Tarrik looked up at the intimidating facade of Station 22, turned round and walked away.
'I can't do this,' he said. He took off his First Order officer's cap and wiped his brow with his sleeve. Face noticed the sleeve was already very damp.
'You'll be fine,' Face reassured him. 'Just do as we practiced. Remember the conversation branch and you'll have an answer for everything,' Face looked over his shoulder and saw the stormtroopers practically gleaming menacingly in the harsh security lights of the checkpoint, standing out all the more for the darkness surrounding them. Beyond, station 22 loomed like a dark shadowy spear, cutting into the night sky, eating all the stars it could reach. Face immediately regretted the mental image, taking him back to the destruction of Hosnian Prime, that blazing red hand plucking planets out of existence. 'Just remember, you got called in to cover an emergency. Understood?'
Tarrik nodded, taking deep breaths that were on the verge of hyperventilating. Watching him, Face had the thought, and not for the first time, that this was perhaps a mistake. Tarrik was not a natural spy. He had intelligence, certainly, and he did show a proficiency for intuition and empathy, which is why Face had picked him to be their medical support. But Tarrik had had practically no experience whatsoever at spying, much less going undercover; the majority of his work in Nexu Squadron being limited to patching them up and flying the Nexu in a support capacity while everyone else went off playing spy.
'I can do this,' said Tarrik, and Face thought he was talking himself into it, but then realised Tarrik was addressing him. He must have noticed Face's expression, and he was ashamed that he had let himself convey even a second of doubt. 'I know you can,' he said forcefully. 'I know you can do this. I was just thinking ahead,' he lied, then told a half truth, 'I cannot see the next steps beyond this mission and it worries me. But I shouldn't be thinking about that just now. Neither of us should. Let's keep our heads on the task at hand.'
Tarrik nodded. 'Yes,' he said softly, and then more steadily, 'yes. Well. Let's get on with it. Can't stay here all night,' he turned to look back at the garrison station, took a moment to collect himself, and then marched stiffly forward. Or tried to; Face grabbed his shoulder, and as Tarrik looked at him, confused, Face nudged his head to his right, down the alleyway that Tarrik was supposed to have taken. It wouldn't do to just appear out of the shadows on the opposite side of the street. 'Right, yes, of course,' said Tarrik, and wandered off on shaky legs down the dark alleyway that ran parallel. At the end he took a left and then disappeared from view. Face took a few steps forward so that he could see Tarrik come round the corner. Sweat began to trickle down Face's forehead as Tarrik failed to appear after the five seconds it should have taken him, but at last he did, no longer walking as if he were going to his own execution, but slowly, tiredly, hunched into his jacket. The two stormtroopers at the checkpoint noticed him immediately and stood alert, watching him as he made his way up to the checkpoint.
'Identification,' one of them said. The night was quiet and their vocalisers carried. Although Tarrik had his back to Face and spoke quieter, Face could tell that he was following the script Face and Ro'vena had worked out for him. He reached into his jacket pocket, then patted his trousers. Reached up to rub the tired out of his eyes, an act that made his eyes look more bloodshot, adding to the effect. He gesticulated towards the station.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we can't allow you in without any identification,' said the stormtrooper, while the other one took a few steps back to act as cover, watching the scene unfold.
'But my patient!' said Tarrik loudly, irritated. He pointed more forcefully at the station. Good, thought Face. Create urgency.
The stormtrooper wasn't having it. She held her hand up, directing him to step back.
De-escalate, Face urged him mentally. Follow the conversation branch. But it was clear that Tarrik was going off script, verbally pushing back aggressively. Face tensed, then made a snap decision, took off his full length non-descript jacket and all but running down the alleyway, round the corner, taking a moment to collect himself, before stepping out on to the street. He forced himself to walk slowly towards the checkpoint and wait patiently behind Tarrik.
'I'm sorry, sir, but you don't have any ID or a work order for this station. You shouldn't be here,' said the stormtrooper patiently.
'But I was called here to assist on a code triage,' said Tarrik, waving wildly. 'There wasn't time to fill out any damnable paperwork.'
Face huffed and lifted his left arm to check his chrono, using his right hand to cover the fact that he had no such timepiece.
'That may be the case, sir,' she said evenly, 'but without any documentation I cannot let you in.'
'You're letting my patient die,' said Tarrik angrily. It was, Face noted, not the best performance, but he had only a few hours of practice. He should have committed the other Nexu's to an acting course, he knew, but events had got the better of him. He made a mental note to start one the moment they got off-planet. 'If a fellow soldier dies, that will be on you. Do you want that?'
Face let just the right amount of irritation show on his face, in his sharp intake of breath, puffing out his chest, then crossed his arms. He hoped that the harsh light didn't highlight the hasty paint job that covered the word 'power' on the two lieutenant's stripes that acted as a makeshift general's rank insignia on his armband.
'I'm telling you, I have to get in.'
'Sir, step back,' said the stormtrooper. She turned to the other stormtrooper, and Face realised what her next words were going to be. Before she could order the other to call it in, he stepped forward, shoving Tarrik roughly out of the way.
'I've had enough of this,' he said imperiously. 'Soldier! You will come with me while we take this imbecile in to security.'
'Sir?' she said, confused.
'What?' he growled, managing to look his nose down at her, even though she was taller. She seemed to get smaller under his gaze. 'I have been called in at this ungodly hour, I am not wasting another moment. You may be content to sit here, idling, but I value my time much more highly. Now out of my way, trooper.'
'It's sergeant,' she said tremulously.
'Not for much longer if you don't do as you're told,' he turned away to look at a shocked looking Tarrik. 'Now you,' he said nastily. 'You should know better, lieutenant, now you will come with me and I'll have security deal with you,' he grabbed Tarrik roughly by his bicep and dragged him forward, barging the shocked stormtrooper out of the way. She hurried to catch up.
The doors parted for them and Face had just enough time to a confused looking receptionist, as well as several stormtroopers milling around, talking amongst themselves. Immediately he let go of Tarrik before any of them could make note of it. 'Ah, security!' he bellowed, raising a hand as if he were calling a cab. He turned to the checkpoint stormtroopers. 'Very good, sergeant. These chaps will handle it from here. You may go.'
'But, sir,' she started.
'You dare leave your post?' he roared. 'Out! Out of my sight at once!'
'Yes, sir, sorry, sir,' she beat a hasty retreat.
'Now remember,' Face said casually to Tarrik, 'there is a time and place for arrogance. Hopefully she won't even notice that I did the exact same thing you were doing, but because I'm much higher up the chain, she's less likely to look too closely. You, on the other hand, can get caught by any rank, so just go with the conversation, rather than force it. Now, look a bit lost, there's a good chap,' Face stopped and smiled as the squad of stormtroopers came up close enough to here. 'Ah, troopers. This gentleman is newly transferred from station 23 and needs directions up to the medical wing. Be so good as to show him the way,' and without another word Face walked off to the nearest turbolift. Before the door slid shut, he just had a glimpse of the stormtroopers escorting the yawning, dozy doctor down the hallway. He smiled to himself. He hadn't planned to enter the base, but since he was here he figured he could take some time to take a look around, try to augment the information he and the rest of the Nexus had gained from their excursions during the day. Maybe even pick up a few IDs, perhaps a map. He didn't know, but, as he rubbed his hands gleefully, he did know that he was going to have some fun doing it.
