>>5660712That’d be too strong a word. If anything, you almost pity him. “Give it a few seconds, we’re about to get some quality entertainment.”
It actually takes four, but your promise comes true. There’s no warning as the loading hatch to the <span class="mu-i">Albatross</span> slams open and hits the ground with a sharp BANG. Rushing off the ship like bats out of hell, Suzel, Elba, and Trykov have their weapons drawn and at the ready. They could only have heard Ceyla’s shriek and assumed the worst.
And as the Jedi don’t believe in luck or coincidence, it must have been nothing short of the will of the Force for Nujem’s flight from Ceyla to take him right into their path.
“Kid, you alright?!” shouts the Clone, eyes sharp and alert. “We heard screaming-!”
“Get him!” Ceyla points to Arotta’s padawan with a fierce snarl.
Said padawan only realizes that he might have bitten off more than he could chew seconds before Elba scoops him up like a sack of potatoes and <span class="mu-i">roars</span> mere inches away from his face.
“Whoa, hey!” yelps the kalleran, cringing as far away from the wookiee’s mouth. “Call ‘em off! Cey, it was just a prank! Just a prank!”
Suzel is unimpressed. The nagai scratches himself with the pommel of his knife, making a show of picking at his fingernails. “Just a prank, huh? Kind of prank has someone screaming that loud this early in the morning?”
Arotta tenses, fingers twitching towards her lightsaber. But you shake your head and grin, waving over to your crew. “Alright, alright. Play nice, guys. He just slipped an ice cube down Ceyla’s shirt.”
“…yeah, nah, sorry boss. That’s the death penalty right there.”
His master doesn’t think it’s nearly as funny. While she doesn’t draw her lightsaber, she still stomps over towards the group. “I’m only gonna ask once for you to put down my padawan.”
Okay, fun time’s over. You nod to Elba, who growls once final time before dropping Nujem to the ground. He nearly trips over himself scurrying away, right behind Arotta like a frightened child hiding behind his sister’s robes.
“Oi.” She nudges her padawan, mouth thin and brow sharply furrowed. “You got something to say?”
Nujem swallows nervously, wiping wookiee spittle off of his face. “…yes, master.” Then, to Ceyla: “Hey, uh…sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you that badly.”
“…apology accepted.” Ceyla looks like she’s still out for blood but decides to grant him a measure of her magnanimous mercy. Then, she sighs, shoulders sagging as the fight drains from her body. Turning to the crew, she smiles ruefully. “Sorry for scaring you. I’ve been…a little on edge since Dweeeeeeuh…since we left.”
It's hard not to wince. Flustered and het up, she only just catches herself before she reveals where you’d been to Nujem and Arotta. You make a mental note to work on reinforcing and remembering OpSec during your next practical training.
(cont.)
