Bounty Hunter Anon II

by Sunny Solaire

Fire Drill

Finally, you make it out of the canyons and back into the open field you were in before. Sunset had contacted you about five minutes ago to tell you the bad news. You were too late. She said that her and Pinkie were going to see if Octavia survived. You don't think she did, but you're still going to help them when you get back to the compound.

You're pretty confident that you're not getting paid for this job anymore.

This is all senator Hoity Toity's fault. He ordered the set up for the bomb, and he tried to keep this whole thing a secret from the senate. You're curious about these Flim and Flam guys too, whoever they are. He'll know more about them. Once you get back to your ship on Naboo, you're going straight to Coruscant to deal with the senator yourself. You'll ask him about them when you see him.

You hit the gas and move as fast as you can toward the compound. The thick plume of black smoke rises higher into the sky just ahead of you.

Sunset's voice come on in your comms as you move over a hilltop. "Anon, where are you?"

"I just got out of the canyon. I'm almost there." You reply.

"Alright, hurry." She says. "There are fires in a few places and some people are stuck inside the main building. We're working with a few of the soldiers to get them out, but we need all the help we can get."

"Just keep helping as much as you can, Sunset. I'll be there in two minutes." You say.

The compound itself comes into view as you drive over another hilltop. Black smoke rises and moves directly overhead as the wind pushes it along. There are a few people outside that are talking or bickering with one another. They're panicking, unsurprisingly. This planet doesn't usually get action like this. They move out of your way when they see you driving toward them.

Right when you slow to a stop just beside them, you immediately dismount the bike and run toward the large open doorway they're gathered around. This crowd is nothing like the ones on Nar Shaddaa, but you still have to push your way through a few people before you reach the compound's entrance.

When you finally do make it inside, you look toward the largest building on the other side of the compound: the source of the black smoke. From here, you can barely see the tips of a few flames that are present on the roof. Other buildings are in the way, so you don't have a good view from the ground. You don't have time to run through the buildings to the other side of the compound so you activate your jetpack and take to the sky once again.

Things are a lot clearer up here. There's a large hole on the one side of the main building, and you see fires in a few places around it and on the roof. You quickly make your way toward the fires, over the smaller buildings that stand in front of you.

You activate your comms. "Sunset, I'm here. Where are you?"

"We're by the big hole on the side of the building! I'm about to head inside!" She replies.

Among the few people running around the burning side of the building, you spot Sunset and Pinkie ushering them away while moving toward the blaze.

"Wait for me, I'm just above you." Sunset looks around for a moment before spotting you in the air. You quickly descend and land beside her and Pinkie. "Any news on the senator?"

Sunset shakes her head. "Nothing from her, or any of the Wonderbolts yet. The few people who have made it out have said that there are still survivors deeper inside."

"We've been helping as much as we can out here, but we can't get inside the building to help more." Pinkie points to the flames.

A few Republic soldiers are around the burning entrance. They're helping a young human male out of the building, he looks like he's about seventeen years old. He's coughing violently and bleeding from his head.

These soldiers don't have masks or anything to protect them from this smoke. If they go too deep inside, they'll suffocate.

Smoke shouldn't be an issue for you though. Your helmet has a built in filtration system.

"Pinkie, you stay out here and keep helping in any way you can." You command. "Me and Sunset will head inside to look for more survivors."

She nods. "Okay!"

The three of you run toward the burning hole in the wall. Pinkie slows down to help usher the human kid to safety while you and Sunset continue forward.

A few Republic soldiers by the hole see you approach and you call out to one of them. "Anything from the senator yet?!"

"No, nothing!" He shouts. "She was in the main hall when the explosion happened!"

You and Sunset run past him and head into the smoke.

Sunset calls back to him. "You all stay here! We'll find her!"

You both slow down as you proceed through the smoke and into one of the building's hallways.

You turn on your helmet's thermal imaging to help you see through the smoke. It's probably too hot in here to distinguish individual survivors' body heat, but at least you'll be able to see. It takes a couple of seconds, but your viewfinder cuts through the smoke and a better image comes up on your HUD.

Debris is everywhere. The hallway directly ahead of you has been completely sealed by the collapsed ceiling. Survivors weren't getting through here.

The smoke is more concentrated off to your right. You and Sunset proceed that way. A few large sections of rubble and collapsed ceiling block this hallway in a few places as well, but it's created a narrow crawlspace that's just big enough for people to fit through.

Sunset grabs a part of the rubble wall. "Here, help me clear this up a bit."

You take hold of the same chunk of rubble and pull. No surprise that it's heavy. It doesn't budge at first, but you keep on pulling.

"Come on... Come on..." You say with a strained breath.

Grunting, you both manage to break off a decent-sized chunk of rubble after a few moments. It consequently loosens a few other chunks directly around it. You and Sunset keep clearing up more space as best as you can. Rocks and rubble fall down and clatters onto the ground around your feet and you kick them away. The hole is much more open now than it was before.

"Okay, that's good. Let's go." Sunset breathes.

"Right." You nod.

Sunset proceeds through the opening first, and you follow directly behind her. More piles of rubble and debris litter this hallway as well. Nothing too extreme though. You manage to walk around or over them with relative ease.

You hear coughing directly ahead of you, and it makes you move faster. "Hey! Who's out there! Where are you?!"

"H-Here... Behin-" The voice coughs again. It's male. "Beneath the rubble..."

You and Sunset walk around another collapsed section and see a militia soldier sitting on the ground with his legs trapped under a pile of debris. Sunset immediately gets to work freeing him. She gets behind him and grabs his torso while you move a few chunks away from his legs. He lets out a scream in pain as she pulls him out. His legs are bleeding in a few places. You can see it soaking through his pants.

"Can you walk?" She asks.

He coughs and hacks again before answering. "I-I think so..."

"Hang on a second." You grab his sleeve and rip it off of his arm. "Where's the main hall?"

"J-Just down this hallway and take a left... That's-" He coughs again. "...That's wh-where the briefing room and offices are..."

Which means that's around where Octavia is, hopefully.

You take his rent sleeve and hold it in front of him. "Wrap this around your mouth and nose. It will filter the smoke out a little."

He takes it and ties it around his face to make a mask while Sunset helps him to his feet. He nearly falls, but he leans against the rubble to keep himself up.

Sunset is there to support him. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes... I can make it..." He says. "N-Never thought I'd be rescued... By Mandalorians, especially. Thank you both."

"Don't mention it." You reply. "Now go."

He nods and limps toward the exit while you and Sunset continue down the hallway.

You pass a few more piles of rubble and finally reach the end of the hallway. Another large pile of rubble has built up on your right.

Beneath it is another militia soldier. He's not moving. You crouch down and examine him closer, checking for a pulse.

"How is he?" Sunset asks.

You don't feel anything.

You sigh. "He's gone."

Damn it. This isn't good.

"Hopefully, the senator isn't gone yet." Sunset says.

Another sound comes from the next hallway, grabbing your and Sunset's attention. "Ugh... Ith... A-Anyone there?"

The voice is very feminine.

"Yeah! Where are you?!" You stand up from the corpse and proceed down the hallway toward the voice.

"Mmn... O-Over here! Help!" The voice cries out.

Deeper into the hallway, you see someone crawling toward you on the floor.

It's the short Pantoran member of the Wonderbolts you saw earlier. She's covered in black soot. It looks like her arm is broken too, she's hobbling on the ground using only her right arm.

She looks up at you and recognizes you both immediately. "Oh, itsth you two! Thank the Forth!"

She has a lisp. Maybe she bit her tongue.

"Are you alright?" You ask.

You and Sunset crouch down and try to help her up, but she screams when you touch her. "AAH! Careful! I-I think I buthted my arm!"

You both remove your hands from her and move down to her sides. You carefully pick her up and move her into your arms while Sunset helps. She screams in pain again at the movement, but she doesn't fight it. She wraps her right arm around your neck as you hold her.

"Is the senator alright?" Sunset asks.

She grunts and whimpers as tears fall down her cheek, but she looks at Sunset. "I-I think tho... Sthe couldn't move and I thtarted crawling to get help..."

"But she is alive?" You ask.

She looks up at you and nods. "Yeth..."

Wow, Octavia's tough. It's a huge relief to hear that she's alive.

Sunset breathes a sigh of relief and looks at you. "Get her out of here, Anon. I'll go find the senator."

You nod. "Alright."

You turn around and go back the way you came. The Wonderbolt in your arms starts coughing more as you move through the smoke. You grab her neckline and pull it up over her mouth and nose. She can't do it herself. You notice her nametag on her jacket for the first time. Fleetfoot.

"Fleetfoot, what happened just before the explosion?" You inquire. "Did you see the bomb itself at all?"

She coughs again and shakes her head. "N-No, I thaw nothing... The governor wath in the room too when it went off... I followed Thoarin' and Thpitfire when they took the thenator out... a-and a few milithia tholdierth were taking the governor... into an open room in the back, jutht before it happened..."

You move around a few other piles of debris and continue toward the exit. Fleetfoot continues to cough and wheeze. When you reach the narrow crawlspace just before the exit, you slow down and carefully slide through it. The sunlight shines through the smoke onto you when you get clear and you head outside.

Pinkie and a couple other Republic soldiers are there immediately. They start to take Fleetfoot away.

"Be careful." You tell her. "She's got a broken arm."

Pinkie assists the soldiers as they get a good hold on Fleetfoot before turning back to you. "Any luck?"

"Fleetfoot says that the senator is alive." You step back towards the building. "I'm heading back in. Sunset is looking for her now."

Pinkie grabs her chest and breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Hurry."

She turns around and follows the soldiers as they carry the Pantoran away and you head back into the smoky building. It takes about a minute to move past the piles of debris back to where you were prior to finding Fleetfoot.

Once you get there, you turn on your comms and contact Sunset. "Did you find her?"

"Yes!" She says. "She and Spitfire are both under a huge pile of debris just down the hallway! I need your help to move it!"

Amazing. She found her.

"I'll be right there! Hang on!" You move down the hallway as quickly as you can.

This hallway looks familiar. It's the one you were in just before you left the building to meet Sunset and Pinkie the courtyard.

Up ahead, you see an orange glow flickering along the walls up ahead on your left. The source is coming from an open doorway on your right. It's the large briefing room you were in before. Fire is covering the floors and debris is absolutely everywhere.

There's a massive hole where the far left wall used to be. A few chunks of rubble are still falling from the crater in the ceiling onto the floor. You can even see a few rooms on the upper level. You take a quick look inside the room for a better look at the hole.

The next room is almost nonexistent. There's just a crater where it used to be. That must be where the bomb was detonated.

Continuing down the hallway, you come to an intersection. Your right is completely blocked by debris. No way you're getting through that.

On your left, you see Sunset pulling on a few large chunks of rocks. She sees you and waves you over. "Come on! She's right here!"

You run to her and see senator Octavia Melody beneath Spitfire. They're both under the pile of rubble.

You quickly begin to pull the rocks off of them. "Is she alive?"

"Yes! She's just unconscious!" Sunset says.

"What about Spitfire?" You grab another chunk and toss it behind you.

"I don't know..." Sunset replies.

You and Sunset grab a large piece of rubble and lift it together, freeing them.

Grunting, you set it down and move your attention back to Spitfire. You grab her shoulders and pull her out while Sunset grabs Octavia. The rubble pile collapses to fill the space where they once were just seconds later.

Octavia groans a bit when she's freed and her eyes open just barely. "S...Sunset? A-Anonymous?"

Sunset keeps pulling her away from the rubble. "We're here, senator. We're going to get you out. Can you stand?"

She groans weakly. "I-I think so..."

Spitfire doesn't move. You turn her around and hold her on her back. Her head hangs limp over your left arm and you bring your fingers to her neck.

Nothing. No pulse at all.

"Dammit..." You curse under your breath.

You and Sunset look at each other silently. She glances at Spitfire, and you shake your head at her.

Best not to let the senator know just yet.

You pick Spitfire up and hold her in your arms while Sunset helps Octavia to her feet.

"Here, senator, lean on me. I'll keep you up." She says.

Octavia winces as she stands up. "Ah!... Where are Fleetfoot and Soarin'?"

"Fleetfoot is safe." You reply. "We don't know about Soarin' yet."

"I'm... r-right here..." A voice says.

You all turn to your left to see Soarin' sitting on the ground. His right leg is trapped under some rubble and he's trying to pull it out.

You move next to Octavia and she leans on you while Sunset rushes over to help him. She pushes the debris off and pulls Soarin' out. He grunts and pants hard in pain as she examines his leg.

"It's broken. He can't walk." She says.

He struggles to move it and stand up. "It's... fine! I-I can... get..."

As soon as he puts pressure on it, he screams and collapses into Sunset's arms.

Sunset leans down and looks at him. "It's BROKEN! You. Can't. Use. It."

Octavia speaks up. "Soarin', you're hurt! Please let her help!"

He looks over at her, grunting once before sighing. "Y-Yes, my lady..."

Sunset crouches down and grabs him in her arms, picking him up with a grunt. "Hang on, princess. Here comes your knight in shining beskar."

You smile under your helmet and barely hold back a laugh at the face he gives Sunset as she picks him up in her arms. If looks could kill.

She walks toward you and you turn to Octavia. "Senator, hold onto me. I'll go slow."

She coughs again and nods at you. "A-Alright. Lead the way."

"Cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve." You advise. "This smoke is not good for the lungs."

She does as you instruct and you all make your way back down the hall toward the exit. Sunset takes the lead and maneuvers past the rubble quicker than you as you carefully lead Octavia through the smoky hallway.

Your comms beep and Pinkie comes on in your ear. "Anon! Sunset! Did you find her?!"

"Yeah we did." You reply. "She's alive and we're making our way back to you."

"Oh good! The Republic is here!" Pinkie says.

"The Republic?" You repeat.

Octavia steps over another pile of rubble and leans up against you more as you pass the burning briefing room.

"Yeah!" Pinkie says. "A Republic capital ship just entered the atmosphere and is making its way here now! The soldiers said that it's gonna put out the fire and help with the rescue!"

Oh good.

"They're aware that the senator is here then?" You ask.

"Yeah!" She replies. "They said she's to get on the cruiser for medical attention right away! I'll let them know you have her!"

"Thanks, Pinkie." You shut off your comms and continue down the hallway. You reach the end and take a right. "Almost there, Senator. This is the final stretch."

She nods and continues with you.

Sunset is ahead of you and is in the process of moving through the crawlspace that leads to the exit. Once she's through, you lead Octavia past the sections of collapsed ceiling and rubble and usher her toward the opening. She's coughing and wheezing loudly. When she reaches the crawlspace, Sunset pokes her head back through and takes Octavia's hand to help her as well.

She pulls the senator through and into the clear. You follow directly behind with Spitfire still in your arms. You squeeze and wiggle your way out and get free of the smoke and rubble.

In the sky directly above you, a few Republic dropships are descending toward the planet. Behind them is a large Republic cruiser. A Venator-class Star Destroyer.

One of the dropships lands in an open spot in front of you. Republic soldiers on your right are in the process of carrying Octavia toward it. A few medical officers disembark from the dropship and run toward her and Soarin'. Two of them run toward you and Spitfire as well.

"How is she?!" One of them calls out.

You shake your head. "Not good. I didn't feel a pulse."

One of them places his fingers on Spitfire's neck for a second before he and his partner remove her from your care. "We'll take it from here."

You release Spitfire and they take her lifeless body away.

The sight of all this makes your blood boil. Not just because you lost your paycheck, but because this was a blatant act of betrayal. You've dealt with stuff like this before during your career, but for some reason, this time really struck a nerve with you. If the Republic asks you any questions about this, which you're sure that they will, you're tempted to not tell them anything about who was involved.

Even though you probably shouldn't, you want to be the one that personally makes Hoity Toity pay for all of this.

Author's Note:

Fleetfoot.

A Venator-class Star Destroyer.