"Pol!"
Veatro looked up at his nickname. Bailey was waving him over. Veatro left the crate he'd been sitting reading on and crossed the open circle between the tents to reach Bailey's tent. The man himself had ducked inside it.
"What's up, Jaik?" Veatro asked as he pushed the flap back. Tomlin and Miles Theadore, the newest member, were there as well.
"We needed a forth, keep things even." Bailey grinned up from his seat on one of the sleeping bags. Veatro slid down to sit cross-legged next to him.
"You're gonna regret getting me." He shot Bailey a mischievous grin.
"He's gonna regret this whole thing. But I'm not! I'm gonna be setup for my anniversary. Thank you very much, gentlemen, for paying for it." Tomlin bowed his head to the group.
"Wait, I forget, is it low beats high, or high beats low? Or is that a house rule?" Theadore shifted the order of cards in his hand again.
"Oh for—you don't remember?" Tomlin leaned over and started sorting Theadore's hand for him.
"Tomlin,stop cheating on the inexperienced one." Bailey reached across and shoved Tomlin back and took Theadore's cards.
"Aww you're re-dealing? And I had such a good hand." Veatro turned in his cards.
"Uhhuh, sure you did." Bailey gave his own coy look.
"You'd better not be stacking the deck, pigeon." Tomlin leaned back and started cooing, though it devolved into snickering.
Bailey gave him a look. "That was ONE time."
Tomlin reached over to move his helmet so he could rest his elbow on it.
"So far." Veatro put in.
"I know how to make an owl call now okay? Leave off!" Bailey punched Veatro's arm as he withdrew from handing him his cards.
"Owl sounds?" Theadore piped in.
"Nobody open their mouth!" Bailey glowered at Tomlin who had already leaned over to Theadore.
"Are we gonna start actually playing at some point or are you all just afraid of being broke tomorrow?" Veatro was left of the dealer and so drew the first card.
"I'll send nice pictures of me and Lucy on the beach next month." Tomlin drew next.
"Nobody wants to see your vacation pictures, Rio." Bailey made a disgusted sound.
"What beach?" Theadore asked.
"Miles!" Veatro and Bailey both yelled at him.
—-
"Don't strain yourself, Pidge." Tomlin called down as he walked past with a crate in hand.
"Don't trip and die!" Bailey shot back up.
Veatro adjusted his grip on the box he and Bailey were lifting and looked back over his shoulder to start backing up the stairs.
"Is this supposed to go to site A, or site G?" Theadore turned the holopad in his hand slightly and squinted at the lists. Tomlin paused and leaned over his shoulder to look at the datapad himself.
"Sergeant Tomlin." Gill marched up and saluted.
Tomlin returned it, barely. "Yea?"
"Is Pollerman nearby? The Captain is looking for him."
Tomlin raised an eyebrow and walked over to the edge of the pit.
"Yo Pol, you hear that?"
"Yes, sir." Veatro finished backing up the steep stairs and set the crate down before following Gill back to the temporary command tent.
Veatro saluted and came to attention.
"Thank you, Corporal, dismissed." Captain Mosley directed and Gill withdrew.
"At ease, Pollerman. This is Dedrick Beins." Mosley gestured at the man standing across the table from him. "He'd like to requisition you for an operation."
"That sounds awfully boring." Dedrick spoke up. He smiled at Veatro.
"I heard from a colleague that you're quite the shot. I'm here to ask if you'd put your talent to use for us for a job."
"Us?" Veatro asked.
"SIS. I'm agent Beins." Dedrick nodded slightly.
Veatro looked over at Mosley.
"A little in and out job, not a permanent transfer or anything, Private."
"If you're willing to give up some of your break. I know this battalion is being relieved in a couple weeks." Dedrick said.
"I assume any details are not available until I commit?" Veatro asked.
"That is unfortunately a standard procedure for us." Dedrick smiled.
Veatro thought a moment then nodded.
"If you think I'm best suited. I'll do whatever I can."
"Excellent. It'll be an adventure. Who knows? Maybe you'll like it with us?" Dedrick winked.
"Don't go tempting away my troops again, Beins." Mosley said with familiarity.
"I wouldn't dream of it." He turned to Veatro. "I'll have the final briefing prepared for you in the morning, Private Pollerman. Obviously, don't discuss this with anyone. I look forward to working with you." Beins gave a quick, semi-formal salute and Mosley dismissed him.
—-
Veatro adjusted the pack on his belt as he walked a few feet behind Beins. It was becoming dark and they closed ranks a bit.
"So is this usual for you?" Veatro asked.
"Hmm? What?"
"Missions like this?" Veatro asked.
"You mean out in the middle of nowhere, or taking out Imperials?"
Veatro shrugged though Beins hadn't turned.
"Both, either."
Dedrick gave his little laugh that Veatro had become familiar with in the two-day trip to this planet.
"Both are within the realm of normality, I would say."
"How'd you get into this?" Veatro asked.
"I'm afraid the truth is classified. But I can tell you the lovely and highly entertaining story I was given for that question." Beins turned over his shoulder to catch Veatro's reaction.
He shrugged and grinned a bit cockily as he pulled out his canteen. "Hey, if it'll give me a good story for the guys when I get back, I'm game."
—–
Veatro adjusted his position slightly. Again. Beins apparently had only a general idea of when their target was going to arrive at the camp, and Veatro and he had gotten into position earlier then his anticipated arrival as it was in order to prep. The spot was good, and honestly it wasn't the most uncomfortable by far that Veatro had waited in, but it was now the longest.
Beins gave a barely audible sigh.
"Tired?" Veatro teased.
Beins gave him a wry smile. "I'm just ready to be done with the mission and get back."
Veatro nodded slightly in agreement.
"Yea I'd like a little R&R before getting stuck back with the squad for another deployment." Beins didn't reply, bringing up something on his holopad. Veatro gave his full attention back to his scope.
Close to another hour passed and Veatro began to consider that they might have to spend another night waiting. Normally the prospect wouldn't bother him, but camping out for no purpose other than shooting one specific person was a new experience, and he wasn't completely comfortable with it. Especially when the person wasn't technically an enemy. Yet. That had been Beins main point when discussing the mission parameters with Veatro on the way in. This General was having talks with the Empire to join them. The military on this planet favored the Empire over the Republic – not entirely in line with the opinions of the people, according to Beins. Letting this man shift the balance of power in this sector in the Empire's favor couldn't be allowed, so he had to be stopped from coming to any agreement with the Empire.
Veatro's thoughts were interrupted as, finally, something happened in his field of vision. Not their target; but the Imperial forces were now in sight. He reported the sight to Beins, who moved up next to him to take a look. A few more minutes brought the local forces into view from another direction as well. Just shy of a klick apart. Veatro adjusted the sight on his rifle so he could better see the approaching militia. They were still in a relatively thick part of the forest and Veatro couldn't get eyes on his specific target, but after a few minutes of the two groups, who were yet unaware of their proximity, the local forces came out of the thicker trees towards the meeting building. Veatro tensed his shoulders slightly as he caught sight of who he was looking for.
"I see him." Veatro sensed rather than saw Beins nodding motion on his left. Beins then slid back on the hill and got behind the trunk of the tree he'd been using as a backrest previously. He didn't want to crowd Veatro while he was lining up his shot. "At your leisure, private."
A couple silent minutes passed before Veatro was satisfied with the angle he had.
"…I've got him…" Vetro pulled the trigger, and his rifle made one slight, quick movement back as it released the bolt. Another second of silence. "Clean kill, agent." Veatro reported and lowered the weapon.
"Nice work, soldier." Beins stood.
Veatro adjusted his elbows as he laid the rifle down and prepared to get up so they could get the hell out of there. He felt something hard and cold pressing against the back of his head. His eyes darted to the right as he began to turn and look back, but he never completed the motion.