Freelancers

Skirmish

Veriss' eyes widened in surprise as she watched the blaster barrel glow a radiant crimson. A bright light emerged from under Nai'riss' jacket in her direction. She felt the heat radiate from the laser as it sailed past. Her red-gold hair whipped wildly about as air was displaced around her, and she heard a dull thud accompanied by screams. She turned toward the source of the sound, and at her feet lay the dead Bothan gambler from earlier, vibroknife in hand.

Amid the chaotic screams, Nai'riss stood from her stool and faced Veriss. She was a shorter woman, barely rising above the Mandalorian's chest.

"Ganda never took to losing a game of Dejarik well," shrugged Nai'riss as she holstered her weapon. The Ithorian bartender yelled something unintelligible and flailed his arms wildly from behind the bar, frantically trying to shoo Nai'riss away. Cantina patrons ran to the outer edges of the small room, in an effort to distance themselves from the violence. Shouts of surprise, anger, and even cheers erupted among the huddled masses as the spaceport security forces started to pour in.

"We should probably leave," said Nai'riss, surprisingly calm.

With hood raised, she turned and walked quickly towards the side entrance of the establishment. Veriss and Jag exchanged looks, and followed suit. The three weaved in and out of the mass of bodies, as spaceport security called after them to stop. They reached the maglocked side door and a warning shot reverberated throughout the cantina. People screamed and fell to the floor, and for a moment, security had a clear view of the three assailants. Nai'riss turned to face the sprinting men and hurled four small, metal spheres onto the floor between them. Blue blaster bolts from their pursuers' rifles screamed through the air above the heads of cowering cantina patrons, and sizzled harmlessly against the red forcefield that emerged from her spheres.

"Quick! Get that door open, the forcefield won't last long!" she shouted.

Jag took that as his cue, and primed his micro-torch. His gauntlet roared to life as sparks and plasma flew from the emitter as it made contact with the door's magseal. Veriss unholstered her pistol and took cover behind the forcefield with the Imperial agent. Vaiken security rushed forward and planted themselves in advantageous positions behind overturned tables, and opened fire. Blue blaster bolts flew across a now empty cantina floor, and sizzled against their energized cover. 

The women exchanged knowing looks, nodded, and silently agreed to set their blasters to stun and returned fire. The cantina roared to life as the firefight continued. Red and blue lasers left super-heated trails in the air while the inner walls were left blackened by scorch marks. Chairs and stools erupted in flame, and fires licked the bar's decorative Massassi wood countertop.

"You almost done?" grunted Veriss as she ducked back behind cover. She silently regretted the earlier decision to tune her blaster to stun.

You punks better not hit me, I'm going easy on you, she thought quietly to herself as lasers zipped above.

The loud hum of the forcefield and noise from the relentless onslaught of blaster fire threatened to deafen her.  The shield shimmered and buckled against every hit. At the other end of their cover, Nai'riss released a volley of her own. Jag turned toward the two women, and grinned. He thrust his armored foot against the melted door and sheared it off its hinges. It slammed into the alley beyond with a loud bang.

"Let's go!" shouted Jag. He removed a banger from his belt and turned back to toss it over the forcefield towards Vaiken security. The men shouted and took cover as it hit the floor and released a blinding flash. Bright, white light illuminated the cantina and left their attackers grasping and yelling after each other, as none could see.

The two women darted from behind their cover and through the newly opened door after Jag. They sprinted down the alley and circled back to the spaceport's main concourse, the crowds largely unaware of the small skirmish that had taken place. They stopped at the mouth of the alley to catch their breath.

"We need to leave the spaceport and get to Coruscant," huffed Nai'riss. "I have someone who can get us to my buyer."

Veriss looked at her in disgust.

"You got us into this, and you expect us to give you our relic?" asked Veriss incredulously.

Nai'riss opened her mouth to protest, but Jag cut her off.

"Whatever we decide, it needs to be now." Jag turned back to the alleyway and pointed at the troopers stepping through the dusty cantina door. "We're going to have company real soon."

She pointed at Nai'riss and said firmly, "You're coming with us. I'll decide what to do with you as soon as we get out of the mess you started. Come on, hangar seven is this way."

She turned and quickly melted into the crowd of people as Nai'riss followed close behind. Jag took one last look at the men emerging from the alleyway, and smiled as he made eye contact with the lead trooper. The man's eyes widened and his mouth opened to shout after them, but Jag was already gone.

Another faceless member of the crowd.