Seth had decided that he hated Rakghouls.
It only took one look at the hunched, mucus-slicked creature creeping out of the shadows to come to that conclusion. The twisted face, the soulless black eyes, the needle-like teeth dripping with something he really didn't want to think about—it was worse than any story he'd heard.
But the worst part?
It used to be a person.
A Tarisian outcast clung to the metal gate of the Undercity village, his fingers slipping through the grating as he clawed for entry.
"Please! Please, let me in!" His voice was raw with terror.
Behind him, the Rakghoul shrieked.
A woman—his wife, Seth guessed—was sobbing, pressing her hands against the gate as if that alone could pull him through.
Seth whirled toward the guard. "Open the gate!"
The gatekeeper shook his head sharply. "The rakghoul's too close, we can't risk it!"
The man wasn't bitten yet. Not that Seth could see. But fear had already decided his fate.
Mission stood beside him, arms crossed tightly, her usual energy replaced by something quieter.
"Any of your basic training prepare you for something like this?" she asked, her voice low, distant.
Seth's grip tightened on his pistol.
Actually… yeah.
"Get down!" he ordered the outcast.
The man flattened against the gate, barely managing to press himself into the corner.
Seth stepped forward, raising his blaster.
The Rakghoul entered the light.
Seth had seen things before. Violence was nothing new to him. He'd seen gang fights, bodies left in alleys, people bleeding out on the streets of Coruscant.
But this?
This was worse.
The half-human face contorted into something unnatural, jaw stretched impossibly wide, blackened teeth glinting. It twitched, limbs jerking like they weren't its own, saliva dripping in thick ropes from its gaping maw.
And then it charged.
Seth fired—too fast, too wide. The bolt seared past its shoulder, missing completely.
The Rakghoul didn't stop.
Seth forced his breathing steady. The drill instructors at the academy had drilled this into him—breathe, focus, let the target come into your sights.
He held his ground.
The Rakghoul lunged.
Seth fired. Once. Twice. A third time.
All three shots landed center mass.
The momentum still carried it forward. For a split second, Seth was face to face with it—those empty black eyes staring into his. Then, the body collapsed.
Seth released the breath he'd been holding.
Slowly, he turned to the stunned gatekeeper. "Wanna open that gate now?"
The guard nodded numbly, throwing the lever. The gate rattled open, and the outcast ran to his wife, crushing her in his arms. Seth turned away, feeling like he was intruding on something private.
"Thank you," the woman whispered, voice thick with emotion. "If you hadn't... I don't know what I would have done."
Her husband nodded, his eyes still wide with shock. "I owe you my life. I only wish I had half your courage."
Seth shrugged. "It's what I do."
The couple turned, heading into the village.
"Hey, wait," Seth called, pulling a handful of credits from his belt.
The man stared in awe at the fifty credits Seth pressed into his palm.
Mission, standing beside him, was watching closely. And for the first time since they'd met, she wasn't talking. She hadn't expected much when she first met Seth.
She figured he was just another soldier, another Republic guy with a blaster and a mission. But watching him take down that Rakghoul—seeing the way he stepped up without hesitation—that was something different.
He didn't just fight well.
He reacted first. Before anyone else, before the guard, before even Carth, he was moving, acting, helping.
And then, instead of standing there soaking up the gratitude, he just handed them fifty credits like it was nothing.
Most people she knew—especially guys her age—would've at least waited for a pat on the back. But Seth had just done it. No expectation, no speech, no hesitation. Mission couldn't even think of five people who would've done the same.
She shifted uncomfortably.
Because now, she was thinking about Griff.
Her brother had always been a smooth talker, the kind of guy who could charm a Gamorrean out of his credits. And as much as she'd grown up calling him her hero, she couldn't picture him standing between an outcast and a Rakghoul.
He would've called it someone else's problem.
Mission shook the thought off. Seth wasn't like Griff. He wasn't like anyone she'd met before.
And that was... good, right?
Her gaze flicked back to him. He was talking with Carth now, but there was a quiet confidence about him.
He wasn't posturing. He wasn't trying to be impressive.
He just was.
A small thought crept in—he's kind of cute.
Mission blinked hard. Nope. Nope, shutting that down immediately.
That was dumb.
He was a Republic soldier, which meant he was only here until he wasn't. Once he got past the blockade, he'd be gone.
And a guy like him? He'd never look twice at someone like her.
Nope. Not happening.
She folded her arms, stubbornly locking the thought away.
She wasn't looking for that.
But a friend?
That, she could work with.
The stench hit immediately.
Seth barely made it two steps into the sewers before his entire soul regretted everything. "Why," he grumbled, pressing a sleeve to his face, "do bad guys always put their back doors in sewers? Just once, I'd like to sneak in through a nice, climate-controlled lobby."
Mission smirked. "Because if they did that, dashing heroes like you wouldn't get the joy of dodging puddles of things best left unidentified."
Seth groaned. "I hate it here."
Mission grinned maliciously. "Better get used to it, soldier boy. We've got a long way to go."
Carth, walking ahead, sighed. "Can we focus? The last thing we need is to run into—"
Mission suddenly froze.
Seth didn't hesitate.
One second she was standing—the next, he tackled her to the ground.
"GET DOWN!"
An explosion thundered overhead. Dust and debris rained from the tunnel ceiling, shaking the durasteel pipes.
Carth hit the ground, reaching for his blasters as a Gamorrean slaver stepped out of a side tunnel, grenade launcher in hand. Seth rolled off Mission, yanking his blaster free.
The Gamorrean snorted, leveling another shot. Carth fired first. The grenade exploded mid-air, the shockwave sending them all reeling.
Seth shook off the ringing in his ears, pushing himself upright. The Gamorrean was already reloading.
Not taking that chance.
Seth threw his vibroblade. Hard. The sword sailed through the air like a dart and sank into the Gamorrean's chest.
It let out a guttural squeal, stumbling back, blood splattering against the damp walls.
Seth didn't wait for it to recover. He surged forward, ripped the blade free, and fired a finishing shot. The body hit the ground, still.
Carth clapped him on the back as he walked past. "Not bad, Private."
Seth huffed, wiping his blade on the Gamorrean's armor. "Yeah, well, let's not make a habit out of—"
A low, growling sound rumbled behind them.
Zaalbar.
The Wookiee had barely moved during the fight, but now his entire body was rigid, his fur bristling.
Mission's smirk disappeared instantly. "Slavers," she muttered, her voice cold. "They were after Big Z."
Zaalbar let out another quiet, uneasy growl.
Seth exhaled, gripping his blaster a little tighter. "Then let's make sure they don't get another chance."
Carth nodded. "Agreed. We keep moving."
Mission set her jaw, rolling her shoulders. "Good. I was hoping we'd run into some Vulkars to beat the crap out of."
Seth grinned. "That's the spirit."
They trudged onward through the sewers, the stench clinging to the air like a living thing. For fifteen minutes, Seth had been trying very hard not to think about what was sloshing beneath his boots. Mission walked ahead, leading the way, light on her feet despite the sludge.
Seth kept a step behind, scanning the tunnels, mind half-focused on the mission.
Then Mission glanced at him. "So… how long were you running with gangs before you joined up?"
Seth arched an eyebrow. "That's direct."
Mission shrugged. "What? You already told me you ran with 'em. Figured I might as well get the rest of the story."
Seth huffed a small laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did."
Mission smirked. "C'mon, soldier boy. Spill."
Seth exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "It wasn't anything special. Just... survival. There's not a lot of ways for street kids to get by on Coruscant. You either work with someone, or you don't make it."
Mission was quiet for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. I get that."
Seth glanced at her. "What about you? You ever try joining up with anyone?"
Mission hesitated. "Not exactly."
Seth caught the pause.
Mission sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I mean, I hang around the Beks a lot. They've never asked me to join, though."
Seth nodded slowly. "You want to?"
Mission shrugged, but it was forced. "I dunno. It'd be nice to actually have a place to belong, y'know?"
Seth understood that feeling all too well. "I get it," he said simply. "But trust me—gangs don't always mean belonging."
Mission studied him for a second. "The Republic work out better for you?"
He exhaled. "Some days."
She tilted her head. "You're, what, sixteen?"
Seth nodded.
Mission frowned. "And they let you fight already?"
He huffed a small laugh. "Let me? They pushed me through basic so fast I barely had time to blink."
Her frown deepened. "That's… kinda messed up."
Seth smirked. "Welcome to the war."
Mission went quiet for a second.
Then, with a small shake of her head, she offered him a sideways grin. "Well, for what it's worth, I think you're doing alright for a street kid."
Seth smiled softly. "Yeah, you too."
Ahead of them, the tunnels curved, the faint glow of an energy barrier reflecting off the damp walls.
Carth, walking a few steps behind them, let out a breath. "Tell me that's what I think it is."
Mission grinned. "Yep. The Vulkar base's back door."
Seth sighed. "About time."
Mission cracked her knuckles. "Now, let's see if this thing wants to stay locked or not."
She marched up to the security panel and got to work.
Carth crossed his arms, watching over her shoulder. "You sure you can crack this?"
Mission scoffed. "Pfft. Please. I could do this in my sleep."
Seth chuckled, but his eyes stayed on the tunnels behind them. He didn't like how quiet it was.
Mission's fingers flew across the terminal, bypassing minor firewalls with ease. "Alright, basic encryption—Vulkars really need to step up their security game."
The screen flickered. Her grin faded slightly. Then came the second firewall.
"Oooookay," she muttered, tilting her head. "That's... a little more intense than I expected."
Carth exhaled through his nose. "That supposed to be reassuring?"
"Hey, don't rush me, Grandpa," Mission shot back, typing faster.
Seth smirked but kept his attention on the tunnels. Something wasn't sitting right.
Carth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why does every teenager I meet think I'm ancient?"
She snorted. "Because you act like it."
The terminal let out a warning beep. Mission hissed through her teeth. "Alright, we're on a timer now. If I screw this up, it's gonna trip their security system."
Seth's grip on his blaster tightened. "And what happens if it does?"
"Eh. Fire alarms, alerts, maybe a full base lockdown. You know, the usual."
Carth groaned. "Terrific."
Mission chewed her lip, fingers moving fast.
Seth could hear the faint whir of servos activating.
A patrol droid.
He tensed, scanning the darkness. Where?
Then—footsteps.
"Mission," he said quietly.
"Almost got it."
"Mission."
"I said I got this!"
Seth's blaster was already up. A red light flickered in the distance.
The droid turned the corner. Seth fired before it could sound the alarm. The bolt hit its casing, sparks flying. The droid shuddered, processing, recalibrating—
Then collapsed.
A second later—
The shield dropped.
Mission stepped back with a smug grin. "Told you I had it."
Carth let out a breath, lowering his blasters. "That could've gone worse."
Seth smirked, nudging Mission's shoulder. "Not bad."
Mission grinned. "You doubted me, didn't you?"
Seth shrugged. "I just like to keep my expectations realistic."
Mission snorted. "Well, keep up, Hotshot. This is where the real fun begins."
The open entrance loomed before them.
Seth exhaled. Showtime.
The Vulkar base was eerily quiet. The hum of overhead lights buzzed faintly, casting cold, sterile light against the durasteel corridors. Seth kept his steps light, blaster raised, scanning every corner.
Carth moved beside him, blades of orange light from warning panels reflecting off the reflective panels of his jacket. He was all business now, his usual sarcasm replaced by sharp tactical awareness.
Mission walked ahead, keeping close to the shadows near the walls, her focus locked onto the security terminal a few steps away. She stopped. "Alright, gimme a sec."
Carth nodded. "Make it quick."
Mission cracked her knuckles. "I always do."
Seth glanced down the hallway ahead—two doors on the left, one on the right, another corridor bending into darkness. Too many blind spots. Too many places to get ambushed.
He felt the familiar itch in the back of his mind.
The one that told him something was coming.
Mission typed fast, her eyes darting between lines of scrolling data.
"Okay… okay, I'm in. Looks like we've got multiple patrols moving in staggered rounds. If we're quiet, we can avoid most of 'em."
Carth peered over her shoulder. "Can you shut down the cameras?"
Mission smirked. "Already on it, Grandpa."
Carth sighed. "Not letting that go, huh?"
"Nope."
The screen blinked green. Mission stepped back, gesturing toward the now-unlocked door. "Security's down. Let's move."
Seth went first, stepping through, blaster sweeping the room.
Clear.
The space beyond was a storage wing—low-lit, filled with stacked crates of stolen parts, weapons, and swoop components. But no accelerator.
Not yet.
Mission scanned the labels on the crates. "Okay, we're close. If this stuff's here, the accelerator's gotta be in the main security storage."
Carth motioned them forward. "Then let's keep moving."
The moment they rounded the corner, Seth knew they'd made a mistake.
Three Vulkar guards. Armed. Talking.
And now? Staring right at them.
Seth moved first, his blaster up before the nearest Vulkar could draw. One shot, clean through the chest. The second Vulkar recoiled, scrambling for his weapon—
Carth fired. Two precise blasts, center mass. The Vulkar collapsed.
The third?
Didn't reach for his blaster.
He reached for the alarm panel.
Seth cursed, moving to fire—
Mission moved faster.
"Not happening, buddy." She pulled an ion popper from her utility belt, pulling the pin and launching it towards the console. With a loud zap, it sent an electrical pulse through the system. The alarm panel shorted out, sparking violently.
The Vulkar froze, hand hovering uselessly above it.
Zaalbar didn't give him time to think. He fired his bowcaster twice. The body hit the floor.
And then… Silence.
The hum of overhead lights buzzed faintly, mixing with the pounding in Seth's ears.
Mission exhaled, shaking out her hands. "That was close."
Carth nudged one of the bodies with his boot. "Too close."
Seth rolled his shoulders. No time to dwell. "Let's move," he muttered, stepping over the fallen guards.
Mission nodded, already pulling up the security feed on her datapad. "Okay, so good news? We're still clear for now."
Carth arched an eyebrow. "And the bad news?"
She grimaced. "Oh, we're definitely gonna run into more of these guys."
Seth chuckled. "Figured." He stepped through the next door, blaster up.
Time to find that accelerator.
The security storage looked empty. That was the first red flag.
Seth kept his blaster raised, stepping inside cautiously. The room was larger than expected, lined with shelving units packed with stolen tech. And at the far end, mounted on a reinforced workbench—
"There it is," Carth muttered.
Mission stepped forward, already pulling up her datapad. "Hold on, let me check for—"
A mechanical whir sounded from the ceiling. Seth's instincts kicked in. "MOVE!" Automated turrets dropped down, targeting lasers flicking to life.
The room exploded into blaster fire.
Seth dived for cover, rolling behind a crate just as a bolt sizzled past his shoulder. Carth dropped to one knee, firing quick, precise shots at the nearest turret. "Mission?!"
"I KNOW," she shouted, already scrambling toward the security panel.
The hum of servos whined to life. Seth's stomach dropped.
The security droid in the corner was activating.
"Big guy coming online," he warned, shifting his aim.
The droid's red optics flared.
Seth fired first. The bolt bounced off its heavy armor.
Oh, that's just great.
Carth shifted his fire, targeting the joints and sensors—trying to find a weak spot. The droid raised its arm, a pulse charge firing from its wrist. The explosion sent Seth skidding back, his side slamming into a shelving unit.
A furious Wookiee roar shook the room.
Zaalbar charged past Seth, his massive frame moving faster than should be possible. Before the droid could fire another shot, the Wookiee's vibroblade came down hard, cleaving through one of its arms. The droid staggered, sparks flying.
Carth took the opening, firing into its exposed circuitry. The droid jerked, shuddered—then collapsed.
Mission didn't even look up, fingers still flying across her datapad. "I'd love to celebrate, but maybe focus on the turrets first?" she quipped.
Seth exhaled, getting back to his feet. "Zaalbar, you good?"
The Wookiee rumbled in mild offense, "[That was nothing.]"
Seth smirked. "Of course it was."
Carth took down the last turret just as Mission let out a triumphant "Ha!"
The remaining defenses powered down..
Seth exhaled. "Not bad."
Mission smirked. "You doubted me again, didn't you?"
Seth grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it, Hotshot."
Carth groaned. "We don't have time for flirting. Grab the accelerator."
Ignoring the blush now heating his face, Seth hurried to the workbench, unhooking the prototype swoop accelerator and slinging it into a makeshift carrying strap. He nearly buckled under the unexpected weight. For such a small thing, it sure was heavy.
Then—
The alarms started blaring. Red warning lights flashed across the room.
Mission blinked. "Uh. That wasn't me."
Carth swore. "They must've tripped a failsafe when we accessed the system."
Seth tightened the strap. "So, what I'm hearing is—we run?"
Carth nodded. "We run."
Mission laughed. "Oh, this is about to be fun."
Seth turned for the exit. "I hope your definition of fun includes dodging a lot of blaster fire."
Zaalbar let out an agitated growl. "[With Mission? It always does.]"
The security doors slammed open, Vulkar Enforcers pouring in.
Seth grinned. "Then let's have some fun."
Blasters lit up the hallway.
He ducked behind cover, cursing under his breath. "They really don't want us leaving, huh?"
Carth fired off two quick shots, dropping the nearest enforcer. "Yeah, funny thing about stealing from people, they don't usually love it."
Mission was already working the security terminal. "Just buy me a few seconds!"
Seth adjusted the weight of the accelerator strapped across his back, blaster in one hand, vibroblade in the other. Not ideal, but he'd make it work.
A Vulkar charged—Seth twisted, catching the attacker across the chest with a sharp arc of his blade.
Zaalbar, behind him, let out a furious roar. He tore a blaster rifle from one of the enforcers, effortlessly swinging the smaller man into the nearest wall with a sickening crunch. ["We need to move, now!"]
Seth couldn't argue with that.
Mission let out a triumphant whoop and slammed her hand against the terminal. "Okay! Shortcut's open, let's go!"
Carth covered their retreat, laying down a precise stream of fire as they barreled down the hallway.
Another door slammed shut behind them, locking out their pursuers.
Mission smirked. "I love when I get to be the one locking people out for once."
Seth adjusted his grip on the accelerator, trying not to feel like his spine was slowly compressing into dust.
"You good back there, Hotshot?" Mission called over her shoulder.
"Oh yeah," Seth gritted out. "Loving every second of this."
The next corridor opened up into the final stretch toward the exit.
And that's when the last wave of Vulkars appeared.
Carth swore. "They were waiting for us."
Seth was already moving. He tossed the accelerator off his back and into Zaalbar's waiting arms. "Cover me!"
The Wookiee caught it easily, holding it as if it weighed nothing. ["I do not like how often you rely on me as a pack mule,"] he grumbled.
Seth grinned. "Yeah, yeah, remind me later."
Then he charged.
The Vulkars didn't expect it. He was in their ranks before they could react, blade flashing, blaster firing. Carth covered him from behind, picking off anyone Seth didn't cut down first.
Mission, still grinning, threw a live charge down the hall—the blast sent the remaining enforcers scrambling.
The team pushed forward, taking down the last of the resistance.
And then—they were at the exit.
Mission slammed the panel, sealing the door shut behind them. The faint blaring of alarms sounded through the thick durasteel, but the immediate threat had dissipated.
Seth let out a breath, leaning against the wall.
Zaalbar dropped the accelerator into his arms. ["I believe this is yours."]
Seth wheezed. "Yeah, thanks, buddy."
Carth exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Well. That could've gone worse."
Mission stretched her arms over her head. "Could've gone better, too. But we got what we came for."
Seth adjusted the accelerator strap, wincing slightly.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Now let's get back to the Beks before I break my damn back."
Carth barely hid a smirk. "You're a growing young man, you need exercise."
Seth shot him a glare. "Well, I'd also like to not have my spine compressed before I'm twenty."
"Oh, come on, it's not that heavy."
Seth adjusted his grip, groaning. "Yeah? You wanna carry it, sir?"
Carth exhaled through his nose. "No, not really. Thanks for the offer, though."
Mission snickered, walking ahead. "You boys done, or are we gonna stand out here complaining until the Vulkars come after us?"