Second Thoughts
Sam was pacing in the boardroom where the highest ranking officers of Cham's Free Ryloth Movement would strategize military strategy for the lower ranking movement members. Steve stood by the balcony that was behind the back of the boardroom where glass doors separated the balcony from the boardroom. Sam couldn't see what Steve was staring at and he was done waiting for Steve to speak.
"Steve it's not too late for us to switch Shields. It's not too late for you to be Captain America." Sam pleaded
Steve looked out over the balcony at a vast mountain range of Ryloth which calmed him. Sam was reminded how peaceful it is in the sky when he flew with his Vibranium flight harness. Steve on the other hand looked disinterested in having this conversation with his friend yet again. He relaxed in the silence but tensed up when he sensed Sam wanted to break the silence.
"I'm Nomad. I don't have a nation to protect and the citizens won't listen to me. They think we are the villains Sam. That Vader is the hero but when the Empire falls a new hero needs to take up my mantle to give the planet a fresh start. A chance to move on from the past. You're the future Sam." Steve replied
"You can't erase the mistakes of the past. The legacy of this Shield is...complicated. It stood for both freedom and oppression. Embracing that helped me to become a stronger leader and gain perspective. But Steve you...you...just seem lost. Like you're in a cave with no light and no way out." Sam said concerned
Steve turned around and folded his arms. He struggled to not get overly defensive about his choices. This wasn't about him Steve thought. The fate of the Ryloth/Algeria and of the planet was bigger than his personal choices. Steve decided to address Sam but as a way to put an end to Sam's insistence Steve take back the Shield.
"I'm not having any second thoughts about this and neither should you. As you said you've gained clarity from using the Shield. I sensed something in you that the others didn't have the day I asked you for help against Hydra. The Shield didn't create that. It brought it out from inside you."
Steve touched Sam's chest and then pointed to the Shield. Sam nodded even though he felt Steve should have the Shield. There was no turning back now. Phase 1 was about to begin.
****
"You've been quiet. Are you nervous or are you thinking about Cham? I saw you two kissing last night. You don't need to worry. Both of you will reunite and this mission will succeed." Yelena reassured in an American accent
Isval in a deeper Rylothian accent replied, "You should have given the White Wolf a goodbye kiss."
Isval grinned because she hated being on the defensive when being teased. It felt good to have some verbal ammunition in the warfare that results from verbal banter.
Yelena gasped while blushing, "I'm not interested in someone old enough to be my great grandfather."
Isval grinned, "Bucky doesn't look like a great grandfather. I'm normally not attracted to human men but he's incredibly attractive."
Yelena rolled her eyes struggling to suppress a grin. To the outside observer the two women were merely waiting to receive air ship maintenance permits for government vehicles and gossiping about romantic relationships in a long line. Yelena when she worked for Leviathan during the Clone Wars was used to this type of undercover work. She immediately had a list of Rylothian music artists and social media content creators in her mind in order to fully sell the illusion that she was an American graduate student attempting to acclimate to the foreign culture of Ryloth/Algeria.
Though unlike Cham General Dreykov wasn't interested in romance. In fact he valued the Widows for more than just combat prowess and infiltration skills. The most important Widows demonstrated their devotion to Dreykov through physical favors that would only look romantic to the outside observer. Yelena resisted the urge to vomit when she thought about Dreykov and his abusive behaviors. She was raised in the Red Room to think fanatical loyalty to monstrous men like Dreykov was normal. Isval could relate to Yelena.
Isval was a slave to an Imperial alongside another female Twi'lek. After the other Twi'lek became a victim of a violent rape by the Imperial Isval murdered him. Isval became a fugitive and her friend committed suicide due to the psychological trauma of the Imperial's abuse taking a toll on her. Cham rescued Isval the same way Bucky rescued Yelena from the subjugation of the Red Room. Yelena wondered when the Red Room would be a distant memory. She speculated that when the Empire fell would the painful memories go away. That she wouldn't have to pretend to be someone else all the time just to survive. Though when she was around Isval and Bucky she felt like herself.
"Hello my friend. Are you there? We're about to be next." Isval called out
Yelena shook her head realizing Isval was yammering away about what she knew of the Howling Commandos. Bucky Barnes was a handsome man but Yelena didn't realize he was so handsome Isval knew everything about the Howling Commandos. Yelena hoped Bucky, Sam and Steve would pull off Phase 3.
"You know I have to disagree. Steve is much more handsome than White Wolf." Bobbi Morse aka Mockingbird interjected into Yelena and Isval's comm link
"So we do have a bird in the sky watching our backs." Yelena said relieved
"Of course. We are this close to actually achieving a real victory against this inhuman machine and I want to be here to witness it." Mockingbird replied
"Registered datapad." The clerk at the outdoor both barked
Yelena handed her specialized data pad to the clerk and he gave her a digital key card that contained her permit. Phase 2 is done, now it's up to Bucky and the others to begin Phase 3 Yelena thought to herself.
****
The beginning part of phase 3 was fun for the White Wolf. He liked espionage missions and wearing Stormtrooper armor undercover was no different than wearing Clone trooper armor during his espionage missions during the Clone Wars. Though doing these missions with Steve and Sam, not killing civilians and operating under his own free will caused Bucky to smile. Something he didn't do much these days.
He saw that Nomad had the explosives in his hand. Despite his enhanced strength Bucky could tell Steve wasn't comfortable holding the explosives. Before Steve could recoil his hand Bucky grabbed the explosives. He briefly thought about his murder of Howard and Maria Stark. Howard and he were friends and now Bucky realized he was going to murder another former friend...Anakin Skywalker. Bucky gritted his teeth whispering to Steve, "This is too heavy for you. Let me carry it."
Bucky knew Steve understood Bucky wasn't talking about the physical size of the explosives. Bucky was talking about the weight of people's deaths on your mind, your heart and your soul when you murder them. That even though Bucky wasn't in control of his actions as the Winter Soldier...the Winter Soldier still haunted him. This sucked some of the fun out of espionage though Bucky was grateful for Sam's intel through his drone Red Wing. Thanks to Sam the Free Ryloth movement forced Imperial officer Colonel Belkor to lower the rate of inspection of military personnel's credentials for members of their group.
"How long before we can take these stupid helmets off. They're so uncomfortable. No wonder these bucket heads can't aim." Sam grumbled
"It'll be another 45 minutes before the landing sequence is initiated. You'll be in the hangar bay guiding the security detail assigned to Vader and the Emperor alongside the rest of your unit. At this point it's too late to have second thoughts. Once the explosives you have activate then we will move to Phase 4. Phase 3's success depends on you." Mockingbird said over the comm link