STAR WARS: The Old Republic: Shadows of War

3: On the Run

Zadok hauled the Duchess in his arms despite being out of breath from hyperventilating. He only spared one last glance at the decimated communications tower, the burning rubble of the building and the ships, before running into the woods. He had no idea if anyone would come after them, if any Mandalorians would survey the wreckage to make sure they were actually dead.

But right now he just needed to get as far as he possibly could.

Hours must have passed. He stopped counting the minutes as they inched by. Using the Force to enhance himself, he sprinted through the woods, weaving and bobbing between trees, leaping up and over hillsides, vaulting canyons. His lungs, arms, and legs were on fire.

When he could not even stand anymore, he set the Duchess down as gently as he could and pressed his back against a tree, sliding down to sit, and huffing so hard he grew dizzy. Moments later, he twisted around the tree's unearthed roots and vomited.

The world spun, but he managed to focus on the Duchess's still body. She was alive, but she was injured. Zadok gritted his teeth and took out his bacta spray. He sprayed some on the cuts he could find. She'd have to apply it to more private areas when she woke up.

Zadok leaned back up against the tree, warmth covering his limbs as he sprayed it on his own injuries. As he applied the substance, he thought about what he was going to do. What they were going to do. Going back was not an option, not when there were probably Mandalorians scouring the destruction.

He rested his head against the tree and closed his eyes, swallowing the thickness in his throat. Gissh was alive, he knew that. The only issue now was that he had no idea where she was. Zadok pulled out his comlink.

"Master?" he said into the small device. "Master? Can you hear me?"

Static. Then, after a beat, was a response. "Zadok? I'm here."

Relief swarmed his insides. "Master, where are you?"

"I'm with Avann. We only searched the first floor before leaving after the missiles hit the ships. Is the Duchess all right?"

Zadok glanced at Kainora. "Yeah, I think so. What do I do?"

"Don't come back. They've sent out scouts. Avann and I are going to his base. I'll send you the coordinates." Once he received them, he wrote them down in the dirt. "Meet us there. And Zadok?"

"Yeah?"

"Destroy your comm. May the Force be with you."

Zadok heard rustling. After his talk with Gissh, he must've passed out, because the sky was growing dark. He sat up, wincing as his neck painfully stretched out. His eyes focused on Kainora, who was finally stirring.

"Rise and shine," he said drily.

Kainora clutched her head, grimacing as she sat up. Leaves and twigs were tangled in her lilac hair. "Where are we?" she grunted.

"Middle of nowhere, if I had to guess." Zadok glanced at their surroundings. He couldn't sense anything amiss, but he knew they'd have to move soon.

Kainora shifted her legs, swiping them over where he'd written the coordinates.

"Hey! Careful with that," he hissed, grabbing her legs and moving them away. "You're lucky I memorized these coordinates."

"Coordinates?" Kainora looked around, her face contorting into dread. "Where's Avann? Is he all right?"

"Yes. My master gave us coordinates to Avann's base. We need to get moving." He tossed her the bacta spray, which landed in her lap. She wasn't paying attention, her gaze drifting off elsewhere.