The Final Bounty--Dark Bounty Part 2

Cheedo

The lift corridor was silent as Terrah and Videsse descended back to the lower level. They did not waste time, as their movements were spurred by purpose and the possibility of pursuit.

Terrah dropped through the lift hatch first and scanned the hall with her headlamp. It was empty, but the blast door to the hangar was open. That was a stark contrast from when they had left. She shone her lamp into the dimly blue-lit hangar.

A figure was under the E-Wing across the way on the forward wall. Cheedo bent over his R7 droid, fidgeting nervously trying to disconnect the astromech lift.

"Is it clear?" Videsse called as she descended through the hatch.

Cheedo looked up sharply at the aft door when he heard her voice. He saw Terrah and fumbled to finally disconnect the astromech lift. Once detached, he hit the underside of his E-Wing, causing the lift to retract into the underside of the fighter. Cheedo darted his eyes around the hangar and then scurried across the hangar floor to Terrah.

"What's this?" Terrah asked, covering him with her pistol.

"What's what?" Cheedo countered as he held up his hands. He still advanced anxiously. "You can put that down, Sun. You know me; I'm no threat."

Videsse stepped out from the lift and sidled up to Terrah. "Look who we got here!" She drew her pistol in her right hand and Cheedo's blaster in the other. "Where's Cotrel? I gotta long complaint I plan on settlin' quick."

"We got separated," Cheedo chattered out.

"How'd that happen?" Videsse followed.

Cheedo lowered his hands and smiled as he thought of something. "I snuck away, like always."

"Keep those hands up," Videsse ordered. Cheedo lifted them again.

"Sure. No worries. I'm unarmed and as cool as Camor," Cheedo replied with a voice that betrayed his calmness. He seemed to want to hide that. "But, maybe, considering that hound is around, you'd be decent enough to give me back my blaster. Sun could vouch for me."

"Not a chance, Snitch," Videsse replied.

Cheedo took the insult without offense and nodded.

"What were you doing here, anyway?" Terrah asked.

"Just lightening my ship. The return trip was going to be a long one. Any little bit helps, and that R7 droid is a piece of junk. I was kind of hoping you two would get the hyperdrive shut down before that creature got you." It was not a tactful reply, but it seemed honest.

Terrah considered Cheedo's answers and lowered her weapon. "Well, that's where we're headed," she said. "You can keep unloading your ship, or whatever you were doing. Let's go, Ohara. He's no big threat. Not to us anyway." She turned to walk toward the hover-crate.

Videsse was not sure about Cheedo's harmlessness and back-stepped into the corridor, making sure to keep a line on him with her pistol.

Cheedo eye's widened while he opened his mouth as if to say something, but tripped over his words. "Uh, wait. Wait!"

Terrah and Videsse stopped.

"Cotrel is after me, and that hound, and . . . well, Ohara's got my weapon, and . . ."

"Fine, Cheedo," Terrah said. "You can come."

Videsse exhaled forcefully in disgust. "Then he walks in front so I can keep him in check. And let him push the cart."