Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Note: Why does the story editor love to give me so much hassle every time I try and upload? So frustrating! Anyway, before my usual message I just wanted to thank all of my lovely reviewers from my last chapter (I got more than normal!) So, a HUGE thank you to all you wonderful people: ThatOneDwarf, Liisiko, Sannd, SuperSayianGohanSon and typing away. Also, a big thank you to those who have subscribed/added this story to your favourites. I am waving to you all right now. Again, I must extend my thanks and gratitude for Liisiko for being an awesome beta and helping getting these chapters up to standard!
CHAPTER 29 - Acquiesce
Location: Nar Shaddaa
Juno could hear the smile in Galen's voice and felt that all too familiar flutter in her chest, suddenly wishing she was down there with him instead of stuck on the ship with PROXY.
"How long before your next race?"
"I'm just waiting for the schedule to update. I'll let you know."
"If it's not for a while—"
Sia cut in on their channel. "—Juno? We could have a problem."
Juno felt her heart drop. "Okiier?"
"Yes."
"What's going on?" Galen interrupted. He sounded slightly preoccupied; perhaps checking over the swoop.
"Someone was questioning Okiier." Sia replied. "It might be nothing and Okiier is not the most fluent in Basic, so I'm not sure he would have given much useful information, anyway. Juno, have you got him on screen? The man who was talking to him?"
"Hang on a moment." Juno swiveled in her chair to glance at the displays. Fortunately, PROXY was on hand and he pointed a metal digit at one of the screens between them. Juno thanked him. "PROXY's on the job. He's still there."
"He is on the move, Captain." PROXY added, his voice chiming in over the link. "He seems to be conversing with others."
"What exactly did Okiier tell this man?" Galen replied, sounding impatient.
"He was asking about rumors of troublemakers amongst the partygoers. Whether Okiier had seen anything suspicious while he had been there."
"What did Okiier tell him?" Juno asked.
A muffled, muted conversation came in through Galen's channel. A moment later and the link went dead, probably due to some interruption or other. Not the best of timings.
"He told them very little, from what I could gather."
"They were talking for some time, though." Juno replied.
"True, but the language barrier would have impeded the speed of their conversation. Okiier tells me that he said nothing about anyone here."
"Can we believe him?"
"I think so. I don't know him like I know Moxxu and Cheemi, but they're a good people, Juno. We can trust them with this."
"I hope you're right."
"It's likely this guy is just asking around in hopes of finding something. Paranoia most likely. He probably doesn't have any idea who he's looking for or for what reason. He didn't specify the type of troublemakers he was looking for, after all."
"True."
"I'll have a snoop around and see what else I can find out about this guy."
"Okay, but be careful."
"Always."
Sia signed off, leaving Juno alone with PROXY once again. Turning in her chair she checked on the position of the operatives. Okiier was looking a little dejected in his seat. Cheemi was currently on a casual patrol, disappearing and reappearing amongst the crowds. Another race looked ready to start and most people had chosen to group up around some of the bigger displays. Moxxu, on the other hand, looked as if she were trying to collect her winnings. Juno wasn't sure whether that was part of the act or if the female Chadra-Fan had forgotten about her job altogether. Around her, most of the other gamblers were looking rather miserable; having thought – at the time – that it was not wise to back a newcomer.
Five minutes later and Galen came through on the channel again.
"I've got about an hour, give or take."
"How was your first race?" Juno asked.
"It was fine. Nothing to worry about."
"If I might make a suggestion, Master?" PROXY asked, though he didn't wait for a reply. "I wouldn't leave it until the last possible moment to take the lead position. It increases the risk of failure."
"I'll try and remember that." The sarcasm in Galen's voice was good-natured. Then he seemed to remember why he called in. "Can someone tell me what exactly is going on up there?"
"Nothing—at the moment." Juno replied. "Okiier was seen talking with someone but we don't know who that someone was or even if he was particularly focused on rooting out rebels. I don't think it's anything to worry about but Sia is on the case."
"Keep an eye on her."
"Will do. Good luck in your next race."
Then she was alone yet again, waiting on the sidelines as the others set about their work. Another race had begun and although Juno couldn't hear anything of what was going on, she could imagine the sound of the rabble as racers crashed out or did well and took the lead. By this point, Moxxu had collected her winnings and had settled to one side with a rather unsavory looking bunch. They paid her no heed at all and she blended in well. Thankfully she seemed to be back in work-mode, brooding contentedly over her winnings.
"How is Sia doing down there, PROXY?"
"Very well, Captain. She is tracking the unidentified male."
"What's he been up to?"
"Nothing of importance to note."
Half an hour later, however, and all of that changed.
"Juno. Take a look at the surveillance camera on Miller." Sia's voice was lowered and, flicking her eyes across the screens, Juno found her partially obscured by a wall, pretending to fix the pins in her hair.
Juno leaned over PROXY to see the screen better. Miller was still sat in the same place, leaning back against the cushioned seat. His pretty female companion was sitting at his side, hand on his knee, her head dipped forwards as she laughed.
"I don't—" She cut herself off as a familiar man moved into view, pausing to lean low and murmur something in Miller's ear. "I think." Juno replied. "We've just found our second target. How did he get in?"
"I've only just spotted him. I'll ask Cheemi."
Juno listened to a one-sided conversation as the Chadra-Fan replied in his native tongue. Sia's responses were worrying and eventually the conversation with the alien came to an end. "Cheemi saw nothing. I assume, by your reaction, that neither you nor PROXY saw him, either? There must be another way into the building that we missed."
"There isn't." Juno insisted. "I checked the schematic myself. More likely he's been here the whole time and we've just not spotted him."
"Hm. Could be. Either way, there's no point worrying about how and when he got here. He's here now and we've got two of our targets in sight. I'll get Okiier over here to help."
"I'll leave you to organize that with him." Juno replied. "I'll do another sweep of the area and see if I can find our last target. The odds are that he's already here." She checked the time. "Starkiller is going to be starting his second race, soon. We need things to go smoothly. The last thing he needs now is another distraction."
The bike torpedoed forwards and this time Galen's confidence was strong and unwavering even as three unlucky riders collided within seconds of the race beginning. Perhaps, he thought, since the crash wasn't at full-speed, the riders might have survived—if they didn't get run down by those coming up behind them, that was.
This time the race was in the opposite direction – to shake things up a little bit, he supposed. And in a strange way, it did. Thankfully he'd done one of his test laps backwards – after some advice from the mechanic. He was glad that he had decided to listen to that man, after all.
Galen was first into the bend, but only just. The sound of swoops drawing in close behind him were audible above the high-keen of his own bike. So close, in fact, that when he sought around with his senses, he wondered how they hadn't clipped one another by accident already.
A red-eyed Duros with pasty skin undertook him to steal the lead position, swerving directly into Galen's path. The calculated move forced him to slow down if he wanted to remain in the race. It was a dangerous act but one that had clearly worked for the alien numerous times before.
A second later and three more swoops drew up around him.
It seemed Galen wasn't the only one who had grown in confidence since his first win...
"Captain..." PROXY lifted his head and looked at her, the glare of his yellow photoreceptors unblinking. "I would suggest that Sia does not go in search for Okiier."
"Why?"
"Okiier seems to have attracted some unwanted attention."
Juno's heart leapt and she jumped from her seat to get a better look at the console, patching through to Sia to stop her. "Sia. Wait a minute. Don't say anything. Just listen."
There was nothing from the flight officer's channel except for the muffled sound of party chatter.
"Okiier has company. The wrong sort." As Juno watched the screen, two men dressed in matching dark uniforms had grabbed the short alien's arms and had hefted him up off of his feet. "Whatever he said to that man...it could not have been as unhelpful as you thought, Sia." Her heart begun to thump painfully in her chest. What should they do? Should they abort? "I think we need to assume that we've been compromised."
"No." Sia's voice was quiet. "Okiier wouldn't say anything, Juno."
"We can't be certain. You said it yourself; you don't know him all that well."
"Let me get a message across to the others." Sia replied. "Sit tight."
Juno drummed her fingers against the console, trying to be patient. What would they do if their operatives were taken out of commission? Would they have to pull out altogether? What would be the price for their failure this time? Would poor Okiier be subjected to torture until he confessed all that he knew? And then what? Would they set him free or would he simply disappear off of the radar, never to be seen again?
"PROXY." Her voice came out sharper than she would have liked. "Keep a trace on Okiier. We need to know where they take him."
"Already on it, Captain."
"And be sure not to let our two targets out of your sight."
He gave an affirmative.
"More trouble." Sia whispered over the link. "I couldn't get to Cheemi on time."
Juno honed in on the surveillance to see two other similarly dressed men talking with the other male Chadra-Fan. Their expressions were a little out of focus - thanks to the poor quality of surveillance - but they looked serious rather than threatening. One of them nodded in a show of understanding and Cheemi lifted an arm to point.
"His com-link is off." Juno replied. "Can you get close enough to listen? They might just be trying their luck by targeting Chadra-Fan now that they've got hold of Okiier."
"I'll try."
"I'll watch your back." Juno assured, though she felt a horrible nervousness gnawing at her as the green-garbed figure of her new colleague and friend weaved through cheering crowds towards the group. But even making haste was not enough. Sia had barely gotten into view of Cheemi and his 'interrogators' before one of the men took the Chadra-Fan by the shoulder and began steering him away.
"We've lost him." Sia came back over the link. "Juno, this is not good."
Juno's mind was in a spin and for a moment she couldn't respond. She withdrew into herself for a moment, took a few calming breaths, and then returned to the situation feeling a little more in control. "What reason can you think of for why they were taken? Is there someone who would know who they worked for?"
"This might not be about their ties to the Alliance at all." Sia reasoned, though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. "They've been on Nar Shaddaa a while now. It's easy to get caught up in troublesome situations here, even when you try your hardest not to. All they'd need to do is talk to the wrong person or give someone a look that might be taken the wrong way."
"Have they removed anyone else?" Juno asked, grasping at straws.
"Honestly, I don't know. At least we know what they look like now. I'll have a scout around and see if I can spot anyone else wearing that uniform."
"Our attention is too thinly spread as it is." Juno replied. "And I'm worried about getting Moxxu too involved in case she's next on their hit list." A quick glance confirmed the female Chadra-Fan was still by the gambling counters. So far she looked to have been left alone. "I've got PROXY watching our main targets and we're keeping tabs on Okiier."
"So, what you're saying is; trying to understand why the Chadra-Fan have been targeted is a waste of time?"
"Not a waste of time, exactly, but understanding that won't prevent the mission from failing. Either it's because of the Alliance or it isn't. If we lose the targets, it won't matter either way. I could see if I can slice into the surveillance archives and trace these men but that would take time and resources and I'd much rather make sure you stay undetected down there."
There was a pause and a sigh. "You're right. Of course you're right. But what do I tell Moxxu?"
"Don't tell her anything. Not yet, anyway. We don't want to worry her needlessly. She's distracted enough as it is."
"Okay...I'll head back towards Miller and Slate. I take it they're where we last saw them?"
Juno double-checked. "They are."
"I'll go silent for a while and try to get close. Perhaps I can overhear something of use."
"Pardon the interruption." PROXY piped up. "But one of the targets is on the move."
"Sia." Juno hissed. "Slate is heading towards the east side. We're going to lose him on surveillance."
"Understood. I'll—" But she, in turn, was interrupted by a sudden eruption of chaos. "There's something going on. Down by the main entrance."
A fight had broken out, though how and why it had started was anyone's guess. Two pig-faced Gamorreans lashed out in a rage; their stocky fists as big as a man's face and as effective as a battering ram. One unlucky partygoer's face split beneath green knuckles, leaving the man roiling in agony. Next to them a thin human male with a head of greasy, lank hair drew a blaster and gestured angrily at two men in uniform – the same two men who only moments ago had been escorting Cheemi off of the premises. A few well-dressed ladies screamed and cowered back whilst the other innocent bystanders were immediately riled and readied themselves for a fight, almost as if this is what they had been waiting for. Seconds later and blaster fire pierced the air.
"I don't think the paranoia was about rebels, somehow." Sia hissed over the line.
"I don't wish to alarm you, Captain." PROXY's voice was kept carefully calm. "But Cheemi is amongst that riot."
"I'm closing in." Sia warned.
Juno was just about to tell her that getting involved was a bad idea when the fight broke up – as quickly as it had started. One of the Gamorreans had been shot and had been left to bleed out on the floor. Arriving gamblers were so unfazed and uncaring that they stepped over his body with barely a downwards glance. The other alien was now being pinned down by a number of those who had thrown themselves into the fray. He still struggled but it was to no avail and his angry squeals did little to aid him. The human male, now without a weapon and very much unconscious, was being hefted out of the building by the two men who had been with Cheemi. The Chadra-Fan, however, was nowhere in sight.
"I can't see him." Juno worried.
"I'm almost there." And a moment later. "He's here. I've got him."
"Captain, Master is trying to make communication."
Juno threw up her hands in exasperation. "He'll have to wait a moment." And without missing a beat, continued: "Sia, what's Cheemi's status?"
"Wounded. I can't leave him here like this."
"How bad?"
"Hard to tell with all the clothing." There was a sound of rustling fabric and then she confirmed. "Blaster shot. He's going to need aid and sooner rather than later."
"This is getting out of control. We were only supposed to be observing!" Juno stood up in her seat and unattached her datapad from the console. "Listen to me, Sia. Get Moxxu over to help her brother. We need you after Slate."
"I can't do this alone."
"You won't be. I'm on my way down. I'll bring my datapad with me."
"What?"
"PROXY has only got our targets to watch now. We'll stick together and make sure neither of them gets out of range."
"What are you planning on doing?"
"I'm going to slice directly into the VIP guest list."
"Okay, listen." Sia spoke quietly as she pulled the Chadra-Fan to one side and leaned him against the wall. "I'll contact Moxxu and get her to come here. I'll meet you at the entrance."
"Alright."
"Oh, and Juno—"
"Yes?"
"Make sure you wear your dress."
Juno gave a cry of disbelief. "There's no time to worry about that now."
"Listen, if we want to look inconspicuous, you don't have much choice."
"There isn't a need. You just want me to embarrass myself. Not every woman there is wearing a dress."
"If we want to stick together it'll look odd."
"Apologies Captain, but Master is still trying to contact you."
Juno flustered. "Listen, Sia. I'll be there as soon as I can. I've got to go." She closed the channel and patched through to Galen, calling his name somewhat hesitantly.
"What's going on up there?" He sounded both irritated and anxious.
"Just a little mishap. It's nothing to worry about. How did your race go?"
"It was fine. Stop changing the subject."
Juno sighed. "We've had a few setbacks. I'm going to go and help Sia."
"I thought you already were helping. What happened to the rodents?" A pause. "Juno?"
"Give me a few minutes to get ready and I'll explain on my way down."
She had struggled into her dress (embarrassedly asking PROXY to help zip her up) and then shoved her datapad into a shoulder bag that Sia had brought along as one of her accessory options. Then wearing her black boots that didn't really go with what she was wearing and some slim-fitting trousers - thankful that the hem of her dress almost touched the floor and served to conceal both - she hastened from the ship and down towards the swoop event.
Galen was angry at her – as she had predicted - and he argued with her the whole way down.
"I don't see what difference it makes if you're there or in the ship."
"So it's okay for people like Sia and the Chadra-Fan to risk themselves, but not me? I have to stand by and watch you put yourself at risk time and time again. I don't like it but I know there's no other way. I've got a job to do."
"Juno. Don't do this."
"I don't want to fight with you."
"Then don't. You can help her just as easily back on the ship."
"She's alone down there. PROXY's attention is less divided now. It will be fine. If trouble starts I'll pull out of there. Just trust me, okay?"
In the end she closed the conversation with a short 'please try not to worry' and hastened to join Sia knowing, in her heart, that he would worry no matter what she said or did. But he couldn't always be there to protect her and she was fully capable of doing this. They weren't fighting Sith Lords here. She wasn't outmatched.
"At last." Sia gave in a way of greeting as Juno arrived. "I thought you'd never get here." Her eyes looked tired, the corners of her mouth pinched into an expression that was something between a smile and a grimace. "Let me guess, you had trouble convincing Starkiller?"
Juno nodded. "He wasn't happy. He's…rather overprotective."
"That's awfully sweet."
"It's infuriating." She corrected. "He always seems to forget that I'm not helpless. I've completed missions successfully before without him there to support me."
Sia's eyes flared with amusement. "He cares about you."
Juno blinked, seeming to realize that this conversation was treading on dangerous ground. She gave Sia a weary smile and then glanced around. "Where's Cheemi?"
"Moxxu has taken him to get patched up. I tried to get her to let someone else do it, but she wouldn't listen. Unfortunately that leaves us completely alone in here." She sighed. "It was all going so well until Okiier got taken. I'm sorry, Juno. I wish I could say what happened."
"It can't be helped. We still have PROXY and I've got a plan to try and track down our third target. PROXY will let us know if he sees one of the others leave."
Sia nodded, eying Juno's bag. "Love the accessorizing, by the way. It goes well with the dress."
Juno rolled her eyes. "I needed something to hold the datapad. Dresses don't have these useful things called pockets."
"Oh, do be quiet." Sia jested. "Let's get started, then. You mentioned the VIP guest list?"
"I did. Do you think you can create a brief distraction? It shouldn't take me long to slice into the system directly."
Sia fluttered her eyelashes innocently. "Of course. Who's the target?"
Almost there…almost there…
Juno risked a glance up to see the doorman fully engaged in some flirtatious conversation. His back was to her but he was barely five paces away. All he would need to do is to turn around and it would be game over.
Fortunately, Sia's delightful smiles were a perfect accompaniment to her zaftig figure. The man – who was not particularly ugly, truth be told – was utterly enraptured. Juno had to smile to herself at the thought. The flight officer had not been given the job due to her flirtatious skills, but they had certainly come in handy. There was no way she'd have been able to put herself in that situation and pull it off convincingly. She felt uncomfortable enough as it was.
Juno tried to look as uninteresting as possible as she slid her eyes downwards to check on the progress, resisting the urge to tap her foot.
'Download: 88%'
She counted down the seconds and was ready to snatch up her datapad the moment it had finished, slipping it back into her bag and making her way casually back into the crowds. She tried to catch Sia's eye but the woman was fully absorbed in her conversation. Juno supposed it would have been a little odd if she'd suddenly ended their chat and left him. So, instead, her eyes lifted to watch the displays showing off one of the current races, the excitable commentator describing the spreading of a fire from one destroyed swoop. Galen's third race would be coming up soon and she was glad that he wouldn't have the time to leave the bike and come up to see her. He'd still be angry and the thought of him seeing her dressed like she was left her feeling almost sick with nerves. She had the distinct image of his stunned face and then him laughing at how ridiculous she looked.
Sia appeared at her shoulder. "Is it done?"
"It is. You managed to get away, then?"
"Of course. A lady such as myself has places to be."
Juno rolled her eyes. "Come on. We need to get this list looked at as soon as we can." They made their way slowly across to the gambling booths where some lucky men and women were collecting their winnings from the last race. Above their heads, on the displays, the track showed the next line-up taking their positions on the circuit. Some of the gamblers had already settled into chairs to watch, though very few of them had their own datapads.
"Do we know when Starkiller's next race is?"
Juno shook her head. "PROXY will let me know when it starts." She slipped the datapad out from her bag and held it cradled against her arm. Sia moved to stand opposite her, diving eagerly into conversation.
"So, has Starkiller ever seen you in a dress?"
Juno tried to keep her voice steady and unperturbed as she responded. "No. There hasn't been much call for celebration since I started working with him."
"How long ago was that, anyway?"
"I…met him about two years ago but I've not worked with him for the entire time." She began to file through the names, checking them over with a careful eye. It was strangely difficult to concentrate.
"Strange. I thought it might have been longer than that."
Juno lifted her eyes briefly. "In a war, two years is a long time."
"I suppose."
"Here, look. I've got Miller accounted for." She tapped the screen with a finger. "And Slate is down there. Unless I missed something, our third target hasn't signed in yet."
"Perhaps Leys won't show up until the final race?" Sia's brow furrowed. "What if he doesn't turn up at all?"
"Then there's nothing that can be done about it. We'll just have to ensure we have the other two."
The link buzzed with life.
"You got an update for us, PROXY?" Juno asked.
"I have indeed, Captain."
The bike sputtered in protest as Galen accelerated out of a sweeping bend and for a moment he worried that the poor machine might not make it into the final lap. It sounded as irritated and tired as he felt.
The challenge of swoop racing had been invigorating at first. Using the Force to extend his senses, to give him the edge over his competitors, to use it to tweak his rivals' momentum without sending them flying to their deaths (they weren't Imperials, after all). And to do all that when hurtling along at blinding speed just made the task even more challenging. But with nearly three races – and three victories – under his belt, he wanted nothing more than to get back to Juno's side and make sure everything was alright. He had never thought that this would be a difficult task for him, but he certainly hadn't expected anything to go wrong on their side without him there to stir trouble.
He was being less cautious now with applying the Force, his swoop streaming out through the working docks. A huge treaded forklift had rumbled across the path some ways ahead but at the speed he was traveling the distant obstacle became an imminent threat within seconds. He was forced to decelerate sharply, using the Force to help slow him. The high keening of the repulsorlift drives began to slow, making him aware of the sound of rapidly approaching bikes.
He had been leading the race almost from the get go, flowing with the Force instead of against it. Using it to aid and support rather than as a hindrance. Every change he made was small and delicate; the bike too vulnerable for fast or overly powerful motions. It was a good feeling, to be so in control of something. To feel that you were a part of it.
Galen couldn't help but wonder if this is what Juno felt like when she flew the Rogue Shadow. She, with her tiny recalculations and barely noticeable adjustments to make sure everything went smoothly.
Another racer drew up level with him as they left the docks behind and Galen squeezed the accelerator again; the bike lurching forwards responsively. He leaned into the speed, peering through the visor that dulled the glare of the strip lights on the track as he swerved down into the home stretch.
The other racer shadowed him the whole way; his bright green swoop; shovel-nosed and slender. Galen imagined it was less powerful, but being lighter gave it the added bonus of a speedier acceleration and more maneuverability.
Even so, it was with no trouble at all that Galen wound down into the final section of the track and took the lead with a fearless, unfaltering speed.
Above the din of swoop bikes he heard the commentator's voice rise up to declare, in amazement, at how the unknown racer had pushed forth to secure another victory. Who would have thought it?
He allowed the bike to slow a little before turning off of the track, cutting the drives when he'd reached his bay. Around him other racers were grumbling under their breaths or sitting in silence. Most were tinkering with their bikes and making hasty repairs and modifications for races still to come. Galen leapt from the bike and paused to stretch the uncomfortable twinge out of his lower back and shoulders. He tugged the crash helmet off of his head and ran fingers through his hair and down over his face. His skin felt as if it were covered in a layer of grime. Even his lungs felt as if they were clogged with filth and he coughed - just a little - as he abandoned his swoop.
The mechanic glared at him as he passed. "You better not have hurt my bike."
"It's fine."
"Where are you going?"
"Away."
"Well, don't be late for your final."
Galen didn't bother looking back, though he hastened his step the moment he was out of sight. He dreaded to think what had happened since he had last spoken to Juno and now she was at the event; having abandoned her post to help where (as far as he was concerned) help wasn't needed.
"PROXY?"
"Yes, Master?"
"Is Juno still with Sia?"
"She is."
"Good."
"Are you planning to join them, Master?"
"Yes."
"Would you like me to inform them of your arrival?"
"No, don't bother." He cut the transmission and, steeling himself for Juno's stubbornness, set up towards the event.
Galen spotted her easily enough – her white-blonde hair ensuring that she stood out amongst the crowds – and hastened towards her, his face set with a scowl. She shouldn't have been there. She should have been on the ship where it was safe and where he didn't need to worry about her. This was Sia's fault for not doing her job – just as he knew she wouldn't. Didn't she understand how important Juno was to—well, okay, no, she didn't understand. How could she? She wasn't supposed to know. But Juno had a job to do and spying wasn't it. They would just have to make do with Sia. If she had done her job better then maybe they wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place.
He ploughed through the crowds and raised his voice just enough to be heard over the wild chatter of the people milling all around. "Juno!"
He saw her startle and turn and as she did so, he reached out and grabbed her hand. "Juno what—"
And then he truly saw her; sucking in a sharp breath as he hastily backtracked, eyes dropping to take in the full scale of her appearance.
"—what." He ended in shock, "are you wearing?"
She was wearing a dress. A dress made of soft, delicate fabric and touched with feminine detail. A dress that matched the color of her eyes and drew attention to her curves in a way that no other garment he had seen her wearing could. His heart gave a funny little kick in his chest and then he remembered to breathe.
But his eyes still betrayed him and he couldn't seem to summon the strength of will to look away from her, even though he knew he should. Even though he knew Sia was right there, watching everything. He flustered, realizing – at last – what he had said and scrabbled to follow it up with something else. Except that, strangely, he couldn't quite remember how to speak.
Juno, who had turned an incredible shade of red, looked as if she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. She swallowed nervously and, in that moment, Galen realized he still had hold of her hand. He let go as if scalded and tried to regain his composure.
"She cleans up nicely, doesn't she?" Sia asked with a smile – looking pleased with herself.
"I, uh…" He paused. What did he say? Did he agree – as he wanted to – and risk revealing his feelings for her or did he say nothing at all? Would saying nothing look just as bad?
"I think we'll take speechlessness as a yes, don't you, Juno?" Sia added when he failed to get any words out, nudging the blonde woman with an elbow.
"That…would be preferable." Juno replied cautiously.
Sia laughed. "It got rid of that ugly glare he had on his face just a moment ago, anyway."
His anger helped free him from his stunned stupor. "I wouldn't have even come up here if it hadn't been for you. Juno being here was never part of the plan."
"Keep your voice down." Sia warned, stepping closer so as to keep her voice lowered. "The plan changed. It's all going smoothly so you don't need to worry. You've done your part now let us do ours." She narrowed her eyes at him. "You showing up here won't make things go any smoother."
"So you've got all the contacts placed?"
"Not exactly. We shouldn't talk about this here." She gestured for them to follow and them moved into the pack of hooting gamblers to use their cries and cheers as a mask to shield their words. The intense, hungry looks on the faces of those who had credits riding on the outcome were somewhat frightening.
"Not exactly?" Galen asked over the noise.
"One is yet to show."
"And the other two are…?"
"Being watched. We're on it." Sia tried to assure.
"And you've heard nothing about the Chadra-Fan?" Galen asked, his eyes unwittingly straying back to Juno. She, on the other hand, seemed to be pointedly looking at Sia, her face still flushed. "How do you know that they're not feeding the Imperials every last detail about you?"
"I'm almost certain that if that was the case we'd have already been picked out from the crowd. No. No. The likelihood is that they got into some sort of trouble before we arrived, maybe even weeks before. I assume – from the simple fact that we're on Nar Shaddaa – it'll be something to do with rival gangs."
"That's probably the last we've seen of Okiier then." Galen replied, glancing around him. He still didn't seem to believe Sia's theory.
"We are keeping track of him. You'll have to ask PROXY for the details." Juno spoke, her eyes not quite lifting to meet his.
"When is your last race?" Sia added, in an attempt to shift his focus.
"Not for a while yet. Not if the event is scheduled to come to an end at about eleven."
"And you've planned how you're going to lose?"
"I'll be slower." There was biting sarcasm in his tone.
"Not too slow." Sia pointed out. "People might get suspicious."
A muscle in his jaw tensed. "You should worry less about my job and more about your own."
"Look." Sia, seeming to be good at ignoring his anger, set a hand firmly on his shoulder. "You can't be everywhere at once. Just relax. The sooner this is over the sooner we can all be back on the ship and away from here. We're close now. Really close. Okay, so things have happened that we didn't expect, but I thought you'd be used to that by now."
He was still annoyed, that much was obvious, but he clearly couldn't argue any more than he had – not without causing a scene. Around them a huge cheer went up in the crowd as the race came to an end. A lot of people began to scurry to collect their winnings and Galen decided that it'd probably be best if he snuck off then instead of during a race.
"Fine. I'm going to head back." His eyes danced across the crowd. "Just keep an eye out. If anything goes wrong I want to know about it."
"Of course." Sia replied. "Now, off you go and leave us to our work."
With a frown, Galen turned and slipped off amongst the crowds. As he went, he lifted the com-link and linked through to PROXY.
"How can I assist, Master?"
"If something goes wrong with their mission, PROXY, I want to know about it. You got that?"
"Of course."
"Good. I'm heading back down to wait for my race to start." He still sounded infuriated.
"Very well, Master."
Galen wondered if he should have subtly dragged Juno back with him.
To be continued...
Next update: 5th May
