The trouble with the unknown regions, Luna thought for perhaps the hundredth time, was that, well, they were unknown.
'The First Order could be anywhere out there,' she said to Cora, who was sitting behind her. The other woman had insisted on cutting her hair, and had startled Luna with her opening foray of wild hacks that parted her thick locks from her head. 'You sure you've done this before?'
'Dozens of times,' said Cora, making some more precise, smaller snips. 'I used to have an Onderon hound as a pet. I had to give it a trim at least twice a year.'
'Your experience is your dog?' Luna said incredulously. She started to turn around to look her in the eye but Cora placed her hands on Luna's head, keeping her immobile. 'It'll be fine. Besides, I'm almost finished.'
'This better look good,' grumbled Luna.
'You always look good,' whispered Cora in her ear, then kissed the back of her neck. After a few minutes of further trimming, she announced, 'All done,' and leaned back to wipe the hair off of her shiny purple leather jacket, the locks falling to the floor. Cora stood and made her way over to her desk, where she kept a small mirror. She lifted it and, after a deep, steadying breath, looked in the mirror.
Cora screamed.
Luna jumped, looked around wildly, then relaxed when she saw Cora was lying back on her bed, laughing. 'Meanie.'
'Couldn't resist,' Cora smirked. Careful to avoid the hair on the floor, she got up to stand behind Luna. 'What do you think?' she asked.
Luna examined herself in the mirror. Cora had cut the rest of her hair so that it was just a few inches long on top, getting shorter in the back and the other side and, because her hair naturally stood up, it looked like she had a lovely curly mane of black hair. The irregularity of the cut clawed at her insides and she wanted to shave it all off. But Cora had done it, and for that she couldn't help but feel a certain attachment to it. 'It's perfect,' she said, kissing Cora softly on the lips.
There was a banging on the door. 'Everything okay in there?' said an urgent, muffled voice from the other side of the door. Cora went over to open the door as Luna tidied up. Ro'vena and Twitch charged in, blasters at the ready. When they found precisely no stormtroopers, they looked at the two women, puzzled.
'I was cutting Luna's hair,' Cora said innocently. It was a good thing that Luna was turned away because she couldn't hide her grin. How Cora could lie so sweetly, Luna didn't know, but she was grateful.
'We were just talking about the First Order,' said Cora over her shoulder, as she swept up the strands of hair and put them in the trash can. 'Think we'll find them soon?'
'Who knows,' said Ro'vena, holstering her blaster. Without waiting for an invite, she jumped onto the bed. Luna frowned, but said nothing. She was somewhat relieved when Twitch choose to stand in the corner beside the door, standing sentinel over them, in place to protect from any - other - unwanted intrusions. 'They could be in the next system over and we'd never know,' continued Ro'vena.
Luna hummed pensively. In the month since attaining their new roles as pirates, they had flown straight for known First Order space. Ka'iulani, who was princess of a planet on the border, had provided them with several possible locations of bases, but when they had checked, they had found only abandoned sites. With that small list exhausted, Ka'iulani had then put her local knowledge to use and, in concert with Face, Luna and Fenn had made a new list of possible base locations and potential interior trade routes that the First Order could use.
'I don't understand why we couldn't just hit the annexed territories,' said Cora.
'Too strong a military presence,' said Luna automatically. It was something she had herself advocated with Face. 'Besides, the New Republic has been trying to get those systems back. If we go in, causing trouble, that might make things worse for them - or tip the First Order off about our origins.'
'Twitch hopes we find something soon,' said Twitch, 'Twitch wishes to shoot something.'
He would get his wish two days later, as they were stalking along a trade route.
'Cargo vessel,' said Face over the comm, 'This is the dashingly handsome commander of the Nexu Pirates, turn off your engines and prepare to be boarded.'
'No,' said a voice.
'Uh,' hesitated Face, 'please?'
For an answer, the cargo vessel sent a barrage of turbolaser cannon bolts in their direction. The two flights of Nexu squadron broke and avoided them easily.
'Well that's just rude,' muttered Face. 'Two Flight, take out the ventral cannon. We'll cover you.'
'On it, One,' said Luna and sent her X-Defender swooping out in a long arc away and under the First Order cargo vessel. 'Six, come with me.' she said into her comm, 'Eight, Eleven, hang back.' She gunned her engines and, together with Cora, charged towards the enemy vessel. It was a slow ship and incredibly easy for them to pick off the cannon, their shots hitting home, destroying the turret to scraps of molten metal. As they came around and above, presenting themselves as tempting targets for the topmost cannon, Nexu 8 and 11 shot at it from behind, destroying it instantly. The cargo ship tried to make their escape by jumping to lightspeed, but One Flight sent precisely aimed shots at its engines, disabling it.
And just like that, it was over. The cargo ship floated through space and the cruiser came up alongside, matching velocity, as it lined up its docking port. As the cruiser extended the docking tube, Face sent a warning to the cargo ship, 'now don't get any funny ideas. I want my people back in one piece. If they don't, then you won't either.' when there was no reply, Luna swept around to the front and sent a few shots past the cockpit.
'Fine,' said the cargo captain over the comm.
'He doesn't sound happy,' she noted on a private channel.
'He doesn't have to be happy,' replied Face. 'Just compliant.'
Luna shot round to the front and flipped her X-Defender on the x-axis, flying backwards, facing the cargo ship. She could see the captain and pilote inside. She waved jauntily. He ... did another hand gesture. From her vantage point she watched Vix and Twitch make their way through the docking tube, then into the ship. Vix kept his comm open so the others could listen in and react instantly if something went wrong, but nothing did. She watched as he appeared in the cockpit, then heard as he told the captain to get in the back. She heard the captain's impolite reply, and watched in satisfaction as the buff Devaronian manhandle the two crew members out of the cockpit.
'Crew secured,' came Vix's voice over the comm. Immediately, Fenn made their way hurriedly over the tube and they reappeared moments later in the cockpit, quickly accompanied by Zatt. As they worked at the console, Vix, Twitch and Garan emptied the vessel of various supplies. Face had told them to prioritise spacefaring necessities- food, fuel, weapons, and the like - but to also keep an eye out for any expensive or luxury goods. She knew that they would dump them later, but appearances must be kept up.
Luna saw movement at the cockpit window, and she was confused for a moment until she realised it was Zatt jumping up and down. The woman was too short to see over the panels. At last, she stood up on the chair and waved. Luna flicked her searchlight on and off in acknowledgement.
'Hey Boss,' she said over the comm. 'Looks like we've got something.'
