notallofus | (no subject)

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This had proved to be one of the smoothest jobs they'd ever run. Hera, acting as a graduate assistant who had ended up at the administrative building when she'd meant to get to the xenobiologly labs on the other side of campus, had distracted the guards long enough for Kanan to slip in and out of the Imperial liaison's office without any trouble at all. Then again, neither the office nor the files inside were overly protected – the Empire didn't seem too concerned with anyone slipping away with their notes on Bar'leth University's faculty. It wasn't a weapon, or some exploitable resource, so maybe that wasn't surprising. But there were contacts in the rebellion who could use the information on which academics might be sympathetic, and which might be in imminent danger from the Empire.

And so they finish far ahead of their scheduled rendezvous with the Ghost. Kanan changes out of his maintenance uniform disguise, though Hera keeps her civilian clothes, and with little else to do in the meantime, they wander along the edge of the campus, its famous natural and cultural history museum looming not far in the distance. Most students and faculty have cleared out by now, but the paths and column-lined buildings are illuminated with white lanterns, keeping the campus bright as the cool evening sets in. The paths are lined with flower beds, and ahead of them is a wide pond, still enough to reflect the gymnasium just beyond it.

It's a very peaceful place, on the surface. But they had already read enough of the files they'd recovered to find that under that surface, it's anything but.

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"We're good at getting lost," Kanan offers, mostly directing this comment at Chopper.

"And if Sabine can find data on this kid's father, maybe we can wrangle some help to disrupt his business -- keep the whole family busy for a while with something that isn't hunting us down."

"And maybe keep them out of the slave market for a little while."

Hera folds her arms, shifting her weight back against the pilot's chair and watching Kanan look over their unplanned cargo. She could be helping him, but - she has already done her part.

"Have you ever been to Umbara?"

Edited 2018-03-26 23:29 (UTC)

"Maybe a long while, if we get really lucky," his tone suggests a little while will do, though. You take what you can get, when you're up against the rich and powerful and in the Emperor's pockets.

He looks up from where he's sorting and re-securing some of their goods, gaze briefly distant.

"It was a Separatist world, and M -- not one we were assigned to. I know it turned into a clusterfuck past a certain point, but I don't know the specifics. And -- no, I've never been there. Why?"

"I don't know."

Her own gaze is down, eyes fixed on the Phantom's floor, though she's not really watching it.

"I've never been there, either. I've only heard about it. You know it's a night world, like Gorse, but for different reasons."

Kanan frowns a little, but --

"A nebula as opposed to tidal-locked, if I remember right. What have you been hearing? I . . . "

His voice trails off.

"I haven't been listening lately, so if it's important . . . "

She glances up, then shakes her head. "It's not, I just -"

Her voice tapers off, and she looks down again, now noticing Chopper also peering up at her. Hera sighs.

"I don't know that much, it's just that what I do know - it just seemed a little strange, that's all."

Kanan's frown deepens.

"Is this about the pirates? That was out in the Expansion Region, at least, but I didn't know they'd actually hit Umbara."

Huh.

Hera looks back up to him.

"I was talking about the uprising."

"Wait."

Kanan's eyebrows hit his hairline.

"An uprising, and not during the War? This is recent?"

How'd he miss it? Well, the galaxy is wide, and there's always something new to learn. But missing this . . .

Hera nods. "That's the takeover he was talking about."

She takes a step forward, unfolding her arms, but turning, to settle one hand on the back of her chair.

"After the War, the Empire let the Umbarans maintain control of their mining industries. Which was strange, since they went to the Separatists, but given the kind of tech the Umbarans are supposed to have, maybe not that strange."

"Hmm. It's still a little strange, unless maybe they had people on the inside? I can't imagine they wouldn't want that kind of tech."

The Empire is all about power.

"I don't think so," Hera answers. "It's hard for anyone but the Umbarans to use. And if the Empire could avoid a protracted battle and still get the doonium they wanted, I can see why they'd rather leave it be."

At least for the moment.

"But when the doonium's all tapped out . . . "

He can imagine that some harsher negotiations are going to come into play after that.

"But it wasn't," Hera points out. "You heard what that kid said, it doesn't sound like there's any problem mining it. I'd thought about that, maybe reserves were getting low, maybe the Empire upped quotas or pressured them to lower their prices. But if now the Empire's put their own corp in..."

She closes her eyes, shaking her head. "It's just - the Umbarans had what they wanted. They didn't have to start a war with the Empire. So what made them do it?"

"Sheer cussedness?" But Kanan's already shaking his head, knowing that's not the answer.

"No, it's got to be something more than that, you're right. I just can't see what."

"Maybe they thought if they held out long enough, the Empire would clear off. They could be independent."

It's the kind of thing her father thought he could achieve on Ryloth. But her voice is shaded with doubt.

"The Empire still would've been their biggest buyer, no one else in the galaxy has the money for that much doonium now. And if they thought that, they were wrong - the Empire crushed them pretty quickly."

Edited 2018-03-27 03:50 (UTC)

"Maybe they objected to the Empire's policies? And thought . . . I don't know, thought the doonium would give them leverage."

His voice trails off, and he shakes his head again.

"I wonder if there's anyone left off-planet to ask them? If we ever ran across someone, that is."

"I'd be surprised if anyone directly involved in it got out. From what I've heard they surrendered unconditionally.

She pauses, briefly, and then, "Which is strange, too. They weren't expecting a drawn out conflict? Did they really think they'd defeat the Empire easily?"

Kanan hesitates.

"Do you think it's something worth investigating in person? Or just . . . keep an ear out for what really happened, in case . . . I don't even know, but it might come up."

The unexpected and unknown is always what bites you in the ass.

“I don’t know, Kanan,” she says, turning to look over the controls again. “I’m not sure what to investigate. It’s hard to get real answers about why something like that happened after the fact. Maybe we could learn why they surrender so fast.”

She slips into the pilot’s chair again. “But not many systems have staged that kind of uprising, and many have more reason to than Umbara.”

Kanan hesitates.

"So not worth it until we know . . . what we might be looking for? Or what use it might be."

Check, and check.

"And word's definitely gotten out, so . . . I guess their defeat is why no other systems decided to take advantage of the moment?"

"I'm not sure we've had many moments yet," she answers. "But it probably hasn't help."

With another shift, the Phantom falls out of hyperspace. The streaks of light slip back into place as stars in the distance, and fortunately, it seems they're alone. No pirates or toll-seekers (legitimate or otherwise) looking to hassle passersby. Chopper begins to calculate the next jump.

"We'll make some, eventually."

He pauses, then, looking over at Hera, hands going still on the crates.

"Or someone will. Maybe a lot of someones. Someday."

"This was more information than I had before."

She's following Chopper's calculations, but then glances up to Kanan, even giving him a small smile. "That's something."

"We'll make it work," Kanan says, smile small and crooked.

They've got to.

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