CHASE ME | DISCON.

NINE

I've never been fond of desert planets.

My nerves aren't exactly as calm as they could be, and there isn't anything here that would make them better- especially considering the only damn thing on this planet seems to be sand. My skin crawls underneath my uniform at the thought of it simply swallowing me whole, and my lungs turn dry. Marching up the dunes with this infernal stormtrooper squad, I can feel the stuff getting into my shoes and I'm constantly blinking it out of my eyes.

If I'm honest with myself, I can't wait to dump this hellhole.

You've just got to find Poe, some distant voice reminds me.

You have more important things to worry about. Pushing my thoughts away, I try to concentrate on my first job.

(1) Evaluate the crash site.

"No problem," I muse quietly to myself, topping the dune and discovering what remains of the escaped TIE fighter. There's hardly anything left. Where there should be a cockpit there's nothing but... empty space.

I hold a hand up to stop the stormtroopers. Something isn't right, it should be here. I mentally go through every piece of information I remember reading about this place- which is limited, yes, but enough.

"Be careful where you step." I warn, moving around the space. 

We start a search for signs of survival, turning over pieces of mangled metal. Nothing I see gives me any clues. After awhile, nothing seems presents itself. It's only when the troopers broaden their efforts, do we find something worth our time.

"Sir," a trooper beckons me over from the top of the nearest dune. When I reach them, I notice the trail of discarded stormtrooper armor heading east, accompanied by footprints yet to be blown away in the wind. There's only one set-

"We'll track them." I say, voice taught, "It'll lead us right to them."

(2) Locate survivors.

By the stars, I hope they're still alive.

*****

Niima Outpost is crawling with scavengers of every kind. As we approach, a few heads turn. Many back away as we approach, a small few out of some curious form of respect and others out of pure fear. I can't blame them in the slightest.

There's no tension between us and the scavengers, though, and I could never be more grateful for that.  Something tells me they don't exactly keep up with politics, or that they've even chosen a side in the rising war.

I'm sure they're too busy surviving to care.

I send two stormtroopers to search for our fugitives, and I take the other two to ask around. We duck through the tents, looking for anyone who might know something. Eventually, I pick at random, come up to someone as casually as I can.

"Excuse me," I start, trying to be polite, "we're looking for a droid, and two fugitives? A BB unit, orange and white."

"I've seen a droid like that, definitely have," the scavenger answered, "who're you lookin' for?"

The stormtrooper to my right answers, "Two men, one with dark skin and hair, possibly wearing stormtrooper armor, and another with tan skin and dark hair, wearing common clothing-"

"A leather jacket, if it helps." I try to expand his description, restraining any level of desperateness that could get through to my voice.

"Try that way," The scavenger points to our left, and our heads turn to see the traitor and the droid.

"That's our man."

The droid beeps an alarm when it sees us, alerting FN to the danger. He turns to his companion- a girl, now that I see her, no older than twenty- grabbing her hand and pulling her into a tent for cover. My third priority of escape is set aside momentarily as I remember my first job, commanding the troopers to open fire when ready.

Their shots rip through the air, flying by where the two had taken cover and hitting a wash station. Steam spews into the air, and I think I can hear the girl scream in terror. In an instant, they're moving again, and my feet start moving in their direction.

"You know what to do." I tell both troopers, taking off through the tents. They move too, moving quickly in different directions. I stumble through each one, jumping over obstacles and pushing hanging fabric out of the way. I follow every jerking movement I recognize as them, but it's not enough.

I crash through one tent, having lost them. I whirl, looking for something to help me out. The stormtroopers have lost track too, and I hear one of them respond, "Call in an air strike!"

It's not long before several TIEs scream overhead, and one of them fires onto the outpost. An explosion sends me stumbling as I see FN and the girl run out from their hiding spot. Breathing heavy, I will myself to take off after them, but I don't get twenty feet before a larger blast sends me flying.

I land on my back hard, and I see spots for a few seconds. Groaning, I roll over, coughing up dust. FN is stumbling to his feet, the girl right behind him. I find my voice, "FN!" I try to grab his attention. He's the only one who can help me, now. 

(3) Escape.

He looks my way, fearful at first at the sight of a First Order officer, then confused. He seems to recognize me, and he scrambles over, lending me a hand so I can stand, "A-andromeda?"

"Take me with you."

-it is dONE