The One Who Stands Tallest, Stands Last. (ask)

[Thecomicbookbroad]

The ship quickly divided its wares, the females taking slightly longer to load as the trio of trucks took off.
They had been split by sex and supplies, one carrying the slaves previous belongings and clothing they had hastily changed out of within the craft and were now forced to abandon, clothed or in the process.

The truck carrying the males took an opposite route while the females headed in the direction of the nearest city: Mos Eisley


_____


“On it!” Ashes called, taking the controls. She pushed the grave possibilities out of her mind and focused on the task before her with undivided focus.

She gulped and turned only briefly as Ares exited.

"be careful..." she peeped.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn slowly regained conscience and noticed he was hanging upside down, with a throbing pain in his head, and a moist feeling, comeing from his head which he knew all to well which was blood. "well this is lovely." Shawn said as Shawn reached up to undo the harness which was jammed when he tried to remove it. Shawn then heard shouting on the other end of the door calling his name which he recognized as Ares. "Yah I'm in here, the door is busted, and I'm traped in my seat, hay in hear!"

 

[T.J]

" OK Im comin in!" Ares yelled as he began punching at the durasteel door with his cybernetic hand. It didnt really do anything at first, but the continuing beating caused it to start to dent near the hatch. The hunter then pulled out his short sword and wedged it into the opening, moving the door just enough get his fingers around the door. Wrenching with all his might, Ares shoved the door over far enough for him to fit through.

With a quick slice Shawn's harness was cut, causeing him to fall to the ground.

" Can you walk? Or do I need to carry you?"

 

[Arm514ve]

"Yah I can walk get out of here before me I have to grab some stuff befor I bail. and if this thing goes up theres no need for both of us to die." Shawn said as he worked his way back to the main area and wrentched open a locked holding his usual light equipment. he quickly put it on and holstered the wepons befor puting on his coat and poketing the picture of his deceased family that was on the door. as he was half way to the hatch Ares opened he heard the main power sorce start up again and begin to overload. "Frak time to double time." Shawn jumped from the wrekage and headed away from it as fast as he could.

 

[T.J]

" Well good. Cause I really dont want to lug your sorry ass around." Ares said jokingly as he began walking back whence he came. Shawn probably wouldnt take it as a joke, since Ares had no change in his voice or attitude.

He turned his head slightly when Shawn stated that they needed to get out of the ship double time, he began running. Climbing up and jumping out the hatch before rolling and jumping to the sand below. The combination of the shock aborbtion of the sand and his armor braced his fall, and he was quickly running again only seconds after falling.

" Honey!" Are yelled as he ran towards the Precious Pride. " Start the engines! We need to get to of here pronto!" The Pride's massive engines roared to life before Ares even got all the way on the ship. He stood on the ramp and waited for Shawn to get on before punching the button that caused the ramp to seal with the rest of the ship. Ares ran to the cockpit, looking at a map he brought up of Tatooine on his HUD as he did so. He downloaded the coordinates of where Stasha's locater was into the nav computer, and it quickly shot off towards the transport that was giving off the signal.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Ashes piloted the Pride with a momentarily turned head as Shawn and her father came aboard.

“Hi Mr. Mac’ Neal…” she said shyly.


They sped on towards the isolated truck, in hot pursuit.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are certain advantages to not sharing a language, one finds far more creative ways to discuss a course of action.

Evie chose cards.

“Ok, You buttons,” Evie said in the cutesy tone one adopts for less intelligent pets as she teasingly pinched the cheek of the nearest Ryloth woman. She grinned toothily and began to deal out cards, face down, to each of the twi’leks in her sitting circle.

“Lets try this again shall we?” she asked, clearing her throat and clapping her hands together, she sat cross legged and excitedly explained.

“Don’t lift your card until I-”

A small light lethan across from her disobeyed and regarded her hand curiously.

“Ah! Mugsy! No!” Scolded the lone Zabrak, taking the slip back as the rest turned over their cards.

“Gimme those back! Ok no worries…we’ll do this again.” she growled shuffling the deck.

A lot had happened since the huntress was taken captive and she needed answers. When she’d first felt the initial rocking of the ship she knew an attack was immanent - She had not expected such a quick reaction on the crews part.

The soon to be slaves were quickly divided by their sex and set on a collision course for a desert scape where they boarded a large speeder truck, the cargo was merged with a number of other Lekku’d females and Evie took her place amongst them, garnering much intrigue.

“Stutters!” she barked to the crude- basic speaking rutian from their previous voyage.

“Come here. Help me get this through their heads.”

While ransacking for resources on her person, Stasha had found a deck of cards tucked in her boot strap- the only thing she managed to hide before her other possessions- including her belt with her lively hood inside was stripped from her and thrown onboard another speeder carrying cargo. using a fuel leak as paint she quickly smeared one’s face black and shuffled it back into its ranks. She wanted to venture towards the guarded Driver and boldly request an audience with the Slaver responsible for her unwarranted capture- just…not in person. The lucky woman to receive the back card would do so.

“ready?” Evie said, scanning each participants face.

“Ok go!”

No black card yet, then again two women besides herself had sat idly.

“Brenda, spot! Get to it flip!” she ordered.

They did so.

Still not card, hers was the only one left unturned…

She gathered them up again, heated and dealt them with harsh flicks of her wrist and a pout on her ivory face.

“Ok flip ‘em!”

Still no black card- her own still face down.

“Once more!”

Same outcome, only this time a think pinkish girl reached over and seized Evie’s card, showing the black result to all as the Zabrak reached for her upheld arm like a bullied child.

“Fine! You ungrateful worm’ heads” she spat, crossing her arms.

“cheats!” she hissed as she made her way towards the driver.

The two slavers, held out their blasters to prevent further movement. She ignored them with a sneer and said.

“I want to speak with the person in charge- In case you haven’t noticed I don’t think I’m what your clientele ordered.”

They looked to one another confused by the situation.

“We will be there shortly.” one human said with a nod.

“You can take it up with Dagger then.”

She nodded satisfied and lifted her nose as she took her place amongst the other females.

“See that?” she said snidely.

“that’s all it took, you big babies.” she petted the head of a close violet woman who received her Lekku’d stroked like a canine’ with a less then willing expression.

“I’m not gonna let you guys be Hutt-chow, don’t worry” she purred.

Turning back to a pale purple woman with rigged lekku and sharp dark eyes, devouring some dried meat in a far corner she raised her fist and shouted.

“except you, peanut! You’re a damn rat catcher!”

“peanut” continued chewing and stared fathomlessly ignorant.

“bitch!” Evie snarled.


She could only hope her other possessions would be met at the same location she was headed for- she needed her guild card...and her sunglasses had cost her a fourtune.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn jumped abored out of breath, and turned to Ashes to repond to her greating. "Hello Ashes, and don't call me mister, just Shawn is fine." Shawn stated as he turned to see his ship go up in an explosion, countles secoundary explosions could be seen also from all the ordinance the ship was carrying for its wepons, and explosives stored on board. "Whats the ETA till we catch up. I ned to know if I have enogh time to patch myself up or not." Shawn said turning to the pair in the cockpit. also I need some spare ammo, I only have an extra clip for each of my four pistols, since most of my spare ammo was on my now very destroyed ship."

 

[T.J]

" We have about 10 minutes before we catch up with the vehicle carrying Stasha. It appears that the slaves have been moved to several different speeders, which is good. Since it means less guards for each speeder." Ares said as he sat down in the co-pilots chair. He beamed with pride inside even though the situation was dire. His daughter was flying his ship flawlessly, and he didnt even need to give her any outside help or advice.

" The armory is next to the medbay. Help yourself." Ares said idly as he stared out the viewscreen. He wasnt really paying attention, since he wanted to make sure his daughter was doing a good job.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

“Something isn’t right about this…” Ashes mused.

“Why would they split into threes when they landed in a pair?”

She continued to run down the truck with heavy misgivings. The one light spot in all the shadows of doubt was…she got to drive Ares ship for the first time- admittedly she giddy.

 

[Arm514ve]

"I have a theory." Shawn said as he came back to the front with his head bandaged, and shouldering a blaster rifle. "They split things up. men, women, and whats the one thing slaves don't need anymore?"

 

[T.J]

" Clothing...." Ares said. " But we wont know for sure which one shes in..... And we can only catch one before they get away." The bounty hunter continued to stare out the window as he spoke. " So I think we should capture the one that has the transmitter on it. At the very least we can interrogate someone."

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Ashes swooped down close to the speeding truck, attempting (with success) to force it into a dune. The speeder struggled amongst the sands in vain, trapped in the pit and helpless as its large engines turned with no response but the spitting of dust.

They had them at their mercy.

 

[Arm514ve]

"I'm heading down there Ares you have a zip line by anychance that way we don't risk getting fired upon as we land?"

 

[T.J]

" Nope sorry. Either you just jump or you dont go." Ares said as he walked past Shawn and punched the release button on the main access ramp. The ship had become stationary several dozen yards above the wind whipped sand below. Ares paused for a moment to look back at Ashes and Shawn, contemplating if he should say anything. He didnt though, and simply stepped off the ramp and plummeted down to the sand below.

The bounty hunter impacted the sand with a loud thump, sinking up close to his knees. Before the sand even settled, Ares was already up and running. His knees hurt, but he had done that maneuver so many times in the past he didnt blame them. Shooting the main lock on the back of the speeder truck as he ran with his assault slug rifle.

Ares reached the door just as it swung open, revealing a rather large pile of clothes and belongings, and a startled guard ontop of it. Instantly bringing his rifle up. " Freeze! Dont you frakking move!" The bounty hunter yelled whilst increasing the volume on his exterior speakers.

 

[Arm514ve]

"Ashes land the ship so we can find out whats going on down there." Shawn said as he closed the ramp door. with a sigh.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Ashes complied with a nod, landing at the trucks side on the level ground. She took a deep breath and reached for her blaster with trepidation.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------




Tatooine.

Of all the pits of pirating slum kings and criminals slipping through the fingers of the law, Evie had found herself in the desert pocket of scum’s safe haven. She exited the truck, squinting as the light bled into her eyes and shuffled amongst the Twi’lek women’s ranks with disinclination.

As they marched from the illegal parking spot amongst the dust and through the back door of a large building of sand stone, The Zabrak kept her chin high at the lines head and her eyes frontward. Ducking into the door way to avoid its messy hanging décor she kept her arms at her sides, leaning closer to her rutian acquaintance for words.

“Stutters, was that man you were with before the split your husband?” She asked.

The Blue girl sucked in her lips and replied with a hushed air.

“N-no. My Ka're.”

“your what?” Evie bit the air.

“I- I do not know the word. T-there isn’t one you have.”

Stasha blew air from her mouth with annoyance.

“N-not …” the twi’lek searched the air for the right words.

“Muchi…e-er…boy-friend? M-more then th-that, not y-yet husband.” she explained.

Evie inhaled nosily and let her eyes hold the girl a moment with sympathy.

“ I don’t think you and your Ka’re will be together for a very long time, Darling.” she said. “The men aren’t here….they’ve been taken some place else.”

The stuttering basic speaker’s lip quivered as she felt the gravity of the huntress’ words. She let her hand caress her stomach nervously and after several attempts to speak, fell silent.

“What I’m trying to tell you is …” Evie began, turning back to face their path, letting her eyes roam over their surroundings and rows of ushers.

“I’ll try to get the girls out, I can’t make any promises for the men.”

A sharp whistle broke the air and their former driver signaled her over with a wave of his hand.

Evie broke from the path and turned to Stutters apologetically before following.

The room she left behind was simple, a warehouse of excess ship parts and high windows upon the thick walls, the hall she followed the muted driver through, however; seemed the portal to a whole new realm.

Clean and round with dimly lit bulbs down the wing she waited at the thick double doors expectantly.

She cleared her throat and her guide obliged.

Banshi Dagger, Stasha entered with the vision of an overly indulged human woman, her senior and of ill acquired wealth.


But, a familiar face awaited.

Before her, sitting slumped upon a large chair of iron, legs lithely crossing and uncrossing for comfort, was the Lethan with the facial mask- her mouth covered by a false one of menacing locked fangs. She titled her head upon her elbow and laughed through her nose as the horned woman approached.

Evie smirked.

“I thought you’d be more…human.”

“My name is human, yes. Its dagger.” Returned the twi’lek glowering down from her thrown as if she conversed with an instinct.

“So then you were a slave yourself once-”

“I was a servant,” corrected Banshi Dagger, “yes.” the Lethan settled her legs and rested her cheek, propping up her elbow, jaded upon the arm rest.

“Tell me,” Evie said, turning one of her palms flat and resting the other on her hip.

“How does it feel to sell your own people like cattle when you yourself know the-”

The Red mistress chuckled.

“Don’t try to tug at my heart strings, iridonian mongrel.” She snarled,” If no one was to suffer we would all go home hungry.”

“Zabrak.” Evie Corrected, her expression souring as she looked into the dark eyes of the slaver.

“I am no iridonian…” she hissed.

The twi’lek was suddenly fascinated, sitting undiluted with sparks of enlightenment behind the fathomless black pin points of her eyes.

“hrum,” she mused.

“My parents were human.” Evie explained dryly, her gaze locked with her captor’s.

“I’ve never set foot on my ancestor’s ground. I grew up on a colony.”


Banshi stood. She stepped down the ramp from her seat and stopped, leaving but a foot between she and the horned rebel.

“Then you know where I stand -and why I am unmoved-”

“No.” Evie said, a sneer slowly blooming upon her lips as she delivered her peace with an ill begotten sweetness in her words.

“I was their child, they received me to love. You were a slave, they purchased you for amusement.”

Low rumbling began in the twi’leks throat and she turned away.

“You waste your spite.” She said.

“A word, Dagger-dear.” Evie said, Banshi turned to face her and felt a gloved hand caress her cheek.

“I think you’re a lot more human…” Evie forcefully drew her palm across the lethan’s face as if cleaning it of a blemish.

“Then you’d like to admit.”

The bloody hue of her skin smeared off- a ruse, revealing a fleshy pink tone beneath.

In the blink of an eye and a roar of fury like a whip cracking the silence, Banshi threw herself upon Stasha.

Her followers looked to one another with confusion as their leaders fall from grace was made public and the women fought like beast, the twi’lek’s eyes transformed into windows of a shattered visage.

Evie fell beneath the Mock-lethan’s rage and rolled between punches, drawing up her fore arms for protection and using her feet to strike against her stomach. When she found her defense was flawed with a swift strike to her jaw she lashed out- ripping her attackers mask from her mouth.

A severely slit cleft lip scowled down at her.

 

[T.J]

At first the guard for the slaves former clothing raised his weapon, but was quickly relieved of it when Ares shot his hand off. The slaver swore loudly in pain as he fell to his knees and then rolled down the pile of clothes and onto the sand.

The slaver was met by the muzzle of the hunter's blaster on his forehead. It was followed by the low whirring of the heavy blaster pistol's energy cell powering up.

" Tell me where the slaves are going.....Now! Dont make me blow your head off mate...."Was all Ares said. He wanted to get at least a location from the skum that lay before him. The bounty hunter had already made up his mind that he would kill the man before him, since the slaver was giving off a strong buzzing sensation.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn punched the door release and jumped from the ship onto the sand and aproched the truck, and saw the driver regain conciousness as he aproched the truck. The man was going for a wepon that was beside him in the cabin. Shawn opened the door befor the man knew he was there and he butted the mans face with the rifle's end. "Can't have that." Shawn said pulling the man from the cabin and cuffing him. Shawn then turned to Ares, "well if you kill that one by accident we always have this one." Shawn said kicking the man in the ribs.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

The Slaver feebly lifted his weeping stub, his lips quivering and his body quaking.

His brother struggled in Shawn’s arms and protested loudly.

“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” he cried, sweat shimmering on his brow and bleeding into his squinting eyes and panting mouth.

“Anchor head…” The downed one said in a throaty voice.


---------------------------------

Stasha seized the forearms of the Flesh toned twi’lek as her back was slammed against the stony wall with rib crushing consequence. She spat as the wind was forced from her lungs and winced as Banshi dagger snarled.

“You …shame me….!” Hissed the mock Lethan.

Coolly letting her head rest on her shoulder and loll back The huntress spit a strain of red sanguine on the slave master’s exposed pinky hue.

“Happy….?” she shrugged feeling the light headed effects of a beaten skull.

The imitation lethan roared and drew back her fist.





………



“ Stasha….”

Evie’s mind stumbled several times before she was aware her eyes were open. Several blobs slowly came into focus as a timid voice gently called.

She groaned and touched the base of her skull to find her fingers lightly sunk in. she drew back in pain and shut her eyes tight.

“Stasha, g-get up. It is a bad thing you do….”

Stutters was hanging over her crumpled frame with a look of concern, The Zabrak had been returned to the slaves, though she couldn’t recall by what means.

“Mmmm….” she whimpered, turning onto her side and feeling the cold stone floor kiss her bruised cheek.

“Please tell me we’re free and my head hurts because of the celebration.” she said weakly.

Her twi’lek sisters came to her side and she whipped one of their hand’s away.

“off of me peanut! We’re still not on good terms!” she growled at a reaching violet woman, hugging her ribs, then sinking back into recline.

“It was so bad, Stasha!” Cried stutters.

“ they brought you back so s-soon!”

The twi’leks crowded her like mourning family members.

“w-what happened?” asked the rutian with big eyes full of hope.

Evie brushed off her scabbed lip and cleared her throat.

“Well, It turns out we‘re being sold by a lethan female who‘s a wannabe human and has a mean right hook.” She said with a glare.

“ She pounded my face in and ruined my rag ensemble-” she gestured at her crudely torn top.

“ But, do you know who showed up, just in the nick of time and taught her to believe in herself and except her heritage, let me go and set you all free?”

The women circled her with wonderment.

Stutters gazed astonished.

“W-who!?” she asked eagerly.

Stasha leaned in.

gesturing with her finger to come close she waited until the translator neared...

Then




“NOBODY!” She shouted

 

[Arm514ve]

((ooc: I see what you did there.))