Make a Break For It

Your communicator trills once, twice, three times. The Convor is here, and it's time to go. You make a last check of your weapons, the confiscated guard's rifle couched in your left arm, your heavy blaster in your right hand, and make a final review of the plan. The plan? Tekka's told you the fastest route to the exit, and you're going to run as fast as you can out of it.

You're feeling like a master tactician today.

You considered giving one of the guns to Tekka, but decide you can't trust her not to go rogue and run ahead. Without the benefit of so much as a scrap of cloth to protect her, you can't risk her getting shot during the escape. Privately, you had also considered giving her your shirt to wear, but you'd guess bouncing Twi'lek tits will be just as effective as a blaster for stopping some of these guards in their tracks. You're willing to take any advantage you can get at this point.

You nod to Tekka, count quietly to three, and burst through the door at a run.

The first corridor is deserted, but as you round the corner you see a sentry at the end of the second hallway. He turns at the sound of your pounding feet, only to catch a blaster bolt between the eyes. He's still falling to the ground as you race past. You worry the blaster fire will alert more guards, but the ship seems strangely empty. As you near the exit ramp, you understand why.

It seems like most of the security crew is distracted by a spectacle in the next docking station over. A furious Dug is throwing everything he can get his hands on at a scurring Chadra-Fan, screaming obscenities and ignoring the commands to disperse from the dock security. You can hear the screaming from here.

"I TELLED YOU IZ NET DECK ETT-TEN! IZ DECK SEV-TEN!" Rogo throws a wrench that only narrowly misses Timik's face. "NOW DECK MEN ENGREE AT UZZ!"

Apparently Rogo had managed to simply bluster his way into docking without permission, and was now blaming his rodent companion. You know firsthand how distracting these two are when they fight, and their slapstick performance certainly looks like real animosity. Knowing Rogo, he probably is so focused on yelling at Timik he forgot it was an act.

Half the guards are trying not to laugh as a confused dock master tries desperately to corral the intruders back onto the ship, the other half legitimately seem unsure of what to do. You assume they aren't just shooting at your ship because they have been told to avoid any potentially explosive accidents. The Ebony Sky's dangerous payload might actually be keeping you safe.

You're in the home stretch, but there are still a handful of guards at the foot of the ramp. They are pretty focused on the fight, but they'll definitely notice when you go sprinting past. Time to go big, or there's no way you're getting home.

You open fire with the rifle, spraying wildly into the distracted guards. You doubt you've done any real damage, but the guards scatter for any cover they can find. You and Tekka sprint past, and you thank whatever power is running the universe that Rogo was able to land so close. This time, the sound of the blaster has definately attracted attention, and the dock explodes into a confused mess. The more cowardly gangster thugs are scurrying for safety before the fight's really begun, and the brave ones are trying to remember if they have clearance for small arms fire or not. You count at least three leader-looking types screaming into communicators, and you are positive their screamed missives are all interfering and scrambling one another.

None of them are still looking at your crew, and Rogo takes that opportunity with gusto. He leaps onto the nearest guardsman, flailing wildly at him before jumping onto another. As a rule Dugs' bizarre hand walking is jarring to humanoids, and the guards are having a hard time drawing a bead on him. Rogo is definately more a mechanic than a fighter, but any Dug's natural lean muscle and determined cussedness make them mean bastards in a fight.

For his part, Timik has pulled a small device out of his jacket and is chittering wildly to himself while he twists and turns the strange sphere. Apparently satisfied, he screams a shrill laugh and lobs it into the air.

You've seen enough of Timik's weird creations to know that whatever is going to happen requires you to take cover right now. You drop the rifle, grab Tekka, and wrap your coat around the two of you before dropping to the ground.

Above you, even through the coat, the sky erupts in a piercing white light. It was only a flashbang? You peak your head out and see that isn't quite the case. The sphere is currently hovering in the air, spraying red flares and shining sparks everywhere. The guards who weren't stunned by the flash are fleeing from the scattering sparks. Timik is rolling on the floor laughing wildly, but apparently Rogo wasn't expecting anything. He is also rolling on the ground, but he's clutching his eyes and screaming what you are sure are the vilest of profanities. Shit. At least there's a clear path to your ship.

You drag Tekka to her feet, run the rest of the way to the Convor's loading ramp, delivering a swift kick to Timik to get him moving. You'll berate him later for being reckless, even though you know it'll have no effect. Tekka runs ahead, and you haul Rogo up the ship's ramp and throw him into the cargo bay. He'll live.

Right now, you have to get to the cockpit and fly the hell out of here. You sit at the helm, thankful Rogo was thoughtful enough to keep the systems powered on. You're about to lift off, when the comms indicator begins beeping wildly. Now who could that be?