Chapter 6

Mosah's own retreat was very soon halted as the Gungan burst into the main foyer of the Station. Where there he was confronted by a wall of perhaps five Troopers blocking his way. The Trooper wall reacted quickly bringing their weapons forward they stood ready but never advanced.

Mosah didn't look troubled. Rather he eagerly grinned, hoisting his blaster he faced the cavalry.

The Trooper wall froze, they were not stupid, for they knew that a blaster's fire was much faster and convenient that their own feckless weapons.

Mosah was a mad man, he would not hesitate to shoot.

From behind, the remainder of the station's army approached and halted where a familiar snort erupted.

"You've always been a wild fool!"

Mosah slowly turned to look upon his antagonist.

"You." He hissed watching as the General stepped in front of his clan, undaunted by Mosah's threatening weapon.

Cursing Mosah spat at Er Shua's foot.

"General! You were always the one to take all the glory!"

"Put the blaster down Mosah." Er Shua's voice was calm, yet harsh.

He very slowly approached the mad man, circling him. It was a vastly powerful and intimidating tactic of his. Er Shua could see the wheels at play in Mosah's head. Mosah knew he was done for but he'd never been one to give in without a fierce battle, it was that history which caused everyone around him to remain cautious.

Mosah's blaster rattled as his hand quivered. Situations of such never went well with the fool, he had very little capability to handle them. It was this knowledge that pushed Er Shua on.

"You're lost." Er Shua continued. "Our forces far exceed you, and your little counterpart here."

Er Shua signalled for the girl to be brought around. She was screaming and kicking wildly like a child throwing a tantrum. But her own feeble attempts to unlatch her holder's grip only brought more agitation upon Mosah. He was beginning to fidget with the trigger, contemplate his next course of action. And at some stage making Er Shua believe that he was actually going to shoot. But he didn't, bringing his hands upward he murmured.

"You can have me, just not the girl." And with that he let the blaster drop.

There was a moment of silent lingering until finally the call was given and at once the station seemed to just explode into a mass frenzy of Troopers. All lunging at Mosah's defenceless form they showed no regard for him as they beat him to the ground.

"No!"

Adia struggled against her holders but they stood, keeping her at bay.

This couldn't be happening! Not Mosah of all people! Mosah never gave up!

Eyes scanning the floor she desperately looked for a way out, some sort of passage to get to Mosah. She spied the blaster, laying a small way from the crowd. It had been pushed aside and there it was ignored. All eyes were on Mosah.

Adia bit her lip, glancing from one of her guards to the next. Her mind at full play, it would be a stupid attempt but it was better than standing and doing nothing she figured.

Suddenly lashing out in a final screaming frenzy she broke free of her unsuspecting holders. Dashing for the tiny metallic item she dove for the floor. But within the blink of an eye a giant foot slammed down, kicking the blaster away. Her face was inches from his towering form she stared upward into his cool, scarred face.

His voice was unusually warm for his posture.

"That would not be very wise, Adia Yah."

The look in her emerald eyes changed and her face showed the recognition of a distant past.

"Er Shua."

She whispered, slowly rising to her feet and for a moment she stared at him as if she couldn't quite work something out.

For what seemed the first time in his life Er Shua was lost for words. She looked so much like Alishka. Her skin, a crimson peach… eyes that showed no resemblance of Alishka but that of her untamed spirit.

"Adia! Get Away!"

Both Er Shua and the girl spun at Mosah's shout. Blood trickled from his nostrils and hands. He was slowly being dragged away.

"Mosah!" Adia called, attempting to run for him, but with a hand on her shoulder Er Shua stopped her.

The girl glanced back at Er Shua, she knew it was useless.

"It's not fair! You have it all wrong!" she cried her final plea and revealing to Er Shua all too plainly the simple irony of the situation. Mosah, one of his most hated adversaries having formed such a close bond with a child that should have been Er Shua's.

Pulling away, Adia wrenched Er Shua's hand from her shoulder, cursing at him she spat. "You'll never get away with this!"

The girl made a dash for the exit but Er Shua pursued grabbing her arms he held them behind her back, Adia reeled, screaming again. Er Shua had to call for a fellow to cuff her. He needed to think like an officer, bring her into custody. And then perhaps he would be able to sort her out.

"Let her go!"

A loud booming voice echoed off the walls as the large form stepped into the room. Er Shua faced the young Nass, Bani. His eyes were wide with determination.

"I said let her go. We don't need that one we have what we need."

Er Shua huffed in hot protest.

"She is a bandit! She needs to be taken in!"

The Nass shook his head stubbornly.

"She spared me at the agreement that I would likewise spare her."

Er Shua knew not to pick a fight with a Nass but he didn't budge. Adia was not struggling now for just as well as he did, she knew that Er Shua was in a no win situation.

"Guards!" the Nass called out his final piece of argument.

Though how much he despised it, the son of Boss Nass held an easy higher authority over him. Reluctant, Er Shua let the girl go. Numbly watching as she dashed from the station and out of sight.

Er Shua waited until the Nass disappeared before he took chase. His encounter with her was of no coincidence, he needed to reach her.

Mosah partook of his final glimpse of the general public before he and his vast array of escorts rounded into a dark back passage and they disappeared from view all together. A majority of the Troopers too disappeared as they felt not needed, but yet a great number still remained. Keeping a careful watch of their ex-General. Mosah almost felt honoured. A reputation like his wasn't to be taken likely, they still suspected he still held a way to escape bondage. But the truth was, his only hope of success was through Adia. The one whom they let, literally slip through their fingers. Mosah hoped she wouldn't do anything foolish like she'd been known to do on occasions. He needed her to get back to the camp.

Adia had been a very loyal member of his band, the only one that had actually been reared within the camp. She knew no other way but what Mosah had taught her. Of all his crew, it was she whom he cherished the most. The girl had grown much in the years. From a small, chubby child, whose ears seemed too long for her height to now a more, womanly built Gunganess.

Mosah always felt that she'd held somewhat a shadowy nature about herself. He knew nothing about her life before he found her, except that her mother was dead. She was indeed different. Mosah did not deny that.

On one of her shoulder blades she bared a strange sort of sign. Like that of a scythe shaped sword and then two giant and perfectly even claw marks that went through the scythe. Mosah had no idea what it meant. But then again, it posed no particular purpose to him so he never bothered to care.

Eventually Mosah's mind brought itself back to the situation, where now his escorts had reduced themselves to four. Not that any of this posed as any meaning to him. For Mosah knew that if he'd get what he wanted he'd have to wait. That would be the daunting part.