Chapter Three.
The striking bright blue and green was in stark contrast to the bright red of the stomach of the insect on Janos's hand. The red was blood red, or to be exact Janos blood red, because it was his blood that was in the belly of this bug. The Medic had assured him that the repellant that he had issued Janos was the strongest they had that could be used in a tactical environment. The use of pheromones or electronic devices were impossible because they would be detected by the simplest of sensor sweeps, so it was back to a basic chemical repellant. May as well use water for all the use it did. The now very full and happy bug took to wing, off to tell all his friends and family about the new Janos Zoeller free Blood bank, Janos was beginning to develop a deep dislike for all things in the world of entomology.
He and Kaliyo were in a hide they had slowly build over 2 nights. Working slowly and quietly during the dark hours then retreating back into the jungle to lay up during the day. Using a canvas to simulate the rock face which had been treated to block any heat signature, and a selection of local plants they had build an almost perfect observation point, or OP. With their back to a vertical rock face, escape routes going to the left and right, shame no third to the rear option, enough room to stretch a leg at a time, as long as it was slowly and carefully, it was a palace to some of the hides they had been in. Kaliyo had curled her self into a small ball and was catching up on some sleep, she would be instantly awake, armed and deadly in a fraction of a second is he needed her. Janos was becoming to feel he depended on her. A good thing ? A thought for another day.
One of the not very glamorise jobs of a sniper is the gathering of intelligence of enemy numbers and movements. Boring work that requires good concentration, patience and memory. He remembered some of his instructors saying 90% of their field work had been gathering intelligence. Eye balls in the field, with a sting. It was intelligence gathering he was doing now, he had the complete layout out the village in front and below him locked in to his brain. Every morning all the fit and healthy males, from adolescent to well past their prime marched to the Imperial mining complex about 2 hours away, they returned about an hour before dusk. The females without children, the old and crippled males and the young would spend the day doing normal house hold chores and tending to small areas of ground used for growing some sort of root vegetable. They made some form of stew out of it, no hunters. Which meant, he hoped, no weapons. If they had any for protection from wild animals he had not seen them. So far he had seen no dissident or potentially rebellious activities, and more important, no Republic presence. The cave entrance was being watched from orbit, and any movement would be seen. He had his doubts, cloud cover and a triple canopy rain forest with mists, and they said they could watch from orbit. Even if they used both hands they couldn't find their own... Approaching speeders, two by the sound. Two Czerka Patrollers,by the look of them, entered the central clearing of the village, the two riders dismounted and removed their head gear. A female Togruta, and a male Human, he was armed with twin blaster pistols, Imperial issue by the look, must be the bodyguard, she looked unarmed. Must be the negotiators that skinny Sith mentioned, but a Togruta, the Empire very rarely trusted non Humans to do anything of value. Well not his problem. They walked to the village leaders hut, he could see that they were speaking, but the distance made in impossible to hear, he was unable to use any listening devices in case the electronics were detected. And old male and female came to the door, formal pleasantries were exchanged. He say the two negotiators then look at each other, then turn away from the hut. Janos smiled, he could have told them, the village leader and all the counsel would be at the mine, in for a long wait guys. He watched them as they went back to the speeders. The male took a bag from the speeder, then he took something from it and began to eat it, Janos zoomed in tight, yup, Imperial rations, had to be them. The female went down onto her knees in the clearing, she placed both hands on the top of her thighs and closed her eyes. She looked to be in some kind of trance, maybe meditating, she didn't look like a Sith. An alarm started to sound in his head, he tapped Kaliyo with his foot. Instantly she came awake. She came up beside him, he nodded at the sniper scope and whispered,
"Take a look, Imperial gear, but she looks like she's using a Jedi meditation technique."
" Andronikos Revel, you old dog."
She moved back to her sleeping position and curled up again.
"You know them ?" Janos said.
"Yup." She looked at him and smiled that charming but deadly smile. Janos briefly wondered how many men had died looking at that smile.
"Care to share ?"
"When you were getting all pally pally with your Sith Lord, I was doing a bit or research on him, our Lord Dondinas is a Sith pure blood, which makes him even more un trust worthy. A former apprentice to Darth Zash. Dondinas has a few companions, a giant hulking Dashade, he quite obviously is not there. The man is Andronikos Revel. Ex pirate, murderer, thief and all round sweetheart. Not the sort of man who gives to the poor. The Togruta, well that is Lord Dondinas's new apprentice, Ashara Zavros , she is or was Jedi, he turned her, caused quite a stir by all accounts. So if they are the negotiators, it is safe to assume that the real negotiators are resting at the bottom of a nice swamp. I think you may have got us caught up in a Sith game. Now do you mind if I catch up on some Beauty sleep."
"I'm just following orders. I don't like playing games."
"I know some games you would like." Then blew a kiss, curled up and went back to sleep.
"I'm sure you do." He reminded himself not to play any of her games.