FORSAKEN II - Eternal Dawn

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Not knowing when Syrran and Elynn would return, the rest of the crew went back to the Outcast to drop off their purchases, and headed back to look for lodging. As they came closer to the landing bay, they noticed the streets were empty, where a few hours before there had been bustling activity. The few people they saw around, peeped through ajar doors and windows, only to duck inside when they made eye contact with the group of strangers.

"Something's up," Virra said.

"Imps?" said Addia, carrying Elynn's woodcarving.

"I sense fear, not concern," Ilum hauled the gunner seat on his back.

"What's the difference?" Gorin said.

"Usually, Imperial Forces are cause for concern among the native populous because it means trouble. Fear denotes these people know what is going on."

"Well, look at you," Addia said. "You and Sy should open a detective agency. You can call it 'Touchy and Feely' and make a holovid series out of it."

"How about, 'Blue Man and the Crystal?'" Gorin said.

"'Chiss and Shard.'"

"That sounds more like the name of a dish," Theleema said.

"I love you all can have a sense of humor when we're about to get ambushed," said Virra.

"What's life without some fun?" Theleema said.

"They're bounty hunters," said Jarriss perceiving them through his Force sight. "Five of them plus droid and an anooba. Three on them are on the roofs and the others hiding in the alleys."

"Well, let's see what they want," Virra said.

Gorin took off his war helmet and got in front of Theleema, using it to block a blaster bolt coming from a roof. "I think they mean business," he said, throwing his helmet at the shooter, a slender reptilian called Twazzi, with spotted green skin and a cybernetic right arm. Another war helmet intercepted Gorin's before it hit her. It's owner, the Kyuzo bounty hunter named Embo, began to shoot his bowcaster, which Gorin deflected with his extended staff.

An electroshock net was shot over the group, which Theleema ripped in half with her lightwhip before it dropped on them.

"Dank farrik," said the net's shooter, Sugi, a Zabrak with a purple topknot.

Virra drew out her blaster to shoot her, but her arm got wrapped by Latts Razzi's grappling boa. The Theelin bounty hunter yanked Addia over.

The modified combat droid, C-21 Highsinger, and the Arcona, El-Les, leapt out from the side alleys, firing at the Force-adepts, making them scatter. Jarriss and Ilum returned fire.

Embo's pet anooba, Marrok, pounced on Gorin. The Kyuzo jammed his staff in the creature's drooling maw, its prominent teeth stopped centimeters away from his face and its claws digging into his chest. Gorin kicked the animal over his head into a wall. He rolled on his side, evading a bolt from Embo's bowcaster, and shot at him with his energy bow. The arrow struck the bounty hunter's weapon, knocking it out of his hands. Embo jumped off his perch and kicked Gorin, making him lose his bow. Both Kyuzos began to trade strikes.

Sugi blocked Theleema's lightwhip with her EE-3 carbine. The Dathomirian pulled the bounty hunter off the roof. Letting go of her weapon, Sugi produced a vibroblade and rushed her target. Theleema wrapped her lightwhip around her free hand and used it to parry the Zabrak's attacks along with her forearms. After a few exchanges, Theleema entangled Sugi, locking her arm with hers and choking her with the lightwhip. Sugi stomped on her foot to loosen her grip and hit her with the back of her skull. Her horns scratching Theleema's face. She thrust with her knife. Theleema deflected the weapon, circling it around, and snatched the blade from the Zabrak's hand, thrusting toward her torso, but Sugi blocked it.