Last time: Sasha and Oppie arrived to Nivon V and met up with Kelce.

Now: Sasha, Oppie, and Kelce work on the medical center.

Chapter 17- Someone is Watching

Oppie took a deep breath as he looked up at the doors to the old security office. It had been a long time since he had last seen these doors, and even longer for the people here. He had never thought to see them again, let alone on business. Certainly not with his lightsabers hanging at his hip, though he walked the streets in subdued garb and his old jacket that made him look more like a rough civilian than a Jedi knight. There were officers coming in and out the door, they looked run down, just like he remembered. He grimaced inwardly. This was the first time he had to revisit his old life, and introduce himself as he truly was to people rather than try to keep up a lie. He still couldn't remember what his name had been on this planet.

He stepped through the doors, and approached the desk at the front where a tired looking officer was acting as clerk.

"Yes?" The man asked.

"New Republic Deputy Marshall Oppie Xiv." He replied, stating his name, "I made an appointment to come in and speak with Captain Messan?" He did recognize the name Messan from his time, she had been a junior investigator that he had brushed paths with once or twice.

The clerk looked at his terminal for a moment. "Yeah, I see you here. Wait here for a moment, I'll let her know you're here."

"Thanks." Oppie replied as he stepped away to sit in one of the chairs in the lobby area. He waited for a few moments, reading through a datapad of the damages, trying to think if there was a way to track down the sympathizers. They had footage of the attack, but the suspects had been wearing masks. It was strange to be back in this investigative mode, since Vestora he hadn't really been working security or investigations like this. Maybe a little bit of consulting work, but nothing along these lines.

"Deputy Xiv?" The clerk's voice said, coming around the counter. Oppie stood up, "the captain will see you now."

"Thanks, I know the way." Oppie said, waving the clerk to stay at his desk. He shrugged and went back to his work as Oppie walked back into the main office room. It was little different from what he remembered. Just older, with new faces. Some older faces he vaguely recognized, but no one too strongly. He walked through the large space, past cuffed suspects that were awaiting processing. He walked to the Captains office and knocked.

"Come." A voice rang out from inside. Oppie opened the door.

"Hi, I'm -" Oppie started to introduce himself.

"I know who you are." The woman said flatly.

"Oh?" Oppie asked as he stayed at the door.

Captain Messan brushed her dark hair out of the way. "Some Republic hotshot who thinks that we don't know how to run an investigation." She answered flatly. "You guys didn't care about us until one of your officers was threatened, and now all of the sudden you care about Nivon. You here to take over?" She asked under an angered brow, her eyes still only half looking at him as her eyes stayed on a report in front of her.

Oppie looked at her for a second. "No, I just came to help with refurbishing the medical center." He answered evenly. "But I have a background in security and I'm a deputy Marshall, so I thought I'd come and just look over the investigation more out of curiosity than anything else."

She looked up at him in more detail, and her eyes lingered for half a second on the lightsaber hanging from his belt. "A background in security." She said flatly in question.

"Yeah." Oppie said, still standing at the door. "I used to work here, in this precinct actually."

At that she actually looked up at him, and furrowed her brow, as if trying to recognize him.

"I was using an alias then, didn't want the Empire to track me down." He gestured lightly to his sabers. "I'm just here to look at the case if I can, if it's too much of a bother I don't have to." He said simply.

"Wait, were you in investigations?" She asked, looking at him with a hint of recognition. "Drews?" She asked.

Once she said his old alias, he suddenly remembered it. "Yeah, Drews. I've been trying to remember that name the last few days since I found out we were coming here."

"Huh." She said, looking down at her report. "I guess that advice you gave me about trusting my instincts was some kind of Jedi thing?"

Oppie looked at her for a moment. "I guess." He said a little sheepishly. "I apologize, I don't remember ever giving you any advice."

"It was a case I was working on, I was kind of stuck on it but there was some bit of evidence that kept nagging me." She explained, "You told me to keep at it, and trust my instincts if I thought it was important, and ended up blowing the case wide open."

Oppie's memory finally clicked into place. "Oh, yeah. That was only a day or two before we had to run off because the Empire came."

"Yeah, they set up a small garrison around that time." She nodded. "Cracking that case ended up getting me some recognition. So thanks. I guess." She said, wryly.

"Glad I could help." Oppie replied.

"So you want to look at the medical center investigation?" She asked.

"Yeah, if I may." He shrugged.

"Sure. Not a lot to it, though." She said, handing him a datapad.

He stepped further into her office to take the pad, and started scrolling through it. "Yeah, I figured you guys were on top of it. Like I said I was just curious to take a look. Thank you." He replied as he stepped back and looked back up at her.

"No problem." She said, returning to the report in front of her. Oppie took that as his dismissal.

"Gotta ask." She said, stopping him on his way out the door.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"You were a fugitive from the law, and you worked in a law enforcement office?" She said with a quirked eyebrow.

Oppie hadn't really thought about it that way before. "Yeah. I guess so." He said sheepishly. "Every planet we went to, I ended up in law enforcement or doing investigations."

"Sounds like a dumb idea." She observed flatly with a hint of amusement.

"Yeah, but it worked for fifteen years." He said as he chuckled lightly, leaving the room.

"Okay, that's the last of it," Sasha said as she set down a heavy box of bandages in the storage room that they were currently restocking. She reached up and wiped the sweat from her brow.

Kelce, who was organizing the room with another medic, shot her a glance as he placed a box on the highest shelf. "Great," he said with a smile. "I think this is the last thing we need to do today. You wanna go grab a drink once I finish with this?" He asked Sasha and Oppie.

"Sounds good to me, is there anywhere good nearby?" Oppie asked, setting the last of the boxes of medication into one of the cabinets.

"There's a cantina just down the road," the female medic said. "Fairly popular place."

"I think I know which one you are talking about," Sasha thought. She then looked at Oppie. "I think it's the cantina I tried to work at the last time we were here. Before I got this job."

Oppie stopped and thought for a second. "How did you not end up working at a cantina when we were here?" He asked, questioningly.

"They didn't have any positions available, is what I was told," Sasha said, remembering. "Also the owner was kind of a jerk."

"It still cracks me up that you used to work at cantina's," Kelce commented with a chuckle.

"Thanks?" Sasha said with a chuckle of her own.

"Well if the owner was a jerk to you, do we really want to spend money there?" Oppie asked with a grin.

"It's all in the past," Sasha said with a shrug. "Besides, who knows if he is even there still. It has been twelve years after all."

"Well shall we go find out then?" Kelce joked as he wiped off his hands.

"Sure," Sasha said with a chuckle.

"I'll let you guys lead the way." Oppie said, gesturing towards the door.

Kelce and Sasha led them through the medical center as the staff started calling it for a night. They had been there for a couple days already and the place was looking a million times better than when they first showed up. But there was still a ways to go. Once they exited the medical center and walked through the crowded streets as they pushed through towards the bar. After a few moments, they arrived at the cantina just as the medic had described. It was in fact very popular as they saw the number of people enter and exit it.

"Do you think we'll be able to find a table?" Kelce wondered.

"I have no idea," Sasha said as she bit her lip as they entered the bar. "Do you guys see anywhere to sit?"

"I sure don't." Oppie observed, looking around the space.

"I see a high top over there," Kelce said, gesturing with his head. "We should grab it before some-"

"On it." Sasha cut him off as she rushed through the bar, weaving through the crowd. She reached the table before anyone else could get to it. She took a seat at one of the chairs and waved them over. "Got it!"

Kelce and Oppie made their way through the crowd and joined her at the table.

"That's why she worked in cantinas." Oppie observed to Kelce as they tried to weave their way through the crowd.

Kelce chuckled. "Makes sense," he said as they continued along until they reached the table. "Thanks for grabbing the table."

"Of course," Sasha said, smiling at them.

"Either of you know if there are any good local specialties?" Oppie asked, looking around for a menu.

"No, that I'm aware of," Kelce said as he looked over the menu.

"I honestly cannot remember," Sasha said as she looked too. "Maybe it's because I didn't have to memorize the menu." She joked.

"Well I'm going to grab a burger and an ale," Kelce decided. "Those are always good. And since you guys grabbed the table, I can grab the grub. What do you two want?"

"I'll do the same, but I'll take a cider instead," Sasha said as she set the menu down.

"Ale, and a burger sounds good." Oppie said. "Thanks Kelce."

"Of course, be right back," Kelce said before heading off to order.

Once he was out of ear shot, Sasha looked at Oppie. "It's weird seeing Kelce again without the rest of the Coppers or the 19th around too," she observed.

"Yeah, it is." Oppie agreed. "For that matter, it's odd just the two of us being out somewhere." He said as he thought back. "Surely it hasn't been since your knight test that it was just us?"

"When Viran was taking his test? Yeah, I guess it has been a while," she said. "Though there was one time where it was just us around the house before Lana came around when Viran went off on that job with Kyr and Cien."

"Yeah." Oppie agreed. "But first time in a long time it's been just the two of us out on an adventure."

"That is for sure," Sasha said, nodded in agreement. "Thanks again for coming with me on this, Op."

"No problem. This is kind of a nice job." Oppie said. "Besides, it is kind of fun just the two of us hanging out. While you guys were on Naboo, trying to keep up with Kyr was a little tiring."

"I bet," Sasha chuckled. "Cien told me what all you two did while we were gone. And here I thought you and Viran did dumber things together back in the day. You and Kyr have proven me wrong." She said with a grin. "But I'm glad you're having fun. I know I am."

"Kyr did the dumb things." Oppie said defensively. "I just didn't argue."

"Sure," Sasha said with a giggle.

At that moment, Kelce came back with three bottles at hand. "Two ales and one cider. And food has been ordered. He said they will bring it here when it's ready," he said as he set the bottles down before taking his seat.

"Thanks," Sasha said as she grabbed the cider and took a sip.

"Thanks Kelce." Oppie said, taking the bottle. "Do you often do assignments like this away from the 19th?" He asked the tall Doctor.

"No, not really," Kelce admitted. "Usually Dravis is the one that goes out on jobs without the 19th. But recently, we've been getting more calls for relief help. Normally, others from the New Republic handle it. But we happened to be nearby and there isn't much going on right now. So the Admiral let me handle this one." He took a sip of his ale. "It's nice to get out and enjoy fresh air once and a while."

"But I'm surprised no one else came with you," Sasha said. "What about Nova?"

Kelce sputtered as he sipped his ale. His face turned red as he cleaned himself off with his hand. "She… um… she…" He struggled to figure out what to say. "She actually had a mission with Wynnie. They left before I did. But she did initially want to come and help out. Or at least she told me she did," he said as he cleared his throat.

Sasha smirked at that. "Well maybe you guys can do a job together once you are both back," she suggested with a teasing tone.

"We've talked about it actually," Kelce said as he rubbed his neck. "The Admiral is going to give just the two of us some leave. Finally get to spend some time just the two of us."

Sasha gasped. "Are you and Nova together?"

"Yeah," Kelce said after a moment as he smiled and turned redder.

"Well congratulations." Oppie said with a smirk.

"Thanks," Kelce said with a chuckle.

"Okay, when did that happen?" Sasha asked, eager to hear more.

"The night of the Colonel and Cien's reception," Kelce explained as he looked thoughtfully at his ale. "Nova approached me saying that she needed my help with something. We then went out back and I thought it was like a gift or something for the Colonel. Turns out it wasn't. Then she told me how she felt. She actually thought I didn't feel the same as she was ready for me to reject her, but I told her I felt the same." He coughed. "Then we kissed."

Sasha squealed in excitement. "Oh Cien and Kyr are going to flip!"

"Please let us be the ones to tell them," Kelce asked kindly.

"Of course," Sasha said.

"What did the other Copperheads think?" Oppie asked, taking a sip.

"Shades was so happy for us. Like she was completely overjoyed by the news. Dravis and Scamp bought me several rounds of drinks to celebrate. The Admiral told me that it was about time and that she was happy for us. The rest of the 19th was thrilled. And Wynnie was… Wynnie about it," Kelce recounted.

"That sounds about right," Sasha said as she took a sip of her beer. "Well congrats Thane."

"Thanks guys," Kelce said with a smile. He then took a long swig of his ale before changing the subject. "I know I've said this a few times already this week, but I seriously want to thank you both for coming out here to help me with this project. These folks have been in a really rough spot the past month without a proper medical facility up and running. It really means a lot."

"Of course," Sasha said. "Thank you for inviting us along to help. It's been a wonderful experience thus far. Plus it's good to catch up with old friends."

"Speaking of which, how did your visit to the security office go yesterday Op?" Kelce asked.

"Good." Oppie answered with a shrug. "I looked through the data and it's unfortunately pretty scant. Just shows them coming in and messing up the place, but no identifiers, no voice prints or anything. It would be difficult to make any progress on it." He said with a frown.

"Jeeze," Kelce said, frowning. "I knew that there wasn't much evidence left behind except the fact they were Pro Empire. But that doesn't help. There are still a lot out there who still don't favor the New Republic so that really doesn't narrow our range of where to look." He paused. "But I'm just here to put the medical center back together. They are supposedly going to send in another representative of the NR to look further into it here in the next couple days. Probably around the time I head out to return to the 19th."

"Hopefully with a little help for the local security, they seemed pretty threadbare." Oppie observed before taking another sip from his bottle.

"Yeah I hope so too," Kelce agreed.

"So you mentioned you were heading back to the 19th soon? You're not staying to finish with the medical center?" Sasha asked as she lowered her cider after another sip.

Kelce chuckled. "Even though it still looks worse for wear outside, the place has improved ten times faster thanks to us and the medical staff and the construction crew working incessantly for the past few days," he said. "By the end of the week, the place will be able to start fully functioning again as a proper medical center. Well at least eighty-five percent of it will. And that's more than enough for them to help the locals as well as finish the final touches without the persistent time crunch." He took another sip of his beer. "But yeah once the week ends, I've got to get back. You guys are welcome to stay and keep helping out. Though I'd understand wanting to go home too."

"I guess it really depends on how much more really needs to be done," Sasha said, shrugging. "But honestly once this is done, I wouldn't mind looking at other missions like this. Relief missions where we can help establish things like medical centers. This experience has taught me a lot and I'd love to do more. If I can."

"Well, if I hear anything, you'll be the first to know," Kelce said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind adding this to the list of services our little... " Oppie trailed off, trying to think of the word. "What are we?" He asked with a laugh towards Sasha. "I don't know if we're an actual business or not."

Sasha laughed too. "I honestly don't know," she said. "I mean some jobs we do for free. Others we do seem to get some kind of incentive. But I don't think we have ever come up with a name for our little 'business' or whatever." She emphasised by using her fingers to mimic quotation marks when she said the word business.

"Independent consulting services, maybe." Oppie mused. "Anyway, If this is the kind of thing we can help out with more often I wouldn't mind adding it to the menu."

"Agreed," Sasha said with a nod.

"Well like I said, the moment I hear about it and I'm unable to step in, you guys will be the first ones I call," Kelce said.

"Sounds like a plan," Sasha said with a smirk.

As she said that, she felt a strange ripple in the Force. As if someone was watching her. Glancing over her shoulder, Sasha did a quick scan of the room to see where that strange feeling was coming from. The other patrons in the bar were too busy with their own drinks or food or conversations to pay them any mind. However, her gaze did catch sight of a hooded figure in a booth nearby, a figure who was alone at the moment. A shudder passed through her as she averted her gaze back to Oppie and Kelce. Oppie was looking at the figure as well, and as Sasha turned her gaze back as his eyes met hers with a slight frown.

"Everything okay?" Kelce asked as he noticed the slight change between them.

"Yeah, just thought I saw something," Sasha shrugged off as if it was nothing even though she could still feel the eyes on her.

"Okay," Kelce said as he finished his ale. "I'm going to go grab another of these. You guys good or would you like another? Or something else?"

"I'm still good. Thanks," Sasha said as she lightly shook her bottle letting them hear the liquid slosh around inside.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks though." Oppie said, as he shot a last, furtive glance over at the man booth.

Kelce nodded. "Alright, I'll be right back," he said before moving towards the bar.

As Kelce walked away, Sasha took another glance back. She suppressed another shudder as she immediately turned back to her drink and kept her gaze forward. While looking before her at her drink, she used a hand signal that translated to danger. She was asking Oppie through the hand signals they had established years ago when they were on the run. They came in handy in many situations as they knew about a hundred different phrases and terms that could apply to many different scenarios.

Imperial? Op gestured with a slightly quizzical look. He was trying to allude to the Imperial Sympathizers, who might be watching Kelce because he was from the Republic, or watching them because they had sabers hanging off their belts. He didn't know the sign for 'sympathizer' though.

Maybe. Sasha gestured as she glanced at him, understanding what he was alluding to. Stay or go?

Oppie considered for a second and shrugged slightly before replying. I'm fine. Your decision. Mostly because he didn't want to give a sympathizer like this the win of seeing a Republic officer like Kelce and two Jedi driven off by his scrutiny.

Sasha hesitated for a very long moment as she tried to consider what to do. Finally, she swallowed and gestured. Stay. Don't want to tip him off.

Oppie nodded, okay. Now we have… he froze for a second, he didn't know the gesture for the word, so he just made a swishing motion with his hand as if he was holding a tiny lightsaber with a smirk.

Sasha smirked at that and nodded. Okay.

Just stay alert. Oppie finished. She nodded again.

At that moment, Kelce returned with another drink and was followed by a server who brought their food. He resumed his seat as the server set the food down before them. They thanked her and she left them alone to eat. They sat there in a momentary silence as they dug into their food.

"This is almost as good as the cantina on the Defiant." Oppie said wistfully.

"Yeah," Kelce agreed after another bite. "But nothing can beat that."

"Oh I think there's been a few meals you've made for us, Op, that were top tier," Sasha added. "But I agree this is good."

"You cook?" Kelce asked Oppie.

"Yeah." Oppie said a little defensively with a chuckle. "Everyone who knows Kyr is always surprised by that." He observed.

"Well can you blame us?" Kelce asked, smirking. "Have you tasted his food? The man couldn't cook food to save anyones life. So hearing his twin brother can is a little surprising to say the least. I mean Kyr tried cooking for us once on a job and almost the entire platoon was down with a stomach bug. I had my hands full for two whole days."

Sasha laughed at that. "No way!"

"Was it chili?" Op asked with a shudder.

"Good guess," Kelce said.

"That man needs to stop making chili, I swear," Sasha exasperated as she took a bite of her food. "He took us down with it too."

Kelce laughed. "Of course he did."

"Oh you have no idea how bad it was," Sasha said before diving into the story of how Kyr's chili led to her learning about being pregnant with Lana.

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