The Doza Dilemma

Synara's loyalties are tested; the Colossus is targeted by pirates in a disturbing operation.

We begin with Resurgent-class Star Destroyers in orbit around Starkiller Base, as TIE fighters soar past. Commander Pyre and Captain Phasma are in communication via hologram with pirate leader Kragan Gorr. Pyre scolds Kragan Gorr because his raids on the Colossus have not been effective enough to persuade Captain Imanuel Doza to request assistance from the First Order.

Kragan, standing with the Trandoshan Skreek, retorts that he has lost more ships and personnel than the agreement is worth. He demands that Pyre triple the money or the deal is off. Pyre and Phasma both nod their helmets. Pyre instructs Kragan to take something of great value from Doza until he gives up his station. When Gorr asks for clarification, Pyre replies that it is someone very dear to him.

Synara San is at the Colossus loading docks, working on a conveyor machine, when she ignores a hologram transmission from Kragan. Kragan criticizes Synara for her lack of communication and accuses her of spending too much time with her friends. Synara responds that she would have reported if she had anything to report and demands to know his purpose. Kragan reminds her of her "true friends" and informs her that he is sending Valik and Drell on a special mission. He instructs her to receive them when they arrive on the Colossus in a container and to get them past security.

Synara questions Kragan's plan. Kragan declines to answer and reiterates his instruction that she must be the one to receive the container. He orders her to get them inside Doza Tower. Synara protests that security is too strict, but Kragan tells her to find a way. He assures her that tonight they will finally be paid and that she can finally return home. Synara considers Kragan's instructions.

Later, at Aunt Z's Tavern, Kazuda Xiono purchases a drink from Aunt Z. Meanwhile, Tamara Ryvora and Torra Doza are playing holo-darts, observed by BB-8. Tam compliments Torra but says she needs more practice. Synara enters the cantina, and Kaz asks if she is alright. Synara awkwardly claims that she is fine and that she has been working extra shifts.

Tam invites Synara to play holo-darts, but Torra suggests trying the new Drone-Blaster game she just acquired. She invites them to the tower and offers to have the service droids bring them some food. Kaz agrees and invites Synara to join them. Synara asks if she is welcome to come along. Torra confirms that everyone is welcome.

At Doza Tower, Torra leads her friends and Synara into her room. She then plays Drone-Blaster, shooting at holographic targets. Torra's pet voorpak Buggles barks as two security droids pass by. Synara remarks on the high level of security for such a remote location. Torra explains that the security measures are in response to the pirate attacks. She adds that her father suspects the pirates have spies on the Colossus.

Synara feigns surprise at the presence of spies, while Kaz praises Torra for hitting three out of five targets. Torra lets Tam try Drone-Blaster. Synara suggests increasing security if she were Torra's father. Torra replies that her father has been occupied. Kaz asks if Captain Doza has been busy with the First Order due to their frequent visits to the Colossus. Torra waves her hand dismissively.

Tam complains about scoring only two hits and hands the blaster to Synara. Synara takes the Drone-Blaster and easily hits three targets, earning Torra's admiration. Kaz comments that it is impressive for a salvager and asks how she became such a good shot. Synara claims that her father used to take her hunting on Vanqor when she was a child.

She then passes the blaster to Kaz, who misses all his shots. Tam jokes that Kaz couldn't hit the side of a freighter, but Kaz dismisses it as a childish toy. When BB-8 beeps in disagreement, Kaz argues that he is a much better shot with a real blaster before admitting that he has never held one. Synara then receives a beep on her holoprojector and says she must leave to work the late shift. She thanks Torra for her hospitality. Torra assures Synara that she is always welcome and can use her security code to enter.

Later that night, Captain Doza speaks with Commander Pyre via holoprojector and declines his offer of a security detail, stating that he has droids. A security droid then allows Torra to enter Doza's office. Torra tells her father that she had a wonderful time with her friends, attracting the attention of both Captain Doza and Pyre. Doza says he is busy with business, and Torra says she will leave him to it. Doza apologizes that he is discussing matters of great importance to the Colossus and dismisses her. She is visibly disturbed by the presence of the faceless Pyre.

After Torra leaves, Commander Pyre tells Doza that the First Order requires an answer and that he has been delaying the inevitable for too long. When Doza asks what will happen if he accepts and the pirate attacks continue, Pyre assures him that they will stop and adds that he needs troops, not racers, to protect the Colossus. Captain Doza replies that he needs more time before ending the conversation.

At Yeager's repairs, Kaz and Neeku Vozo are working on a speeder bike. BB-8 plays a trick on R1-J5 ("Bucket") by knocking on his door with a tool. Bucket emerges and chases BB-8. Kaz tells the droids to be quiet. Neeku tells Kaz he believes the accelerator will hold until it explodes.

Tam suggests that they meet Jarek Yeager at the marketplace in the hope that he will buy them dinner. Kaz says he will come later but needs to get parts from salvage. Tam accuses him of using it as an excuse to see Synara and leaves with Neeku, who says he likes food.

At the loading docks, Synara unlocks a cargo container and is greeted by Drell and Valik. Drell complains about the long wait, but Synara tells them to stop complaining because she is taking a significant risk to get them past security. Valik orders Synara to get them into Doza Tower. When Synara asks their purpose in the Tower, Valik replies that Doza has something that will bring them more credits than they can imagine. Drell laughs, but Synara is visibly uneasy.

Meanwhile, Kaz enters the salvage yard with BB-8. When BB-8 grumbles, Kaz acknowledges that it is late, but Synara promised she would be working the late shift, and they need those parts. BB-8 suspects Kaz is interested in her. Kaz admits that Synara has been acting preoccupied and distant lately. BB-8 and Kaz then spot Synara with two strangers who do not appear to be salvagers.

Drell is holding a syringe, and Valik comments that she laughs when nervous. Synara instructs the two pirates to follow her, while Kaz and BB-8 hide behind crates. Kaz decides that he and BB-8 should follow them but warns BB-8 to be quiet. The pirates walk down the darkened corridor. Drell and Valik sense movement, but Kaz and BB-8 manage to hide. Valik asks if Drell feels uneasy, and Drell realizes that someone is following them.

BB-8 accidentally rolls on Kaz's foot, and Kaz barely suppresses a shout. Synara leads the other two pirates through a doorway. While Kaz tends to his wound, he tells BB-8 to be careful and warns that they cannot lose them. They continue through the corridor.

Synara and her companions use a grappling hook to scale Doza Tower. They reach the entrance level, narrowly avoiding a security droid. When Drell asks if she has the codes, Synara enters the access code, and the three enter Doza Tower. Synara warns her companions that this is a bad idea because security is now tighter.

Valik dismisses Synara's concern and tells her to stand guard. When Synara asks what they are after and what is so important to Doza, Drell replies that they are after his daughter as the blast doors close, separating them. Alone, Synara struggles with the moral implications of kidnapping Torra.

On the residential floor, Drell uses an Electro Magnetic Pulse grenade to disable four security droids. Drell urges Valik to hurry before the downed droids are discovered. Inside her room, Torra is playing Drone-Blaster while Buggles sits beside her. The door slides open, and Buggles growls at Drell. Torra asks if Buggles is alright as Drell's silhouette fills the room.

Synara contacts Kragan via holoprojector and confronts him about the true nature of the mission. Kragan laughs and says she is worth triple the credits if they bring her to the First Order alive. When Synara asks why he did not tell her, Kragan replies that she was becoming soft and scolds her for considering these people her friends. Kragan orders Synara to get to the skiff and bring Torra to him immediately. Synara scowls, determined to stop this.

4D-M1N informs Captain Doza that four security droids have been disabled on Level 8. She also informs Captain Doza that Torra is missing from her quarters. Realizing that they have intruders, Captain Doza orders 4D-M1N to dispatch a squad of security droids to search the platform.

While running through the corridor, Kaz bumps into Synara. Kaz is relieved to see Synara and asks about the people she was arguing with at the docks. Synara warns Kaz that Torra is in danger and that someone has taken her. When he asks who took her, she tells Kaz to follow her and to hurry. They reach a platform where they see two speeder bikes speeding away into the sea under the cover of night.

Valik is riding one speeder bike, while Drell is riding the second speeder bike with a captive Torra. Torra demands that Drell release her and kicks at him. Drell complains, asking her to be a good prisoner.

At Yeager's hangar, Kaz, Synara, and BB-8 startle Bucket. Kaz climbs aboard the Fireball and tells Synara to contact Doza Tower and tell Captain Doza to scramble the Aces. Synara contacts Doza Tower, requesting to speak to the Captain immediately. Kaz flies out of Yeager's shop in the Fireball.

Learning that the pirates have kidnapped Torra, Captain Doza tells 4D to scramble Ace Squadron. While Doza worries for his daughter, alarms sound, and the Aces climb into their racers. Ace Squadron launches their racers and flies into the night.

The Hassk pirate Snarl waits in a skiff for Valik and Drell. As the pirates hold her captive, Torra tells them that they are in serious trouble and that her father is sending every Ace to find her. The pirates kick away their speeder bikes and depart on the skiff. Kaz spots them and tells BB-8 to transmit their coordinates to Captain Doza.

Torra sees Kaz in the Fireball. Snarl fires on the Fireball and hits the fighter's chassis, causing a small fire. BB-8 tells Kaz to return fire, but Kaz says they cannot risk endangering Torra. When BB-8 asks if they have a plan, Kaz admits he does not as the Fireball descends towards the sea. Kaz manages to regain control of the ship, and they fly over the skiff.

At sea, Kragan informs Commander Pyre that their mission is a success and that they have Torra Doza. Pyre is pleased and says he will send someone with his payment immediately. Back at Doza Tower, Captain Doza asks 4D if she has the coordinates yet. 4D replies not yet. Ace pilot Bo Keevil spots the speeders only to realize that they are decoys. He instructs his fellow pilots to widen the search.

The pirates' yacht fires its laser cannon at the Fireball. Kaz asks BB-8 if the Aces received their location. BB-8, who is busy repairing the hull damage, informs him that the transponder is down. Kaz tells him to fix it and send the coordinates. BB-8 recognizes the two pirates as the strangers they encountered at the dock. BB-8 remarks that he should never have trusted Synara, and Kaz says he understands.

Torra Doza kicks Drell, who is manning the laser cannon, from behind. She then claims that she slipped. The skiff and the Fireball approach Kragan's sail barge Galleon. As the skiff boards Kragan's barge, the barge's crew fires upon the Fireball, damaging its hull. BB-8 warns that their ship is in danger, but Kaz responds that they must protect Torra at all costs. Torra struggles as she is dragged aboard the barge. Kragan's barge's guns keep Kaz at bay.

While BB-8 extinguishes fires, the Fireball's proximity alarms sound as a First Order Upsilon-class command shuttle approaches Kragan's barge. A display on the Fireball shows "System Warning" in Trade Federation script. Circling the barge, Kaz watches the First Order shuttle landing and assumes they are allied with the pirates. BB-8 informs Kaz that the transponder is working, and Kaz tells him to send the coordinates. Captain Doza receives the coordinates and orders Aces 3 and 4 to reroute to the new coordinates.

Aboard the barge, the pirates present a captive Torra to Major Elrik Vonreg and two stormtroopers. Valik comments on their speed, while Drell hopes to be paid. Kragan approaches Major Vonreg. Vonreg greets Kragan and relays Commander Pyre's regards. Vonreg draws his blaster and shoots Drell, while the Trandoshan Skreek is also killed. Torra watches in shock as the First Order attacks the pirates.

Major Vonreg rescues Torra and guides her aboard his ship, assuring her that he is taking her home. Vonreg and his stormtroopers then escape aboard their shuttle. Kaz watches in disbelief as the First Order rescues Torra and betrays their former pirate allies. The shuttle flies away, and Kaz struggles to keep the damaged Fireball afloat. Ace Squadron approaches the coordinates. Captain Doza asks if they have visual confirmation of the pirate base.

Major Vonreg contacts Captain Doza over the intercom to inform him that his daughter is safe and that he is bringing her home. Doza orders the Aces to break off the attack and ensure that Torra returns home safely. The Aces comply and escort Vonreg's shuttle back to Doza Tower.

Major Vonreg returns Torra to her father, who is escorted by several security droids. Father and daughter embrace. Captain Doza asks if the pirates harmed her, but Torra says she is fine. Captain Doza thanks Major Vonreg for rescuing his daughter. Major Vonreg tells Doza that the First Order has been monitoring pirate communications in this sector for months in an effort to suppress their raids. He claims they are only there to help.

Major Vonreg informs Doza that Commander Pyre was concerned to hear that security had been compromised and that his daughter had been taken. He says that Pyre has offered to leave him a small security detail at his disposal while he considers their agreement. Captain Doza is unsure if these arrangements are necessary, but Vonreg counters that these Outer worlds can be dangerous, and one can never be too careful.

Captain Doza says his daughter has been through a lot. Major Vonreg leaves Doza to consider his offer and departs, leaving behind two stormtroopers. While flying over Doza Tower, Kaz asks BB-8 what is happening. Kaz is relieved that Torra is safe but suspects something is amiss. BB-8 beeps as Major Vonreg's shuttle flies away.

The next morning, Synara contacts Kragan at the loading docks. Kragan tells her that the First Order has betrayed them and that the deal is off. Synara asks what that means for her. She ends the transmission when she hears Kaz approaching the loading docks. Synara greets Kaz, who thanks her for helping him with Torra. Kaz tells her that Torra is safe.

Synara says she would hate for anything to happen to her. Kaz tells her that he came to see her last night for some parts and asks about the two strangers. Synara claims they were offworld salvagers. Despite his doubts, Kaz says he assumed it was something like that and will check with Yeager if they still need those parts. Before leaving, a conflicted Synara wishes Kaz well.

After leaving, BB-8 beeps his suspicions about Synara to Kaz. Kaz speculates that Synara is either aiding the pirates or is one of them. Alone, an anxious Synara activates a loading machine.