"You and your crew have proven invaluable to our fleet, Captain Syndulla," said Jun Sato, the unofficial leader or Phoenix Squadron. "The fuel and equipment acquired in your convoy attacks has helped keep us one step ahead of Imperial patrols."

"Thank you, Commander Sato," Hera replied, looking up from the data she had been studying on the holoprojector for a moment. "I'm just sorry our Intel about shield generators being on that shipment was wrong."

Teri gave her a look. "Perhaps with your next attack, Hera."

Kanan narrowed his eyes as the informant put a comforting hand on the Twi'lek woman's shoulder. Despite the fact that Lux Bonteri was quite a bit older than her and probably no competition to him whatsoever, he was still more than a little envious of all the attention Hera was giving him...

But everyone was giving Teri attention. The kids were curious about him, and Zeb shared in that curiosity in his own gruff sort of way. Chopper, however, had learned to steer clear of him once he realized that Teri had a rechargeable Taser hidden in his sleeve, and was not at all afraid to use it if the droid got on his nerves.

Kanan had been as polite he could with his naturally prickly disposition – a product of having to rely on himself for so many years –, but something about Teri seemed off. He didn't know what, but it stopped him from trusting him completely.

Suddenly, Chopper burst into the room, and every pair of eyes was drawn towards him. He preformed a series of yowls and whistles, waving his little mechanical grabbers about. But apparently not everyone understood.

"What is the meaning of this?" Commander Sato demanded, turning pointedly back towards the table and the holograms being shown there. Deep down, it made Kanan feel like chuckling to see the polished officer so ruffled.

"An incoming transmission," the Jedi said, not able to hide a small smile. "Who from, Chop? Nah, why don't you just play it?"

Hera gave him a look and cleared her throat. He smiled sardonically, not budging an inch.

"Hey, Chop, cloak us with a one-way transmission," the Twi'lek said, refusing to look at him.

Chopper warbled an affirmative, and a sputtering hologram of a familiar Ithorian appeared out of his projector.

"Hey, it's Old Jho!" Ezra said.

"I can't see you, but I can hear you, my friends," the alien said, the Ithorian-to-Basic translator on his twin mouths giving his words a tinny quality. "Time is short, and there's someone here who's desperate to speak with you. I told her I couldn't find you, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. She says... she needs your help."

"We're always ready to help someone in need," Kanan said, hopping down from the steps he'd been sitting on and coming to stand beside Hera and Lux.

"Uh, well, this one's... different," said Old Jho, poking at the part of translator clipped to the back of his neck, something he was in the habit of doing when he was nervous or uncomfortable.

He stepped out of the way, and the last person Kanan was expecting stepped into range of the cam: Maketh Tua.

"Minister Tua?" Hera exclaimed, visibly shocked.

"We can't trust her," Zeb intoned, voicing the general sentiment of all in the control room. "She's an Imperial!"

"Please, I beg you! Listen to my request," Tua said, clenching and unclenching her hands. There was genuine fear in her eyes – but something about it was a little too perfect for Kanan's liking. He had a very bad feeling.

"End transmission now, Chop," he ordered.

"Wait!" said Hera. "Minister, what do you want?"

"My life is in danger." She looked behind her briefly, as if checking for any indication that there was a hidden assailant waiting to jump out on her. "I need you to get me safe passage off Lothal."

"You're not really considering this," Zeb said, rolling his eyes.

Hera shot an angry look in his direction. "Quiet!"

"I assure you, my intentions are sincere!" The words practically tripped over one another in the rush to get out of her mouth. She obviously knew that she could be denied at any moment, and that this conversation was hanging by a thread. "To prove it, I... I will trade secret Imperial information."

"You're defecting from the Empire?" Sabine said, only half-believingly.

"Yes. I am," Tua intoned softly.

Kanan looked over at Ezra. Sympathy and understanding was written all over his face. "She's telling the truth. I can sense her fear."

Although compassion was a Jedi's greatest strength, sometimes he thought the kid had too much of it.

"Yeah," Kanan said. "But of what?"

Ezra looked away as new possibilities occurred to him. Teri looked at the dark-haired boy, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"So what have you got to trade?" Hera asked, breaking the silence.

Kanan smiled. Ever the leader, that one, he thought.

"A list of rebel sympathizers on Lothal... and other nearby systems."

Commander Sato narrowed his eyes fractionally. "How come these 'sympathizers' have not been arrested?"

"Some have powerful friends in the Senate – Imperial Command watches them, but can do nothing." She seemed less frightened now, and sounded more like her political, dogmatic self. "I know you need allies. Get me off Lothal and I will give you the list."

The adults present shared a look. Kanan didn't like the expressions on their faces that were shifting from obstinately against the offer to cautious rumination, so he stepped forwards. "We shouldn't even consider this."

"It's obviously a trap," Sabine – bless her – called out. At least someone was vocally agreeing with him.

"And– and there's something else," the would-be Imperial defector piped up. "I've discovered the true reason the Empire came to Lothal."

Hera sighed, crossing her arms. "We know that one. The Empire has a factory, and they're stripping the planet's resources to fuel it."

"No... There is another reason, known only to a few," she said, almost as if she didn't believe it herself. "And ordered by the Emperor himself."

Commander Sato, Hera, Teri and Kanan immediately got into a group, sharing their opinions and recommending different courses of action in hushed whispers.

When Lux looked up from his reflections, Kanan and Hera followed his gaze. Teri smiled slightly as Ezra walked to the center of the room.

"We have to do this," the kid said.

"I agree," Teri nodded, uncrossing his arms.

"So do I," Kanan concurred.

Although he wasn't in total agreement with the others, the Jedi could sense Tua's distress as well as Ezra and maybe even Teri. He would have to ask the informant, who still cloaked himself in mystery and whatever secrets lay in his past, what he knew about Jedi lore and power. Because he was certain, with the way he carried himself, that he knew something about reading the emotions of others.

Hera nodded. "All right... If Commander Sato approves the mission."

Sato took a moment before speaking. "I believe it could be worth the risk."

"Minister, we'll get you out." Ezra smiled. "Send us your coordinates."

"Thank you," said Minster Tua, a relied – but still worried – smile coming to her face. She ended transmission a moment later, and Chopper informed them in a series of clicks and beeps that he was rerouting the coordinates that had been sent to the Ghost from Old Jho's place to his memory systems.

"Well," said Hera, "I guess we're on our way back to Lothal."

"I guess we are." And so, with a nod to Teri and another to Commander Sato, he left the briefing room.

*Hello all! 

I think this chapter was pretty self-explanatory (and a little boring... but it's okay XD). I'm going to follow the course of 'The Siege Of Lothal' for a few more chapters, before breaking off into a full-blown AU. It's just easier to write this way because it's still quite parallel and there are a lot of important things from the episodes I still want to include.

Now, Kanan doesn't really trust Teri, but then again, he doesn't really trust ANY newcomers. But his suspicions about Minister Tua might, in the end, have been justified... But you'll just have to wait and find out ;)

May the Force be with you,

Sharron