A/N: So here we are again. It's always such a pleasure. Okay, enough Portal jokes. I don't have the space for that. No one wants to read the end theme to Portal 2 in a KotOR fic. In any case, here's Chapter Two. Read, now, or I'll get HK-47 to show you what your sloshy bits look like, heeheehee. ~Evera Yuuki
Warning: This chapter is very violent and overly detailed. Leave now if you know you can't handle it.
Dela awoke to the sounds of sirens and yelling. She could hear blasters firing and explosions, and the smell of burnt flesh and malfunctioning electronics filled the air, a smell reminiscent of both a sick barbecue and tin foil in a microwave oven. When she finally pried her eyes open from her drugged sleep, she found the ship was indeed being attacked. As she struggled the put a combat vest over her uniform, Trask burst in the door, deathly pale and terrified. Of course, he figured he'd be a comfortable desk jockey all his military career and never see combat. Guess she got to go back to instructing again, for perhaps the final time.
She found that he was a pretty good hacker, splicing terminals and popping open doors. His aim, however, left something to be desired. A lot to be desired, actually. He couldn't hit the far side of a planet. Luckily, he didn't have to, as she'd found a pair of vibroblades and sprung on every Sith in sight. The sensations of battle, the coppery, sweet, and yet slightly salty crimson liquid that flowed over her blades as she hunted her prey, the adrenaline rush that felt so close to pleasure, it was frightening. The noises of metal clashing, blasters firing, the cries of the injured and the dead, filled her with a disturbing sense of belonging. This is where she should've been all along. On the battlefield, destroying the enemy, not translating bullshit all day. It felt good, in a way, to end the Troopers' lives, listen to their dying cries, their shiny armor clanking and scraping harshly as the body inside fell dead. That thrill when you've drawn so close you could see their terrified eyes fade as the metal blades slid through their bodies, the feeling of hot blood gushing over the back of her hands and the scent of the scarlet life pouring over the durasteel, pooling at and around the victims.
As they made their way through, more and more blood soaked her uniform, and some of it wasn't just the Sith's. She refused to let Trask notice, however; they couldn't afford a pit stop because he didn't know a scratch from a missing limb. When they reached the bridge, however, the first thing she did was sit in one of the now-empty seats. She'd spent too long out of combat; she couldn't quite catch her breath and she had more injuries than she'd ever sustain under normal circumstances. Trask continued searching, however, much to her relief. He'd never seen combat, and it showed by the way he was trembling, but luckily he kept it together. Still, perhaps she'd been a bit cold to him. He'd been expecting her to be like an actual bunkmate and not just some person who magically made his bed every day.
"Hey, Trask." She started. What was she supposed to say? She wasn't sure. "Are you alright? You look a bit shaken up." Lame, lame, LAME!
"I'm fine, just not used to targets shooting back, I guess. Thank you for asking, though." He shot her a shaky smile and she couldn't help smiling back. Maybe she shouldn't have judged him by her first impression. He was actually quite sweet when he wasn't anxious. "We should keep going, the bodies are empty now and we need to get off this ship. Bastila's not here, so there's nothing stopping the Sith from shooting us down." She nodded. If only her body agreed too. When she went to stand up, her legs gave out almost immediately and she crumpled to the floor. Maybe she was getting too old for this...
Trask, who'd been standing next to her but hadn't turned in time to keep her from falling, pulled her back up and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. Any other time she'd be fighting him, but she was hurt worse than she'd thought and didn't have the strength. Luckily, the corridors seemed suddenly devoid. Any survivors must've passed through recently. Maybe Bastila, or that Carth guy that occasionally piped up over her comlink.
She'd been treating some of her injuries while Trask cleaned Sith corpses for creds and equipment, and she could walk by herself by the time they took a deadly wrong turn. A Dark Jedi, with a bald head, ashen skin, and pulsating red eyes, awaited them. He had a double-bladed lightsaber, red like every Dark Jedi's seemed to be, and a shocked face directed straight at her. Did she know this man? She didn't recognize him, but...
Before she'd finished pondering his surprise, Trask shoved her back through the doorway and tossed his bag at her. Confused, she looked up from the sack just in time to see him hit the panel to shut the door, and it fried as soon as it sealed. He had to be kidding. The kid couldn't aim to save his life and he just locked himself in with a Dark Jedi, near impossible to kill to even someone at her skill level. It occurred to her that he was well aware of the fact and had moved to distract him while she made her way off the ship.
As she continued on, she hoped that maybe the Dark Jedi was a terrible fighter and Trask stood a chance. Her hopes were dashed when her comlink activated and the pilot stated she was the only other living crewmember, and if she didn't hurry up, he had to leave her, too. Damn, she hated starship battles. Leaving the dead and even the living behind to be blown up just to save your own skin. There was a family waiting for Trask, and they may end up never knowing what happened to him. It was just wrong...
She had no real trouble getting to the pods, but she found she could barely breathe and everything was swirling. There was someone standing in front of the last pod, maybe that Carth guy, but she couldn't hear him to be able to tell. Everything was muffled and the floor wouldn't stop tipping. The man had to practically drag her inside and strap her in. He was saying something, but she had no idea what, and she'd probably never find out.
He said one last thing, perhaps it'd been hold on? Then there was a sharp pain in her skull and everything finally went black.
A/N: Short, I know, but I want to keep the crash and the arrival on Taris in separate chapters. Do tell me what you thought! I think I went overboard on detail, but I've never really done an action chapter, so I didn't know for sure how to write it out. Taking all reviews! (Even if you flame me, although I won't be very happy.)