Darcy came back to our spot and handed me a cup of caf as Aiden and Katiey tried finding something worth watching for a few minutes on the holo.
We took off about an hour ago.
"This uniform feels plastered to me." I tell her as she lounges next to me, using my shoulder as her headrest.
"It's always tight at first. I wore mine around the house sometimes to loosen it up." Darcy replied reassuringly.
I smile.
Sabine would have thought I'd gone buckethead.
"There's nothing decent on." Katiey grumbled.
"There's always cards." Mira said simply, playing a game of cards by herself on the floor.
Brie laughed.
"You just want somebody to beat."
Darcy, Lana and Mira all laughed.
"Maybe." Mira smiled conspiratorially.
"At least we have a holo. Last time none of the electronics actually worked." Aiden said.
I glance around to see the cabin's various lights, buttons and speakers.
This is way nicer than what I was expecting.
I was expecting a transport something like what Sabine and I found in the Denon undercity.
Instead, I was greeted by a bigger, shinier version of the ship that Sabine and I used to get from Onderon to Concordia.
Private rooms for up to 8, a little kitchen, two bathrooms and a full entertainments suite and living room set up.
Everyone initially retreated to the private rooms to sleep a bit more, but then we all came out here.
Darcy and I just laid on top of the sheets in comfy silence.
Beside me, Darcy pulled out her datapad and glanced at the mission briefing again.
We should be at Oba Diah within the hour.
"What's up?" I quietly ask Darcy.
She shrugged, then leaned into my shoulder more.
"These times are tight."
"Too tight?" I ask her.
She shrugged.
"Usually there's room if negotiations go long or something. These times are military standard."
"Yeah, I was thinking about that." Brie said, causing Darcy and I to look at her.
"Go on." Darcy prompted Brie.
"I'm just guessing, so take it for what it is, but it seems like this whole operation is a military first thing."
"Well, they are retaking Cato Neimoidia." Darcy replied simply.
"But wouldn't we usually have more time on Oba Diah then? We'd just have to be at Cato Neimoidia by a certain time. But it's both."
"You think that there's more to the story on Oba Diah?" Lana asked Brie.
"I'm just taking a shot in the dark. I'm probably wrong." Brie shrugged.
"It'd make sense. Almost a hundred Stormtroopers have died because of those attacks on Cato Neimoidia. And we're clearly tired of it. Why not strike back once, with definitive force and be done with it?" Mira asked simply.
We.
I blink once and try to refocus.
That is the side I'm on now I suppose.
"So is a battalion coming with us to Oba Diah too?" Lana asked.
Brie shrugged.
"I can't say it's not. This is a military schedule." Brie said, pointing to Darcy's datapad.
"Guys!" Darcy called out, causing the room to go silent.
The girls and I simply turn to her.
"It doesn't matter. There could be a battalion behind us, there could be a battalion in front of us. There could be a star destroyer both there and on Cato Neimoidia. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that we're about 15 minutes away. Go use the bathroom, check your blasters, do you makeup or whatever the hell you need to do. Then be ready to do our job." Darcy said simply.
Whoa.
Mira, Aiden and Lana got up and started to the back of the ship.
I keep looking at her, feeling a mix of surprise and intimidation.
"That means you too." Darcy said, slightly softer to me.
"You're kind of stopping me." I say, gesturing to the fact that she's still leaning on me.
Darcy simply raised both her eyebrows and upper lip, then collapsed into my lap.
I laugh at her silly expression.
"Get up, I need to go curl my hair and do my makeup. The blush has to be juuuuust right." I joke.
Darcy and Katiey immediately giggle.
Brie pretended to gag herself.
"I can do your makeup if you'll let me." Darcy smiled at me, head still in my lap.
"No." I say simply, causing everybody to laugh.
"Fine. Then be ready." She said jokingly, then lifting herself off my lap.
I stand up and stretch, only for Darcy to swat my butt.
"Go!"
I take a few quick steps away from her and Lana laughed.
"You guys are a bunch of weirdos." She said, voice trailing off as I walk into Darcy and I's room.
Darcy set her backpack that was handed to her by a Stormtrooper back in the hanger before we left on the ledge.
Mine is on the other side of the bed.
I crawl onto the bed and reach down to pull it up, then dump the contents on the bed.
It's exactly what the Stormtrooper told Aiden would be inside.
A standard imperial blaster.
Two smoke grenades.
Paper and Pencil.
Emergency flare.
Holocommunicator.
A portable energy shield that you can make a slow advance with.
Three days' worth of rations.
First Aid Kit.
And some paint that can be used to camouflage ourselves if necessary.
As the trooper instructed, I start attaching the various supplies onto my belt.
I'm almost done when Darcy walks in.
"Having any trouble?" She asked, closing the door behind her.
I shake my head and clip the tiny energy shield onto my belt, right above my right thigh.
It's supposed to apparently cover a six foot person.
I'm not sure I believe that.
"I wasn't too bossy back there was I?" Darcy asked me, causing me to look up at her.
Darcy is starting to attach her supplies to herself.
"No. You were our boss, like you're supposed to be." I say simply.
Nothing wrong with that.
She's coming from a good place.
"I'm not you guys' boss. I've just naturally become the leader. Doesn't mean I know everything." She said quietly, glancing up at me.
"You don't like this do you?" I say.
I can feel it.
She's nervous.
…
Darcy bit her lip, then looked at me.
"There's a reason I'm not military. I don't do this shit on such tight schedules. Black ops is supposed to be silent. I don't think this is going to be." Darcy said, looking aggravated.
"It'll be okay. I'm sure there's a reason behind all of this."
Darcy smiled, then walked over to me.
I try reassuring her by placing my hands on her hips.
"You're doing your best. That's all anybody can ask for."
"…Not Vader."
Huh?
"What do you mean? The Jedi hunter guy?" I feign stupidity.
"Yeah. There's…stories. Like once on Imperial City, he called for his shuttle. When he arrived, the preparations weren't done. And he…murdered every last one of them."
Oh.
Whoa.
That's the Vader I know.
"We're not working for him. I think we'd know if it was." I say.
I'd like to be able to say that I could feel it if it was.
But I don't know if that's possible.
"I…that was last night. I heard it from a friend of mine stationed on the Executor." Darcy said quietly, slinking into my chest.
She…
She looks like a normal, nervous girl.
I wrap my arms around her protectively.
"All we can do is our best. If Vader isn't satisfied with that, then that is his problem." I try to reassure her.
"I don't want to die. His turnover rate is something in the 40 percent range. It doesn't matter if you're an Admiral or if you're me. If you don't meet his standards, you die." She whispered, fingers digging into my chest.
"You won't die." I tell her.
She sighed, then looked up at me.
Impulsively, I quickly kiss her, then let her go.
"We've got to get going." She said.
I'm almost ready.
"I'll check on everyone else." I say to her, then grab my blaster and walk out of the room.
When I arrive in the living room, everybody's here but Aiden.
"Just got a message from Command. Apparently we've got a battalion behind us." Brie said grimly.
Dammit.
I sigh, then turn and walk back to Darcy.
I crack the door and poke my head in.
"Hey. Brie was right. Battalion behind us." I say.
Darcy clearly is in the middle of arming herself.
She's got a gigantic sheath for a knife in her hand.
She hung her head.
"Close the door behind you. I didn't want to have to do this." She said darkly.
Okay…
"Do what?" I ask, doing as she asked.
Click.
"When we get there, I expect to be met by a greeting party. At your first opportunity, I want you to separate from the group. Find a back way to the leader's room. It'll probably be like a throne room. Just in case these guys try something funny. I don't want us to have to be bailed out by the cavalry."
I nod.
"Will do. Anything else?"
Darcy thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"No. I trust your judgement." She smiled up at me.
I smile back.
"Thanks."
"Now go away. I gotta finish changing." She told me.
I comply and back out of the room.
Right into Brie, Lana and Mira.
"Hi." I say, closing the door behind me.
"Everything okay?" Mira asked, giving me a funny look.
One glance at Lana and Brie gets the exact same look from the also.
"Yeah. She wanted to know about any other details with the battalion behind us." I say, back literally to the door.
…
"Tell us the truth." Brie said simply.
"I just did." I reply.
"I don't believe you." Lana retorted.
I turn and glance at her.
"That sounds like a personal problem."
"She doesn't do this. What's wrong Ezra?" Mira asked me gently.
"Nothing's wrong." I try to reassure her.
They don't need to know.
If they did, Darcy would have told me in front of everyone else.
"Ezra. I don't care if you're sleeping with her. But if you two are hiding stuff from the rest of us, that's going to be a problem between the rest of us and you." Lana said bluntly.
"I'm not hiding anything. And why just me?" I ask.
"Because she didn't hide anything from us before you got here. You're a new variable."
I narrow my eyes at her.
"I don't like what you're implying." I tell her bluntly, starting to get mad.
If she doesn't trust me, then fine.
I haven't done anything wrong.
"I'm just telling you—" Lana starts, before the door behind me flies open and I fall back.
A blur flies by me and I hear a 'THUD!' and Lana say something as I catch myself in the doorway.
"You want to know what I told him? I'll tell you. I want him to sneak away in case these criminals try something funny. Nothing weird, no big secrets, just me thinking of everyone." Darcy said, standing directly in front of Lana.
Sounding furious.
"Okay." Lana said, sounding like she regretted saying anything.
"Don't bully him. This is his first job with us. Don't forget that." Darcy reminded her.
"But—"
"I don't care." Darcy frowned.
Then the whole ship shook, and the sound of pressurized gas floated to us.
"Looks like we're here." Brie said.
Darcy let Lana go, then fixed her collar and started to the door.
Everybody else falls into line, and I slide into the back.
Darcy did a quick headcount, then pressed the button for the door to open.
…
There's a group of…somethings on the landing pad waiting for us.
"Greetings. And welcome to Oba Diah. We're honored to have such Imperials as yourselves join us today." The…species said.
There's a slight echo.
"My name's Darcy. This is my team. Thank you for having us on such short notice. If you don't mind, what species are you? I don't want to be rude." Darcy said, putting on a smile and sounding very friendly.
"We are Pyke's. Our prestigious company shares the name, as I'm sure you know. Please follow us, we will take you to our leader, Iea."
Darcy beamed.
"Thank you."
We all start walking, and quickly the Pyke and Darcy have struck up a casual conversation.
"—We'd love to have you stay for a refreshment if you'd like. Your journey must have been long."
"Oh, not too long. But a refreshment would be nice." Darcy replied pleasantly.
The Pyke waved a three fingered hand, and two other Pyke's walk off into a hallway.
I barely slow my steps down and see that the entourage sent to greet us is revolving around Darcy.
She's magnetic.
I smile, then slide off into the hallway.
Think Ezra.
Use the Force.
I smile and reach out.
…
Got it.
The "throne" room is about 50 feet away, down a side hallway.
I follow the two dismissed Pyke's, and then notice something interesting.
They have really cool guns.
They're curved, are ornate, look to be polished and are absolutely gorgeous.
I want one.
But how?
I can't just take it though.
Hmm.
…
…
In front of me, the two Pyke's turn off into a noisy area.
I'm guessing a kitchen.
Quickly, a lone Pyke step out of the shadows.
"Halt, human. You're separated from your group."
The answer to my problem just pops into my head, and I smile.
Mind trick.
I've seen Kanan do it.
I bring my index and middle fingers together, then focus my attention on the guy's mind.
No barriers.
"I'm going to the throne room. I know where I'm going." I say firmly.
"You're going to the throne room. You know where you're going." The Pyke said, echo in his voice gone.
Weird.
"Also, Imperial regulations wants us to take your pistol for study. We're very impressed with the design." I tell him.
Mindlessly, he hands his pistol over.
"Would you like the blueprints and specs sir? They are just off in this room here sir." The Pyke tells me, in the same flat tone.
"Yes, I would. The Empire thanks you for your cooperation." I wave my hand in his face again, smiling.
This is too easy.
Pykes aren't the brightest bulbs in the box.
The Pyke turns off into a dark room and starts typing into a display.
I politely stand back, and feel several Pykes begin to sidle into the hallway.
It's a trap.
These no good criminals.
Darcy was right.
They must have got a signal from the throne room.
"The trap has been sprung sir…once the inhibitors enter their systems they will fall into our custody."
"Good to know." I reply, as the Pyke turns to me with a data spike in his hand.
"As you requested sir."
"Thank you. Now stay in here while we apprehend them." I order him.
The Pyke bowed, and sat in a chair.
I smile, then hustle out of the room and down the hall.
…
…
There's three of them.
Before long, I can hear voices echo down the hallway.
"—refreshments, as you must have had a long journey…" A Pyke voice said, sounding friendly.
His echo is worse.
"Thank you. We did have a long journey." I hear Darcy reply.
I keep walking, closing in on the three Pyke's.
"Now tell me…what can we do for the Empire's loyal servants?" The leader crooned.
Gosh his echo is annoying.
Two of the Pykes take up stations guarding the door, and another stops one step short of a doorway.
I hear Darcy begin to speak, but I block it out.
Gotta focus.
Without a thought, I grab the two Pykes using to Force, both of whom are light and smash them against each other, knocking them out.
I let them fall beside me as Darcy's voice stops and the figure in the door steps forward.
"That's too bad…as I must ask you to lay your weapons down." The Pyke leader said, echo subsiding slightly.
"Huh?" I hear Darcy say.
The Pyke in front of me drew his pistol.
"I'm afraid we're not interested in cooperating." The Pyke said.
I bring my blaster up to his head.
"Drop the drinks! They're spiked!" I call out, then hooking the Pyke in front of me by the neck with my elbow.
Got him.
The entire room swivels to me, then the girls all fling their drinks aside.
"Drop your weapon." I growl into the Pike's ear as menacingly as I can.
Double crossing spineless cowards.
All the girls have brought their blasters up and have taken a side.
Lana and Brie to the left.
Mira and Katiey behind them.
Darcy's pointed her blaster at Iea Pyke.
Aiden is turned to me.
I've got this side.
"Bad move. Iea." Darcy said, suddenly scowling.
She's mad.
I know that face.
They've actually pissed her off.
"Miss, there's no need to be upset. This was only a precaution. I personally apologize—"
Darcy took three steps forward and leveled her blaster with his head.
"Save it. I don't buy it. We're here because we have irrefutable proof that your organization has been supplying arms to a rebellion on Cato Neimoidia."
"I promise you—"
"We have pages of logs. Workers testimonies about bribes. Everything we wanted, we've got. Your word means nothing." Darcy told the Pyke bluntly.
…
"Then what will you do?" He asked.
The sound of a single shot filled the air.
Then Iea Pyke fell to the floor.
"We start with a new leader."
…
…
WHOA.
I quickly pick my jaw up off the floor as the Pykes assembled around the room appear to be in shock.
Then they started laying their arms down.
"Who is the number two in charge?" Darcy called out to the room.
…
"That would be me." The one I have by the neck croaks.
I quickly let him go, then push him forward to Darcy.
Clomp Clomp Clomp Clomp…
Stormtroopers.
The cavalry has arrived.
"This is your warning. You exist by our say so. Mess up again, and we dismantle the entire thing." Darcy tells him bluntly, towering over him.
She doesn't have to use her blaster.
"Yes ma'am."
The sound of footsteps entering the room make me turn and I see that the Commander has walked in.
"Ma'am. We're here to relieve you."
Darcy cracked a small smile.
"Thank you. Search every one of them. Study what they spiked our drinks with. If anybody resists, they end up like him." Darcy said bluntly, pointing down to the Pyke at her feet,
Dead.
The Commander nodded, then wordlessly saluted Darcy.
Darcy took a few steps forward and beckoned for us all the follow.
…
…
Whoa.
That's a different Darcy.
She actually got mad.
And straight up assassinated that guy.
…
Everybody's silent until we get on the ship and it takes off.
Then Darcy turns to me with a smile.
"You sounded mad." She beamed.
"I didn't know your voice could get that low!" Lana smiled, then glanced at Darcy.
"I tried to sound scary. You sounded furious." I say.
"Nah, that was just 'in control Darcy'. She gets like that on a mission." Katiey shrugs my comment off.
"Yeah, she goes what 'I'm so cute! Thanks for having us!' to 'Don't lie to me. Talk now.'" Aiden smiled, voice first going singsong, then gravelly.
Darcy nervously laughed.
"It's not that bad." She said defensively.
"But you shooting him…that was cold." Brie said, looking impressed.
"Ice cold." Lana added.
"One handed too. Did anybody else see that?" Aiden asked us.
The ship lurched.
Must be in hyperspace now.
I raise my hand, and Darcy cracked a shy smile.
"I don't know. I felt like I was in a holofilm. I just raised my gun and fired." Darcy said sheepishly.
"It looked awesome." Mira smiled.
"Those guys, whatever they are, they all froze up. Then just gave up." Katiey said.
"If we'd stayed long enough, you may have been able to get a cut of their profits." Aiden added.
"Queen Darcy." I joke, getting everyone to laugh.
"Eww. No. Never." Darcy shook her head.
"You never take advantage of any chances you get." Aiden shook her head.
"Whatever. Just be ready for when we get to Cato Neimoidia. They're supposed to be worse."
Mira shuddered, then Lana walked back to the fresher.
The others plop onto the couches and Aiden turns the holo on.
I find myself slipping Darcy onto my lap.
"You are terrifying." I tease her, whispering into her ear with a smile.
Darcy giggled.
"And I was right. Did you have any trouble getting behind the guys?"
I shake my head as Katiey flicked between channels.
"No. had to knock two out, but that was easy."
Darcy turned to me, looking a little horrified.
"That's why we have you. I could never do that so easily."
I shrug.
"Gotta do what I gotta do." I say.
I don't feel bad.
We're out of there.
Now to the hard one.
"Where'd you get that?" Darcy asked me, bringing me out of my reverie.
I look, and she's pointing at the blaster I lifted off the Pyke I mind tricked.
"Oh, off one of the guys." I shrug.
Darcy wordlessly takes it off my belt.
"This is beautiful…"
"I thought so. And he won't be needing it." I add.
It has a curved hilt, two small barrels, looks to be made of polished metal and gold, and simply looks gorgeous.
I might turn the design into a lightsaber.
It is curved.
Like my style apparently is suited for.
A weapon with a curved hilt.
"Looks awesome. You can hang it on the wall and be the envy of the neighborhood." Lana said, walking back into the room.
"Yes. The day you beat a Spice Cartel of weird bugs." Darcy said dramatically.
I laugh along with the others.
"Gimme that…" I say, taking the blaster from her and clipping it on my belt.
Darcy simply turns and starts using me as a pillow.
The others flick around on the holo until we find our trusty apartment renovating show.
I lie back and let Darcy curl up to me.
Brie is nice enough to give us a blanket, and the trip to Cato Neimoidia feels like it takes as long as the one to Oba Diah.
We get a notice that we're entering the atmosphere.
"Already?" Mira asked, as Brie let out a monster yawn, sticking her hands right in Katiey's face.
Katiey jokingly pretended to bite at her hands, causing her to squeal and jump away.
Darcy rolled over and smiled.
"This time I don't have to use you as our little secret agent."
"I don't mind." I tell her softly.
"I don't like it. I'd rather have you next to me."
"Oh for the love of space…you two have a room back there…" Katiey groaned.
Darcy giggled, then kissed me quickly.
"NO NO STOP!" Brie scolded us jokingly.
"Bad! Bad!" Aiden covered her eyes and looked away.
I roll my eyes and Darcy gets to her feet.
"Whatever. You guys like it and you know it."
"Just don't get too public with it." Lana told Darcy.
"We won't. I don't like PDA." Darcy replied.
"Then what do you call that?" Mira asked, gesturing to me.
"Thank you for saving our butts back there?" Darcy asked.
The whole ship shuddered as we touched down.
In the brief moment between our landing and when everybody starts moving, we can hear voices outside the ship.
Darcy leads us like last time out, then quickly veers off to the right.
"Moff Aveana." Darcy reverently bowed to her. "I thought it was the plan to meet at the cache?"
"Ahh, Miss Ridley. That was the plan, but the Neimoidian resistance crumbled far easier than we anticipated. Your team won't be needed."
Oh.
"Alright then. Is there an area where we can be applied? We'd be more than willing to help out in a pinch." Darcy volunteered with a smile.
"No, no Miss Ridley. Your team has done enough for this week. I do however, have your next assignments." She smiled at Darcy, then the rest of us.
New assignments?
"Okay." Darcy answered.
Moff Aveana grabbed a datapad off her waist, then started reading.
"Miss Ridley, your new assignment is to find a date for the Imperial Ball next week…"
Imperial Ball?
Aiden gently elbowed me.
I ignore her and keep my eyes on the Moff.
Don't want to be disrespectful.
"Lana, you will start a forensic analysis of the Neimoidians books starting next week as well."
Lana nodded once.
"Aiden and Mira, you will look into the disturbance in the displaced refugee sector of Imperial City."
The girls both nodded respectfully.
Katiey, you and Ezra will look into the trade logs in Imperial City to see if anything is amiss like you did this time with the Neimoidians books."
"Yes ma'am." I reply as Katiey nodded.
"And last but not least, Brie…"
…
"You will continue your work on Operation Remnant."