Elzar Mann mouthed that it was fine before turning back to the flickering image of the Council member. Elzar had been friends with Stellan Gios his entire life. Stellan, Avar, and Elzar. Three Padawans, three Masters, and yet kindred spirits. Always seeking one another out the moment they returned from missions, so different and yet so alike. One bound by tradition, one by duty, and the other … well … Elzar knew his faults. He was always driven to push the boundaries and try new things … things that usually ended with all three getting in trouble. Together. Always together.

“It wasn’t him, it was me.”

“No, it was me.”

“It was all of us.”

Now Stellan looked tired. Older. The weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. It was probably just the transition from outpost marshal to Council member. If any of them could cope with such a heady elevation, it was him. He deserved it. Yes. Yes, of course he did.

“And the Innovator?” Elzar asked, dragging himself back to Stellan’s update on the situation on Cyclor.

“Safe,” Stellan confirmed. “The Cyclorrians fought off the remaining Nihil, aided by Engle’s drift. The boarding parties never made it aboard.”

“And the Padawan injured in the raid? What was his name?”

“Bell Zettifar. He’s on the ship, being patched up. It was a near thing by all accounts. A harpoon in the gut.”

Elzar sucked in air through his teeth. “Lucky the Innovator was there. The finest medlabs in the Republic.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it. The Force provided.”

Soh’s budget provided, Elzar thought, but didn’t say it. State-of-the-art equipment. More bacta than any other ship in the Mid Rim. Bell was probably floating in a tank of the shiny new gunk, knitting together as the Innovator prepared for its maiden cruise.

“Are they still on schedule?”

“For launch? Just about. Vam Targes is conducting minor repairs on the hull, but it shouldn’t hold things up. The chancellor is keen for the Innovator to arrive on time.”

Elzar shared a knowing look with Samera, who was standing patiently to the side, both hands gripping a datapad. Of course Soh was keen. Nothing must disrupt the fair. Samera looked away, trying to suppress the playful and highly contagious smile that Elzar felt spreading across his own face.

Stellan’s holographic brow creased. “Is someone there?”

“Um, yes.” Elzar forced his attention back to the face of his old friend. “Coordinator Ra-oon.” He indicated for Samera to step forward, noting how her back straightened as she came into view, slipping instantly into business mode.

“Council Member Gios,” she acknowledged. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Stellan waved the concern away. “There’s no need to apologize.” Elzar felt Samera bristle slightly. She wasn’t apologizing, merely stating the fact. After all, this was her operations room at her fair. Typical Stellan. “You’ve heard about the attack on the shipyards, of course.”