Tahiri followed close behind Kul, as he led the way to the hydrolift. Pausing briefly to quickly wipe her blades on a uniformed corpse, stealing away the keycard in her bosom. She smiled grimly at her handy work, satisfied that she was striking a blow to the Collective. Tahiri watched as the rest of team fell into pace behind Kul, surprised that Master was at the very least kind of behaving himself.
'Kind of’ being the optimum word here.
The Togruta glanced back across to the troopers as they secured the hanger, treated the few wounded men, and begin their own mission of sabotaging and causing a distraction elsewhere on the ship. The thought of bringing down this ship gave her strange euphoria, her heart twinged slightly as if knowing that this fight was far from over.
Tarentum, my friends. Subordinates who had looked to me for guidance, the people of Yridia. My apprentice. I will not stop until all of your lives and our home is avenged.
Looking back to the group, Tahiri realized that the team had picked up their pace a bit. Quickly sheathing both her blades, a soft growl emanated from the Togruta’s throat as she almost had to jog to keep up with team. As all three men were almost twice her size, Tahiri would have to be quick to keep up with them.
Upon reaching the turbolift, the tall Zabrak looked to her. Nodding, Tahiri produced the keycard and slipped it into the slot near the door. As the doors of the lift slid open, Kul stepped slightly aside to allow Tahiri entrance first. However, Wrathus slipped between them and entered first instead. Kul’s eyes followed the Epicanthix, instantly darkening with anger. Knowing how much the two men disliked each other, she quickly grabbed the keycard and stepped into the lift after her Master, followed by Kul and Fenrir.
Carefully maneuvering herself to be a barrier between Wrathus and Kul, the small Togruta quickly reached to press the button indicating the bridge. Discreetly Tahiri placed her hand on Kul’s arm, immediately feeling some of the tension lessening in the Zabrak. Kul looked down at her as she placed the keycard back into crevice of her bosom.
Fenrir noticed too, and growled questioningly at her, sniffing the air slightly and raising his eyebrow at the Togruta.A soft chuckle emanated from behind Wrathus’ mask as Tahiri flashed Fenrir a smile and shrugged. Out of the corner of her eye, Tahiri watched Kul roll his eyes, while shaking his head. Inwardly smiling, Tahiri knew that she had just shifted the focus from the awkwardness and tension between the man she loved and her Master, and got everyone back focusing on the mission at hand.
As the lift neared their destination, Tahiri unclipped her Rune lightsaber, and unsheathed her Nightsister dagger. The whole team prepared to enter the bridge. Tahiri could feel the Darkside energy growing behind her, as Wrathus prepared himself. Fenrir grunted, checking his Vibroclaws, while Kul took a deep breath. Checking the chronometer on her wrist link, she looked up and gave a quick nod to each of her companions. They all nodded in acknowledgement to her.
A sudden blast shook the ship as the lift doors opened to the bridge, revealing a scene of chaos. Red lights were flashing as the Captain, Brith Kayle, was shouting orders and trying to figure out how the Dark Brotherhood agents could have infiltrated the Akan.
Hearing the lift doors open, the Rodian Captain turned to see a group of four Brotherhood agents, most likely Force users, exiting the lift. The odd matched group seemed to give off an air of power. Immediately, Brith ordered the soldiers on the deck to attack them.
“Kill the Brotherhood scum!”
Tahiri watched as half a dozen Technocrat soldiers advanced to engage, however the ship was rocked by a tremendous blast. Everyone was almost knocked off their feet as the ship listed to one side.
“Well, the troopers certainly did their job,” growled Wrathus, as he unclipped his saber. Fenrir grunt growled in agreement.
“Now let’s do ours!” Wrathus roared, igniting his sabers crimson blade. Gripping it with both hands, he leapt forward, engaging the soldiers. Fenrir followed suit, taking on two soldiers at once, slashing and snarling at them.
Tahiri and Kul looked at each other, both shaking their heads. Tahiri instinctively dodged a bolt from one of the soldiers blaster rifles. Kul immediately found the bolts owner and engaged the man.
“Tahiri, get the Captain!” Shouted Kul over his shoulder.
Tahiri looked around, finding her prey near the bridge’s main consol, yelling orders for more men and to take out all Brotherhood infiltrates. Skirting around the edge of the ensuing fight, she made her to the Captain.
The Togruta wanted to sneak up on him, but the Rodian suddenly turned around. Seeing her, Brith quickly pulled up his BlasTech X-8 Night Sniper blaster pistol, firing a volley of shots in her direction. Tahiri dodged behind a small console, feeling the vibrations of the blaster bolts as the energy hit the consol and the areas close around her.
“Haha, you’re not even brave enough to take me on face to face?” The Rodian laughed out loud. “What’s the matter, can’t do anything without your large bodyguards with you?”
Tahiri felt her anger rising, as the Collective Captain continued to barate and fire at her. Gathering the Force into her limbs and awaiting the right moment for her chance to engage, it came suddenly as Wrathus’ roar echoed and screams of men filled the bridge. For a split moment the shots stopped, Tahiri found her chance. Leaping up, she sprang over the console, igniting her crimson saber, bringing it down as the Rodian his head back towards her. A scream erupted from the Captain, as Tahiri’s saber sliced right through his pistol and hand, while her Nightsister dagger made a swiped across his right knee cap. The Rodian fell onto his back, clutching his hand.
“What did you say about me needing bodyguards?” Tahiri asked slyly. An evil grin spread across her face as the Togruta swiftly and with all her strength, stabbed her Nightsister dagger into his left shoulder, pinning the Rodian to the durasteel floor. Extinguishing her saber, Tahiri bent over and searched him a data stick and keycard to access the system to get the information they needed.
Finally finding the objects, she clutched them carefully in her hand. She was about to stand, when the Brith grabbed her wrist.
“You will not stop us!” He told her indignantly.
“Oh? You really think so huh?” Tahiri asked as her crimson blade sprang to life once again. She watched as the fear began to seep into the Rodian’s purple faceted eyes.
“I won’t stop until those who have taken my home, are all dead.” The dangerous tone in her was the only warning the Captain, as he felt the hot plasma of her blade began to slice through his throat and up into his head. A gurgling sound came through for a few moments, before it stopped and the brightness in eyes faded.
Extinguishing her blade and jerking her wrist from the dead Captain’s bloody hand. Clipping her saber back to her belt, Tahiri pulled pulled the dagger out of the body and wiped it clean. Standing, she looked over to where her teammates had been fighting, only to find them all standing only a meter away, and staring at her.
“I have the data and his keycard, so we can get the information and get out of here,” she said as she turned to the main console. Feeling the ship rock once more with another explosion from elsewhere in the ship, she quickly accessed and downloaded the information they were sent to get. After a moment she pulled the data stick out and held it up.
“Okay, done. Let’s get out of here.”
The men parted as she walked towards the lift, passing the carnage of bodies that were ripped splayed in pieces.
