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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1846453" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 40: Crash CourseIt was nearly ten minutes until Akan noticed Jen and Voort. He looked up to the other two, who had simply stood their, consumed in their thoughts. Shadow still seemed dazed and not all there, weakly attempting a pounce at his hair when he moved his head up to look to the humans. Akan had an exhausted smile on his face, but the slowly faded as his eyes fell on Voort. The former Imperial met the young Alraxian’s gaze, both knowing what was to come but thinking two different things of it.    Jen soon realized the silent exchange between the two of them, and opened her mouth to say something. But Voort spoke first, “We should leave...” he trailed off a moment, and then started walking to the exit, “Sadrak isn’t dead.”    What he said wasn’t the real surprise. It was the order he’d chosen to say things. Jen had expected that his first statement would be on the fate of Sadrak, then it would have concluded the flimsy alliance of sorts between the Imperial and Akan. But instead, Voort had chosen to use the word ‘we’ again, and in an almost friendly tone. This had obviously caught Akan off guard at first, but when the second words were spoken, he simply nodded. In no way did it occur to Akan that perhaps Voort simply didn’t want to fight him.    Akan had turned down to look to Shadow again, the glazed look crossing over his face as he ‘spoke’ with her. With a sigh, he stood up slowly, picking her up as best he could. Managing a weak shrug to the two others, he said quietly, “She’s not exactly...herself yet.”    “What did you do?” Jen asked, stepping over to him and noting the amount of blood and cuts all over the two Alraxians.    Again, Akan shrugged, falling into step next to Jen and just a few steps behind Voort, “I...I dunno. I just drew the Force in...around me...and let it out.”    Over his shoulder, Voort said, “Its an ancient technique. Drawing upon the raw energy of the Light Side and releasing it. Palpatine...once mentioned it to me in passing. It simply purges the Dark from the target.”    “Then Sadrak should be dead,” Jen stated a little too confidently.    But even Akan shook his head. It had take a moment, but he could feel that Sadrak still lived. Not physically...but that was not the only way to live. But this wasn’t the time for dealing with Sadrak. Voort knew this easily, knowing that they would have to regroup and rethink everything they had assumed. Akan was still too consumed with what had happened to Shadow to care much about a bodiless Sadrak. The link was back...as strong as ever, and he’d been amazed at how used to it he’d gotten in such a short time. Jen was simply exhausted. Emotionally as well as physically. At least they were all alive...all of them. Even Voort.    Voort didn’t say anything on the matter of Sadrak, knowing it wasn’t anything that could be dealt with now. And staying here was likely a bad idea. He glanced over his shoulder to look at Akan, “How did you find this place?”    The Alraxian shrugged yet again, carefully so that he didn’t drop Shadow, “Loki took us down right on top of this place...Shadow said it felt right. I could feel something nearby, so we just explored until finding these tunnels.”    “That’s a good amount of luck...” Voort said, raising an eyebrow.    Rounding a corner, towards where the turbolift had been, Akan said, “I honestly don’t know. Shadow said she was feeling pulled here...so we both followed and then...then..” he trailed off, looking down to the still dazed Shadow in his arms.    As they approached the turbolift, Jen and Voort caught sight of a large hole in the wall to the left. Akan smiled and nodded to it, “This is where I get off. You two want to come with us?”    Voort had started to answer when there was a noise from the turbolift. The door opened. All three of them turned to look at the door. Four or so men in New Republic Security uniforms had blasters aimed. Not at the three, but just out in general. As there always was in the surprise of such a situation, both sides stood silent for a few long seconds. Then, the lead Security officer called out, “Don’t move!!”    Jen was the second to move, turning back to Akan, she said firmly, “Go.”    When he’d started to protest, trying to tell them to come with him, Voort shoved Akan(who nearly dropped Shadow) to the hole that had been cut with Akan’s lightsaber upon entering earlier, growling to the Alraxian, “Get out of here! You’ve done your heroics for the day!”    Akan had no real choice but to comply, running along the makeshift tunnel he and Shadow had made on their way in. He looked up, seeing where Loki had been crashed in through the higher levels of the district. With one last glance back to the main corridor, Akan could see bright red flashes. Hopefully Voort would get Jen out of there alive. Hopefully? No...no he would. Akan wasn’t sure of why he knew that, but there was something different. Looking down again to Shadow he couldn’t help a very slight smile. Many things were different.    It took nearly half an hour to climb up with Shadow in his arms, but he managed it. Loki had gotten slightly wedged in a few of the buildings he’d come crashing through, and when they’d first left him, Shadow had said not to worry about it until they were leaving. Well, they were leaving, and Akan was worrying about it.    [Loki, open up] Akan called, making the final step up onto the same level as the large ship. He felt a curious mind exploring his own, found something, and suddenly pulled back afraid. Akan knew what Loki had found. [She’s alright. We just need to get out of here...]    Loki said nothing, simply opening the hatch not far in front of Akan. He stepped in and started towards Shadow’s quarters. [Can you fly without me?]    It was an idea, at least. Really, Loki was alive...so, to Akan at least, it made sense that he wouldn’t necessarily need a pilot. Loki was silent while Akan made his way through the corridors, but then his voice said. [I can...but I haven’t in a very long time.]    [Look, I don’t know how to fly you.] Akan admitted as he stepped into Shadow’s quarters, noting the utilitarian emptiness about it. A room that looked like it never lived in that room. Arguably, Shadow hadn’t. But Akan could at least feel most of her memories out...and the emptiness fit her personality. It seemed that everything not considered ‘essential’ was simply useless to her. Ah well...carefully, Akan lay her down on the bed, trying his best to keep the jacket over her. Not as much to cover her(as, for some reason that should have been strange considering his age, the fact of her without clothes didn’t seem to be anything to worry about), but to keep her warm. She was shivering a good amount, and that reminded Akan what she’d told him about Alraxians. They required very warm temperatures, and without a morphsuit, it was likely they would freeze to death on most planets that humans considered temperate. So, he did his best to get Shadow under the large blankets of the bed.    All that time, Loki has still been silent, probably trying to figure out what to do. Finally, the ship said. [I’ll...try. But there are many ships above us...]    Akan sighed. Expected. Really, four Security officers out this far all on their own? Not likely. Carefully, he ran a hand over Shadow’s forehead. She’d fallen asleep during the trip to Loki. Closing his eyes, Akan turned and started towards Loki’s cockpit. [Hold on then. I’m coming up. You’re going to have to give me a crash course in flying you.]    A strange whimpering noise sounded through Akan’s mind. [I don’t want to crash again if I don’t have to.]</blockquote>

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