Ask Plot Aboard the Beast

[Marissa Hesse]

Continued from 'We're the Cargo'
​

"Now, where do you think the detainment area is?" Marissa mused to Preef as she moved out from the ship, blaster up, her eyes darting about for cameras "because that's our stop" she moved forward out into the landing bay, trying to head where she had followed the FWA operators heading for. They hadn't exactly been quiet, but the handoff location was clearly further into the ship. They were playing catchup now, though if nothing else they had surprise, best to hold onto that until the perfect moment.

The interior was stark and clean, far more than she perhaps would have expected. Though admittedly, the FWA freighter had been the same, clearly kept to some insane standard of cleanliness as required by legislation or some such. Not that she minded the reprieve from grotty holdings and space ports she usually found herself haunting. Even the Syndicate higher-ups could have a distinct lack of decorum about their homes, something she would change should she ever climb so high.

And if she was ever going to do so, she would still need to find a way to blast through this place,

"Here" she gestured forward to Preef. So far no alarms, that was a good sign, and the main exit seemed safe enough for now, only the faintest echoes down the hall of boots as they marched the latest prisoner forward and away to their fate.

I guess they might as well follow?

@Ecclessey[/cbox]

 

[Preef Callo]

It felt weird to enter a prison ship and walk through its clean corridors, trailing faint voices towards that part of the ship Preef would normally rather not find himself in. Every step deeper into the prison was a step that made it more unlikely they'd ever got out. They had no schematics, no slicer and only two blaster. What they were doing was crazy.

Regardless, Preef followed Marissa and eventually even took the lead until the inevitable happened; they encountered a patrol. Luckily for them they were following talkative guards and they hearty hullo offered plenty of warning. "Quick, Marissa-" Preef said in a hushed tone before taking her arm and directing them both into some kind of alcove. "-get your blaster ready. We might need it from here on out."

Soon approaching footsteps could be heard and then Preef's heartbeat almost made it impossible for him to discerns them, so loud were his own heartbeats in his adrenaline-fueled panic, which, thankfully, proved unnecessary for now. The patrol didn't bother to check the alcoves and their weird-looking bucket-like helmets hindered their peripheral vision, making it impossible to spot the pair while looking straight ahead. Preef sighed a sigh of relief when they passed and looked at Marissa, not daring to speak but with a look of relief that spoke a thousand words regardless.

The bad thing was that once the patrol turned the corner... they couldn't hear the other's footsteps anymore. Preef walked into the direction they last heard them, but for all intents and purposes they were walking blind from now on.

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Following along behind Preef, Marissa did as she was told for now, drawing her blaster up from its place at her hip. She held her breath as the patrol ahead of them moved in the hallway beyond, lucky they were not spotted. By comparison they were dark marks against its clean walls.

But as they both soon came to realise, they now had no one to follow, lost in the middle of the ship,

"We need a layout of this place, or a control room" she said in a whisper to Preef "though what way that would be, I'm not too sure" she looked about at every angle, coming out from their hiding place and glancing down the hallways that split off four ways from where they stood. The footsteps of the patrol led off the path ahead of them, but down to their left she could spot something, a selaed door past another junction point at what appeared to be the end of a hall.

It might not be the control room, but it was certainly somewhere, and somewhere was better than the endless loss of halls. Even if there was no map, there might be something that could help their infiltration.

Or alert every guard, the risk was still there,

"I say we try there" she pointed down the hall to the room "pray our luck holds, right?" Marissa broke from the hall and moved cautiously down the hall way. The low rumble of the engine beneath them was all she could hear for now, but as they approached the door one could certainly hear noises of... something, coming from within,

"You first" Preef was the gunslinger, if it wasn't clear then he'd be the one to make it so quick.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

You first

Preef cocked his head and looked at Marissa with a mixture of resignation, for he knew fully well that violence was his part in this partnership, and indignation. She could've made it sound less like he was a meat shield. After a second or two he nodded, raised his blaster to the ceiling and pressed the button to open the door.

As his blaster fell to eye-level, Preef realized they had entered the FWA-operaters recreational room and that it was largely empty. The dinner table was clean, the kitchenette stocked and in the small lounge area a single human sat playing a game with VR glasses on his head. Preef lowered his blaster and turned towards Marissa without a word before pressing the same button again and closing the door. They were never there. It was too much of a risk to interrogate that lone guard in what was without a doubt the most popular room on the entire ship.

The rodian then just walked off into another hallway, muttering something about the missing the luck they'd had on Canto Bight. He reached another junction soon and crossing it he finally spotted the first (of dozens) cells. "Do we even know what he looks like?"

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

She could see the look on the Preef's face as she gestured to the door, she had meant it more as a gesture to his skills, but understood why he gave the look he did. She'd buy him a drink after this was over and explain that, she made mental note to do so. It did no good to try and get that out of the way now though, they had a few too many problems on their hands to add interpersonal conflict to it.

"They're a Quarren, you'd hope that would stick out a bit more" she replied as they began to inspect the cells, but as her eyes ran down the length of the hall she wanted to take back those words. The assembled prisoners were a true mixed bag, of every species and subset one could think of.

But if they were near the cells, that meant there might be processing nearby,

"He was brought here about a month ago, there should be a log of transfer" the cells had only limited windows, it would take forever to scan all of them. Instead she could see at the end of the hall a control booth in the centre of an intersection. That would be what they'd be looking for, but they'd be very exposed as they tried to get the location.

Still, they didn't have many other options at this point.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef stopped, "Wait, a Quarren? Really?" he wasn't sure why he had trouble believing they'd be breaking out a Quarren, or that there was one out there that was called Mallek Karn. Ofcourse, it wouldn't be the first time a young alien was named with complete disregard for the species' naming convention.. in fact, the Twi'lek dancer Vanessa, who Preef has had a crush on for years, was another prime example of this. Anyway, for some reason the fact that Mallek was Quarren surprised Preef, but after a second of reflection and him being unable to really pinpoint a reason for such reluctance, the rodian shrugged and continued to follow Marissa.

"Preef?" again the rodian stopped, "Is that really you?" As he looked over to the cell to his right he clearly recognized the rodian who had lifted herself up to the small window. She'd always been short, Preef recollected. "Geena?" he then turned to look at Marissa and urged her to continue towards the console before he stepped closer to the cell holding his, well... his sister. "How'd you get to be in here?"

Geena dropped herself back into her cell and out of view, no doubt to motivate Preef to open the cell and free her, which as a good little brother, he did. The computer spike he brought along made quick work of the controls and soon he stood face-to-face with his estranged sister. "Oh Preef," Geena said as she hugged him, "When you left Shaddaa with that Twi'lek I thought I'd never see you again!" She had been almost twenty when that happened. Back when she chose to let the Hutts raise her little brother instead of taking care of him herself. He knew he couldn't blame her.. she was trying to get to the Core as an entertainer, but got cheated so often by scoundrels that she could barely afford her own meals. "You didn't-" Preef began as they let go of their embrace, "-tell me how you got in here."

Geena waved the question away and snorted with a fit of pretend laughter, "Who cares, let's get out of here before the patrol comes by!" She was already outsider her cell and approaching Marissa by the time Preef turned to follow, "You don't happen to have seen a Quarren prisoner have you?"


@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Well, this was certainly a turn up for the books now wasn't it? Another Callo entered the mix. She had to admit there was something quite touching about the unexpected reunion, probably only heightened by the quite real and legitimate danger they found themselves in alongside it.

It was a good thing then that Geena seemed to be just what they needed,

"I don't see much from the slits in the cell, but there was definitely talk of a squid squawking a couple of weeks ago" Marissa looked over at Preef with a smile on her face, and right back to Geena "You could hear it down the halls, unmistakable it was" that there was the sort of lead they were looking for. Marissa looked over her shoulders for patrols, but it seemed they were safe enough for now,

"Marissa, charmed" she offered as a greeting to Geena as courteously as she could, putting her hand out to the girl, though she did admit to being a bit flustered, because really right now she wanted to ask one thing in particular,

"Those whispers, don't happen to know where?" she was buzzing trying to keep her eyes on the hallway, but their was no way they could leave a chance like this. Or leave Preef's sister of course, that would be cruel,

"Whispers from the West Wing, that's where they always send the troublesome ones" and so that was where they needed to go now, with Geena in tow.

What they'd encounter along the way was the real question.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

"So, Preef-" Geena began as the trio made their way to the west wing of the ship, "-I thought you were gonna be a bounty hunter, but-" she narrowed her eyes, not that Marissa and Preef really noticed, "-somehow I don't think bounty hunters break into prison ships."

"I'm with the Crimson Dawn now," Preef replied as he turned a corner with his blaster in front, too preoccupied to notice Geena gasping for air in surprise, "Really? You!?" her head turned to Marissa, "Are you Crimson Dawn, too? I didn't think wo-" but Preef cut her off, "She's Black Sun"

"BLACK SUN!?" Geena screeched a little too loud. As an outsider, for about as much as you can be an outsider when you grew up on Nar Shaddaa, Geena didn't really know the finer points of the "alliance" between the five major syndicates. For her, seeing a member of the Crimson Dawn or the Black Sun usually meant she was about to get robbed from her entertainment fees. She had never seen two members of different syndicates work together like this.. come to think of it, she had never seen members of different syndicates together in a single room. Ever.

"Did you hear that?" a voice was heard from a corridor they had just crossed. "Sounded like that rodian's singing," another said and then both laughed.

Geena, however, didn't find that funny and she completely forgot she was in the middle of a prison break. "This imprisonment has been horrible on my vocal chords!" Preef gasped, she didn't just... "Poodoo!"

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

The shrill tones of Geena's voice rang in Marissa's ears. The girl wasn't wrong, life aboard she ship clearly hadn't been kind to her voice, but that she chose to explore that particular result now put them in a tricky position,

"Geena!" Marissa snapped in a violent whisper, rushing over to her and putting her finger to her lips to try and get her to keep it down. While she was flattered by Geena's enthusiasm for the two of them, it needed to wait until they were way out of here. Assuming they made it out, of course. And the next noise Marissa heard was not one that filled her with confidence,

"What was that?"

"Who goes there?" echoed down the hallway, along with the sound of thick soled boots thudding rapidly across the metal floor. The three of them would hear it clearly, and Marissa looked at the other two while pulling her blaster up. It seemed their secret little escapade was going to get loud, very, very soon,

"Whoa why are we running so faaaaaast?" Geena cried as Marissa grabbed her arm and began to run herself, her eyes darting up to the directional signs on the roof, desperately searching for the west wing of the ship, and their target. But on rounding the next corner she skidded to a stop as a pair of guards spun wildly, blaster rifles in hand,

"Krif me"

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef couldn't be mad at his sister, but that didn't mean he stopped Marissa from yanking her along as they started to run. "I hear running!" a voice behind them shouted, but Preef didn't look back and followed Marissa and Geena around the corner where they.. stood face to face with two rifle-touting guards. His blaster already in his hand, Preef fired immediately and caught them both before they managed to loose a shot, which was helped by the fact that their first instinct wasn't to fire but to de-escalate. That's the benefit of training, alright.

"I hear blasterfire!" that same voice was heard saying behind them and suddenly the footsteps slowed down, prompting Preef to turn his head to Marissa. "Grab those rifles and go on," he raised his own trusty blaster pistol and winked at Geena, "I'll find you."

Now turning around proper, Preef headed back to the corner and peeked around. "There!" one of the two guards, the more talkative one, barked. "Come out with your hands in the air!" Preef exhaled slowly, turned his head towards Marissa and Geena one last time, "Go on," and then.... he began firing blindly in the direction he guessed the guards to be.



@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Marissa nodded solemnly at Preef, she didn’t want to abandon him here, now that it seemed there was no choice but to fight. But they had a job to do, and we’re too close to let success slip them by. Still, she had to keep Geena safe, that was part of this new deal.

Turning back she swiped up the blaster rifles on the ground and threw one to Geena,

“Only if you need to use it” she said firmly. They were going to move quick, and didnt need to draw attention from anyone new on their way. And how she was as a shot remained to be seen, so better safe than sorry. Shooting one last look back at Preef firing off down the hall, she turned tail and began to run as alarms began to sound, Geena following behind,

“Is he gonna be alright? I know he can be a bantha-head but-“ Geena asked in worry,

“He’s gonna be just fine, he’s the fastest blaster in the Outer Rim after all” she said with a smirk, half real, half feigned for Geena’s sake. They’d been a few scrapes, but there was always the chance something would go kriffing wrong.

Kriffing, she never used to say that much. He must have been rubbing off on her.

The red flash of alarms bathed the prison ship in haunting colours and shadows that leapt out from every hallway, voices echoing to amongst them all that made it hard to keep track of where they were coming from. They were closing in on the West Wing now, or so it seemed. But, as they rounded a last corner to the high detention start, a clipping of footsteps and voices rattled down the hall. Marissa and Geena broke, one left, one right, and ducked into the side of the walls next to them. The footsteps were coming closer, and Marissa gripped her rifle close, ready and waiting if they were spotted. They were so close now, she wasn’t dying on the doorstep of success.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef fired again when Geena and Marissa turned a corner and out of sight, sighing of temporary relief that was short-lived as the guards began firing back. "You had your chance, Geena!" the guard shouted, apparently still believing that, because it was the only voice they'd heard, that Geena had by some miracle escaped and looted a blaster. Man, FWA guards were stupid...

Kneeling down, Preef fired blindly along the corner again and this time he heard a clear thump. "Kal, he got me!" Peeking round the corner now, Preef could clearly see one clasping his gut while the other guard rushed towards him to drag him to safety behind a pillar. Deciding this was the best chance he was gonna get, Preef turned and ran to follow Marissa and Geena.

He seemed to come closer to the west wing when all the sudden someone yelled, "There!" and a blaster bolt shrieked by him mere inches, forcing Preef to take the next left and then he went right in an attempt to loose them. Without success as another bolt impacted the floor a foot to his right. "Kriff-" another impacted the ceiling right above him "Kriiiiff-" then he passed Marissa and Geena, who were both tucked out of sight against the wall, and seeing them surprised him so much he almost forgot he was being chased by guard, "Hey-" two blaster bolts flew passed him, "KRIFF!" and he dashed to the nearest corner and took cover behind it.

Hopefully the guards were too focused on the one they were chasing to notice the two rifle-wielding women hiding against the wall.


@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Preef's voice shot out as he dived into cover in the nearest corner, it wasn't hard for Marissa or Geena to get wind of it, or what was happening. And that meant that, as the guards rounded the corner to the pair, they had the upper hand. Looking quickly over at Geena knowingly, she gave a moment and then shot to her ally,

"Now!"

Before springing from the side. Their rifles trained on the pair of guards quick, at this close range they could hardly miss, with lightning hot bolts tearing into the flesh and dropping the guards right before them. They weren't likely to be the last, but they were certainly all for now,

"Good distraction" Marissa looked at Preef as she helped the Rodian up from the ground "Karn ought to be right around here" she eyed the line of cells across the hallway, and a terminal at the front. They didn't have time to check them all, hopefully the thing wasn't well protected and they could be certain,

"Geena, good shot. You wouldn't mind helping your brother keep watch for a moment?" she asked as she put her head down to the terminal and started scanning. There was still echoes and thuds down the hall, soldiers scrambling to work out what the kriff was going on.

They just needed a little time, though she was sure Preef could buy it. They were so close, but the possibility of being blasted or locked away for good was just as near.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Having by accident catched up to Marissa and Geena ended up saving his life.. go figure. That was just about the only heroic moment the rodian had in himself for this deep space encounter, though, and while Marissa helped him back up to his feet he breathed an earnest-to-bantha "thanks." Geena looked at him with a little less reverence now and Preef became slowly aware that this wasn't the first time she held a blaster rifle in her hands either... "So how did you get locked up in here?" he asked in vain, as she turned to keep watch in one direction of the hallway. "You just guard that way," she said, not bothering to look at him, or not daring to, one or the other.

Spotting a blaster rifle on the floor, Preef stood there eyeing it for a moment and then decided to holster his pistol and grab the rifle off of the floor. He couldn't remember when was the last time he decided to shoot with anything else but his own trusty pistol and the weight, which was considerably less than what he remembered from when he last carried one at age twelve, surprised him. "When they come," he began, still looking at Geena, "-don't take your time on aimed shots. Just suppress." His sister nodded, "Roger." and once again surprised Preef. How is that she was a bumbling unsuccessful entertainer one minute and the second bodies drop she has the look of an experienced killer?

Deciding to revisit the mystery that was his sister at a later date, Preef finally turned in the direction he was supposed to be guarding and saw an empty corridor. This was their moment of peace and quiet. Better they used it to find that kriffing Quarren.

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Even if it was mysteriously quiet, Marissa wouldn't have noticed, ever fiber of her being tied up looking at the computer logs of the prison trying to find where the hell Karn was in the forbidding place because, sadly, they still had to get them, and themselves, the kriff out of here in one piece.

Easier said than done.

That said, with a moment of peace she managed to find what she needed, and the slain guards by her feet had the keycards that gave her access that allowed for a perfect swoosh and a cell door sliding open down the hall,

"Who the kriff are you three?" a tall, aggressive, muscled Quarren stepped out of the now open cell, taking a few strides down to the trio at the end of the hall,

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?" he eyed them coldly. Whether he was thankful to get out, it wasn't clear, though Marissa doubted he'd gotten to where he was heaping praise on others,

"The Syndicates sent us, we're here to get you out of this shithole. For now, consider us your friends" She held out her blaster rifle by its end and passed it over to him "because there's plenty of enemies on here right now" Karn cracked his neck as he checked the rifle,, before stepping past her, regarding the blaring alarm with barely a thought,

"Good. I'd like to see a few of those 'enemies' again" he muttered.

A brute, Marissa mused. But one that hopefully would come in handy for their escape.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef was positively surprised by the Quarren's appearance. They were usually conniving bastards that supported on the muscle of others, but that didn't seem the case for Karn and Preef admired that. A brawny Quarren was, at least in his mind, the same as a rodian brainiac and that said something.

Barely a moment after the Quarren took Marissa's rifle footsteps could be heard and then Geena pulled the trigger, putting down surpressing fire like a pro. "Oi! It's hot!" she cried and moved to the small alcove to her right while she emptied the powerpack. Preef immediately turned back to his hallway and upon seeing no one there he motioned for Karn and Marissa to start moving that way, "That way, quick!" He then turned towards Geena and started laying down surpressing fire in that direction so his sister could follow Marissa and Karn.

They knew that it was only delaying the inevitable, but it was better to engage while on the move than to be stuck in a singular position and just wait for wave after wave with tougher enemies to show. Moving was their best best with the largest chance of survival for all four of them. Their next step sounded easy: Get back to that transport, steal it and get the kriff outtta there. But Preef had no idea how to get there through the maze of identical corridors and it really all depended on Marissa... as usual.

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

Blaster fire tore about the ship, burning into walls and doors as the group began moving back down the corridors to the landing bay they arrived in. While Marissa kept her blaster up, she hardly have needed to. Any corner passed or guard spotted, it seemed between Karn and Preef covering fire was plentiful enough that all she had to focus on was making sure they retraced their steps.

Easier said than done, of course. Especially at the speed they needed to go.

Rushing back down through the high detention corridor, Marissa kept by Karn's wing, keeping her head out of the way as bolt after bolt burnt across the air slamming into guards that came their way. The ship was clearly still scrambling to address the escape, only scattered resistance forming up here and there as unsuspecting guards rounded corners only to find a sting in their sides and pain shooting across their body. She hadn't asked for details about how the man had been captured, but it seemed clear that it hadn't been easy,

"Low security, we came through here, right hallway!" she called back over the gunfire to Preef and Geena, trying to keep everyone up to speed. Shouts were echoing down the hallways now, whatever security they had aboard was closing in, and quick. So long as none slipped past their curtain of fire, she was feeling confident they'd be out of here in no time. Something she had not been feeling until now.

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef was surprised how well he was able to coordinate with Geena despite the shoot-out, further suggesting this wasn't the first time she'd done something like this. "Understood-" the rodian gunslinger replied to Marissa as he dashed to the corner, turned round and used it for cover while providing covering fire for Geena to follow suit.

They were making good progress and it was definitely faster going back running than it had been going in, sneaking and searching. Still, it wasn't a stretch to think the FWA-operators would realize the intruders were going for their shuttle and they actually knew the shortest way on this hellish maze of a ship. That was something Marissa and Karn would have to deal with though, because "Aaah!" Geena cried as she dropped to the ground just shy of the corner. For a second she locked eyes with her brother and Preef, not wanting to lose his big sister after having finally found her again, suddenly left cover and fired wildly towards the guards. "They got me in my hip," Geena muttered as he clenched both hands around the wound. Preef let go of the rifle with his left hand, further worsening his aim while holding a rifle in his right only, and dragged Geena around the corner and into cover. "You okay?" he asked his sister during a momentary glance before angling the rifle around the corner and firing in an attempt to give his sister a breather before they really had to start running. "Ofcourse not!" Geena barked and barely managed to lift herself up against the wall before turning towards he brother and the rifle that lay in the middle of the other hallway, out of reach and in sight of their pursuers. "Kriff, the rifle-" she began, but then Preef pushed her back and with excess saliva leaving his mouth yelled at her "Go!"

About ten feet into the new hallway and trailing Marissa and Karn by about thirty, Geena suddenly stopped and looked up. "An energy shield?" she muttered as she noticed the contours of the barrier and wondered why the guards hadn't simply engaged it and locked them in. Seemed like standard prison break protocol, just lock everything down and wait for... kriff. They definitely had to be gone before they figured that one out. "Preef! Over here!" she yelled and moved her arms violently about her to catch her brother's attention and more importantly, to point out the barrier to him. Preef in his turn immediately dashed over to her and had just crossed the threshold when their pursuers turned the corner. Before they got place an aimed shot, Geena shot the control panel of the energy barrier and it was up just in time to catch the first bolts. Preef stood beside her panting, "Good thinking, sis. How'd you know it would engage when you shoot it?" Geena shrugged, "I didn't."


Then they both ran after Marissa and Karn and were finally able to catch up thanks to not having to lay suppressing fire.

@Nightfall

 

[Marissa Hesse]

As the rush through the ship continued Marissa could hear only parts of the scattered calling of Geena and Preef behind her, in all honesty the rumbling of aggression from Karn was as present to her ears as any of the whips and booms of blaster fire that surrounded it.

But they were closing in now, and then gave her some measure of positive reinforcement. As good a motivator as imminent death was, it did not always have the focusing ability one might have hoped for. And as they drew back to the landing bay, she needed every ounce of it available as it seemed they were not alone. The open hatch doors to the landing bay were wide open, offering a clear view to the ship, and their way out.

Too bad it was not so easy.

Preef had guessed right, they knew were they were going. They'd gotten into the prison that way, it only made sense they'd try to get out the same. Half a dozen FWA operators were taking up defensive positions across the bay, one in particular making a run to the door controls,

"Karn!" Marissa called and pointed out the figure "We need that door open" she looked at him with grave concern, raising her blaster and firing off as fast as she could,

"Whatever you say miss" her rather capable ward replied in a voice that rumbled like an engine starting. His heavy frame threw itself forward, leaping the closing door and sending a fist into the operators face, before landing a blaster shot at his belly. Marissa had thrown herself into cover, but no sooner did she prepare herself to find another way the door froze, the way open yet.

Peeking out she laid down blaster shots to cover her ally, pegging one across the skull and holding them down. They were succeeding with sheer momentum now, they couldn't let it drop as they cut their way to the ship. Preef and Geena appeared moments later,

"Onto the ship, we can't stay here!"

@Ecclessey

 

[Preef Callo]

By now Preef was supporting Geena, whose hip was badly damaged by the impact of a blaster bolt and every step seemed to hurt her immensely. They were slow and while time was definitely running out they could afford it, for there were no more FWA operators on their tail. If there had been, well.. Geena would've been left behind, sister or not. They would've come back for her, surely, but not really. After this stunt the security would increase tenfold and there simply wouldn't have been a viable way in or out. None of it mattered though, because they didn't have any pursuers and Preef dropped her -as gently as he could- next to Marissa. "Quarren inside?" he asked, but before Marissa could answer he'd peek around the corner and spot Mallek taking cover behind a crate. Funny how those things are always conveniently placed on landing bays... Taking one last look at Geena, Preef gave her the rifle, "In case they do follow," drew his pistol and went through the door. "Cover me!"

The Quarren was a good shot and as Preef dashed towards another crate for cover, Mallek shot another FWA-operator in the face, leaving only three defending the shuttle. To the rodian's surprise, the Quarren looked excited about having a chance to kill his captors and before Preef was good and well in cover he was yelled at with instructions: "Now cover me!" Compliant, the rodian rose from cover and blasted wildly at their enemies. Mallek ran forward and dove straight over one of the makeshift barricades and tackled one of the operators, to the surprise of the other two, who were deprived of a good line of fire and could only watch how the quarren bashed the human's head against the durasteel floor and then literally ripped out his throat. "What the!" one yelped, but by doing so betrayed his position to both the Quarren and the Rodian, the latter quickly shooting him in the back. Mallek didn't seem happy about that and scowled at Preef, "Last one is mine!"

Now, Preef wasn't a saint and he ha tortured people for information and valuables, but even he was somewhat uncomfortable seeing the lone FWA-operators, realizing he's outnumbered and outgunned, beg for mercy by throwing away his weapon and trying in vain to appeal to the quarren's better nature, "Please, Mr. Karn-" Preef was forced to look away as the muffles cries of torment echoed through the landing bay.

@Nightfall