Luna looked about her. Yep, she thought. Outnumbered and surrounded. It's nice to be in familiar territory. 'No,' she said slowly. 'I don't think I will be coming with you.'
Snett smirked at her, at once the easy going driver that she had first known. 'I'm afraid this isn't optional. You're coming with me, whether you like it or not.'
Luna sighed, reached into her jacket pocket, producing and igniting Hoshi's blade with a magician's flourish, bathing them all in its purple light. She was pleased with the act. Hoshi had been teaching her how to handle the hilt. She pointed the tip to the ground between them; not quite threatening but not quite leaving her defenceless, either. 'Did you forget who you're messing with?'
'I didn't forget,' Snett said quickly. 'But I don't think you're quite who you say you are, either. I did think it was weird that you had your girlfriend hold your lightsaber for you, but it wasn't exactly the weirdest thing I've seen either. Bosses generally don't like to carry their own weapons, and those who do either do so because they like to show off, or like to get their own hands dirty,' she paused, as if waiting for Luna to say something. She stayed silent. Snett shrugged. 'But then it occurred to me that you would never use the Force without your lover by your side,' Snett raised her blaster rifle. 'So I'm willing to bet that you have no powers. That it was her all along.'
Luna looked at her, and then around her once again, her mind racing, playing out every scenario in her head. In the end, she sighed and turned off the blade.
'Now drop it,' Snett kept her blaster rifle at the ready.
Luna threw it away into the shadows.
'Now, come with us.'
'You know,' Luna mused out loud, not moving. 'You're really quite perceptive. To have noticed that.'
'What can I say? There's a reason I'm a lieutenant. Now move,' Snett's easy going manner had quickly dropped once Luna didn't move.
Luna nodded thoughtfully, still unmoving. 'I do have a question though. How did you and the others make it out? I lost track of things, after I took off.'
'You mean when you abandoned us?' Snett's voice rose, her anger boiling over.
Luna felt her own anger, ever present, rising to match the Klatooinians and she forced herself to control it. She needed to remain cool, now more than ever. 'I didn't abandon you. But it's true, I didn't exactly help you either. When things went sideways I looked after mine and mine alone. Can you blame me?' when Snett let the silence linger, she added, 'it's your job to look after your people. Would you have done any different?'
Still, silence. Luna heard some of the others around her shuffling their feet, but she didn't dare take her eyes off of Snett. 'How did you get out?'
Snett's eyes, hidden behind the shades, were unreadable, but the way she chewed her lip told Luna everything she needed to know. 'We took hauler. Had to fight through the base again, but we got out. Burned bridges with our contacts in the base though, so no more income coming from their pilfered supplies - thanks for that.'
'My pleasure,' Luna said coolly. 'You'll just have to find another way to fund your multi-million credit operation.'
The Klatooinian smirked, let the comment slide. 'No more chit chat. You're coming with us.'
'One more question,' Luna said just a little too loudly, her nerves getting the better of her. 'How did you find me tonight? I thought I did very well to infiltrate the city.'
There were sighs of exasperation around her at her time wasting, but Snett seemed to enjoy the question. 'You did. You evaded us very well, I don't mind admitting that. But we had eyes on those petty thugs. We saw you. Heard every word. After that it was just a case of following you and setting up our trap.'
Luna nodded. 'Impressive,' she said. 'Most impressive. But if you heard everything, you'll know my sniper is on hand at this very moment.'
'A pretty lie,' Snett sneered. 'But you're alone. No one's coming to save you.'
'Not quite,' said a voice in the darkness. Something flew down from above, landing in between Luna and Snett, the lightsaber springing to life with a snap-hisss. Hoshi smiled as the Klatooinians took a step back from her.
'Took you long enough,' Luna whispered to her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
'I got lost, okay?' Hoshi mumbled under her breath. 'But I'm here now.'
Luna smiled at her, then at Snett. 'I don't think I'll be coming with you. Now if you don't mind? We have places to blow up. People to rescue.'
'You're not going anywhere,' the Klatooinian snarled, tensing behind her blaster rifle. 'The boss wants you, and you can't take on all of us. So just-ah!' a single shot rang out and the muzzle of her rifle exploded in a flash of red and she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Some of the other Klatooinians looked around in confusion, wondering where the shot had come from, but others, already on edge, sent a few shots at the couple, which Hoshi deflected as Luna ducked low and herself sent a return volley of stun bolts. Those Marauders that hadn't fired hastily leveled their blasters at them, but they never had a chance to shoot as, from behind, a heavily bandaged Vix led the Nexus with a roar that did more to unnerve the Klatoonians that the sight of Hoshi and her lightsaber ever did. In moments, the fight was over, as the remaining Marauders either ran or surrendered.
Luna looked over the small battlefield, then at Vix. 'You shouldn't be out of bed,' she said sternly.
'What, and miss this?' Vix waved his arm at the unconscious bodies, then winced as the act sent a jolt of pain through his body. Tarrik's surgery and their small bacta supplies had done wonders, but he was nowhere near battle ready.
'Get back to base before and First Order patrols get her,' she ordered him. 'I just need a word with Snett, and we'll be right with you,' Luna motioned at Hoshi to join her and, together, they marched on the Klatooinian, who was laid down on the floor, clutching her burnt left arm. Luna leaned down and sat on her haunches. Snett looked up at her, breathing shakily. 'Take a look around you. As you can see, none of your Marauders are dead. You tried to take your pound of flesh, and you failed. Tell your master to let this be an end to whatever bad blood there was between us.'
Snett stared at her, saying nothing. Luna reached over, took the Klatooinian's uninjured arm and helped her to her feet. 'And then tell your master that I have a new proposition for him.'
