Hera Syndulla

Hera couldn't be blamed for checking her chronometer again. Or at least, that's what she was telling herself. There was down time, but it was precious, and somehow the lack of any contact on her comm was what made her even more inclined to keep being sure they were still well within that down period. The Ghost was locked down in the most recent bit of Garel spaceport they'd managed to claim, and Chopper was on guard duty while most of the organic members of the crew were resting after an extremely eventful day. Hera had been surprised when, after they'd finished their debrief with Sato, Kanan had passed his own cabin to follow her.

She left the doors locked, but slid down the volume of the music she'd put on. There wasn't much privacy on a fully-manned freighter, but if the other crew had noticed anything, or cared, they hadn't mentioned it, and Hera would rather let them raise it if they wanted to. It probably wasn't the most responsible way to handle it, but – there was so much else to think about. But it was so much easier to let one thing be uncomplicated, even if she knew it wasn't.

Her boots are by the door, her gloves and goggles on the shelf in the aft wall of the cabin. Her chronometer leaned against her gloves, and she set the music player down next to them, leaving these where they were for the moment and moving back toward the cot.

The crew has made it back – and as it turned out, just barely. Learning of not just one, but two more Inquisitors was enough of a shock. But hearing the whole story as they debrief on the Command Deck only makes it all feel so much worse. How many of these red lightsaber wielding, Dark Force users could there be? How many more might be looking for them? Some quick thinking of Zeb and Chopper had managed to save everyone, but they couldn't count on that the next time. How much could they expect Kanan and Ezra to protect them from?

There were the medical supplies. Not everything the Phantom could have carried off that base, but then, Hera had long since learned that when it came to scavenger run, it was best to plan for coming back empty-handed. What they'd managed to recover would still last them a long while if rationed and conserved well enough. Things were still, for now, better than they had been. Considering those Inquisitors had been out there, had already known about Ezra and Kanan. And even Ahsoka.

Kanan stays silent during the meeting, and as soon as it's over, he pulls Ezra aside. Hera watches them leave together, but she doesn't follow them, instead staying behind to talk to Sato. They'd had a signal through an intermediary from a contact on Ibaar, an agent who'd barely managed to escape the planet as the Empire was building up a blockade. Things had been bad enough before, as the Empire had designated Ibaar an industrial zone and ripped up cities and towns to build factories and mines, with the populations pressed into labor. But apparently unhappy with the output, the local Moff, or maybe Tarkin, had responded by stopping food shipments.

It's the only news Hera imagined could make her feel worse. She and Sato began initial plans to break through the communications disruptions, assess which ships would be most likely to make it through a blockade. But she'd have to see it for herself to really know what might work, and though she didn't say it out loud, she saw no way they'd get food through to the Ibaarians without losing ships and crews in the process.

Which all means a few hours have passed by the time Hera's making it back down into the Ghost. The ship is mostly quiet. Hera can faintly hear music from Sabine's cabin, Zeb and Chopper's voices from up, maybe in the cockpit. Chopper's playing dejarik against himself. He gives Hera a one-armed wave as she passes, and Hera responds by dragging her knuckles gently along his top plating.

It's just a guess, she can't hear anything within. But she stops at Kanan's cabin, and knocks on the door.

Phoenix Home was as Pelta-class frigate. Old Republic medical frigates – Hera knew them from the war, could still recall when they'd appeared in the sky just at the moment she'd nearly lost hope. The docking ports and cargo bays that had once carried crates of supplies or hoverstretchers for injured Clone troopers had been reconstructed into a hangar large enough to house the ship's complement of A-wings. Maybe the closest thing to a carrier ship any rebel faction has. Walking its halls, Hera had felt keenly aware that it was the largest ship in any rebel hands that she'd ever seen.

Now, on the bridge, standing with her own crew, Commander Sato, the pilots of Phoenix Squadron, with Ahsoka – Hera realizes that she's never been in a room like this. A command center, aboard an armored ship. Her parents had made plans around campfires, in caves and hideouts, using handheld projectors, even at times drawing out maps and plans of attack through simple symbols in the sand. She'd done the same from back rooms in cantinas, in makeshift hideouts, in more talks around the dejarik board in the Ghost's galley than she could count.

But not this, gathered around Phoenix Home's control hub, as Sato guided them through a series of holo images, now displaying a small wave of Imperial shipping freighters.

"The Imperial shipments we've scouted in this area are usually made up of three hauler freighters with docking ports for two fighters each," Sato explains, as he switches the image to a close up of one of the freighters, clearly displaying its fighter docks and cargo bay. "Even with our smaller squad of A-wings, we believe we could successfully combat their defenses. But we've previously lacked a freighter large and maneuverable enough to pick up any cargo we could free."

Sato looks to her. "Could the Ghost accomplish this?"

Hera nods, quick. No doubt in her voice. "Yes sir, we can use a magnetic lock to pick up the crates."

"All right, Captain Syndulla."

It strikes her, hearing those words from Sato. It had already been true, in that having a ship was enough to make anyone a captain. But she'd also rarely heard the word, never insisting or wanting it from her crew. A few times they'd used it, but – most often it had been when Kanan or Chopper wanted to rib her. Never an unkindness, never disrespect, but –

From Sato, it was a different kind of respect. Something else Hera had never encountered before. She lowers her eyes, not at all expecting the startling hum of satisfaction that runs through her. Captain Syndulla.

Sato continues, "In that case, Phoenix squad can clear a path for you."

Hera promptly looks back up again. "With the A-wings busy with the fighters, the Phantom should be used to free the cargo."

Her eyes find Sabine even as she's speaking, and Sabine meets her gaze at once. "I can do that."

"Good," Sato says. "They use a position here –"

The holo changes once more, now to a star map, coordinates illuminated among an intersection of color-coded paths. "- to shift hyperspace lanes. Once they fall out of hyperspace, we estimate it will take them between ten and fifteen minutes to calculate their next jump."

"Short window," murmurs a pilot, callsign Phoenix One. But Hera presses on.

"We can manage it if we get the drop on them," she says. "Especially if we let at least one ship launch TIEs, they'll have to redock before jumping."

TIE Fighters lack a hyperdrive, without redocking they'd be dead in space. Too many TIEs would likely overwhelm their A-wings – the trick will be to draw out enough of them to keep the freighters from jumping, while destroying the others before they can launch. And then clearing out before any reinforcements can arrive.

It is daring. But it's also feasible. And if they can pull it off once, it could be a basis for disrupting Imperial supply lines into the future.

Another of the Phoenix Squadron pilots speaks up. "In that case it sounds like we should be waiting for them."

"I agree," says Sato.

Ahsoka had been standing apart from the others, closer to the wall and out of the light of the holo. She takes a step forward now, her eyes flickering among them. "Their next shipment should be within one cycle. You should all take the time to prep yourselves and your ships before we get in position."

Hera's already running through the standard list in her mind. Diagnostics for the Ghost's and Phantom's systems. Check fuel and ammunition levels. Rest, rations a few hours beforehand. Discuss angles of attack with Sabine and the pilots of Phoenix Squadron. She straightens, away from the console, ready to move the moment the holo flashes off.