VIII: Liberation
What now…?
Aliix could almost laugh at the inquiry, as it was laughable for her to even ask such a question. The answer was simple: escape with the merchandise to the Morrigan. Or, more specifically, escape from their current location of the Regulator's captured base then implement his vambrace to summon his starship to meet them and they could escape from that haran of a planet.
He could always shoot his way out of there (take the simple options) but given their vast numbers it was possible that the Marshal and his militiamen could more than widdle their numbers down—possibly even killing them all in the process—thus making the prospects of Aliix and his sentient cargo limited.
He freed them from their bindings, "Try not to draw too much attention." before promptly tilting his head to the way opposite from where they had just ventured from. "Let's go." With his rifle lowered as he directed them. Praying the last of the Regulators would be smart about the situation.
Cass and Wes glanced at each other. Then the redhead looked to Aliix "What about our equipment?"
"No time. You'll just have to replace it afterwards."
"Assuming the Hutt he works for doesn't kill us." one of them remarked.
"I doubt he will." the bounty hunter told him, helping Cass to her feet. "For now, just focus on getting to the Morrigan in one piece. Worry about the rest later."
"If you think I'm just gonna—"
"You want justice? Get it when you're in a better position to do so, 'cause right now you aren't gonna get it in your current condition."
"Cass…" Wes rested a hand on her shoulder pad. "He has a point. We're no good to Tunstal's memory dead."
Cass fought with herself. She said no words, but as Aliix gazed at her eyes he could see differing thoughts and desires fighting together for control of what she would do moving forward: her desire for revenge or pragmatism.
"Very well." she finally uttered, with a victor emerging. "Let's be off."
Nodding, Aliix led the Regulators through the halls of the complex. All the while hoping none caught him in the act. He made no prayer—not to the Force which the Jetii often employed in battle and their justification nor the gods his people once worshipped when the Taung still yet drew breath in the galaxy—having found only reliability in the weapons he hold, only hoping that his reflexes and equipment would be enough to see him through that night.
They moved in the shadows with little sound, but their silhouettes caught the attention of a few rear sentries.
"We've got a runner!"
Motioning himself around, Aliix opened fire. Dropping the sentry with little thought.
"Move, move!" the bounty hunter told them. Maintaining his bursts as he coved their bolting for a collection of rocks. "Run and don't look back!" Causing the Regulators to vanish into the darkness as he continued to fire upon the militiamen til his ears registered a succession of click from his rifle.
Eventually he found his way to a rock of his own. Resting his DC to his side he drew his WESTAR-34s.
He stood for a moment behind the rock, listening to the sound of blaster fire and slugthrowers discharging, resting his jetpack covered back against the rock—deep in contemplation on the predicament before him.
A myriad of thoughts rushed through his mind, as they always would, as the contemplation sprung forth.
Did he make the smart move? Should he have tried to collect the Regulator's weapons? Was he going to die there?
Beneath the helmet he smirked, telling himself "Doesn't matter now, I suppose."
No one lives forever, Aliix learned to value his time in the universe which he inhabited a long time ago. If that was to be his end—dying in a battle for nothing—then so be it.
If I must die, he thought, I shall do so with valor.
So what if he died, all good things must come to an end.
He emerged from behind the rock, with blasters in hand, opening fire upon the militiamen. "Come on, do you wanna live forever!?" Dispatching those who came to surround him. Unleashing flames on the few who attempted to charge his position. Clocking a few two the ground. In the midst of burning one of the militiamen, Etan tackled him to the ground. Aliix responded by plunging his thumbs into the man's eyes, helmet butting him, then blasting him once before resuming his skirmish.
No quarter was given, mercy was shown to be a foreign concept by him in battle. Battling with the ferocity of a Fett. If he could not escape from this haran, he would then ruin the day for the Marshal and his underlings.
It was during this battle, that he was suddenly blind-sided by the Duros. Falling to the ground, he lost his helmet, but he continued. Kicking Jun off of him, gripping his helmet and using it to bash another's head.
Chaos consumed the scene. Eventually, though, he was overwhelmed and the world went black with the strike of a rifle's stock.
"Where's Vau?!"