Birds of a Feather

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Broken arms were not good. Ellie was no doctor, or healer. Much unlike the stories of her Mother she had heard, she had no force abilities either. She was just a pilot, a delivery girl and a freelancer. She'd never dealt with broken arms or anything like that. Still she had a little knowledge on what one was supposed to do.

"Not good. C'mere let me look at it."

She opened her backpack, digging out her datapad and the small medkit she kept in there. She typed, "How to fix broken arm." And let the datapad go to work, scouring the holonet...

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Echo comes over to her and her arm is bent the complete wrong way with the bone sticking out

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Eliza gasped. A bone sticking out was the worst thing that could happen to someone. The arm was definitely destroyed, beyond anything she could treat on top of a roof in the broad burning sunlight and the dirt. Infection was a nasty killer, she'd once had a cut get infected and it'd almost cost her a hand. That was her Freighter days, flying for the Chazwa shipping Company, folks who didn't care about your health.

"That's bad Echo, really bad!"

She fumbled around, biting her lip nervously. The syringe was in here somewhere, it had painkillers in it. Finally she found it and shot it straight into her arm, numbing the whole thing. Next she reached in unwinding a long bandage and wrapping the wound gently. The bone couldn't be moved, that was for a medical professional.

Hospitals on Tatooine were not even a thing really.

"We gotta get to the Palace. The Hutt, he might have a medic, that's the best I can do for you Echo. Can you walk? Do you still feel the pain?"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"I-I'll be alright I can walk and the arm is numb." Echo says keeping her cool not looking at the bulge in the bandage because if she did she would go into shock for sure

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

"Alright, I'm pretty sure it's this way, c'mon lets go!"

She lead Echo across the roof tops, jumping from roof to roof as they moved. It was critical for her not to be spotted delivering the datachips. She'd already stirred up enough trouble as it was and was not in need of any more. As she moved she thought about a great many things. Like why she even quit the Chazwa shipping Company. She was broke now, with no funds, and barely any food on the regular.

On top of that she was lonely. She hadn't even so much as flirted with another boy in like two years since she'd left. All her focus was on surviving, finding the next job. That's what this was too, another job for another job. Another credit to convert to food and stack in her gut.

After a short time they reached the Palace, at the edge of the city.

"Hey stop a second. These folks know me, they don't know you. If you act any sort of out of line they'll kill you, and probably try to kill me too. Just play it cool ok? I'll ask when we get inside if there's a med droid to look at your arm."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Oh OK." Echo says waiting for Ellie to move first. The bandage had become soaked with blood. Echo became light headed

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

"Hang in there, c'mon we gotta get down."

Eliza was able to help her get down the ladder for the most part. The Zorchla's palace on the other hand was a bit of a problem. As they approached several B-1 Battle Droids approached, snapping their weapons from their backs and pointing them at Ellies face. For a brief second she felt her gut drop, and imagined pulling her Westar to blast them away.

Then a familiar voice broke the stand-off.

"Ellie!"

"Yes that's me!"

A Twi'lek emerged, dressed in all black and with a toothy grin.

"I'm Ralan, your contact who asked you to deliver the eh.... well you do have them girl, do you not?"

Ralan raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes I have them."

She pulled the chips from her pocket, showing them to Ralan and then palming them with an iron fist.

"You're not getting a thing until I get assurances though."

Ralan crossed his arms, peering down his alien nose at her.

"You are so insolent girl, what do you want Ellie? We already have the credits to pay you."

"It's her." Ellie hooked a thumb towards Echo.

"She's hurt. I know most of you guys have a medical droid to help the bounty hunters and stuff. She needs medical attention, and then we need to discuss something else."

"What else?"

"Do you want the chips?"

"Yes girl, give them here."

"Assurances."

Ralan rolled his eyes, snapping his fingers to make the droids back off.

"Of course, We will take her in. Come on, Zorchla is waiting for you."

He waved and then stalked off towards the doors.

Eliza nodded, putting the chips back in her pocket and grabbing Echo by her good arm.

"Stay close."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As this conversation went down Echo stood there twirling her hair and seeing life in a daze. She saw everything but didn't comprehend any of it. it was only Ellie's voice that came through the haze and that was only momentarily. Echo allowed Ellie to lead her

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Ralan was good to his word. As they entered a medical droid was waiting and took Echo away to the lab to heal her arm. Between bacta and a few surgeries, it should have been good within the hour. Ellie was not so lucky as to have a simple medical visit though. she had to deal with Zorchla, whom was a veritable pig.

As she approached the main chamber she could smell the spice and stim's in the air. Zorchla was slimy and greasy, just like any other hutt. Before him he had three other Twi'lek women chained to him, dancing for their lives lest they be killed. There was a reeking smell too, one that almost made her vomit.

There was a dead Twi'lek woman on the floor. Ellie was caught in the maelstrom, between emotions of pity and tears and blind fury at the sight of the dead woman. She'd known slavery was still alive out here, but not to this extent.

"Your Excellency I pr-"

"I'm Ellie you slimeball! Who's that!" She shrieked, pointing to the dead Twi'lek on the ground. A single hole smoked in her head, where she'd been hit by a blaster bolt.

"Ellie."

"Shut up. Why is she dead? Is this how you treat people around here?"

Her hand dipped to her Westar. For the first time in her life the young spacer felt the urge to really do some damage, to place a blaster bolt right between the Hutt's eye's.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Echo got to the lab she found they were not good to their word instead she was placed on a table and then the droid came at her with a saw. Long story short the droid ended up disabled and Echo wound up giving herself a plaster cast before going to find Ellie

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Echo emerged, just as Ellie drew her Westar, going on pure impulse and pointed it towards the Hutt. Gammorean gaurds swept in in an instant. she was enraged and would not be stopped. Ellies thing fingers slipped into the trigger and she snapped the muzzle right, squeezing off two shots, and then left, letting another two loose.

Rage made her face hot and bright red, her hands trembled as she reset the aim on the Hutt. The pigs crumpled and fell to the ground, dull thuds marking their deaths. The Palace exploded with activity as guns were drawn and Merc's and Bounty Hunter Alike turned on one another.

Some were on Ellies side, having seen enough of the Hutt's antics.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!!!" Ralan screamed, drawing his own E-11 and pointing it in Ellies face with one hand.

She was angry and brushed it off, returning the favor by reaching out and grabbing the Twi'lek by his lekku with a lighting fast snatch.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Ellei shoved the gun in his mouth, before he even knew what happened.

"You'll give me double what the Chips are worth, Or I kill him!"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"How bout I shoot the huge scumbag and we take the money ourselves." Echo says putting her gun up to the side of his head.

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Despite her itching trigger finger and her fury Ellie knew better. killing the Hutt would unleash a whole new can of worms for them to deal with. As it fell they already had to go back through Black Sun territory to get to the Ship. Which gave her a much better idea. She Bounty Hunters seemed mostly on her side, not very keen with the Hutt.

She wouldn't dare kill him, but he didn't know that. All he knew was he had a livid teenage girl leading an armed uprising right in his throne room.

"New Deal, triple what their worth and an armed escort back to my ship. I caught the attention of the suns on the way in. I don't feel like dealing with them."

Ellie shoved the barrel of the Westar deeper in the twi'leks throat, making him choke on it to hammer home the point.

"Make your choice!"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Echo's gun did not waver from the side of the hutt's head nor did her finger come off of the trigger. She held the gun steady and waited for an answer from the hutt

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

After a tense few minutes the Hutt spoke, golden 3po unit translating for him.

"The Mighty Zorchla the Hutt say's he agree's to your terms. He claims you are his type of scum, fearless and inventive. He offers a hundred thousand credit reward if you can bring his business associates a copy of the Datachips."

Ellie's eyebrow went up. Fearless? Inventive? Hardly, she was just a desperate pilot down on her luck. Her stomach growled and she was hungry nearly every night. Ration bars only did so much to quell the pain of that.

"I want half up front, as insurance."

The Hutt boomed again, again translated.

"Agreed."

"Good bring the credits, then I release the Twi'lek!"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Echo was in the same boat as Ellie as she had not eaten in weeks. She maintained her gun position. She would keep it there till the money was brought

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

The Credits were delivered, handed to Ellie in a bag. With a snort she pulled the gun free of Ralan's mouth and kicked him, sending him rolling across the floor. The Westar came to aim at the floor and she pocketed the bag, producing the credit chips as her partner in crime held the gun to the Hutt's head. There were two datachip's. What Zorchla didn't know was that she had a copy herself, kept tucked away on the Crop Duster.

"Get me the copies."

Two Bounty Hunters lowered their weapons as the situation diffused, mercs and hunters alike returning to their drinks, at this point not interested in the quarrel any more. Several of the Hunters fell in beside Ellie, weapons slightly raised.

"You got balls kid. We'll take you back to your ship when you're finished. Dont worry about the Sun's. They got debts to pay."

Ellie Kept silent, waiting for Ralan to climb his greasy behind off the floor and her and her the copies.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Echo moved her gun and made her way to Ellie as she did she kicked Ralan

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Echo Kora"]

Ralan snatched the chips from her hand and Ellie was handed the copies and new set of instructions sealed in an envelope. With credits and job she was more than happy. She was elated and turned and smirked at Echo. They'd have to make a detour to Theed to get her arm checked out. Besides the rest of the trip would bring them to Coruscant, the heart fo the One Sith.

Close by, sort of.

"Cmon girl, lets go."

They headed out, flanked by the bounty Hunters towards her ship. Along the way she picked up two kabob’s of beef, giving Echo one and mucnhing one down herself like and animal. Meat juice and sauce was all over her face.

"What happened? Thought they were gonna fix your arm?" She asked between wolf like bites.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Waco droid tried to kill me." Echo says taking wolf like bites as well.

[member="Eliza Raxis"]