Private A New Life

[Sorr Kortu]

"Working on it," Holding to Tia's hand tightly, Sorr surveyed the now burning crane. The four men who were firing at them were spiraled onto the floor unconscious. Rory on the other hand was missing, did he get crushed under the crane? Even though he betrayed Sorr, Rory didn't deserve to die. To Sorr no one deserved to die and the thought of having someone's blood on his hands was.... distressing even if he was defending himself.

Sorr shook his head still gripping Tia's hand. "Looks like the coast is clear," Sorr said. "There's definitely more than one exit, we just need to find it."

He began to drag his feet carefully sidestepping the knocked out mercs. "There has to be a Holocomputer somewhere," Sorr said. "It contains a schematic of the building let's look around."

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

“Wish we had an astromech to unlock the elevator,” Tiaza murmured loud enough for Sorr to hear, but mostly it was to herself. ‘Surprised Hilal didn’t assign one of the droids to watch my back. I guess she just trusted me not to be stupid. Probably won’t make that mistake again.’

The young Chiss looked over the scene. Blasters, spaceships, droids, none of that stuff made any sense to Tiaza so she wouldn’t be able to tell if anything like that was around to be of use. A Holocomputer however was a different machine altogether. Not that she was an expert by any means. She could hack through anything password protected, but she needed a Holocomputer to edit and distribute her music so at least she knew what she was looking for.

Her eyes lit up and she squeezed Sorr’s hand tightly. “Will that do?” she asked, pointing at what she was pretty sure was a holoterminal. What information it contained was another question. But only one way to find out.​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"Ah Holoterminal!" Sorr said running towards the place. "Good eye Tia!" Letting go of her hand, Sorr began to type rapidly hoping that the Holoterminal wouldn't be password protected. He considered himself a techno whiz capable of slicing in many networks even the GADF battlenet one time during the Stygnan Campaign. Sorr accessed private messages from the GADF higher ups including various war crimes that the NJO committed during the War.

"Ah good no password!" Sorr said accessing the Unix system. "I'm in! Let's see......." Sorr squinted trying to search for the schematics. "There's an exit a few feet away!" Sorr said smiling. "Put on your hat Tia! We're getting out of here!"

Why did he feel that it wasn't going to be easy though?

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags:

Of course Sorr was right to work at the terminal. She forgot all of his scholastic accomplishments he had mentioned in the chaos of the last few minutes. In no time he declared that he had found an exit and told Tiaza to put her hat on. She nodded and did what she was asked, very ready to get out of this dock.

“Most people call me Tiaza,” she revealed, assuming the attackers were not in a position to take note and/or action on the information at the moment. “But I’d like it if you kept calling me Tia. It’s a little more familiar. And since you just saved my bacon. I’m pretty sure we’re at least going to have to be friends.”

Even though she was feeling quite excited to have this all behind them, she sensed a bit of hesitation in Sorr and slowed her own thoughts to think things through. ‘Where did the main bad guy go? Rory?’ She scanned the area moving quite close to Sorr almost hugging his arm this time as she let him lead the way to the exit.​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"Tiaza," Sorr smiled. "That's a lovely name well I'm pretty sure you've heard my surname by Rory but I am Sorr of House Kortu." He continued to walk while looking away. "I come from Alderaan in the Inner Core just some rich kid who just wanted some control in his life."

The young man looked around the large dock seeing many crates stacked on one another. He wondered what they've held, considering that Rory wanted to be here probably smuggled goods. "My Dad wouldn't pay a credit to retrieve me," Sorr said. "He thinks that I'll eventually come home and say that I've built some character."

Sorr smiled when Tiaza said that they could be friends. "You're the only one besides my brother who's nice to me." He said. "Of course we can be friends I'm just happy you're not mad at me for getting roped up in this mess."

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

Tiaza tisked and waved a hand at Sorr. “Don’t be silly. I coulda let you come down here on your own and still been sitting in that cantina. You probably would have done better with useless me to worry about.”

She blushed a little as she wondered what Sorr was really capable of. He seemed so unsure of himself, but he’d handled this attack so well. “I’m sorry that your father seems so disconnected from what you want. I admit I’ve not heard his name, but I’ve heard of Alderaan. Though to be fair I’m pretty sure that smuggling is a career that most in the Galactic Alliance frown upon.” She gave a light giggle and grabbed his hand again unconsciously as they headed for the exit Sorr had found.

“As I’m sure you can guess I was from Csilla,” Tiaza started telling him more about herself. “My father shipped me and my sister off world before the Brotherhood attacked. My sister says dad made it off world before it was destroyed, but mom was an officer. Good thing about getting out of the Chiss Space you get a bit more freedom. I started to really sing and now I’m touring the Mid Rim as a headliner.”

She looked around the dock at all the crates. “So you think this stuff was what you were supposed to be smuggling? Where’s the ship you were going to fly? Or do you think this was always a set up?”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"I mean It was hard to guess where you came from," Sorr chuckled at Tiaza. "Could've sworn I thought you were from Dantooine," he sighed remembering that Csilla was destroyed by the Brotherhood. "S-sorry for that joke," Sorr said looking away from Tiaza. "I didn't mean to light of what happened to your home planet. What the Brotherhood did to your people was awful."

Another reason why Sorr decided to leave, the Brotherhood were relentless they attacked Coruscant and took over a few planets in GA space. Sorr didn't want to wait until he was next and ran away as soon as he could. However, a part of Sorr felt like he was a coward abandoning the Alliance, abandoning his family even if they couldn't care less about him? What kind of person was he? "That's great," Sorr said. "You'll have a more enriching life than I will as a Smuggler."

He sighed. "Can't wait to be alone again." Sorr mumbled as they were halfway to the door.

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

"If a smuggler's life was not for you, I don't think you would have run away in order to make it," Tiaza said hoping he would see the wisdom in it. "You don't have to be alone right away. I have ten days til my next show.

They were almost through the door. Just a few steps further and this ordeal was done for. "You can't give up because of one bad outcome. You handled yourself great and kept me alive. And it was your first gun fight."

She squeezed his hand and leaned her shoulder into his, "You just need a new plan. I'd help you get a ship, but I am sure that would be above the spending limit Sap sets for me."​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

Sorr gulped when Tiaza told him to come up with a new plan, he was so fixated on becoming a Smuggler he didn't think of plan B, plan C, plan D, or so on. After spending months of research trying to come with ways to get away from his family, Rory was the first person who offered Sorr a new start and a somewhat stable plan. Sorr was just so excited to have an adventure that he didn't plan things out. "I guess," Sorr said. "But I was so enamored at the prospect of being Smuggler."

He shrugged. "You know? Like the Holovids when we were kids." Sorr said while Tiaza leaned her head against his shoulder. His stomach churned while Tiaza did that. Did she like Sorr? Like, like him like him? It felt that way but maybe it was a Chiss thing being intimate with people like a Zeltron. "After this, I need to leave immediately." Sorr said. "I'm pretty sure Rory's handlers want my head."

Just as they were about to reach the exit, an alarm blared in the Dock. Sorr wrapped his arm around Tiaza allowing her to place her head on his chest. "You're not leaving so easily Sorr!" Rory yelled from the intercom as Droids began to slowly approach the pair armed with Blaster Pistols.

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

Tiaza instantly felt bad when Sorr responded. She didn't want him to not be a smuggler, just to find a new way to be one. He was incredibly smart and capable. She imagined someone saying she couldn't be a singer and how sad that would make her.

Tiaza panicked when the alarms went off and then moved to hide behind Sorr when the droids and Rory appeared. "Looks like you need to leave faster than you thought.

"Hope you have some brilliant shot in that blaster of yours," she added. "Or some smuggler's luck."​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"You think I was going to let you go so easily?!" Rory roared as more Droids poured out and began firing at Sorr and Tiaza. "Think again kid! I was going ransom you off to your pops but you're becoming a nuisance!"

Sorr grabbed Tiaza's hand and went to cover holding his blaster pistol up close. "I'll deliver you back to your pops don't worry!" Rory said as the Droids slowly advanced firing as they did so. "In a body bag!"

The young man took a deep breath and shot at the incoming Droids. One blaster shot pierced one of the droid's head, it crumbled to the floor melted headfirst malfunctioning in the process. Another blaster bolt hit another Droid on the torso immediately shutting it down. "There's just too many!" Sorr moaned before looking around. "I really messed up this time!"

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags:

The droids had any exit through the shit down elevator or the newly discovered exit shut off. Rory it seemed was now quite angry and wasn't willing to take hostages.

"If you kill him you won't get anything for me!" Tiaza yelled out bravely toward Rory.

"You need to think of something quick," she then whispered to Sorr. "He might consider how to best take me, but I am guessing he has had his fill of you. You need to come up with a plan out of this dock. Maybe off Ord Mantell altogether? You can do it.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"Oh I'll spare you sweetheart!" Rory yelled while the Droids slowly inched towards the crate that Tiaza and Sorr have been hiding behind. "There's word of a newly formed Hutt Syndicate! They've been looking for slave dancers especially young ones!"

"Rory won't take you," Sorr whispered to Tiaza though his hands were shaking to the point where the young man had to use both of his hands to grip his Blaster Pistol. "I-I'll make sure of that."

Gulping, Sorr peeked from the corner of the crate trying to look for something, anything to get rid of these Droids. His gaze fell upon an electric cannister used to power up the cranes in the dock. Smiling a bit, immediately fired on the cannister causing an electrical explosion. Many of the Droids began to malfunction stopping dead in their tracks electricity frying their circuits. "This way!" Sorr spotted a small gap between the large crates and motioned Tiaza to follow him.

"You're not leaving that easily kid!" Rory shouted.

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

"I'm worth way more than th…" Tiaza cut off her very annoyed comment. He wanted to sell her as a slave that was enough to achieve her goal. Letting him know who she really was was unnecessary.

Sorr promised to keep her safe and that brought a smile to the young Chiss' face. Sorr still seemed nervous despite how well he had done so far keeping her safe. Tiaza felt bad. "I know you will keep me safe," she responded.

His next move was something out of the smuggler's hand book. A shot to a canister that disabled most of their attackers. "Yes! You did it!" She called out only to be led off. They were on the run again it was just a matter of time before they got away.​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

There were four Droids that remained unaffected by the electrical surge, their targeting systems were locked on to Sorr and Tiaza and immediately opened fire. Blaster bolts whizzed by Sorr as he desperately fired back. "Get in between the crates!" Sorr shouted continuing to fire on the Droids. Many of his shots barely grazed the incoming Droids. He was shooting like a drunk who grabbed a Blaster for the first time, one of the blaster bolts didn't come close to hitting any of the Droids.

"Hologames are not real life," Sorr mumbled as one of the shots from the Droids nearly grazed him. Taking one last shot which predictably missed, Sorr between the crates trying his best shimmy through. "All right!" Sorr said. "We need to the main power! That's where Rory must be controlling the Droids! If we can get to him, than we can unlock all the exits in this dock!"

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

Ducking as best she could between crates, Tiaza tried her best to figure out where the danger was still coming from. There seemed to be droids still shooting and there was also still Rory out there.

Sorr kept firing, but didn't seem to be having a whole lot of luck. Then he said they needed to get to Rory to some main power. Tiaza might have known a holocomputer when she saw it, but main power to a star dock? That she wasn't going to help with. If Rory was guarding it though… "Looks like we might be able to squeeze through those two crates and get to Rory. If you think so I am right behind you. We're almost out," she encouraged him. "You're doing awesome. Going to make a great smuggler."​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

Sorr continued to shimmy through the small gap between the grates. Tiaza's encouragement still surprised Sorr but part of him still felt that the praise wasn't genuine. But even if it wasn't, Sorr still appreciated it all the same. "That's the plan!" Sorr said hearing the loud clanking of the remaining Droids closing in on the gap. "Hold on your to hat! We're almost there!"

The two of them got out of the crate with Sorr sprinting towards the control room. It was a small shack behind some barrels and crates. "What the hell do you think you're doing kid?!" Rory yelled. "Like I said, this place is gonna be your tomb!"

More Droids about 10 of them came from the right side of the room and began to open fire. "Get down!" Sorr got to cover clutching his Pistol and taking a deep breath. "Man I need to know how to shoot!" He mumbled. "I'm screwing up!"

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

They made it through the crates. Sorr thought that Rory was at the control room, which was a good deduction. If your last line of defense is a group of droids best to be close to where they get their orders and power.

As Sorr led them out of the cover of the crates, Tiaza's shirt caught on the edge of one and a foot landed wrong as they rushed forward. Despite the pain in her ankle, Tiaza almost laughed at the request to hold onto her hat.

Then the second wave of droids came. Sorr rushed for cover, but Tiaza froze for a moment. A blaster bolt quickly changed that and she started moving but her ankle buckled. She couldn't keep up with Sorr and just looked for the first bit of cover she could find. She barely made it behind some apparatus that she was unsure of. Turns out it was the landing gear of a ship.

Again she almost laughed at Sorr's insulting his own marksmanship. It was true he was not hitting much, but in her opinion he was doing quite well. "Learn to shoot quick or learn to run fast. Seems like there are more and more droids coming," Tiaza teased hoping he would hear that in the tone of her voice.​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

Sorr whipped around just in time to see Tiaza limping. "Oh no....." he whispered his eyes becoming wet with tears. The Chiss was hurt and it was all his fault. Blaster bolts went flying everywhere one of them grazing Sorr's cheek, he gave out a cry of pain shuffling away from the side of the crate the was hiding behind.

"Ow, ow, ow...." The pain of the blaster bolt.... it was a brief sting but it felt like someone placed a tab of lava against his cheek. Sorr could also feel the hear the violent whistle of the bolt as his injured cheek began to flare up stinging constantly. "Why did I make this stupid, stupid choice?" Sorr mumbled to himself. "I don't want to do this anymore, I want to go home."

He took one last glance at Tiaza his heart began to flutter. No.... he can't give in to despair. Like his Dad said, your choices make you who you are. However Sorr can make the right choice and that is protecting Tiaza, closing his eyes Sorr peeked out from the left side of the crate scanning the area for options. As his eyes darted around, he saw a 6 cannisters containing Carbonite gas.

"Awesome," Sorr smiled. "Carbornite gas reacts to heat with a blaster bolt....."

The young man did a side roll the Droids began to spray Sorr with blaster fire each bolt barely missing him. Though he was completely vulnerable, Sorr wasn't paying attention to the incoming Droids, he didn't pay attention to Rory laughing at him. Sorr was aiming directly at the middle of the cannisters. "Come on aim....." Sorr whispered. "You've failed me multiple times but don't fail me now."

He fired three shots, each on penetrating the cannister as it began to blow up creating a large explosion which froze all of the Droids in the process. "Whew!" Sorr felt the adrenaline leave him his stomach started to churn. "I don't believe it....."

Vletti'azan'uosus

 

[Vletti'azan'uosus]

Location: Ord Mantell
Tags: Sorr Kortu

Tiaza was rubbing her ankle attempting to see if she would be able to make it over to Sorr when she heard him yelp out in pain. Her head snapped up to see what had happened. She couldn’t tell, but it looked like he was ok. Their eyes locked for a moment and she gave him a warm smile. This meeting has been a roller coaster ride for certain. Calm but very nice dancing, a bit of talking and then this whole situation. She didn’t have the slightest idea how they were going to get out of it, but something told her Sorr would make it happen.

Then Sorr was off looking around for options, she assumed. Tiaza tried to look in the same direction as Sorr was, but she probably wouldn’t have been able to form the plan in Sorr’s head even if she had a better perspective of the “battlefield”. The young Chiss could not see Sorr’s face any longer, but something told her that he had figured out the next step in his plan.

Moments later Sorr rolled out from the cover of the crates, blaster bolts lashed out at him, barely missing. Then Sorr shot, Tiaza couldn’t for the life of her figure out what he was aiming at as she saw the bolts jump from his blaster. A moment later there was an explosion and all the droids, well they stopped.

Tiaza struggled to her feet again and tried to limp over to make sure that Sorr was ok, and that they were closer to escaping this horrible situation. She guessed Rory would still be there, but wondered what their attacker would do now that he didn’t have any back up. “Sorr. You did it again!” she yelled out as she thought again about trying to join Sorr with Rory out there. “I knew you could. Are you ok? I thought you said Ow?”​