Bounty Hunter Anon III

by Sunny Solaire

Crowd Control

With a swipe from your saber, you slice through another one of the Sith's battle droids. It warbles and powers down as it falls to the ground in a heap of scrap. You feel a blaster bolt impact your back and you turn to face another one. With your saber raised in one hand, you charge at it and shoot with your blaster. The droid maintains its defensive stance as you blast it repeatedly, but ultimately falls as well once you reach it.

Your friends are faring just as well, if not better than you are. There have been a few Sith Troopers in the Droid Storage area of the station, but the majority of resistance you've faced has been from these battle droids. Their strength has exclusively been in their numbers, but only slightly. You are outnumbered, but they are outmatched. Dividing their focus in the air and on the ground has allowed you to wipe through the majority of them with ease. You were on the scraps now.

Master Luna has been working on many of the droids by deflecting their blaster bolts back at them with a series of acrobatics and lightsaber defenses. Meanwhile, Limestone has been moving quickly from droid to droid and destroying them in the most ferocious way possible. Every so often, she uses Force Lightning to overload the droids and make them explode. It's quite the sight.

The rest of your friends have been handling themselves as well. Thunderlane, Lyra, and Bon Bon had been covering Rainbow, Coco, and the Apples from the small onslaught of blasterfire. However, the Sith's numbers were quickly fading. Each of your friends' shots were precise and finishing. The droids don't stand a chance against you all.

After a few minutes, the last droid falls and you are all left by yourselves among piles of scrap metal.

"That the last of 'em?" Applejack asks.

"Seems like it." You reply, deactivating your saber. "Everyone regroup."

Luna and Limestone deactivate their sabers as well, and you all congregate together.

"Is everyone alright?" Luna asks.

You give her a thumbs up while everyone else replies with the affirmative.

"Okay. Next up is Manufacturing." Limestone says, pointing to the door leading into the next area of the station. "Security should be a bit stronger there, but if we make it past that, then all that's left is Engineering." Limestone says.

"Well, security can't be any weaker there than here!" Rainbow scoffs. "This was easy!"

She's not wrong. The resistance here was extremely easy. Almost too easy. You don't like it.

As if on cue, the lights flicker off and a siren starts blaring. It is immediately followed by an automated voice repeating the phrase, "WARNING: CONTAINMENT BREACH".

That doesn't sound good.

"Containment breach?" Thunderlane asks. "What were the Sith containing?"

Limestone's eyes widen. "The fear gas..."

Oh no.

The door leading to Manufacturing slides open and, to your horror, a wall of red smoke spills into the room you're in and quickly moves towards your party.

"Look out!" You yell.

Instinctively, you shield yourself with your arms and close your eyes. You've seen what this stuff did to Cerea. You've seen the mindless savages it creates. Any second now, you'll feel the uncontrollable, irrational terror that makes you lash out and harm your friends. Possibly also yourself. There's nothing you can do.

Just as you feel the first pangs of hopelessness, Luna rushes toward the gas cloud and thrusts her hands forward. The gas appears to recoil slightly before spreading out to either side of her and moving behind you and your group. It does not make actual contact with anyone though. Luna has used the Force to create an invisible bubble around you to protect everyone.

"Master Jedi!" Applejack shouts.

Luna strains a little and grits her teeth as she focuses on keeping the gas at bay. Lyra was a bit too close to the bubble's edge, so Bon Bon pulls her away. Everyone else also quickly moves toward the Jedi.

Luna exhales sharply. "I have it! I can't keep this barrier up forever, but I have it for now. We must move through Manufacturing quickly or else my strength will fail me."

"Let me help." Limestone says. She moves beside Luna and pushes her arms outwards as well. Luna appears visibly more relaxed as Limestone assists her. Working together, the Force barrier grows slightly as more of the gas is kept at bay. "We should be able to keep it from reaching us, but even with my help, this won't last forever. We need to move."

"Can you walk and focus on keeping this bubble up at the same time?" You ask.

"Yes." Luna says. "Limestone, lead us through Manufacturing. I will be right behind you."

Limestone nods. "Got it. Everyone stick with me!"

The Jedi and ex-Sith proceed through the gas cloud while the rest of you keep up the steady pace with them. It's a bit difficult to see the path forward, but not impossible. You can still make out the shape and layout of the room you're in, it just looks like it's covered with a thick layer of red fog.

"I got a funny feelin' that this gas leak ain't a coincidence." Applejack comments, pointing her rifle into the gas.

"I agree." You reply. "Everyone keep your guard up. Defend Master Luna and Limestone."

You all proceed through the doorway leading to Manufacturing. Above the steady hum of the station's engine system, you can also hear panicked screams and yelling somewhere beyond. Along with the screams, you hear crashing, clanging, and banging in a few areas. Whoever is breathing in this stuff right now is experiencing a level of hell and horror you can't even imagine.

Coco doesn't drop her guard, but she moves closer to you. "Sunset, I'm scared." She quietly admits. You can hear the slight shake in her voice as she speaks.

You aren't angry with her. She's just a kid. This situation is making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as well. If you step outside this bubble for even a second, you'll turn feral, just like the Cereans did. You move around her so that you are between her and the barrier's edge, but you stay right by her.

"Coco, whatever you do, stay right next to me. Do you understand?" You firmly ask.

She glances at you for a moment and nods. "Yes."

"Good." You say. "We're going to be okay."

"Heads up!" Big Mac shouts.

You look to his position as he points into the gas. A figure, likely a Sith, can be seen hunched over in the gas. He's convulsing and swatting at nothing in an eccentric, deranged manner. You can hear him yelling and snarling as he battles the terrors in his head. As your group proceeds further, he snaps to face you and screeches loudly before sprinting towards you all.

Big Mac and Thunderlane both shoot at the Sith. Despite hitting him multiple times in the chest, it takes a while before he collapses on the ground. The sheer speed of his sprint makes his now lifeless body slide towards your group a little, but it stops just outside the barrier. His visor has been shattered so his face can be seen.

The one who tried to sting you has been dealt with, but you're afraid you might have just pissed off the rest of the hive. Similar screeches and yells can be heard all of the sudden somewhere else in the gas, and they're getting closer.

"Get ready!" Thunderlane shouts, reloading his weapon.

The screaming gets louder, and soon they are accompanied by the sounds of scattered footsteps. In the fog, a large number of Sith come bounding toward your group like bloodthirsty lunatics. The few Sith who are not wearing helmets are bleeding from the eyes and look enraged beyond comprehension. Their psyches are all but disintegrated at this point. You all open fire on them.

The wall of firepower from your group mows them down like grass, but for every lunatic that falls, another takes their place. It isn't just Sith coming now, it's also comprised of slaves who are equally deranged and feral. It's absolutely horrible what the Sith have done. They have completely stolen their lives, freedoms, identities, and now their humanity. What's worse is that they are forcing you to kill them. You push your morality aside for now, and continue firing into the horde. This is a kindness, at this point.

At one point, Limestone and Luna are forced to slow down and back up a few paces to keep the lunatics from entering the barrier. You consider using your flamethrower to deter them all, but quickly abandon that thought. Assuming the Force barrier doesn't prevent it from going outside, fire may not be very effective if their minds are this destroyed. For now, you remain focused on simply shooting them with your blaster.

"There's too many of them!" Bon Bon shouts.

You grit your teeth. "Converge to the front! Focus fire on the center of the horde and push forward! Rainbow, Applejack, Lyra and Bon Bon, cover our flanks!"

You move to the front of the barrier with Coco. Thunderlane and Big Mac join you. The four of you spray the horde of lunatics directly ahead of you. Rainbow and Applejack cover the right side of you all, while Lyra and Bon Bon cover the left. Limestone and Luna move the barrier forward, and you all follow with their pace. After a few seconds, you are forced to walk over or on a growing pile of bodies. You watch your step, but never slow down.

Limestone yells directions and guides you deeper into the fog. Your visibility is still poor, but after a few minutes, you can make out a large window on the right. The glowing accretion disk from the black hole outside can be seen.

Limestone grunts. "Just a little further!"

You risk a quick look back at her. You aren't sure how long it's been since you've been shooting from the safety of this Force bubble, but it has been a while. She's straining to keep it up. Master Luna is as well. She's breathing from her mouth and sweating. Neither of them will last much longer.

Something strikes your head from outside the bubble and you stumble. Coco rushes to cover you and you look into the fog. Some of the lunatics are throwing things at you. They aren't small things either, they are chairs, shackles, even desks.

You are on the verge of panic. Your group is dangerously close to being overrun. The numbers from the horde keep growing, your barrier is on the verge of collapse, and even if it wasn't, the clutter around your feet from the bodies or junk is growing. You need to clear this place out immediately.

"Sunset, what do we do?!" Coco screams.

You pant hard and look around, desperate for a solution. Applejack and Big Mac look equally terrified, if not more so. Limestone is gritting her teeth and barely able to walk with this strain. Luna takes a breath and takes the full weight of the barrier onto herself, causing the ex-Sith to go to her knees.

Then, you look at the window and get an idea. A potentially bad idea, but it's your saving grace at this point.

"Everyone hold on to something! Get away from that window!" You command.

"What are you doing?!" Thunderlane demands.

"Clearing out the clutter!"

You all move to the left, away from the window while continuing to shoot at the horde. They are not relenting at all. Eventually, you are backed into a doorway that leads further into the station. There is little resistance coming from here, so it is basically only coming from one direction now.

While everyone moves to cover and continues shooting, you prepare a wrist rocket and aim at the window. "Everyone hold on and hold your breaths!"

You stop breathing and fire. The small rocket whizzes by the horde, impacting the window that leads outside. It explodes, and a second later, all the air is sucked from inside the station and whips around you. The horde of lunatics that was making its way towards you comes to a screeching halt as they all get sucked out into the vacuum of space.

You hunker down behind the doorway with Coco, Bon Bon, Luna and Limestone. On the opposite side of the doorway is Lyra, Rainbow, Applejack, Big Mac, and Thunderlane. All of you are safe from the pull of the broken window from here."

Along with the horde of both living and dead bodies, all of the gas also hisses through the air and heads out the window. After a few seconds, the room has cleared of the red smoke and you can see again. There isn't any trace of it left.

The hallway you are in leads deeper into the station. From within, you can see a small number of slaves and Sith lunatics making their way to you with the same feral fury as before. As they approach, they are quickly overpowered by the vacuum and tumble forward before being sucked between your cover and flying outside. However, it isn't as smooth as you'd like it to be. A few of them hit their heads or a limb on the floor or the wall before they fly away. One or two of them actually hit members of your group.

Another lunatic from behind your group tumbles towards you all and hits Rainbow square in the back. She yells and falls forward a little. To your horror, she falls victim to the power of the vacuum and starts flying away.

"No!" You shout.

"Rainbow!!" Yells Applejack.

---

"AAH!!! NONONONONO!!!" You drop your weapon and scramble to grab onto something, anything to save you from flying outside, but your fingers just scrape along the floor as you fly towards the open window. Your eyes are like pinpricks as you leave the safety of the station and tumble out into space.

Everything instantly gets much quieter once you are outside. Not completely, as the air from within the station is still exiting around you, but you can't hear much. You look to your feet. There is nothing separating you from the endless gravity of the black hole you are orbiting other than hundreds of kilometers of emptiness.

You are about to die.

Suddenly, you feel someone grab you from behind and spin around. Thunderlane holds you tight in one arm while firing his whipcord at the station, anchoring himself into the durasteel. You hold onto him for dear life as he stops you both from flying any further into space. The both of you dangle and flail around as the air from within the station whips around you. He activates his jetpack and retracts his whipcord, slowly making his way back inside with you. His grip is like a vice. He is not letting go of you no matter what. After a few seconds, you are able to reach out and touch the station again, but you don't let go of him.

"Grab them! Hurry!"

From inside, Sunset, Lyra, and Bon Bon fire their whipcords at you from behind cover, ensnaring Thunderlane's arm, and pull you both in. Once you are both safe behind the doorway, Limestone shuts the doors and the vacuum stops. You both collapse and fall onto the ground.

You are panting hard and fogging up your visor from the inside. Thunderlane moves you to your back and rips your helmet off. He takes his off as well and looks at you with relief and fear in his eyes.

"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash are you okay?!" He yells.

You just stare at him, too stunned to speak, but nod quickly.

He exhales and hugs you tightly. "I thought we were gonna lose you..."

You hug him back, but say nothing. Other than shock and terror, your emotions are still catching up with you. After a long time, you feel the first pangs of relief rush over you and it drives you to tears.

You look at him as you realize you almost died. You almost actually died, but he rescued you. It is apparent to you now that you don't want to be anywhere or do anything without him by you.

"Thank you." You sniffle and squeeze him tighter. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Without thinking, you plant a kiss on his cheek and continue thanking him profusely, letting your emotions run free.

"You're welcome, Rainbow." He says as he holds you and pats your back. He says nothing else, he just comforts you.

Tears of joy and gratitude stream down your cheeks as you sob and hold him tight. You bring your legs to your body in an attempt to get even closer to him. You feel like such a sap for crying and being all clingy like this, but you don't care. You are safe. You don't want to go anywhere without him ever again.

---

You exhale as Thunderlane and Rainbow make it inside. That was too close. She looks okay, but she's crying and holding onto him for dear life. Thunderlane says nothing, but he looks at you and nods. She's fine.

You turn to everyone else. "Is everyone okay?"

They all acknowledge, despite looking very roughed up. Whoever isn't on their knees still hunkered down behind cover is actually sitting on the floor.

Applejack has removed her hat and is resting her head against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Big Mac is leaning against the wall next to her. Luna and Limestone are both exhausted as well. Keeping that barrier up as long as they did in the midst of all that chaos had to be rough.

Bon Bon is comforting Lyra who both look exhausted as well. Coco has removed her helmet and is sitting against the wall trying to catch her breath. All of you need a break.

"How much further?" Applejack asks.

Limestone points down the hallway you're currently in. "Not far. It's just down here."

That's a relief. You're not in the mood for any more of this for a while.

"We're almost there, guys." You say. "Let's catch our breath for a few minutes. We've just been through hell, so we need it. Once we've recuperated, we'll continue."

Everyone nods and visibly slumps where they are, like they were waiting for permission to relax. You look back to Thunderlane and Rainbow. Neither of them have moved, but they're both okay. His eyes are closed and he's rocking her back and forth softly in his arms. She's still crying, although not as hard anymore. She's going to be okay.

You head to a wall and set your back to it, letting yourself slide to the floor. Oh, how badly you want to fall asleep right now, but you resist the temptation. This wasn't even the worst part of this mission. That was in Anon's capable hands.

Your mind wanders to him. Hopefully, whatever he's doing, he's okay...

---

Apart from the soft hum of the lift rising to the observation platform, the ascent was silent. None of you said anything else on your way up. Not even Pinkie.

You look at her. She's blankly staring ahead like she's lost in a trance. You've seen that look on her face before when she's worried or unsure about something. She had that same look on Khar Delba when she sensed the strength of the Dark Side's presence around her. You can only imagine how strong it is here now. The Dark Lord of the Sith himself is minutes away.

The lift starts to slow down as it reaches its destination. This is it.

You take another deep breath as the doors open in front of you. With the grip on your weapon held tight, you proceed forward. This room is large and spacious. There are Sith artifacts and memorabilia cluttered around you. A massive obsidian obelisk is among them. It is marked in the Sith language, saying something you can't begin to guess what.

Directly ahead, up a small flight of stairs, you see a man in a dark, red cape. His back is turned to you. He's watching the black hole outside as it spills an ominous red light into the room. You don't need to be Force-sensitive to feel the evil coming off of him.

Maud breathes once and grips her saber. It is not ignited. You and her walk side-by-side together as you all climb the stairs and approach Darth Sombra.

"Amazing what a little fear can do, isn't it?" Sombra booms.

You all approach Sombra and stop walking, focused and ready for anything.

He continues. "Cover one little planet with just a little bit of gas, and everyone loses their minds."

"Why?" You demand.

He pauses before turning his head to look at you slightly, his piercing red-yellow eyes making contact with yours. "Why?"

You glare at him, your angry expression hidden behind your helmet.

He smirks and faces you completely. "To find you, Anonymous."

Your eyebrows shoot up a little in surprise. You? Why you?

"You are the galaxy's last hope. You and your little band. The galaxy's desperation has brought you here with the hope that you can stop me; that you can prevent my usurpation. It is a vain hope, but it is hope nonetheless." He explains. "That fear is what I crave. The Dark Side is fueled by fear, as I am fueled by the Dark Side. What I have received has not yet been enough, however... True fear exists only when all hope...is lost." He gives you a sinister, toothy grin as he grabs a lightsaber from his belt. "So your being here is exactly what I want. When I kill you, then the galaxy will truly know fear."

You squeeze your weapon tight. Maud's lightsaber activates beside you. She's ready. You all are.

"That's not going to happen." You growl.

"Hold fast to that hope to the very end, Mandalorian. Your fear only makes me stronger." He chuckles darkly before activating his red lightsaber as well. "Now... Show me what you've got."

Author's Note:

Yes, I ship them.