Mal'dar

Mal'dar's heart hammered as he and Rimi walked arm in arm towards the bridge.

"I can't believe we're relying on that kid for the plan," said Rimi in a voice that sounded like she said it through clenched teeth.

"Your armor looks nice," said Mal'dar

Both of them had shined up their armor, though her's looked nicer than his. They had both thrown capes on to cover their jetpacks and Mal'dar also hid his lightsaber behind the cape. They were nearly to the bridge when two Neimoidian walked up to them, both held scanners in their hands. They held up the scanner, which immediately began to rapidly beep. Both guards eyes widened, "This way," one said pointing away from the bridge and mansion.

Mal'dar and Rimi both pulled out several credits and held them out to guards, "You don't need to do that".

The guards nodded to each other and snatched up the credits, "Head on in".

They began to walk towards the mansion. "I can't believe that worked," said Rimi.

"Neither can I," said Mal'dar.

They quickly walked into the mansion. Mal'dar's head craned up as he took in the massive building. Columns soared to the stone, vaulted ceiling, which could have doubled as a sky. Rimi slapped his arm and Mal'dar's head snapped towards her. Rimi pointed to a small stairwell, "There's the basement".

Mal'dar nodded and looked at the massive mass of people dancing that was in-between them and the stairwell. "How do we get to it?"

"Simple we dance across," said Rimi.

Mal'dar looked at her so quickly that he felt his neck pop, "What?"

Rimi snorted, "What you have a problem with dancing, it's just like sword fighting".

Mal'dar gulped, "I'll take your word for it".

Rimi grasped his hands, "Come on". She dragged him towards the masses of twirling bodies and she swung his arms from side to side. "I thought you'd want to keep up appearances".

Mal'dar smiled at her from under his helmet and interlaced his fingers with hers. "Like sword fighting?" He took a step and she mirrored his movement, and he took another quicker this time which she also mirrored matching his pace. Soon they were dancing across the floor looking into each other's visors. They made their way in a circle around the dance floor and reached the stairwell. They stood at the top of it neither looking away from the other. Mal'dar opened his mouth to speak when a voice came from the stairwell, "You can't be over here," said a Neimoidian guard.

Rimi tossed him some credits, "It's ok we're allowed".

He narrowed his eyes at them, "You're not allowed to be over here". He stood up straight and opened his mouth to yell but only received a blaster bolt from Rimi. All music immediately stopped and guards ran towards them as everyone else began to shuffle away. Rimi looked at Mal'dar, "Plan B".

They sprinted down the stairs and threw open the basement door. The basement was filled with barrels of some sort of drink. Two guards got up from a table and one fired at Mal'dar but missed. Mal'dar and Rimi fired and both guards hit the floor. The door to the basement flew open behind them. Mal'dar spun and fired his wrist rocket. It struck the door and the doorways crumbled down to become just a pile of rubble.

Rimi looked from Mal'dar to the rubble blocking the doorway, "I need to get one of those".

"You find the safe, I'll work on the wall," said Mal'dar pulling out the lightsaber. He activated it and shoved it into the wall. Rimi scanned the room franticly as the rubble began to shift. Voices were growing louder on the other side.

Rimi picked up the search and her eyes locked onto, and she cursed, "Mal'dar we've got a problem".

Mal'dar kept his gaze on the hole he was cutting in the wall, "What's the problem?"

"The safe is built into the wall, I'll need the lightsaber," she said.

Mal'dar looked at the hole he was cutting in the wall, he was just over a fourth of the way there. He pulled out the lightsaber and deactivated it, "Here," he yelled tossing it to her. Rimi caught it and stared at it trying to figure out which button to press.

"Red button," said Mal'dar running to the barrels. He pulled on and hefted it, puffing air as he did. He waddled over to where he wanted it and set it down before going for a second.

Time was measured in the alternation of sounds.

Rimi cutting the safe loose.

Mal'dar hefting and setting down barrels.

Rocks being moved from the rubble pile.

The pattern continued on until Mal'dar had a ring of five barrels set up, they stretched from behind Rimi though there was still several feet to go from the last barrel to the half-cut hole in the wall.

A rock was moved from the pile of rubble and it tumbled down and Mal'dar's eyes widened as he saw several Neimoidian guards aim at him. Mal'dar dropped down behind the barrels and pulled down Rimi. "Get down!" he hissed.

"A bit more of a warning would have been nice," she snapped.

"Well, they didn't warn me either," snapped Mal'dar. He looked up at the still secure safe, "How much longer do you need?"

"Thirty seconds should do it," said Rimi examining the safe.

Mal'dar nodded, "Ok thirty seconds". He squared his shoulders before pressing his jetpack button. The jetpack activated and Mal'dar rocketed towards the Neimoidian guards, pushing the barrel in front of him. The barrel collided with the first guard and bowled him over. Mal'dar plowed through the ground of guards until he hit a wall and the barrel shattering rain down drink on the guards. Mal'dar floated over them and sniffed, "Is that-?" he shot his flamethrower at them and the drink instantly ignited and the guards lit on fire. "It is," said Mal'dar as the Neimoidian guards screamed in pain. He flew back over to Rimi and landed, "How's it coming?"

Rimi didn't answer for several seconds as she continued cutting until she finished and the safe tipped towards her. Rimi stepped out of the way and the safe fell to the ground clanging as it did loudly as it did. She held out the lightsaber and he instantly took and ran to the wall. Mal'dar began cutting and a blast struck him in the shoulder. He glanced over and saw more Neimoidian guards coming into the room. Rimi began to return fire on them.

Mal'dar was crouched down to make himself small as he cut. He finally finished the cut and shoved the wall. The large circle of stone fell and began to spiral toward the ground below. Mal'dar ran back behind a barrel and fired back at the Neimoidians. "Did you com him?" asked Mal'dar.

Rimi nodded.

Mal'dar inhaled deeply and grabbed one end of the safe, Rimi grabbing the other. They activated their jetpacks and rocketed out of the basement. The pair flew through the sky both clinging to safe. "Where is he?" The anti-air turrets turned to fire. Mal'dar closed his eyes, he couldn't look at it anyway. The anti-air turret fired and Mal'dar heard the shot boom in the opposite direction of them. He tried to contort himself to look at what they fired at it.

"It's him!" shouted Rimi.

Mal'dar heard the sound of Abam's engines. He finally turned and watched. Abam swooped down before streaking towards them and with a neat little swing caught Mal'dar and Rimi in an open door. Mal'dar and Rimi rolled along the floor while the safe slid along it until clanging when it struck a wall. Mal'dar closed the door and ran to the co-pilot's seat. "Nice flying," he told Lando.

Lando smirked, "You expect anything less".

Mal'dar rolled his eyes and pulled the lever, sending them flying through hyperspace.