[Episode II - Q7 - Indu San - BSB] Flight of Shadows

The thick, humid air of Indu San hung heavy as Zara crouched beneath the straight, rust-streaked bridge, her focus fixed on the Imperial terminal embedded in the concrete near its base. Above her, the footfalls of Greater Maldrood patrols echoed across the bridge, casting shadows over the outpost in the distance. She checked her datapad, its small screen flickering with the access codes she’d need. Just beyond the bridge, the main Imperial starfighter facility loomed, its steel walls stark against the jungle.

A faint buzz crackled in her earpiece, and she touched it lightly. “Nix, report.”

Nix’s voice sounded in her ear, steady but clipped. “Perimeter’s locked down tighter than expected, but I’ve cleared a route along the north edge. Follow that, and you’ll have about twenty seconds to access the terminal.”

Zara moved swiftly, her steps soundless, and crouched low as she reached the terminal beside the bridge, connecting her datapad. The screen blinked to life, displaying lines of green code as she tapped through the layers of Imperial security. The first files began downloading: recent flight logs and cargo manifests detailing the supply routes used to maintain the Greater Maldrood’s brutal hold on the system.

“Come on…” she muttered, watching as the loading bar inched forward.

Suddenly, a blaster shot echoed through her earpiece, followed by a sharp, pained grunt. Her head snapped up, heart pounding. “Nix, what happened? Are you hit?”

A pause, then Nix’s voice, rough and strained, came through. “They spotted me… I’m fine. Just… get it done quickly, Zara.”

Zara gritted her teeth and focused, her fingers flying over the screen until the files finished transferring. Disconnecting her datapad, she slipped back into the underbrush, navigating the dense growth as Maldrood searchlights swept over the clearing. She kept low, heart thumping, until she spotted Nix stumbling towards her rendezvous point. Blood soaked his jacket, and his face was ashen, but he managed a faint nod.

“Did you get the logs?” he whispered.

She held up the datapad, her eyes resolute. “Flight schedules, cargo manifests – all we need to intercept supplies and monitor their routes.”

With her arm around him, the two made their way back, slow and steady. Soon, BSB would know exactly when and where Greater Maldrood’s ships would arrive – and with that, they’d strike the first blow against the marauders.