Labyrinth

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

With a swish of headtails he turned and rushed down to the next level of the stairs. He looked over the railing. The next exit from the stairwell was a good few levels down. Turning his had he couldn't hear anyone else further down it.

The angry red sigil seemed to convey a message of violence on its own. He walked past it back towards Mirax. She seemed to be studying him intently. Probably trying to piece together what he was doing. Truthfully he wasn't certain himself. What he was certain of was that they did have to move before the blue haired gangsters found a way around.

"We go...we head down. Have a friend. Well, contact. If we are in another gang's territory den we haf to move quickly but quiet." His eyes fell upon Skreech. "Can't take dese stairs all de way. Gotta keep off de main routes and hope to sneak by. Might lose dat lot." He jerked his thumb towards the sealed door after speaking quickly. They didn't seem to have been burdened with an overabundance of intelligence and might blunder into trouble in the chase.

"Do yuh need help?" He asked plainly. Either she needed his help to get down the stairs quickly or she didn't. Going slowly wasn't an option.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

"Aiy can valk." it was less pride and more an assessment of her own injuries that had Mirax tell Xin so. It wasn't the hole in her belly that had her leaning against the bulkhead; it had been the increasing stress levels that could very well cause the Felacatian to shift again. That was why she'd told him to head on forward. If she shifted, well, it was easier to do what needed to be done on her own than having him gape at her again.

Well, that was if she didn't pass out afterward again.

Taking a deep breath, the woman brought her head up. Her arm gave a shift, the bracelet jingling again. The warmth of Xin's jacket keeping a measure of modesty. Her tail gave a sudden twitch in pensive thoughts.

He came back.

Mirax didn't think he would. She thought he'd go on after Skreetch. But he didn't. Staring up at the Nautolan, she added,

It was a small concession. A token of gratitude.

"Mirax." she added, pushing herself off the bulkhead.

"Names Mirax."

Capable of staying on her own two feet, the Felacatian felt the stirrings of stress wane. Well, as much as they could. They had to get down. Skreech gave a flutter of his emerald tuff at the top of his head as if in line with Mirax's and Xin's thoughts.

"Escape. Run. Now!" he squawked, bounding ahead down the stairs to lead.

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

"No worries."

The nautolan said it as if coming back for her had been second nature. The truth was it hadn't been. Even now he was thinking about why he had done so. He told himself that if he had known the gangsters were so close that he would have gone on alone. She was wounded. He could look after himself and had a better chance alone. Relying on others never went well.

Xin followed after the monkey lizard. As small and quick as it was if it rounded a corner into trouble it would probably avoid being immediately shot. The same wasn't true for him. He took the stairs and exit into a large corridor more carefully.

Their pursuit wasn't coming quietly. He could hear their shouts somewhere to the left. Skreech had already turned right and bounded along. It turned and bounced on the spot impatiently.

"Not down the main corridors!" Xin hissed.

The creature bounded ahead into flickering lights and shadows and vanished. Xin turned to check that Mirax was close and jigged after it. A few yards along and he came to a halt. There was no sign of it. Then the little tuft appeared from the shadows barely a few metres from where he stood.

"Here, quick!" It hissed. Xin realised it had found and disappeared down a ventilation shaft.

"No!" Xin whispered back. "Just a side corridor. I didn't meant that," he said, assuming Skreech had misunderstood him.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

[SIZE=9pt]“He don’t care vhat ya mean.” Mirax’s gruff voice came from behind the Nautolan. Mild amusement in the dire straights still managed to glow in her gold eyes. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“He only knows vere best to go.” if that meant a ventilation shaft, then that is what it would be. With approaching footsteps impending to spur on the necessity, Mirax brought her hand up and gave Xin’s arm a push. Well, more of a nudge. When he still stared at her with those swirly eyes and twitching head tails, Mirax swore under her breath. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Come on.” she added, putting the blaster’s safety on and tucking it in her pants. Hopefully that wouldn’t fall. Hands came up, that shock of orange hair swinging. Ignoring the fact that she was still covered in caked blood, there was a measure of sense in her urging. Tail twitching and a grunt, the Felacatian went into the shaft. Dust and all matter of rat fecal matter littered the ventilation shaft, prompting a curl of Mirax’s nose. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Her tail gave a visible flick and twitch in irritation, almost smacking the Nautolan on the face. Up ahead, the Kowakian Monkey lizard’s voice echoed, “Hurry! Come!” before skittering further into the ventilation shafts depths.[/SIZE]

 

[Xin Boa]

“Right,” Xin muttered to himself. “Always knows where to go best.”

With his back to the shaft he turned and aimed his pistol down each direction. The gang in pursuit was making such a noise and in these winding corridors it was hard to tell from where.

The Glie44 was holstered and he dropped to his knees and went after the pair. He could complain but it wasn't the worst idea. That perhaps required stretching the assumption that this led somewhere other than a dead end.

The floor of the vent was filthy but he had been through worse today. They didn't know if the danger was ahead of them or behind them. With the blue-haired crew coming in numbers there was a chance the gang who owned this territory would turn up sooner or later. Perhaps keeping off the main walkways was the best option for now.

Xin tilted his head back as that tail nearly flicked his face again. They turned a tight corridor. It was difficult to maneuver his shoulders around it. Without his jacket the raw metal joins scraped his arm, but he reminded himself that he hadn't been skewered yet. And that the gang might just decide to skin him alive for fun if they were caught.

The next stretch had more light filtering in from grills on their side. Trying to avoid looking down at what they were crawling through he looked ahead. The swishing tail distracted his gaze. Then he realised that the shapely and distinctly feminine pair of legs were even more so. Those trousers had been torn badly in the transformation and didn't quite cover her modesty. Before he could tell himself that is wasn't right to be looking - the thought hadn't even crossed his mind during the escape when she was in his arms - a beak and tuft of fur appeared on her back.

“Hurra-oi!” It went. Xin's eyes darted downwards but he heard the monkey lizard chattering.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

[SIZE=9pt]“What is it?” the thick voice of the Felacatian went growling out low, turning towards the Kowakian-lizard monkey as he gave an incessant chatter. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Shussh[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]! You’ll lead ‘em straight towards us.” Mirax warned, her large gold eyes drawing wide as they can be. There was low light in the vent, but Mirax’s eyes were naturally able to pick up and see in low light. Turning her head back around, Mirax gave a furrow of her brow. She could barely make out the Nautolan just as her tail went flicking the air by his right cheek. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Whatch’ doin’ gettin’ ‘im all stirred up?” she already had an issue with the wound in her belly, she didn’t need another by having to wonder just what was going on back as well as forwards. Not that there was time to answer. Just ahead there would be a sudden dip, almost prompting the Felacatian to fall forward. Her head immdiately went snapping forward again. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“There’s a dip. Gonna have to slide down.” Mirax told him. From there, maybe there would be a way to get out of these shafts and back towards a safe place. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Where that was, well, hopefully the Nautolan knew well enough. [/SIZE]

 

[Xin Boa]

Xin's headtails coiled a fraction in embarrassment. He knew that at some point they would have a quiet moment and the chattery little beast was going to tell its master that it had been worked up because the nautolan was paying attention to her rear end instead of the danger at hand. Despite the situation they were in it was that debilitating embarrassment that wound up deep in his guts. It made him want to curl into a ball and avoid the world. Even a free view was not worth this.

Ignoring those accusing eyes he grunted an acknowledgement. There was no way he was going to be able to squeeze past with their dignity - or that seal on her wound - in fact.

“Just take it slow yeah? I'll go down when you've reached the bottom so we don't make a pile.”

He was still running on adrenaline himself. If they stopped for a rest he was certain it would be a struggle to just get back up again. And they had rabid dogs barking all around. He could still hear noises from them, but it was impossible to discern direction. The area was mostly abandoned but if they went stomping through another gang's territory they would surely alert a spotter before long.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

"Ah'll be fine." the flash of Mirax's incisors were barely discernable under the low light. It was her eyes that would give off a soft glow, almost akin to dim embers against a backdrop of shifting shadows.

"Gotta get down. Gotta move quick!" Skreetch pittered out, his green tuff wiggling with the motion. Of course, not before he swung his broad head and that wide mouth beak gave a squawk to the Nautolan in warning.

"Ahl'right go on. Need you to look ahead," Mirax told the Kowakian Monkey-lizard, trying to get him to focus on the task at hand. A small nod from under the curtain of bright orange hair and the tiny creature went bounding down. There was a small shifting sound and then a slide, before the thump, thump, thump of his tiny paws hitting the bottom of the shaft came up.

Peering down, Mirax's eyes locked upon those of her companion. A tiny waving paw was the cue. It was her turn now.

A grimace drew over her mouth. Going down was going to hurt and there really wasn't a way to slow down her decent unless she used her feet and hands to brace herself against the wall and control it. Which was also going to use a few abdominal muscles.

Yup, this was going to hurt.

Ever so slowly, the Felacatian gave a shift of her weight. It was better if she went legs first.

"Heads up," she said, and before Xin knew it, she brought her knees in to try and turn in place. Good thing Skreetch wasn't here to eyeball where Xin's swirly eyes might shift. Once her legs came forward, Mirax began to carefully slide down, using her hands to brace herself so she wouldn't just immediately crash down.

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

Xin bit the inside of his cheek and took a deep breath. No one would ever know that he helped himself to a view of the crux of her thighs as she curled up. It didn't hurt anyone and he was already going to be in trouble from skreech.

Her little gasp as the maneuver tugged at her wound brought his mind back to the present. He looked into her amber eyes. They were fiercely burning stars whilst his were the inky depths of space. His hands faintly trembled, but not from exhaustion. Two years without females in a prison.

He waited and watched as she went down, keeping his knees braced against the sides of the shaft in case she needed extra purchase to stop. Once she was out of arms reach there was nothing more he could do but turn around himself.

Whilst he was broad across the shoulders a nautolan had softer cartilage and flexible joints. As he braced himself ready to slide down after he tried to ignore the exhaustion he could feel in his arms from carrying her. That decision was paying off, he tried to convince himself. What with her little scout. At the very least it was two and a half fighters if they got cornered.

"Shall I come down?" He asked. The pair hadn't showed any signs of betraying him yet, but they hadn't really been given an opportunity to do so. It would be very easy for her to reach you and stab his back whilst he crawled down, he thought to himself.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

By now, the bacta patch was showing crimson spots. While it would do its part in helping the Felacatian heal faster, the more she kept moving and twisting, the less that the bacta patch could help in its purpose. She had to rest, Mirax knew that. Thing was, there was nowhere for her to sit down and rest now that her speeder got blown up. Even the thought of that made her internally cringe, the grimace flashing her incisors in the dark corner of the maintenance shaft.

"Yeah." her voice went echoing up. Skreetch gave a scratch with his paw, begging for his Mistress's attention. A stubby finger then pointed towards a large grate at the floor of the shaft. Dim light illuminated it. Drawing close, Mirax went crawling forward to get a good look.

Hands came to rest alongside the grate, glowing gold eyes cautiously panning the area. It appeared to be another section of the works area. They were another level down.

"We can probably go through here," she said in a whisper. At least get somewhere safe. Hopefully.

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

He braced his elbows and knees against the sides of the shaft as he edged down towards the flat section. With a grunt he slowed his descent event further to try and stop himself quietly.

No one was angry with him when he turned around so it seemed there were more important things for Skreech to discuss over gossip.

“I can go first,” he replied. In his head he tried to imagine how far they had travelled. How many men could the blue gang have sent down here. How much ground did they have to cover?

That required him to squeeze past. Skreech watched the maneuver exceptionally closely and Xin watched everything that wasn't Mirax with sudden interest.

Feet first he lowered himself down and then dropped the last foot lightly. There was no movement around. Just a dark, dusty corridor of cold metal. With his blaster drawn he went to one knee, keeping his left leg up as a small step to avoid Mirax having to drop any distance at all.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

Of course, there was Skeetch waiting down at the bottom for Xin. This was where the Kowakian Monkey Lizard took a bit of payback for the Nautolan's wandering eyes earlier. Instead of waiting on the ground, he went bounding up behind Xin, clawing his way up until he managed to perch right along the brawny right shoulder of the scoundrel. Never mind that sharp little claws and tuffs of fur and feathers went just about everywhere. That broad mouth with it's sharp beak gave a few warning clicks, the black beady eyes peering at the Nautolan as if to say, watch it.

Not that there was much to avoid with Mirax shimmying down. Her hands went curling around what she could use for purchase before coming down. The vest drew open, revealing the quickly saturating bacta patch over her belly and the flex of sinewy muscles underneath. Another reminder that the girl was more than just what she seemed. That tail gave a distinct flick, holding aloft for a moment just as her feet managed to brace themselves upon's Xin's thigh.

"Tcha!" she said in a slight hiss at Skreech, as if indicating that he should leave Xin alone. "Sidi preiroo dhi lin nun!" «Get off of him now.» it was a low growl, distinctly feline with the way the Resh would roll off her tongue.

A wide glance around and a half murmured, "Grateful," brought the woman back to the blessed floor. She managed to stand upright on her own strength, which was saying more than how she'd been acting before. While she didn't heal quickly, she was running on adrenaline and sheer determination.

Their location appeared to be near two catwalks and another stairway. There were signs for the spaceport, the Works, and also for going further into the industrial sector.

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

He braced his elbows and knees against the sides of the shaft as he edged down towards the flat section. With a grunt he slowed his descent event further to try and stop himself quietly.

No one was angry with him when he turned around so it seemed there were more important things for Skreech to discuss over gossip.
“I can go first,” he replied. In his head he tried to imagine how far they had travelled. How many men could the blue gang have sent down here. How much ground did they have to cover?
That required him to squeeze past. Skreech watched the maneuver exceptionally closely and Xin watched everything that wasn't Mirax with sudden interest.
Feet first he lowered himself down and then dropped the last foot lightly. There was no movement around. Just a dark, dusty corridor of cold metal. With his blaster drawn he went to one knee, keeping his left leg up as a small step to avoid Mirax having to drop any distance at all.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

Well, Skreech was having none of it. At least in the part of Xin moving away from his sight. The tiny Kowakian Monkey lizard came up to bound up the Nautolan’s back. There tiny claws dig deep until he came to perch alongside Xin’s right shoulder - perhaps a little too close to those tattooed headtresses for his comfort.

Mirax on the other hand only responded with a, “tch,” a click of her tongue as if to deter the green feathers creature from doing anything. Large gold eyes and that shock of orange hair fell forward. Carefully the young Felacatian managed to ease herself down, using Xin’s offered knee as a perch. By the time she came down to the ground, her lips were twisting in pain but she kept it in.

“Okay,” she began, looking around. Now where to go?

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

"Furda down," he said quietly. He tilted his head to look at Skreech. The monkey lizard gave him a flat stare back as if daring him to protest.

There were two choices. One corridor led away into darkness. The other towards a T-junction. His first step was towards the well lit junction. At almost the same time he stopped and Skreech dug his claws slightly deeper.

"Nuh... Oda way."

A light show erupted ahead of them. Bolts flashed across their small window into the length of the adjoining corridor. Apparently the gangs had met each other.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

"Dhroyg lin!" «Damn it» the curse was spat out through clenched teeth. This was the last thing they needed. "Go, jast go!" Mirax hoarsely whispered, jutting out her chin towards the corridor. So much for the easy path. At least her low light vision allowed her to see a bit better. Not that the flashing of blaster fire past those windows provided a lack of illumination.

Her left hand came up to press against the bandage over her belly, her right clasped the blaster tighter. She kept her head low, trying to avoid being seen. Her heart was racing and the panic was starting to bubble again. Just keep going.

Skreech at least went bounding off the Nautolan and scurried off ahead. Small blessings for Xin's hair tresses. His tiny claws went scratching at the grate covered floors. The darkness seemed to fade as they came to the end of a corridor towards a long walkway.

Down below, the yells and bursting sounds of fire grew louder.

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

They could not be far now. As huge as the gargantuan city was he had started not far from his destination. The shapeshifter and her monkey lizard halt kept him alive after he had risked his neck.

Was that how his luck worked now? Perhaps if he stopped running and looked out for others he wouldn't keep running straight into more trouble. Nonsense to think about another time.

"Go!" he shouted as he stopped just two meters onto the walkway. One a walkway above two men with blue shocks of hair spotted them. Xin fired first. He didn't have time to shout any plans but he was hoping they would cross and then cover him.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"] didn’t have to tell Mirax twice. Ducking low so as to avoid getting a hole in her head, the Felacatian did her best to trudge along the catwalk away from the blaster fire. Unfortunately, the gang members had other plans.
[SIZE=9pt]Sensitive ears could hear the zaps of blaster bolts strike at the durasteel rails beside her. Sparks flew as they scorched dark marks, prompting her to grimace and wince as she did her best to keep up. Glancing up, large gold eyes caught sight of the blue haired gang members. Lifting her own blaster up, she shot a volley of bolts down range, providing cover for the Nautolan to rush over to her. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]The first bolt struck the one in the right on the chest. His body gave a jerk, only to fall forward a few seconds afterward. His limp body disappeared into the darkness, not even a single splat sound to follow. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]They barely made it to the end, where Skreetch bounded back and forth waiting for the Felacatian. He gave an avid shriek, moving on down towards another corridor that would provide shelter. Well, one hoped. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]“Come ahn!” Mirax cried, one hand still on her belly while pressing the trigger with the other. [/SIZE]

 

[Xin Boa]

[member="Mirax"]

He ran. He tried not to think about how much of a target he made as he sprinted across the walkway. He kept his eyes on the shapeshifter. She was waiting, firing as much as she could whilst still keeping pressure on that wound.

"Go!" Xin shouted as he skidded to a halt at the end of the walkway. Right now he was faster on his feet and it made sense to continue to cover their retreat.

If the other gang hadn't picked a fight they would have been dead already. Rather than the packs chasing them in full force only the odd gang member was following the call.

Xin held his nerve as several bolts flew in their direction. He wished they could have all been as small and nimble as the monkey lizard.

He fired twice. The gangster who had been spraying bolts wildly in their direction dropped suddenly. Injured, not dead. That would do.

Xin turned to follow. It couldnt be far now. As long as there was a way down.

 

[Mirax]

[member="Xin Boa"]

Injured. Not dead.

That would be Mirax's undoing.

The Felacatian should have known that today of all days was going to be a karked up day. It all started with at the market, when an unfortunate series of events resulted in Skreetch being picked on by the angry merchant. Then the subsequent fire fight which brought about the literal destruction of her speeder and her month-long salvage in one go. To finally ending with a hole in her gut that was undeniably responsible for the massive amount of blood loss.

She was already riding a thin line between trying to control her shapeshifting, barely holding it together. Only sheer willpower and determination managed to get her this far. Well, that and Xin, a Nautolan stranger who did not leave her behind.

Nothing was going right. Not for them. Not now when they were so close to getting away. Or at least, what Mirax had told herself.

The shot was quick; perhaps, a blessing in disguise. One could look back on it and wonder if she'd retraced her steps if Mirax had made the same choices, would all routes have come to this?

Who knew.

Wide, golden eyes, as large as that of a Corellian Panther locked on the twin swirling orbs in front of her. Just as Xin turned to follow, it all slowed. It was almost as if the corridor had suddenly been filled with a thick, clear jelly. One could almost appreciate the suspended moment in infinity; almost. Just as quickly, the tension snapped -- Mirax's lower lip fell open in a sudden quick intake of breath.

The scent of charred flesh and smoldering sulfur caught her sensitive nose first. It was the last acrid offense her flaring nostrils would smell. A small, perfectly shaped black hole lay just above her heart. Still smoking and barely ringed with a glowing char.

Time slammed back into existence. Mirax fell to her knees.

The 'verse went black and the screeching sound of a wailing Kowakian Monkey Lizard was all that was left.