Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any related materials
Author's Note: OMG, I am so sorry I haven't worked on this in so long. Please forgive me!
Chapter Six
Can this get ANY worse? Stuck on a desolate spaceship? Check. Cryptic old woman who has yet to be of real assistance? Check. Scummy asshole with a card obsession? Check. About to die at the hands of an unknown and immensely powerful foe? Check. Deprived of any alchoholic intake for the past few weeks and not even a shot before death? CHECK!
It wasn't normally my position to whine. In later days, I'd learn to leave that to Atton. Yet, at that moment I was so fed up with all the crap I had to deal with. I had nearly been poisoned to death, abandoned in the middle of nowhere, dealt with psychotic droids, and so on. That wasn't even mentioning the Sith that were coming to kill me, after nearly decades since last fighting anything that was remotely dark-side oriented. Frankly, I was tired and was feeling quite unpleasant.
"Thought of a plan, oh glorious leader?" Atton sniped at me.
"I think I have plan, but it is dangerous and a long shot." I replied.
"Not that anything else here has been anything but."
"Quit talking like a girl. You didn't have to go into the mine with me. You stayed up here."
Atton didn't say anything else, not wanting to embarrass himself anymore (not that there was really anyone to be embarrassed in front of). Kreia simply stood silently against the wall, arms crossed. I tried to read her for a moment, but I really couldn't gain any insight on her mood.
"Ignoring that, let's get on with it. Since that ship is docked, it is the only way out." I elaborated.
"Yeah? And?" Atton asked, expecting something witty and mind-boggling clever.
"So I say we take that way out."
Kreia looked up with a slight smile.
We stood there silently for a few seconds, staring into the void of each others' eyes. It was a very awkward silence. Then Atton walked over to me and gave me a good slug in the face. I fell backward on my ass, twice in the same day.
"What the hell was that for!" I asked, wondering what got him so riled up.
"'What was that for?' I'll tell you what that was for, moron. You just made the most idiotic suggestion I've ever heard in all my life. Yeah, even worse than when I took up the offer from a Rodian on an 'easy' smuggling job that almost forced me to be careful of where I dropped the soap! THAT'S WHAT!" He answered, obviously ticked off.
"Well, when you consider it, it's really the only way out. We've searched everywhere else and nothing works. If we want to get out of here, we've got to use the fuel pipes on that ship to get into the hangar area."
"Well screw that! I don't feel like dying today. Not today. I-"
I had just had enough out of that whining squeak. I jumped up and grabbed him by the collar and held tight, making sure to put fear in him.
"Listen, just what good are you? You always complain and say nothing will ever work, especially if you're the one who is in danger. Is that all you can do? Just keep running and hiding? Coward?"
"Running and hiding? Just run… and hide…?" He said, somewhat blandly. His eyes looked unfocused. I had thought he was remembering something. At that moment, I looked in his mind, though not deliberately. I saw a woman screaming in pain. Then I saw her beaten, but smiling and crying. The last image I saw was of Atton crying with a sword in his hand, kneeling, and blood spattered on and about him.
I was brought back abruptly, but still maintaining my composure with a solid grip on Atton. Kreia had barely moved an inch, not even drawing her vibroblade. I grimaced, no sure what to think of that. I turned my attention back to Atton.
"So, what are you going to do? It's your choice. Stay here and die, or come with me. We could really use you help." I put before him an ultimatum.
"I'm not a coward. Let's get out of here." Atton said with a frown, but with confidence behind it.
"Good. Alright, let's get going. Ready to go Kreia?"
"I was prepared long before yours and the fool's idle spat. I was simply waiting." Kreia replied nonchalantly.
"Alright. Time to kill some Sith!" I exclaimed.
"Interruption: No, I am afraid not, Master. I fear you must be stay here until such time is appropriate for your evaluation." Said a cool, static, deep voice.
"Oh great…" I groaned realizing not only had I failed to lose that despicable HK unit, but now it had apparently decided to reveal it wasn't all that hot for me.
Post Author's Note: I feel I owe an explanation to you people. I just got lazy. I stopped doing it over the summer and forgot about it during the fall. Well, no more. I'm back on writing this and not quitting (I hope).