Trooper

Narrow Escape

Naraka: 11 BBY
Naraka Prison
Ryn Alera

    Without thinking, Ryn leaned over the edge of the catwalk and struck her hand towards the bag. Her eyes widened in shock as it halted mid fall. The bag was suspended just below her fingertips. The crystal around her neck hummed with a strange warmth. Ryn shook away her surprise and wrapped her fingers around the bag.

    She hauled it up beside her. Mirk and Elide were wearily staggering to their feet. Half of the catwalk was a mass of smoldering beams and wires. "I'm grateful for antigravity," Mirk groaned. "What happened to the explosives?"

    Ryn held them up, trying to calm her racing heart. "Here. We've got to get across this before it gives out or that AT-ST decides to fire again." She risked a glance back. Feylin and the rebels were blasting at the numerous stormtroopers who attempted to run through the door.

    "We could try to walk across these beams, but the AT-ST will probably try to shoot again," Elide said.

    Ryn pulled one of the small charges into her hand. "I've got an idea. Start crossing." Elide and Mirk nodded and took to the beams. They wobbled a bit as the metal shifted and groaned. Ryn stepped out behind them. Suddenly, I'm very grateful that one of my masters favored tightrope dancing, Ryn thought.

    The AT-ST shifted towards them, preparing to fire. Ryn activated the charge in her palm. As soon as the shot appeared, she launched the charge at it. The two projectiles collided with a burst of light. Ryn ducked her head beneath the falling sparks and pressed on. Mirk and Elide reached the platform and darted beneath the AT-ST.

Ryn hooked the bag around her neck and continued to inch her way towards the platform. "Ryn, duck!" Mirk shouted suddenly. She looked up in time to see the AT-ST fire again.

Ryn screamed as the beam gave out beneath her legs. She hooked her hands around the dangling piece of metal. Panic filled her mind as her fingers began slipping. Ryn tried to pull herself up, but the metal shrieked and fell further.

"Ryn!" Elide shouted.

"I'm ok, but I can't get back up there," Ryn called back. Her legs swung in open air. "Try to get inside the walker if you can." She squeezed her eyes shut against a burst of dizziness and tightened her grip on the beam.

She slid a bit and the beam groaned. Wires snapped all over. Ryn glanced down, her eyes widening in terror. She looked back up where the beam was only hanging on by a few wires. Ryn screwed her eyes shut again as they cracked apart. She screamed, feeling herself plummet. Wind stung at her eyes, pulling tears away from them.

She hit a hard metal object with a thud. Ryn gasped and grabbed onto a bar. She let out a nervous laugh, trying to swallow a sob. Azie chirped over her comm, concerned. "I'm ok. You didn't miss," Ryn whispered in reply. She felt like cotton had been stuffed down her throat.

The Remnant soared back towards the platform. Ryn stood up and made sure the bag of explosives was still secure. She leaped down onto the platform as they passed overhead. Ryn activated a few charges and tossed them onto the joints of the walker's legs. Azie brought the ship back towards Feylin and the others. The boarding ramp extended and they leaped onto the ship.

Ryn detonated the charges. The walker's legs gave out in an explosion of heat. It plummeted off the other side of the platform. Azie returned to them and the ramp extended again. Mirk and Elide jumped onto the ship, then paused. Ryn jumped on behind them, grabbing their arms to steady herself. She passed the rest of the explosives to Mirk before making her way into the cockpit.

Azie whistled as she entered. Feylin was rapidly prepping the navicomputer. "We're going to have TIEs all over us in a minute," she said.

Ryn fell into her seat and took over flying. "Can you be ready to jump before we clear the atmosphere?"