Come on you bastard! Follow me through this crap! Holden struggled to control his fighter, the thick dust cloud of a nebulae he was flying through shaking and rattling his fighter with hundreds of small rocks and debris. It, along with the gases dying his surroundings a vibrant and deep red, was sending his sensors into a scramble, not even able to pick up the larger rocks in the dense field around him, much less the Tie Interceptor tight on his six. Of course, that was his goal. Here, in a nebulae, was the closest one could get to old school dogfighting. A pilot had to rely on his skill and his own ability to predict and track an enemy fighter.
Several green blasts ripped by, able to hear them in the particle heavy area, though only dimly over the roar of his engines. He slammed his control yoke forward to dive down, just before rolling and pitching around one of the larger chunks of rock. Green bolts stitched after him, ripping chunks off some of the drifting rocks around them.
"Chirps, funnel everything into the engines! Shields, weapons, you name it! I need enough power in the guns for one shot!" he spoke subconsciously, the droid actively monitoring his cockpit. Almost immediately, he felt the fighter jerk, his speed massively increasing. Not that it would be enough to out run a Squint, but enough to give the imperial fighter a tough time. The sudden change in speed, combined with having to duck and weave through several more rocks, definitely opened some space, the green blasts falling off for a moment.
"Garret! I need you back here! I've got three on my tail and I can't shake em!" a feminine voice slipped through his helmet, breaking his concentration for a moment.
"Hold on Jen! I have my own bandit!" he slammed his throttle to zero, killing his inertial compensators before flipping. This caused him to still be holding course, despite facing the other way. Just as the interceptor following him dipped around one of the asteroids. He kicked the compensator back on as he rammed the throttle forward. One quad-linked blast turned the interceptor into a fireball, the enemy pilot never having a chance to fire back.
"Damn it! I'm hit! One of my engines is out! R-Four, do something!" her voice returned, the panic rapidly elevating.
"I'm on my way jen, just hang in there!" he ripped around several rocks and clear of the thicker part of the nebulae he was in. there were flashes of light and weapons fire all around him. in the distance, he could still make out the shapes of the four cruisers, trading salvo after salvo of blue and green lasers. It took him several moments to sift through the mucked up sensor data to find her fighter, immediately veering toward her direction.
"Garret! I can't keep them off me! Where- gah!" he saw a flash in the distant fight, a green laser ripping half of her X-wing's s-foil off. He could barely see that, as the fight was several clicks from him. "I just lost a wing! Anyone, please, respond! I need help!"
"Chirps! Give me everything we have!" he kept his throttle maxed, watching helplessly as several more green lasers clipped the hull of her fighter. Before he knew it, a linked pair lanced into the main hull, just behind her cockpit. A blink later and her fighter was nothing but a flash of light and drifting parts.
"JENNIFER!" Garret shot up, his brain reeling from the memories still coursing through it. He was left sweating and shaking as he looked around his empty room on the Redeemer. He slowly stood up, slipping into the small refresher at the back of the room to wash his face off, the cool water feeling blissful on his skin. Im so sorry Jennifer… I wish I could have been faster that day…
"Hey Sparks! You should take a break from that!" Madelyn called up to the younger woman where she was perched atop the stripped hull of the bomber they purchased, a welding torch in hand. The armor and much of the interior components of the ship were scattered around the immediate area, the girl having spent most of the past couple weeks rebuilding many of the fighter's systems. It had been pretty cool to watch as well, as she was machining many of the parts here in the hanger, even taking armor plates from another ship and reforging them into armor that would fit the Y-wing. Judging by how few components were missing from the ship, and how complete it was looking, she can't have much work left on it.
"I'm almost done though! Just need to finish hooking the hyperdrive up and she should be good to fly again!"
"You can do that later! I'm going out into Anchorhead again! You should come with me! You've been working non-stop after all!"
"No… I really appreciate the thought, but I need to finish this! I don't even know if the hyperdrive is actually going to work, much less anything else on the old girl!" she sat up as she responded, shutting the welding torch down.
"Are you sure? Anchorhead is probably the safest piece of civilization we'll see for a while…"
"Yes. I'm sure. Thank you though. I mean it. just too busy." She waved to Madelyn before she resumed her work.
"Heading to Anchohead?" Garret's voice seemed to spring out of the air beside Madelyn, startling her.
"Yeah, I am. Coming with cappy?"
"Sure. Could use the distraction." He shrugged, his arms crossed. He had dark circles under his eyes, and sounded utterly exhausted.
"You sleep okay sir?"
"No. don't worry about it though. 'Bucket' was talking about trying see if he can scoop up something in the markets too. I'll grab him and meet ya by the speeder?"
"Sure!" she smiled to him before trotting away. She didn't get far before she stopped though, her brow furrowed as she watched him march away. I hope it's nothing big bothering him… he hasn't looked that bad since the ambush back on the Courageous…
A vibrant blue Twi'lek calmly slipped through the crowded market street, checking the device in her hand once more as she moved. Its single red light was flashing wildly, slowing as she swayed the device back and forth. It easily confirmed her thoughts on the person before her, slipping the device away in her baggy and ratty clothes. She hated what she was wearing at the moment, but for blending into a crowded street, nothing was better. Her tiny stature also helped in that regard, being short by even human standards, while being much like most of her race in her slender build. She also felt extremely exposed, only carrying a small stunner with her at the moment. Of course, it was all she could manage to hide on her.
She had been following a group of four individuals for nearly an hour now, the two pairs of people moving with a dozen or so meters between them. All of the group were human, two males and two females. One of the females was clad in full Mandalorian armor, a carbine slung on her shoulder alongside dual pistols. The other beside her was just in a leather jacket and cargo pants, despite the heat here. But he had a pistol visible on his thigh, marking him as a threat as well. These two were walking calmly down the street, talking between the two of them.
The other pair had whom she was actually interested in. Specifically, the woman who had dark black hair, kept in a snug ponytail. And by the visible blaster holster on her hip, a credible threat too. Add that to the male with her having a blaster as well, meant this job was going to be a challenge to pull off.
I gotta remember to pay Tora a little extra though… her intel was spot on! I barely got here an hour ago and already found em! She smirked as she weaved through the crowd, watching all four of them for any sign of an opening. After several minutes, her patience paid off. Her target split off from the others, the other male slipping in with the other two before the now trio passed by her target who was talking with a clothes merchant.
Well, as good of a time as any! She sped up her pace, slipping calmly through the crowd as she inspected her clothes one more time, giving her skin a once over as well. She intentionally worked up a sweat digging through a dumpster earlier, specifically to get filthy. Black smudges and dirt splotches covered her clothing, as well as a pungent smell. All part of her usual scheme.
Once she was close enough, she gently tugged on the sleeve of the taller human woman. "Umm excuse me miss?" she did nothing to hide her heavy accent, unlike many of her race that interacted with the other species of the galaxy.
The woman looked over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised. "Uhh, can I help you?" by the confusion in her voice, the twi'lek's plan was working.
"C-Could you spare some credits please? I haven't eaten in a week!" she gave the woman the biggest, widest pleading eyes she could manage. She used that begging as a way to better inspect the woman's face, comparing it to the face she memorized from the hologram.
She is exactly who I'm looking for!
"Sure, one sec!" she turned toward the twi'lek, her focus on her belt line as she dug into a hip pouch.
The instant the woman looked down, the twi'lek slipped her hand into her open sided shirt and gripped the stunner tucked in her pants. Before the woman even had an idea of what was really going, she had leveled the stunner toward the woman's gut and fired. Blue light enveloped the woman a moment before she collapsed, stunned.
"Well… that was easy… so much for rebel's being dangerous!" she grinned as she slipped the pistol away, bending over to drag the woman away. As soon as she ducked, the zip of an energy bolt rippled through her, followed by a flash of heat.
"Shit!" she fell on her rump as two more blue bolts ripped over her, too high to actually hit her, but given the direction the blasts came from, the other three were shooting over the screaming crowd. She scrabbled backward, crawling on all fours for the closest alleyway.
"Damn it! Hold fire, you're going to hit someone!" a male voice rang out, just after a yet another shot ripped over, blasting a chunk from the wall ahead of her.
"I'm not just going to let her go! Check on Stodel!" a different voice was shouting this time, barely audible over the din of the crowd.
Gah! I almost had her though! She tried to not curse aloud, scrabbling into the alley way and to her feet to run. A moment later, and she heard the sound of a jetpack's exhaust, the Mandalorian ripping over her and landing in her path. The woman had the carbine in hand, already leveling the weapon on the twi'lek.
Of course, it didn't stop her, the twi'lek already slipping her stunner clear of her pants. She jammed the trigger in, sending a circular stun bolt ripping at the armored warrior. It didn't drop her, but it did stumble her, just as the weapon in her hands discharged, a yellow bolt ripping a chunk from the adjacent wall. It gave the twi'lek just enough time to rush forward, knocking the blaster up and away and kneeing the mandolorian's softer gut armor. It sent pain shooting through her knee, but it stunned the warrior again for just long enough for her next move
She snatched one of the woman's pistols, pointing it at the side of her head at point blank and firing. The yellow bolt spattered against the helmet, rocking the woman's head and causing her to collapse to the ground.
"Ordo!" one of the male voices, behind her.
She spun to her knee, several blue bolts ripping past her as she returned fire on the male in the leather jacket. Her shots were all wide, but thankfully, the street had cleared rather rapidly once blaster fire started. It did force the man into cover, her rushing back toward the street as she continued to fire to keep him pinned, the stunner still in hand as well. As she crested the alley mouth, she aimed the stunner for the last of the four, one blast catching him in the chest while he was still checking their fallen comrade.
The pistol in her left hand stopped firing as it's power pack became spent, the twi'lek dropping the weapon to grab the woman's limp arm, dragging her after her as she fired several stun bolts at the last of the four still standing. Given there was still a crowd behind the twi'lek, it kept the man from firing back at her, allowing her to slip into the next alley over. As soon as she was there, she stuffed the stunner away, stealing the woman's blaster before managing to get her into a carry position. With the woman on her shoulders, she took off at a run, ducking down the many alleyways to disappear into the city streets
YES! Suck on that, rebels! Akira always gets her mark!
"Damn it! that bitch shot me with my own blaster!" Ordo had her helmet off, clutching her temples.
"Be glad your armor did it's job and stop whining." Roy shook his head as he checked both her eyes dilation abilities, making sure they were still evenly reacting to light. Thankfully they were, so the bacta stim he gave her was doing it's job.
"Says the one who couldn't hit a bitch at fifteen yards."
"Shesh, lovely language for you today."
"Oh, go shove your head in some bantha poodoo."
"Does she always act like this?" Garret was sitting beside them in the alleyway, glaring at the both of them.
"Only when she loses." Roy shrugged, standing up as he was satisfied with his check on her.
"Alright. The two of you, stay here. I'll take the bike back to the hideout and get one of the x-wings scrambled, just in case they try to break orbit with Madelyn. Roy, you and Mandy try to locate her in the city."
"Sounds like a plan to me. Spaceport first."
"yeah, yeah, I'll get on the rooftops and scan for her ass. Besides, I got a score to settle with that twi!" The woman brushed carbon off the side of her helmet, not that her attempt did much in that regard. She groaned before slipping the helmet back on and popping to her feet.
"Alright, comm me if you find her."
"Of course sir."
With that, the group spilt their separate ways, Roy breaking into a light jog. Ordo beside him had her carbine unslung and ready, her twin pistols snuggly back in their holsters. Several people gave them worried and concerned looks as they passed, clearing out of their way. Mandalorians' tended to get that treatment when they moved with a weapon at the ready.
Once they reached the area of the city that held the spaceport, Ordo lit her jump pack again, lifting up onto the rooftops of the hanger facility. Several people startled from her sudden movement, but otherwise went back to their days.
Roy kept up a jog, his eyes bouncing around the area as he began sweeping into the spaceport, checking every hanger he could for any sign of the blue twi'lek and the lieutenant. Desperate for something to go off of, he keyed his commlink. "You get anything yet Jai?"
"Damn it Bucket, names!"
"Sorry!"
"Ah, whatever. And no, nothing yet. Most of the hangers are empty so far. Everything else is small, unarmed transports. Not what I'd suspect a possible bounty hunter to be flying."
"Yeah. Let's hope she came by ship and not land speeder." He continued his sweep, running across several twi'leks, two of which were blue and forced him to stop for a moment to check them, but again to no luck.
Damn it! I'm not losing anyone to a damned bounty hunter! It seemed a silent conclusion among them that this person, whomever it was, was a bounty hunter. It was the only thing that made sense. An Imperial wouldn't have been trying to take one of them captive. And by her going for one of them specifically? Sealed what the mystery twi'lek was for him. Of course, the real question isn't so much who the twi is, but why the hell she was after Madelyn? He let out a sigh, trying to refocus on searching the space port.
Madelyn let out a groan, her head pulsing at her. The hell happened? Why do I feel like I just got run over by a speeder!? She moved to press her hand against her temple, only to find her hands bound together behind her back. Her eyes snapped open at that realization, sitting up as quickly as she could. The room she was in was dark, only a single dim light providing any light, and smelled heavily of hydraulic fluid and greases. Mechanics shop maybe?
"Hmm, you woke up quick." The heavy accented voice immediately keyed a memory for Madelyn, her head snapping toward the sound to see a small, slim twi'lek leaning against a deactivated speeder. She had a small rag in hand, scrubbing gunk off her hands. Nor was she in the same ragged clothes, opting for some skintight brown pants and a brown sleeveless vest, a clean white short sleeved shirt under it. on her head was a set of googles, currently up and out of the way. She was also now visibly armed, twin IB-Ninety-four blasters if Madelyn wasn't mistaken on her thighs, the pistols looking massive on her small frame. Madelyn could also see the hilts of a pair of knives to either side of her hips, likely in sheathes at the small of her back.
"Who are you and what do you want with me?"
"Straight to the point, eh rebel?" she chuckled, chucking the rag onto the floor. "Name's Akira. And I'd like to eat, so that means I gotta get a paycheck somehow." She crossed her arms, smirking at Madelyn.
"So, you're after rebels? Why!?"
"Hah, I couldn't care less about rebels! As I said, I simply want a paycheck. I only know who wants you brought in because the puck wants you alive and delivered directly! Normally wouldn't do that but thirty k's is worth the hassle." She shrugged as she leaned back, checking something on the speeder's dash. "Hmph, ten credits says those idiot friends of yours are still searching the spaceport for me."
"They won't stop until they find you."
"The joke is on them. I did not land in the port. That's what amateurs do." She still had a smirk on her face. "I do wonder though… how did a little rebel like you get the ire of an imperial governor?" her smirk fell away, speaking surprisingly friendlily with Madelyn.
"Beats me."
"Hollis Prime ring a bell?"
"A few." Madelyn grimaced at that planet's name, immediately knowing what this was about. It wasn't a place she was keen on going back to unless she had a full fleet of ships backing her up.
"Eh, doesn't matter. Should be dark enough now. On your feet." She popped up off the speeder, spinning around to flick the power switch. It gave Madelyn a great view of a pair of inverse curved blades on the woman's back, both intricately decorated.
"No."
"Might I remind you that you are the one in binders and I am the one with blasters miss?" she boredly tapped one of her pistols as she
Madelyn begrudgingly struggled to her feet, doing a once over of her outfit. Her pistol was missing, as well as the comlink that had been on her belt. But not the small cylinder tucked into her boot. It was a small signal beacon, very short ranged, but in a pinch, could be used to locate a downed pilot. Something most pilots kept tucked somewhere on them at all times. She fought the urge to smirk as she marched around to the other side of the speeder, staring at the seat for a moment before letting out a small sigh. Thankfully, the speeder was a shallow seated, open topped speeder, so on the ground as it was, it was easy to step up and drop into the seat. It was uncomfortable, with her hands bound behind her back as they were, but that couldn't be helped.
"Good girl. Here." The twi'lek hopped into the driver seat before buckling Madelyn into the seat. She quickly followed suit, buckling herself in before powering the repulsorlifts on the vehicle up, letting it rise off the ground. The door before them opened upon sensing the vehicle moving, revealing the busy streets of Anchorhead. The bright amber light of the twin suns blinded both of them, just barely hanging over the building tops. But only for a moment as the twi'lek dropped her goggles down over her eyes and guided the speeder out the door.