly precise warning that the Grysks had infiltrated the New Republic government, they managed to reach an agreement in just a few hours. They’d spent the next several pouring over the information contained on the datachip. It was as Eli had said: full of research collected on the Grysks, over what must have been decades, Faro guesses. Lists of client species and their individual specialties, hypotheses on Grysk methods of subjugation, details of Grysk weapons and methods of countering them, and so much more. The hours they spent studying it were barely enough to skim everything. She has no doubt they will spend many more hours looking at everything in greater detail.
Kallus had noted wryly that despite the wealth of knowledge and research on the chip, there was a suspicious lack of anything having to do with the Chiss themselves.
Syndulla had thought it acceptable, given that Eli had explicitly told them the chip was a gift they could utilize even if they walked away refusing to work with the Ascendancy. By the end of the day, they (somewhat reluctantly) sent a message on the direct link Eli had provided, informing him they were ready to move forward. They’d received a confirmation almost instantly, as well as a new set of coordinates and time, again two days from now.
The location is worryingly close to the Galactic Core, in an industrial area of Cardota, a planet in the Hosnian system. There was no information provided, and it’s clear that Faro isn’t the only one feeling on edge about it.
They’re on their way back to Home One. Syndulla has informed them, face stormy, that she has business to take care of.
Faro is certainly curious, but it isn’t her place, as both a subordinate and an outsider in this particular crew, to voice her questions.
So here she lies, in her borrowed bunk, unable to fall asleep.
After so many years, the sight of Vanto had been jarring.
He’d certainly come into his own in service to Thrawn, and she’d had the privilege of watching parts of it, but when he’d left he had still been so young, so eager to prove himself.
She shakes her head and rubs her face, groaning. Her mind keeps going back to him. The changes she saw. She wonders how much she’s changed since her days serving the Empire. More darkly, she wonders how Thrawn has changed after a decade spent isolated on a planet outside the known galaxy, with no escape. She’s scared to find out.
General Syndulla’s first officer, Lieutenant Vic Hawkins, is waiting for them when they arrive in Home One’s hangar, face tense.
He doesn’t bother coming to attention, but rather immediately comes to the general’s side, passing her a datapad. He speaks quietly, eyes darting around the hangar bay, suspicious of eavesdroppers. “You’ve received several official inquiries from the Senate Defense Committee, about the several classified missions you’ve assigned yourself.” He narrows his eyes. “Officially, they’re worried that something could happen while you’re away from fleet command, but…” He trails off, and Syndulla finishes the sentence for him.
“Unofficially they’re trying to fish for information on whether I’ve decided to go off on an unauthorized Thrawn hunt.”
Hawkins nods grimly.
Faro isn’t sure she’s meant to hear the conversation, but by virtue of being in on said unauthorized Thrawn Hunt, she figures it isn’t going to be an issue.
Syndulla closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, nodding. “Okay. Alright, okay, let's go to my office. Hawkins, you too.”
General Syndulla leads the way, walking stiffly, and even Faro, who isn't particularly close with the woman, can feel the anger flowing off of her in waves.
They reach her quarters, and the six of them file in. The door slides shut behind them, locking with a click.
Syndulla freezes for a moment, before growling, and punching the wall, hard, with a shout.
Faro takes a step back, eyes wide in shock.
“Hey,” Zeb says placatingly as he comes up behind her, placing his large hands on her shoulders. “It’ll be okay, we’ll figure this out.” He takes her hand gently and inspects it for injury. She pulls it from his grasp.
“It’s fine, Twi’leks have thick skin, it’ll just bruise.” She says it like she knows, and honestly, after working first for the Rebellion, and now the New Republic, for two decades of her life, Faro is sure she does.
She kicks a chair, evidently still angry, and then sits down, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes while she breathes. “I didn’t fight in the Rebellion for this!”
Her voice isn’t particularly loud, but the sound of it is jarring all the same. In all her nine years serving under the general, Faro has never witnessed her lose control like this. She feels bad, like she’s intruding on a private moment.
“This isn’t what I lost Kanan for.” Her voice breaks when she says his name.
Bridger crosses the room to her, kneeling down so he’s more level with her sitting form, and pulls her into a hug. She grips him tightly, clinging to his shoulders.
They stay like that for several moments, and Faro tries to remain as unobtrusive as possible, trying not to think about the guilt that crawls up her throat, threatening to choke her when she considers her own role in Kanan Jarrus’s fate.
Eventually, Syndulla pulls back. Bridger keeps his hands on her shoulders, watching her face for a moment, before standing up fully when she nods at him, indicating she’ll be okay.
Kallus takes a step forward, squeezing her shoulder briefly before letting go. “If Eli is correct, if the Grysks really have begun to influence the Senate, this could have something to do with it.” There’s hesitation in his voice, and she can tell he’s reluctant to draw that incredibly disturbing conclusion, but well, it seems increasingly likely the more Faro finds out.
The general sniffs, blinking her eyes and stands up, addressing the room. “I don’t care what they say. If this destroys my career, so be it.”
Zeb wraps his arm around her shoulders and squeezes, smiling at her. “Hey, if this all goes to sh*t, I know at least one place you’ll always be welcome.”
Faro isn’t quite sure she knows what he’s talking about, but she expects that’s by design. Syndulla looks up at him and smiles.
“For now,” she says, back to business, “we need to focus on the upcoming mission.” She turns to her first officer. “I guess I can’t continue using the same ‘classified mission’ excuse I have been. Can you think of any legitimate reason I might have to go to Cardota briefly?”
Hawkins tilts his head before bursting into laughter, taking everyone, but especially Syndulla, aback.
“What?” she asks. “What’s so funny?”
His laughter trails off, and he shakes his head. “The Governor of Cardota has been sending your office increasingly angry requests for a security consultation, some sort of crime issue on her planet,” he looks at the general meaningfully, “I’ve been fending her off for you for months.”
And at this, General Syndulla bursts into laughter as well. “Oh gods, I can’t believe I forgot.” Her laughter is light, almost a giggle. “She first petitioned the Senate who ignored her so she moved on to the Army. I’m sure she would have turned to the Navy next.” She raises her eyebrow at Hawkins.
“Shall we, Lieutenant?” she asks as she gestures them into her office to make the necessary arrangements. Faro huffs out an exasperated laugh, and collapses onto the couch.
When the Chiss ship appears, uncloaking a few meters from the ground, it’s far less startling than the first time, though the sight of a shuttle appearing from what looks like thin air is still absolutely shocking.
Kallus stands outside the Ghost, waiting for the Chiss to disembark. They're in a gully, adjacent to the nearby industrial area. He can hear the muffled sounds of manufacturing in the distance.
The ramp descends, and with it Eli. He’s accompanied by a Chiss woman, but not the same one from their last meeting, the one he had identified as Un’hee. They’re both wearing what appears to be dark tactical gear, and Kallus raises his eyebrow as he inspects it.
“Should we be expecting trouble?” he asks, directing his question to the commodore.
“Ideally no,” says Eli, “but it’s good to be prepared regardless.” He turns and addresses the group at large. “It is good to see you, I’m glad you accepted my proposal.” He gestures to the woman. “This is Vah’nya, she will be accompanying us today.”
The woman, Vah'nya, inclines her head to them, face impassive.
Kallus looks to Ezra, meeting his gaze. Ezra nods surreptitiously. So this woman is also Force-sensitive. Interesting, he thinks, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Commodore Eli,” Hera says respectfully. “What have you brought us here for?”
He smiles faintly, though it does not reach his eyes. “We’re here to look at a metal reclamation plant.” He points behind him with his thumb to the Chiss shuttle. “I know you indicated last time that you weren’t entirely comfortable getting on my ship, but as you can see, the shuttle has advanced cloaking technology. We’ll be able to fly in and get a closer look.”
Kallus bites the inside of his cheek, curiosity warring with suspicion inside of him. Luckily, the decision isn't up to him.
Hera eyes both of them intently for a moment, before she nods. “After you,” she says with a tilt of her head.
Kallus can tell that Eli recognizes it for the power play that it is, but he complies easily, walking back up the ramp with Vah’nya.
Hera jerks her head, indicating that the rest of them should follow her, then makes her way up the ramp.
The first thing Kallus thinks, upon entering the shuttle, is that the layout is remarkably efficient, making the interior of the ship seem larger than it actually is.
The second thing he thinks, as he looks around, is that he cannot recognize any of their technology. He recognizes that it is technology, and can probably guess the purpose of most of it, but it is decidedly different from the standard that he’s used to.
Vah’nya has already disappeared into the co*ckpit, and Eli motions for them to follow.
“It’s not far from here, just on the other side of the industrial district.”
Kallus watches as Vah’nya flips some sort of switch, and the co*ckpit lights up briefly with a blue glow, before the light returns to normal.
“That indicates that the ship’s cloaking has been turned on.”
Hera turns to him. “I assume that cloaking is more than just visual?”
“Of course,” he says, but offers no other explanation of how the technology works.
He sits down in the co-pilot seat, and the ship lifts off, smoothly gliding through the air.
Kallus observes the procedure intently, the part of him trained to gather intelligence never quite turning off.
But Eli was right, the trip is indeed short. Vah’nya lowers the ship to hover above one of the sprawling industrial compounds.
Eli turns to them. “Many years ago, I was trained as a supply officer,” he tells them, and though Kallus of course already knew this, he appreciates the honesty. “My career didn’t exactly end up as planned,” he says, a touch of dry humor in his voice, “but regardless, my talents lie in supplies and logistics. This plant is one step in a very intriguing supply line.”
He hands Hera a datapad, and Kallus can see it’s open to some sort of chart, though he isn’t close enough to read it.
Hera scans the screen, forehead creasing the more she reads. “Is this true?” she asks, voice heavy.
“Confirm it against your own records,” he says, and Hera takes out her own datapad to do just that. “We’ll fly in close so you can see the scrap. It’s difficult to deny.”
Kallus waits patiently for Hera to compare her records with those on the borrowed datapad before she frowns, and hands it to Kallus.
Kallus takes it, and leans in closer to Zeb so he can read over his shoulder. Together, they read through the information, and Kallus sees now what Hera finds so concerning.
The metal reclamation plant is owned and operated by Xiono Holdings inc., and is one of several plants that buys up scrap metal from the ships the New Republic fleet is disarming. That in itself is not particularly concerning, many senators have business interests that are tied to the New Republic.
But what is extremely suspicious is that this specific reclamation plant is the largest single metal supplier for Rothana Heavy Engineering, of which Xiono Holdings owns a majority share. The very same Rothana shipyards whose manifests don’t match the amount of metals they’re buying.
Kallus shares a shocked look with Hera before passing the datapad to Faro, who begins her own study of it.
“It matches the publicly available records,” she says, and Kallus wonders how he never made the connection between the reclamation plant and shipyards. He wonders what other connections he might possibly be missing.
“We also tracked several smaller supply ships to the Cerberon System,” Eli says, with a hand stroking his chin. Kallus takes a sharp breath. “But the abnormalities in the system interfered with our cloaking tech, we don’t know the final destination.” He looks around at the shocked faces around him. “I take it you do?”
Kallus looks to Hera, who shrugs as if to say may as well go ahead and tell them what we know. They’re already breaking so many New Republic Military rules and regulations. What’s one more?
“We uncovered a factory on Troithe, in the Cerberon System,” Kallus says hesitantly. Eli listens intently. “It was being run by one of the Imperial Remnants. We were attacked by stormtroopers wearing armor impervious to energy weapons.”
Kallus hears a sharp intake of breath from the woman. She shares a look with Eli who looks suddenly very grim. “Grysk technology,” he says, shaking his head. “They weave cortosis into the armor. They were already working on it during the Clone Wars.”
Which directly connects the New Republic and Imperial Remnants through the Grysks, a deeply troubling thought.
“Vah’nya, fly us in low over the intake bay,” Eli requests, and she does just that, flying low over the open courtyard that houses the purchased scrap metal.
Most of it, indisputably, comes from old Rebellion and New Republic ships.
“So you’re proposing,” Hera says slowly, “that Senator Xiono is behind the New Republic disarmament, and that he’s using his company to funnel resources… to where, exactly?”
Eli’s lips turn up at the corner and he shakes his head. “That, we don’t know for sure. I hoped you might accompany us to the Rothana System to find out.”
Kallus turns to Zeb and meets his wary gaze. “We tried exactly that about a week ago,” he admits. “That was where we first directly encountered one of the gravity well generators, and were shot at by a cloaked ship.”
Eli inclines his head, “We were already aware of the Grysk presence in the area. I was thinking you could join us on my warship, and we can demonstrate for you how we deal with their cloaking and mass shadow technology.” He tilts his head, considering them. “Think of it like a trial run. If it goes well, perhaps you can assist us with our ongoing campaign.”
Hera turns to look at Kallus and Zeb, then shifts her gaze to Ezra and Faro before finally back to Eli,
“That’s something we’ll need to discuss,” she tells him and he nods.
“I expected that.” He turns to Vah’nya, “Please take us back to their ship, we’ll give them some space to discuss everything in private.”
“I think we need to do this,” Kallus says, once they’re all clustered in the cargo hold of the Ghost. “We already agreed to work with them, and we can’t go up against the Grysks, Imperial Remnants, New Republic, and Thrawn with just the Ghost and Glimmer.”
Zeb knows just how much Kallus hates saying it, can feel the tension coming off of him, but Kallus has always been one to adjust to new information. It’s one of the things Zeb loves so much about him.
Faro shakes her head. “I don’t know, this all just seems so awfully convenient.”
Kallus glares at her. “What, you don’t want to work with your old friend again?”
She glares right back. “Not if he’s walking us into a trap I don’t.”
Ezra steps in between them to cut them off. “I think we should trust them,” he says. “I can’t explain exactly, but they feel trustworthy. They’re wrapped in the light side of the Force.”
And Zeb, truly, has no idea what that means, but Hera is nodding. “To be honest, Kallus is right, we don’t really have a choice.” She seems dismayed about it as well. “We can’t do it on our own, and the Chiss have information and resources we need, especially if the New Republic is stifling us at every turn.”
Faro inclines her head in deference. “Yes, General.”
Kallus bumps his hand against Zeb’s, briefly intertwining their fingers, seeking the comfort and grounding that physical contact provides. “So we go with them?” he asks, sounding resigned.
Hera’s jaw tenses. “Yes, but...” She sighs. “I can’t join you.”
“What, why?” Ezra asks, a little desperate.
She frowns, and Zeb knows she’s just as upset as they are. “The Defense Council will court martial me for sure if I’m away from Home One any longer. I need to go back to Fleet Command and play the role of good little general.” A glint of defiance flashes in her eyes. “And while I’m there, I’ll do what I can to uncover the Grysk conspiracy on the political side.” Her face shifts to what Zeb affectionately calls her ‘General Face’. “But you all will go with Eli. We’ll set up a secure comm link now so that we can communicate regularly and privately.”
Zeb hesitates for a moment, glancing at Kallus. Kallus glances back, head tilted in silent question. Zeb looks at him meaningfully and motions slightly to Hera. Kallus breathes out for a moment in understanding, before nodding once, gravely. He knows Kallus isn’t particularly happy about it, but that he agrees.
“Hera, I’m staying with you,” he declares.
She furrows her brow. “What? You don’t have t–”
He cuts her off.
“Yes I do.” He shoots her a dry look. “Like hell am I letting you walk into the dragon’s maw alone.”
Hera stares him down, but Zeb straightens up and makes it clear he doesn’t intend on backing down. If Senator Xiono is somehow involved with the Grysks, there’s no end to the possible danger Hera could be in, especially if he believes she’s on to him. Hera will need someone she trusts with her, someone to watch her back.
Finally, she nods. “Alright. So Zeb and I will return to Home One on the Ghost. Kallus, Ezra, and Faro will accompany Commodore Eli to his warship.” She sighs, eyes searching the group. “I don’t know how long this mission will take, it could be months. We will hopefully be able to communicate, but for all intents and purposes, you’ll be alone on an alien ship for an indeterminate amount of time. I need to know that you’ll be okay with that.”
Zeb’s heart clenches, and he meets Kallus’s eyes. Kallus smiles at him, and the smallest bit of weight lifts off his chest.
“We’ll be okay, General,” he says, and Ezra and Faro nod. “We’ll do what needs to be done.”
Hera nods, lips briefly compressing as she looks at Faro apologetically. “Faro, I’m sorry, I know this isn’t proper Navy protocol, but I’m giving Kallus decision making capacity for the three of you.” She levels a glare at Kallus. “But I expect you to work together and reach a consensus whenever possible.”
Both of them nod at her, before looking at each other. Kallus raises his eyebrow, and Faro shrugs. “I understand, General,” she says, and from what Zeb can tell, she does. After all, Kallus and Hera have been working together for far longer than she and Hera have.
“Okay,” Hera says gravely, though the corner of her mouth twists into a sad half-smile. “Kallus, here’s my datapad, can you get a secure direct commlink set up?”
Kallus takes the datapad from her outstretched hand, already tapping and swiping away. “Of course,” he says, and moves to sit on one of the crates, focus absorbed by the datapad.
“As for the rest of you, I want you armed, I don’t care what the Commodore says about it. I’ll go get that ready now. Faro and Ezra, go pack anything you think you’ll need.” She turns to face Zeb. “Can you pack up for Kallus while he’s working on the commlink?”
He throws her a lazy salute and makes his way to their shared cabin, feeling nerves fluttering in his chest.
He and Kallus haven’t been separated for more than a few days at a time since the official end of the war. He’s not looking forward to being apart, and he’s certainly not looking forward to the stress and worry that he remembers from back when they were both running individual missions for the Rebellion, the constant fear that one of them might not come back.
It’s necessary, especially during times like this. That doesn’t mean he likes it.
But Kallus is more than just a competent soldier, he’s one of the best, and with Ezra and Faro backing him up… He’ll be okay. That’s what Zeb will keep telling himself, he’ll be okay. They both will.
Bag packed, he walks back into the cargo hold. Kallus is alone, still working on the commlink, while the rest of them are still packing, or, in Hera’s case, gathering weapons.
Zeb pushes a crate until it’s almost touching the one Kallus is perched on. He sits and places a hand on Kallus’s thigh. He doesn’t look up, still focused as he is on his work, but he leans in to Zeb.
Zeb closes his eyes and relishes the warmth of Kallus’s body pressed against his. He turns his head so that his face is pressed into the top of Kallus’s hair. He sits like that for several moments, just breathing him in.
Kallus nudges him a bit with his shoulder. “I’ll be okay Zeb,” he says softly.
Zeb nods, face still pressed into Kallus’s hair. “I know you will. I just love you, and I’ll miss you.”
Zeb knows that Kallus isn’t always the biggest fan of heartfelt romantic expressions. He figures he gets a pass this time.
Kallus finally looks up from the datapad, turning to press a kiss to Zeb’s lips. He hooks an arm around Zeb’s neck and Zeb brings his hands up to grasp Kallus’s waist.
It’s not a particularly heated nor gentle kiss, fueled not by lust, but rather a desire to be close to one another with the looming separation ahead.
Stars, he loves this man, he thinks as his heart pounds in his chest.
A startled yelp comes from the side. “My eyes!” Ezra yells, and promptly walks right back out of the cargo hold.
Kallus pulls back, only a few inches, though he leaves his arm around Zeb’s neck. He’s smiling, despite the red flush in his face. Zeb laughs, hugging him close for a moment. Kallus gives him one last peck before disentangling himself and picking the datapad back up. Zeb keeps one arm wrapped firmly around his waist.
“It’s safe for you to come back now, kid,” he yells into the hall, and Ezra stomps back in, shooting Zeb a glare.
“I’ll be scarred for the rest of my life.”
Zeb rolls his eyes. Ezra is nothing if not dramatic. Kallus stage whispers, “Didn’t you tell me he once walked in on Kanan and Hera–”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Ezra snaps, and walks over to the far side of the cargo hold, as far as he can get from the two of them. Kallus shakes with silent laughter.
The mood sombers as Hera and Faro return. Kallus hands Hera back her datapad, secure link established, and she passes him a blaster which he takes and tucks into his holster.
Kallus nudges Zeb to get his attention, “Sync your datapad with Hera’s and you’ll be able to access the direct link as well.”
Zeb nods. Good, so he’ll have a way to contact Kallus regularly.
“Everyone ready?” Hera asks and waits for confirmation from each of them before nodding.
She tilts her head with a wry smile on her face. “Well then, let’s go meet Commodore Eli.”
She leads the way down the hatch and out of the Ghost.
Eli and Vah’nya stand outside their shuttle conversing quietly, but they turn to face the six of them as they come to stand on the grass.
Eli raises an eyebrow in question.
“Kallus, Faro, and Ezra will be going with you,” Hera says, answering his unasked question. “Zeb and I will be going back to Home One to work things from that angle.” She pins Eli with a sharp gaze, the one that got her to the top of the New Republic’s food chain. “You’ll treat them with the utmost respect and decency, they are not to be treated as prisoners.”
Eli inclines his head with a smile. “Of course,” he says. “They will be our guests and we’ll treat them as such.”
Hera turns to the three of them and nods, eyes intense. Faro crosses over to Eli and the Chiss woman, giving him a nod. Ezra steps forward and gives Hera a hug, before grabbing Zeb into one too. Zeb squeezes him, lamenting that he only just got the kid back, before letting him go to join Faro.
Kallus reaches out to give Zeb’s hand a squeeze, before moving to join them.
A swell of emotion rises in his chest, and in a fit of boldness, Zeb grabs tight to the hand still loosely entangled with his, and pulls Kallus to him.
He kisses Kallus hard for a few brief moments, swallowing Kallus’s gasp. He pulls back and whispers softly. “Be safe.”
Kallus smiles at him, and squeezes where their hands are still intertwined. “You too, my love.”
He lets go, and Kallus steps back. With a nod to Hera, he too walks over to join Ezra, Faro, and the Chiss.
He ignores the sudden pounding of anxiety in his chest. They’re warriors, and they’ll do what they must.
Together, he and Hera watch as the five of them enter the shuttle. A few minutes later, it takes off.
Hera takes his hand in her much smaller one and squeezes. He turns to face her, and she smiles.
“They’ll be alright,” she says, and Zeb wonders if she’s trying to convince him or herself.
He nods at her, and smiles back.
May the Force be with all of them.
