The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

Chapter 13

The group quickly climbed up into the vent, after Wrecker left some explosives around the room. Which resulted in him almost getting zapped. The group walked down the cool air ducts, feeling the more colder atmosphere, rather then the warm sands.

"Huh." Tech said looking around. "This ventilation corridor acts as a cooling system for all the computers in the facility." He said as they carefully walked through the hall.

Rex helped hold Echo as he struggled to walk. Cora walked on his opposite side, also being used as support for Echo.

"How did you know this was up here, Echo?" Cora asked as the General looked over his shoulder to them, as if he had the same question.

"Well, they got access to my memory." He said, "And I got access to the Techno Union database." He smirked. "All their plans, inventory, building schematics... everything."

"You mean you can find us a safe way out of here?" Hunter asked as they reached a small opening in the corridor.

"Well," Echo said leaning off of Rex and Cora, "there is a way. But your not gonna like it." He coughed.

Everyone in the group looked at him, knowing that they were very high up in the sky. Cora sighed and shook her head. "Echo, no."

"I'm afraid, yes." Echo said with a shy chuckle.

-

The heavy winds blew as the sand had some how made it up a hundred or so feet. The sun was still up, Cora shielded her eyes as General Skywalker looked out over the pipe that would be their walkway to the next building.

"I don't know about this." Rex said over the wind.

"I'm telling you." Echo yelled over the loud breeze, "there's a landing pad on that other building."

"So you think there's a ship there we can steal?" Hunter asked behind Cora.

"Well, I hope there's a ship we can steal."
Echo said pointing to the other building.

"You hope!?" Cora questioned.

General Skywalker started out and walked the pipe over to the next building. Echo followed him, and soon Rex.

"Let's hope this trip isn't for nothing." Hunter said as he brushed past Cora, walking out into the wind.

Cora groaned and closed her eyes, taking a good moment before she walked across.  The wind made it difficult to keep the proper balance while on the walkway. The Senator kept her eyes forward, not wanting to look down and risk losing herself by the height. She had been in situations where is life was on the line, but not one quite like this.

"I hope you're right, Echo." She said.

"Me too." Cora heard Echo mumble.

Cora could hear Wrecker becoming scared as he was at the back of the group. Hunter assured his teammate that they were halfway there and that they would make it okay. Ahead of them, in the doorway of the next building, Cora could see droids coming forward.

"Oh no." She said as the General turned to the group.

"Turn around!" He demanded, "Go back!"

He ignited his lightsaber as the group turned to head back the way they came. But coming the way they had come from, were the same droids. They were trapped. The shot was fired which Skywalker deflected with his lightsaber, trying his best to save the group from the front. Cora pulled out her blasters as Tech shot one of the droids that were coming from the other side. Crosshair list is balance as he turned, making Cora grab his hand, causing her to fall as well. Wrecker caught Crosshair by the leg and was hanging off of a small light post.

Cora slipped and fell further.

Trying not the panic, she heard the men yell for her as she started to plummet down. She turned her body and pulled out her grappling hook. She shot it up but missed the pipe. Hunter reached forward and caught the rope and held it, trying to keep himself on the platform himself. Cora gasped as she stopped falling, and quickly started to climb back up the rope. Hunter pulled her up as Tech was exposing something. Cora's heart was beating in her chest as she heard a snap in her rope. Hunter looked down to her as she looked up.

The rope was breaking.

A sudden screech from Tech's equipment caused Cora to lower her head. She wanted to cover her ears but she needed to hold the rope.

One final snap and the rope broke.

Cora yelled as Hunter tried to reach for her. She fell further and further, fearing, knowing, this was her end. Suddenly, one of the flying creatures from before saw her falling. It soon flew under her and took her on its back. She breathed a sigh of relief as she held onto its body. Looking back up, she saw the guys were jumping down on the ones that soon followed behind her.

Cora closed her eyes as she felt someone fall behind her. Turning around she was face to face with Hunter. "Hello, Senator."

"Sergeant." She nodded as his back was pressed against hers.

Their victory away from the facility was run short when the droids jumped off the pipe and flew after the group.

"They can fly?" Cora said as she looked behind them.

They started to shoot at the group, Skywalker pulling out his lightsaber again. "We have to shake those droids. How do I steer this thing?"

The fog in the air became too thick and soon the droids just got lost in it. The weird monster creatures found themselves bringing the team back towards their camp where the locates were.

Cora looked down to the valley below. "I sure am glad I didn't fall that far." She chuckled.

"That would not be ideal." Hunter joked back.

Cora looked over her shoulder to him, smiling under her helmet. She turned back and sighed.

"Senator." Hunter said from behind.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't-"

"I know." Cora said looking towards the falling sun. "I forgive you."

Hunter smirked from under his helmet and looked towards the sun where Cora watched the sun set over the valley as they flew back towards the small village.