Huttball can be fun… isn't that right?
Battle simulations were always something everyone enjoyed. Most the time anyway. There was Voidstar, Civil war, Ancient hypergate, Novare coast, even the arenas can be good. They had clear objectives, understandable maps. But this new thing called Huttball was something else entirely. It was all about messing with people. And it was most certanly getting on the nerves of the young combat medic.
Nitrix glanced over at Illusiox. It was obvious none of them had a clue what was happening around them. With a single look, they both decided that running after some strange, floating ball like headless chickens is not on the list of enjoyable activities.
When Delai called her this morning, saying someone created a new battle simulation, which is a hell lot of fun, and she told the redhead that she should be at the combat training center at 2 pm that afternoon, she was excited to see what this new thing was. She never expected this.
As usual, they were divided in two teams, but as soon as that has happened, Nitrix was already having her doubts. If it wasn't enough, that both her sister and Bulgi were on the opposite team, along with Himinis, Shaddath, Petyr, Ordinary and Ze'ek, they had to wear some stupid, special outfit for this, which looked like those things that they wore for american football, centuries ago. To make it even more ridiculous, her team –which was formed by her, Illusiox, Raquelone, Mayamay, Tsume and Jimbeam, so the other team had the numbers already – had a symbol on the outfit, which looked like some strange mixture of a bulldog and a frog, holding a… ball?! By this time, Nitrix was certain she should have stayed in bed that day. They surely can't expect her to play some kind of a ball game! She was a commando for crying out loud, she was everything but mobile, and a game like this would certanly require at least Some kind of mobility. It was too late to back down now though. She let out a heavy sigh, and stepped in her pod, that created a virtual version of her, which they always used in battle simulations. It was for safety after all, making sure no one dies sor gets injured in the process. They all had a certain amount of Health Points, based on their roles. That HP would decrease each time their „puppet" got injured, increase if they got healed, and would drop to 0 when they died. They would respawn each time they died at the start point, and would have to wait to be let back out again. When Nitrix saw the place they will have to fight in, she paled immediately. Apparently, the ball was in the middle of the arena, and the teams will have to get it to the opposite team's goal line. Getting there was quite hard though, thanks to all the traps in the way.
The redhead could not ponder about the stupidity of this game anymore, when all of a sudden the ball was flying in her direction. Her eyes went wide, but tried her best to jump and catch it. Before she could have caught it, her sister leapt in the way, snatching the ball away before she could touch it.
„You're slow, sis!" Said the sentinel with a mocking tone. Then she activated a transcendence, and she was gone in a few seconds. She narrowed her eyes dangerously. „Oh am I?" She started to run as fast as she could to catch up with her, but she was out of reach. All she could do was to throw a cryo grenade at her, freezing the jedi just in the middle of a fire trap. She grinned, Delai frowned.
The combat medic was getting ready to get the ball as soon as her sister's puppet burned, but before that happened, she saw a white flash from the corner of her eyes, rushing through the fire, and the next second, Delai was pulled out of it, just before her HP dropped to zero. Himinis healed her back to full health in a few seconds, and when the sentinel was free of the grenade, she winked at her sister coyly. She moved in the direction of the next fire trap, waiting for it to be inactive. When she continued on her way, Raquelone interrupted her, leaping at her and pushing her off the ramp. Nitrix almost let out a relieved sigh, but before Delai could even hit the floor, she was pulled again. This time, by Shaddath. The sage blowed a kiss to the redhead, and the rotworms scored again. It was 2-0 now.
Raquelone leapt nex to the soldier, putting a guard on her. „Let's get the ball." Then she jumped off the ramp. Nitrix nodded, and followed the guardian.
Ilusiox and Mayamay were on their ways as well. What could go wrong when all 4 of them were here?
They almost had it. But before they could fetch the ball, they were blinded by a flash grenade. They said „crap" at the same time before stumbling forwards and ever so gracefully falling over in each other's feet. Petyr chuckled at the swearing, apologising mess of limbs in front of him, desperate to get up and out of this awkward situation. The scoundrel got the ball, and started to roll int he direction of the Frogdogs' goal line. Illusiox recovered first, leaping at Petyr. He could barely hit him before he was stunned again by a… rather dirty kick. „You little…" gasped the sentinel, falling on his knees. The mirialan laughed again. „Now now, don't be rude." He rolled again, shouting back at the still kneeling jedi. „You know, it would hurt a lot less, if you stopped wearing skirts!" With that, he was gone. A few more rolls and he will score again.
Mayamay, Raquelone and Nitrix just recovered to see the scoundrel stunned in a fire trap. He broke out of it though, and passed the ball to the awaiting Shaddath at the other side. She rushed to the goal line but before she could score, she was pulled back to the fire by Tsume. With a muttered „damn you", her health dropped to zero. The vanguard grabbed the ball, jumped off the ramp and started to move int he other direction. Maya and Nitrix ran as fast as they could to heal him but before they could reach him, Petyr appeared again, almost killing Tsume with a few quick moves. He passed the ball to the commando before he died.
The second that happened, the redhead was stunned by Himinis, Delai leapt at her and she ate a grav round, a high impact bolt and a demolition round in quick succession. Her health dropped to 30% in a few seconds, but Maya and Raqu kept her alive. As soon as she was free of the stun, she passed the ball to the guardian. Delai was ready to jump and snatch it away but Illusiox ruined her marvelous plan with a force stasis. „Nah ah, not this time Del."
When the stasis ended, the two sentinels stared at each other. „I know you've been waiting for this for a while now." Said the raven haired jedi with a wink.
„Maybe i have."
„Well then…" Delai lifted her sabers, ready to fight. „… let's dance, shall we?"
Both of them were experts of juyo form, which made the duel quite interesting. Illu was stronger of course, but the other jedi was faster. White and purple sabers sparkled when they clashed with each other.
They were fighting for only like 20 seconds, when Illu disappeared. „Crap" muttered Delai. She was trying to focus, but the attack caught her off-guard. She stumbled backwards a little due to the force of a blade rush hitting her right in the face. Her vision was blurred, here ears ringed like church bells at noon. It was a perfect time to finish her off, but before that could happen Del was pulled out of Illusiox's reach. This time, it was him, who stumbled, confused what just happened. When he looked, he saw Himinis standing next to the sentinel, healing her back to full HP. He pointed at the sage, who's presence was less than welcome at the moment. „ You know that is not fair!" Himi suddenly broke out of a healing stance. „Uhh…yeah sorry, was only a reflex."
Illu was starting to think he should have stayed at home, practicing his dance moves instead of this, when Delai grinned at him. He got ready to die, when he saw a medical probe floating above his head. Then another one. His health got back to full, and he looked for Nitrix. The redhead saluted him with a wink, then jumped after Maya and Raqu.
„Well, now you can't blame Himi for getting your ass kicked." Said Delai then leapt at the other sentinel.
Not more than a minute later, she ended up in the respawn area. „I can't believe he used awe, when i was int hat damn acid!" she exclaimed.
„Eww that was one dumb Rotworm!
„Shut up Deathmark!" with that, she activated transcendence and dashed to look for the offending sentinel. „You're so dead Illu"
In the meantime the Frogdogs scored twice. They had the ball again, but their team was scattered around the Pit. The three girls were up against the ever persistent Petyr, Ordinary, Bulgi and Ze'ek. They were doing their best to stay alive while waiting for someone to appear on the ramp so Raqu could jump up. Maya was low on Force, so was the commando on ammo, and the opponents were quite good at focusing targets, and used an annoying amount of stuns.
„Where the hell is Illu?!" asked Maya between gritted teeth.
„He and my sister are busy killing each other" asnwered Nitrix while struggling to get in a probe for the guardian. Said jedi used awe to give them some time to breathe… just before the commando, being frustrated, activated a concussion charge, wasting the opportunity to catch their breaths. Raquelone sighed. „You always do that."
„Umm… yeah, sorr…" Before she could finish, she was stunned again, and died shortly after that. She looked at the screen int he respawn area. „Defeated by Ordinary with high impact bolt." She sighed.
The next moment Illusiox appeared next to her. She looked at him, curiously raising an eyebrow.
„Don't ask." Said the jedi.
„Nope." She grinned.
The second they, left they heard Dethmark saying „Frogdog pass connets! Big gain!" And then Raqu was dead. Crap. Thought the readhed before starting run faster. Illu activated transcendence but was distracted by Delai again. Nitrix rolled her eyes but never slowed down. Maya's health was dangerously close to 0. She knew she couldnt save her, but at least she could pass the ball the her… maybe. Hold on!
She rushed right through a fire trap, shouting the sage's name. The blonde haired jedi threw the ball just before she died. Nitrix made her way towards the enemy goal line, but was pushed off the ramp by a concussion charge coming from Ordinary. Great.
The redhead glared, the brunette saluted. Now the gunnery commando will tear her apart.
3 things happened fast in the next few seconds. This time, Ordinary got pushed down, something red rushed through the fire, and Nitrix was pulled up by Jim, who died just after that. „Your noble sacrifice will be remembered."
She almost scored. She was getting ready to dance in victory, when she felt her body being grabbed by an invisible force. Invisible… Force… really?! Bulgi!
The shadow did a spinning kick in her, and the commando burned to death in the middle of the trap.
When she ended up next to Jim, she was looking at anything but the sage. „Your fail will be remembered." He teased.
„Shush"
None of the teams could score again. Maybe the reason was, that after a while no one wanted to hold the ball. Each time someone felt brave enough to grab it, the enemy team jumped like a hungry pack of lions at a piece of meat. They were dead before either of the healers could even blink.
The game became a mess of bullets and lightsabers in the middle of the Pit. Mayamay and Nitrix were constantly under fire, but thanks to Raquelone's protection, they couldn't break them. They were fighting like this for a long time now, and apparently the match wouldn't end til either of the teams scored again. Seemed to be an endless struggle, and most of the people were getting frustrated.
„Would someone explain to me, what's the point of this?" asked Maya while casting a salvation.
Leaping at the sage protectively, the guardian answered her. „This never had a point."
Obviously, it wasn't only the combat medic who was utterly fed up with all this. There were a lot of so much better things she could be spending her time right now. It's so much fun!" her sister's words echoed in her mind. Lesson number 1: Never, i repeat, NEVER listen to Delai.
When they were about to accept their fates of being stuck here for God knows how long, both Maya's and Nitrix's healths dropped at the same time. Bulgi told the rotworms to split up and keep both the healers busy. Raqu couldn't guard both of them after all.
The commando was on half health when the jedi put the guard on her. The next few seconds, the sage's health dropped to 20%. She was lucky she could use force barrier to stay alive. „Guard her, she is so squishy" The medic winked at Maya. The guardian did so, but kept an eye ont he redhead's health as well.
„Jim! Nitrix shouted at the sage. „Get Ordinary off me, would you? Illu, you too!"
The sentinel leapt at her immediately. The combat medic loved the other commando really, but she was a really annoying opponent, and her life would be so much easier if she was out the way.
They almost had her, when Delai leapt at Illusiox, and used a stasis on him. It was just enough time for Himinis and Shaddath to heal her back up.
Illu glared at the other sentinel. „Round 8?"
That was when they heard Deathmark saying „This match needs excitement! Let's mix it up!"
Everyone froze on the battlefield when the ball suddenly ended up in Nitrix's hands. Her eyes went wide, and she swallowed hard. „Oooh…shit."
It took all the commando's willpower not to swear again…and much louder when she stood int he respawn area. „Oh the Rotworms pulled the ball handler apart!"
That was it. She completely lost it in that exact moment. Her eyes shot daggers at the announcer, and she left the area with a new found determination. God save anyone who tries to stop her. Not. Happening.
She stormed through the map til she found Tsume. She grabbed him by an arm and turned him to face her. „Give me your grapple."
The vanguard raised an eyebrow, confused. „What? Why?"
She got a hold of him by his armour this time, pulling him closer, her eyes sparkling madly. „Now!"
Blinking, shocked, he wordlessly deattached the grapple from his rifle, and gave it to the apparently crazy medic. He watched her run off, then turned to face the others. „Umm, guys? Im getting worried about her."
They all turned to watch her aim her rifle at Deathmark. „Yep, she's gone insane." Jim observed.
The next moment she fired the grapple and pulled the offending little bastard down to the edge of the Pit. She shouted less than dignified words at the announcer, while pointing her rifle furiously at him.
„Is she even… allowed to do that?" Mayamay pondered.
„Nope, but apparently she doesn't give a damn." Laughed Raquelone.
„We might as well go and help her." The sage suggested, before they all smirked and dived after the commando. „Frogdogs on a rampageeee! Shouted Illusiox triumphantly, while passing the taken aback group of Rotworms.
The guardian leapt up at the balcony, and with a strong force push, she sent Gerada flying to the ground, right next to his lackey. The small group surrounded them, grinning dangerously.
„Let's show them the respect they deserve?" Offered Illu helpfully.
Lightsabers and bullets butchered them both before their forms disappeared in collapsing pixels.
The simulation abruptly ended, and when the teams got out of their pods, they found Nitrix threatening the man who was responsible for republic battle simulations with her – this time real – rifle pointed at him. Bulgi placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. For a mere second, she glanced at the jedi behind her, then with a growl she holstered her weapon and stormed out of the room. „I'll go, talk to her." Said Maya with a smile, and hurried after her friend.
„That crazy bitch just destroyed my newest invetion AND threatened to put a bullet in my head if i ever try to make her play this – quote- pointless game again, which has nothing to do with real combat whatsoever!" The man was completely outraged. „ Huttball gives us all a way to learn how to work as a team, while concentrating on objectives, and so many other things at the same time. It HAS the perfect means to train the republic for the upcoming battles. It's…" He trailed off when he found himself in a crossfire of people glaring at him. Considering they were jedis, trained soldiers and a cunning scoundrel, he thought he should keep his mouth shut for his own sake. He made his leave with a defeated sigh, mumbling something about „not getting payed enough" and „lack of creativity".
They never played Huttball again. It might, or might not have something to do with a certain droid called 4X who was ordered to ruin the program each time it was fixed.