FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

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

THIRD PERSON POV

Barton IV was a frozen and barren planet covered in an impossible amount of snow. Steep valleys sliced through the omnious mountain ranges like a vibro knife through rock. Millions of caves within the sierras most likely housed whatever wildlife had adapted to survive in such an ecosystem. Severe avalanches were inevitable. The violent, wintery tempest shook the shuttle as it descended towards a plateau crammed into a triangular crevice between the jagged ridges. This was where the Imperial supply depot resided, and where Athena and Crosshair would be lodging while protecting whatever the depot was storing. The former nearly bounced out of her seat during the rough landing on the mostly desolate platform.

Stepping off the shuttle, Athena had a difficult time differentiating where the hazy, snow-blown fog and the low-bearing blanket of clouds separated. Her boots crunched the slick sheet of ice coating the metal surface. Instantly, the frigid air pricked her cheeks, nose, and the thin space between her gloves and parka sleeves. When she gazed up, she saw shadowy glimpses of ice vultures patrolling the skies in search of food. Well...carcasses, to nip at the scraps for some subsistence...

Her eyes trailed to the farside of the platform. There were several temporary, prefabricated buildings surrounded by sensor beacons she assumed were supposed to detect any intruders. She spotted at least one rickety watchtower on the premise. However, she presumed because of the planet's harsh, snowy conditions, much of the equipment was degraded. This would explain why repeated raids have occurred.

"I love this already." she muttered through her chattering teeth. While her ears were insulated by the warm headband, the wind howling drowned out any other sounds around her. Her right hand mindfully brushed over her belt that contained her blaster and vibro knife. Her left plucked the toothpick Crosshair had offered her back on Coruscant from her mouth and slipped in into a secure pouch in her parka. She stood right next to Lt. Nolan while he barked orders at clones to guard the shuttle and spread out their forces across the complex.

"Crosshair, you still there?" she nervously joked. "The wind hasn't carried you away, right?" Her peripheral vision was completely submerged by her fur-lined hood and block-shaped goggles. In response, she felt a hand press firmly into her lower back; with so many layers, she almost didn't notice. Crosshair's palm urged her on though, as they both followed behind Nolan to the main facility. A massive, iron blast door acted as the front entrance, splitting down the middle when it opened. Inside, dim overhead lights created looming shadows across the cement floor and towering metal racks. They were each filled with large, square boxes. The depot was staffed by several one-eyed labor droids, all going about their duties when Nolan demanded, "Where is your supervisor?"

"You must be our reinforcements." A gruff voice sounded, and a clone with overgrown dark hair and an untrimmed beard appeared around the corner. He leaned against the stacked crates with arms crossed and an unimpressed expression on his worn face. "We expected you 36 rotations ago. Did you get lost?"

Athena liked him already. As she pulled down her goggles, she met his prudent, brown eyes and recognized a man who has learned from hardship and gained wisdom. He exchanged a nod with her before furrowing his brows at the lieutenant, who marched towards him with his factitious authority. "We work on the Empire's schedule, trooper, not yours."

"It's Commander," the clone corrected, then eyed Nolan's Imperial creditials on his cheap chestplate, determining his lower rank. "lieutenant." He turned away and began walking down the short hall to a foyer area. Nolan chased after him, his face fumed while his inflection grew exasperated. "Well, Commander, your orders were to guard and protect this facility and its cargo, yet this outpost is grossly unguarded. Where are the rest of your men?"