FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R T H R E E

FERN'S POV

"Quite a party you all seem to be having over here." Hunter approached us not long after our discussion began to conclude. As he joined my right side, I glanced over to Echo on my left with eyes that cried Here we go...The cyborg clone nodded his reassurance to me.

"Uh," Wrecker started. "We were talking about the mission, and we all took a vote."

"A vote?" Hunter's eyes narrowed and lowered towards me. I didn't return the gesture, rather I stared at my fidgeting fingers on the table's surface.

"We wanna to do it." Wrecker nodded. "We wanna go after the war chest."

"And you agreed with this?" Hunter's tone lowered as he addressed me.

"It, was...unanimous." My words slurred nervously. I mustered up my courage and looked up at him, my nose lined up with his chin. "Hunter, everyone here has made some valid points. I think if we—"

"Serenno is infested with Imperials." The sergeant interrupted. "We've been able to keep the Empire's radar since Kamino because we've been avoiding such places. Reason why this job is worse, is this is Dooku's palace—"

"I know." I grabbed his gloved hand. "I'm on your side, Hunter, but think about it. If we succeed in getting this war chest, we can actually disappear. We can finally leave Ord Mantell behind and find a permenant home. For us. For Omega..." The two of us gazed over to the young girl, who was still sitting at the bar studying her datapad, her legs lazily swinging around the stool. I felt his hand turn over and his fingers closed around mine.

"You said 'if.'" Hunter breathed. "I don't like 'if'."

"When," I corrected myself, smiling softly. "We can do this. We can handle anything as long as the six of us stick together and stick to a plan."

"Hunter," Echo leaned forward to look at him. "This is for all of us. And perhaps more..."

Hunter moved his gaze to each of his squad members around the table, saving me for last. For a moment, I thought we failed to convince the sergeant. Then, with one final squeeze of my hand, he hesistantly sighed and nodded to each of us. I let out a comforting sigh myself through my nose. Guess my sergeant still had trouble saying no to others. Lucky us.

While Echo, Tech, and Wrecker excused themselves from the meeting, Hunter and I lingered back. Echo glanced over his shoulder. "You coming?"

"Go get Omega and the ship ready." I waved him on. "We'll be right there." Echo nodded and walked on. I then used my hand that gripped Hunter's to pull him farther back away until we were shrouded by the dim lighting against the wall. "I hope you know I don't like this anymore than you do, but you have to admit, we truly can't pass up an opportunity like this." I stated quietly. My neck arched back to make eye contact with him at our close proximity. He still had the faint smell of seasalt on him from the recent mission.

"What if something goes wrong?"

"With an attitude like that?" I quipped with a short scoff, but grew serious once more. "We watch over one another. We get that dough. We finally get to leave Ord Mantell behind. If I'm being entirely honest, I'm getting sick having to live off Cid's 'hospitality' and 'employment'."

"I've noticed..." Hunter raised a brow.

"Nevermind that right now." I huffed, waving my hand between us. "We should join the others and get this over with." I reached up both my hands and cupped his stubbled jawline. "Everything will be fine." I kissed him. "Trust me." I breathed into one more kiss. Hunter's arms wrapped around my upper shoulders and waist as mine locked around his neck. We didn't get small moments like this often, so we both understood it needed to be quick. As we ended our kiss, we shared a satisfied smile, grabbed our gear and supplies, and then headed for the ship.

———————————————————————

"Half-Pint, pass me that doll." I held out my hand for Lula, the Tooka doll that formerly belonged to Wrecker and is now heavily loved by the young girl. So much so, that it occasionally needed a patch job.

Omega did as she was told and, after threading the razor-thin black string in the needle's eye, I began closing up little pockets that had sprouted in three locations around the doll's main trimline. She watched me in awe on her hands and knees, an eager smile growing larger and larger. "When can I try?" she asked.

"Very soon." I winked. "Learning how to patch up your own belongings saves time and money, especially when you are in tight between and/or on back-to-back missions." I knotted the last of the tiny tears and presented it to her. "Here she is. Good as new."

"Thanks, Fern." Omega smiled, hugging the comforting doll close to her heart.

"I know why you changed your mind, Hunter." Echo's sounded from behind our closed curtain. "But with what we're up against, we have to be prepared to fight. That means numbers and weapons."

Locking eye contact with Omega, I put my finger to my lips to signal her to be quiet as I leaned to my right and used my opposite to just barely pulled the curtain to the side to peek at the "secret" conversation between the sergeant and the cyborg clone. Hunter sat at the control console while Echo hovered on his left.

"That's not the kind of life this kid deserves." the former said, turning his head to the latter.

"Our lives are like this because of Omega."

I barely managed to dodge Hunter's quick look to the gunner's mount as he sprang from his seat and pulled Echo aside. I looked down at Omega and saw her eyes began to well up with tears as her head hung low into her bent knees. She hugged Lula tightly. My blood began to boil.

"We, should be doing more." Echo's low voice vibrated in my ears.

So that's the real reason why you wanted to go on this mission? I thought to myself. This is what you meant by "doing more".

Unsure what to say to Omega to cheer her up, I slipped around the curtain and down the short ladder. Once my feet touched down, I scanned for Echo, spotting him in the cockpit with Tech and Wrecker. I began to march towards them when Hunter noticed me. I watched him gulp down a nervous lump in his throat and jump to his feet. "Please tell me you didn't hear what just happened."

"I'm afraid so." I sighed, hugging my arms before continuing to the cockpit. Before I had my chance to confront Echo, the Marauder shot out of hyperspace and began its descent on the lucheous, green planet of Serenno. The ship touched down on a cedarglade where it was hidden within the surrounding trees and the nearby mountain range. Everyone suited up and exited down the ramp single-filed. I followed Tech out with Omega in last.

Wrecker, his helmet tucked under his arm, looked around at the scenery. "So, where is this palace?"

"The city is on the opposite side of the mountain range." Tech stated and began leading the way, datapad in hand. Echo, the big oaf, and Hunter followed. I glanced down at Omega, whose chin hung low and her fingers were fidgeting with her backpack strap. She must've been still thinking about what Echo said...

"Come on, Half-Pint." I pushed her gently along. "I'll watch your six." The young girl nodded and walked on and we all, as a squad, began our journey to Dooku's palace.