After the realization shared between Malaina and Hunter, the cockpit was filled with silence.
This whole Empire thing, it was way bigger than Hunter realized.
And Malaina started to understand just how powerful Palpatine was. His plan he had conjured, he did that without any Sith perks. That was just his messed up human brain. He was probably the most dangerous thing to ever exist in the galaxy.
Palpatine was a monster. A genius monster.
Tech stifled a yawn, ignoring his exhaustion as he continued tinkering with whatever he held in his hands.
Hunter had his arms crossed behind his head. He glanced down at his brother, who, with his flexible legs, sat in a scary position on the floor. "Tech, go to bed. That's not a request."
Tech glanced up at the Sergeant. "Just allow me to-"
"Bed." Hunter responds, then lulls his head over to Malaina. "We need to figure out sleeping arrangements for you, too. Since you're coming along for the ride." He says, taking in her expression.
Though she hid it well, Hunter and his heightened senses could tell that she was about to fall asleep sitting up. Any minute now.
Tech stood from the floor, tucking his project under the dash to continue tomorrow. He stretched his arms, then adjusted his goggles, eyes heavy and begging for sleep. "My room contains the only spare bed. I do not think Crosshair would appreciate a woman he doesn't know sleeping in his bunk." Because the only other empty bunk was in Hunter's room, where the sniper typically slept. And Hunter wasn't entirely adjusted to Malaina yet, so being in close proximity with her so quickly would cause him a major tension headache.
Malaina ran a hand through her hair, still not used to the shorter length. She eyed Tech carefully. "You're sure? I don't want to intrude in your space." She expressed.
Tech glanced at the ground. "You wouldn't be." He replies, then trails out of the cockpit, feet almost dragging against the metal floor.
Malaina sat in that chair for another few minutes, and then finally she got up and headed towards the back of the ship, heart fluttering as she comes to realize she'd be sharing a room with Tech.
Tech had left the door open so she would know which room to go into. She closed it behind her once she stepped in.
The clone was almost asleep on the bottom bunk, and to no surprise there was another half-finished project in his bed. He had to sleep around it, curled up in an odd position.
Malaina looked up at the top bunk, the traditional thin pillow thrown over the thin blanket tucked into the sides of the bunk. But there was a spare blanket that looked like the one Tech had thrown over himself, and it was a little softer and heavier. It was a little warm, and a handprint indent was put into the top of the folded blanket.
Tech had just placed it there for her.
Malaina kicked off her shoes, tucking them into the cubby by the entrance of the door where Tech had lazily stripped himself of his armor, and then she jumped up into the bunk, falling asleep mere seconds after her head hit the pillow, too tired to get under a blanket.
But at some point during the night, Malaina woke up and found the soft blanket tossed over her body. Though she thought nothing of it, figuring she had done it subconsciously in her slumber.
Little did she know it was actually the man in the bunk beneath hers that wanted to make sure she remained comfortable throughout the night.
–
Ord Mantell, a planet in the galaxy's Mid Rim, dubbed as the capital of the Bright Jewel System.
The native species is the Mantellian Savrip, but now there's just about a little bit of everything, creating a population of around 4 billion.
In fact, so many species have migrated to the planet that no singular one added up to more than 5% of the population.
The government was a little sketchy, the governors and representatives well aware of the illicit activities taking place, and they would turn a blind eye to them more often than not if you bribed them. They are also kind to bounty hunters, using them as a sort of free law enforcement.
Malaina wasn't sure what to think of Ord Mantell. She stuck to the center of the squad, her hood over her head as they walked the scrappy streets of Ord Mantell City.
Malaina took notice of the low-level gambling going on in the dark alleys and undercover bars. Neon signs decorated the buildings, accompanied by vendors, apartments, parlors, and whatever else took occupation.
"Remember the rules?" Hunter asks Omega, the two of them leading the squad through the streets in search of informant broker Cid's parlor.
Omega counted on her fingers as she lifted off the rules the Sergeant had her rehearse. "Don't wander off, keep my eyes and ears on my surroundings, and trust no one but my squad." She replies confidently.
"And if you get into trouble?" Echo asks from Malaina's left. Tech was on the other side of her and Wrecker was behind her.
"Use my comm and give my location." Omega responded.
Malaina glanced up at a dirty neon yellow sign with red letters spelling out the name Cid with an apostrophe s in aurebesh. They had arrived.
They all came to a halt at the steps that descended down to the parlor that was partly underground.
Judgment was heavy as they glanced around at the garbage filling the streets, the nasty dumpster sitting outside of the parlor, and the grime that covered just about everything.
"This is the place." Echo announces, making his way to the front of the group.
"Charming." Tech mutters, his voice entirely monotone.
Malaina nodded. "Absolutely gorgeous." The sarcasm was strong in both of them.
Following Echo down the steps, everyone stepped through the door that had just slid open.
Malaina and Omega were first to catch onto the unpleasant stench that doused the parlor. And the troopers made the mistake of removing their helmets and getting a big whiff.
Hunter just about turned green.
Two sentients sat at a holochess table, deep into a competitive game and spitting arguments and insults while accusing the other of cheating.
A Trandoshan was by the bar, sweeping the grimy floor that needed a whole lot more than a broom. Malaina wasn't even sure if a power wash would do the job. How many years of dirt coated just about everything in here?
"Which one of them is Cid?" Hunter asked Echo.
He shrugged. "I couldn't tell ya. I only heard about Cid. Never actually met him." Echo replied, nose wrinkled upon breathing a little too deeply.
Tech looked past Malaina, over at Echo. "That would have been information to share earlier."
Malaina blinked, looking between the three strangers. "Let's play eeny meeny miny moe and ask whoever ends up being moe."
"Please tell me you're joking." Echo muttered, smacking a hand over his face. Malaina raised her eyebrows at him.
Hunter sighed and approached the Trandoshan. "We're looking for Cid. You know him?"
The green Trandoshan turned around to face the Sergeant. "Cid, huh?" She smirked. "Hmm. Nope. Doesn't ring a bell." She shook her head.
Malaina subconsciously pulled her hood further over her face when the Trandoshan looked her way.
Hunter nodded his head towards the two Sentients playing holochess. "What about them?" Though he started to think those two weren't an informant a Jedi would trust when they started fighting over the game.
"Was I not clear? You're in the wrong place." The Trandoshan woman replied, poking her claw into Hunter's chestplate. "So unless you're here to spend money, get lost."
Hunter turned back around and approached the squad, unsure of what to do now.
"Great plan, Echo." Wrecker grumbled.
Echo frowned, shaking his head. "I'm certain this is Cid's."
Malaina crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, duh, the sign outside literally said 'Cid's.'"
"The Jedi came here during the war." Echo continued.
Tech shrugged one shoulder. "Well, perhaps Cid heard what happened to the Jedi and fled." He speculated. "Or he was arrested for violating countless health code regulations."
"I'm rooting for the latter. You could catch seven different diseases in here." Malaina commented. She felt like she needed to take four showers after standing in here for so long.
Hunter took a step closer, the adults forming a huddle, forgetting all about Omega for the time being. "Did the Jedi have any other informants?" Hunter asked.
Echo bit his lip, nodding his head. "Several, but Cid was the only one I knew how to find."
"So, we came all this way for nothing?" Wrecker questions.
The guys' comms beep and Omega's voice rings through it. "I found Cid." All heads turned to face the blonde, who smiled shyly and pointed at the Trandoshan she was sitting next to.
Cid crossed her arms over her chest and gave them a smug look. She hopped off her stool and waved her hand, gesturing for the squad to follow her to her back office. "Follow me."
Malaina turned to Tech, whose eyebrows were raised. She walked beside him as they headed down the hall that had quite a few doors on either side, and into the office at the end of the passageway.
Cid's large, dimly-lit office was decorated with a fancy desk, a holotable, two bookcases, a sofa, and an expensive-looking chair.
"I had a good thing going with the Jedi. They valued my insights, but now that they're all dead, the demand for my services has declined. Thanks to this new Empire." Cid explained, moving to stand at the holotable. The others gathered around.
"Times have changed," Hunter replies, glancing over at Malaina before looking back at Cid. "For all of us."
Cid crossed her arms again. "No kidding. I never had clone deserters come to me before."
Tech tilted his chin up slightly. "Yes, well, we separated due to a fundamental difference in ideology-"
"That's cute, you thinking I care." Cid interrupted. "Cut to it and tell me what you want." She said sharply, All heads turned to Echo, who glanced down at the holotable and plugged his scomp into it.
Cid rolled her eyes. "By all means, make yourselves at home."
Malaina shook her head, not quite enjoying the Trandoshan and her personality.
The bounty hunter's image was then projected from the holotable.
"We encountered this woman on Pantora. Do you know who she is?" Hunter asked, stepping closer to the holotable.
Cid stroked her chin. "No, but I know a bounty hunter when I see one."
Malaina scoffed. That much anyone could tell.
"Can you find out who hired her?" Echo asks.
Cid hummed, that smug look returning. "That depends on what you boys do for me." Though confusion was clear on the clones' faces, and Malaina's too but Cid couldn't see hers. "Are you fresh outta the tube?"
"Are you fresh outta the egg?" Malaina quipped. She caught Hunter hiding a smile and heard the sharp exhale as Tech quietly laughed.
Cid glared in her direction. "Don't test me, Riding Hood." She retorted, turning back to the clones. Malaina furrowed her brows in confusion at the nickname. "You pull a job for me, and I get the information you want. That's how this mercenary thing works."
"Mercenary?" Echo...echoes.
Cid walked past them. "Not too quick, are ya? Clearly the kid's the brains of your operation."
Hunter sighed tiredly. "What kind of job?" He asked, leading the others to Cid's desk where she had sat down.
"A rescue. There's a nice bounty on a kid named Muchi. My sources say she was taken by Zygerrian slavers who are holed up on the other side of the planet." Cid replied, leaning back in her chair. Malaina wondered if there was a hole in the back of it for her tail. "Bring me the kid and I'll get you your intel."
Wrecker raised an eyebrow. "Well, who collects the bounty?"
Cid feigned shock. "Oh, look. It talks." The comment made Wrecker flinch back. "We split the bounty 70-30, my favor. Take it or leave it."
Wrecker punched the back of Hunter's shoulder. "Grab a kid from a few Zygerrians?" He laughs. "We could do that in our sleep." He says, exiting the office by himself. Malaina watches with raised eyebrows as he just walks out, closing the deal.
Cid throws the disk at Hunter, who catches it perfectly. "Details of the bounty are on that. Don't screw it up."