The say the best way to understand a person’s life is to spend a day in their shoes. The man snorted. Personally, if I was any of them, which I’m not, I would recommend taking a shower. It might help with the odor problem. The Corulag native looked at a Gamorrean. Might. Maybe not. The former law enforcement official sighed and began to read his datapad.

Unconsciously, his left hand wrangled itself into an inside pocket within his grey jacket. Gingerly, the fingers wrapped themselves around the slender frame of a holdout blaster: a Blastech Last Resort. He had carried since shortly after he had graduated from Corulag’s Police academy. Through the good times and the bad, the pistol was there, whether it was at his wedding or during one of the numerous times he had worked as an undercover agent for the government. It had become just as much of a part of him as his right hand.

“Caf, sir?”

Alexander’s green eyes turned to the tray of drinks. Taking a whiff of it, he shook his head, dismissing the waiter. This has to be the worse cruise line ever. If you can call it that. It’s more like a bulk freighter for people. A rubbery amphibian type creature walked by. Or things. A bulk freighter for, err…people things. Sort of. He shook the thought away. The intercom buzzed.

“Attention passengers, this ship will headed to Mon Calamari to aid in the evacuation process of the planet. We apologize for the inconvience it may cause you.”

He scowled. Inconvience? That’s no inconvience at all. Instead of maybe being an hour late, we’ll be lucky if we’re several days late. My client won’t be pleased. Alexander rolled his eyes. And where and the hell are they going to put these people? The man mentally envisioned stuffing Mon Calamarians into the coach compartments directly above his seat. Nope, their heads are too big. Otherwise it could work. Sturm glanced around at the other passengers around him, imperceptibly scanning them for possible threats; an old habit of his from his former job. On the upper deck of the liner, humans, mostly lower middle-class, were dominant; although various alien species were scattered across the aisles. None of them look like their threats. Just average folks. And that’s probably the best disguise for the most dangerous. That coat over there could have explosives in the liners, and that purse could easily fit an automatic blaster pistol. He glanced down at himself. I suppose I fit that stereotype pretty well too.

Sturm appeared like a normal civilian to the outside. He wore a casual, open light jacket, some basic shoes, and a pair of cloth trousers. Alexander had personally picked out the clothes to be loose and common to avoid suspicion. Underneath them, however, was his Tuff1 Combat suit. It consisted of a tight body suit with padded armor sections at the chest, elbows, and knees. In humid and wet climates, the material dried quickly and breathes well, making it easy to wear for long periods of time. While it didn’t offer much protection, it was enough for most bar brawls. More importantly, it didn’t show that the man was wearing any armor at all. Perfect for an undercover cop. The armor was equipped with various rings and straps for carrying equipment and weapons in easy-to-reach places. Besides his hold-out, Sturm was carrying a multipurpose knife, spare powerpacks, and a medpack, among other things.

He glanced at his chrono and sighed. We’d better get there soon.

A large, spherical, metallic form appeared in the midst of the Mon Calamari System, its bulk dwarfing the vessels that made up the small convoy following it in-system. The sphere turned, reorienting its drive engines, and then moved away from the convoy, searching for the Coalition command ship. The sphere-ship added one more signal to the communications traffic that was stifling the Mon Calamari System, this one a Coalition command frequency reserved for communication between representatives of separate Coalition nation-states. "This is Overseer Smarts, here on behalf of the Cooperative of Systems to extend our hand in aide. I have come with all immediately available resources; more help will be arriving soon."

As he scanned the system, it became immediately clear that Mon Calmamari was in a state of chaos. While the military forces in-system were well-organized and diligently working to evacuate the inhabitants of Mon Calamari, new vessels were appearing every minute, vessels that had heard of the evacuation, and had come to help.

"This is Captain Panacka onboard the Freedom-class Vlyx," A small-scale holographic representation said after several seconds. "We weren't expecting anyone from outside the East, but we would appreciate any help you could offer."

"With your permission, Captain, I'd like to begin organizing the non-military vessels in the system; I think they might respond better to a diplomatic leader, rather than a military one."

The hologram nodded its head wearily. "All right; I'll have my men patch you through to the Calamari Assembly, so you can work out a course of action with them. We'll send you information on vacant landing zones and possible trouble areas; maybe you'll have more luck calming the more fervent protestors than we have."


* * *


Smarts had been working tirelessly since his arrival, and he had finally brought some degree of order to the ever-growing fleet of civilian ships that filled the Mon Cal system, but with no one with any more experience or authority than a starliner captain to help him, he doubted how well he'd be able to carry out his duties. Even with the support of the Eastern military, and the cooperation of the Mon Cal government, it would be difficult for a machine to gain the trust and respect of the billions of weary, fearful, and desperate beings who called Mon Calamari home. Coordination and organization of assets and resources was one thing, but winning the hearts and minds of a war-torn populace was quite another.

The solution, fortunately, came right on schedule. A group of Commonwealth medical cruisers dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the solar system, immediately identifying themselves and declaring their intentions. Smarts wasted no time in clearing an entry vector for the vessels, and immediately responded to the Commonwealth transmissions, having been cleared by Captain Panacka to greet the Commonwealth vessels beforehand. "Vessels of the Commonwealth, on behalf of the Galactic Coalition and the people of Mon Calamari, we accept your offer with open arms and heartfelt thanks.

"I am the artificial intelligence known as Smarts, a diplomatic representative of the Galactic Coalition's Cooperative of Systems. You have been cleared for entry into the inner system. Welcome to Mon Calamari; may you find some glimmer of hope in this dark and broken world."

“It has oft been said by great generals and legendary soldiers that ‘he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother’. It is unfortunate, in a galaxy ever shifting from light and dark to shades of gray, that the modern soldier cannot afford to be so vague. He who sheds his blood alongside me is not always my brother, for the victory means nothing if it is at the expense of our ideals. For it to be a true victory in the hearts of the people, morality cannot be compromised. I have met many men in my time willing to shed their blood for a cause I viewed as just that I could never call brothers. For not only were they willing to shed their own blood, but the blood of innocents. And that is unacceptable…”


He had been watching her off and on for a good portion of the journey through hyperspace. Between the consistent typing and the occasional interruptions to involve himself in the conversation surrounding him, his senses had nearly had their hands full. But still, whenever he got a chance, he would glance around to locate her whereabouts. He never fixed his eyes upon her, she was too perceptive not to notice if he had slowed his glance as he passed her for just a moment. But he would note her position on the ship and as much information as he could gather in the brief second his eyes skittered over her.

He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but he could just tell that something was different. Perhaps a social oddity’s ability to detect another social oddity, but he could almost sense a difference in her. After a few passes with his deceptive glancing he noted how much she stood out from the rest of the crew. In any ferry as decrepit as this one had become, the glum atmosphere provided by the age of the vessel and the hopelessness of the passengers was bound to rub off on the crew, but she seemed completely unaffected by the bleakness surrounding her.

She hadn’t been born into it, he could tell. The two of them had that in common, at least. She probably only viewed this is a temporary predicament until things smoothed out again. But would they? Perhaps, perhaps not. Ajay could tell that she had the capability to invoke that change herself, but he had also become familiar, in his travels, with people of that background and in that mindset. They believed that change would find them, and often times it never did.

But sometimes…

Some people have change thrust upon them.

The words stung just as bitterly then in his mind as they had when they were first spoken to him four years ago. It felt like an eternity now…almost like a vague dream from long ago, his time at the monastery. He had changed much since then, but in many ways he was still that same, scared and angry thirteen year old kid.

“All passengers, due to our new destination, it is necessary that we perform a standard inspection. Please do not resist. Security teams will be coming around to perform the inspection. The inconvenience will be minor, I assure you, and you will soon be able to return to your business.”

His mind snapped back into focus.

Do not dwell on the past. Never get lost in that reverie. It is a distraction and a distraction only. You make a mistake, you learn from it, and you move on. Never look back. Never look back.

The outcasts surrounding him were staring intently for a reaction. So far, he had showed very little signs of being conscious. His eyes had been glazed, and he had been staring off into the distance. The sentients all around him had been drawn in by this, expecting some sort of revelation. Some of them were sweating, he noted. Probably carrying weapons or contraband of some sort.

Ajay himself was carrying a blaster pistol, but had no qualms with it being confiscated. There was more weaponry already in safe houses on Thyferra. And if the resistance on Mon Calamari ended up being as strong and as organized as he suspected, he imagined that he would have no problems procuring a weapon of some sort there as well.

His only concern was his datapad. Security crews on liners like these did not have the highest reputation for being delicate with personal effects. So far, it had survived just as many journeys as Ajay had, but he hesitated before handing it over every time he was searched. The crowd was still staring at him, awaiting a response, and he gave a token nod and grim smile of grim acceptance.

They a grumbled lightly, but none said anything.

Ajay noticed only a few moments before she reached him who his inspector was to be…the same woman who he had been half-watching earlier. His expression remained passive, but mentally his interest was sparked. Her eyes kept shifting to him slightly as she searched the last few people before him, and he realized that he was likely the prime suspect.

But to his surprised, when she reached him she didn’t even search him.

“Sir, if you could come with me. I'd like to speak with you in private.”

Those within earshot looked up in alarm, and a couple even took half steps forward. Ajay met their gazes with a reassuring smile and a nod. He rose to his feet and, without glancing at her as he stood, followed silently with his head down. But his eyes were roaming, ever roaming. He was studying her intently.

She led him into small quarters with a table and two chairs, the typical interrogation room. How many times had he found himself in one of these? Unfortunately, this was likely the most inviting one of the bunch. There wasn’t even any blood on the walls, and the furniture wasn’t bolted to the floor. A good sign, he supposed. Whoever she was, she didn’t seem sadistic. He had endured worse interrogators.

Before she had a chance to speak, he slowly reached into his jacket with exaggerated movements.

“I’m pulling out a blaster,” he said impassively, “The safety is on.”

He produced the blaster and, in movements just as exaggerated, placed it on the table in the middle of the room. Taking a seat it the chair opposite the door, and farthest from the blaster, he stared at her directly for the first time, and grinned.

“I’d say…ex-military,” he commented, “It’s the posture more than anything. It never really goes away completely. Deserter? No…too proud still. Fallen government then? Only one that fell recently that let women serve was Onyx…you Onyxian?”

Jaeriel stared impassively as the man rose and walked with her to the security room. He entered immediately, while she paused at the door and activated the recording devices within the room. Of course, she was the only one who had access to the recordings, but she might want to listen to them again later.

As she walked in behind him, he turned and pulled his pistol. She didn't flinch as it was drawn and set on the table. Before she began to speak, he began his analysis. As he spoke, she upped his threat level from unknown to serious. His simple observations, and the conclusions he drew from them, were nearly completely accurate. Nearly.

"I was," she responded. "Resigned after Bilbringi. With the New Republic before that. Seems I always choose a lost cause."

She stared at him for a moment and noticed a bit of tension in his muscles. She smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not interrogating you. Actually, I brought you in here to thank you for keeping those around you calm during the announcement that we were switching course."

Jaeriel continued, "I noticed you command a lot of respect, something unusual in a man your age. Especially since, as far as I can tell, you didn't have to say anything to them. That can be either a dangerous quality or a very valuable one, depending on the manner in which it is used."

She reached down and plucked the blaster from the table. "Standard appearance, good condition. I'm guessing modifications, though? The sort that can't be detected by a scan?" She looked at him for a moment, but his eyes didn't give anything away. "Hm. So, you look like you might be in need of a job. It's not much, but the pay is decent. What's your name, by the way? I assume the one listed is an alias."

Before he could answer, one of her underlings burst through the door. She whirled, clicking the safety off as she did so, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "What?" she asked.

The man replied, "We have a situation. Gammorean refuses to give up his weapons."

"Great," she muttered. Turning to Ajay, she said, "Care to help out here? It'll probably take all of us to calm him down."

Aboard the CommonWealth medical cruiser Vigil...


"I am the artificial intelligence known as Smarts, a diplomatic representative of the Galactic Coalition's Cooperative of Systems."


Artificial intelligence... a droid?


The CommonWealth vessels acknowledged the Coalition's greeting, and information sent from Coalition coordinators began to fill display screens around the Vigil's bridge. Leia's breath caught in her throat as she saw the tactical displays come up: the sheer number of ships in the Mon Calamari system was staggering! Military vessels, commercial vessels, diplomatic envoys, personal craft... the blips on the scanners representing ships were so closely packed together that the display was more like one big moving blob. There was more traffic than the busiest day on Coruscant, and more controlled chaos than the biggest fleet battle she could imagine. "What a mess..." she muttered under her breath.


The presence of the droid who had initially greeted them suddenly made much more sense. How else could an undertaking so massive be effectively organized?


Out of the corner of her eye, Leia saw Malagan conversing with holographic images of the other CommonWealth captains near the comm station. From what she could gather, they were debating what their next move was...


"...the Vigil is equipped for Mon Cal, let us head in system... the rest of the group can maintain position here and wait on the other responses."


"...once we determine where aid is needed most, we can split up the rest of the group accordingly. We already know at least one ship is going to Mon Cal... we should have word from the others soon."


"...do you think the Dragons will even respond to our hails? I've heard they're awfully touchy..."


Leia was pretending that she wasn't paying attention to the captains' debate, and not doing a very good job of it. As soon as a decision had been reached and the other captains had signed off, Malagan immediately turned to study her.


"I know you came along independantly, but you've just been drafted..."


She sighed. As an experienced politician, she should have known there were always ulterior motives...


"We will be moving into the system first. I need someone to act as a diplomatic liason to the Coalition and Calamari to coordinate our relief efforts." Malagan smiled brightly and gestured towards her. "As a Jedi diplomat with command experience, you are our most qualified candidate!"


This drew a groan from Leia, and several muted chuckles from the bridge crew. Malagan strode over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.


"Well you didn't think this trip was going to be free, now did you?"


Leia smiled mischievously. "You're lucky you know Tyscio, usually I charge more for my services than a short ride on a smelly space barge."


Malagan glared down at her in mock offense. "Space barge!?"




***




The Vigil drifted away from the other CommonWealth vessels, and set in the course to the inner-system cleared by the artificial intelligence named Smarts.


As the evacuation of Mon Cal began to grow more visible in the main viewports, Leia stepped up beside Malagan on the bridge.


"This is Leia... Organa Solo..." Korban! She winced as she fumbled over her own name. Sorry Tyscio... She carried his name as a loving wife, but suddenly found herself reluctant to tie his name to anything she did. A single mistake on her part could hurt him forever, simply by association. She mentally filed the matter away as something to be discussed with him later.


"On behalf of the CommonWealth, I would like to request a meeting with Coalition and Calamari leaders to coordinate our relief efforts at the first possible convenience."

A thousand lines of continuity stretched through Smarts' "brain", turning a myriad of unassociated data points into a single, expansive web of understanding. Leia Organa Solo. Smarts was not easily impressed, and until that moment, he wasn't even sure that he could be. But he could marvel at the expansive accomplishments of the woman he was speaking to later; for now, there was a world to save.

Smarts immediately sent out messages on dozens of Coalition channels, contacting various Mon Cal officials and Coalition military personnel. As he ordered, requested, and begged various representatives to assemble for a meeting, he responded to Leia's request. "Leia Organa Solo and commanders of the Commonwealth relief force, a meeting is being arranged as we speak. We will gather onboard my starship, and begin as soon as everyone is present. Please follow the designated entry route, and I look forward to meeting you all in person. Again, we thank you for your assistance, and welcome you on behalf of the people of Mon Calamari." Smarts paused for a moment, considering his next words. "May the Force be with you." May the Force be with us all. There were many things that Smarts did not understand, many puzzles left to solve, but somehow, the statement just seemed appropriate.

Aboard the Vigil, Mon Calamari orbit...



"5,000 pre-fab shelters? I thought we were only carrying food and medical supplies..." Leia frowned at the datapad in her hands, which was currently displaying a copy of the Vigil's cargo manifest.


Pacing behind the chair she was seated in, Malagan shrugged. "Probably found in some war surplus warehouse and thrown in last minute to fill empty space. Whoever is responsible did us a service; the Calamarians will probably need every one of 'em when they get to wherever the hell the Coalition is sending them."


True... Leia sighed and looked around the cluttered briefing room they had set up shop in. The meeting with the Coalition and Calamari representatives was fast approaching, and she was nowhere near ready. "They're being evacuated to Teth. Are you positively sure we have clearance to transport refugees? I didn't see anything about that in your orders..."


Again, Malagan shrugged. "They left ship dispersal up to the discretion of the captains, so I'll call it a go unless someone decides to start shooting."


"Fine." There was a moment of silence in the room as Leia added several notes to the datapad. A short list of services that the CommonWealth vessels were prepared to offer... it was as ready as she was going to get, the rest would have to be improvised. "Let's get this meeting over with. We aren't helping anybody as long as we're sitting up here, and there can't be much time left."


There certainly wasn't any to waste.

Starship Smarts, Orbit, Mon Calamari


In what had once been the command bridge of the modified and refitted Clone Wars-era Core Ship, a meeting was about to begin. The large room, completely redesigned and refitted by Cooperative engineers, was the largest room in the ship that existed purely for use by organics. The large viewports that once served as the eyes of the captain and crew, now held no more purpose than to present a spectacular view. And so they did.

Framed by the endless blue of the planet that rested just beyond that transparasteel wall, a single droid stood alone, quiet, watching. Already, many of the representatives had arrived, and there was much to observe.

There were members of the planet's local government, both Mon Calamari and Quarren. Though the two native species had a long history of animosity for one another, this crisis seemed to have given them a common threat with which to unite against. They stood proud, resolute; their world was forfeit, but they were determined to endure.

Captain Panacka had dispatched a group of Coalition military officers, but they did not at all look glad to count themselves present. They probably wanted to be back with their men, doing their job, instead of entertaining the idle gatherings of politicians and well-wishers. But whatever their thoughts on the matter, the fact remained that they were present, and they would be put to use.

Finally, in a distant corner, looking a little out of place, was a hodge-podge group of men, women, and aliens of unstipulated gender. They were wearing the uniforms of civilian and corporate starship crews, undoubtedly ranging from personal shuttles to luxury liners, and they represented the best among the countless volunteers that had filled the space around Mon Calamari. These were the beings who had already proven to be useful in helping to organize the chaotic storm of civilian traffic in the system.

At the heart of the massive vessel, the artificial mind of the Cooperative's Overseer watched the gathering through the eyes of that lone droid. All of the pieces were in place; all of the concerned parties were assembled; looking at the roomful of volunteers, representatives, and duty-bound soldiers, Smarts finally dared to hope that they could make a difference. All that was needed now, was a name that could give hope and order to this gathering of troubled, fearful, and totally disassociated souls.

Fortunately, she had just arrived.

Guided by the rendezvous coordinates, the Vigil fell into formation with a group of ships hovering in high orbit over Mon Calamari. A large spherical ship was situated at the center of the formation... the tactical display identified it as Smarts.

On the bridge of the Vigil, Captain Malagan watched as Leia's shuttle slipped out of the medical cruiser's small docking bays and angled towards the center of the formation. He couldn't help but be a little bit envious... according to the Vigil's databanks, Smarts resembled a Clone Wars era Core Ship which made it something of an antique. But more importantly... they had learned that Smarts wasn't just an old ship, it was a ship commanded by an artificial intelligence and crewed entirely by droids.

Malagan loved ships, had chosen a career as a fleeting man because of it. In his entire career, he had never heard of anything quite like Smarts... Leia was on her way to have a meeting with a ship, and he hoped that at some point during their mission at Mon Calamari, he would get a chance to 'meet' this amazing ship too.


***


Aboard the Starship Smarts, Mon Calamari Orbit


Accompanied only by a couple of the Vigil's crewman serving as her aides, Leia Organa Solo stepped out into the expansive docking bay inside the starship Smarts. A bipedal droid with a roughly humanoid figure quickly moved to greet them.

"Leia Organa Solo and representatives of the CommonWealth, we welcome you aboard. The meeting is being held on the command bridge, and should be starting shortly. Please follow me."

Leia's small entourage fell into step behind their droid guide, and soon they were making their way through an endless maze of corridors. Leia was aware that Smarts had no regular crew compliment, but she still wasn't prepared for how empty the ship truly seemed to be without the bustle of living beings working, talking, and going about their daily business. Sure there were droids here and there, but other than the sounds of working machinery it was so... quiet.

At last the droid halted in front of a large sliding blast door, and stepped to one side to allow them to pass. "We have reached our destination. Good luck, Leia Organa Solo."

The blast door slid open, and for a brief moment all conversation in the room ceased as eyes turned to take in the sight of the newest arrival. Leia stepped into the room without hesitation, giving the room a quick mental size up as she did so. Grumpy looking Coalition military officers, weary Calamari and Quarren government representatives, and a large mixed group of what she assumed were civilian volunteers were all clustered in their own little groups throughout the room. And then off to the side by a breathtaking viewport that covered an entire wall stood a lone droid, watching silently over all of them.

As Leia slowly made her way deeper into the room, one of the Calamarians separated from his group and moved to intercept her. As her aides fidgeted nervously behind her, the Calamarian reached out and enveloped Leia in a hug, patting her back with his flippered hands.

"I'm sorry" Leia whispered softly to the Calamarian, who blinked his large eyes at her.

"I am glad that you have come, we will speak more later" he responded in a sad, gravelly voice. Without another word they parted, and Leia began to move deeper into the room, nodding or voicing quiet greetings to the others present.

It looked as though the meeting was ready to begin, the only thing that remained was for Smarts to make himself known and call the meeting to order...

In an abandoned warehouse, somewhere on the surface of Mon Calamari...


Ross Maklo sat on a pile of empty crates, checking off a list as hoversleds loaded with supplies glided past him. Around him hundreds of Calamari, Quarren, and a small number of other species rushed to pack supplies in preparation for the evacuation.


"Maklo! There's someone here to see you."


Ross glanced up from his clipboard to see two Calamarians nearby, one was pointing towards him and the other was headed his way. With a sigh he set aside his clipboard, and pulled a cheap cigar out of the breast pocket of his jacket as the latter alien approached him.


"You're the messenger Kalbrac sent?" The comm channels and holonet had either quickly been over run with traffic or restricted to Coalition military use only. The only reliable way left to communicate on Mon Calamari was by runner.


The Calamarian nodded, his domed head bobbing slowly. "Yes, sir."


"Well, what's the word?"


"The leaders of the planetary government, some Coalition officers, and a few of the more dedicated civilian volunteers have been summoned to some big meeting. It's being held on one of the Coalition command ships in orbit... Kalbrac was selected to attend with the Calamarian representatives, a shuttle picked him up a few hours ago. He suspects they are ready to begin loading the ships for the first big wave of the evacuation."


Ross frowned and lit his cigar, taking a few moments to digest the information. "That's bad news. We're going to need at least another day to pack up all of our stashes, and we have to get everything to the ships... which are all still mothballed. We've got to be ready to move when the main bulk of the evacuation force leaves, or we'll have no cover. Kalbrac had better come back with some sort of timetable we can use..."


"Sir, speaking of our little operation... Kalbrac also mentioned there was a rumor floating around that Leia Organa Solo would be attending the meeting."


"Leia Organa Solo....?" Ross echoed thoughtfully. "Wasn't she a part of the Rebellion against the old Empire or something?" Aside from maybe a couple mentions in the Imperial version of history he'd been taught as a child, he knew nothing of the woman.


The Calamarian nodded. "She was an influential leader. After the war, she was appointed Chief of State of the New Republic. And I've heard she's a Jedi Master..."


"No shit?" Despite his comment, Ross looked doubtful. Even if the woman was all of those things, he didn't see why she would show up at Mon Calamari now when she hadn't shown up for the actual war.


"...Kalbrac was eager to find out if the rumors were true, he hopes to arrange to have some sort of meeting with her."


"He thinks that much of her, huh?"


"He did speak highly of her. If you like sir, I can try to assemble a profile on her while we wait for him to return."


"You do that..." Maklo replied as he gathered his clipboard and turned back to his work.