The Storms of Kamino: Crosshair

Drowning

Everything was collapsing around us as we rushed out of the training center. Explosions echoed from above, bright lights seared my retinas, and I was all turned around from the chaos.

"This way!" Omega shouted.

AZ-5 went in front of her, leading the way. "I think I know a safer way back to the ship!" he said. "I've studied the schematics of Tipoca City extensively and-" He was cut off by a railing that fell down and blocked our path, scattering pieces of him in every direction.

"AZ!" I wailed, sobbing uncontrollably. "No!" I picked up his torn body, his bright eyes beginning to fade.

"I'm so sorry, buddy," I said.

"Doctor." His vocabulator was broken and I almost couldn't make out what he said next. "Make a left at the next junction. Get to your infirmary, it's still stable enough for you to make a plan and find the tunnels. Escape." His lights for eyes went out and he was gone. I cried, holding his head in my arms, until Hunter tried to pull me away.

"Y/N, we have to go," he said as calmly as possible.

"I can't leave him!" I started to pick up pieces of my friend when another detonation went off.

"You have to. We have to go." Hunter grabbed my wrist and we started down the hall, avoiding any fallen debris. We got to a door when the power went out. Wrecker put the still unconscious Crosshair down and tried to wrench it free. With much excursion on his part, he managed to hold it ajar long enough for all of us to get through.

We were about to reach the lab when the floor gave out underneath us. Wrecker dropped Crosshair by accident and we all fell down. An additional explosion went off, and a sealed door separated Omega, Crosshair, AZ-3, and myself from the rest of the group. Water rushed from the ruptures in the walls and Crosshair was caught underneath a beam. He shook his head, still foggy from being stunned, and started to panic when he realized he couldn't move. Omega was trying to talk to Hunter through the closed door, his viroblade stuck in-between the crack, trying to get it open.

"Crosshair, it's okay. I can get this off," I said, trying to sound reassuring. I grabbed a blaster and shot at the beam, hoping it would elevate some of the pressure so I could pick it up.

"AZ-3, help me with this thing!" I yelled at the droid. We pulled and pulled and it gave way enough that he could wiggle his way out. The water had risen so much that we had to swim to keep breathing. I took hold of Omega and held her against my chest, making sure she was above the water level. She looked terrified. I was too, but I didn't want her to know that.

"Why didn't you leave?" Crosshair said, coughing up sea water.

"I wasn't going to leave without you," I responded, the ceiling getting closer. We were almost out of time. Drowning wasn't the way I thought I would go, but it started to seem inevitable at this point. I looked at Crosshair, my wet hair in strands across my face. He seemed sad, not because he thought this was the end but because of all the things we never had a chance to say to each other. I smiled softly at him and searched for his hand under the water before we both inhaled what we thought was our last breath.

All of a sudden, we were pulled in through the door. Hunter, and Wrecker managed to hold it long enough that their was a gap for us to fit in. Omega and AZ were out first, Hunter caught her and AZ burst out and was thrown against the wall. Crosshair held me and landed on his back with me on top of him. The whole room shuddered and it felt like we finally hit the ocean floor. The door closed with a thud and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fascinating," Tech said. "It appears we have landed on one of the underground tunnels. With a proper seal, we should be able to cut through and get back to the ship."

"Sounds like a plan," Hunter replied, putting Omega down. "AZ-3, you're up."

"Yeah, this'll end great," Crosshair muttered as they all glared at him.

Hunter walked over to him, seething. "Well, you got a better idea?" He was met with silence. "Yeah, didn't think so. Let's get to work." They all turned their backs to watch AZ and I put a hand on Crosshair's shoulder.

"What was all that about?" I questioned.

He shook his head. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

I was about to join the rest of them when he said, "Y/N?"

I turned around. "Yes?"

"I'm glad you're safe."