"Madam Chancellor?"
Mon Mothma looked up from the reports she'd been reading in her too small office aboard the New Hope and rubbed her temples. Her face was gaunt from lack of sleep and near-constant anxiety. The Rebels had been on the run since their successful attack on the Empire's planet-killing Death Star, though they'd barely had a few days to celebrate before every ship the Emperor could muster started hunting them in every corner of the galaxy. Palpatine's attack dog Vader was especially tenacious. But at least they'd eliminated the even more dangerous Moff Tarkin. It was little comfort to her in their present circumstances, but small comfort was better than none.
"What is it, Geneva?" she addressed her orange-skinned Twi'lek aide with a tone that barely covered her weariness.
"Something you'll want to see," answered the woman, her head-tails swishing. Together they walked toward the frigate's bridge. "Two Imperial ships have dropped out of hyperspace,"
"What?! How did they find us?" demanded the Chandrilian leader of the nascent Alliance. Adrenaline, it turned out, was a great antidote to bone-deep fatigue, if only for a few minutes.
Geneva smiled and held up her graceful hand. "Oh, they aren't here to attack. They're being surrendered to us."
Mothma raised an eyebrow in amazement. "Surrendered?"
"Yes ma'am. Commodore Hunt has the details." Geneva ushered her into the frigate's expansive bridge, following behind the Supreme Commander.
"Commodore, what's the situation?" Out the main viewport she could see the vessels; an Imperial light cruiser and a large freighter.
"Madam," said the greying officer, beckoning her to join him.
"What am I looking at, Commodore?"
"Ships delivered here by Sector Force Seven-Six-Seven. They're rigged for automatic operation, though they had a skeleton crew aboard."
"Seven-Six-Seven… Isn't that Dianthe Numarkos's outfit? Where is the crew?"
"The Imperial crews are imprisoned on the cruiser. We're moving them to our detention block."
"And the rebels? I want to speak with them."
"After transmitting control codes for the captured ships, they boarded a shuttle and returned to Filve. They did leave this though," Hunt said, handing her a datapad.
Mothma pressed her thumb to the tablet's lock pad and it flickered, displaying a cargo manifest with the contents of the Imperial vessels. At the top of the list was a personal note addressed to the former Imperial senator. She tapped the link to open it.
To Supreme Commander Mon Mothma and Alliance High Command I send greetings from Razorclaw Cell (SecFor 767).
Please accept this Imperial property, lately appropriated in an interdiction action near Borga, as a warrant of our enduring friendship and comity. Given your collective wisdom and good judgment I doubt not but that you will put to effective use these starships and the cargo they carry.
Razorclaw have subtracted from the proceeds of this action a modest finder's fee of 600 million credits and such supplies as we find beneficial to our operation. The remainder of the cargo and the sum of 340 million credits we commend to your use for the good of the Rebellion against our common enemy. It is our sincere hope that we may cooperate on similar ventures in the future.
With fond regards for your continued success,
Colonel Dianthe Numarkos
Chief of Operations,
Razorclaw Cell (SecFor 767)
Mothma's face went white and stiff. It took all of her self-control not to throw the datapad and its oh-so-smug greeting across the command deck. She thumbed to the next file, a precise report of the action at Borga, and skimmed through it.
"Didn't we receive intel from the Filvian cell a few days ago about a suspected Imperial convoy near Borga?" Hunt delicately inquired, seeing her reaction.
"This is it," she snapped and shoved the tablet at him. She took a moment to recover the impassive, calm demeanor expected of the Alliance's Supreme Commander, then spun on her heel and left the bridge without a further word.
Hunt read the note, his eyes widening at the audacious missive. He let slip a few unkind words about Mid-rim backworlders, then, seeing the reaction of his officers, he cleared his throat and stiffened to attention. He tucked the pad behind his back, thumbing its power switch. "Ensign Parsa, bring those ships under tow. Helm, prepare to get under way."
----------------------------------------
Reiko Hudson stood outside the office of the Chief of Operations, bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet. Heart in her throat, she touched the buzzer on the door jamb.
"Enter," came the reply as the door slid aside. Rei walked in to find Colonel Numarkos and Major Naveen standing there along with the Olminar's chief engineer Captain Boragog. Her heart trembled even more, facing three of the ship's senior officers. Demetra, one of the Olminar's BD-3000 droids, stood to the side and made a short bow. Rei noticed that her recording indicator was blinking.
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She stopped short, then came to attention. In a barely quavering voice she announced, "Technician Fourth-Class Hudson reporting to the Chief of Operations as ordered, Colonel." Then, looking timid, she added, "Am I in trouble, ma'am?"
"Relax Miss Hudson. At ease," said Numarkos, smiling.
"Yes ma'am," she responded with a bare sigh.
"Major Naveen tells me that you were instrumental to our capture operation. Without your quick action we wouldn't simply have lost a valuable asset, but perhaps many of our friends as well."
"Thank you ma'am, Major," Rei replied, her cheeks flushing. "I — I just did my job."
Dee took the young woman's hand. "I can't share details, but I want you to know that in a very real sense you saved Razorclaw Cell yesterday." She lifted a box from her desk, opened the lid, and handed it to the Filvian imbish. Laid out neatly within were a commendation pin, data cylinder, and rank pips.
Naveen and Boragog came stiffly to attention, and Dee did her best impression of a military officer. Rei snapped to in response.
Numarkos drew a preparatory breath. "On behalf of Alliance Sector Force Seven-Sixty-Seven I, Colonel Dianthe Numarkos, award to you, Technician Reiko Hudson, the Order of Merit, for your acts of bravery and intrepidity during Operation Strongbox in service to your fellow members of Razorclaw Cell and the Alliance to Restore the Republic."
Captain Boragog took the pin from the box and fastened it above Reiko's breast pocket.
Dee continued. "In addition, you are hereby promoted two grades to Technician Second-Class."
The chief engineer fastened the silver rank pips to her collar. Reiko saluted in receipt of the promotion, her round face burning and awestruck.
"Until the next duty rotation, I'm reassigning your berth from the enlisted crew quarters to passenger stateroom four."
"Yes ma'am," Reiko uttered, not quite managing to repress a huge grin at the thought of the luxurious quarters that would be hers to use for almost two months.
"Finally, I want to present to you a small gift of five thousand credits to show my personal appreciation for your efforts. I've sent another fifteen thousand to your family. Your mother is raising three children alone, isn't she?"
Reiko nodded, joyful tears springing from her eyes. "I'm — I don't know what to say, ma'am."
"You earned every bit of it, Reiko. Your mother raised a fine, courageous daughter. I'm sure she's very proud of you."
She touched the weighty Order of Merit that was pinned to her jumpsuit. "I wasn't really courageous, though, ma'am. I was scared out of my mind."
"Everyone was scared, Support-Six," Naveen replied, clasping Rei's small hand and giving it a firm shake. "Acting in spite of fear is what takes courage and makes you brave."
"Indeed, congratulations, Technician Hudson. You earned your commendation, and you're overdue for promotion. Well done," appended the normally laconic Boragog.
"Thank you, Captain Boragog."
Dee smiled kindly. "That is all, Miss Hudson. You may return to duty."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am!" Rei exclaimed, barely remembering to come to attention again and salute the three officers before she turned and left the office.
Her heart was pounding in her ears as she started down the narrow corridor toward the turbolifts until excitement overcame her. She let out a little shriek of sheer joy, relief, and amazement, hopping up and down. Then she looked around to be sure no one had seen her immature display.
Over the intercom came Numarkos's voice. "All hands, If you see Reiko Hudson today, be sure to congratulate her on her promotion to Technician Second-Class." Then she read out the text of the commendation before signing off.
Beaming in spite of herself, Rei headed back to engineering. As soon as she walked in, she was assaulted with an eruption of cheers and congratulations, and the sound of bottle caps popping. Captain Borogog showed up and let the crew celebrate their colleague for ten whole minutes before ordering everyone back to work. Reiko picked up her tools and headed out with the rest of her team to complete monthly maintenance on the backup hyperdrive.
After her shift was over Rei grabbed a quick supper in the crew mess where she was mobbed by her fellow techs. She cleaned up, then hurried to the troop quarters on Deck 3 where she found Trooper Rendix. "Come with me, Sera-sha!" She grabbed the trooper by the hand, and Sera had just enough time to snatch up the box sitting on her bunk before Rei dragged her to the lift and up to stateroom 4 on the Ops deck. She palmed the lock and the door slid open.
Athenia, the crimson and gold BD-3000 luxury droid who handled passenger affairs was waiting just inside. "Welcome to stateroom four, Technician Hudson, Trooper Rendix," said the droid in a lilting, elegant voice. I've just finished preparing the room for you. If you would like I will have your personal effects brought over from the crew quarters. May I bring you some refreshment? I recall you have a fondness for makotai oryza wine."
Rei looked at Sera with raised brows, and the two of them giggled like schoolgirls. "That would be very nice, thank you Athenia."
The lithe droid made a graceful bow and left. She returned a few minutes later with a chilled bottle of frosted blue glass, set it on the table and exited with another bow.
"Hey, Hero of Razorclaw and Operation Strongbox," said the commando, sitting at the table, "come join me." She poured the makotai into small red and black lacquered cups. They clinked them together and sipped. Sera put the box she'd been holding on the table and pushed it toward Rei. "Here. A little gift from me."
Rei lifted the lid, revealing a dozen of her favorite Boche chocolates. "Sera-sha, these are so expensive! Where did you get them?" she took a bite. The creamy, toasted sweetness melted on her tongue. She rolled her eyes and made delightful noises.
Sera smiled. "Been saving them for your birthday, but this seems like a better occasion. Have another. You deserve it, Technician Second-Class," she teased.
They ate their sweet feast until the box and the bottle of makotai were empty. Sera slipped a flask from her pocket, took a drink and handed it to Rei who did the same, nearly choking on the strong smoky liquor. She raised her brows in surprise, but Sera just laughed.
Rei turned serious and looked at her boots, her hands clasped in her lap. "Sera-sha, I was really scared. I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't been there."
"Rei-sha, my brave, sweet, brilliant, beautiful Rei-sha," she began in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "You saved all of us on that ship. I'm a soldier; death comes with the job, but I wasn't ready to die on some filthy Imp cruiser." She smiled. "I've never been so happy as I was when you stopped that ship from exploding." Sera's green eyes sparkled, limpid in the subdued light.
"I've had to fight nearly all my life, Rei-sha. Most of the time it was either that or starve, or worse. Since I joined Razorclaw, I get to fight for something real, to protect the things I love," her voice fell to nearly a whisper. "That goes double for the people I love." She cradled Rei's round face gently in her hands, and swept a lock of black hair from her face. "I love you, Reiko Hudson, you know that, right?"
Rei nodded, her heart bounding in her chest.
"You'll never, never have to be scared as long as I'm here." Then she pulled Rei into a deep, lingering kiss. If she was surprised, Rei didn't show it. Instead, she leaned into the embrace, relishing Sera's warm, soft lips. She wrapped her arms around her neck, tangling her fingers in the soldier's thick red hair. When they finally drew apart, Rei smiled and her brown eyes glittered.
They laughed a little, the nervous laugh of new lovers. "Sera-sha," purred Reiko after a moment, "I'd... like to do that again."
"That's my girl," Sera teased, and bent to oblige her.