inconvenient alliances
Idk what titles are, what do you mean I have to title things? Anyway, I finished Hoth, so that means *beaming more comp!au smuggy things onto ur screen*
“We meet again, Captain.” Cee’s eyes narrowed at the SIS agent leaned against the airlock elevator. He stood as she got closer, hands folding neatly - perhaps instinctively, given his fluidity - behind his back. “I’m sorry for the lack of notice. I was hoping to catch you before you took off.”
“I believe our business was concluded, agent.” Cee frowned. She shrugged a little deeper into her thick coat. She just wanted off of this ice ball. It was like the freeze was still sinking down through her bones.
Oliver eyed her for a moment, the faint rise of his shoulders betraying a carefully inhaled deep breath. “Senator Dodonna would like otherwise, Captain. It would seem she’s had me reassigned.”
Her pale blue eyes narrowed sharply. “Consider your next moves very carefully, spyboy.”
Oliver waved a hand in placation. “Your mistrust is well-placed, Captain, I understand. But I think you misunderstand my intent. I’m not interested in trouble.”
Cee huffed a chuckle and jammed a finger against the elevator button. “Talkin’ to me? I think you’re lookin’ in the wrong place, then.”
Oliver’s lips quirked up in amusement in one corner. “No trouble between you and me then, I hope.”
“Alright,” Cee relented, “I’ll bite.” The elevator coughed up a notification of its arrival. “Walk and talk with me though, spyboy. I’m still freezing.”
Oliver stepped with her into the elevator. She punched the button for her airlock and folded her arms with a sniff against the way the end of her nose still felt frozen. In such a tight space, she was suddenly… quite aware that the agent was… rather tall.
Her nose scrunched as she begrudgingly realized she had to look up to meet his steady steel-colored gaze.
“Well, spyboy? The lady senator so displeased with the absence of her little toy that she’s gonna have you spyin’ on me now?”
The agent slightly dipped his head. “That… would be appearances, wouldn’t it?”
“Quite,” Cee said dryly.
“I didn’t tell her anything, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”
Cee frowned, her brow knitting together tighter.
The agent leaned a shoulder against the wall and propped a foot as he folded his arms across his chest. “Technically, Captain, my assignment for the SIS was on the Empire’s activities. It is unfortunate we weren’t able to recover the tech, but… it is safely outside the Empire’s grasp as well.”
“You’re joking.”
Oliver met her scrutinizing gaze evenly without flinching. “We were both there, were we not?”
The elevator shuddered again as they reached the airlock and the door opened. Cee eyed him up and down once more.
He was a bit easier to take in now - cleaned up and out from under a couple thermal protective layers. A faint outline around his eyes had set in from months under goggles in the reflected glare off the ice and he was maybe due for a bit of a cleaner shave. What rough and misshapen edges there was to it seemed out of place against the confident set of his broad shoulders.
“I don’t really have much of a choice if it’s from the lady Senator, do I?” she tested.
Oliver shrugged a shoulder. “I suppose neither of us really do. But I think we’ll get a lot more done if we work together.” He straightened and offered out a hand. “What say you, Captain? Think we can get along enough to work together again?”
Cee smacked a hand against the door controls, reminding them to stay open for a moment longer. She caught Oliver puff a faint breath of amusement out of the corner of her eye.
Alright. She clapped a hand into his and gave it a shake before she waved him out after her. “D’you know much about starships, agent?”
Oliver jogged a stride to fall in step beside her. “I’ve been taught my fair share about how to pilot.”
“Paws off,” Cee fired off with a haphazard grin. “And I’ve already got a mechanic.”
Oliver shook his head, though a smile started across his lips. “Fear not, Captain. You lead, I’m content to follow.”
He slowed, so Cee stopped with him. “Captain?” She cocked her head inquisitively at him. “That was some damn fine work out there. I’m looking forward to working together more.”
“Let’s look forward to it on my ship,” Cee said. “I told you, I’m freezing,” she grumbled.
“No complaints there, Captain. I think I’ve had my fill of Hoth.”
“You get stuck in many wampa caves here, agent?”
Oliver chuckled. “Can’t say I did, Captain.”
“Oh, lucky you,” Cee cooed. Her nose crinkled again in distaste. “Wouldn’t recommend it, mind.” She cuffed his arm roughly. “And enough ‘Captain’ nonsense, agent. My name’s Cee.”
“I suppose that makes my name ‘agent.’“
When she shot a narrowed eye look back at him, an amused smirk had spread across his lips. She rolled her eyes. “Well, is it ‘Oliver’, or did you take a shining to ‘Shadowstalker‘ or whatever scary nonsense them pirates called you?”
“Nah, too dramatic.” Oliver waved a hand. “Think I’ll stick with ‘Oliver’ for a while. Keep things simple.”
Cee shook her head. “Whatever you say, spyboy. C’mon. Risha’s liable to leave us behind to freeze on this rock if we keep her waiting any longer.”
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