A/N: "Sorry it took so long." Thank you to Griffin Stone and Fantasyproductions19 for kicking me back into gear!
Chapter 17: Be Brave, Omega
Crash! Slam! - ...BANG!!!
Sullo Pria dropped Tech's hand and looked up, the alarm visible on her pinched white face. Omega felt encouraged by the Kaminoan's fright and heaved once more, actually throwing the metal grating off the shaft opening and to the tunnel floor. She slithered from the maintenance shaft, clambered down the shelves and darted to Tech's pack as fast as she could run, desperation lending her strength.
Sullo Pria followed her with her eyes, seeming to move in slow motion. Omega fumbled for a moment, then spun about, Tech's blaster clutched firmly in her shaking hands.
The Kaminoan reeled back, hands raised placatingly.
Omega didn't buy it. "Let. Him.Go." she demanded.
Sullo Pria gazed thoughtfully between Tech and Omega for a long moment, then blinked, head weaving slightly on her long neck.
"Why?" she hissed.
Omega gripped the gun tighter. "I will shoot you..." she said.
"Oh? You will?" Sullo Pria lashed out and Omega jumped back, feet slipping in the pile of Tech's now scattered gear. She scrambled out of the tangle and pelted to the other end of the room, heart hammering in her chest.
"Yes! I will!" she called out to the Kaminoan who was now slowly, very slowly inching her way around the examination table. Her long fingers pressed hard against the metal surface, making it creak.
The silence was loud, and Omega swallowed, but stood her ground. "I - I will shoot you!" she cried again.
Still silence. Still the long legs and arms swayed ever forward and Sullo Pria watched Omega with eyes of glittering black.
"I will!" Omega insisted.
"Reeeal-lllyyyy..." The Kaminoan's voice was oily and sneering. Omega hitched a breath and Sullo Pria drew closer.
"I don't think you are very...con-vinc-ing..."
Omega's finger wavered on the trigger.
"And..." Sullo Pria went on. "I don't think you are very convinced...your-self..."
Omega trembled, fighting to keep her jaw from quivering. Sullo Pria glided ever closer.
"So..." she hissed. "You are the faithful little fool that decided Tech was going to be your friend. I had hoped to find you directly after dealing with...those bounty hunters..."
"What did you do to them?" Omega sniffled.
"Oh...? Nothing much. It was amusing to watch the Duros fall over the edge of the platform, and it was not too hard to truss up that woman once she'd kicked him off...I hope she stays alive. It will be...nice to have someone else who knows what it is like to be alone for six years..."
"Six years?" Omega gasped. Then, before she could stop herself, "I'm sorry..."
Sullo Pria chuckled. "Oh? You are delightful. I can certainly understand why CT 33-7641 would take a fancy to you..."
"His name is Tech," Omega snapped.
Sullo Pria didn't pause. "Is it? But then, you would know all about your master, would you not? See,Tech was never my master. I am his."
Omega pressed herself against the wall and bit her lip. The gun wavered in her hands.
Sullo Pria smiled. "Tell me, little pet," she snarled. "Have you ever killed someone? It truly is an experience."
"I don't want to," Omega quavered. "But I will if I have to!"
"And when will you have to?" the Kaminoan asked. Her ebony eyes flashed. "I am not killing Tech. I merely -"
"I don't care what you're doing, you need to stop!" Omega cried, and tears spilled onto her cheeks.
Sullo Pria tutted. "Such a big gun for such a little girl," she cooed. "Here...let me have it."
Omega shook her head and aimed higher. Sullo Pria's thin mouth twisted suddenly and she lurched forward.
"Give me that!"
"No!" Omega yelled and tried to struggle.
But Sullo Pria was too strong, and the gun was ripped away. Then Sullo Pria pinched Omega's ear and dragged her to the table.
Omega began to cry in earnest.
"Tech...?" the Kaminoan called softly. "I have found your pet." And she threw Omega forward and Omega gasped as her midriff was slammed into the table's edge.
She gulped and looked down at Tech, trying not to allow her anger at seeing his many injuries blind her to her surroundings. She needed to get away, and she needed to get out fast. Hunter and the others would arrive at any moment, and she could not be in their way!
Suddenly, Omega felt herself pushed down across Tech and the most horrible, biting, gnawing fire flashed throughout her entire body.
The pain was so bad, Omega couldn't even scream. She felt Tech jolting beneath her, and she buried her face harder into his stomach, dimly aware of her own body's twitching.
The fire stopped
But Omega didn't. She cried against Tech, gulping to suppress her sobs.She knew Sullo Pria would use the electrostaff again, but she needed to get her away from Tech.
She understood now why Hunter had been so adamant about her staying hidden until he arrived to help. But she had disobeyed him. Yet...Omega didn't believe in the slightest that her decision was wrong. She hadn't intended to not follow orders.
She was protecting Tech, and she knew it was the right thing to do.
The staff smacked against her back again, and Omega strained, then heaved herself away from Tech. Instantly, Tech stopped jolting and opened bloodshot eyes to stare at her in horror.
"O-mega!" he gasped hoarsely.
"It's okay, T-Tehhk!!!" she cried, sobbing for all she was worth. "I can be b-brave!!!"
"You - can - try," Sullo Pria leered.
Tech was jerking on the table again, straining to free himself. Omega wished he would stop. His fear and anger was making her panic all the more.
Sullo Pria laughed and flipped the belt clasps on the table's straps. The restraints fell away and the Kaminoan seized Tech by the throat and pulled him upright.
"Do you want the staff instead of that child?" she asked softly. Omega hated her voice. Never had she seen such a loathsome creature as this Kaminoan. Sullo Pria seemed to live for cruelty alone.
Tech's eyes were wide as he struggled to breathe and Omega, hiccuping against the remnants of lightning still flashing through her limbs, dodged around the table at a stumbling trot and seized up Tech's blaster once more.
"Drop - him," she ordered.
Sullo Pria glowered. "No."
Tech began to kick.
"You're going to kill him!" Omega yelled.
"And...? Do you have the courage to take a life in order to keep another one? Is it worth the trade? To kill?"
Omega bit her lip, stomach seething, heart jumping in her throat. "I - " she faltered and took a hurried step forward. Tech's jolted, his attempts to struggle failing rapidly.
"I - I'll have to. Please, let him go!"
Sullo Pria merely smiled, a small, nasty smile that seemed at once understanding and belatedly amused.
Omega's hands shook harder than ever. The Kaminoan was holding Tech in front of her like a shield, but her tall neck made her head an obvious target.
Omega had been lucky before. But still she hesitated while Tech fought for air, jerked from her resolve by that same something that had held her back from firing on the Ordo Moon dragon and from pulling the trigger on the chipped Wrecker.
Tech gagged and Omega raised the blaster and, feeling almost too sick to stand, turned her face away and slowly squeezed the trigger.
A loud grating rumbled through the lab, then there was a shrill cry, a chorus of shouts, and Omega felt the trigger catch.
The blaster fired, the shot so loud the sound exploded twice against her eardrums and echoed in her head.
She knew she was crying, the gun was pulled from her fingers and she let it fall away and collapsed herself into Hunter's arms.