Chapter 26 - A Runaway

Abi's pov:

Rex and I had devised ourselves an intricate escape plot, but now was no time for procrastination, no, now we had to put our plan into motion.

The primary step in our objection was for Rex to open the door.

I understand that it's supposedly confusing how a droid such as Rex could open a locked door, but amidst our formulating, Rex informed me of his few abilities, one of them, including lockpicking.

It was the perfect gift to commence our escape.

Tentatively, I lifted the diminutive droid from the eroded earth and held him before a panel, which I assumed would be the way to the lock that sealed this silver slate door.

Intrigued, I observed Rex as he unveiled several meager arms from beneath his wings. The scanty arms were thin and short in appearance, but I quirked a 'brow as each arm extended by a significant length.

Each second this droid was impressing me more and more.

The tip of one of Rex's right arms abruptly sparked with an azure light that evoked me of Luke's old light saber.

I sighed forlornly.

I missed him, yet we hadn't been separated for long. I missed him, even though he'd insulted me. Yet somehow, I really, truly, missed him.

The urge to cry comes, chaotic, powerful, spilling hot tears, but I refuse it. My eyes became glacier blue under the sheen of water.

"as soon as we meet I knew you were the one, the one I would spend my days thinking of, and the one I would spend my nights dreaming about. The one who I could hold when they cry, and the one who would laugh with me. The one who I would share my life with and the one I would love forever"

It was the very beginning thought that hit me. The very words Luke himself had whispered to me a year ago upon the Admiral's flagship. At the time, I'd never been so assured that he was truthful in his words. Yet now, I contemplated if he'd even meant it.

My brooding thoughts were all at once interrupted by the sudden absence of my companion, but before my panic could commence, I was relieved to find him inside the door, hopefully fixing our escape.

Intently I listened to the audio of the squeaking of wires and the arms of Rex, but after a little while of hearing the same endless engineering, I concluded that I was a tad weary, and sat myself down.

In the heat, I was barely formulating a thought. There was no cooling in these shabby cells or cloud to block the high twin suns. I curl my fingers around the thin fabric of my skirt, waving it in and out to create just a little air flow, but it's not enough, like an ice cube into hot soup.

Finally, Rex lays out a string of binary beeps to me, signaling his success. I jump up like I'm sitting on a wasp and throw an excited glance at the gradually opening door. I stop and force my face into something more pleasant, before offering Rex and hand, and as he gently sits himself upon my palm, I venture past the door.

Glimpsing out from behind the corner, I note that the Gamorrean Sentry, who supposedly was meant to be standing guard of the multiple cells, was napping.

Perfect, I thought.

Still having Rex gently situated upon my hand, I cautiously make my way down the corridor.

My bare feet were dripping glands of sweat, and therefore the pebbly flooring began to hug my feet, making my trip past the Gamorrean fairly uncomfortable. And unfortunately, audible.

In horror, I watched the Guards green eyelids flutter the slightest bit open. But I was not about to allow myself to be caught once again. That was not even a remote option.

So, not allowing him enough time to notice my appearance, I sprinted. The warm humidity of the Palace made me feel sticky and suffocated. My bikini and hair, slick with perspiration, clung to my skin. I tentatively kept the droid balanced on my palm but it was most difficult in my bolting state. Sweat rolled down my skin in thick, salty beads. I began to feel my heart throbbing inside her chest. My skin felt like it was roasting. I began bouncing slightly as I dashed, which wore me out quickly.

Eventually, when I was 100% sure I was safe, I halted. Panting like a dog, I bent down on my moist knees. My lungs felt like they would burst and my throat was so dry. My stomach churned in ultimate disapproval. Why hadn't I thought of that? Why would I push myself to my limits when I was already nauseous? I settled on that I was stupid.

With all my might I suppressed the loss of another meal chucking from my own very mouth. Again my stomach lurched and gurgled. I shook off the feeling.

Gingerly, I relaxed her arm and lodged Rex on the solid concrete floor, much more suitable than the floor had been in my drab cell.

Rex beeped.

In exhaustion, I nodded, "step 3, seeing as we've already accumulated step 2, is finding a hiding site which we'll disappear within until the others are taken to the execution".

My instructions were followed by a series of extra beeps, questioning on how we are meant to assist in the others escape.

I broodingly frowned, "I'm not sure yet, Rex. But as long as you stay unseen, and I use my 'saber, we should do alright". I knitted together my defined brunette 'brows before resuming my speech, "ok now let's find us a hiding spot"

With that, myself and Rex made our way down the closest corridor in our proximity, attempting to remain unnoticed.

XXX

So, it appears our attempts at hiding have dismally failed.

While we had been searching for a site of hiding down a particularly isolated passage, one of Jabba's worthless employees seemed to have regarded our trespassing display and signaled the rest of the Palace's fugitives. Now, Rex was again lodged to my palm, and we were sprinting for dear life.

The distance was all that mattered now. I wasn't stopping for anything and I sure as hell wasn't taking a break 'cause of a tad nausea. My eyes stayed glued on the next corner which could possibly hold our escape from this mad chase.

Rex beeped in worry, and I looked at him in reassurance. In that instant, I lost the opportunity to evade a new figure in my path of running. Even if I'd been paying attention I would have been hard pressed to make the maneuver.

One moment I'd been rushing forward, eyes on the path ahead and face showing my exuberance. The next I is flying in a superman pose tangled with the figure that had blocked my getaway. I hit the dirt sending a plume of dry mud skyward.

Swiftly, I disentangle myself from my captor, groaning as I moved my pained limbs. As I launch my captor off of me, though, I manage to snag a glimpse of its face, only to discover my captor was Lando!

"Lando!" I gasp, projecting my voice a tad louder then I'd aspired to, "what are you doing?" I flip my head around to survey the distance between myself and my pursuers. I nodded in slight pleasure at the distance I'd made.

In exasperation, Lando struggled to his feet before responding my remark. "The whole kriffing Palace has been alerted of a runaway, what in the Force possessed you to do that?" he exclaimed, his tired brown eyes alive.

I folded my arms neatly across my chest, careful to not dislodge Rex from my palm. I narrowed my 'brows in surveillance, "answer my question, Lando, I don't have all day".

I masked my smirk at how similarly I sounded to Han.

"Right", and with that, he snatched the hand that happened to not house Rex, and hauled me down a vague alley. "The other day, before most of you clods arrived, I stumbled upon this nookie".

He rounded another snug corner, and upon his speech, waved his hand in front of his to present to me what I supposed was what he was proposing as a hiding sanctionary.

I mounted both my eyebrows is astonishment, "what is this supposed to be?" I queried incredulously. Rex even relayed in beeps of his displeasure.

Lando cocked his head, "your hiding spot!"

I shook my head, "that is not a hiding place, Lando, that is a grimy, diminutive air vent".

Lando rolled his eyes at the density of her stubbornness, classic Abi. "For Force sake Abi it's the only place they won't find you. It's now up to you if you want to hide in it, or get caught".

Now his arms were crossed.

"Fine!" I exclaimed, not particularly wanting to seclude myself and Rex within the tiny space, but not wishing to be once again taken captive by the gruesome gangster. I abruptly turned on her heels, "Lando, you know what to say if they ask if you found me?"

He simpered, "I think I can handle it, now hurry up" he demanded, and with that he dashed back into the open. Leaving just myself and Rex to find some way into the air vent, well, that is what it seemed to be, and if it was not, I am not eager to discover it's true purpose.

With not a second wasted, I bounced on the balls of my feet as Rex swiftly scrambled to my shoulder, reaching up and sliding my fingers beneath the panels.

They budged upon pressure, but only in the slightest. Understandable, something in such a rusty state, I wouldn't expect it to cooperate well with what I wanted.

Noticing how it was next to impossible for me to shove aside the panel with my bare hands, I called upon the Force to support me. Gently, I shut the lids of my azure eyes and was relieved to find that golden beacon of energy within my mind, the light side of the Force. Swiftly, I extracted the power to my current situation, and upon opening my eyes, the panel was set aside, resting on the interior wall of the shaft.

It was made of a sturdy material, so the framework supporting my weight would indeed not be the issue, as I'd suspected. The true issue would be managing to fit inside.

I gripped the edges firmly and placed a foot against a segment of circuited wall, and kicked off.

I've never been a professional at climbing walls of such, but over the past few years, I've had my fair share at scaling walls, mountains and all. And even before that, back on Tatooine, Luke and I would always climb rocky walls as young children, admittedly, I'd never been amazing back then.

Once both feet were off the ground, I swung a knee up to hook around the edge. It was immaculately painful as the side dug into my skin, but I, with the Force, persevered. The next part was trickier - wiggling and adjusting my body, I managed to lodge my torso inside the vent. Though that took immense time and pain poking into my ribs to achieve. Next, was the simple matter of edging further forward to squeeze my legs in, just one thing, it was anything but simple.

The side pressed against my hips awkwardly, but not too much to bear. What was the most difficult was sliding backward, just so I could replace the paneling. I mean, no good hiding in an air vent when a Guard could march past and clearly see where I'd entered from.

Once the panels were replaced, I was shrouded in complete and utter darkness. It was the darkness that I'd used to see before a vision or telepathic communication 4 years ago. The darkness was of a high density, cool air pressed against my face, smelling musty, but unmoving. Just existing in a stagnant state.

My breathing was soundless, in fact, non-existent, and it was suffocating my lungs, squeezing them like a tea bag. But I was too distressed to risk my audible breathing to have me captured. It seemed Rex was in a vast attempt to remain silent too.

My heart was sitting in my feet and goosebumps arose in trails upon my flesh. It felt almost like a game of hide and seek. Remember, when you were young and you'd take the game too seriously to the point that you were busting your bladder? That was how it seemed in this moment.

All I could do was wait. But that's never been my strength in the past.

XXX

Hello, my lovely readers!

I see some of you have taken the time to check out my other stories, and I love you guys for doing that.

how did you like this chapter? Too long, too short, too boring? Positive and negative comments are always appreciated, after all they improve my writing.

I haven't updated this story in what feels like forever, but I promise I was trying to get to it.

I'm desperate to complete the battle against Jabba because afterward I will be revealing my big plot twist!

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