CH.4: Allies…for now
Agent Kallus could not believe the misfortunate events that put him as an ally to a…well…lesbian rebel…it really beat the cake it did. He trudged through the snow with the Twi'lek close behind him…her blaster, well, technically his blaster trained on his back. It was difficult to comprehend how she had got the drop on him…he was one of the best and yet here he was being ordered around. This plan of hers to kill an animal and lure the creature out was suicide…yeah…no way they'd survive and maybe that was the good of this.
"You won't get away with this…even now the full might of the Empire will be bearing down on this planet and coming to my aide. What hope do you have that you will escape here?" Kallus stopped as he wanted an answer, his face hid little of his smugness.
"I will tackle that when your threat proves reliable…which at the moment isn't much more than bantha fodder. Now if you don't mind I'd like to save my girlfriend before she is the next meal of this beast." She waves her blaster and he sneers at her before resuming the death march.
"I can't believe an Agent like me is out here in the middle of a dreaded snowstorm with someone who is putting both of our lives at risk. You should just shoot me now and be done with it-."
"Yeah not going to happen…and you know why…cause regardless how you feel about the tiny fledgling of fighters out there that oppose your menacing Empire…you need to survive, no correction you want to survive. We need to form a temporary alliance…and I want to put this blaster away cause my arm is killing me. Do you think I like pointing this at you…sort of…still we need trust and besides not like either of us is going anywhere in two busted ships."
Kallus grounded his teeth not liking the situation…and yet she was right about where this left them. A temporary truce seemed to be in order and it would feel nice knowing a blaster wasn't painting a target on his back. "Very well…you shall have your temporary alliance. So…what now?"
"Shhh…I hear something…get down," Hera seemed to have difficulty getting down but he didn't dare touch her. Crouching in the white snow he saw a creature standing on two legs as it ambled through the snow…it seemed to be lost.
"You want to kill that? And here to think the Empire was barbarians…what a shocker." Kallus shook his head then heard the sound of something landing beside him. Looking over he notices the blaster and then looking back at Hera who was smirking.
"Who said I was going to kill it? Look the blaster is all yours…I'm trusting you here Kallus…it is in your hands." Kallus stared blankly then picked up the blaster feeling the true weight of the weapon in his palm.
He could easily drop her and he'd finally be done with her…but…he hesitated. It was something new for him for he never hesitated…in the Academy he was trained to act on instinct, take the shot no matter what. Hera was bandaged and shivering in the cold and she trusted him to kill an animal…or break the alliance by killing her instead. There was no stun on this weapon…of course he could easily wound her and take her captive…but…there was no telling how long it would take till the Empire honed in on his beacon. Hera could see his hesitancy and she said nothing. How irritating.
"Very well…if you insist," he heaved a sigh and squeezed just enough pressure to hit just behind the neck of the creature without a full burst startling it. The creature let out a yelp as the blast drilled into its neck and as it tried to flee he fired off a few more shots into the back of the leg sending it face first into the snow.
"Quite tactful…it almost seemed like you wanted a mercy kill instead of a good riddance Imperial kill," Hera noted and he just wanted to say something snappy or give off a retort but none would come to him. "I'll take that back." Hera reaches for the blaster and he almost seemed hesitant before giving it over to her.
"Yes well it is taken care of…now we see if that beast takes the bait." Kallus had some experience hunting from when he was a boy before the Academy. His father had taught him well but in the back of his mind he recalled a time when it wasn't so easy…like he had the target lined in his sights but pulling the trigger seemed…wrong. He had thought the Empire had drained him of such thought or feelings but having Hera near he got to thinking and in his shot he saw that weak young man he used to be.
Crouched down in the snow he kept the blaster ready and it didn't take long to see the hulking beast lumber through the snow crunching along as it sniffed the air. The creature he had shot wasn't too dead to send this monster away but not too alive where it would be much of a struggle. Up close this behemoth was repulsive and he could almost make out the red glint of what was its last meal most likely. A shot to the head would only phase it and not kill it…and right now Hera wanted it to lead them to its cave.
"What is your plan once we're inside?' Kallus inquires as he watches as the monster picks up the creature and begins walking.
"This thing will need time to eat and possibly digest its meal…if we're lucky Sabine will be nearby. We go in and rescue her…whatever follows after we'll deal with then." Hera scrambled out of cover as she followed behind the beast practically shadowing it.
"Great…no plan…wonderful." Kallus could just picture the confusion on his Imperial comrades as he had yet another opportunity to kill her…and he didn't. Following behind her he pondered where this would all lead.
The cave was spacious with icy spires all about lining the ceiling ready to fall and crush them to death the soonest shake happened. Kallus listened intently for any sound of the monster but so far everything seemed quiet. "This is like finding a needle in a haystack…we could search for hours and be no closer to finding your Sabine. I hate to say it-."
"If you hate to say it don't say it…I won't think for even a second we have come all this way for nothing, striking an alliance for nothing…she is here." Hera walked in front of him as she held herself and he shrugged not really minding being in back for a bit.
The snow was left outside leaving them walking on a rather slippery floor and the hair on the back of his neck stood up on end. They were in the lair of a monster who showed no mercy…showed no compassion…all it did was kill and prey. Kallus stopped then as he heard the deep grumble of one content…one who was feasting without using proper dining utensils. "He is near…very near."
"That is good…that means this is the place. Ok I am going to look for Sabine, since you don't care whether she lives or dies you can keep watch on the beast." Hera then heads off and Kallus shoots her a dirty look but she is already heading off.
"I did not join the Empire just to be a look out. This is degrading…no alliance is worth this." Kallus took a seat as he kept his ears trained on the sounds of this thing…whatever its name was. The Empire had conquered many worlds but this one seemed to escape their notice. There was nothing out here but snow and hardly any resources worth noting. Resting his chin in his hand he looks up and around at the glacier like surroundings and ponders on how this planet had been during the Old Republic.
A roar bounced off the walls and he shot up to his feet as he saw the white behemoth as it still clutched onto the red insides of whatever it was that it was chowing down on. Its beady like eyes set on him and he cursed the luck of not having a blaster on hand. It threw its meal down and began to charge at him…his boots were stuck in the ice and just before he was eaten a blast sent it stumbling back. Kallus looked over and saw Hera standing there with Sabine over her shoulder and the blaster held firm in her hand.
"It is safe to say we have outlived our welcome," Kallus noted as he made his way over to her. "How is she?"
"She is frozen stiff…her pulse…I can't find it. We need to get her warmed up soon or she'll be gone for good. Here…take the blaster…we're leaving." Hera led the way out and Kallus saw the monster was not happy his meal was escaping. Looking around he sees some of those sharp icicles up above and shoots at them before rolling for the cave mouth. The monster howled in frustration and shielded itself as they rained down him.
The escape and rescue was a success but far as heating up Sabine…that remained just another obstacle they needed to sort through.
Authors note: The temporary alliance still holds…but for how long? Sabine is rescued but she is on death's door and in the next chapter we go into Sabine's mind as she fights to hold on.