Chapter Text
The breeze lightly kissing Tali’s cheeks would have been refreshing if she wasn’t so on edge. Stealth jobs were her specialty. She avoided any potential combat whenever possible, and targets in warehouses, mines, and even the occasional old ruins were no issue. She hated the idea of risking breaking into any location that would have heavy security.
But Tali was desperate for credits, and jobs that would pay this much were few and far between these days. Monitoring com frequencies, she had heard about some strategic intel being stored within an Imperial Outpost on Malastare that would be in demand for some small organizations beginning to gain traction against the still new Empire. Tali knew that she could sell that data for a price decent enough to set her up for a standard month of supplies and rations. So she found herself slinking through a forest working her way toward a concrete structure that did not fit in with the otherwise serene landscape.
Approaching the perimeter, Tali quickly pulled out a datapad and began scans to determine what type of security she was dealing with, and was surprised to see that no active alarm system was online. She briefly wondered if this was the right location, but pushed the concern to the back of her mind. Pinpointing the whereabouts of lookouts and patrols proved to be easy and she quickly found an access point.
I’ll take all the luck I can get.
Reaching the wall in a relatively blind spot from the watch towers, Tali fired her harpoon and quickly moved into action scaling the wall. Peering around before reversing her line to scale the opposite side, she felt uneasy at the lack of personnel.
Where is everyone?
Reaching the nearest entrance without issue and with a quick patch through her datapad, Tali opened the doors quickly entering after downloading a map of the interior. Following the datapad’s information, she made her way to where the information was reported to be held.
She had almost arrived at the designated console when she heard voices.
“This should only take a few minutes, the data we are looking for is likely not encrypted yet.”
“Get it done quickly, the sooner we’re out of here the better.”
Cautiously peering around the corner, Tali saw four men in armor hovering near the console just beyond the opening of another hallway, and a young girl who had taken a few steps forward to peer around the hallway.
Who would bring a kid in here?
One of the men had connected a datapad to the console and was tapping away working on a data transfer. It couldn’t be a coincidence, Tali knew they were after the same data she was, and had beaten her to it by seconds.
Tali didn’t have time to dwell on the loss as the doors leading to the console suddenly slid shut, separating the girl from the soldiers.
“Hunter!” the girl yelped, slamming her fists against the door in a panic. Tali heard the crackle of a communication device. “Omega! Hold on, Tech’s working on getting the doors open again.” Unsure of what action to take, Tali froze, not wanting to leave the girl alone, but knowing she couldn’t stand there much longer and risk being caught.
Sure enough, the sound of boots quickly approaching the area began, forcing Tali to make her move. She quickly rounded the corner towards the door and the girl, Omega, if she had heard the voice through the coms correctly, and glanced down the hallway to see several troopers heading their way. Omega snapped around and gasped as Tali approached.
“Easy, I’m here to help, I promise. My name is Tali. There are troopers headed our way, try to stay behind me, okay?”
Omega responded with wide eyes and a small nod. Tali turned, blaster drawn, and back against the inset wall of the doors. Quickly rotating around, she shot down two troopers, causing the others to duck into various areas of cover.
That will slow them down a little.
As the sound of blaster fire picked up, the com device crackled again. “Omega! What’s happening out there?”
“I’m okay, there’s someone here helping me, but please hurry.”
Tali turned and fired more rounds, not waiting to see if any landed. The troopers hadn’t advanced yet, most likely unsure of the numbers they were dealing with. Tali eyed the corner she had come from anxiously. It would be easy for them to be overrun if any troopers were rerouted that way, and she was sure that would happen soon.
“Hey kid, is that a ranged weapon on your back?”
“Mhm.”
“Good. I need you to keep an eye on that corner over there,” Tali motioned with her blaster before turning to fire several more rounds. “If anyone comes that way, shoot.”
Omega pulled the metal device from her back and released it to reveal an energy bow. She knelt with it drawn and pointed toward the corner. Tali turned and fired more rounds, grateful that the forces had not continued further down the hall, and noticed a couple more bodies on the ground, indicating she had met her mark enough times to keep them wary.
The feeling of confidence didn’t last as Tali heard Omega gasp slightly before the high-pitched sound of the bow releasing. Tali quickly glanced over as Omega released a couple more shots, preventing troopers from rounding the corner.
“Great work kid, keep it up.”
Tali turned to fire another round but was met with a blast to her shoulder. She grunted in pain, turning back in without getting a shot off.
“Are you okay?” Omega’s voice wavered slightly, and Tali forced a smile.
“I’ve had worse, don’t worry about me.”
How much longer can we manage here?
A blast from the opposite direction missed Omega’s head, hitting the door and causing both of them to yelp.
Crackle, “Omega!”
“Hunter, please hurry!”
Tali fired a couple of rounds toward the corner.
“Forget about shooting, get as far into that corner as you can and stay behind me, no matter what.”
“But-”
Another blast found its mark on Tali’s hip, and she pushed Omega back as she doubled over in pain.
“No. Matter. What.”
Tali kept firing toward the corner, throwing her arm in the opposite direction to fire blindly occasionally, to deter the original force from gaining too much ground. Things were getting way too hot, and the pain from the blaster wounds was enough to cause Tali’s stomach to churn slightly. Taking another blast to the leg, it took all her will to force herself to remain standing.
Well, at least if this is how I go, it’s somewhat admirably.
The touch of two small hands clutching her tunic behind her gave Tali a new burst of motivation to fight, and she fired off another set of rounds in each direction. She was certain her firing was doing no real damage as her hands shook wildly, but she didn’t care. If it deterred the troopers a little longer, it would hopefully be worth it.
A crackle sounded behind her, “We’re almost through, hold on!”
Tali’s muscles were beginning to grow incredibly weak as she strained to remain standing, and she felt sweat dripping from her face. Her eyes began failing to focus, and she could tell from the pull of Omega’s grip on her tunic that she had begun to sway.
“Tali?”
Tali shook her head and reached an arm out to try to steady herself. It was a mistake, as another blast met her forearm. As she jerked it back, she felt herself lose balance. Omega’s hands gripped firmer as if she was attempting to keep Tali upright.
“Tali!”
The sound of a beep followed by the whoosh of the doors and new blaster fire from behind her gave all the permission Tali needed to collapse to the ground.
“Hunter, we have to help her!”
“Wrecker, grab her.”
Sounds were beginning to become muffled, and her vision continued to fail as she felt someone lift her from the ground.
“The data transfer is complete, it is time to leave.”
“Move out. Echo, seal that door behind us.”
The new jostling movement caused Tali to groan in pain, and she could feel herself sinking deeper into unconsciousness.
“Sorry miss, we gotta move fast, but we’re gonna get you outta here.” The rough voice was surprisingly comforting, and Tali couldn’t stop a few tears from rolling down her face as her body continued to give in to the pain and exhaustion. Blaster fire continued, but their movement stayed consistent until the feeling of cool air kissed Tali’s sweat-drenched face.
“On board, quickly.”
Tali tried opening her eyes as the realization that she was being taken onto a ship and was likely about to fly away with this group of strange men caused her to roll into a panic. She began to struggle in the grasp of the man holding her, whimpering as her wounds hit against the hard plastoid armor he was wearing.
No, no, where are they taking me?!
“Hold on miss, wait a second!” The previously comforting voice fueled the panic coming in crashing waves as Tali gasped for air, her heart pounding in her ears.
“Wrecker, get her inside, Tech, get us out of here!”
Tali registered the sound of heavy footsteps on metal, the mechanical closing of the ship’s door, and an engine roaring to life. Her vision blurred by her tears, her brain refusing to take in the details she desperately needed to get herself out of her situation, she continued to fight the grip of the arms that held tightly to her.
“Hunter, she’s freakin out...”
“Get her on a rack. Omega, grab the med kit and check to see if there’s any sedative left.”
They want to knock me out, I won’t have a chance...
“I’ve got it! Here’s the sedative.” The young girl’s voice did nothing to calm Tali this time and she began trying to shout in desperation.
“Whoa there, we’re trying to help you! You need to calm down!” The commanding voice was right above her now and she could feel someone strong holding her down on the rack.
“Tali, it’s going to be alright, I don’t like needles either but this will help, I promise!” Omega’s voice waivered, the girl must have been on the verge of tears, and as Tali felt a small gentle hand on her forehead she couldn't help but calm for a moment, which was all the opportunity needed to inject the sedative into her unscathed arm.
Tali let the tears flow, still struggling to breathe properly. She felt the small hand begin to stroke her hair gently, and it continued until she lost consciousness altogether.