FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R S I X T Y-F O U R

THIRD PERSON POV

The sun peaked its first golden rays upon the crest of the snowy mountains...on the second day.

Athena had cried when the first day dawned. Silently composed. She had not moved from her inventorial hideout, hugging her legs as her eyes remained fixated on the horizon. While her mind was distracted with preparations to welcome and then skedaddle with Crosshair and Mayday, her body did not permit her to weaken, occasionally chomping on a ration bar or catching a wink of sleep. She wouldn't dare admit she had fallen in a trance, but if she was to be spotted, one would assume the frozen alpines had captivated her. And as the first day retired into the freezing blizzard of the night, the bounty hunter wept all over again thrice over—her frustrated tears painfully stung her numb cheeks.

I'm so tired... Athena rolled out her sore neck. Not tired like I need sleep to cure it, or even a dire need of peace of mind to soothe it. This tired feeling...it's like the galaxy has drained me for everything that I had, which wasn't much to begin with...and when I feel like it couldn't possibly squish another drop of hope, it expunges me to no end. By the Force, I am exhausted...

Where. Are. They?...

The second night was brutal...Athena could hardly see ten yards across the barren platform. Although she was protected by a mere tarp to keep dry, she could no longer feel a single nerve in her body. Her toes hurt when she wiggled them in her boots. Her bloodshot eyes squinted in pain as occasional gusts of snow smacked her face. Despite the blizzardous torture, she dared not move a muscle from her post; Mayday told her to keep a watchful eye on the horizon, and she intended to do so until she spotted them on the platform. She forced herself to refrain from imagining the two clones in the same horrendous weather, alone in the mountains, to save her sanity... Eventually, she fell asleep with her face buried in her coat, and she woke up to the sound of roaring engines and distant shouting.

When the first ships landed, the sun was on the rise. The storms had finally ceased, revealing a tranquil aurora of yellow, orange, and purple in the cloudless sky. A subtle breeze wisped away the snowy and icy remnants from the platform. Suddenly, Barton VI was a stunning winter wonderland that could take a spectator's breath away. But the newest arrivals were far from interested in the scenery. Stormtroopers filed off the ships and rank officers were inducting orders to start transporting the 'valuable' cargo off-world. Not a single person paid heed to the secluded, shivering woman. A clue fleetingly passed her thoughts that perhaps they knew she was a clone and ignored her just like any other.

Athena repaid the favor, regardless. Her eyes veered around the dozens of soldiers blocking her view for what felt like hours. Ultimately the second day went on, and a clear, blue sky was cast with a bright, shining sun. Its rays reflected off the metal surface in some areas, briefly blinding the bounty hunter. Directive chatter that filled the air droned on in her ears, which brawled with her focused consciousness.

Two days may have come, but Athena's hope remained stronger than stone. A sense of apprehension may have wept along with her tears, but she never once questioned 'what if...'

They will return. she told herself. They will return.

The sun warmed the air, and its rays baked the platform, radiating a subtle mirage. With her optimistic thoughts in mind, Athena slowly shed her heavy parka and calmly folded it before placing it gently next to her. She unzipped her bomber jacket to her navel and carefully worked on massaging feeling into her toes, legs, and fingers.

"Hey, what's that over there?" someone shouted.

"Do you see that?"

"They made it?"