Day 9: For the Greater Good
Prompts Used: "Take Me Instead"
Warnings: None
Ship: Smuggler/Smuggler
Characters: Jendrush Sept (Voidhound - Cathar), K'hedif (Smuggler - Sith Pureblood)
Back-to-back, blasters drawn, fangs bared. Jen's eyes tracked the lightsabers of their opponents—blasters, no armor, their grenades used up? The two smugglers wouldn't stand a chance if the Sith chose to advance.
"Uh. Well, usually I kinda figure I probably ticked one of you off, buuut I'm usually pretty careful about avoiding kriffin' Sith, so…"
"They don't care about you," K'hedif murmured. The accent he often tried so hard to hide had slipped into his words. "They are here for me."
"Traitor," "weak," "coward." The words were spat by the Sith as if they were made of poison.
At his back, Jen could feel K'hedif shifting, putting himself between Jen and one Sith in particular. "Your quarrel is with me. Leave the Cathar alone and I'll surrender."
One Sith snorted. One didn't look surprised. "Deal," she said.
Jen's eyes widened. Oh, hell no. "Kitty!" He jabbed an elbow back into the Pureblood's ribs to emphasize his growl. "Don't you dare—"
"Hush."
One lightsaber sheathed, followed by a second. The third Sith also drew back slightly, though kept hers poised. She'd been acting like she knew K'hedif personally. Had they met before he fled Korriban?
"Like hell I'm lettin' you do this!"
Hands found his wrists—familiar hands, ones he usually found comfort in, ones that often held him close—tried to wrestle his blasters away without hurting him. Fiery orange eyes—sad, defeated—locked onto his. "Enough, Jen." Two words, tone one of resignation, big hands finally prying his weapons away from him. "I… They'll leave you be."
"They're Sith! Soon as you're outta here—"
"Ver'risc—" he tipped his head toward the Sith who still had her weapon active, "—she'll keep her word. Trust me. They only want me."
"Don't you dare do this! You can't do this to me…"
A gentle hand on his cheek, stroking at ruffled fur. "I'm sorry."
Jen didn't even have time to blink back the tears before K'hedif shoved him. He didn't even touch Jen, instead using the Force; it hit him in the chest, knocked the air from his lungs and sent him sprawling onto his back. He was left coughing and gasping as he tried to breathe again.
When he'd recovered, the Sith were gone. K'hedif along with them.