#madeline hatley

[musewrangler]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/83374271/chapters/221886746

MY GIRL

Chapter 4

Maddy was reasonably certain it was around the time that Piett became the Captain that something shifted in their dynamic.

There were numerous factors which played into that, the greatest of which of course, was Dad’s newfound loyalty and love for this slight naval officer.

Both of them being men who were of the stiff upper lip variety, they naturally didn’t discuss it like that, but given each of them had been willing to die for the other one, it was quite clear to Maddy that Dad had found a friend.

That word was almost inadequate, she thought fondly, watching them argue about tactics at the dinner table.

The holo diagrams were going to be pulled out in 3...2…1… There they were. They were both such nerfs.

Piett felt like…like family. It was as though Dad’s long lost brother had arrived, and they were trying to catch up on all the things they’d never had growing up—-packing it into shooting competitions on the range, snark about their military disciplines, or pushing each other to do better at the gym.

[accidental-spice]

May I ask for a Matt and Maddy moodboard? You know where they've been and where they're headed, so I trust you. ;D

You have no idea how excited I was to get this ask. Sorry it took me so long, though! I had to get it RIGHT

Hope you like it, and thanks for the ask!!!

[musewrangler]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

“Like I said,” Matt replied, though she could see more doubt on his face. “It could be a criminal or agent that the Rebellion is after. If it’s a sentient.”

“And if he’s hurt?” she pushed. “We’re ok with leaving him there for ten hours?”

“Ok, ok,” Yang interposed. “I know you, Hatley, you’re not going to let this go. How about this. We will merely open the cargo door to look. And if you’re wrong, we come back up here.”

“And if I’m right?” she asked. “And it’s a sentient being? What then?”

Scraps tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair.

“We make sure he’s got water and we come back up,” he replied at length. “I won’t risk getting close to a dangerous enemy and compromising the mission.”

She nodded.

“Fine.”

Accordingly, the three of them made their way down the ladder to the next deck and Matt pressed the pad by the door leading to the small cargo hold.

The lights came on immediately and they poked their heads in.

At first, they couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

But then…

“Look!” Maddy hissed.

A pair of glossy black boots were poking out from behind a few crates, quite clearly belonging to someone who was lying on the deck.

And Hatley recognized the style of those boots immediately.

[musewrangler]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

He showed them the map and tapped the meet point to make it glow yellow.

“Clear?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” they all replied in chorus.

Piett fought off the possessive instinct that swept him. Kark, he couldn’t get attached to these kids. The situation was already complicated enough.

“Once we meet here, we will proceed to get the code cylinder needed. Hatley, I think—-”

“Oh don’t worry about that, sir!” she interrupted happily. “I have a plan for that.”

All of them looked at her.

She smiled like a tooka with cream.

“It’s worked before,” she said demurely.

“Of course it has,” Yang muttered.

Was this what it felt like to parent teenagers?

“Madeline,” Piett said, raising skeptical eyebrows. “You continue to raise all sorts of questions in my mind.”

Her grin was not comforting.

[musewrangler]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Matt looked over and met the Captain’s eyes. Despite the dark bruising beneath them from the broken nose, they were alert and clear. And he couldn’t help his own question, tumbling from his lips.

“Are you a war criminal, Captain?”

They had mere minutes, and then they would likely never see this man again. Matt wasn’t sure what he was asking this for—-some form of absolution? He didn’t know. He just knew that his stomach was churning.

Piett sighed lightly and stretched his neck a little.

“I’m…just a man. Trying to do my best. Like you, I think,” he answered quietly.

“It’s not right,” Yang said beside Matt. “What happened to you.”

Ian wasn’t usually so forthcoming. So he must also feel strongly about this.

“Agreed,” Piett replied, his mouth curling slightly at the corner. “But then, this galaxy is hardly fair.”

They passed through the atmospheric barrier of the hangar bay.

“I…don’t feel good, handing you over like this,” Matt admitted, guilt threatening to choke him.

The Captain looked at him and there was no mistaking the pity in his face.

“It is difficult sometimes,” he answered. “To follow orders. To act or not to act.”

He paused and it was clear he was recalling something.

The shuttle touched the deck, and Matt scowled up at the ceiling.

“It’s not your fault, son,” Piett said.

“Isn’t it?” Matt answered hotly. “We know you’re a person, not just a cargo. Why are we taking you so secretly?”

There was no answer to this.

[musewrangler]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/76251691/chapters/207368986

THE PRINCIPLED REBELS (OR HOW PIETT WOUND UP WITH THREE KIDS)

Chapter 6

“I will return to my ship,” Piett replied, the thought of that filling him with profound content, “and I will no doubt have to answer questions. But my story is that there was a mix up with transport and then a malfunction that took me to Farlo. I’ll tell half the truth and leave you three out of it.”

Yang began to place their empty dishes in the recycler in the bulkhead. The mood had dramatically switched back to heavy and serious once more as they all faced their imminent separation.

“And you?” he asked, pouring himself a glass of water. His head was aching—-not a migraine—just several days of strain and physical exertion catching up to him. “You stole a prisoner and helped him escape. What is the penalty for that?”

He did not care for the worry in his gut for these honorable children who had rescued him.

“We’re going to the Princess,” Hatley said confidently. “She would hate what Madine had planned for you. And if we have to, we'll go all the way to Mon Mothma.”

“We’ll likely have some punishment,” Scraps added with a shrug. “Worth it. I’d do it again, Captain.”

Piett cleared his throat.

“Thank you. What you saved me from…let’s just say I have reason to know how awful it would have been. I would not have died slowly or easily. I will always be in your debt for that.”

He looked at the three fresh faces before him, trying to commit them to memory—the freckled countenance of Matthew Scraps, the blue eyed earnestness of Hatley, the steady set to Yang’s shoulders.

“And I won’t forget any of you,” he said. “I…would be much obliged if you all could survive this war.”

[musewrangler]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

“The plan,” Piett had said, leaning over the table as Yang slurped noodles with reckless abandon and Hatley buried her face into a nerf burger, “is to reach the Kolaris Station. It’s one of the larger Imperial transport hubs within a reasonable distance from this sector. There, my colleague will meet us. He will make certain you have a vessel, and he and I can take a shuttle back to my ship.”

“You are a captain Captain, then,” Hatley said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “I wondered because you really seem like it. You give orders like a champ.”

“Hatley,” Yang sighed, reaching for his water glass.

“Which,” Hatley continued in a dignified voice, “is a compliment, sir.”

Piett had smiled at her a little before he had another bite of his nerf steak. “Thank you, Lieutenant,” he said simply. “Now here’s the tricky part. In order to board a public transport that services Imperial stations, one has to scan one’s code cylinder. None of you have those.”

Matt bit his lip.

“I could steal more,” Hatley stated around a ridiculously huge bite.

Piett raised an eyebrow at her.

“Thank you, Hatley,” he said, handing over another paper napkin. “But you need specific ones for this. So. I intend to bluff my way through it.”

“What do you mean, Captain?” Yang asked, sitting back contentedly, having conquered three bowls of noodles.

“Leave that to me,” Piett replied, mouth curling a little. “But you three will need to be paying close attention to play your parts. I shall do the talking and you follow my lead.”

[musewrangler]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

And Fox knew what he was about to suggest would be shot down, but he had to say it anyway. Get it out as an option.

“Then the contingency plan seems fairly obvious to me,” he said, keeping his voice detached and steady.

Veers raised an eyebrow at him. “Does it?” he asked dryly.

“Yes, sir. If we know we’re not going to make it out of this, we need to send someone back with the evidence of what has happened here. And given your value to the New Republic, as well as the Admiral and, of course, the Princess, I think you all need to be prepared to leave the fleet. Solo can take you in his…vessel.”

“You don’t think the Ugrisians will want to take prisoners?” Wolffe asked him.

“I think the more salient issue is that Admiral Piett will not wish to surrender to them, vod,” he replied.

“Piett would surrender to avoid the slaughter of thousands,” Veers mused, moving to the caf dispenser and ordering himself black no sugar. “The thing is—-” he sipped and grimaced. “----the thing is, we are fully aware that we are currently the only force between the Cavslans and genocide. Even if they spare us—take us prisoner—-we will see this planet devastated.”

Veers met Fox’s eyes directly.

“And the Admiral will not be persuaded to leave them to it.”

Fox didn’t flinch. He had to make the case just so they were all abundantly clear.

“Then you leave us to it, as I said, General. The senior officers are invaluable to the New Republic. As your security lead, I must urge you to this course of action.”