In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 6

"NO!" he snapped. "I mean...yes. I'm...so...I have a disk that I seem to have lost. It's very important. It's on a chain."

"Where did you have it last?" she asked, stalling for time. She didn't dare cast a look back over her shoulder, but she was praying Rex could hear the conversation and was hurrying to copy the disk.

"In my jacket pocket. I think. But it's definitely not there now." His intoxication was bleeding away as his panic grew.

"Maybe it fell on the floor? Here let me help you look."

She crouched down on the floor, keeping here eyes glued to the tile as she swept her hands around under the table. The ground was disgusting and covered in who knows what, but she was out of other ideas to stall or calm the commander. Wen was on his hands and knees under the table next to them, barely acknowledging the patrons sitting there as they lifted their feet and complained at the intrusion.

Senna felt panic starting to grow within her own chest. Suddenly, she felt a bump into her shoulder as a large boot stepped by. "S'cuse me," a familiar voice grumbled as the disk clattered to the floor near her hand. Looking up, she barely registered the amber eyes beneath the hood before he moved past her towards the exit. Glancing over, she saw Wen was beginning to get into a heated altercation with the people at table that he was currently under, so she quickly slid the disk across the floor to near where his chair was.

"Wen! Is that it?" she asked pointing excitedly at the disk beneath his chair.

Relief washed over his face as he scrambled back towards their table, snatching the disk eagerly off of the floor and inspecting it for damage. She stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Well, is that what you were looking for?"

"Yes," he breathed, pushing his hair back from his face. "Thank the Maker, it is."

As she pulled him to his feet, they were approached by the Rhodian from behind the bar. "I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. You've disturbed my other patrons." The humanoids that were sitting at the table behind them stood leering over his shoulder. Wen started to argue, but Senna had had enough. Placing a hand on his chest, she whispered, "It's fine. I was starting to get tired anyway."

She downed her drink as Wen puffed his chest at the Rhodian and the humanoids while settling the tab, making quiet threats about his importance to the Empire until she gently took his arm and pulled him towards the door. Out in the cool night air, she took a deep breath of relief. They'd pulled it off. Wen was still grumbling behind her.

"How dare they insult me in such a fashion! They'll be hearing from my superiors for their treatment of an Imperial officer-"He was cut off as she placed a hand on his face.

"Commander Fisk, thank you for a lovely evening. I'm glad all's well that ends well." She smiled at him.

"Well, we could...go somewhere else," he clumsily offered.

Not on your life, pal. "Not tonight I'm afraid. I really must be getting home. Perhaps another time."

He leaned in for a kiss aggressively, grabbing her by the waist, and she managed to just turn her head so it landed on her cheek. "Always the gentleman," she laughed, patting his shoulder, and turning to leave. She did her best to keep her pace unhurried as she made her way back through the streets.

She waited several blocks to make sure she wasn't being tailed before clicking her comm back on. "You there?"

"Yes," came the deep grumble from directly behind her, making her jump.

Composing herself, she stared him down. "We were supposed to meet at home. What if he'd tailed me?"

"He didn't. I followed him for a bit after you left the cantina. I saw that kiss by the way."

"I'd hardly call that a kiss so much as an assault on my face," she grumbled. "Why, are you jealous?"

He grunted at her again, bumping her with his shoulder as he stepped past her. She fell into step beside him, and they walked in silence for several minutes.

"Was it nice?" he asked breaking the awkwardness.

"Of course not. It wasn't something I wanted at all. I just did what I had to do to keep him from being suspicious, but honestly I'd like to go home and take the longest shower of my life." She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to forget the feeling of his fingers on her skin.

She didn't miss the slight smile that turned up the corners of Rex's mouth at the thought of her disgust for Fisk. She nudged him with her shoulder.

"At least now I'm pretty sure my nightmares won't be about Order 66 tonight. They'll most definitely be about his clammy Hutt hands," she joked. "Did you get it?"

Rex pulled the disk copy from under his cloak, handing it to her. "Took a few minutes just like you said, but I think it should be just what we need."

She turned the disk over delicately in her hands. "I sure hope so. Wouldn't want my sacrifice to be for nothing."