'See anything, Ten?' Face whispered into his commlink.
'Negative, One,' came Twitch's response. Face looked across the deserted plaza, up onto the the rooftops of the far corner to where Twitch was positioned, and was comforted to see nothing but darkness and shadow. If he knew that Twitch was there but could see nothing, then it was likely that stormtroopers who didn't know about him, wouldn't be able to either. He looked up into the sky, trying to decide if the weak light from the quarter moon would help or hinder them tonight. Help, he decided. Always look on the bright side.
'I think we should do "lover's tiff",' said Garan, beside him.
Face thought it over. 'Why? That good a kisser, am I?' he smirked.
Garan rolled his eyes. 'I was just thinking - we already established that last night. It would be more believable if they recognise us.'
'Perhaps.'
'You don't like it?'
'It's not that,' said Face cautiously. 'We just didn't exactly work out the script or the conversational branches. More things could go wrong,' he looked at Garan. The Duros was talking to him more and more, he'd noticed. Perhaps his ill feelings towards Face had mellowed. He hoped so; he hated being disliked. It was a childish thought, he knew, but he always needed to be liked.
'Contact,' said Twitch, 'four stormies coming on from the south east corner.'
Face turned to look behind and to the right. It was dark, but he could just make out the ghostly white armour. He frowned. 'They're early tonight. Let's get to work.'
Face and Garan headed towards the closest market stall and began moving boxes.
'No, no,' Garan said loudly, 'that one goes there. This one goes there.'
'What does it matter? Face retorted. 'It's just a bunch of useless stuff. No one's ever going to buy it.'
'It's not useless! I'm telling you, people will be coming in droves to get this stuff. Now come on, help me move this big box.'
Face sighed dramatically and went to one side of a nearly three metre crate. On a count of three, they lifted together - or tried to. They managed to get it a few feet off the ground before dropping it with a loud clang.
'What in the name of blazes have you got in here?' Face groaned, grabbing his back. 'I think I threw my back out!'
'Don't be such a baby,' huffed Garan. he moved around the crate and stood by Face. 'You just need to lift with your legs!'
'You two!' came a voice just a few metres away. Bright lights blared in their faces, obscuring the newcomer, but the processed, machine like voice pegged her as a stormtrooper. Face and Garan both flinched away and lifted their hands to shield their eyes.
'Why are you two out after curfew?' she demanded.
Garan spread his hands. 'We're just trying to get ready for business tomorrow. Get a jump on the competition.'
The lead stormtrooper - Face saw the black cauldron, marking her as a sergeant, making this the same squad from last night - pointed her blaster flashlight in Garan's face. 'Do I know you?'
Garan gave Face a smug look, to say I told you so. Face rolled his eyes. 'Things went so good we decided to go into business together,' Face said quickly. It was Face's turn to get a blaster pointed in his face. He squinted one eye shut, to preserve some night vision. 'It may have been too soon.'
'I swear,' Garan grumbled, 'you're a different man from when we met.'
'That was just yesterday.'
'So? If we get arrested then I'm keeping the dog.'
