Imperial Centre Spaceport
New Order - day 301
Hela and Zur stood waiting for the Stormtroopers to clear their search; she slowly wiped her hands along her dress, anxiety gnawing at her.
The shuttle was spotless but they were taking their time with the search, despite Zur being in his uniform. He didn't push it but waited patiently for them to finish.
They finally emerged from her shuttle, blasters slung across their backs; they had found nothing incriminating in the ship.
"I don't see why you had to complete a search." she grumbled.
"Orders Ma'am!" One of them replied officiously.
"Why? When a member of the ISB is escorting me to my home planet. That should be sufficient." Hela retorted.
Zur answered for the Stormtroopers.
"Just because we checked it ourselves last night, my dear, doesn't mean there aren't some undesirables who would gain access to the ship and hide there overnight. Isn't that correct trooper?"
He slipped his arm through hers and she leaned into him; they were supposed to be a couple. The gesture was noted by the stormtroopers, as their helmets moved slightly towards each other.
"Yes sir, it is. All clear!"
"Thank you troopers. Have a good day!"
He guided Hela on to the shuttle; she let out a sigh as they entered and closed the door behind them.
.
A significant amount of Hela's wardrobe and jewellery was packed in the hold and had been searched. She stripped off the ornate dress she was wearing, leaving dark leggings and a dark top. Zur did the same. She pulled out two holdalls they had packed in two secret compartments, whilst Zur programmed the old, recently purchased R2 unit to take over the flight to Naboo; she would never have used one before, confident in her own flying ability and the state of the art navcom.
They sat quietly awaiting flight instructions and as soon as they received them, Hela switched to the R2 unit, which took over piloting. It slowed at the pre-programmed point where there was a holocam blind spot and Zur dropped out of the underside; Hela dropped the bags to him, and he held his hands up and lifted her down, to ensure she didn't hurt herself and they ran to the underused public Refreshers and entered.
The R2 unit obeyed ATC instructions and took off perfectly for Naboo, just as she would have done.
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Two Pantorans, one dressed in traditional garb, one in a guards uniform, exited the Spaceport B Public Refreshers and walked quickly towards the Diplomatic area.
After presenting her credentials to the guards, Hela passed through easily, as Zur handed his chain code over, the Stormtrooper looked at it closely.
Zur grumbled, "She's got no sense of direction. She had to go to the freshers for a comfort break, couldn't find her way back and they sent me to kriffing find her!"
Hela glared at him just as they walked to the Diplomatic Shuttle; they walked casually up the ramp, as if they belonged there. Once they entered the pilot shut the door.
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Hela strapped herself in and sat, heart racing, adrenaline still pumping; they weren't safe yet, they hadn't left Coruscant air space.
"You did well! Looked just like a haughty politician!" The pilot said, in a familiar Clone voice.
"Gregor?" She asked, relieved it was one that she knew.
"At your service ma'am, and sir." He added as an afterthought, "Riyo tells me everything is arranged for you on Pantora. You can stay a while and then decide where to go. I'd advise not staying too long, keep moving, if you can. The Empire could soon be on your trail, or arranging for someone to track you if you're so valuable to them."
"I feel guilty running away and I'm not sure exactly what value I am to them."
"There's lots of things happening and you disappearing into the Empire's guts doesn't help anyone. As one of my old training Sergeants would have said, 'Bas'lan shev'la', a strategic withdrawal. You have to live to fight 'em, eh Zur? You got any idea why they want her?"
Hela watched the two men talk about her as if she wasn't there.
"Something medical!" Zur scowled, knowing he should have done more digging but it was too dangerous, all leading to the Emperor. He was not going to make the same mistake he did with his sister; leaving it too long before taking action.
"Yeah could be. We found out some of my brothers are being experimented on. Now, you may think we should be used to that being clones but…"
"Doesn't make it right." Hela butted in.
"No it doesn't." Gregor turned to look at her again.
The comm buzzed and interrupted them.
"Imperial Centre ATC to the Pantoran diplomatic vessel, the 'Chairman Chi Cho'."
"Pantoran Diplomatic vessel, the 'Chairman Chi Cho', here."
"You have permission to depart."
"Thank you ATC. Have a good day." Gregor replied in a pleasant voice that did not match his face.
Hela thought she heard a grunt from the ATC before the line went dead.
"Okay let's get this show on the road," grinned Gregor, activating the navcom, "We'll get through the core and then enter hyperspace. I'm not going to drop out of hyperspace unless there's some trouble. There's four bunks, two freshers and more importantly plenty of food. There's a Dejarik table over there, we can have a game if you want, once we're settled in hyperspace."
He turned and smiled at Hela.
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Pantora
The four day flight was uneventful; there was plenty of room for the three of them. The Senator's Pantoran meals were delicious and Gregor was good company, despite Zur's grumpy attitude and the eventual landing was smooth.
Hela stepped from the shuttle and blinked in the bright sunshine; everything was so bright and clean—and normal. Although it was a city, it was nothing like Coruscant, no deep levels and the air was reasonably fresh.
She didn't see a Stormtrooper or any evidence of the Empire anywhere.
"Come on then this is our ride. Nice and tidy little piece." Gregor stroked the speeder as he walked past it, the Customer Service droid following them with their bags. It loaded them up and turned to leave.
"Just a minute!" Gregor raised his forefinger to the droid, it obediently turned towards him.
"A little something for your trouble," he said, jamming a slicing spike in its reset node. He twisted it a little and looked at the small screen next to it.
"There. Thank you very much."
"What did you do?" Asked Hela.
"Wiped its memory." Zur answered for Gregor, "It won't know that we landed here now.
"Your carriage awaits." Gregor indicated the speeder.
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Gregor drove them to Riyo's place and showed them around; it was a modern Apartment and not as large as Hela's but it had everything you could want.
"There's some food in the conservator but don't get too cosy, this is just for tonight. It's too dangerous for the Senator to be so closely involved with this. We have a safe house set up but that's from tomorrow. And…" he paused, "you'll have to be blindfolded for the journey there. Then its up to you."
Zur scowled and walked off to check the Apartment. He didn't trust anyone.
"Thank you Gregor." Hela said, "I'm just sorry you're still having to fight and have no choice in the matter."
He giggled, in that slightly high pitched way he had; Hela had seen some white scars peek out from under his shirt, so she assumed he had been injured and badly at some point in the war. She remembered Mayday's scars; he'd had quite a few by the end. She tried hard to remember what they last said to each other; his hands on her, holding her face. She twisted the resin locket, with the blue plom flower, she was wearing, that and Baylan's were the only items of distinctive jewellery she brought with her.
"Hela? Are you okay?"
She blinked at Gregor.
"I lost you for a while. Are sure you're okay?"
"Yes. Just remembering."
He nodded, knowing the feeling.
"Just to clarify, this is the one battle I chose myself. It needs to be done."
"Yes, it does."
"I'll be going. Things to do, people to see. It's been a pleasure to meet you both. And…I hope you find your Commander Mayday. If I hear anything…"
He gave her a laz two fingered salute as he left.
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Hela sat quietly on the comfortable settee, suddenly feeling very tired and yet she couldn't say why, although it had taken them four days to get to Pantora, it was comfortable and she was well fed but she had not slept well. She checked the time trying to work out when her own shuttle would reach Naboo; she wasn't sure how long it would take with all the calculations on distance and different length of rotation. She checked the Naboo news channel but nothing had been reported yet and they weren't sure if it would work. R2's could be sidetracked.
Now her mind was racing with all the possible permutations of what could happen; She tried to focus, to calm down but couldn't.
"You're tired!" Declared Zur, walking back into the room; he sensed her anxiety, "Get some sleep. It's secure here, you'll be fine. Tomorrow we go somewhere else then we can start planning the next stage, without the help of the clones."
"Why?"
"I don't trust them."
"Why not? They've helped us from the beginning."
"It's obvious isn't it. They changed sides once. They can do it again."
"These clones are taking a big risk—"
"And the Empire will be looking for them."
"The Empire's looking for us, isn't it?"
"Not yet. I've been monitoring the channels. But once they are it won't be safe. It's not safe for us all to be in close proximity. It would only take one mistake by one of the clones—."
"Or us!"
Zur ignored her.
"By one of the clones and we'd all be caught. This is why Gregor is right that we move on."
"I know. I know. Logically it makes sense." Hela snapped at him, "But where?"
.
The speeder moved smoothly through the traffic with Gregor driving; Hela saw nothing through the blindfold and could only hear a little when they slowed but nothing that told her where they were. They were the same big city sounds as you would hear on Coruscant but it gradually became different, what noises there were, felt different and it felt less built up, no echoes off buildings. She guessed they had been travelling for about an hour and a half when they finally stopped. Gregor opened the door and took their blindfolds off.
Hela blinked, acclimatising to the bright daylight; there were no longer any city sounds because they were in the countryside, what looked like farmland, with fields of some kind of grain that stretched as far as the eyes could see. She heard Zur sniff the air loudly, before looking around; he looked satisfied with what he was seeing, which was no buildings nearby.
Gregor hoisted their bags from the speeder together with more clothes that they had been given at Riyo's, so they didn't have to go into a shop.
"I would avoid going into town; it's small and strangers stand out. You will be asked a lot of questions, which if you don't answer, they'll start guessing, that makes for gossip, and that travels."
He opened the door, "We can get anything you need."
Hela followed him inside, "Are we here alone?" she asked, suddenly apprehensive.
"Yes, you will be most of the time. One of us will swing by every other day with supplies. There's a long range com if you need us."
He looked around outside, an expression of calm crossed his face; "It's quiet around here. You won't see anyone. If anyone does come to the door. Pretend you're not in." He smiled at Hela.
"Especially you!" He referred to Zur.
"Here's a couple of datapads. You'll need some access to the Holonet to plan your next moves. We've set it up for you. Don't contact anyone except us. Be careful!" He turned to leave.
"Will it be you coming back?"
Gregor smiled at her, "Do you want me to?"
Hela blushed, she did like him.
He smiled at her reaction, "I'll see what I can do."
Once the door closed, Zur was by her side.
"You shouldn't encourage him."
"I'm not. I'm just being friendly."
"I don't think he thinks that; in fact the pheromones he's giving off are not friendly."
Hela hesitated
"I'm not, am I?"
"If you're not sure you are."
She scowled at him before checking the Conservator; it was full. They wouldn't starve.
.
Hela heard the speeder coming down the road before Zur; they had just sat down to lunch.
Zur put a finger to his mouth then indicated with his hand to duck down.
Hela slipped off her chair and squatted on the floor; they were deathly quiet. Then came the rapping in the door, "Delivery!" A clone voice shouted.
Hela stayed down, while Zur went to the door and checked the old fashioned peephole. She stood up, when he opened the door.
"Hello folks. It's your friendly neighbourhood Corufresh (Pantora) division, delivery boy! How are you two?"
Hela smiled, "Alive."
"Alive is good." He replied as he put the box on the kitchen counter. Hela followed him, as Zur watched them closely.
'I didn't think it would be you bringing our supplies." She said, helping him to unload the box and put them away.
"Some of the others have had to go off world and it made sense for just one clone to be involved. The less people who know exactly where you are the better."
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Why? Don't you like me?"
"Of course I do."
"Thought so but then what's not to like." He swept his hand over his hair, smoothing it down.
Hela chuckled, it was the first time she laughed for a long time; it was a relief.
"That's better." Said Gregor, tilting her chin up with his finger, "I like to see you smile. Makes my day worthwhile."
Hela remembered what Zur had said and moved her head away, slipping to the side, he was getting a little too close.
"Would you like to stay for some food? I know you have prodigious appetites."
"I don't mind if I do."
Hela sorted through the fresh food and finally decided on something stir fried. It was quick and tasty.
"So what are we doing?" Asked Gregor.
"You can cook?"
"Spent time in a greasy spoon diner, so I learned to cook better. I'll get the spices."
He retrieved a tin from the large bag; Hela had not seen the tin of spices that had everything you needed to make a really tasty meal.
"Stir fry!"
"Ideal! We have noodles." He lifted a pack.
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Zur watched as the two chatted and prepared their meal. Hela chuckled, despite their circumstances; he was envious that she could find some light relief in these times but he was still wary of the Commando. He was different to Mayday; Zur observed him, taking in his smell, as if on cue the clone raised his head and their eyes met, the Commando's eyes hard and dangerous, neither backed down, until the Commando's gaze changed to one of slight humour.
Hela watched transfixed as Gregor chopped the onions, the knife moving like a rapid fire blaster.
"Do you always chop that fast and precise?" Asked Hela, looking at the pile of precisely chopped onions.
"Of course. It's in the genes." Smiled Gregor, "Meat ready?"
"Yes, rubbed to perfection."
"Hmm. We'll see." he raised an eyebrow.
He checked the Nuna breast, now covered in a red spicy marinade which he had mixed, "Perfect! Can you manage the wok?" He asked, grinning.
"Of course!" She tipped the small amount of oil in and turned the heat up.
Zur tipped his head at Gregor, who wandered over to him.
"Speeder passed by on that top road and seemed to slow down a bit." He handed over the binocs.
"Osik! They're heading away now. I'll get on the Com."
He wandered away talking to one of the other clones, pacing whilst having his discussion with them.
"It's ready!" Hela shouted as she filled three large bowls with the mixture of vegetables Nuna and noodles in the spicy sauce Gregor had made.
They wandered back to the table, both looking serious.
"What's wrong?"
"Gregor's staying tonight. A precaution."
"So what's happened? I'd rather you told me."
She was still holding the wok.
"There's been someone on the road and there shouldn't be. We're just being extra careful."
.
Barton IV
Insurgent's Base.
"We're wearing them down." Finor stared at the Imperial Outpost, through his liberated binocs, the newer clones at the base were not as skilled as the older ones and they had succumbed to the cold quicker.
"I want us to start using the wyrm tunnels to get through to the base. You're right it will give us an element of surprise, like you say."
Donca didn't answer, she sat there deep in thought; she was in one of her retrospective moods. It had driven him mad when they were married. Biggest mistake of his life getting the divorce.
"And use the clone's armour we have liberated. That will help." He continued, "It can save lives."
"Not all the time."
"Perhaps some armour is old, degraded due to the weather up here." He suggested.
"Possibly." She sat rubbing her lips with her fore finger, back and forth, back and forth. She was contemplating something.
"Regular strikes?"
"Yes. Just a few men. Target the warehouse. The crates. There has to be something valuable in there. They have defended that building at great cost to themselves but something's niggling me. If it's so valuable why haven't they sent reinforcements?"
Finor shrugged. He didn't have an answer.
"Surely the Commander requested them. He's not stupid. He's proven on numerous occasions that he's a good soldier, plans well, anticipates. Cares for his men."
"It's the Empire. They are treating the clones just like the Republic did but perhaps that's how they need to be treated. Nothing changed for them. They fight."
"True. Has Zak been able to slice into the warehouse database yet?"
"No! It's heavily encrypted. And the passcodes keep changing—randomly generated passcodes. He says it could take him years. When do you want to strike?"
"Tomorrow. The weather will have let up a little by then, we have a short window. Can we leave Olek in charge? Set up a temporary camp for them to work from. We need to get back to base, report in."
"Fulcrum?"
"Yes. They wanted you there next time."
"Why?"
Donca smiled at him, "You know why."
"You've got years left yet!" He didn't want to think about losing her, not in that way.
"We have to be prepared. Anything could happen."
"You don't go on missions anymore."
"Stop reminding me." She always felt guilty sending her people out when she could no longer go. She was a liability.
"You're not a liability, how many times do we need to tell you that?"
"Until I'm not."
She was never going to be a liability to him.
"Olek's a good choice. His squad did a good job last time and they know their way around explosives."
"I don't like using him so much, so soon again, it increases his chances of—."
"Everyone knows the risks. The more missions you do the more chances you're not going to come back."
"One day I'd like to reduce that."
"Wouldn't we all, but we have what we have so far."
"Yes. A pity we can't get someone skilled to pass all their knowledge on, train us."
"You're not doing a bad job yourself."
"I can't train people, only study tactics."
"Most of them pay off."
"Only most. I'd want that to be better. It needs to be better."
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