Bonded

Chapter 40: Hope

After some reflection, Sylas realized he's been doing the same thing most of his life. It's his go-to survival strategy. Whenever he gets to a new place, he spends a lot of time studying the people, noting who to avoid and who to befriend, then using that knowledge to carve a safe niche for himself.

Sylas eyes the colonels. They've been silent for about a minute, long enough to make it awkward.

"Has there...?" Russo finally speaks. "Been any word about his stolen goods?"

"No." Talos looks down. "But he just made the announcement."

Another silence.

Colonel Cera licks his lips. It's a nervous tick Sylas has noticed, the pudgy officer's tongue peeking out whenever he's uncomfortable.

"Time will tell." Cera is careful not to look at the Supreme Leader. "If the girl's true to her word, Raiden should follow through on his. And if she does it again to another slaver..."

"It would certainly put more pressure on them as we move forward." Talos folds his hands in his lap. He's a wiry little man and so young, the youngest colonel Sylas has ever seen.

"Perhaps she will." Russo sits back. "At the very least, she'll keep up her little rescues. And with pressure coming from two sides, the slavers will be in an increasingly weaker position." The colonel flinches, realizing the implication of his words.

The First Order and the Resistance, working to achieve the same end...

Sylas presses his lips together. He studies the men at the table, all of them staring at their hands.

"At any rate..." Talos clears his throat. "If Coruscant and Chandrila have taught us anything, it's that we can count on generous support from the locals in raiding the markets."

"In the Core Worlds." Russo dips his chin.

"Then, let's keep up the momentum, shall we?" Cera sits up. "I say we hit the rest of the Core at once. We have the resources, or we should soon. When are the troops on Felucia set to clear out?" He glances at Russo.

"Yesterday, I believe..." The older man reaches for his datapad.

"And we've got the rest from Bandomeer now." Cera turns to Talos. "We'll be spread a bit thin, but with local reinforcements, it should be enough. We could be ready to start raids as early as next week."

Sylas tsks, shaking his head.

Suddenly, all three colonels snap to him.

The boy straightens, startled. He hadn't meant to do that out loud...

The officers study him with narrowed eyes.

"I uh..." Sylas teeters awkwardly on the chair. "I think you might be overlooking some complications."

"Like what?" Russo glares at him.

"Like..." Sylas purses his lips. "Not all Core Worlds are as rich as Coruscant and Chandrila. Some of them are really struggling, and I think you'll find raids won't be so easy on the poorer planets."

Cera scoffs, more amused than affronted.

"Corellia for sure." Sylas hops down from his chair. "Slavery's existed there for decades."

"No, it hasn't." Talos furrows his brow. "The markets have only been active for a year."

"Officially." Sylas stops next to the colonel. "But unofficially, it's been going on a lot longer. Trust me. I know a guy who grew up in the slums there."