Someone To Fight For
Chapter Four
Quesh isn't a planet she's eager to travel to after hearing the critical assessments from her traveling diplomats. The first sign of trouble is when Nadia, Zenith, and Gaerwen are forced to stop and receive a temporary vaccine on the orbital station for their own health and safety.
"The toxicity levels are really that terrible?"
The Selkath scientist nods and speaks in his own native tongue. Gaerwen's translator picks up most words. "Symptoms of over-exposure to Quesh venom include dizziness, headache, nausea, burning in the extremities, hallucinations, dry mouth and eyes, and eventual death."
The soldier fills in the appropriate gaps upon further inquiry about the planet. "The Three Families Hutts think they've got a clean operation with their adrenal factories save for the contracts they're making. Don't mind me soundin' metaphorical and all, but the toxicity from the venom extends beyond the land and sky. This planet's turnin' to be like Hutta in a few years time—everyone's wantin' a stake in the mines, but that's all. Run it dry until it's no longer any use. War's only makin' it worse."
"A fair and unfortunate assessment, from the sound of things."
"Well, you ain't comin' here for the sights, that's for sure."
"The atmosphere makes for beautiful sunsets, however," the scientist adds.
They receive their vaccines without any more grumbling than Nadia's uttered comment of apprehension against needles and the momentary recoil upon injection.
The second sign of trouble is when Nadia opens the lock and they proceed into the potentially comprised laboratory of Attis Station to discover the worst: it's too quiet. The situation becomes more dire when they see scientists fending for themselves against heavily armed Sith. Immediately Zenith pulls his rifle over his shoulder and Gaerwen lights her saber. Nadia remains at the computer terminal, looking for any signs of life from the security footage.
"Nadia," Gaerwen calls over her shoulder, "get to somewhere safe!"
"But there's scientists in one of the rooms—they're sealed off—I can get to them safely—"
The Jedi doesn't hesitate, they've already been spotted and if she's going to protect Nadia, she's better off with scientists than here in the fray.
"Fine. Just go!" she points toward the upper level ramp. She nods to Zenith. "We'll cover you."
Though the Sith try to intercept Nadia's path, she's too elusive and they face projectiles being thrown their way via the Force on top of a suppressive array of blaster-fire by Zenith. Once Nadia's safely out of the way, the real challenge arrives.
Only one Sith remains, and he's proving to be just as formidable as the others. Gaerwen is on the bottom level, and she's lost track of where Zenith is perched with his rifle. She doesn't know his combat rhythm well, having only seen his guerrilla combat technique on Balmorra—she's used to having to deal with Tharan's frantic avoidance of anything physical and occasional blaster shot from cover.
She flies backward, slamming into a large piece of machinery in Attis Station that's offline. She sees momentary stars flash across her vision. She slumps to the ground and tries to shake it off by attempting to stagger into a slouched standing position, Her shoulder and back sharply resist against movement, and Gaerwen collapses. Her auburn hair blocks portions of her vision, but she notices the Sith advancing toward her with his brightly burning, ignited lightsaber. Her hand gropes around in search of her own hilt, but she finds that it's been knocked out of her immediate grasp. Her hand opens in an attempt to pull it towards her via the Force. Her connection with the Force is weakened, however, and though the hilt shakes in response, it's not enough.
The Sith lets out a dark, mocking laugh—perhaps his last final blow to her pride. Gaerwen tries to force herself into a kneeling position, and though she manages it, her body reacts violently. She tilts her head up to see the Sith standing before her. The Pureblood's gold eyes glare down at her, its lips pulled widely into an ugly grin. Over its shoulder, she finally sees Zenith's perched position on the second level atop a set of crates. She reaches again through the Force for her saber with as much strength as she can muster. This time it flies toward her grasp.
Gaerwen hears both the shot and sees a violent flurry of green before her vision. The Pureblood's body falls forward, and she barely has enough time to pull out her saber and painfully roll out of the dead Sith's way. She groans loudly. She loses her grip on her saber and it falls to the ground, with the green blade sheathing itself. Her hand reaches up to touch her face and her eyes widen when she feels something wet, warm, and sticky on her cheek. She pulls her hand away and sees blood on her fingers. She hears him running toward her and a few moments later sees him leaning over her.
"Zenith," she rasps as she looks up at him through her blurry vision.
"Calm down, it grazed you." He shifts her head so that it's resting against his thigh. He tears a section of his tunic with his teeth and then roughly presses the cloth against her cheek. She yelps out in pain and he eases up. "Sorry. It's going to hurt."
Gaerwen nods slowly and closes her eyes. "Dead?"
"I had him. Didn't need you wasting your energy by stabbing him through the stomach. Shot him through the neck." He presses a little harder against her cheek when he sees fresh blood still sliding over the contour of her cheek. "Would've been a completely clean shot had you not moved—why are you grinning?"
"You're…you're mad," she opens her eyes. She laughs and immediately regrets it with a grimace, "…that I stole your kill."
"That's ridiculous." He narrows his brows and shakes his head. He removes the cloth and sees that the blood's beginning to coagulate. "Is it your shoulder?"
"Think so."
"Can't do much about it until we're back at the base."
"S'fine, I think I can—" she attempts to sit up and Zenith helps her by supporting her. Once in an upright position, she exhales loudly. Gaerwen looks over to her right and sees the dead Pureblood who's bleeding out from two wounds: a blaster shot to the neck and a lightsaber to the stomach. "Team effort, I'd say."
Behind her, Zenith rolls his eyes and slings his rifle over his shoulder again. "We need to find Nadia."
"Nadia," Gaerwen breathes with a sudden panic in her eyes. "Right. Help me up."
He helps her into a standing position slowly and then lets her put all of her weight on his body, using him as a crutch. They take it one step at a time, but eventually they find a rhythm between putting one foot forward and then the other. Her left arm and shoulder grow numb, and she bites down on her lip and clenches her good fist in order to cope through the pain. Zenith is patient with her—he doesn't make any further comments about her "stealing" his shot, but instead offers what little vocal reassurance and support he can, if at the very least in his own gruff manner.
And for all of this Gaerwen is silently thankful—she knows she made the right decision in asking for Zenith to come with her on-planet. She knows that Tharan would not have been able to save her life. Now it's permanently sealed—she doesn't want anyone else watching her back but Zenith.
