The Great War • Hunter

24.Peep

"As I was saying, not a peep out of anyone once we pass through these doors." Cid warned, pressing the button to open the large steel door. The two mining carts pass through and the group falls into silence.

    Alona immediately picks up on many lifeforms in the dark ravine below them. She senses their hunger, their need for hunting. But as Cid said, they were sleeping, so the squad should be safe as long as they stay quiet.

    Something flaps overhead and Wrecker jumps. "Whoa, what was that? Oh-" he whisper shouts, dropping his flashlight and rushing to try and catch it. "Awhh." He groans, watching the light fall deep down into the ravine. It bounces off of rocks, surely creating enough noise to wake the creatures. He gasps loudly.

Alona gave him an unamused look, pulling one of her lightsabers off of her hilt and keeping a firm grip on it just in case. "We didn't even make it halfway through here before we-" She stopped and glanced down at the now illuminated cave, sensing the creatures stirring from their sleep. She twisted her face in worry.

"What did I just say?" Cid screams quietly, glaring at the two mercenaries.

The creatures screech and make other horrifying noises, the echo causing the sounds to amplify louder and louder until it reaches a point that it hurts Hunter's heightened ears. Alona noticed his head shrinking into his shoulders, shaking it to fight the pain. She desperately wanted to do something to help him, but there wasn't much that would help ease the discomfort.

Then it stopped and the squad stayed frozen in place, praying that was it. "Keep moving." Hunter whispered to the people in the cart in front of theirs. Tech and Cid continued cranking the cart and Wrecker soon followed behind.

The old mining carts transported them all the way to the ladder that led into Cid's office. Luckily they were far away from that creature-ridden ravine. Alona slid her lightsaber back onto her belt and stepped out of the mining cart with Echo, Wrecker, and Hunter.

Cid shone the flashlight up the old rusted ladder. "This leads into my back office. Up you go."

Tech paused, adjusting his goggles with two fingers. "Without eyes on the office, how do we know Roland is not inside?" He asked carefully.

Alona placed her hands on the ladder, starting to climb up. There were no lifeforms inside the office.

"I've got that covered." Cid replied, pressing the button on her comm to give a signal to someone.

Hunter shook his head, glancing up at the Jedi who was at the top of the ladder, pushing the trapdoor up. "I think she has it covered." He corrects.

"Who? Your cyar'ika?" Echo teased, getting shoved by Hunter.

Tech and Echo climb up behind Alona, entering Cid's office with ease.

Hunter follows swiftly after, taking a look around the grody office. Alona's face twisted in disgust. "These guys are pigs." She stated, placing her hand on one of the boxes of spice.

Echo nodded, staring at the rat-like creature that was eating Mantell Mix on a shelf. "And I thought Wrecker was a slob." He gagged.

Alona used the Force to pick up the first crate of spice, leading it over to the trapdoor. "At least your helmet blocks some of the smell." She replies, burying her nose in her shirt in hopes to fight the horrid fumes.

Her comm beeps. "Can the commentary. Roland won't be gone for long." Cid warned.

Tech scans all the crates with his device. "Six crates of spice confirmed." He announces, picking one of the crates up with Echo's help and carrying it over to the trapdoor.