"Please, tell me it's just a joke. A bad, humorless joke."
The three of them had arrived to their apartment and Carth, who was sitting on the table, had already told his bad news. Wine was pacing to and fro, her face white like milk, trying to find a way out of this mess. Blaze had been resting on a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, vaguely listening to his allies. He had yet another dilemma in mind, and his recent experience with that Hutt's reaction had alarmed him about how would his companions take it.
"I'd like to, Wine, but it's true: that Sith woman must've picked it up while I was playing Pazaak. Didn't think about using a false name then…" Carth was now passing a hand over his hair, Wine's expression wasn't so encouraging, either. Blaze reordered his thoughts, remembering what where they talking about. Suddenly, it hit him: he didn't see any problem.
"So, what's wrong?" As soon as the question escaped his lips, the merc regretted it: both soldiers where looking straight to him, looks of puzzlement and disbelief painted on their faces.
"Weren't you hearing, Blaze?" Wine's face reddened in outrage as she spoke these words one by one, emphasizing each of them.
"Yes: a Sith knows his name's Carth. What about that?" Wine's jaw dropped and Carth sighted in a defeated tone.
"Don't you understand, yet? All our names were on the Endar Spire's crew manifest. That file is one of the firsts stolen whenever a ship is boarded and all our computer experts were on the bridge when the Sith arrived. I saw it from my terminal near the escape pods: they couldn't erase it in time."
Didn't Bastila inform Carth about my orders? Bah, it won't hurt to tell this, I think. "No, they couldn't erase it… Was your datapad connected to the terminal, by chance?"
Wine kept silent: she didn't know Blaze, yet, but it seemed like he was hiding a card in the sleeve. Something had happened that she hadn't noticed, as if she had been too absentminded. Her superior, though, looked almost as disconcerted as she was; so it was ,provably, something hidden in purpose. "Yes, it was. Why?" She decided to let their ally put them the situation in perspective.
"Have you got a copy of the manifest?"
Carth didn't know where was the merc coming from. He didn't like it."Yes…"
Blaze's face displayed a victory smirk, just as if he had reached the end of the discussion. "Take a look at it."
Carth got up, frustrated, and went to his backpack. He opened it, searched inside and took his datapad. He turned it on and logged in while he was returning to the table. He opened the file and tossed the datapad to the table. Wine leaned in to see better the characters on the little screen."Here you go. See? Here's my name, at the Commanding Officer square." Blaze didn't move. Carth walked to the window and kept watching outside.
She couldn't believe her eyes. Or maybe she was hearing things? Something wasn't right. Ok, where's the catch? It should be here… The file is the correct one, and the line too… Why's not here? "Mundus O'Fridgigan?"
Carth's attention changed instantly to the woman sitting on the table. She had is datapad on her hand and was frantically reading it's lines one time and another. "What?" He went closer to her and watched the screen over her shoulder. It was the crew manifest he had read so many times… Or he thought it was. Some names he knew better than his blasters just weren't anywhere to be found.
"Your name's not here, Carth. Neither mine… Or Blaze's… What's going on here?" Carth grabbed the datapad, but kept it on the same place and started navigating throughout his archives. He opened a backup digital print coded manifest.
"Let me see… You are right. There're some other key officers and Jedi with their names changed too. Why? How?" He realized he was a bit too close to the Ensign and took a step backwards. She didn't seem to have noticed it. Both soldiers looked to the merc, waiting for an explanation.
"Nobody's gonna be looking for someone who doesn't exist. Before leaving the Spire, I infected it's computers with a little autodestructive virus and changed or erased the names of those who had survived so far, including the ones who had already taken their escape pods."
"Bastila's name's still here…"
"Of course it is. The Sith ain't stupid, they knew she was on board. If I had erased her name, they'd find out about my little trap too early."
"Too early?"
"Before we have long left this rock."
"Why didn't you tell us a thing?" Carth was, again, sounding as if he sensed betrayal.
Blaze shrugged. "You didn't ask."
"Is there anything else you haven't told us?"
"Everybody has always something to hide."
"What's it?"
"Sorry, Carth, private business. I won't meddle with yours, and I expect you to do the same." Blaze seemed to just let the matter die.
Carth accepted the truce. "Fair enough, just remember: I won't let my guard down."
"I can respect that. Now, have you got anything to wear for the party, or have you decided to skip it?"
"If the Sith aren't going to know who are we, it's on our best interest not to miss it… We should buy something, I guess."
Wine remembered the place where the merc had previously bought the daggers and that weird blaster. "We could go to the Equipment Emporium, there are lots of things there."
"And… What will you buy? Clothes, or armor? It's not too wise to enter into enemy territory without adequate protection, but entering a party fully armored…"
"You're right… Well, we'll see about that when we're there, let's go."
Wine and Carth took the lead to the shop they had visited that same morning for Blaze to buy some 'supplies'. They were there in no time and immediately started to look for something wearable.
Carth saw how Kebla, the shop's owner and assistant, directed the female Ensign to one of the central shelves and started to show her some of her goods. He had already made his mind on the dilemma their newest ally had offered, so he went directly to a nearby table and chose some smart clothes that were a size bigger than his. Afterwards, he walked to the light armor section and selected a well-plated one, his size. He went to the changing room and, a few seconds later, he smiled to his reflected face on the mirror: he didn't look suspicious, but, yet, he had managed to find a way to blend into the party even wearing a decent plate.
He payed the prize to Kebla's assistant droid and went over to where he had last seen Wine. No wonder why are there so many homeless on this planet, that's a hold-up! Not many winnings will be left… What the! Carth's thoughts were cut off sharply at the sight before him. A woman clad in a tight purple armor was trying her outfit, looking at the mirror before her and testing the plate's flexibility. The armor by itself did nothing to hide it's wearer's curves and femininity: a couple of the longest legs in the galaxy were sheathed into what seemed like a second skin, or maybe a body paint, making the musculature of her well trained legs easy to distinguish. That's exactly what happened with her finely rounded rear too, which was followed by a rather slim waist and back which were actually well armored, ending the body paint effect to start a thinly but well armored one. Her arms were also covered with that skin-like purple fabric, showing her well trained muscles as if she was actually wearing a non-sleeve. Shoulder-length straight black hair cascaded down to her shoulders. She turned to face him, he was greeted with the sight of her well-sized chest clad into an amazingly reflecting and firm plate.
Her auburn eyes met his, and he noticed he had just kept staring at her like an idiot. Damn it! What was I thinking about? He needed to say something, anything, but he just didn't know what; so he just smiled and went over to Blaze, at least that guy wouldn't leave him speechless. He found him just as how they had left him: near the entrance.
As he approached the merc, he noticed he wasn't wearing any armor. In fact, he didn't remember seeing the man inside any outfit even similar to an armor. "What about you? There're some good plates over there."
"No, thanks. Armors just slow me down."
"Yeah, they are a bit restrictive at first, but isn't it better to have some protection?"
"Best defense is a good attack."
"But, what if you get shot while you attack?"
"That's what shield generators are made for. Here, take two, my treat."
"Generous, aren't we?"
"Don't be stupid, I need you alive if I want to finish our business here and get out of this rock. By the way, you've made your mind for non-armor, I see?"
"Not exactly." Carth opened his jacket a bit, revealing his new armor.
"A military light plated suit; it'll be enough, I guess. This model is very used by civilians for personal protection, good choice."
Carth frowned at he description the mercenary had given: It seemed like if he had studied every armor's characteristics. "You surely know about those things."
"The best way to penetrate the enemy's defenses, is to know them well."
"Where have you learned that much?"
"Holonet. I can't take being in a ship for too long, so I got my datapad filled with info like that on Coruscant."
"Just armors?"
"Armors, weapons, unarmed combat forms, languages, other species' statistics like strength, agility and stamina… And some files about customs and laws."
"Ok, what do you know about that armor Wine was trying back there? Apart from the obvious, that is."
"The purple one? I don't know of any standard like it. It's got the look of being a mix between Echani intelligent fiber technology and Desh cuirass plating, though. She won't blend in with that, but maybe that's part of her plan: people don't usually suspect from someone who's acting casually."
"So, is it a good protection?"
"If she can keep cool, she'll be fine. If things go wrong, this is an asset she won't regret having."
"Mm either way, I think she could use one of those generators too…"
"Just be sure to make 'em count: they aren't cheap, and I won't be having money to buy more anytime soon."
When Wine returned, Carth could swear he had heard her chuckling. They only exchanged a few words, Carth gave her the shield and the three of them left the shop, towards road #614342975, from where they'd head north to reach the building where the party was being held.
As they walked, they saw a pair of shady-looking individuals accosting an elderly man. The old fellow was sobbing, claiming that he didn't have Davik's money.
"Please," he begged. "Just give me more time. I'll get Davik the money…. I just need more time."
The thugs just laughed. "Davik wants us to make an example of you," one of them said. The old man cowered in terror.
"They're going to kill me! Help! Somebody help!"
Carth glanced at his companions. "I know we're trying to keep a low profile, but are we going to just stand by and do nothing?"
"Killing a couple of a crime lord's thugs won't take us closer to our objective." Blaze's stern face showed very well that he didn't plan on doing anything.
Wine didn't stop to hear the guy's speech: she simply walked over to the thugs, tapping the nearest one on the shoulder. The alien spun around and glared at the woman, who was closely followed by the soldier and the merc. "A witness!" he growled.
"Excuse me," asked Wine politely, "what's happening here?"
Seeing his opportunity to survive, the gray haired elder renewed his pleas for help: "Please, lady, help, they are going to kill me! Please, I beg you!"
Ok, ok. Point taken: if I want to find Bastila before kath hounds grow wings, I'll have to chop off the heads of some more thugs…
The alien thugs laughed and reached for their blasters. They were stopped short as two of Blaze's daggers came flying out of his left sleeve, only to get deeply stabbed into his victim's foreheads even before Carth or Wine could draw their weapons.
The old man looked up at his saviors with relief mingled with despair. "You saved me… but now Davik won't stop sending more thugs after me until I'm dead…"
Blaze didn't mind the old man: he simply went over to the corpses, retrieved his daggers, cleansed them over their bodies and put them in place. After finding some ammo and credits into their pockets, he tossed them over the shallow lip of the through-way. It would be a long fall for them.
Carth decided to try to help the elder just a bit further. "Can't we do anything to help you, sir?"
"No, I doubt it. You've already done enough for me. Now it's my problem on where I'll find one hundred credits
"Here," said Wine. She counted out some money and put it into the man's hands.
"You'd give a complete stranger money, just like that?" asked him, his voice barely more than a whispered.
Wine nodded.
"Thank you! Now I can pay off Davik!" You've saved my life!" Clutching Wine's gift, the man ambled off, presumably towards home.
"You gave him one hundred credits? Generous of you," muttered Carth. Wine merely shrugged and said nothing.
Blaze came closer to the pair. "The party's gonna start without you. So, what's the plan?"
……
It was a broom room, just a few doors from where the Sith were having their party. It was small, but enough for them to enter and have an informal briefing.
"Here we are…" Carth turned to face his comrades. "Ok, let's check up the plan one last time."
"Let's see… You enter first. Fifteen minutes later, it's my turn."
"We'll keep our comms open so you, Blaze, will be able to hear everything from a save place." Blaze had already made himself at home and had currently placed his datapad onto a crate and connected to the building's security network.
"I'll write down anything useful they say and will keep all the weapons at hand. If anything goes wrong, I enter and give them my good nights."
"Perfect. Wine, as soon as everybody's drunken and fast asleep, we'll search for any uniforms of our sizes. We'll take one for each." Wine nodded. He could see her muscles were very tensed. Man, that fiber is paper thin. No matter what Blaze said, I trust it less than a Sith. Just hope the generator will be enough…
"Nearly forgot. Take this."The merc searched through his pockets and gave the male soldier a syringe with some strange orange liquid in it. It's label had 'Insulin' printed on it.
"Why should I want that?" He doubted the syringe's contents agree with the label's name, but he didn't know anything else about the subject.
"Inject one dose of these spices to those you steal the uniforms from, or pour it into their ales. It will make them sleep it off more time and when they get up, the hangover will be even worse. If you prefer it, with two doses it will seem as if they had died from alcohol intoxication…"
At hearing the word 'death', Wine's attention rose: it didn't sound quite well… "How do you know?"
"Have used this trick once."
"When? Why?"
"You don't want to know."
Carth looked to his watch. Must get going.. "Well… I'd better get going. Remember: fifteen minutes."
"Move along, citizen, there's nothing to see here."
"I've been invited."
"Yeah. You and another thousand liars more. This is a restricted area, move." Carth got a glimpse of the party inside: it fas already in full swing by then. About twenty young men and women were present. A trash bin was already full of empty bottles that had contained the local ale. The sound system spat out bass-heavy music heavily layered with electronic instruments, producing several conflicting rhythms and most of the guests were either drinking the ale over some sofas spread throughout the room, chatting at the bar to the left, or dancing at the central part of the apartment.
A feminine voice emerged over the nearest small group chatting at the bar. "Carth? Hey! Come here! The party's great."
"I'd like to, but he won't let me."
"What! Soldier, let my guest in. It's an order."
Sarna got a hold on Carth's arm as soon as he reached her, guiding him to the center of the apartment, "I hope you can dance, gambler."
"Is it a dare?"
Sarna contorted her extremities and swayed her ankles at the music's rithm. "Already guiding the matters to your territory." She guided one arm around his neck and sterned her face, her whole body very close to his. "Ok, I'm in. What's on stake?"
"Hmm… Let me see…" Carth's attention was instantaneously caught by a nearby bottle, full of Tarisian ale. Just the perfect way to make her sleep with sithies. He grabbed it, along with two plastic glasses. "What about playing some little game?"
"Blaze, can I give you a piece of advise?"
"You can try." The merc was currently navigating throughout the building's security net.
"It's alright for one to keep things to himself… But you should, at least, change the way you are doing it."
"What's the problem?" He didn't turn.
"You see… I don't know, but the way you talk, the way you refuse to include us in anything but if you need it… Even I am starting to believe you are hiding something important from us, and this something seems to be big enough to keep you away from people."
"It's private business." The datapad showed a map with the distribution of the building's cameras.
"Yeah, you've already said that."
"It's nature won't change, no matter how many times you ask for it." Now, the datapad's image turned into binary code. Blaze frowned: he didn't understand anything. He reseted the menu.
It was driving her insane! Didn't that guy even think about anything but he and his 'mission'? "I know! I know. But, whatever it is, you should trust us a bit more."
"Do you even trust between yourselves?" Wine was taken aback.
"Yes… Well… Actually, Carth doesn't trust me. He says he doesn't trust anyone."
"Is that so? Well, being careful often prevents more than hurts." The datapad showed a warning message. Blaze inserted a disc and the message disappeared.
"He's not careful: he's nearly paranoiac. I had it hard to convince him that the battle up there wasn't my doing. Even so, he's been all the way keeping an eye on me, blasters near his hands, as if I was some sort of Sith spy. What do you say to that?"
"Hmm. Are you sure you didn't do, or say, anything suspicious?" He had, finally, managed to access to the camera he had been trying to; and, after making sure it stopped recording, he finally turned to face her.
"Positive. And, If you keep behaving like that…"
"…He could start watching me instead of the real enemies."
"Exactly." Wine was glad that the stubborn merc had came to her point of view.
"You had this speech planned. What's your advise?"
"First, I've seen your fighting stance: you're used to fight alone, aren't you?"
"True." Blaze adopted a serene and methodical expression; the medallion on his chest didn't glow much, but it's color was gray, with a glimpse of blue.
"Whenever we're fighting, remember your partners: sometimes, they could use a hand."
"Understandable. Second?"
"When you are scheming, or have something planned, let us be part of it: we are a team."
"I don't plan, I do. And, if I don't share my thoughts is because I either think they aren't important or it is best not to let them be known yet."
"Like?"
"Like that I've had the impulse to kill up to thirty-eight assholes since we entered the cantina. Actually, this is something better not said aloud in some places, and it is completely useless."
"And what about the virus?"
"I had thought Carth had been already informed, so the subject was also useless to be talked about."
"That thing you seem to hide. How's it's importance rate?" She was hoping he would have let his guard down. She should have known better than that.
"You don't give up, eh?"
Wine sighed. "You won't tell, will you?"
The merc just grinned. "Haven't planned on doing so."
"Is it dangerous, or useless?" Maybe she could find it out by herself.
"Private business."
"I can make you talk."
"No, you can't."
"Ok, ok. Just think about this: whatever it may be, will it be worse if we find out by ourselves, or if you tell us?"
"You're acting like if I were fearing your reactions."
"That's because if it were a trivial thing you'd have already told it, if only to make me shut up.
"Three minutes for the show."
"How's Carth doing?"
"His date's drunk, he's sober, can't hear any blasters: fine."
"Move along, citizen, there's nothing to see here."
"You sure? Yun told me there would be a good party in here…"
"Yun Genda? So… You claim you've been invited?"
"Well, yes. He asked me to come."
"Wait a sec." The Sith soldier reached to his pocket and touched a button. One of the waiters inside the party came out instantly. "Ask officer Genda if he has invited…" The soldier stared Wine intently, asking for her name. When she didn't answer, he exasperatedly turned towards the waiter and waved him to go."Just ask him if he's invited anybody. If so, then tell him I've got a nameless woman in front of the door." The waiter nodded and disappeared into the room.
"Hey, you made it!" Yun smiled broadly as he walked out to greet her. Hooking an arm about her waist, he led her inside, to a sofa on the right. "Was starting to think you stood me up."
Will hate myself tomorrow for doing this… Batting her eyelashes at him, she purred, "And what makes you think I'd stand up a man in uniform, especially one that invites me to a good party?" Yuck! Hope I don't get the habit to talk like this… Disgusting.
Yun laughed heartily. "You can certainly pour it on, can't you?" He put an arm around her waist again can't he put this arm of his around himself? and led her about the party. She could tell he was already pleasantly drunk as he told bad jokes and leaned on her a bit as he introduced her to the others. Wine made innocuous conversation and tried to relax. Yun finished his tour and pulled her over to the couch, snaking an arm about her shoulders.
"So, tell me, can I have your name now?"
Ok, time to use some tricks from the holovideos now… If I'm right, men try to act according to their date's behavior Leaning into his ear, she whispered, "Wine Vin-Kari, pleased to meet you." She immediately retreated to a normal sitting position. Let's give him some trouble to find how the patron, then.
Carth's idea had been working for the time being: they had accorded to take a drink every time the other's moves were better than their's and, so on, he had managed to maintain the upper hand despite Sarna's efforts to intimidate him with her sensuous movements and her groping hands.
Dancing bass music was something he had mastered during the parties he had assisted during both the Academy and, even, his first years in the fleet; and, while Sarna's dancing skills were deteriorated by the high doses of alcohol she was drinking, he managed to follow the rithm and let it's pulses flow through his veins, preserving himself sober.
After almost two hours of dancing, they decided to sit on a nearby empty sofa. Sarna's constant swaying and mumbling made Carth realize the liquor had already started to do some real effect. "What a dancer! Hic! You really don't brag about your skills, do you?" She leaned a bit closer to him. "I'm hic! sure you've made yourself some money playing games and all…"
Money? Hmpf. Let's redirect the subject to where I want it to be… "Well… Not really… Especially since newbies stopped showing up."
Sarna took yet another gulp of the Tarisian bottle, it's contents were nearly zero by then. "The quarantine? Aaahhh hic!" She leaned, even closer. "Don't worry about it. I'm hic! Pretty sure it will be over soon enough."
"So…" Carth decided to put an arm around her shoulders. "Why was it put, to begin with?" Damn! That's too straight. Better to lighten it with a bad joke… "I mean, it's not anything like a gizka plague, or so, is it?"
The drunken woman laughed heartily. When she stopped, her voice seemed a bit more sober; this got Carth worried. "Not at all. Just… Well I'm sure you know that we won a pretty wicked battle overhead. Damn Republic managed to get some escape pods down to the planet, though. Mostly to the festering pits of the Lower and Under Cities. That's why we've walled off the place to tourists and off-worlders. It's not safe. If those Republic scum survived, we're more than happy to let them get shot by the gangs or eaten by the rakghouls. I certainly can't envy the parties we send down to salvage the pods, though. Gangs and other scum likely beat them to anything of value." Sarna gulped the last drop of alcohol that her bottle had to give. "Er… How about if you get me some more ale from the bar, handsome?"
"Sure." Carth stood up and started to the bar. Well, she's already given all the information I needed… While he was walking, he saw that most of the assistants were already asleep or too 'emotionally entangled' to notice anything. Wine's head was peeping from a nearby door.
When she saw he was the only seeing her, she let him see a glimpse of what seemed to be the officer's variant for the trooper's uniform, blood red. She gave him a thumbs up from her hidden position and closed the door so Sarna wouldn't see her. Time to put Blaze's spices to the test… He took an open bottle and poured one dose of the so wrongly labeled 'insulin' in it.
……
Later, that night, two full armed and armored men, presumably mercenaries, followed a Sith clad into a Senior Officer red armor. They approached an awning that arced over the wide thorough way like a giant mouth. The woman inside the red armor paused only long enough to give a short nod to the sentry on duty. A shame we couldn't find any more uniforms, but this will do…
"You're with one of the patrols heading down to the Lower City, eh?" asked the trooper. Wine nodded again. "Well, good luck," the sentry said. "The gang war down there is getting pretty nasty." He tapped his control panel and the turbolift doors opened. All three of them stepped in. The woman nearly tripped when the lift moved, protesting by the suddenly added three sentient's weight. Whoa! Thought I hadn't drunk that much!"
The smell of blood and blaster fire lingered inside the turbolift, hanging in the air like a thick cloud. Outside, the sentry slapped another panel and the turbolift whirred to life. It began the kilometer deep journey into the lower depths of Taris.
"So… What have you found out, Wine?"
"Not much: Yun's main course of thoughts was… Elsewhere."
Blaze seemed to know what was Wine talking about, because he was fast to speak before Carth could ask further. "I may have something."
"What?" It was a two mouthed question.
"Carth picked up the Sith are sending patrols down here…"
"Yes…"
"Sarna said that the Sith would be glad to let the Republics die because of the rakghouls and the gangs…"
"And…" Carth was exasperated: he knew everything Blaze had been talking about; but it wasn't of any hep.
"If they haven't stopped yet is because they haven't found Bastila. If that's it, we may stay a chance."
"How so?" Wine was intrigued.
"By now, the Sith should have been able to find all the escape pods. If they haven't found her is either because she has been able to hide herself, or someone else has got there before the Sith arrived." Both soldiers remained silent for a while. Eventually, Cart spoke up.
"Ok, I see your point. Any advise before we reach the Lower City?"
"The guys dressed in red, blue and gray are the Black Vulkars. If you see one of them, put your hands near your weapons: those seem to be always willing to pick up a fight."
"We're almost there… Put on your helmet, Wine: it will give you some extra protection."
The three of them gave one final check to their weapons as the elevator came to a stop and it's doors opened to reveal them the lower depths of Taris in all their glory- sparking wires, layers of grime on all surfaces, and graffiti in a half-dozen Basic and alien dialects. Trash piled in heaps and plastisteel barrels where transients gathered by the light of a smoky fire. Bodily waste, bad alcohol, and things best unnamed hit them like a fist, causing them to gag until the shock wore off.
"Okay," Carth said. "Let's start by going somewhere we can look for information without getting our asses kicked."
Light barely filtered in - the translucent fountain bottoms from the streets above allowed a bit of hazy sunlight and trickles of chemical-smelling water. Jury-rigged glowrods and gas-filled signs gave off their own faint light, as did the brightly burning barrels of refuse.
"There's a cantina over there," Blaze indicated them to the south-west. "I saw lots of people in different colors in there, it must be some kind of neutral place."
"They won't allow me in," the two males turned abruptly to face Wine. "Not if I look like a Sith."
"You're right…" Carth glanced over and spotted a nearby building; it's doors were wide open. "There."
No sooner had they walked out of sight of the elevator did they find themselves in the middle of a gang battle. Six sentients clad in yellow and white armor were surrounded by lots of aliens in the Vulkar colors. Wine saw every bit of the massacre caused by the bigger group upon the smaller one from inside her expressionless helmet. There was no mercy, there were no prisoners, there was only cruel and brutal death for the poor yellow and white armored combatants. She wanted to vomit. The sensation was stronger than she had ever felt.
Carth had guided them through the shadows, trying to avoid any unnecessary confrontations, but the sudden sickness Wine felt when the leader of the Black Vulkar party personally executed, laughing, the two young members of the opposite side who had thrown their weapons and had pleaded for mercy made her involuntary trip with an empty can, drawing all the attention towards them.
Damn it! Carth drew his dual blasters and went nearer to Wine. She, in turn, unsheathed her swords and placed her back against Carth's. This way, he would take down as many as he could from long range. Wine's swords, in turn, would take care of any thug who could reach them.
The 'How to be nice' file said something about this… Blaze took his swords and readied himself for the battle to come. Ah, yes, 'ask first, behead later.' He moved his left leg very quickly backwards so it was both covered from enemy fire and out of his way. He, then, swung both swords very fast and, while doing so, he changed his grip on his left one so the blade was pointing backwards. "How do you prefer death: swift, or painful?" His right leg semi-crouched in a defensive, lateral stance that also served to cover his left arm and put the right one more at the ready to battle, both were now in an horizontal position, just above his waist. With his left sword behind his back and his right one before him, he could battle in all directions. Question asked, time to behead. His medallion glowed in furious red as he started his killing spread.
Wine had never felt like this before. She was fighting against a greater number of enemies, sure, but feeling Carth's back against her own made her feel safe and confident of her chances. The duo moved with the dexterity and coordination that only years of intense training and lots of experience should master. Carth's movements matched hers, and she matched his, like a gear-teeth matches another to make a cock go. Every time an enemy got too near to Carth, he had only to crouch, because Wine's sword would be already coming to finish the foe off.
Blaze's muscles tensed and relaxed, adapting to every situation's changes. Adrenaline flew through his veins like there was no tomorrow. He had just stabbed a green Twi'lek up his throat when a powerful aura caught his attention. It was coming from the female soldier clad in red Sith armor. It was like an untamed beast, but enormous and strong. Most of the time, this beast was like in hibernation, but now, it had awakened and was like a whirlwind, giving her notice of her surroundings and making her adapt to her partner's movements by pure instinct. Two of the supposed corpses at he couple's feet started moving.
No way. Blaze threw his Trandoshan Death Bringers to the so called corpses, killing them for good. Pain. Real pain burned through his skin and his flesh, arriving to the bone. He fell to the ground. He didn't mean to, but the impact fas too strong and his knees just gave in. His left hand reached to his right shoulder. Pain. Intense. His hand didn't touch well trained steeled muscles, but a nasty hole, wet in his blood, with nothing else but burned flesh. His affinity to the Force wouldn't be enough to heal that. He would need to use a medpack when he could.
He heard a blaster bolt pass him and impact a nearby object and his aggressor came to his field of view, a hole in the head. Carth's doing. He got up. There were only three or four enemies left. They were retreating. He glanced over the corpses. There were, at least, thirty of them. But the main colors he could see… Huh? Yellow and white? But we have only killed Vulkars… So, they were already tired… And we haven't killed as many as I thought: most of them were playing dead to run away.
The retreating gang members disappeared into the darkness and his companions relaxed from their fighting positions. Wine sheathed her swords and took his. Carth holstered his blasters; he was sweating, but smiling. "Aaaaah!" It was coming from his behind. He turned just in time to see a spiky alien charge upon him, axe at hand. He didn't think: if he had, he wouldn't have done this. His left arm's muscles tensed more than normally and a bone made blade came out from his forearm.
His blow splat the alien in two, ending the threat; but he had done it. He paled at the thought: they knew it. They had seen it. And he knew what was going to happen next. That Hutt had nearly killed him at this knowledge; as had previously done nearly anyone he had met before. That's why he had learned to hide it.
Something touched his temple. It was hot, metallic and cylindrical. Carth's voice sounded of betrayal and disbelief. His words were the three ones he had become used to hear: "What are you?"
Sorry it's been a long while, but I really couldn't update this sooner. So, do you like it? R&R please!
Many thanks to Revan's Lost Soul and SilverSentinal21.