FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y-O N E

"And Omega?" Echo subtly pushed.

"What about Omega?" Hunter asked, confused.

"Later." Fern told them both. "Later."

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FERN'S POV

Nope. Not later...I shook my head to myself. The longer I concealed my mixed feelings. This is something that needs to be addressed.

"Hunter," I touched his shoulder and whispered to him. "Can we talk?" He nodded and we moved to the back of the ship while everyone else huddled in the cockpit. The sergeant and I stood toe to toe in the closed space. "Something wrong?" he asked softly.

"Quite the opposite." I arched my neck to meet his handsome, dark eyes. "I'm glad that you are onboard with getting Gungi to the Wookie village. I know you are usually hesitant in these sort of quests, especially with the risks of potential Imperial occupancy."

"I did not think we had a choice when it comes to his situation." Hunter sighed. "Being a Jedi, he will always be in danger. At least, as you said, he will have a chance with his kind."

"I think there's more than that." I cupped his hands in mine. "This is you actively helping a Jedi for the first time since...since Caleb Dume. This is your second chance, isn't it? I know you believe you failed him on Kaller — which you didn't — and this chance has fueled a fire in you that you've been unable to extinguish."

"You always see right through me, don't you?" Hunter scoffed, squeezing my hands. "I love and hate you when you do that."

He was donning his stoic act as always, but he and I both knew how much this meant to him, and...it was almost sad. I don't know when it began — perhaps it was with the disappearance of Caleb — but Hunter's natural instinct to protect children was prominent, and I can see his determination to get Gungi back to his people and to a place he belongs... Something we clones don't really have...was admirable.

I picked myself up on my toes and kissed him softly, whispering, "Well, I love and hate you when you act all tough when I really know what you're thinking." I lowered myself down. "You know, it broke my heart when Gungi reacted the way he did when he saw us. I can only imagine he thought he was jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire when we saved him. Who knows where or what those droids were going to sell him into — a spice mine? Maybe the Empire itself? And I scolded..." I choked.

"Hey," Hunter moved his hands from mine to hold my arms, which reacted by hugging my chest. "Echo told me something happened in that warehouse before you found me and the boys. Do you want to talk about it?"

I inhaled deeply as my words flooded back into my mind...

"What were you thinking leaving the ship in this place?!...YOU HAVE TO STOP!!!...I am DONE with your constant disobedience! Do you actually enjoy causing trouble for your squad?! When are you going to learn your reckless actions affect us all?! Do you hear me, Omega?! It ends here and now! No more missions until its embedded in your memory!

ENOUGH! You will do as I say, because I am your —"

"If Omega had not wandered off like she did, Gungi would still be there on that spaceport." I tried to keep my voice low from cracking again. "And I screamed at her for it. But here's the thing, Hunter," I stared the sergeant in his attentive eyes. "it needed to be done. Perhaps I could've been more gentle, but I had to say what I said. After all, she is my — our responsibility. But then..."

"You don't feel like you're up for it."

"Qualified is the technical term." I said.

"And the rest of us are?"

I chuckled through my nose. "Touché." Once again, his hands moved; this time, they caressed up my biceps to my face, cupping my jawline. His long fingers buried themselves in my hair. My own wrapped around his wrists as he sighed, "We were trained to speak different languages, but I suppose nothing could have prepared us for, this." For some reason, he hesitated to specify what...

"What do I even say to her?" I asked.

"Just, explain what you meant." Hunter said, his thumb stroking my cheek. "I know you mean well, and I believe Omega does, too. There will plenty of time for the two of you to talk once we get the kid to his people."

We felt the slight pull of the ship exiting hyperspace and its descent into the atmosphere of the beautiful temperate jungle planet. Silently agreeing to continue our conversation later, we rejoined the others in the cockpit. I had never been to Kashyyyk before, so when Echo revealed he was detecting heavy smoke and deforestation near the village Hunter and the others knew, my heart sank. When a planet has permenant warm temperatures and is highly dense with forests... 'Fire' was a dangerous word.

"It's goes without say to keep an eye out for Imperial outposts." Hunter reminded, placing a comforting hand on Gungi's shoulder. "Oh, and kid? Keep that laser sword hidden. It'll draw attention we don't want."

"It's a lightsaber, Hunter." I chuckled, scrunching my nose. "You served with the Jedi during the war, right?"

"Once or twice." Wrecker shrugged to my right. "How about you?"

"Oh, too many times to count." I scoffed, then I smiled at Gungi. "I served with General Mace Windu the most, I think."

"Grr. Irrr. Ir. Grr."

"What did he say?"

"I believe he asked who was your favorite general you served." Hunter translated.

"General Obi-Wan Kenobi." I answered plainly, then sighed. "I was there with him on Utapau when...Order 66 was initiated." I placed a hand on the padawan's shoulder. "I am sorry. For what happened."

"Ir. Irr."

"He thanks you." Hunter said.

"We are approaching the coorinates' destination." Tech chimed in from the pilot's seat. "Initiating landing sequence."

"Thank you, Tick," I glanced over my shoulder with an eyeroll. "for that update. We were kind of having a moment here. So grateful you could— oh, wow." When I rotated to tease the pilot, I instead awed while staring out the viewport. Kashyyyk's surface rippled with mountain ranges curtained with compacted woodlands. In the distance was a crystal-blue ocean. It was one of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen.

Tech managed to find an aperture within the jungle and carefully landed the ship. The area had quickly darkened, as the sun was blocked by the thick canopy above. Everyone geared up, unloaded down the ramp, and we began our trek into the wilderness. I paced myself with Gungi, patting his furry shoulder.

"We're close, kid. I have a good feeling about this. You'll be safe here; I'll see to it."