No Punches Pulled

[Harkin Kane]

"Let's handle one miracle at a time hey kid-o?" Matchmaking at a time like this. Just another reason Harkin found himself in favor of the couple. 'Ah, hell they're surrounding.' For split second Harkin was tempted to launch another frag down the eternal hole, but the fear of all of the scaffolding collapsing made him think twice. Instead he brought his attention back to the stairs. Thessa's breathing had gotten heavy and she had detached herself from Judah. Harkin turned in time to see the Gallan began to tumble backwards, "Oh, chit! Judah!" Harkin made a dive back down the stares in an attempt to at least keep her head from hitting the stairs. He felt his feet leave the floor as he braced for an impact that was sure to hurt in the morning. Spinning so the mechanical arm would endure most of the impact, he did his best to close the distance between him and the girl...

@[member="Thessa Kai"], @[member="Judah Dashiell"]

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Harkin Kane"] | @[member="Thessa Kai"]

Only Thessa would think of setting up blind dates at a time like this.

Feeling Thessa's hand slip out of his own, Judah was about to turn around to check on the Galan when Harkin's words reached his ears. A bit hampered by his heavy load, it took him longer to see what was exactly happening. With Thessa falling, he did his best to rush back down but their new found bounty hunter friend was much quicker, using himself to cushion the blow. Or trying to. The trio was indeed in an awkward spot. With Harkin taking care of his mermaid, Judah was going to have to cover the pair, especially if Thessa was injured.

No. She's fine. Tadpole is fine.

Taking the high powered blaster from Harkin, Judah fired down at the barabels. They were still a decent distance away, yet shooting at the lizards made them undoubtedly angry.

"Go, get her out of here. I'll meet you back at the Siren."

 

[Thessa Kai]

@[member="Harkin Kane"] @[member="Judah Dashiell"]


Really, she felt like an idiot. The entire time. Even as she braced for the impact. Instead of a resounding bang against her limbs, she felt Harkin slide beneath her. Something jolted against her hip and her eyes squeezed closed as her hands instinctively went up to protect her head.

She felt herself slide down several stairs with Harkin, finally coming to a stop. Judah was already firing. Her hip was bruised and so was her shoulder but it could've been a heck of a lot worse. Hand gripped the railing as she stood. "Harkin, you okay?" Worry tinged her voice as she rolled out her shoulder, checking herself for other injuries but keeping her attention on the quick-thinking hunter.

Own blaster popped to her hands as she fired with Judah at the barabels. "The hell you're staying here, Dashiell."

 

[Harkin Kane]

With a metallic clang Harkin slid beneath the girl. Sparks flew from his arm as they descended the stairs. Harkin squinted in pain as they came to a halt, "Damn peachy." Rising to his feet he agreed with Thessa, "No way bub! But let's get off these stairs eh?" Harkin, facing downward towards the pursuers, turned his head towards Judah.
@[member='Thessa Kai'],@[member='Judah Dashiell']

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Thessa Kai"] | @[member="Harkin Kane"]

Stubborn mermaid. Judah would have preferred Harkin and Thessa to be long gone, not staying around. Nor did he expect Harkin to actually agree. With two against one, there was no winning, especially not with angry lizards still hot on their tails. Continuing to fire, Judah slowly backed up the stairs without looking, pushing the other two back with him. He was waiting for a lull in the action to hand the blaster back over to Harkin. The man was probably a much better shot then himself.

Having backed up far enough, Judah passed the blaster back over to Harkin. Taking Thessa's hand once again, Judah grinned as he joked with her.

"Lets try this again without falling. Still haven't got used to walking on dry land, huh?"

 

[Thessa Kai]

@[member="Harkin Kane"] @[member="Judah Dashiell"]

A blaster bolt whizzed passed their heads, sizzling into the concrete wall next to the top of the stairs. "Now is not the time to make fun of my walking skills, Dear." She sprinted with Judah and Harkin, weaving through the last twist and turns of the under-level, seeing the ship just up ahead.

Good, no missing hubcaps.

She didn't release Judah's hand until they were all inside. Palm smacked down on the door, to close the ramp. She turned to Judah. "Get us out of here! Harkin, meet me in the medbay. That arm needs some looking at."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Thessa Kai"] | @[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Love you too honey."

If there weren't attacking lizards he could probably continue the barbs all day long. Sliding up in the Siren, Judah hit the ramp just in time to hear the barabels slam into the shiny blue-green durasteel that coated their vessel. Wincing, Judah wondered how big the dents were. No doubt there were lizard impressions on their side of the ship now.

"Go on Harkin, you know she'll just drag you kicking and screaming otherwise."

Leaving the two to repair their stairwell injury, Judah slid into the pilots chair of the Siren. Engines fired up as he heard creaking and scraping coming from down the corridors, their attackers still trying to enter the ship. Deciding he wasn't staying around for the Siren to warm, Judah took them out of the hangar and started to ascend up into the main levels. Sparky had woken from his quasi-slumber and let out a rapid fire of questions.

"Tell you later. Why don't you make yourself useful and clear us with the landing authority,huh?"

 

[Harkin Kane]

Harkin tilted his head and let out a heavy sigh, "Aaaaah." Dropping his head he went to rendezvous with Dr. Thessa Kai. Dragging his feet, Harkin was kinda hoping one or two stragglers would make it inside. Reminiscing on the days endeavors, it was brought to Harkin's attention and he thought aloud, "We didn't kill nuffin, only one measly explosion, I didn't lose a limb... Guys? I think we cheated." A toothy grin was on his face when he rounded the corner into the medbay.

@[member="Judah Dashiell"], @[member="Thessa Kai"]

 

[Thessa Kai]

@[member="Judah Dashiell"] @[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Just shut-up and sit down," she grinned widely with the words said and motioned to the left cot in the two-bed infirmary. Arm reached out for balance on the counter as the ship lurched upwards. Grabbing a bacta swab, she stood in front of Harkin.

"This'll sting a little. Best not to think about it." Leaning forward, she dabbed over his wounds. "Sparky'll probably have to look at your arm. I'm no mechanic."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Thessa Kai"] @[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Cheated? Cheated?! My ship is dented!"

Judah called back down the corridor at the pair, probably already had disappeared from out of sight.Sparky got their all clear to exit into atmo, with Judah thanking his stars it was none too soon. The barabels didn't appear the type to go running to the police to stop them but one could never be certain. Banking the Siren over the city, Judah broke up and over the planet rather quickly, probably jostling around both passengers.

Once in space, slightly away from the planet, Judah leveled out the ship and began working on setting a course or two. Hands glided over the control panel, flipping switches and inputting data. Once they were in hyperspace, he'd have to go check in on everyone.

 

[Harkin Kane]

Harkin kept hid lips pressed hard as the mermaid played with his wounds. In truth it wasn't that bad, and luckily the other arm was made of something tougher than the stairs. That being said, the nerve ends that run from the arm into Harkin were screaming in distress at the heavy tug the arm had taken. He had never given the prosthetic time to adjust between the imperial custody escape, stowawaying, sith lords and Thessa and Judah's undoubtedly soon to be infamous shopping sprees. "I need a vacation." He flinched at reminiscing on a few days prior. Hadn't Judah considered this trip to be a vacation of sorts? 'I sure hope they survive the honeymoon.'

Harkin let Thess finish the mild torture before laying back on the bench in the medbay. Between the Siren's abrupt shifts and her medical expertise he was starting to wander if he would have faired better against the barabels...

@[member="Judah Dashiell"] @[member="Thessa Kai"]

 

[Thessa Kai]

Finishing up, she put away the medkit, chuckling softly at Harkin's comment. Hand rested over his for a moment. "Thanks for sticking with us. It means a lot to me and Judah to have another friend to watch our backs. And...I know you'll never forget the pact we made before going after Daxton. We'll be there for you too, Harkin. Just remember that."

Hand gently squeezed over his before she left his side and sat down on the opposite cot. Whether it was carrying and growing an extra person or just her bruised shoulder and the events of the day, she was suddenly tired. Very un-Thessa Kai.

@[member="Harkin Kane"]
@[member="Judah Dashiell"]

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Thessa Kai"] @[member="Harkin Kane"]


Stars faded into lines as the jump to hyperspace was made. Judah wasn't taking them back home, just far away enough from the planet to give a wide enough berth. After that, he'd recalculate and see where Harkin left his ship. The salvager wasn't going to leave the man stranded on some backwater after all. Watching the stars for a brief moment, Judah got up and made his way down the corridors.

Stopping at the galley along the way, Judah made his way down to their little infirmary with Sparky hot on his heels.

"You two look worse for wear."

He set a bottle of water and the now ever present bag of Chocochews at Thessa's side, handing over another bottle to Harkin. Living with a Galan it had become second nature to offer water at every turn, engrained in his actions now. Sharing a concerned look with his mermaid, Judah offered a brief smile.

"Our cabin is probably a bit more comfortable than the infirmary cot." Judah turned to address both of them, not just Thessa "Same for you Harkin,we do have a guest cabin, never used. I don't know about your arm, but there are painkillers on board and I do have a few crates of various droid servomotors and gears, should you require them."

 

[Harkin Kane]

Harkin was surprised by the generosity of @[member="Judah Dashiell"]'s offer. The group had grown quite close, but the soon-to-be-weds surely wanted some time away from the spacer. "Naw, preciate the offer, but I've got a thing or two to take care of before the wedding." The truth behind that was Harkin did need to see if the Clover was still docked in Nar Shaddaa. It had been there since before the group had met, and she was sure to be getting lonely (if she was still there at all).

Harkin smiled between the group, ​"I'm sure y'all could use some time alone any how." Harkin crossed his arms behind his head and lay back on the cot. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he silently suppressed it. He let out a long sigh before continuing, "If you'd be so kind to put me out any where I can hop a shuttle I'd be grateful." Harkin lifted back up from the cot. "I've got a suit and gifts to chase down to ya know. I ain't been to a wedding in a loooong time." Thinking back on it he was right. The last wedding he had attended was his own...

@[member='Thessa Kai']

 

[Thessa Kai]

@[member="Harkin Kane"]

@[member="Judah Dashiell"]


The water was gone before Harkin finished speaking. She squeezed Judah's hand affectionately before leveling Harkin with a look. "What are we - just two mooks you met off the street? We'll drop you off at your ship. Catching a shuttle service my a--," cutting herself off, she smiled and paused in the doorway.

Still, Harkin didn't acknowledge the pact they made about keeping Judah safe and that ticked her off. He better not forget that. Keep Judah safe at all costs, bottom line.

"I think Judah can agree that we'll take you where you need to go. I'm gonna go rest for a bit."

With that, she retreated into the cabin and beneath the covers of the bed.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

@[member="Harkin Kane"] @[member="Thessa Kai"]


"Naturally, what the boss says goes. We will drop you off where ever your ship may be located. Don't sell us too short, we're friends now, right?"

Watching Thessa walk out of the small infirmary, Judah couldn't keep the concern off his face. She wasn't one to pick up in the middle of the day and lay down. Stowing away and growing a little extra Human-Galan hybrid were probably taking its toll. At least, that was what he was sticking to for now. There would be time for him to worry more later on.

"But I get the hint. If you need me, yell. I'll be down in the cargo bay."

With that, Judah motioned for Sparky to follow him down to the cargo hold, most likely to tinker on some new tech that was stuck in his head.

 

[Harkin Kane]

Harkin smiled as the man disappeared back out into the halls of the ship. He knew they'd walk the surface of a star for him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to drag them back to Nar Shaddaa. The Sith as a group might have fell on top of itself, but the the Sith themselves, Darth Bane included, were still sulking around the galaxy. There were not to many Galans wandering around in Hutt space. And truthfully, Harkin wasn't sure if the bounty on Thess had been removed from the boards or not. He hadn't exactly been keeping up with the incoming and outgoing messages of the guild lately.

The guild wasn't all it use to be. Harkin would be a hunter until he drew his last breath but the trade was not as honorable as it was decades prior. Hunters screwing one another over for marks, and taking shots at one another that type of chit use not to go down. Realizing with his ramblings of the golden days he sounded like an old man Harkin gave a sigh as he collapsed back onto the cot.

Laying still for only a few seconds the man got restless and decided to go and see what Judah was tinkering with...


@[member="Judah Dashiell"] @[member="Thessa Kai"]