Chapter 42

Fifteen hours wasn't enough time. Hinata walked through the halls of the synthetic mansion, thoughts racing about the upcoming mission to Glee Anselm. Things were ballooning more than she expected they would. Their quick mission to find Sam's dad was swiftly turning into something much deeper.

She climbed up the library stairs, barely passing a greeting to Sam as she went by. With all the details to sort out, there wasn't time for pleasantries. Or perhaps there were, but Hinata's mind was too preoccupied to consider it a possibility. The library's wallpaper turned to metal and Hinata walked past the multitude of computers, each screen flashing with colorful lights and 8-bit notes from the games Lupe downloaded onto them. Finally, she reached the lab. The door slid open with a chime and she went in, stopping when she saw Lupe and Chirithy inside.

Lupe patted his neck with a towel, his hair tied back and his face reddened from exertion. He looked over at the sound of the door, smiling. "Hey Hina. Welcome back."

She returned the smile but only for a fleeting moment before it softened. "Thanks. Um… Could I talk to you about the upcoming mission?"

"Sure!" He straightened, flinging his towel to hang over his shoulder. "I was wanting to check in with you about it too."

"You should take a shower first," Chirithy pointed out.

Hinata shook her head, laughing shortly. "Right! Sorry, you were obviously in the middle of something. I'm just a bit anxious."

Lupe chuckled, waving his hand. "Nah, it's fine! Sam and I were just training a bit. But Chirithy has a point. I'll take a quick shower then meet back here?"

"You can probably borrow the shower in Velcia's room if you need it. That way you don't have to go all the way back to your apartment."

"That'd be great, thanks!" Lupe waved, heading towards the door out of the lab.

Once the door slid shut behind him, Hinata released a heavy breath. She went to the main console and pulled up a chair. "Ben, can you bring up the info Clarisse gave us?"

Ben's voice came through a speaker on the console. "Should be uploading now! Want me down there to look through everything with you?"

"Lupe should be in here in a few," she told him. "Could you keep an eye on Sam? I don't know how long this will be."

"Sure, sure!" Ben replied as cheerfully as ever. "Give a holler if you need me!"

Hinata nodded, leaning back in her seat. Her hand went to her chin, one of her fingers curved against her lips. A hologram blipped to life above the console, on it showed a rotating blue planet with very few green patches along its surface. Around its perimeter, dozens of red ships appeared, guarding access to the planet.

"How are we supposed to do this…?" Hinata asked herself.

Lifting her hand, she spread her fingers apart, enlarging the planet and zooming past the ships. As she approached the planet's surface white lettering appeared, naming each landmass and ocean. She spun the planet, searching for the island Clarisse mentioned by name. Nakano. It seemed smaller than the rest, in an archipelago of a dozen other islands curved beside it.

The door to the lab slid open and Lupe's huffing voice called out: "H-Here!"

Hinata straightened and looked over, sputtering into a laugh at a still drenched Lupe. He had clothes on, thank goodness, but his hair dripped, even while being scrunched up under his towel.

"Sorry," he laughed, still catching his breath. He walked in, trailing footsteps of water behind him that Chirithy dutifully dried up with its own towel. "I went as fast as I could."

"Were you even able to wash your hair?" Hinata asked.

"Eh, more or less." He shrugged. Lowering the towel, he shook his hand through his hair, loosening the damp strands that surprisingly bounced back into their fluffy state. The towel slung over his shoulder and he pressed his hands against the edge of the console, looking at the planet hologram. "Is this the place? Glee Anselm?"

"Mmhmm." Hinata pointed to the island. "And this is Nakano."

"Where Clarisse's brother will be waiting for us," he finished and Hinata nodded. "So run me through this. What's your plan?"

Hinata blew out a breath, zooming out the hologram to show the entire planet and the blockade. "I'm still figuring it out. The only thing I'm sure about is where to go once we're through."

"Then run me through that," Lupe said. "And we'll work from there."

"We get through and fly towards Nakano," she explained, miming with her hands. "Clarisse's brother, Kosh, will be waiting for us and he'll signal us over to the rebel base. The base has an underwater ship bay where the Highwind will be kept safe and hopefully, out of sight."

"What if we're noticed by the Separatists once we're in?" he asked.

"The Highwind has cannons, so we could potentially defend ourselves, but that would only get more attention on us," Hinata replied. She drummed her fingers along her arm rests. "And considering I'm not interested in getting us involved with a war, that's not something I'm super keen on."

Lupe chuckled. "Yeah, you and me both." He brought his hand to his chin. "I keep getting stuck on the getting in part. How do we sneak past a blockade?"

She blew out a breath. "No idea. I know I promised Sam, heck even Jenna, that we'd get Jarith back but… this is turning bigger than I expected."

Lupe hummed, then sighed, running his hand over his face. "I'm relieved to hear you say that."

"Why's that?" she asked.

He pulled up another chair and sat down. Chirithy hopped up and grabbed the damp towel from his shoulder, taking it to be hung to dry. They watched Chirithy toddle away with arms full of towels for a moment before Lupe started to explain, "I… didn't want to be a downer, but I was starting to worry all of this stuff with another galaxy and the war, it was taking our focus away from Keres."

Hinata winced. It wasn't nice to hear, but he was right.

"I mean, we saw the Organization take her. What if she starts destroying another world and we're all the way in another galaxy?" he asked. "This started as a quick in and out for Jarith, but now we're getting mixed up in a war… What if things go south? What if we end up stuck, too?"

The lab hummed with electricity, filling the quiet after Lupe finished. Hinata stared off in the distance, her hand curved over her mouth. They were thoughts that crossed her mind, but she wasn't sure how much weight to give them. Being asked directly, she needed to face them head on and be honest with herself.

"There's a few options," she said, moving her hand. "If we end up stuck there and Keres gets found, we can be transferred back to Twilight Town through the Highwind. We'll have to leave the ship there, but at least we'd have a way back when it was time. Another option could be calling Riku. He'd be able to make us a Corridor to get out of there and wherever we need to be." She tilted her head and shrugged. "But that should be a last resort because of his work with Sora right now."

Lupe nodded, leaning back in his seat. "But both options leave you guys without the Highwind."

"Yeah…" Hinata replied. "Admittedly not the best ideas."

"They do work though," Lupe said. "You'd be willing to leave your ship behind to go after Keres?"

"Absolutely," she replied right away.

"I guess it's not like Sam's dad can go anywhere," Lupe said and Hinata choked out a laugh. "Sorry," he snickered.

"It's true though." She glanced up at the holographic planet.

"One more thing before we talk about the blockade stuff." He shifted in his seat, his expression going serious. "If things go really south, like the rebel base gets destroyed and I can only get one of you out in time—"

"Is that likely to happen?" Hinata asked with an awkward laugh.

"Normally I'd say no, but after everything on Enchanted Dominion?"

She swallowed and tilted her head, conceding to his point.

He sighed. "I just… need you to know, I'd get you out."

She didn't want to be told and the thought terrified her. Shaking her head, she said, "I don't think you need to worry about that."

"But if I do," he tried to explain.

"If you do, I'd rather you get Sam out," she countered. "I'm the one that brought her into this."

"You're the only one that's been able to reason with Keres," he finished.

She looked away. "That doesn't mean Sam can't reason with her. She's never had the chance."

"What about Agrabah?" he asked.

"That does not count," Hinata argued, getting frustrated. "I acted the same way in Halloween Town. Hell, I even yelled at Santa about Keres!" She got out of her seat, pacing away.

Lupe got out of his seat as well and turned towards her. "But you are the one that relates to Keres. You know how her mind works, who she is. And it's your mission to stop her, not Sam's."

"Everyone here agreed to stop Keres." Hinata paced, her nails digging into her crossed arms. "Sam would figure it out."

"The same way you would?" he asked.

She forced out a harsh breath and turned towards him, hands out at her side. "Why does it matter? Why are we even talking about this right now?" She pointed towards the hologram. "If you hadn't noticed, we're running on a timer and have a mission to figure out. And you're talking about some horrible life and death scenario that might not even happen?"

Lupe looked towards the hologram. "We need to figure out the worst case scenarios. I know it isn't easy to talk about, but it's important."

"Why is it important?" she asked, knowing the answer deep down. "I don't want to go into this mission with that looming over us. We're going to get there and figure things out, it's what we've always done. I'm already living with enough fear of losing more people, I don't need this!"

"And I can't just let you go into a situation like this without sorting this stuff out," Lupe said, walking towards her. "What happened in Enchanted Dominion shouldn't have happened. We weren't prepared, we had no idea what we were really walking into and I had to watch it happen." He pressed his hands to his chest, making sure to keep his voice level and gentle, despite the harsh words. "I watched Velcia nearly kill herself. I watched you throw yourself at those dark specters. It…" His voice wavered and he cleared his throat, pushing back his hair. "It was terrifying. I need us to have a plan in case things go south. One that doesn't have everyone freaking out and trying to sacrifice themselves while I just sit here watching it happen."

Hinata sniffed, her face reddened with tears threatening to fall.

"Just… think about what happens if you don't come back." Lupe continued. "This is Sam's mission. She's the one taking the risks. It's like a side mission from your main one. Why are you the one wanting to take the fall?"

"It's not about her mission or my mission," Hinata said, her voice strained. "It's about Sam being someone I care about. Someone I feel responsible for."

"And I feel responsible for you. Your dad's the one that brought me here. And what do you think Riku would do to me if I let you die?"

Hinata huffed out a short laugh at that. "Riku would understand. He wouldn't be upset with you."

"I still wouldn't want that on my conscience," he told her. "And, by the way, we aren't running against a clock. If we need to pause before we get to Glee Anselm, that's ok."

"You are the one that said we needed to get back to Keres," Hinata pointed out, rubbing away a stray tear.

"I know," he said, putting up his hands. "But that doesn't mean we have to rush into things. We could take time to iron things out. Get everyone on the same page."

She looked around the lab, running her hands along her arms. "I feel like that's all I ever do. Talk about things. It never really makes a difference."

"Have you ever had someone there to help plan things out?" he asked, smiling when she glanced over at him.

It bothered her that he was right. She'd never had someone there to strategize and break things down with. He respected her authority and challenged it, whether she wanted the position or not. If anything, this was the perfect opportunity to talk things through. Maybe this time it'd made a difference. Still, that didn't make it any easier.

"Why are you wanting to talk about the worst case scenarios?" she asked with a sniffle. "What's the goal right now?"

He tilted his head, likely wondering why he needed to explain it again. "I want to make sure you know what to do if it comes down to it. That you know what I'm going to do and why I'll do it."

With a small nod, she thought about it, then asked, "You mentioned you didn't want my death on your conscience, what about Sam's?"

"For the record, I don't want anyone's death on my conscience," he clarified. "What I meant is that for this mission, it's Sam's risk. She'd be doing this with or without us. You have something bigger going on. Something that's affecting a lot of worlds and people. We need you for this. And…" he paused, blowing out a breath, ruffling his hair. "I'm with Chirithy, your dad kinda scares me. I really don't want him freaking out at me."

Hinata coughed out a laugh, shaking her head, Lupe snickered along with her. The breath of levity did both of them good and Hinata took a moment to think. "I don't want to agree with you," she said after a while. "I want you to know that."

Lupe's eyes softened and he nodded. "I get that."

Looking up towards the ceiling, Hinata struggled to get the words out. "If things come down to it and there's no other way, you can do what you need to do."

A solemn wave washed over him, but also one of relief. "Thank you," he said. "And if it helps, based on the info we have, there's really only like a five percent chance things get that bad."

She huffed out a laugh. "Five percent? I'd rather it be less than one."

"Ah, we can't be too positive."

A smile quirked her mouth. "What are the other worst case scenarios?"

"Nothing as drastic, thankfully," he explained. "There's a pretty high chance of us getting trapped there and having to join the rebels. Slightly smaller chance of the Separatists finding us and trying to get information. Worse if they can gain access to this place. And like a one percent chance of Ben going to the dark side, things like that."

Hinata sputtered into an actual laugh. "I don't think Ben has an evil bone in his body."

"Well, screw, in his case," Lupe clarified. "But I dunno, he did some shady stuff back with Captain Flynt."

Shaking her head, Hinata chuckled and wiped away her tears. She took a deep breath, settling her nerves. "Do you think we can do this?"

"Finding Sam's dad?" he asked and Hinata nodded. "I know we can. We'll come up with a plan, and a few backup plans for good measure, and we'll make it happen."

"What's our chances?" she asked.

He hummed, tilting his head back and forth. "I'd say at least seventy percent. Having Kosh on the surface to help is huge. If we get a solid plan on getting through the blockade, that'd bump us up by at least another twenty percent."

She nodded with a smirk. Her confidence was starting to grow. They could do this. "Then let's figure it out."

The FTL Drive hummed in the underbelly of the Highwind. Riku's Corridor pulsed inside its thick glass casing. Pipes and thick wires webbed out from the glass, covering the walls and attaching to multiple consoles. Sam worked beneath one of the consoles, sparks bouncing around her and light blooming across the grated floor.

Glowing wires criss crossed above her, each one filled with a viscous liquid that powered the ship's magic drive. She'd done some work on the drive alongside DiZ, but this was the first time she got to handle it on her own. Despite the lack of experience, she didn't hesitate with her work and soldered a new connection between circuits.

"Any idea what this thing's going to look like yet?" she asked, glancing away from her work. She could only see Hinata's feet and the glow of Jim's hologram from where she was.

"Not yet," Hinata replied. She leaned back against the FTL drive, flipping through droid diagrams on her tablet. "Ben said he'll let me know when they find something."

"You sure it will work?" Jim asked. His voice wavered as his hologram flickered.

"It's our best chance," Hinata replied. "We don't have the firepower to brute force our way in."

"You'd be surprised," Sam said. She slid out from underneath the console, a stain of oil slick across her cheek. Sitting up, she rubbed her hands together. "I've done what I can. Once we get the blueprints I'll program them in."

"You're really doing it," Jim said with a scoff that mixed into a chuckle. "Man, I wish I was there for this. Will the Highwind be able to change back?"

"It should," Sam said. She grabbed a nearby towel and wiped the grease from her hands. "We always change back. No reason the ship should be different."

"It's a concern," Hinata admitted. "It should change the inside too, but it's what we've got."

Jim hummed. "There's gotta be some sort of protection spell for that stuff right?"

Sam snorted. "Since when did you know magic?"

He huffed out a laugh. "I don't, I'm just saying. That's a thing, isn't it?"

"It's a thing," Hinata agreed. "Not sure how to do it, but I know it's possible. One of those 'wish Velcia was here' moments."

Her tablet chimed and she opened a message from Ben. An image of a ship appeared on the screen. It was dull green, with an arched windowed roof and a tall metal fin in the back. A single antennae stuck out from the top, matching the height of the fin. White text scrolled across the image, providing information and code for the ship.

"They got it." Hinata turned the tablet around.

"Sheathipede Shuttle," Sam read aloud. "Huh." She grabbed the tablet and slid back under the console.

They watched her work, seeing the glow of sparks. Jim's brow creased and he crossed his arms.

"There's one thing— ok actually there's a ton of things, but I don't get how Clarisse was able to get in touch with her brother. I thought the whole reason we didn't know Jarith was there was because of the blockade blocking any sort of communication."

"Yeah, what's that about?" Sam agreed.

Hinata shook her head. "She didn't really explain it much. Her family has a unique way of communicating with each other, even across planets. I don't know how, or why, but it's useful for us."

Jim put his hand to his chin. "Do you think it's like… telepathic or something?"

"God I hope not," Sam said. She slid out from the console. "I'd be freaked out, worrying she could hear our thoughts."

Hinata and Jim huffed soft breaths of laughter.

"Either way," Hinata said, "I'm grateful for it. Gives us an insider on the planet. I didn't like the idea of going in blind."

"Yeah, me neither," Sam replied, pulling herself up and turning towards the console. "But alright, I think that should do it. Wanna give it a test?"

Jim glanced at Hinata, eyebrows raising. Hinata worried over her bottom lip, looking down at the strange ship shown on her tablet. It didn't seem like the entire Highwind would even fit inside the thing, at least at a glance. But like she'd said before, this was their only choice.

"Let's move the valuables to the digital mansion," she decided, placing the tablet on a nearby console. "Just in case."

Sam nodded and immediately moved to start gathering. "Aye aye."

Hinata took a moment to breathe, gently gripping the edge of the console behind her.

"Feeling worried?" Jim asked and Hinata nodded.

"A little bit," she admitted. "But I think we'll be ok. It's just a lot."

"Yeah that seems to be the usual with you guys though," he replied, chuckling. "At least that's what I've picked up from all the stories Sam's told me."

Hinata smiled. "You're right about that. At some point we'll get it together."

"I'd say you already have," Jim said with a shrug and he smiled when Hinata looked up at him. "Look out for Sam for me, ok?"

"As long as you look after yourself," she countered, her expression softening as Jim's hologram flickered away. She stared at the dimmed communication module, considering calling Riku, but a crash from upstairs followed by cursing made her think otherwise.

Heading up the stairs to the crew quarters, she found Sam's arms wrapped around a large potted plant that she recognized from Velcia's room. It wouldn't have been the first thing she went for if she were the one collecting valuables around the ship, but she was sure Velcia would appreciate her herbs being preserved. Gold coins and jewels were sprawled across the floor as Ben frantically picked them up one by one, placing them into an opened treasure chest on its side.

With a soft laugh, Hinata knelt and helped Ben with picking things up. "You guys run into each other?"

"Something like that," Sam answered, resituating the large potted plant in her arms

Ben laughed. "I guess we were in a hurry." He hefted up the filled treasure chest and beamed. "I can't wait to test out the magic drive!"

Hinata's mouth curved but didn't quite reach a smile. "We'll see how it goes." She reached for the chest. "I'll take this if you want to grab more things. Can you beam us over?"

"Sure can!" Ben replied with a salute, the white light already enveloping them.

They reappeared in the lab, Sam's and Lupe's work rooms on either side. Sam placed down the potted plant, dusting her hands together. The door to Lupe's station hissed open and he and Chirithy peeked out.

"What's all this?" Lupe asked with a chuckle, walking out with Chirithy toddling beside him.

Ben appeared in a bright flash of light before any of them could answer, carrying another chest in his arms. "Captain had the idea to bring all the ship's valuables here before we tested out the magic drive!"

Lupe looked towards Hinata, his smile broadening. "Oh yeah?"

Hinata strained as she placed down the chest. "Figured it would be safer in case the drive malfunctions and destroys things inside."

"That was a great call, Captain," he replied, a sparkle of pride in his eyes.

She laughed softly. "Thanks." Turning to her friends she told them, "Let's get the rest moved over." Then she paused. "But actually, when we're done, can we trigger the magic drive from here? Just in case."

Lupe's smile grew but he stayed silent.

"I think I'll have to be there at least," Ben said, his thin metal finger to his chin. He noticed Hinata's thoughtful frown and quickly added, "But it's nothing to worry about! This is a copy body anyway."

"Doesn't really help me feel better," Hinata said with a sigh.

"It's better than all of us being there if things go south," Sam replied. "Not that I want anything happening to Ben, but it kinda seems like the best choice."

Blowing out a breath, Hinata nodded. "Alright… we'll go with that." She looked towards Ben. "You sure you're ok with the risk?"

Ben waved her off. "Of course I'm sure! I'll still have another copy of me here no matter what happens. So don't you worry!"

She let out a soft laugh. "Then let's get the rest of the things."

It didn't take long for them to gather all the valuables. A few trips back and forth as Chirithy and Ben's copy organized the things they brought through. Lupe went back to his workroom, watching over the progress and asking questions about some of the items he saw them gathering.

The team returned to the lab once more, it was much fuller than before but fortunately uncluttered thanks to Chirithy's and Ben's organization. The girls placed down their final things and joined Lupe in his work room.

For the first time, Hinata was able to see exactly what Lupe saw while they were on missions. One screen showed a top view scanner that pulsed and showed a bright yellow dot where she assumed Ben was on the Highwind. Other screens showed things from their perspective, one for each of them. Hinata wasn't sure how that was possible, perhaps through their earpieces, but she didn't know enough about the technology to know for sure.

"Are you ready, Ben?" Hinata asked.

"Just say the word, Captain!" Ben said. His metal finger hovered above the navigation screen where she saw a new icon on it with a pixel image of the Highwind.

Hinata hesitated, swallowing hard. Lupe put his hand on her shoulder and she took a breath. "Alright. Turn it on."

Ben tapped the icon, a flurry of golden sparkles bursting out of the screen upon contact. The Highwind creaked, those same sparkles growing into shimmering streams as if they were shooting stars swirling and weaving in and out of the ship. Ben looked around, everyone huddled together watching with bated breath.

Starting from the top of the mast, the magic spread over it. As if made of clay, its form shifted and melded into the green metal Hinata recognized from the Separatist ship. The further the magic drifted, the more the Highwind changed. A domed ceiling pieced together over Ben's head. The navigation and steering in front of him transformed into a cockpit with large vast windows on every side. The usual quiet hum of the Highwind thrummed deeply. Metal creaked and tiny lights along the navigation blinked in and out. Ben remained there, completely unharmed.

"It worked," Hinata breathed out and everyone burst into a cheer.

Lupe put his arm around Hinata, shaking her with a chest full of laughter. They all chattered and bustled while Hinata remained still, staring at the screen in relieved disbelief. It really worked.

"Come on!" Sam's order cut through Hinata's stupor.

She looked over to see Sam already by the door back to the lab.

"Do you wanna see the ship for yourself or not?" Sam asked.

Hinata let out a breath, her chest going light. She left Lupe's side and walked backwards towards Sam. The delayed excitement started filling her. "It actually worked!"

Lupe grinned, chuckling and waving as the girls disappeared in a flash of white.

Ben greeted them the moment they arrived and Hinata rushed forward and threw her arms around him. He laughed, hugging back and lifting her completely off the ground.

"You're ok?" she asked once she was back on the ground. Holding his shoulders, she pushed him back and looked him over. "Did it feel weird?"

"Didn't feel a thing!" Ben promised with a hand up. "It was weird to have the floor change, I guess."

He was right. It was different from the Highwind. Thin cushioning laid over metal, but only around the captain's seat that sat on a platform above the rest of the cockpit. Sam went down the small set of stairs into the cockpit itself, examining all the new controls. There were elements she recognized and some she didn't, and talked with Lupe and Ben back in the synthetic town, attempting to decipher what they were. Hinata ran her hand along the back of the captain's chair as she walked around it, taking in the rest of the deck. They were in a round domed room. Three metal doors led deeper into the ship. From the schematics Ben sent her, Hinata knew the middle door led to an elevator, while the other two doors led to hallways and escape pods.

Ben came back to Hinata's side and stood tall, saluting. "Everything seems to be in tip top shape, Captain! I scanned the rest of the ship and everything remains undamaged."

She smiled at the formality of it all, but appreciated the report. The precautions turned out to be unnecessary, but she didn't regret taking them. Coming back around to the front of the captain's chair, she lowered herself into it, surprised at the plush leather. "Thank you, Ben," she replied once she was fully seated. "I guess the next step is waiting until we arrive."

"Thankfully it's only two hours, thirteen minutes, and twenty-five seconds till we arrive at our destination!" Ben reported and Hinata snorted.

"Good to know," she replied. Leaning back in her seat, she released a long breath. "And here I was thinking fifteen hours to get ready wasn't enough."

"Ah, it's good to have a buffer," Sam said. Her feet clanked against the metal floor as she walked back up the stairs. "Wanna check out the rest of the ship?"

Hinata glanced up at her. The entire trip Sam hadn't seemed the least bit worried about their oncoming mission. If anything, she seemed to be akin to the free spirit she used to relate to Sam back when they first met on Montressor. She wanted to ask about it, but also didn't want to disturb the joy radiating off of her. Instead, she smiled and nodded, getting up out of her seat.

"It'll help pass the time," Hinata said, following Sam and Ben towards the elevator.

Each of their rooms remained intact. Their beds transformed into metal cots underneath a thick rectangular window. The sparring room became an armory, and the underbelly of the ship an engine room Sam seemed more accustomed to. Riku's Corridor still pulsed in the center of it, encased in cylindrical glass. The entire ship lacked the homeliness of the Highwind, but it was a marvel nonetheless. It didn't seem possible to Hinata that a mere connection of wires and code could cause such a transformation. Her father's creations continued to amaze and unsettle her.

The following two hours trudged by. Hinata kept an eye on the streaks of stars, as if a Separatist ship would appear without warning. Her fingers picked at the leather seam of her captain's chair. It didn't feel right being literally placed above the rest of the crew. Sam and Ben worked the controls down below in the cockpit. Avan, having been transferred to the ship about an hour prior, swatted at a lever, getting scolded by Sam. Hinata still wasn't sure if she was ready for the little dragon to come along, but she supposed there never was going to be the perfect mission for it. He just might surprise them.

"We should be arriving in one minute, forty-five seconds," Ben called out.

Hinata's fingers dug into the arm rest. "Alright. Time to get ready, Ben."

Ben nodded, standing and pressing a button in the control board. A stream of magic raised out from the floor, circling him in swaths of purple and gold. When it shimmered away, a tan droid replaced Ben's figure.

"Woah!" Ben exclaimed, looking down at himself. His voice changed to a deeper whine, sounding exactly like the droids they discovered on Bane's ship. "This is weird." He patted his hands over his body, having limited movement. "How do these guys fight? I can't even twist my arms!"

Hinata chuckled and Sam replied, "Pretty sure they aren't meant to be hi-tech. They're meant to be cheap to make so they can crank out a ton of them at once."

"Roger Roger," Ben said, before laughing. The sound was stilted, one sound coming out at a time. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Hilarious." Sam didn't get the joke and rolled her eyes.

Letting out a breath, Hinata toyed with her braided bracelet. Its fabric would keep them concealed from the scanners, as long as they didn't draw attention to themselves during the interrogation. Ben could handle it, she had faith in him, but it didn't keep her stomach from knotting.

"Coming out of the FTL Drive," Ben said, "in three, two, one…"

The streaks of stars flushed away, and with a flash of light they appeared before a mass army of Separatist ships. The mass of black and green was backlit by the aqua planet behind them, its blue glow highlighting the sharp angles of metal. It was a terrifyingly beautiful sight.

"Receiving transmission," Ben said. He tapped his fingers across the controls. "Patching it through."

A blue hologram flickered to existence in front of the windshield, showing a large black droid. Hinata recognized it as one of the droids from Bane's ship. Two horizontal slits made up its eyes, above a thin grated mouth.

"What is your code?"

"Ahh, B24019," Ben replied. "We're here with a prototype weapon."

There was a slight pause. Hinata bit her trembling lip.

"We have no record of your arrival," it replied.

"That would be because it's confidential!" Ben said with just a little bit too much enthusiasm. "U-uh I mean, we were instructed to keep our arrival off the comm channels. It's a specialized droid that works underwater."

Another pause. Two smaller ships broke off from the formation, coming on either side of the Highwind. "Go to the Sabilon Checkpoint. There your cargo will be inspected."

"Roger Roger," Ben replied and the hologram flickered away.

Everyone let out a collective breath.

"We're in," Lupe whispered, as if worried the droids would pick up on his voice through the earpiece.

"Yeah but now they want to inspect the cargo," Sam muttered back. "They'll figure it out pretty quick."

Hinata didn't say anything. She kept her eyes trained on the frigates parting and allowing them passage. The strange small ships escorted them through. Glee Anselm's thick atmosphere licked at the windows. Condensation formed, fogging their view.

"We'll be reaching the surface soon," Ben reported and Sam looked back towards Hinata.

"Give them time," Hinata replied, keeping her voice down. "They'll be here."

"And if they're not?" Sam asked, her voice shaking.

Hinata frowned, but didn't reply. She'd give the order for them to attack if there was no other way, but only then.

They broke through the clouds and all at once they were able to take in the vibrant oceans of Glee Anselm. Coral reefs protruded from the surface, porous and sharp beneath their colorful cacophony. Sam steered the Highwind to avoid them, their escorts mirroring their movement. In the distance they could make out a marshy landmass. Blocky buildings stuck out of the mud, each one gray and lifeless, matching the cold contrast the droids had to a world otherwise filled with life. Even further still, another building towered over the rest, but its details were lost to the fog.

Squadrons of droids marched out of the buildings, their metal feet slinging mud with every step. They awaited the Highwind's arrival, standing tall with blasters at the ready.

"Shit," Sam muttered.

"I see them," Lupe's voice came through the earpiece. "The scanner's picking up a handful of ships coming your way."

"Thank goodness," Hinata whispered, leaning back in her seat.

"But there's… something else," Lupe said slowly. "Something big. It's following them under the water. I can't make out what it is."

As if on cue, a deep thrumming hum rattled through the air. The water rippled and what few trees stuck out of the marshes trembled. Even the droids on the island were unsteadied by it.

"What was that?" Sam asked.

"Just keep moving forward," Hinata ordered.

A group of five ships zoomed into view, their gray exteriors splattered with hues of blue and green paint. Red bolts of plasma fired from thin cannons, disrupting the Separatist ships escorting the Highwind.

"Don't fire," Hinata told Sam and Ben. "We need to stay undercover."

It was easier said than done as a few stray shots struck the side of the ship, sending them rocking wildly back and forth. The Separatist ships swirled around the Highwind, giving chase to the attackers. Droids from the marshy island fired in bursts, their shots misaligned and hitting everything but their targets. The Highwind's shield whined, absorbing the shots but creaking and shaking everyone inside around.

"We're getting a transmission!" Ben called over the firefight. "Patching it through!"

The same droid leader from before appeared as a hologram. "Why are you not attacking?"

"Uhh," Ben scratched the side of his head. "It seems our weapons are malfunctioning. We're under heavy fire!"

"Sending reinforcements," it simply replied.

"That won't be necess-" Ben scrambled, but the transmission cut him off. "Oh boy."

Another growling hum rumbled through the water. It sounded much closer than before.

"Guys, get out of there!" Lupe yelled. "Whatever that thing is under the water, it's coming up!"

"Go!" Hinata ordered and Sam gripped the controls, accelerating the engines.

A massive brown head lifted out of the water in front of them. Waves swirled and crashed against its neck as it lifted higher and higher, revealing itself as a turtle-like creature. Sam pulled the brakes, attempting to turn the Highwind around. The turtle's maw opened, seeming like a black hole that could swallow all the ships with one fell swoop.

"Saaaam?!" Hinata yelled.

"I am trying!" Sam replied, speeding in the other direction.

It wasn't fast enough. The turtle's neck shot forward and snapped them up in its mouth. Everything went black. The Highwind's lights bloomed inside the cockpit, revealing them to indeed be hovering in the jaws of the turtle. Flat teeth surrounded them, and a plump bumpy tongue waggled beneath them. They could hear the chaos of the battle outside, but then the sound of it faded and warbled.

"Is everyone ok?" Lupe asked.

"What the hell just happened?!" Sam yelled.

"We're ok," Hinata said to everyone, including herself. She swallowed hard and got up from her seat. "Lupe, Ben, try to get a scan of this thing. What is it?"

"You want to learn about it?" Sam asked, spinning her seat around. "It just ate us!"

"I want to know why," Hinata replied, jogging down the steps into the cockpit. "It didn't get anyone else, just us."

"You think it was on purpose?" Lupe asked.

"I'm hoping, anyway," Hinata said. "Otherwise? We need to figure out a weak spot to fire on."

A pair of headlights lit up on the tongue's surface.

"Doesn't seem like we are the only ones," Ben replied, peeking down as a dark silhouette walked out to be in front of the bright lights.

Everyone watched the silhouette. It raised its arms, waving them down. As Hinata stared, she noticed white hair glistening in the light.

"Kosh," she whispered. "I think that's Kosh."

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Clarisse's brother," she answered quickly. "Lower the ship."

"You're not seriously wanting to land on this thing's tongue?" Sam asked.

"Look I get this isn't what any of us expected, but if that's Kosh, he's got an explanation and I want to hear it," Hinata replied, motioning her hands towards the windshield. "So yes, land on the tongue."

"Alright, alright," Sam conceded, setting out the landing gear.

"For once, I think I'm glad I'm not there," Lupe commented and Hinata scoffed. "And I'm not getting any info on this thing. Whatever it is, even DiZ doesn't know anything about it."

"Maybe Kosh will know," Ben suggested.

The legs of the ship settled uneasily on the tongue's surface. It wobbled unevenly, sinking and squelching into the viscous saliva. Seeing them land, the silhouette closed the distance between them, striding across the tongue as if it were any usual floor.

"That's weird, right?" Sam asked.

"Who knows? Maybe riding on the inside of giant turtle mouths is normal transportation out here," Ben said and Lupe snorted.

Hinata went to the airlock and pressed her hand against a scanner beside it. With a chime, the door hissed open, filling the cabin with a thick musty humidity and the salty stench of half-digested seaweed. Sam retched, pinching her nose while Hinata squinted her burning eyes and attempted to get a good look at the masked figure standing right outside the Highwind.

Bits of white hair stuck out from the bottom of a cloth hat. The cloth wrapped around his head and the bottom half of his face. Even with just his eyes showing, Hinata recognized the blue hue of his skin and the bright golden eyes.

He stepped inside, globs of saliva splotching across the floor from his rubber boots. The door slid shut behind him and he undid the cloth wrapped over his mouth. It fell away, revealing white starry-like freckles across his cheeks that shimmered with every minute movement as he took in his new surroundings.

"Kosh?" Hinata asked.

He smiled with a toothy grin and a chuckle. "That's me." He held out a gloved hand, then pulled it back the moment he realized how slick it was with spit. Clearing his throat, he stuffed the glove into a pouch and held out a clean blue hand. "Kosh D'veari. You must be the ones Clarisse told me about."

Hinata hesitated before taking his hand. "Yeah, I'm Hinata, and that's Sam, Ben, and that little guy sleeping on the navigation is Avan."

Kosh's eyes widened and he trailed straight towards Avan, trailing dirtied footsteps behind him. "What sort of creature is he?"

He reached towards Avan before Sam gripped his wrist. "Not a good idea," she warned. "And didn't you just get us swallowed by a turtle? Think you could explain that?"

"That would be great," Hinata agreed with an awkward chuckle, appreciative as Ben got to work cleaning up the goop left behind Kosh's boots.

Kosh looked between them, stepping back rubbing his wrist when he got it back from Sam. "What's a turtle?"

Lupe snickered in Hinata's ear and her lips thinned.

Taking a breath, Hinata tried to clarify, "I think what we're wondering is what are we inside of and why are we inside of it?"

Kosh's mouth twitched upwards and he recoiled sheepishly. He glanced behind him, realizing the mess he trudged across the ship. "We're inside a Gampassa. Well, Khayeza to be precise. She's taking you to our base. You'll be safe there and the Separatists won't be able to find you there. The-uh," he motioned his hand in a circular motion, "scanners, I think, can't work through organic matter. Not that well anyway. So with Khayeza, she's able to get you away from them without being followed." He cleared his throat again and stood up straight as if reporting to a higher up. "I hope that explains it clearly."

Hinata's eyes softened. Kosh seemed to share a similar disposition to his sister. It was endearing, if a little difficult to work with.

"Wait, so how did you get Khayeza to do all this?" Sam asked. "You're like the size of a bug compared to her."

That amused Kosh and he chuckled, ruffling the back of his head before he realized it was still wrapped in cloth and damp with saliva. He pulled out an old rag from another pouch and wiped his hands. "It's a bit embarrassing to admit. People always treat me differently once I explain it, but… I'm Force sensitive."

Hinata and Sam looked between each other. "Force sensitive?" Sam asked.

"Just a little bit," Kosh explained in a rush, seeming bashful about it. "Not enough to be trained as a Jedi or anything like that. I mean, even if I was that powerful I don't think I'd do it. My old Master Kit Fisto was kind enough to train what little ability I had. Turns out I had an affinity for communicating with animals."

"So, you can talk with animals?" Hinata asked and Ben gasped, rushing over.

"Oh OH! If you can, you gotta meet Jack!" Ben gushed, leaning on the top of his mop. "I'm the only one that can understand him! It's the worst! So isolating for the poor thing. I mean, I know how that goes, but for a dog? He needs someone to listen to him! And I think-"

"Ben," Hinata put her hand on his shoulder, "let Kosh talk, alright?"

"Right, right," Ben zipped up his mouth.

Kosh rubbed his hands together, chuckling awkwardly. "It's not like I can understand what they are saying. More, sense their emotions and sensations in their mind. It's hard to explain."

"That's neat." Sam shrugged. "So you know my dad, Jarith? Is he actually here?"

He tilted his head, seeming surprised she took his ability with such nonchalance. Despite it, he moved on with the subject change. "Commander Jarith is your father?" He hummed, his hand going to his chin. "Now that you mention it, I do see the resemblance."

"Commander?" Sam repeated, letting out a breathless laugh. She looked towards Hinata, a grin spreading. "He's really here."

"Hmm, he likely won't be at the Rebel Base when we arrive," Kosh explained. "He left yesterday to attend to his family and attempt to bring them to base to keep them safe. The Separatists have been tightening their hold on Glee Anselm, it seems. He's been concerned for their safety, but he hasn't returned yet."

"Then can we go there first?" Sam asked and Kosh shook his head.
"It would be better to get your ship in a proper hangar bay first," he explained. "It's unfortunate, but Khayeza's saliva is likely going to stall your engine, so it will need some repairs."

"Great," Sam sighed.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Ben asked.

Kosh nodded. "That's what Commander Jarith has told me when I've used Khayeza's abilities in the past. He's had to repair quite a few ships because of it."

"Abilities as in swallowing things whole," Sam clarified and Kosh smiled.

"That is a common misconception. One your father often makes as well. None of you were swallowed. Otherwise we'd no longer be in the mouth." He looked up at both of them. "I should return to my ship. Khayeza will release us when we've reached the base. It shouldn't be much longer." He shortly bowed and made his way back to the airlock, careful with his steps so he wouldn't leave as much of a trail. The mask and gloves made their way back onto him before he opened the door and left the Highwind.

"That guy is definitely related to Clarisse," Lupe commented once the door slid shut behind Kosh. The group snickered in agreement.

"What was that Force thing he was talking about?" Sam asked and Hinata shook her head.
"If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably this world's version of magic," Hinata said. "At least we've got safe passage to the base."

"And that's one step closer to finding Jarith," Lupe added. "A bit unfortunate about the repairs though."

"Yeah, hopefully they don't take too long to fix up," Sam agreed, her leg bouncing nervously.

"You know Hina," Lupe said with a laugh, "even after all the planning we did to figure out all the possible scenarios, we didn't even come close to what just happened. Like what was that? You guys got nabbed by a gigantic-ass turtle! I don't think I even had that as a single percent chance."

Hinata joined in with the laughter. "Shows that the world will always find a way to surprise you, I guess." She ran her hands over her face, blowing out a breath. "Let's hope that was the hardest part."

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! We're finally on Glee Anselm. I'm having so much fun writing it. Oh! And I've got the rest of the story outlined! Not sharing how many chapters are left, but we're making good progress. Also let me know if you have a Kingdom Hearts OC. I started a KHOC Discord. It's been going really well and I'd love to add some more people! You can send me a dm or find me on Tumblr. Anyway, have a wonderful week!**