Ahsoka Tano sat crossed-legged atop a stool in her private quarters. Small bits and pieces of metal hovered and rotated around her regal, horned montrels in a slow, serene orbit. Each of these metal parts were intricate in design and fashioned by hand. The intimately constructed components to some carefully made device. Amongst the metal fragments were two crystals shining a resplendent bright white in response to the all-binding Force, and Ahsoka's connection to it.

Not so long ago, Ahsoka heard these two kyber crystals crying out to her through the Force. They were in agony, suffering under the crushing, hate-fueled grip of the dark side. Its power demanded their servitude, making them to bleed. When she came to their rescue and defeated the dark side inquisitor who held them, she experienced a moment of clarity that she didn't fully understand. The crystals were no longer berated by darkness, and she knew that she with inexplicable understanding that it was not her place to call on the power of the light to replace their pain. And so, the Force, pure and unfettered, not compelled nor coerced, flowed through her kybers, marked by a purifying white.

Since that day, for the first time in a very long time, she had opened herself back up to the Force. When Ahsoka left the Jedi order so many years ago, she did so because she knew that there was something fundamentally wrong with their practices. A self-righteousness that came with pledging oneself a Jedi and wielder of the light side of the Force. She didn't understand what her path would be when she left, but she knew that she could be a Jedi no longer. Her mistake was turning away from the Force, instead of embracing a new understanding of it. The day that she gained her new kyber crystals, she knew that there was so much she needed to learn. And so as often as time would allow, she convened with the Force, seeking to understand her purpose within it.

Her natural impulse was to call out to the force, seeking it's acceptance. She would then use it's power to her advantage. But with this new revelation, this epiphany beyond her full understanding, she felt a tremble whenever she called upon it. She knew, as is the way with the dark side, she could also reach out and demand it's power if she so wished, however this was hardly in her nature. It was only with these prolonged meditations, these introspective journeys of understanding that she began to grasp the gray area in between...

The communications holo-panel on the desk in front of her chimed. She opened her eyes. At once the shards of metal began to pull together. She could see from the read out that it was the Vixen cell trying to get into contact with her. "Computer, engage Fulcrum encryption and patch them through." The holo-panel chimed, and after a brief delay, an image of Evaan Verlaine showed up on the screen. On her end, Evaan would only see the spire-like symbol representing Fulcrum, and a muddled, concealed voice when Ahsoka spoke. "Vixen Leader, how was the mission?"

"It was a success, Fulcrum. We have the data that holds all known Kuat Drive Yard satellite manufacturing locations. There are dozens of them spread throughout the galaxy."

"Well done, Vixen leader, your work will be a major benefit to the efforts of the Rebel Alliance." The shards of metal formed the outer casings of two separate cylindrical objects, but didn't come fully together yet.

"Now that you mention it... before we started working with you, Bail Organa informed us that there were several cells..." There was a sense of hesitation in Evaan's voice.

"And there are, but we don't yet have the resources to come together. If the Empire were to catch us all in one place..." The two-white glowing kyber crystals found their way to the center of each cylinder.

"I understand." Evaan nodded just a split second too quickly, rushing past the answer if she wished she'd never asked the question. "Oh, and Fulcrum... there was a minor hiccup on the mission."

"Oh?" Ahsoka inquired.

Evaan broke her gaze with the holo cam, but returned it just as quickly. "We didn't have the cleanest of getaways. The Empire knows that we were there for something, but they don't know what. They will be on guard."

Ahsoka smiled, regardless of the fact that the woman couldn't see her. Sometimes it's warmth could be felt even through obscured voices. "We always knew that this was a possibility. I think we should be able to work through these complications. Send the data to the encrypted channel and prepare your team for part 2 of the mission." The metal clasped around the crystals to form two curve hilted lightsabers. "Fulcrum, out."

******

"I really wish this ship had some guns on it." Evaan sighed as she perused through their latest ship's system files. It was a light maintenance freighter with moderate speed, high powered shields and no weapons. It was equipped with hyperdrive to get where it needed to get, and the shielding was there to deal with impact from space debris for navigating under harsher conditions, but it was in no way a combat vessel.

"Sounds like you have a gun problem, Cap." Assata teased as she put down a shining metal cylinder about the size of Verlaine's forearm.

"You're one to talk. How many times a day do you clean that weapon?"

"Not nearly as often as you check this ship's maintenance protocols." Assata said as she ran a microweave brush through one of her heavy canon's many barrels. "Relax. Nothing's going to blow this thing up unless we give 'nothing' a reason to."

Evaan sighed, and flipped off the maintenance readout for about the dozenth time. "This mission is going to be far riskier than the last one. Even though Kuat has several manufacturing facilities, we can rest assure that security knows what happened at the Drive Yards. They'll be on the lookout for us."

"Of course they will, but do they know what to look for?" Adara asked. She was fiddling with the zipper on her maintenance coveralls when she walked in the bay. "I mean think about it. I hacked the security feeds before for that sector before we left. According to the intel Fulcrum sent back, they are only looking for a Nautolan. Whoever was actually alive to tell the story probably could only make out her blue skin and lekku from a distance. That means Fahili just stays hidden on the ship this time."

"You needed me the last time," Fahili noted as her eyes flicked up from the maintenance datapad she'd been skimming. "In case you forgot."

"Well yeah, okay... but this isn't Kuat. They aren't going to have nearly as much security."

"Any place that is building galactic attack cruisers is going to have sufficient security," Evaan said.

"Or what they think is sufficient," Adara said, flashing that winning smile. "C'mooon, I can handle myself. Besides, if the intel is right I won't even have to stray far from the docking bay."

Fahili sighed and shook her head. "Okay. We'll be counting on you. But no detours. Do your slicing and come right back. I don't want anything happening to you that I could've been there to stop."

Adara rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip. "Yes mother..."

Evaan stood and walked over to Adara. "Are you sure you're going to be up for this? I know you're brave, but the kind of slicing you are talking about is very advanced. You're going to need to get into the system, alter the shipping manifests and still ensure that nobody looking at the manifests will notice."

"Evaan, I sliced myself out of imperial jail using a dead power socket and rusty droid bolts. I think I can do this," Adara assured with a sly smile as she produced her datapad. "I'm using an algorithm that will only change the manifest as it is transferred to a non-imperial storage source. Meaning the Empire's systems will still have their original locations. Because the Empire uses civilian shipping pilots, it shouldn't be a problem. Once the data is transmitted with our information, that same algorithm will then send back a randomized pilot name for their databases, keeping them from tracking what pilot picked up."

"And then the war machines will be shipped to our specified location. They aren't outfitted with tracking devices until their final check, so they won't know what they are. By the time the Empire notices the ships are missing, it'll be too late. They'll be ours." Evaan took deep breath with a smile, resigning to Adara's plan. "I have to admit, that's not a bad plan. I'm impressed."

"That is certainly how you exploit a flaw in an overconfident power structure," Fahili agreed.

Evaan put her hands on Adara's shoulders. "We'll be here if you need us. May the Force be with you."

The station was called Point Amber Bravo, and it was one of three that orbited the small uninhabited sun colored moon called Amber 3 of the Amber system. All of the stations were built with the explicit task of building battle vessels, the moon's supply of doonium being the primary reasoning for location. They could mine for centuries and never run out.

Docking on the station was simple enough. Though the commanding officer on duty complained about them not being on the scheduled list of arrivals, Evaan countered with the fact that there were several dozen ships that docked any maintenance area outside of the main schedule on any given day. Disgruntled, he allowed them to land, only to complain more about them only bringing one worker. This too, was common, but not as much as at least three or four on even a vessel as small as their maintenance freighter.

"Just stopping to refuel and restock on equipment." Adara said to him as she pushed a grav lift off the ship. It carried containers that were only half-filled with ship repair equipment. "I'll be out of your hair faster than fathier in a foot race." He didn't smile.

The facility was far less streamlined than any of the engineering bays on Kuat, but it served the same general purpose- Building war ships. Adara was escorted by a couple of Stormtroopers past the terminal she was hoping to use, but once they arrived at the repair bay equipment request terminal, they left her to her business.

The deployment was no easy task, even for the well-experienced slicer. Unlike downloading files, uploading required yet another level of permissions, and thus more slicing. She took her time, carefully navigating the Imperial Cyberspace as to not make any mistakes. She had no reason to rush, this time.

She was almost finished when she noticed a peculiarity in the code. "That doesn't seem right..." The young Mirialan said as her brows knit together in confusion. Curious, she dove deeper into the rabbit hole where she found another algorithm not too different from her own... perhaps even better than her own. She grimaced and on a hunch, accessed the cameras to the bay that would hold the ships that they were planning to steal.

In the bay there were a few stormtroopers and engineers walking to and fro. A few smaller ships, mostly TIE's hung, awaiting final inspection. But nowhere did she see any of the battle cruisers they were there for. She flipped back to the manifest. According to the Empire, they should've still been there.

Adara accessed her comm. "Ev-, Vixen Leader, we have a slight issue..."

"This is Vixen Leader, what's the problem?" Evaan's voice came through.

"Those ships we were planning to steal? They aren't there."

A pause. Then "Did the Empire already ship them out?"

"No that's just it. The manif-"

"Oh, my word, you are good..." a strange voice came through their encrypted channel.

"What the-" Adara almost cursed.

"Who is this, and how are you on our channel?" Vixen Leader demanded.

"My dear anyone who's taken a basic signaling course could get on your channel." The voice said, failing to hide its apathy.

"Who. The Hell. Are you?" Evaan demanded again.

"A man who really likes the prim and sass in your voice. I think it's compelling me to save you."

"We don't need-" Evaan started.

He interrupted "-for me to tell you that there has been an order issued to capture you or kill you if you show resistance?"

A silence hung on the channel for a moment or so.

"Okay then. The Empire scanned your ship shortly after you arrived and ascertained that you had more life forms than you informed them about. You may want to prepare to defend yourselves." He said, with a little less amusement and perhaps a hint of urgency.

Adara startled at the sound of a snap-hiss followed by the low hum of a powerful but steady energy field. She turned, with some apprehension. Standing there was an impossibly large man wearing a face mask and dark garbs. In his hand was a lightsaber with a circular hilt, the red blade extended from one end. Adara looked at him dead in the eyes as she spoke. "Vixen Leader, call Fulcrum. Tell him we need back up. Right. Now.