The strangest thing about walking around a star destroyer, Ro'vena found, was how normal everything was. Once she got over her fear of being found out, of every stormtrooper that they passed somehow being able to see through their plastoid helmets, of knowing their every traitorous thoughts, she was able to relax. Well, not quite relax. They were still behind enemy lines, about to pull off a daring mission. But she was able to settle into her new persona of a random grunt, going about her business.
And even though alarms blared overhead, all about them, no one really seemed to take notice. She supposed that that was the way of things on these huge, several kilometre long capital ships. You knew there was a danger within the ship, but it was all relative. All that you knew is that it wasn't right in front of you. She nodded genially to a passing squad of stormtroopers. Well, it may have been right in front of them, but they didn't need to know that.
They took the main turbolift up to the bridge, stopping several levels below, and took the port exit, heading to the hyperwave comm tower. And no one stopped them.
That is until they got to the entrance.
'What are you doing here, lieutenants?' asked the stern looking, middle aged commander who blocked their passage.
'Captain's orders,' Ka'iulani said, all business. Ro'vena had told her that it was a good fall back position when you weren't sure how to behave, particularly around superior officers. Just be all business, no personality. Be forgettable. 'We're to sweep the area.'
'Captain's orders, eh?' the commander leered at her, checking her out, then looked over her shoulder to Ro'vena. 'And that requires a pilot, why?'
So much for being forgettable. 'Sir,' Ro'vena stood to attention. She wasn't sure if she should salute or not, and opted to throw one in. Even if it wasn't regulation - and she had a feeling that, in a battlefield situation, it was standard practice to not salute superiors - she had a feeling that the commander might be flattered by a show of respect. 'I was a witness to the incursion in the hangar bay. I'm attached to the lieutenant, to assist in the search, in the hopes of spotting something that otherwise might be missed. Sir.'
The commander grunted and turned his attention back to Ka'iulani. 'How long will you be?'
'Ten, fifteen minutes at most, sir.'
The commander nodded, then leaned in. 'Be sure to stop by on your way out,' his tone made Ro'vena's skin crawl, and she had to force herself not to shudder.
Ka'iulani offered him a brilliant smile. 'Of course, sir. As soon as I'm finished,' she sidestepped him and entered the comm room. The others followed her.
The hyperwave comm room was huge, a vast emptiness with maybe a dozen scaffold pillars growing out of the darkness below, reaching high up above them, disappearing into darkness above, with slim, dainty looking walkways connecting each pillar, suspended above the abyss. As they entered, the technicians who walked the walkways in ones and twos turned to look at them, but it was just to satisfy their curiosity, as no one questioined them, nor stopped them.
'Fenn,' Ro'vena said, 'you're up. Lead the way.'
Fenn looked up and took in their surroundings, turning an appraising gaze to each pillar. Perhaps it was her reading too much into things, but their face seemed to light up with delight. This was their element. This was where their joy lay. Fenn led them to the third furthest pillar away, and settled down at the control panel, pulling off the covering and digging deep into the circuitry. Amoya joined them, plugging small electronic devices that looked like tiny thermal detonators about the panel. Technology wasn't Ro'vena's strongsuit, but she knew these to be some sort of electronic bafflers that looped signals over and over again, clogging up the internal airwaves. Ro'vena surrepticiously checked her personal comm, making sure it was in good working condition. Once those bafflers kicked in, that would be their only means of coordination.
It felt like it took forever, but in reality Fenn was done in only ten minutes, replacing the circuitry cover with a goofy grin.
'Let's get out of here,' Ro'vena said to the others. 'Ah, let's go another way out,' she added, thinking to avoid the commander. Ka'iulani gave her a a grateful look.
They left without issue, and were within sight of the turbolifts when things started to go wrong.
Because that was when they saw Mara.
And also saw the several dozen stormtroopers accompanying her.
'Duck!' Amoya hissed, quickest of them all to realise the issue. If Mara saw them, her surprise might give them away. Amoya grabbed Ro'vena, pulling her into the closest alcove. The others joined her.
'Thank you,' she breathed, then dared to peak out, just a little. No one had noticed them. But Ro'vena had noticed how they were all going up to the command bridge. She told the others what she'd seen. 'We have to follow them,' she decided on the spot.
'Bad idea,' Ka'iulani warned her.
'Good idea,' Kai said happily, producing several pouches of explosives.
'Maybe not that good an idea,' Ro'vena conceded, not wanting to think about what those could do in such a small space.
In the end, it was Fenn who decided it. 'I need to go up,' they said suddenly.
Ro'vena looked to the others. This was not in the plan. 'Why?'
'I need to go,' they repeated. 'I have an idea.'
Ro'vena chewed her lip, looked at the others, and then the retreating backs of the mass of stormtroopers. She felt that there was a plan there, an idea that could be moulded, shaped into something useful. She just couldn't grasp it, see its fully formed shape. 'Fenn and I will go up to the main bridge, see what's happening there. Ka'iulani, you take the others and-'
'Boom?' Kai said hopefully.
'Boom,' Ro'vena agreed. 'Try to find a means of distraction. Once things start getting going, it's your job to pile on the chaos.'
'I can mess with their engines,' Garan suggested.
'Perfect,' Ro'vena nodded enthusiastically. 'Okay, let's go,' she forced herself out of the alcove and down the corridor to follow in the footsteps of the contingent of stormtroopers. If she had waited one more moment, she doubted she would have had the courage to do this.
But she did. She rode the turbolift up and entered the bridge. At the very front, in front of the wide transparisteel windows, stood Mara and two officers. The stormtroopers that had accompanied her were filing into the rooms and paths off to the side. Without a further word, Fenn strode off into the bridge, descending into one of the trenches to settle at a workstation. Ro'vena had no idea what to do next, so she turned to one of the stormtroopers standing guard and said, 'I'm attached to that officer that just came in. We'll be here a while so why don't you take your break? I don't mind standing guard, and it doesn't take all three of us.'
'I don't know,' he said, looking beyond her to the two officers at the front.
'Ah, yeah,' Ro'vena nodded in understanding. 'It'll be fine. My Eltee is following up on specific orders from the captain. It'll be fine,' she repeated. 'Besides, it's not like we're really needed with that lot hiding in the wings.'
'Heh. True,' the stormtrooper chuckled. 'Thanks, buddy. Owe you one.'
She took his place at the door, wondering just what the hell was going on.
