'Do you actually know how to hotwire this thing?' Face asked.
'Of course I do,' growled Garan from underneath the landspeeder's dashboard. 'They teach us how in our first year of engineering school. Right after building Death Stars. Just keep an eye out.'
'I'm keeping an eye out,' said Face, watching Garan work. 'You just concentrate on your work, we can't afford to stick around for much longer.'
I'm working,' Garan grunted, 'as fas as,' another grunt, 'I can. But someone is distracting - got it!'
'Nice work.'
'I don't need your approval,' Garan righted himself in his seat and turned on the engine, the speeder thrumming to life with a quiet growl that made Face's bottom tickle. 'This thing's got some real power,' Garan added appreciatively.
'Take things slow.'
'I thought you wanted a quick a get-away?'
'From here, but we can't just gun it. You have to look like you're just out for a midnight drive.'
'Yes, because that's a perfectly normal thing to do.'
'Who knows? Could be,' Face settled into his seat, his arm resting on the top of the door frame like he was out for a pleasant midday speeder ride. 'Also I'd just like another look around, if that's okay.'
'Of course, master,' Garan grumbled. 'Anything else while I'm here? A midnight snack from the local deli? A midnight swim in the sea?'
'A swim after a snack?' asked Face in mock horror, 'are you trying to drown me?'
'The thought has crossed my mind,' Garan let the landspeeder drift down the street, making the slowest getaway possible.
Face dropped the subject, fearing that that was indeed true. 'Take a left here.'
'But the starport is - nevermind.'
Garan let the speeder pick up speed and Face watched the houses in this lovely little residential area fly by. Face knew nothing about the planning of Berris City, but given that this place was the farthest place from the trading starport, it had to be fancy. The landspeeder certainly looked to be top of the line, though Face wasn't really one to know. His knowledge was more than a few years old. He had stopped caring about things like that every since his son was taken from him. He may have continued living, but the outside world was just so much set dressing to him. Face frowned as he noticed someone was trying to wave them down. 'Pull over,' he told Garan.
'Are we taking hitchhikers now?' he asked sarcastically, but did as he was told, coming to a stop a few metres from a shadowy, cowled figure. The two Nexus tensed as the figure came closer, and as they did the person pulled down their cowl, and the two relaxed, recognising Kai's distinctive outline. Without a word, the Bothan hopped in the back. Garan gunned the engine and the landspeeder quickly left the street behind it, in case anyone thought it suspicious.
'I didn't know you were heading out tonight,' Face turned to address Kai. 'I thought you were all done.'
'Had a sweet idea,' replied Kai, his eyes glistening in the moonlight, and Face imagined that Kai with his usual doe-eyed expression when he had completed setting up his explosives and was anticipating the big booms to come.
'Can't wait to see it, bud,' Face smiled at him. Garan snorted besides him in the driver's seat, but said nothing. 'I want to see the plaza one last time,' Face ordered Garan. Garan slowed momentarily to get his bearings, then turned down another road. It was another five minutes before they arrived at the merchant's plaza, a large square with streets branching off at each corner, almost like it was the centre of a giant maze. In a way, it was, but somehow people always seemed to end up at the centre, to sell their wares, to taste the food being offered, brought from all corners of the galaxy, or just simply to partake in the feel of it, to smell the sweet scents that hung in the air - that still hung in the air even now, when all the shops and stalls had been closed for hours. It was an anomaly, Face thought, that a planet in the heart of the First Order even had such a place, where cultural dishes and differences were enjoyed and celebrated, but figured it was something leftover from its more independant days, a tradition that the First Order hadn't quite managed to stamp out.
Garan parked the speeder at one of the corners, just enough to look in but not enough to be noticed. At least, that was the hope.
'Okay, we've seen it,' said Garan. 'Can we go now?'
'Not just yet,' replied Face, looking into the square. The square remained quiet, even the cobblestones seemed to be sleeping, needing the rest after a busy day. And then, on the far end, a squad of stormtroopers entered. Face tensed, as did the others beside and behind him. He watched as they made their regular circuit through the plaza. This was, he guessed, based on the information the other Nexus had gained from their recces of the city, their third time to have patrolled this area tonight, but they still kept their discipline, checking all the darkened areas for any surprises. Despite their being the enemy, Face couldn't help but appreciate their maintaining such discipline. That is, until they noticed their speeder.
'Kai,' Face said tensely, 'duck down and hide.' the Bothan immediately dropped to the floor of the speeder and curled into a ball and tucked himself under the seat.
'Uh, Face,' Garan said nervously. 'What's the plan here?'
Face gave him an apologetic look. 'I'm sorry. I know I'm not your favourite person right now, but,' he leaned towards the Duros, placing an arm around his shoulders.
'Ugh, Garan groaned. 'Fine,' and he leaned in to kiss Face.
There was a knock on the hood of the landspeeder, a bright light flashed in their faces. 'All right,' said one of the stormtroopers, 'break it up. You're out after curfew.'
'Sorry about that, officer,' said Face, wincing away from the light. 'Our date went well,' he added with a sheepish grin.
'So I can see,' she said. 'But you need to leave and return to your residential area at once.'
'Right away officer,' said Garan, turning on the engine. Face saw that he was blushing. He didn't think Garan could blush.
'They're observant,' noted Garan, once they were back aboard the Nest. 'A little too observant. Are you sure you want them?'
'You saw the patrol plans, they're isolated in that square. Response time is the longest of all patrol routes. It's our best shot.'
'Perhaps,' Garan still didn't sound too sure.
'Get some rest,' Face ordered. We can all discuss it tomorrow.
Which they did, although everyone was more muted than usual. Perhaps it was because this was the first time they were all truly up close with the First Order, not just working behind enemy lines but amid enemy lines, but there was a sense of nervousness that pervaded all the Nexus. All day, they holed themselves up in the salon, going over every aspect of the plan, until the sun started to set.
'It's show time,' Face announced to the table. 'Anyone have any final objections?'
They all looked at each other, daring someone else to say something, but no one did.
'All right, final equipment check. Remember, once we start, there's no coming back to the Nest unless it goes bad, so make sure you have everything.'
As the sun set, they all gathered at top of the ramp. As the outside darkened, Twitch and Kai were the first to leave, each to take up their respective positions. It was an hour later that Face received their signals, his commlink bleeping in affirmation. Then Garan left to retrieve the speeder, stashed just outside the starport. Then Vix, Ka'iulani and Ro'vena, carrying Fenn and their support equipment. It beeped ominously but Ro'vena assured Face that those fluctuations in the readouts were normal. Together the three disappeared into the night. Later, Garan came back and picked up Face and Ka'iulani, locking up the Nest as they left.
It was time.
