FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R O N E

THIRD PERSON POV

Fern breathed deeply in through her nose and exhaled with the same relaxing sigh as the warm sunlight bathed her face through the glass panel in her and Omega's room up in the gunner's mount. Her black, tight shirt with a high collar that wrapped around her neck and short sleeves that hugged her toned arms soaked in the heat. Her body slouched comfortablely in the gunner's chair, her hands folded on her stomach and her new combat boots propped up on the aiming console. It was peacefully quiet except for the tweaking sounds coming from Tech's tinkering around the Marauder. There was a cool sea breeze wisping in from the open entrance ramp, the salt water aroma filled Fern's senses.

There is nothing like this. She sighed in contentment. I hope Hunter and the others take their time...

"Omega," Fern heard the intellectual clone step his way onto the suspended ramp to address the young girl, who had been instructed by the former to examine and memorize holo-prints of Imperial ship fleets. Fern smiled to herself as she eavesdropped on their little discussion, chuckling to herself when Omega groaned at Tech's insistence to continue her "studies". She could hear the eye-roll that went along with it. After stretching her arms above her head and arching her back to open up her tight rib cage, Fern hopped down from her peaceful perch and joined the two fellow defective clones on the ramp.

"Come now, Wired-Brain." she nudged him playfully from behind. "It's like she says: we're on a 'mission'." Fern used two fingers on each hand to act out quotations. Omega's round brown eyes grew with the presumed support from the female clone, a smile crept across her lips.

"Oh wait," Fern gasped dramatically. "Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker are on a mission." The smile disappeared from Omega's face just as fast as it appeared. "Sorry, Half-Pint, do as you're told and study up. I'm sure either Hunter or I will be quizzing you later." Fern winked down at her with a teasing smirk.

"Which leads me to assume you, Fern," Tech turned to me, handing me his data pad that Omega used to examine the Imperial ships. "have already memorized all the plans?"

"Uh, yeah," Fern's eyes averted his. "Definitely."

Before Tech could continue his mild interrogation, all three of their comms erupted with Hunter's voice.

"Tech, we got the cargo, but we could use some firepower."

"Wrecker woke the pod, didn't he?" Tech surmised.

"What could have possibly happened?" Fern rolled her eyes. "We went over the plans four times."

"Five times!" Echo corrected over the comm.

"We need a pickup!" Hunter shouted.

"Copy that, we're on our way." Omega smiled and grabbed her new helmet and energy bow, ready to assist in any way she could. Meanwhile, Tech and Fern rushed to the cockpit. The latter beat him to the pilot's seat and took control, switching on power and readying for take off from their rocky perch.

"Wait, wait! I think we caught something!" Omega excitedly shouted. She was referring to the cable that had been doused in the sea shore for what seemed like hours (Omega had insisted though she could catch something).

"Release the line." Tech instructed. "We do not have time to—"

"Tech!" Fern shouted as giant crab monsters stomped their way across the nose of the ship, slamming their fat, massive claws on the exterior and rocking the vessel on the already unstable terrain. "Hang on!" Fern wrenched at the steering to knock them off, only to be jerked downward. Both pilots heard a familiar grunt falling overboard.

"Omega!" Tech called, his eyes shooting behind him.

"I'm okay! I got the line!"

"Hang on, Half-Pint!" Fern said, swerving the ship but nothing was working. The crabs continued to wreck the hull. Flying scraps of metal from the damage chipped and cracked the glass panel. "Dank Ferrik. Get off my ship!"

Abruptly, purple lasers that could only come from Omega's weapon shot the creatures off one by one. "I taught her so well." Fern smirked over at Tech, then focused driving the ship along the coast. They both spotted the young clone racing along the rocks and sand, armed bow in hand. "Hang on, Omega, we're coming around. Just get ready to jump and grab the line!"

"On it!"

Fern briefly parked the ship mid-air where the cable line dangled directly in Omega's path. Impressively, she managed to seize it and clip herself in at the end of the cable, so that she could continue to fend off the aggressive crabs. "Alright, let's get the boys." The female pilot grinned, sending the Marauder into its next gear and broadly steering around the jungle island. She spotted them the moment she swerved around a tight corner. "Tech, weapons!"

"Why is Omega hanging off the ship?!" Hunter shouted in the comm.

"It is an unscheduled study break." Tech said, focusing on firing upon the crabs emerging from the thick trees and brush.

"Omega, get up here and hand them the line." Fern said.

"Already on the platform."

Once again, Fern hovered the vessel as Wrecker hooked the cargo crate to the line and he, Hunter, and Echo piled on top to escalate back to the ship. Once everyone was on board, Fern powered on out of the tropical planet's atmosphere and into hyperspace.

"Ugh, I thought the beach was gonna be relaxing..." Wrecker grunted, slamming down the cargo crate.

"It was for me." Fern smiled, entering the main corridor of the ship. She then looked at Omega and gave her a thumbs-up. "Nice shooting out there, Half-Pint."

"Yeah, appreciate the backup," Hunter agreed, settling into one of the swiveling console chairs. "but try staying inside the ship next time."

"I'll try." Omega nodded, removing her helmet, shaking out her blonde hair, and smiling. "But it was still pretty fun."

Fern's grin grew wider as she caught Hunter's stern expression melt into a smile that only Omega could break. He then glanced up at her with one hand pressing into his leg. "So other than the exciting exit, how was your short vacation."

"Oh, lovely." Fern slid closer to his side and seated herself on the arm rest, her rib cage rubbed against his plated shoulder. Her fingernail traced over the sky-blue coating. "You know what, I think the new paint job is growing on me. I wasn't sure before, as you know, but I think it works now. Relaxing in a beach setting has made me appreciate tropical colors a little more, I suppose."

"Very funny." Hunter rolled his eyes. "You are never going to let it down, will you?"

"Hey, I paid for those paints, remember?" Fern nudged him. "I understand you are not an artist, Hunter—You know what, I don't think I need to repeat myself."

"Thank goodness." Echo sighed in the chair across from them. "I was about to stop you from getting into it myself."

Omega laughed, then admired her own new attire including her leather helmet with a firm visor that snugged around her head. She recalled the day her and Fern went out and bought new clothes for the both of them and the boys. To finally ditch her Kaminoan medical uniform was one of the best feelings she'd felt in a long time. "I still remember Tech's reaction to his new clothes Fern picked for him."

"Oh, yeah," Fern chuckled along. "That, was good."

"I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves reminscing in your fashion choices for us." Hunter shook his head and rose from the chair. Before he headed for the cockpit to join Tech, he leaned down and planted a small kiss on Fern's forehead, where she still wore her signature gray bandana. She smiled as she watched him walk away, then, turning to Omega, she clapped her hands together.

"Come on, Half-Pint." She pushed herself to her feet and gestured the young girl to follow her to their shared room. "We'll be back at Ord Mantell soon, and you have some major helmet hair I need to brush out."