Star Wars Rebels: The New Response

Plans And Plots

"You're permitted into the system" A voice spoke over the com. "The Countess is expecting you for a report"
The pilot pressed a button in front of them to give their response, as they removed their helmet and shook their head to free their long black hair in the form of a ponytail.
"Of course" They replied.
She lay back on her seat and smiled. The planet Krownest...it had been four whole months since she had last been here. She had been looking forward to her return, it had pretty much become her home in recent years. But her duty would find her elsewhere, in service to the Countess of Clan Wren. Her mission was complete now though, it had involved a whole lot of recon and negotiations and espionage...
"Boring stuff" She thought. "Bounty hunter life was so much more exciting. Less sneaking and more killing, or bullying people into submission"
But also more...petty. She was working towards something bigger now, the unification of her people...mostly because she was peer-pressured into it, but in time she saw the need for it. Suppose she had to drop her selfish desires at some point. She left the Black Sun behind, and even grew more hair to cover the tattoo on the back of her head that she used to fly their colours. The Galaxy is changing, and everyone needs to do their part
"For the first time in my life, The Empire has suffered a major blow"
The Galaxy was once a calm yet contained thing. In recent years, it had become so...chaotic. The destruction of the Death Star, the Empire's secret weapon capable of destroying entire world's...it sent a message. The Rebellion had scored its first major victory, and it became evident to her that it wasn't a hopeless cause after all.
But she wasn't a Rebel, that lot had disappeared. Not even the Countess knew much of them now despite her previous strong ties with them. She couldn't focus much on them, she had her own people to take care of. She had new responsibilities.
"And so do I"
The pilot flew her ship through the atmosphere of Krownest, and saw the familiar stretches of white snow that covered the planet's surface. Frozen lakes, leafless trees...and a dusk sky reflecting off it all. She liked taking a stroll through it, with her significant other at her side, of course. Maybe they could do that again, now that she had returned. They had catching up to do, after all.
"I've been slaving around for her, when's it all going to pay off?"
Or maybe it won't pay off. Expecting rewards...is the old bounty hunter in her still talking.

The Pilot landed her ship a small distance from the Mandalorian structure that housed Clan Wren and all its people, built with Cubism art in mind, like most Mandalorian infrastructure these days. It was placed right next to the frozen lake with a big platform that overlooked it, positioned perfectly to see the falling sun during dusk. Doubt that was intentional, but it made for a pretty sight.
"It was great sight for my wedding, that's for sure" She thought with a smile. "A nice little view for a private little ceremony"
It was the best day of her life, really. Shame the events that followed...were the way they were.
She approached the building, which was guarded by Clan Wren soldiers as always. Their yellow armour had a way of standing out in the mostly-white environment of Krownest...she wanted armour like that herself, but The Countess deemed she would be more valuable if she did not fly the Wren colours.
"I'm a member, all but officially..." She thought.
She was recognised and was met with no resistance as she headed into the large hallroom where she would find the Countess. Her heart was, admittedly, pounding.
It appeared she walked in on an important conversation, between the Countess and her advisor. She could see her sitting on her throne...pretty as ever. By her feet was her helmet, she took it with her everywhere. Behind her there was a large picture of her, it had been there ever since becoming the Countess.
By her right side was Fenn Rau, the former commander of The Protectors before the Imperialists destroyed his men and his base. He had helped the Countess get to her position, and as a man with more experience, had been serving as her advisor ever since...sometimes he was almost like a father to her. That's a big step from a man once willing to kill you.
She simply stayed back, waiting for The Countess to notice her. As she waited, a man approached her by her side, and watched the meeting in progress with her.
"Tristan" She greeted.
He did not return her greeting.
"The Countess has been eagerly waiting for your return" He told her in a whisper. "Has there been much news from The Rebellion?"
"I have important information for her" She told him.
Tristan was an odd fellow. He seemed like a good guy, but the...uneasiness he inspires, made him someone you wouldn't want to hang out with. She could understand. He was supposed to be the Count of Clan Wren since the original Count was held captive by Gar Saxon...and he was for a brief time, but his own sister had to take the position from him in combat for her own purposes. They didn't share ideals. He served her now, but you'd think they weren't siblings with the way they were around each other.
"Clan Hurknok continues to be difficult in negotiations" Fenn Rau said to the Countess. "They refuse to offer their soldiers should they be required in our time of need"
"Remind them that they are pledged to House Vizsla" The Countess told him. "We'll see how much their vows matter to them, and if they don't? Then they'd have been no use to me"
"Yes, my lady" He nodded. "But I should remind you that Clan Wren does not rule House Vizsla"
The Countess sighed and slumped back in her seat, rubbing her temple. You could tell that she wasn't an expert at matters like these...but she'd learn. She had to learn. She was doing as well as she could, for a twenty-three year old. Thankfully her advisor was older, and more experienced.
"I'd be hopeless on that chair"
The Countess's brown eyes finally met with hers, and they briefly went wide with surpise. She wasn't able to pay attention to her advisor's words and he continued discussing clan affairs with no ears listening. When she eventually heard him stop talking, she simply stood up from her seat and glanced at the men in the room.
"Thank you Fenn Rau, that'll be all for today" She said. "I will take your advice into consideration, and we'll discuss it again by tomorrow"
Fenn Rau knew she hadn't a clue what he said. But he simply nodded and left the hall with the rest of the men, among them being Tristan Wren. Soon, they were the only ones in the hall. It was dead quiet. She approached the Countess, who continued to look at her, with a pleased smile forming on her lips.
Of course, the common courtesies had to be shared.
"My lady" She said with respect, nodding to her.
The Countess advanced towards her, taking her time of course, which only served to torture her further. She noted that her previously colourful armour had been scrubbed clean, and repainted with traditional Clan Wren colours. Suppose she decided to change her appearance for a more serious role.
"Ketsu, it's been four whole months..." She exclaimed. "What took you so long?"
Ketsu looked almost exactly as she had when she last saw her. Perfect. She almost wanted to sigh aloud.
"Good to see you too, Sabine..." Ketsu muttered with a small smile and crossed arms. "What could I say? You told me not to come back until I found solid information on the Rebellion...and they've been very discrete since they blew up that planet destroyer"
Sabine remembered that day. She had no part of it, but the news of the Death Star's destruction shook the whole Galaxy. Everyone knew exactly where they were during that event. The Battle Of Yavin, they call it.
"You could've called, I was worried" Sabine told her. "You reporting to my scouts was the only way I could know you were even alive"
Ketsu shrugged. Her circumstances...made long-range communication impossible.
"You've changed your hair again" She noted. "Red and orange now, huh? You look like your scalps on fire"
Sabine shook her head, stroked back the longer side of her hair from her face. She couldn't hold back the coyness and threw her arms around her shoulders, and Ketsu returned the loving behaviour. Sabine intimately stroked her black ponytail that hung from her head to her waist.
When they were done hugging and looking into each other's eyes, the Countess decided to get straight to business. Personal feelings and the like had to come later.
"We can catch up in my quarters later" She told her as she turned to sit back on her throne. "What information have you found regarding the Rebellion?"
It's been two years since she saw her Rebel friends, since they blew up the Death Star. It would be a great ease to her mind if she knew where they were, and if they were alright. Hera never tried to contact her again...she probably couldn't, for the Rebellion's own safety.
Ketsu tapped on her computer gauntlet and brought up some images of different systems.
"I've been tracking lots of different ship movements in the Outer Rim, in hopes to find Rebel activity" She explained. "But it looks like their activity is a lot more passive than since the times they were holding up on Atollon, Dantooine and Yavin"
Sabine remembered. Back when she was a Spectre, they tangled with the Empire almost every day.
"I can't pinpoint a specific planet, but some of the ship registrations match the ones that were apart of the Rebel fleet years ago. I can confirm that they are in the Outer Rim, still"
"Four months to find that?" Sabine said with surpise. "They must be keeping a tight lid on things...the Empire can't be messing around now that their favourite project got blown up"
The destruction of the Death Star was a symbolic message to many in the Galaxy. "Terrorist acts" have gone up tenfold ever since, and it was the Battle Of Yavin that allowed Sabine to start her plans to unite House Vizsla against the Empire. Previously no one dared challenge them for a hopeless cause, not even Mandalorians...but now, with things looking possible...
"Thank you for this, Ketsu" She expressed her gratitude. "I won't send you back out there, I'll have someone else take it from here"
Ketsu was glad to hear that. She almost feared that she'd get sent away again. Sabine sat silently, but it was evident on her face that another matter was bothering her.
"And...was there anything else you might have found?" She asked quietly. "I know it's a long-shot, but I imagine he's the sort to stand out, did you...?"
Ketsu knew what she was talking about.
"I have nothing on him" She told her. "It's been years, Sabine"
The Countess nodded, understandingly. One day, she'd have to let go.
"I know" She whispered. "It gets easier every day"
Sabine collected her thoughts, took a breath, and then stood up again from her seat. It was time to change the subject.
She needed some fresh air, too.