Almost

Chapter Nine

*Alden has an Irish accent yo*

"I can't believe this."

Tam looked up at Synara. "I don't think anyone can."

Kaz sighed next to her.

They were on the transport- well, Synara, Tam, Neeku, and Kaz. As they were boarding, Tam managed to coax the story out of Kaz about this "Nena", and she didn't like what she heard.

She looked over at Neeku, who was lost in thought. "What are we gonna do?"

Kaz sighed again and said, "I don't think there's anything we can do. She's with the Resistance."

"We don't know that, Kaz." Synara said, her thick accent laced with vexation.

Neeku leaned back and rested his mech helmet on the headrest. "She has a shuttle, Resistance clearance codes, and an escort of X- wings. The chances of this being a ruse are very low."

"But not impossible." Tam whispered.

"But not impossible." Neeku agreed quietly.

"Well", Kaz began, "if she is with the Resistance, that's a good thing! We helped another person to the light! Maybe we could be friends again."

"Perhaps." Neeku said, his voice sceptical as he turned towards the window. But before he turned away, Tam saw a small spark of hope in the nikto's eyes.

"Hope you lot 'r cosy."

Tam looked up to the orange twi'lek Alden strunting towards them. "Nice to see other people besides the ones on base, aye?"

Alden had an accent like Aunt Z, but he was tall, thin, and was attired with a simple tan tunic. He leaned against the wall.

"Ah, don't hide it mates. Could sense you don't like the lady."

Kaz snorted and immediately tried to cover it with a cough.

Tam straightened up under his curious gaze. "So she's really for the Resistance?"

Alden looked amused and tilted his head. "Oh Nena's Resistance all right. Saved 'bunch of us slaves and gave us a choice if we wanted to sign up or not." He let a small chuckle. "Nice to be fighten' the good fight."

"Wait." Kaz said. "You were a slave?"

"Aye." Aden looked down. "Saved me and a bunch of kids from bein' traded. Owe 'er my life."

"Alden!" Nena's voice called from the cockpit. "About to land! Need my co-pilot!"

He turned to go, then stopped. "She knows what she did. She don't hide it. Nena's trying hard to be better." Then he was gone.

The shuttle shuttered as it landed, and Tam felt a wave of nervousness roll through her.

Kaz noticed.

"Hey. This is gonna be awesome. Just think positive!"

"Positive thinking doesn't come naturally to me, Kaz."

"Well then I'll think positive for both of us."

Tam almost laughed, but another wave of nausea crashed in her stomach as the ramp lowered.

Wow.

It was...

"Oh man."

People of all shapes and sizes moved around the base, which was in some sort of tropical forest. People hustled past, others walked, sometimes a smile or a friendly insult was exchanged. People pushing cargo. People climbing out of X-wings. People.