The Soldier's Guide To Overthrowing A Space Empire.

Step 7 - Get kidnapped

A/N: Before we get into this one folks,

TW!: Mild violence, censored swearing!

...

This was his last life. He was granted a final chance from HQ--and Yedris, begrudgingly--to prove that "alternative methods" could indeed prove beneficial to the Rebel's cause.. however... They did the bare minimum to gear him up for the task.

Jani the puffer joined in on her own volition and... Huh.. no one else volunteered.. welp, at least they were granted access to all the weapons they wanted. They geared up on the attache at the side of massive sanddome aptly labelled "Guns".. might be too literal a translation.. and were given one Ocean-to-Surface transport. Their docking bay is large metal corridor that sticks out of the glass domes with sky oriented pods.

Jani: "The mechanism is a tad bit simple-" She exclaimed.

Jani: "Just press the release pressure button and we should be sent up almost immedia-"

A large gust of water immediately erupts from the domed city with it's screaming occupants in tow. The glass visor and windows are flush with the light ever increasing from the surface and colourful blurs of the corals and marine life. I think they even splatted a fish against the windshield.

To best visualize what a Ocean-to-Surface transport would look like in operation, imagine an overinflated ball forcefully sunk to the bottom of a pool and then let go.

...

After the rattled occupants regain their senses, the squat vehicle begins to accelerate on the surface of the water. (And turn on the wipers).

Xyrelo: "So.. Jani.. ever been on the inside of one these bases before..?" He asks in slight worry.

Jani: "Er, um, no, not really. I've just memorized a couple of blueprints." She shrugged. "The most dangerous assignment I was ever given was Mollusc.. I mean it's just a bunch of metal and wires, how bad can it be?"

Xyrelo pushed his worries to the back of his mind and began charting course to Transgalactic Base 1-E. Pretty hard to miss. Massive spires everywhere, architectural nightmare yadda yadda-

...

Xyrelo stepped out of the cramped pod to stretch his fins.

Xyrelo: (whisper) "Stay here, Jani" He gestured to her.

Jani: "What? Seriously, brov?" She looked at him in disbelief.

Xyrelo: "I need a getaway driver just in case things go south.. also I'll be travelling through the vents-"

Jani: (offended) "You sayin' I can't fit through vents now?" The puffer turns in offense.

Xyrelo: "That's not what I- just stay here please-" he pleads with the now broken ego-ed fish lady.

Jani: (offended) "Fineeee... But you better let me take the lead on the next covert we get..!" She slapped the anglers back in a friendly manner but accidentally did it so hard the air left his lungs so quickly he prayed he wished he his gills worked on land.

...

Z'kri had just woken up for his guard shift (along with 40 others). Still not feeling like himself despite his father's talks. The spotlights from the guard towers are so bright that they penetrate through the blinds giving everyone close mild insomnia. More so for Z'kri.

He stretches and yawns quietly and grabs something to eat from the cold box in the eating part of his room. Isn't exactly a kitchen, just a place where it's fine for the crumbs to fall.

The events of the last few days still play through his mind. He's not himself lately. He just takes orders and completes them whenever asked. His squadron also seems to notice his new behaviour, but don't say anything as to not bother him. Kinda gained respect for him after the uh.. "y'know.."