Falling

Chapter II

She never thought things would come to this.

Nima's leg bounced anxiously as she sat in her cell. She didn't know how much time had passed. Weeks? Months? All she knew was she had been in that cell, that prison, for a long time.

She was still struggling to wrap her mind around what had happened.

Prauf was dead. Her friend of five years Cal was a Jedi. Inquisitors wanted to kill him. Now she was in this damned place, the air cold and stale.

She would wonder what Cal would think of her if he saw her like this, fighting for her life with nothing but a blaster with broken aim. Would he be impressed? Disgusted? She'd never know.

Footsteps began to approach, but she didn't bother looking up. She knew who it was, what was going to happen. She listened to the lock click and the door hiss open.

"Tormo has a fighter for ya."

She sighed and rose to her feet, ignoring the aching of her body. There was no point in complaining about the soreness. Sorc didn't care. He just wanted more entertainment and even more credits.

Nima followed the employee through the tunnels, never sparing a glance at any of the creatures. She didn't need to. She had seen them enough times to memorize their appearance despite not knowing their names. She had killed many of them to stay alive. It didn't bother her as much as it used to these days.

Eventually, they reached the elevator to the arena. She didn't need to hear the muffled music behind the stone, the growls and grunts of creatures being fought.

Nima was then shoved forward and demanded to get in position. She took her blaster and holster from the employee.

"Who am I fighting this time?" she finally caved, fastening the belt around her waist.

The employee only smiled devilishly. "Does it matter?" He pressed the button and watched her rise. "Just try not to die."

She huffed and turned around, getting ready as she started to hear the cheers and loud music. As the lift brought her higher, there was a heavy thud followed by the crowd's rousing reaction.

"The best is yet to come!" Sorc's voice echoed over the speakers. "I believe you know one of our next challengers. The other one... well, she'll be easy pickings for ya. Target practice."

Her grip on the blaster clenched as the elevator reached the top. She'd show that bastard what she could do. This time, she'd get by without a scratch.

This challenger wouldn't be so lucky.

"The Haxion Brood is gunning for ya!" she heard the crime boss say as she stepped out and scanned the stadium.

No obstacles or cover this time. Just her and the vast empty battlefield of entertainment.

A bounty hunter took off to the sky with his jetpack, aiming at his target. Her eyes followed his train of sight.

The newcomer stood there, his stance determined and firm. When a rocket was shot at him, he raised a hand, and the rocket was somehow pushed back into the bounty hunter, causing it to explode.

"A Force User," Nima muttered to herself. "Great."

The hunter's gear sputtered and failed, and as soon as he fell to the ground, the challenger rushed forward, unhilting his weapon and igniting it.

"Oh, even better," she grumbled at the revelation that she was encountering a Jedi for a second time.

An aching pain surfaced in her chest. She didn't save him. She had let him die.

Nima shook her head to clear her thoughts. Focus.

With that, she ran around, trying to stay out of the newcomer's line of sight as she scurried closer.

The huntsman rolled out of the way just as he brought the lightsaber down and scrambled to his feet, aiming his device and sending flames toward his opponent.

The contestant evaded the attack and sliced through the air with the blue saber, damaging the bounty hunter's arm and making him shout in pain.

He didn't notice her until she snuck up behind him and slammed the butt of her blaster to the back of his skull.

The competitor grunted and stumbled forward, putting a hand to his head. He quickly shook it off and spun around, taking a defensive stance with his saber. Nima did the same, aiming her weapon.

Instantly, she recognized his features despite the bruise on his temple and bleeding lip. She knew the high cheekbones, the scar across his nose and along the right of his jaw, the fiery red hair that nearly blended in with the rust-colored arena.

She lowered her blaster slightly, her heart thundering against her ribs. "Cal?"

His hard green eyes immediately softened as he scanned her over incredulously. "Nima?"

An explosion suddenly went off between them, blasting the two back.

Nima landed hard on her back and groaned, silently praying that she didn't hit anything important. She forced her eyes open and saw the masked man in the air again, his equipment sputtering, his aim on something—someone else. She sat up and glanced over to see Cal deflecting fired shots with ease and making sure they didn't head in her direction.

He was alive.

"What are you doing here?" she asked over the noise.

He reached out and stopped another rocket with the Force. "Long story!" he admitted as he sent it back to the shooter, who unfortunately caught on to his tactics and avoided it. "I'll fill you in later!" He then perked up and jumped out of the way of another rocket.

Nima shielded her face from the debris, and as the hunter wavered around while he reloaded, she aimed her weapon directly at him and pulled the trigger, only for the gun to do nothing. She cursed under her breath then cursed louder when the bounty hunter fired one back, jumping out of the way.

"Son of a..." She slammed her hand against the chamber a few times, tried again, and sent him hurtling back to the ground.

"Nice shot!" Cal called over as he ran at their opponent, dodging the flames once again.

She watched as he swung his lightsaber at the bounty hunter and expertly evaded the fire a third time, kicking the fighter back and slicing the blade up the torso, effectively cutting the enemy in the chest as he fell to the ground. Her eyes widened in awe. "Whoa."

Cal ran over to her, eyes raking over her worriedly. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I'm good. You?"

Before he could answer, Sorc's voice echoed through the chamber.

"What do you mean 'incoming'?"

Nima's brows furrowed as a hum seemed to be getting louder by the second. She jumped when there was a sudden crash and looked up to see a "Stinger" XL landing in the arena. "What the—"

"It's the Mantis!" Tormo exclaimed. "Blast it!"

On instinct, Nima raised her weapon, but her brows furrowed when she felt Cal grab her wrist. "What—"

"Come on!" he insisted, dragging her toward the ship.

"Cal, wait! Where are we going?!"

"Away from here," he promised. He glanced over his shoulder at her as he ran. "They're with me."

She frowned warily but allowed him to bring her inside the ship as Sorc Tormo shouted threats to track them down. Her hand gripped her friend's arm as the ship rose and sailed out of the ring, taking off into hyperspace.