Clarke's eyes snapped open and she jolted upright on the bed, not having intended to sleep until the business with the artefact had been dealt with. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, glancing over to the door as the G3E entered moments later.

'We are about to make our descent onto Coruscant,' he informed her in a disinterested tone, retreating again without waiting for any response. Clarke waited a few seconds for the fogginess of sleep to vacate her mind before standing and readjusting the heavy jacket self-consciously before leaving the med-bay.

The droid was positioned by the engine room, fiddling with dials on a machine as she emerged, glancing around to locate the Jedi who was, for now, no-where to be seen. The repulsorlifts kicked into action below them as the ship descended to the planet surface.

'Clarke, I hope you had a good rest,' Lexa called out a few moments later as she descended the flight of stairs, her footsteps barely making a sound on the grated metal. 'Once my crew is on board we can drop you off wherever you wish, don't hesitate to ask.'

'That's kind of you, but Coruscant will be fine,' the blonde insisted, not knowing how much longer she could keep on with this deception. Jedi were well renowned for their ability to sense the feelings of those around them, it was a miracle she hadn't yet been discovered.

'Master, I apologise for the interruption but I am still not having any good fortune with this monitor, I am unsure which setting will be most appropriate for the required frequency.'

Lexa glanced over at the droid, not noticing the blonde's face fall still as she guessed exactly what the machine was meant to be picking up. The device in her jacket now felt the size of a planet and she had a sudden urge to get as far away from the ship as possible.

'Leave it for the moment, I'm sure Toril will have a better idea of the settings,' she said to Clarke's relief, who somehow managed to keep her expression neutral as the droid complied and moved away from the monitor.

A tremor ran through the ship as it touched down on the planet surface, settling moments later as the rumble of the engines faded away. The second that ramp was down, Clarke had every intention of making this a quick farewell.

'Are you okay?' Lexa asked, sensing a tremor of unease stirring the force. Clarke forced a smile onto her face, willing the ramp to drop so that she could make a quick exit.

'Yeah, fine, just glad to have arrived.'

The Jedi remained unconvinced but said nothing more, relief blooming in the blonde's chest when the ramp began to drop with a hiss and hit the ground with a muted thud. Clarke was about to excuse herself from the Jedi's presence when the clatter of feet sounded up the ramp without pause.

'Finally returned for us then!' a cheerful voice called out, a figure soon rising into view as she ascended the ramp, pushing a storage container ahead of her. 'We thought you'd forgotten about us.'

A petite women stepped aboard the ship, her gaze filling with curiosity when it fell on the blonde stranger, a friendly smile simultaneously lifting her lips. Clarke was struggling not to tense as she realised that the women was standing in her way and did not appear to be moving any time soon. So much for a quick get away.

'Damn it Sharr, why'd you stop like that?' a deep voice growled, its owner still unseen from the bottom of the ramp. The women, presumably Sharr, paid no attention to the grumbling behind her. Black swirls of ink decorated the skin around her light blue eyes and stretched down to her jaw, framed by a short cut of silvery hair.

'Hello there, we weren't expecting visitors,' she said, glancing quizzically at the Jedi who was stood calmly with hands clasped behind her back, a slight furrow in her brow as she in turn focused on Clarke.

It was as if she knew, the blonde thought apprehensively and forced herself not to stiffen under the piercing gaze.

'Thanks for the lift, I do appreciate it, but I really must be on my way now,' she said firmly, the women named Sharr nodding in understanding, if not without a little confusion, and guided the hovering storage box away from the ramp to allow the blonde access.

'Back up Cal, we've got one leaving,' she called back over her shoulder, recognising the woman's haste to leave the ship. This resulted in more grumbling from below but the sound of footsteps receding was clearly heard to finally allow Clarke to make her escape.

'Thanks again, nice meeting you all,' she said hurriedly, shooting a small smile towards the Jedi as she moved towards the ramp, not surprised when she received no such gesture in return. Regardless, she continued on down until she stepped out into the expanse of the hangar bay. It was quiet, only a few engineers and pilots bustling around ships as they made any necessary repairs.

Clarke inclined her head towards the looming Cathar who was leaning against the ship's frame to her right, his face tight with annoyance at the unexpected company and she quickly turned her gaze forwards as she judged the distance that remained between her and the turbo lift. Once free from the Jedi's presence she would be able to plan her next move with a more clear head.

Back on the ship, Lexa was still staring into empty space with a frown, tuning out the chatter of the Sarkhai who was flicking off the gravity controls on the storage box which dropped the inch or so to rest back onto the metal flooring.

'Did you pick her up on Hoth? She didn't want to hang around for very long.'

The Jedi stiffened in an instant and turned away without a sound, striding past the lingering droid at her back to stand before the frequency radar machine which came up just past her waist. There had been no time to inspect it thoroughly when she had purchased it before travelling to Hoth but she knew the basics well enough.

In a flurry of movement her hands raced over the dials, adjusting one knob whilst flicking on switches simultaneously. The droid and Sarkhai watched on silently as she worked, knowing better than to ask questions. Without even pausing in the motion, Lexa relayed instructions to the droid almost as an afterthought.

'Nova, get in contact with the space control droid and have the hangar doors sealed.'

The droid said nothing for a few moments, almost as if it hadn't heard the instruction but Lexa knew that it was doing exactly as instructed.

'It is done,' the droid confirmed after a few long seconds, its bright eyes dimming for a moment as if regaining consciousness.

Lexa barely heard the words, her concentration fixed on the machine as her movements stilled and she stared expectantly down at the device. At first it did nothing, the display remaining clear as the small radar flashed around on the screen. Without warning a shrill beep echoed from the speaker, accompanied by a blinking red light that flashed with urgency on the display.

A grim expression settled over Lexa's face as her fears were confirmed, but there would be time to dwell on the matter later. Now was the time for action. She reached up and pressed lightly against the small device in her ear, barely hesitating before speaking the words.

'Stop her.'

Clarke was just over half way to where the turbo lift was situated, trying her best not to appear suspicious as she kept her pace swift and steady. She was alerted to the danger when she registered the abrupt halt of movement behind her. Not more than a few seconds ago had two males passed her in the opposite direction, possibly members of Lexa's crew. They had barely glanced at her, though she had taken note of them.

One had been a male Zabrak, identified by the small horns protruding from his skull, accompanied by a human male who was fiddling with a small device in his hand as they walked past in silence.  It had now become apparent to her that their footsteps had stopped without warning, a quick glance over her shoulder confirming that they had indeed turned their attention to her with narrowed eyes and it was clear that her cover was blown. Even as they began to move in her direction, opening their mouths to most likely call for her to remain still, she threw herself forwards into a sudden sprint, hands pumping at her sides to propel herself forwards even faster.

She was so close to turbo lift now, just a few more seconds and she would be clear of these people. The check in consoles flew by, as did the departure lounge until the two identical turbo lifts situated next to each other were not even a few metres away. Clarke slammed her hand desperately on the button to call an elevator, surprised to find neither currently ready for use. She was more than aware of the two men rapidly closing the distance between them and with one final push of the button without result she turned to face them, drawing the blaster from her waist to point at the oncoming men.

Bystanders gasped in horror and fled from the area, back to where the ships were docked in the hangar. The two men slowed their pace to a walk as they each reached for their own weapons, watching her warily with narrowed eyes.

'That elevator won't be here any time soon,' the Zabrak informed her in a rough tone, 'surrender your weapon and come with us peacefully.'

Clarke held her ground and raised her chin defiantly, no way would this end peacefully if she was taken aboard the Jedi ship. She glanced past the two men, looking for any signs of an alternative escape route. A force field spanned the far wall of the hangar bay, a glimmering barrier between her and the swarm of ships that buzzed to and from the city. The turbo lifts appeared to be the only exit point for this hangar, she realised with despair.

There was little time to make any kind of desperate plan when the weight of a blaster pressed lightly against her upper back, nestling just below her neck as the other men dropped their hands away from their own weapons. Aware that there was no other choice but to comply, Clarke raised her hands in a motion of surrender and moments later the blaster was pulled from her grip.

'Move,' her captor instructed in a gruff voice, pressing the blaster firmly into her back to encourage a forward motion. Clarke began the short walk back to the ship, resisting the urge to drag her heels as she imagined just how much trouble she was now in with the Jedi. There was no point delaying what now couldn't be avoided. It was a shame that events had taken this turn. The Jedi had been more than welcoming and helpful to the stranger but now Clarke suspected that she would not be so forgiving of her actions. 

Lexa waited in stony silence on the ship, watching her crew escort the woman back across the landing platform. 

'I didn't trust her from the start Master. Nothing but trouble from that one,' G3P commented unhelpfully from the Jedi's side. 

'What will you do with her?' Sharr inquired carefully, no wanting to darken the Commander's mood further.  

'Lets see what she has to say for herself,' Lexa said, not having fully decided on how to deal with the situation. She had a feeling that it wasn't going to be a short story. 

Clarke took a steadying breath as she approached the ship, flanked on every side by Lexa's crew. The escort was earning her many lingering stares from the nervous workers and civilians who were starting to emerge from behind their vehicles now that the danger had passed. 

The Cathar remained by the ramp, no longer leaning against the ship as he fixed the newcomer with a dark glare. He didn't appreciate anyone who crossed the Jedi.

The blonde met his gaze with her own defiant stare, not about to back down even in such circumstances. She had no delusion about just how much trouble she was now in after being caught out by the Jedi, and was not looking forward to the confrontation to come.

She reluctantly allowed herself to be led up the ramp, mind working in overdrive to establish a credible argument for her actions, something that Lexa might believe. With no more time to spare and a lot of explaining to do, she would just have to wing it. 

The thick coat seemed to weigh twice as much as she entered the ship for a second time, the artefact hidden inside the fur lining had never felt more noticeable. The slight glaze of sweat on her forehead was not only due to furs wrapped around her torso, but the now inevitable confrontation with what Clarke could only assume was going to be an incredibly displeased Jedi. 

She was of course correct. Just as the blonde had pictured, the Jedi's once pleasant expression was morphed into a disapproving frown that was only enhanced by the dangerous shine in her emerald green eyes. 

The entrance door to the ship hissed shut behind them and the gun at Clarke's neck finally disappeared after a sharp nod from the Jedi. Finally free to move without fear of being shot, the blonde glanced over her shoulder with a firm glare directed at the Nautolan, his skin a rich shade of blue and unforgiving black eyes that seemed to stare straight through her. 

'Start talking,' Lexa instructed in a sharp tone, drawing the newcomers gaze back to her. 'Tell me everything, and I won't be asking nicely a second time.'