Chapter 43

Happy Easter, peeps!

Akaavi had point and Raidre followed, staying close. Raidre checked her left greave, it had their only map.

"Which way?"

Raidre perked up at Akaavi's voice in her buy'ce. "We need to got several miles north-west."

The girls looked at each other. Akaavi sighed. "This is going to take forever on foot."

Raidre slouched a bit and nodded. " Wish we hadn't let them go before coming out of hiding."

Akaavi laughed. "Yea, you're out of ammo."

Raidre shrugged and stretched. "True."

Thus they began their trek.

Torian rode before Artvish as they raced in the direction they thought the girls may be. Once they got in range, Torian's kit would pick them up. Artvish's features were stretched from the muscle tension and he was riding fast. Torian, kept up but just barely.

"Artvish, don't burn all your fuel, we need it to get back."

Artvish nodded at Torian's shout but did not slow his pace. Torian used the visual HUD of his buy'ce to comm Gault and Mako.

"Heads up, we may need pick up."

Torian could hear the frown in Mako's voice. "Why? That area is super dangerous to fly into…"

Gault cleared his throat. "So Artvish is a worse worrier than you, Tor? Jeez, losing your touch."

Torian grunted. "Yea, sure. Just a heads up."

Mako sounded even more curt. "Well, try not to. There are too many overhead walk ways and bridges between facilities in that area, I can't pick you guys up from there without risking crushing you under debris just to get to you."

Torian sighed. "Acknowledged."

Still, Artvish did not slow down. Torian sped up to catch up to him and waved to catch his attention. Artvish looked at him and Torian signalled from him to slow down. Artvish's eyes widened, and Torian looked at his left arm. His datapad had lit up as he came in range.

"Girls are close."

Artvish brought his speed down, and that's when Torian saw the broken bridge.

Thank the Manda that adrenaline has a way of making your sense of time skewed. Torian jumped off his speeder and took Artvish off of his at the same time. The speeders sped off the ledge and crashed below and ignited in flames. Torian watched the speeders burn from the edge, then let himself rolled onto his back and sighed. He took a couple of seconds to recollect himself as Artvish continued to stare at the flames that could have been them.

Torian punched his shoulder with half force. Artvish cried out.

"What's the big idea?!"

Torian stood and brushed himself off. "Almost got us killed. You're welcome."

Torian took the three steps that took him to the very edge. The gap between facilities was 20 feet high and at least 15 feet wide. He groaned and turned face first then his entire body towards Artvish.

"Gonna have to cable us, and I may not have enough cable."

Artvish's eyes widened. "Oh."

"Yea." Torian replied. "Mako can't pick us up. The Mantis is too big. So we're on our own and on foot."

Artvish swore.

Torian nodded. "Follow my lead from now on, kay?"

Artvish didn't make eye contact with Torian but nodded. "Sorry."

Torian sighed as he looked back at the other side. "Worried too"

"You did WHAT?!"

Gault perked up from his Smugglers Quarterly he had been swiping through in his datapad. Mako paced through the mess hall, her free hand above her brow fingers gripping the roots of her hair. Her other hand held a comm link. Gault frowned.

"What happened?"

"They kriffing crashed their speeders!"

Gault rolled his eyes, fell limp on the table and groaned. "I have to go back out, don't I?"

Mako groaned loudly. "Yes, of course you do, you lazy Devaronian!"

Gault groaned and pulled his limp form from the table, letting his datapad fall. Mako turned back to him, her arm flying from a crossed position, to point at the datapad on the ground.

"Are you kidding me?"

Gault lumbered, slow and sluggish towards the bay.

"Yep. Won't matter when I freeze to death, so why care now?"

"Gault!"

"Bye, Mako."

A light lit up on Akaavi left greave. Both girls looked at it and then at each other.

"What's that mean?"

"Nearby friendly."

Raidre tapped Akaavi lightly on her shoulder. "Say hi already!"

Akaavi brought her greave to her helmet. "Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, this is Akaavi Spar, over."

Both girls listened to the ensuing static and crackle. Raidre put her hand back on Akaavi's shoulder. "Hail again, his radio might be having a hard time picking up the signal."

Akaavi nodded. "Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, this is Akaavi Spar, over."

More crackle. Raidre tapped Akaavi lightly twice, she looked away from her greave. "Let's get to higher ground, it might help our signal reach a wider area, maybe it's bouncing off the walls or the ice."

Akaavi tilted her head to the side a smidge. "Not so useless."

Raidre snorted. "Thanks. I try."

The girls looked around and found some stairs. They began to run.

"Kriff! Why can't they hear us?!"

Torian ragged as he walked away from Artvish's comm link. "It's alright, at least we know Akaavi's alright."

"And what about Raidre?! How is she?"

Artvish swallowed. He knew Akaavi well, she was grounded, calm, always level-headed. He didn't know Torian, and he wasn't sure how safe he would be if this guy lost his temper. Torian stalked away with heavy stomping footsteps. He made it to about fifteen feet away before he punched clear through the Calcite wall. He couldn't hear through the helmet, but he saw Torian's shoulders rise and then fall, inhale-exhale. He walked back, his whole posture far more relaxed than prior to the punch.

"So, does Raidre get hurt a lot?"

Torian shook his head. "Only when I'm not with her."

Torian stalked past him, calm, but Artvish could feel the determination radiating off of him. It was very Mandalorian, Akaavi did this all the time too. When she made up her mind and nothing he could say to change her mind. Artvish sighed.

"Let's get to higher ground."

Artvish started at the sudden sound of Torian's voice. "Huh?"

"Higher ground. Stronger signal."

"Oh, yea. Good idea."

Torian pointed to a tree that was close to one of the higher buildings. "Follow my lead."

Artvish followed Torian up the tree, following his exact climb to keep from falling. Once on the building, they found a series of stairs and began to ascend when the crackling on the comm link came back.

"Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, this is Akaavi Spar, over."

"Akaavi Spar, Akaavi Spar, Akaavi Spar, this is Artvish, over!"

"Artvish! Thank the Manda, you're okay!"

Artvish sighed with his entire body. Torian tapped his shoulder. "Raidre?"

"Oh, yea. " Artvish cleared his throat. "Are you alone?"

"No, I got a stray."

Artvish could still feel the determination. "Who?"

"Some princess from clan Lok."

"Hey!"

Both Torian and Artvish heard Raidre's offended tones and now Artvish saw Torian relax for the first time. He smiled. "Alright ladies, the rescue party is here, where do we rendez-vous?"

"Sending coordinates now."

Torian looked them over and began to run. Artvish started running just to keep up. "Hey! What's going on?!"

"They're right by!"

"What?!"

Torian came to a clearing where a bridge once stood. Across the gap stood the girls. As soon as Torian came out, Raidre began to shake with laughter. He heard the familiar jingle as thier helmets paired.

"Boy, am I glad to see you."

Torian frowned. "Don't be an ass now."

Raidre straightened up. "I'm not, honest, I swear."

Akaavi waved to Artvish. "Girl, I could kiss you I am so glad to see you're okay!"

Akaavi shrugged. "Did you ever doubt I would be okay?"

Artvish shook his head. "No, but you know me."

She nodded, and with her solemn voice. "I do."

Raidre looked at Akaavi. "We only got one problem."

Akaavi nodded and grunted. "Crossing."

The guys looked at the expanse and realised that they were right over Rattataki Block Alpha. To the east was a watch tower and below that tower was a full on prison riot. Everyone broke out in a sweat.

Artvish pressed the comm link close to his face. "We need to get you girls here quietly."

Raidre nodded. "No more drawing attention."

Torian and Akaavi spoke in stereo. "Quick, and quiet like."