Accidentally put missionaries instead of mercenaries in this chapter, went and corrected it lmfao
"Cid better pay us extra for that mission." Echo complained as the squad filed down the steps of the Marauder. Alona nodded in agreement, pulling her hood over her head as she touched the ground of the docking bay.
"Eh. It wasn't so bad." Wrecker hummed, pulling his helmet up to rest on his forehead.
Alona's eyes widened up at him. "You're joking." That was a horrid mission. She would rather have gone and had a duel with Maul than deal with another overwhelming amount of Gundarks.
"Cid failed to mention the drop zone would be swarming with Gundarks." Echo said grumpily, pointing his scomp at Wrecker.
Alona chuckled, bumping her shoulder into Echo's. "You're surprised by that?" She questioned.
Tech waved his finger at Echo. "It is not the first time Cid has left out key details."
Alona slowed her footsteps slightly, looking around at the masked people that watched them pass through the city. Isa Durand's men. A crime boss. Alona cursed and lowered her head, trying to hide between Hunter and Wrecker. She had her hood on, but she was absolutely not going to take any risks.
The squad walks into Cid's parlor, the entire place swarming with Durand's men. Alona let out another curse and Hunter eyed her confusingly. They all stop at the entrance to scan the crowd.
"When did this place get so popular?" Echo questioned with his eyebrows raised.
Tech gestured to the masked men. "And who are they?" He asked.
Alona sighed, tugging her hood down further. "You don't want to know." She grumbled. "Come on, let's find Cid."
The Batch walks through the bar, reaching the hall towards Cid's office when one of the guards stops them. "Where do you think you're going?" The man asks.
Alona waves a hand across his face and says, "You will let us pass."
"I will let you pass." The guard said, stepping out of the way.
Echo and Wrecker exchange a look. "Do you think she's ever done that on us?" The latter whispers.
Alona smirks, glancing over her shoulder at them. "I don't know, have I?" She asked.
They push open the door to Cid's office and are met with two blasters pointed at them. Echo, Wrecker, Tech, and Hunter whip their blasters out and point back. Alona pulls Omega behind her protectively.
"It's rude to barge into one's office unannounced."
"Roland." Alona scoffs, rolling her eyes at the Devaronian.
"This isn't your office." Hunter retorted. He's not even surprised when someone Alona knows shows up. Though he was curious how she knew him. It couldn't be because of anything good, though.
Roland scoffs, propping his feet up on Cid's desk. "Guess again." Alona then realized what he had in his lap and she nearly gagged.
"Ruby?" Omega asked in shock, seeing the pet at the same time as Alona. It was the kriffing creature that terrorized Alona a while back.
"She's my prized pet." Roland smirked, stroking the horrid creature. Alona shivered in disgust.
"What are you doing with her?" Omega exclaimed.
Roland fed Ruby a snack. "I paid. Cid delivered."
Alona looked around the room for the snappy, scaly woman. She was nowhere. Roland was up to no good, like always.
"And where is Cid?" Hunter asked, keeping his blaster pointed at the man.
Roland frowned. "Cid's out. This parlor and Ord Mantell are now my territory. But if you're looking for work, I might have use for you." The green Devaronian offered.
Alona leaned towards Hunter. "Vi linibar at Slana'pir be olar. Bic cuyir not morut'yc par mhi." She warned.
We need to get out of here. It's not safe for us.
Hunter nodded subtly, sliding his blaster back into its holster. "We'll think about it." He lied, signaling for the other clones to do the same as him.
"You do that." Rolan smirked, watching the group of mercenaries walk out of the office.
The squad quickly retraced their steps through the city.
"We're getting off Ord Mantell. Tech, prep the ship. The rest of us will gather supplies." Hunter orders, taking Alona's words from the parlor seriously. If she says it's not safe, then it isn't safe.
Omega hesitated. "But...what about Cid? What did he mean when he said she was "out"?" She asked, speeding up to walk between Alona and Hunter.
Tech adjusted his goggles. "Given his tone, it is a plausible assumption that Cid was either forced out or taken out." He explained.
Omega ran in front of the group, stopping and holding out her hands. "Well, we have to find her and help her." She urged.
Alona looked up to see Cid leaning against the frame at the top of the steps of the Marauder. "Found her."
"Nice to see one of you cares. Inside. Now." She orders, disappearing inside of the Marauder.
Alona exchanged looks with Hunter before leading the squad up the steps. Those two regular customers that always played dejarik were sitting at a makeshift hologram table in the center of the ship. "Damn. Make yourselves at home." Alona muttered, earning a kick to the shin from Cid.
"So you boys met Roland." Cid begins, standing in front of the squad.
Hunter nods slowly, turning his head slightly to the side. He eyed Alona. "Alona apparently knows him, but yeah. Who is he?"
Cid glared at Alona. "I'm not surprised, Coo-Coo here finds trouble as a hobby." The reptilian woman said coldly. Alona's back straightened at the new nickname Cid had given her. "Roland is a former client and the son of crime boss Isa Durand. He's trying to make a name for himself by joining up with the Pykes."
"What's he doing on Ord Mantell?" Hunter asked, grazing his hand against Alona's in a subtle way. Alona's cheeks flush pink and she fights the urge to just lean against him. His touch.
"This port's connected to multiple hyperspace routes, ideal for smuggling. My parlor's right in the middle of the action. Roland saw the value in it and took it." Cid fumed, stomping her foot on the ground. Omega glanced up at Alona, sharing a bewildered look with her.
Alona pursed her lips, crossing her arms. "Let me guess, you're forcing us into taking it back for you?" She said in a knowing tone.
Cid nodded with a glint in her yellow reptilian eyes. "If I lose, you lose. Don't forget how good I've been at keeping secrets." She said threateningly, pointing an accusing finger at the Force user. Alona glared at her.
"I believe she's threatening us." Tech chimed, waving his finger in the air.
"You're quick." Cid retorted.
Omega walked over and stood beside Cid, facing the adult mercenaries. "When we needed help, we came to Cid, remember? Now she needs help. We can't just walk away." Omega finished, allowing Cid to wrap an arm around her shoulders.
"You tell 'em, Tiny." Cid said proudly. Alona was starting to regret leaving Omega with her that day. They got too close.
Hunter sighed defeatedly. "So, what's your plan?"
Cid leads the group out of the Marauder, starting through the crowds in the narrow road city. "My sources tell me that a buyer is meeting Roland tonight to acquire a shipment of spice he's storing in my back office." She started, digging her walking stick into the ground with each step.
Tech adjusted his yellow tinted goggles. "You want to disrupt his supply chain by stealing the shipment and thereby sabotaging the deal." He guessed, keeping one of his hands gently atop Omega's shoulder to make sure she stays with the group.
"Very good, Goggles. When the Pykes come to collect, Roland won't be able to pay, and he'll be their problem." Cid concludes, leading them down a tunnel that went underground.
The Batch switched on their flashlights to examine the old walls and shelves covered in cobwebs. Layers upon layers of dust piled the surfaces and Alona sneezed just by looking at it.
"Where are we?" Hunter asked, finding the darkness an excuse to grab onto Alona's hand and walk with her. As long as the others didn't shine a flashlight downwards, their secret relationship would remain.
"Ord Mantell's old mining tunnels. These rails run underneath the city. It's how we're sneaking into my parlor to steal the spice." Cid explained.
"Well, why don't we just walk in there and take it? Alona could use her Jedi mind tricks on them. We can handle those guards." Wrecker questioned from behind the couple. Alona smiled at his small knowledge of the Force's powers. But she could do that, make them forget that they ever saw the Batch.
"No one can know we're involved. Roland is one thing, but the Pykes aren't an enemy you want to make." Cid hissed, turning to two old mining carts and patting a hand on one of them. "We'll use these carts to transport the crates of spice."
Alona tightened her hand around Hunter's, leaning slightly into his armored shoulder. She had a bad feeling about this mission, but Cid would make them keep going despite Alona's protests.
Tech assessed the mining carts. "They're not in the best shape, but I can get the motors operational." He determined in a confident tone.
Cid shook her head instantly. "No. Motors are too loud. This is a stealth mission. You boys are good at that, right?" All eyes turned accusingly toward Wrecker. His shoulders dropped and he nodded slowly. "Tiny, Goggles, you're with me."
Alona filed into the second cart with Echo, Wrecker, and Hunter. Their cart was a little more crammed, but Alona didn't mind when her and Hunter were pushed so close together. He placed a hand around her waist while the other held onto the handrail.
Wrecker started pumping the mining cart, following behind Cid's group. The old machinery creaked and rattled against the railways and it made Alona sweat just thinking about the chance of the tracks breaking from beneath them.
Minutes later the brakes squeak against the old metal and the carts come to a halt in front of a large door. Cid shone her flashlight at the second cart and Hunter's hand immediately drops from Alona's waist. "Listen up, gang. When we pass through these doors, not a peep out of anyone. We don't want to wake the hive." Cid warns.
"...the what?" He asked in a low, grumpy tone.
"The caves have a slight infestation problem." Cid admitted, though the way she said it made it sound like it was a much bigger problem than she was making it out to be.
Wrecker chuckles. "We're not afraid of a few bugs."
Alona bit her lip. "Speak for your kriffing self." She muttered, her fear of quite literally almost every insect and odd creature at an all time high.
Hunter placed a hand on her lower back. "I don't think it'll be that bad, ner cyar'ika."
They both tensed, frozen in place as the words replay through the silence. Alona held her breath, eyeing the other people in their cart. Please say they didn't catch onto the nickname.
Hunter cringed at the use of the nickname he only ever called her when they were alone. He would never hear the end of it from his brothers.
"What was that?" Echo asked, though he didn't sound that surprised. He knew of Hunter's feelings for Alona, but had no idea whether or not the bandana-wearing clone had made a move or not just yet.
Alona and Hunter shared a scared look. The former turned to Echo with wide eyes. "What was what?" She asked, trying to play dumb.
Echo raised an eyebrow. "You know what. What did he just call you?" He said with a ghost of a smile. Maybe Hunter did make a move.
Alona crossed her arms behind her back and shrugged. "I have no clue. I don't speak Mando'a." She lied, glancing over at Cid who looked infuriated by the interruption.
"Elek gar vaabir. Kote taught gar a munit ca'nara ago." Echo retorted, a winning smirk on his pale face.
Yes you do. Cody taught it to you some time ago.
Alona raised a challenging eyebrow. "Then tion'jor cuyir gar asking ni meg kaysh said? Miit'amir bic bat gar own." She replied stubbornly.
Then why are you asking me what he said? Translate it on your own.
Hunter couldn't help the amused smile that spread across his face as he watched the two go back and forth about what had happened. Wrecker stood there with a confused look on his face. He had only learned a small portion of Mando'a, so he could make out a few basic words but that was pretty much it.
"Nayc, Ni'd guuror par gar at rejorhaa'ir ni." Echo crossed his arms, seemingly already piecing the puzzle together on his own.
No, I'd like for you to tell me.
Alona groaned, running a hand over her face. "Pehea cuyir bic any be gar business?"
How is this any of your business?
"Jorcu vi oyacyir bat te adla kih ship. Ogir cuyir shiib walls bal vi me'dinuir a yamika." Echo replied, waving his scomp around.
We live on the same small ship. The walls are thin and we share a room.
Hunter stepped between the two, forcing back his smile to remain neutral in the matter. "Okay, elek. Vi cuyir a kebi. Ganar been par some ca'nara. A sa nuhunla sa ibic cuyir, te aka ru'kir cuyir cuun sol'yc be'sol. Bid pehea about vi focus bal talk ibic dayn later?"
Okay, yes. We are a thing. Have been for some time. But as funny as this is, the mission should be our first priority. So how about we focus and talk this out later?
"What?" Tech, Echo, and Alona say in unison with the same dumbfounded look smothering their faces.
"What?" Wrecker asked, completely baffled by the entire exchange between the three fluent Mando'a speakers.
Cid cleared her throat very loudly, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the group of distracted mercenaries. "I'm very tempted to spill some secrets right about now." She said lowly.
That straightened the entire group up and they faced the sealed door.
Alona side eyes Hunter, who's heart seemed to be pounding just as hard as hers.
Well, that was out in the open now.