Via Shadow
Look. If you don't get it by now, I'm obviously nicer than Ocean. I'm always the one that helps people, and she can't live without me.
"That's not true!" Ocean yelled from our room.
But we both know we can't live without the other. I'm not strong, besides what most people say to the contrary. She's the strong one. But she's not the tech whiz, or the analyst. I am. Besides, with my very technical demeanor, I would never have gotten that great idea of using our "auntie" as bait.
Of course, that came with a price.
Try to put me in a dress? The next day, your body will be nailed to your door, burned from the inside out. Don't mess with me.
See, that's the thing that I like best about Ocean. She doesn't judge me. And I don't judge her. In fact, we've had a long time to get to know each other. Four years, in fact. We met at the academy.
Does it surprise you? It certainly didn't surprise the dozens of storm troopers we beat up on our first day working together. Polar opposites, they called us. She's the bright and cheery one, with the great ideas and strength. I'm the cold one that prefers not to get attached, the one that formulates our plans and uses words like formulate. Still, I help people more than her.
And the boy that we took in? Well, he can definitely do something. The same thing that Ocean can do.
"Ocean, have you seen Ezra?" I yelled, hand signals useless when we're two rooms apart. Oh right, here another thing we made up when we were in the academy. Hand signals. We know what to do even when we don't talk to each other.
"No, but you know, he likes to hang out in the West Alley!"
The West Alley is where we go when we clap four times. A sound signal. The bar hideout is three claps, the market is two, and the rendezvous point is one clap, for emergencies. I slung my bag over my shoulders. Ocean and I never carried any weapons, but she did have that whip of hers that she absolutely loves. A friend of ours from the science department over at the academy made it for us. It can slice through metal, you know.
The academy still thinks we're patriots, after all these years. I hack into their system every day to make leave a trail that makes us seem only slightly above average, no need for special training. Via Shadow and Ocean Bridger, storm cadets. It's a nice feeling, to know that all computers and people alike fall under my spell. Like Ocean said, no one says no to a Mando.
Ezra Bridger… Ocean didn't need to tell me anything. She never knew she had a brother either, I thought, as I crawled through our hole. Doing a quick perimeter scan with the new heat signature goggles our lab friend made, I bounded off to the West Alley.
"Ezra, you are an idiot!" I said, bursting his bubble. He was sitting, in the West Alley, like Ocean predicted. His hand was on the door of a building marked by the Empire. "Get away from there! The Empire could arrest you for treason for that!"
"Haven't they tried to arrest you yet?" He said absentmindedly, barely acknowledging me. It's like he knew what I was thinking, when I was going to arrive. Just like Ocean can.
"Come on!" I said, dragging him along with me. His own bag was clutched in his hand, filled with who knows what. My bag was easy, efficient, and light. It has food, a couple of credits, a lock pick, a USB, and a pair of glasses. Ugh. My vision was perfect, but my left eye is a bit near-sighted. Still, the glasses come in handy for disguises.
"Via! Via, wait!" He said, pulling his sleeve with such force that it ripped. He ran back to the house and climbed onto the roof.
"Get down here!" I hissed, my contacts picking up a person walking by.
But of course, he didn't listen. I used the evasive maneuver. Running in front of the person, I stopped to look at her. She was only 10, and obviously a Mando. She had a blond hair and, an Imperial prisoner suit? What? Sticking to protocall, I asked her for the password to the Imperial databases.
"What password?" She said, but her hand drummed on the side of her leg. The password.
"Who are you?" I asked, crossing my arms. "How do you know the Imperial password?"
She pushed me into the alley. "You've got to help me. I escaped from the Imperials, and now they're after me. I'll give you anything."
"Okay, okay." I said, glancing up at the roof of the house. Still no Ezra. He can get back to the hideout on his own.
As I led this girl to the bar hideout, I couldn't help but feel guilty. I mean, I did leave Ezra there alone, and Ocean's at the hideout, wondering where I am and where I'll return. She's expecting me to come back with Ezra, not this girl I picked off the street.
"Who are you?" I asked again, stooping just outside the entrance. Good, I've closed the door.
"My name is Sabine. That's all you need to know."
I crossed my arms. "Well, I need to know more if I'm going to help you."
"Fine. My name is Sabine Wren. Is that better?"
I sighed and pulled the board open. Sabine was getting on my nerves. Just then, a shape darted above us. I looked up, alarmed, as Ezra jumped down between us, his backpack bulkier than it had been before.
"What'd I miss?"