Atris could hardly hear Brienna's voice over the sound of the water and the engines, but as the light freighter began to pull back the Jedi knew her companion had been able to reach the saucy astromech piloting the ship. The nylon rope was pulled taught over the expanse of water that separated the boat and freighter, and the ship lurched backward.
Please hold, please hold... she thought to herself, reaching out to hold onto the ship's siding to keep her balance.
Wood splintered around the railing of the stern, breaking from the sudden pressure against the natural flow of the water, but Brienna had already warned the astromech to ease up before Atris could say a word. Slowly, the light freighter drug the boat from the edges of the waterfall and their impending deaths. Even if the nylon rope broke or the stern's railing gave away, they would have enough time to turn the boat around before floating into the rapids again.
They were out of danger, at last.
"Great work!" Atris called out, giving her partner a thumbs up as relief washed over her. She could feel it down to her very bones. While the astromech guided the boat toward shore, Atris joined Brienna at the helm.
"Just another day, right?" Brienna laughed.
Atris joined in the laughter, using her forearm to wipe the moisture that had gathered on her brow. Whether it was sweat or the water's spray was anyone's guess. She shook her head, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. The night's adrenaline and the relief that came from not dying made that impossible.
"Yeah, just another night. Let's hope there aren't many more like this in our future. Or at least not until I've had a shower and a good night's sleep."
One aspect of the evening Atris wouldn't mind repeating was getting to work alongside Brienna again.
As soon as the Jedi could feel the bottom of the boat scraping against dry ground, Atris disappeared below deck to retrieve the unconscious Twi'lek. Taking ahold of his ankles, she struggled to drag the large twi'lek across the hull of the boat.
This is why you need to work out more, Atris, she thought to herself with a huff. Depositing the twi'lek unceremoniously on the shore, she let out a long sigh and watched Brienna tie up their disgraced hostess with rope. They'd underestimated Victoria before, but they weren't going to make that mistake again.
It was good to feel dry ground beneath her feet again, but Brienna was right. They still had one final matter to attend to. The agreement was that the necklace would be theirs after the gala was over, but in light of recent events... "We might as well just take it. I doubt our Mr. Rikil will... Speak of the devil."
Face flushed with anger and well-groomed mustache twitching with rage, Daymar Rikil was storming across the lawn of his estate toward them.
Atris rolled her eyes. Neither Jedi were in the mood to deal with that man. "Looks like we've got company."
"What is the meaning of this?" Rikil demanded as he approached the Jedi, his hand gesturing wildly in the direction of his wife. Victoria was bound on the shore, her hair and dress a mess as she began to stir. Brienna had knocked her out cold, and it was going to take her a while to recover from knock over the head. Atris was still impressed.
"First I discover my code cylinder is missing, then I discover that you've abandoned your posts and allowed the necklace to be stolen! Now you've bound my wife!"
Please hold, please hold... she thought to herself, reaching out to hold onto the ship's siding to keep her balance.
Wood splintered around the railing of the stern, breaking from the sudden pressure against the natural flow of the water, but Brienna had already warned the astromech to ease up before Atris could say a word. Slowly, the light freighter drug the boat from the edges of the waterfall and their impending deaths. Even if the nylon rope broke or the stern's railing gave away, they would have enough time to turn the boat around before floating into the rapids again.
They were out of danger, at last.
"Great work!" Atris called out, giving her partner a thumbs up as relief washed over her. She could feel it down to her very bones. While the astromech guided the boat toward shore, Atris joined Brienna at the helm.
"Just another day, right?" Brienna laughed.
Atris joined in the laughter, using her forearm to wipe the moisture that had gathered on her brow. Whether it was sweat or the water's spray was anyone's guess. She shook her head, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. The night's adrenaline and the relief that came from not dying made that impossible.
"Yeah, just another night. Let's hope there aren't many more like this in our future. Or at least not until I've had a shower and a good night's sleep."
One aspect of the evening Atris wouldn't mind repeating was getting to work alongside Brienna again.
As soon as the Jedi could feel the bottom of the boat scraping against dry ground, Atris disappeared below deck to retrieve the unconscious Twi'lek. Taking ahold of his ankles, she struggled to drag the large twi'lek across the hull of the boat.
This is why you need to work out more, Atris, she thought to herself with a huff. Depositing the twi'lek unceremoniously on the shore, she let out a long sigh and watched Brienna tie up their disgraced hostess with rope. They'd underestimated Victoria before, but they weren't going to make that mistake again.
It was good to feel dry ground beneath her feet again, but Brienna was right. They still had one final matter to attend to. The agreement was that the necklace would be theirs after the gala was over, but in light of recent events... "We might as well just take it. I doubt our Mr. Rikil will... Speak of the devil."
Face flushed with anger and well-groomed mustache twitching with rage, Daymar Rikil was storming across the lawn of his estate toward them.
Atris rolled her eyes. Neither Jedi were in the mood to deal with that man. "Looks like we've got company."
"What is the meaning of this?" Rikil demanded as he approached the Jedi, his hand gesturing wildly in the direction of his wife. Victoria was bound on the shore, her hair and dress a mess as she began to stir. Brienna had knocked her out cold, and it was going to take her a while to recover from knock over the head. Atris was still impressed.
"First I discover my code cylinder is missing, then I discover that you've abandoned your posts and allowed the necklace to be stolen! Now you've bound my wife!"
@ModernMarvel