Impulse - Book 2 - Sergeant Hunter

[Chapter 2 - Prologue ~ Part 2]

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Stellia had been travelling with the Batchers for maybe thirty rotations now, and she was warming up nicely. Things had been going smoothly, they hadn't had any hiccups with their missions, and none of the Republic forces that they'd met up with so far had questioned Hunter's explanation. That all changed with one transmission.

They'd been assigned a new mission, to capture a bounty hunter that had been causing the Republic a fair amount of trouble. 

The only problem? Stellia happened to know said bounty hunter.

"How can you be sure you know him? Hunter questioned.

"Because I- ahem- worked with him." Stellia went slightly pink in the face as she could feel all of the boys' eyes on her. 

"So the fierce bounty hunter is scared to confront her ex?" Crosshair teased.

"Says the man built like the toothpicks he chews on." Stellia glared at Crosshair, who she could have sworn looked proud for a moment- "Besides, he's not my ex... we just had a... complicated relationship..." 

Everybody shot her a sideways glance before Hunter continued to brief them all. Once he'd finished, Stellia decided to head to her room to get her armor on.

When she'd joined their team, the Batch had gifted her with a few things. The first of which was her own room. Unfortunately, given the lack of space aboard the Havoc Marauder, her room was actually an unused maintenance tunnel in the roof over the belly of the ship. But it was better than nothing, so she was grateful. 

The Batch had also gifted her with some proper Republic-issue armor that they'd had lying around, which she had impressed Tech by altering for herself. Unfortunately, the helmet had been scrapped to be used in Tech's modifications to his helmet, but she was grateful nonetheless.

The final item bestowed upon her had been a single DC-17 pistol. Its twin had been lost long ago, but she was nonetheless grateful, as she was more than sick of her crumby blaster.

She swung up into her room and began clipping on her armor. She felt the ship touch down with a shudder. Swinging back down and out of her room, she approached the others.

"Remember, this guy is one of the Seppies' top men. We need to be on high alert." Hunter ordered.

The group filed out and got straight to searching. The planet they found themselves on was packed with dingy city streets, not unlike Nar Shaddaa. It didn't take long for Stellia to spot the familiar helmet of Jeiro Troff. She commed the other Batchers and began her stealthy approach.

She followed subtly as he calmly walked through the streets. He eventually rounded a corner into a dead end road.

"Nice try Siren, but you're losing your touch." he said without even turning to her.

Stellia held the pistol up closer to the back of his neck, just below the edge of the helmet. She turned around to spot a group of Jeiro's grunts cutting her off from the exit.

"See, I know your tactics. I knew you'd fall right into my trap." he laughed and turned, taking off his helmet- "So how's life been treating you? I heard you stopped working with the Separatists, is that true?" 

Stellia stared into his disturbingly blue eyes. She remembered a time when she would've taken in every inch of his handsome features. But not anymore. Every detail that she had once found endearing had been warped and twisted by the true evil she knew this man was capable of. 

"I'm not here for small talk Troff. I'm here to get you out of the way, whether that means putting a bolt between your brows or not." 

"Well then you should've prepared a little more sweetheart. You didn't really think you could take me alone did you? I taught you everything you know. I made you."

Stellia rolled her eyes to the heavens- "Okay, for starters, you didn't teach me everything I know by a long shot pal. I have eight years of training to thank for that. You definitely didn't make me, literally or figuratively. And I didn't come alone." 

Several of the grunts behind them dropped to the ground. The remaining were taken down by Wrecker, Hunter, and Tech, as they swung down from the rooftops where they'd been hiding. Wrecker went to step in to take down Jeiro as well, but the others held him back. 

"Really Siren? Surely a girl like you is above working with such scum."

Stellia simply continued to stare him down, blaster in hand.

"Do you know what kind of a price is on your head? If you don't let me take you in, someone else will." 

Stellia's expression remained the same, still holding the blaster steady.

"So now what? You turn me in to the Republic and they compensate you? You and I both know that the Separatists will never stop searching for you."

"Maybe not, but at least I'm free from running their horrid errands."

"Free? You really think you'll escape the weight of all you've done?" 

Stellia stared into his eyes, her gaze fueled with malice. She went to holster her blaster.

Jeiro huffed a laugh- "I knew you didn't have it in you. You were always wea-"

His body fell to the ground with a thud. 

Stellia turned away with a sigh. The Batchers all stared at her through their helmets, Hunter stepped forward and gave her a proud nudge on the shoulder.

"Not bad. Now lets get out of here." 

Stellia nodded, but first, she turned back and pried his helmet out of his hands. Brushing off the dust and debris and smudging off a couple dots of blood, she rested it on her hip as the group made their way back to the ship. As they boarded, Wrecker gave her a bone-shattering pat on the back, and Crosshair gave an affectionate elbow. 

Stellia truly felt home. 

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And the prologue ends... Remember to vote and comment, peace and love <3