Shade looked around at the nearby people as she sat back in her chair, trying to appear as though she was simply relaxing with some of her squad members. The mess hall they were in was large, probably the largest on The Finaliser, with small tables arranged neatly in rows running along the entire length of it. Suspended from the high ceiling were large lighting units which gave everything a washed out appearance, and overlooking the entire room was a balcony leading out from the floor above.

It was on this balcony that Kylo Ren was standing. Imposing, standing alone dressed in his all black uniform, his helmet masked the direction of his gaze. Beneath the mask he was looking directly at the distant table that Shade and her men were sitting at. Although she was unaware of his presence, he was very aware of her. He continued watching intently - studying her. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he didn't have to – to him it was obvious that she was scheming with her group. She thought she had been clever, going as far as trying to individualise some of her troops, but she had been over confident and said too much at the wrong time. His spy had come to him, told him one of the trooper captains was acting suspiciously. This had only reinforced what he had already known, that he had been feeling through his use of the Force. The disturbances around her were unmistakable. He hadn't probed too hard as he was intrigued by the developments he was sensing. He suspected that Shade herself didn't know it yet, but he was certain that she held some low level Force abilities.

Shade glanced around again at the nearby people; the mess hall was very busy - it always was. She had the feeling she was being watched but she couldn't tell from where...

Ren's eyes narrowed as he turned away and headed towards the bridge. He now knew for certain he would have to deal with Shade one way or another when the time was right - when certain sequences of events had played out. Now was not the time though...

The strange feeling Shade had about being observed had passed, but even so she scanned the room once again. She couldn't make any mistakes. Not now. The nearby tables were full of troopers chatting and eating. Some of the faces she recognised, some she didnt, but none of them were paying any attention to her table. She glanced up towards the balcony that was on the opposite side of the room. No one there. Finally satisfied, she leant in towards the three men sitting opposite her.

"Ok, listen closely..."

Before she spoke again Shade paused, making a show of rubbing her hand across her chin, as if trying to decide where she should start. Even though Shade wasn't about to tell Tex, Quads and the third trooper ZK-39921 who she called Zak, the whole plan it was now the time to make them buy completely into everything she said.

She kept her voice low. "...so the plan is just as I described to you. We are all going to be swimming in credits."

"Yes, you said that. But the question is how ?" Tex implored.

Shade shook her head as she continued. "I can't tell you too much yet, just know that tomorrow we are shipping out for Anoat. This isn't known yet, I've just been told, so you three better say nothing to no one, do you understand? Apparently intel was received that the resistance have set up a base there. We've been given the assignment to be the forward scouts for the larger fighting contingent..."

"Wait...Anoat ???", Quads said interrupting his captain.

"Keep your voice down" Shade made him stop talking with a piercing look. She composed herself slightly and said "Yes, that's right...is there a problem with that", the tone in her voice betraying the irritation she felt at being interrupted.

Quads picked up on the rebuttal immediately, his voice pitch lowering considerably. "No problem as such Captain, it's just we've all heard the stories about Anoat. The place is still toxic after the poisonings – its a death planet. Most of population have left and those that stayed went insane. Lurkers they're called. These Lurkers are supposed to be crazed lunatics. No one choses to go to Anoat. Nobody at all. You must know that !"

Shade smirked "Firstly it isn't toxic, granted it used to be, but it isn't any more. It's more like...off limits now...the fact that ghost stories persist about these so called Lurkers, as well as the rumours of unbreathable air make it an ideal location for a secret base don't you think ?"

The three men let this information sink in for a second or two before Zak spoke up "ok, so assuming all of what you just said is true...you still haven't told us how this is going to make us rich."