FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R F I F T Y-E I G H T

THIRD PERSON POV

When the Marauder apparated from hyperspace, it began its descent into the mysterious planet's atmosphere to the location where the derelict vessel had been reported. Fern arched her neck to look out the viewport and spotted a quiet village nestled into the side of a mountain in a terraced layout. Tranquil, glowing light sources flickered in the night. At the base of the mountain, there was a power plant constructed in a clearing. "Well, now we know how the word on the wreckage spread so quickly." she quipped, steering the ship in the opposite direction. The rest of the planet's surface was blanketed with lush temperate forests. She landed the ship in a cedarglade a kilometer from the crashed site.

Hunter handed Fern her bomber jacket he'd scooped from the cockpit floor. He didn't know exactly what Cid and her had discussed, but he deduced she was troubled enough to rip her 'prized possession' off and allowed it to sprawl out on the floor—she didn't even think to at least fold it lazily over an arm rest. "Here, you dropped this." he said in a low voice.

Fern blinked at the jacket in his hand, as if she was trying to recall when she took it off. Forcing a smile, she accepted and slipped it back on. "Thanks," she breathed as she sheepishly tugged on the collar. When she met the sergeant's eyes, he detected her internal struggle. Before she could turn away to retrieve her blaster, he wrapped an arm around her snatched waist and kissed her. When he pulled away slowly, Fern whistled, impressed. "And thank you for that." She poked him in the chestplate before giving him a devious smirk that urged him to kiss her again.

"Thought that'd lift your spirits." he chuckled.

"Spirits lifted." she sang, twirling her finger playfully as she departed down the corridor. Hunter's smiled wavered as he diligently watched her. A wave of concern flooded his thoughts temporalily. The last she'd been this dimissive on her feelings was after he and Echo had returned from their mission and come to find out the rest of their squad had their own adventure on Safa Toma. She'd gotten her first new jacket stolen by someone she got in a scuffle with, but she didn't bother to share anymore details...She had nightmares after Safa Toma for awhile; Hunter hoped she was not going down a similar road...

"Fern," he called to her one last time, meeting her at the back of the ship where she was in pursuit of climbing up the couple rungs to her and Omega's room. She turned with eagerness, expecting another act of affection, when instead she was greeted by an intense stare from the sergeant. "I know you're not telling me something." he blatantly said. "I trust you, but you know you don't have to keep it to yourself. I'm here to share whatever burdens you are holding."

Fern frowned as her eyes trailed passed him, catching their onlookers in the act. Tech averted his eyes, a wistful reaction swept across his face. Wrecker gulped nervously, but he felt just as helpless as the exceptionally-minded clone in terms of emotional support. Fern met Hunter's waiting eyes and crossed her arms. "Thank you." she replied bluntly. "I will consider your generous offer." Without another word, she retrieved her hand gauntlet and blaster and shouldered passed him.

"Fern," Hunter sighed, rotating to follow, but Wrecker of all people held him back.

"Let her cool off, Sarge." he said. "She'll come around eventually."

Hunter secretly hoped the muscular clone was right, because now his concern had spiked ten-fold.

The trek to the ship wreckage was a quiet one. While the clones utilized their torches, their path was mainly illuminated by the bright moon and the millions of stars dotting the night sky. The tall, crimson-red grass softly crunched underneath their boots. The whirling and beeping from Tech's scanner was the only thing disturbing the silence. Despite the natural peacefulness of the planet, Fern wasn't in the mood to casually converse to pass the time. As Omega strolled beside her, she got the notion it'd be best not to push her mother figure. However, that didn't stop the young girl from slipping her small hand into Fern's—the latter silently thanked her by squeezing her fingers. When the squad finally arrived, they realized the majority of the massive, crashed vessel was intact.