Dear Stranger,
Life seems to get murkier with each passing hour. I don’t know what to do anymore, who to trust. I have to take an important decision now. My life is at stake.
“I will join the Resistance, Xenos.” I told the confused Martian who I had got high with only a few hours ago. “I have been writing letters to the Resistance too. Perhaps, you really have two spies from the Earth Confederation. I want to be given the benefit of the doubt till you confirm the fact.”
He looked at me for the longest moment and then briefly at Kylo Ren.
“Okay, I will give you a chance.” He relented. “Only one chance though.”
I wanted to scream that he was being duped, that I was the actual spy. I was almost cent percent sure Kylo couldn’t be the spy. He was an Inhuman and he was working for the Dark Lord. If perchance he was the spy (the possibility of which would surprise me no end), then Xenos had incorrect information.
But the worst part was that Kylo Ren knows without a doubt now that I am the spy for the Resistance.
“Well, tomorrow, we are staging a coup. We will need all the information we can get on the movements of Darth Vader’s troops for the first Inhuman experiment in Zone V. Two contingents have arrived from Mars and Venus to help overthrow this attempt. The Resistance plans to root them out little by little. I was just discussing with Kylo how we would ambush them when they start pouring in from the east gate…”
He spread the map across the table and I peered at the detailed plan he had created. There would be Resistance troops stationed at all the major points of entry. They would take out Storm Troopers one by one as they enter Zone V.
“There will be ten troops during the first leg of the mission.” Xenos started explaining. “It will be as covert as we can allow it. If we are able to take out as many troops as we can, we might not need to blow our cover. However, if after the first two hours, we see retaliation or some unexpected developments, which will be communicated by Kylo here, we will go full on frontal attack.”
“And how are you planning to go all out on the strike?” I asked. “What weapons are you planning to use?”
“We have some weapons smuggled from different parts of the galaxy.” Xenos replied.
“But the Death Star has sophisticated methods to prevent such coups. Are you prepared for a gas attack?”
Xenos looked a little uncomfortable at this prospect and started looking at Kylo, who glared at me. I smiled.
“Our troops should be using gas masks to prevent being burned or incapacitated by the immobilizing gas. Else, all efforts would go down the drain.”
“The Dark Lord wouldn’t be using the gases in a civilian surrounding, not when he is undergoing the Inhuman project for the first time. He wouldn’t want to scare the people away.” Kylo sneered.
“Fair point.” Xenos seemed to agree.
“But are we willing to take that risk?” I stared directly at Xenos, willing him to understand I am the right spy; Kylo is the impostor.
“Well, I will add gas masks to the plan.” Xenos relented. “That’s a good point, anyway. Then, we were planning to carry forward the attack on the Lead Troops of Zone—”
“NO!!” I screamed. “Why attack the lead troops?? We could incapacitate them, right?”
“Gina, we are at war here. Not playing robbers and thieves. I understand your attachment to your troops—”
Of course, I was attached to my troops. I felt they deserved a chance to at least know what was happening. Some of them like LTA had moved to Kylo’s team but there were others like YNS, TI, ET who swore loyalty to me and would do as I say. And I realized why Kylo was so keen to finish off the troops. This part of the Inhuman Project was going live in my zone first. My troops were not especially dedicated to the Dark Lord and Kylo was okay with losing them in the skirmish as collateral. He would easily get to decimate the entire Resistance squadron in this way and expose me in the process. If the Resistance gets rooted out at this stage, it might never be able to rise back up again.
“Gina, I know it is difficult for you,” Xenos began in a gentler tone than before. “Perhaps I am not able to explain the import of all these operations to you. You have been under Darth Vader’s thrall for too long and your team means a lot to you–”
“Xenos!” I cut him short. “I am not worried about my troops.” I lied. “I am seeing an opportunity here. If you let this happen, there is a high chance of the attack being an expose of the Resistance’s ambitions. Instead, what if we turn the tide and bring over the soldiers to our side?”
Xenos looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. He stared at me thoughtfully for a few seconds and then started thinking aloud.
“What you are saying is that we bring the Dark Lord’s troops over to our side and prevent the battle from happening in the first place. Am I right?”
“Partly. I am talking about gaining allies and forming a stronger force and yes, if need be, cut off the heads of the traitors.” I smiled sweetly at Kylo Ren, who stared murderously back at me.
“This is a far-fetched imaginary plan, RG1,” Kylo shot out. “You don’t know what you are saying. How do you think the troops will ask them to move to our side? By pleading with them? Distributing pamphlets?” he laughed a cruel laugh.
“I will turn them, Kylo.” My voice was quiet but steady. I knew what I was saying. “I take the responsibility of leading this mission from the front.”
“But-” Xenos began to interrupt but I cut him short.
“If you don’t believe me, Kylo will be there at the back end, running the operations, checking on my loyalty. If anything doesn’t work out, you can take me out.”
“Are you really willing to go that far?” Xenos sounded thunderstruck.
“They are my troops, Xenos and I pledged myself to the Resistance. I promise to deliver or die in the attempt.”
I could see Kylo from the side of my vision making some quick calculations. I know he would inform the Dark Lord of my treachery. My life was in danger the moment Kylo came to know of my true identity. Now was the time to expose him and to get into the thick of the battle. I was not scared. I had been preparing for it for so long.
“Well,” Xenos sighed, staring at me with a mixture of pride and incredulity. “You really are something, aren’t you? If you are that hell bent on proving yourself, so be it. You shall lead the attack.”
“I have one condition though,” I pointed to my chafed wrists. “No handcuffs.”
Xenos smiled and undid my cuffs, shaking his head in lovely disbelief. I do feel he has the hots for me. That kiss was something else altogether.
Preparing for the final battle,
The Rogue Stormtrooper
