The Great War • Hunter

40.Compass to Skara Nal

Hunter, Alona, and Echo were in a bad mood, and it brought down everyone else in the bar. The air was tense, or maybe it was just because Phee was here. She had been telling the same story over and over, but slightly altering it every time.

Alona banged her head on the bartop, hard enough to make her vision blur with each hit. Hunter quietly scolded her and placed a hand on her thigh, squeezing it comfortingly. It didn't do much to help, however. Sleep would help.

Unfortunately she was unable to rest because of the nightmares that had become increasingly worse. Just about every time she closed her eyes she was further disturbed by the horrible images in her head.

This had been happening since Serenno. Yet again Dooku was the source of all of Alona's problems.

"-Suddenly, I felt its tentacles wrap around my legs, pulling me down into the depths." Phee exclaims, making both sentients gasp in awe. "I had no choice but to fend off the Octomorph," She paused to build up intensity. "Bare-handed." Again, Bolo and Ketch gasp.

"This story changes every time she tells it." Tech mutters from the other side of Hunter.

Alona scoffs, rolling her forehead roughly on the bar. "Wow. We had no kriffing idea."

"Vanquishing the creature, I swam to the coral cave. And do you know what I found?" Phee asks the sentients. Alona rolls her eyes, bringing her arms up to the bartop and resting her head in them.

"What? What'd you find?" Bolo asks excitedly.

"What? Spit it out!" Ketch exclaims.

"Only the Grand Pearl of Novak."

"She's going to find my fist in her face." Alona muttered.

"Not if I beat you to it." Echo chimes from the other side of her. Alona raises her metal hand and Echo clanks his scomp against it.

"Those two will believe anything." Hunter says quietly, gesturing to Bolo and Ketch.

Wrecker and Omega darted down the steps into the parlor, the former with the part Tech had sent them out to find, while the latter just had her arms full of a bunch of random useless objects.

"Mission accomplished! One compressor, as requested." Wrecker exclaims, setting the large part down on one of the tables.

Tech stood from his barstool, placing a hand on the compressor to access it. "Ah. Nicely done, Wrecker."

Omega grinned, placing the objects in her hand onto the table. "That's not all we got."

Tech blinked. "This assortment, however, could have been left at the junkyard."

Alona would have gotten up to smack the back of Tech's head, but she didn't want to move. "I think I'll sit at this bar forever. No more Force, no more mercenary journeys, no more Alona. Just bar woman."

"Is there anything I can do, cyare?" Hunter asked quietly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear to see the part of her face peeking out of her arm-pillow.

"Knock me over the head with my lightsaber hilt. It'll keep me asleep." She replied miserably.

Hunter knew of her nightmares. Any change in her breathing, any squirming or whimpers, they all woke him and his poor heightened senses up. He always said he didn't mind, doing his best to comfort her after every terror. But the grouchy mood and baggy eyes were something he was currently sharing with her.

"Let the expert take a look at these." Phee barged, walking over to the table covered in clutter. She stood awfully close to Tech, something Alona had looked up to watch.