Sofila bounced from one leg to another as she waited for her friend to arrive. She was wearing her Mandalorian armor and holding her helmet. She had not seen Hector since their last mission, which resulted in her boyfriend, Cole’s leg and Hector’s eye. Cole and Hector had been messaging each other about once a week. Cole did give Sofila a heads-up that Hector had changed bodies again. She started to wonder what he chose this time.
Mirialan? That would be funny. Maybe Chiss? Oh, perhaps Hutt? Nah. She felt that being a hutt might hinder his movements, and Hector was a very determined individual. He had goals, though he never said them. Sofila kept glancing around. It wasn’t like him to be late. It wasn’t long until she saw a massive snake-like figure slithered his way towards her. She stared at him for a long time.
“Hello Sofila.”
Sofila blankly stared at him for a while before saying, “Hector?” Hector grinned with a nod as she squealed and jumped up to hug him, forcing him to lean as her weight pulled him down towards her. Hector awkwardly waited for her to let him go.
“Wrap your arms around me! It’s how friends greet.”
Hector upper two arms wrapped around Sofila with a bit of an awkward back pat.
“You have four arms now! Use them!”
“Sofila…”
Sofila grumbled as she released Hector and then tilted her head at him. She watched him straighten up and his quad-arms trying to smooth his hair that she disheveled. “So… what are you?”
“A Thisspiassian.”
“A The-issi-whatian?”
Hector let out a chuckle and sighed. He gave her a once-over. Cole had mentioned that she was back to her old self before she was kidnapped and stabbed. Determined, headstrong, and just… herself. It was the dark piece of Scimitar that had been influencing her. Hector cannot wait to see who she really was since the piece was no longer poisoning her.
“The mission, Sofila.”
“Oh! Okay, so get this, there’s supposed to be some kind of system with backup data for a weapon that the Brotherhood could use.” The Mirialan glanced around for a moment before she nodded.
“Guess it’s just the two of us. Also, there are unconfirmed sources that the Collective may also be on their way there. If they aren’t already there.” She hated the Collective. Part of her hopes that they are there so she can bash their faces in.
“C-can we just come back tomorrow? I mean, storms are such an inconvenience. Low visibility and all,” Sofila nervously laughed as the shuttle’s ramp hissed as the doors opened. The scent of the heavy rain was noticeable even through her helmet. She flinched as the lightning flashed. She did not want to go out there. Any sounds were dulled by the heavy downpour.
“It usually storms here, I imagine it would continue tomorrow…” Hector paused for a moment before looking over to his friend, who stayed seated. “Why?”
“Oh. It’s nothing.” Sofila lied. Yet she did not move to get up. She was grateful for her armor because no one would be able to tell she was trembling underneath it.
“We should get going.”
“Oh. Yes. Okay.” Still no movement.
“Sofila? Are you scared of storms?”
“Whaaaat? Nooooo! Course not! ….. Yes. Yes, I am.”
Hector sighed heavily. They can’t turn back now. He wanted the information for the Brotherhood and for his own means. Anything that helped him finally take down one of his life long rival. “Just run quickly to inside the building. I’ll run with you.”
“Don’t you mean slither?”
“Sofila.” Hector didn’t want to waste anymore time as he slid out, and he was immediately drenched from the downpour. He felt one of his lower arms was grabbed and clung to. Sofila had finally left the shuttle, though she ended up clinging to his arm like a lost child.
They headed inside and Sofila had released him, but it was obvious that she was still bothered by the storms. Each time the thunder rolled, the Mandalorian flinched.
“Okay, at the end of the hallway should be the room we’re looking for.”
“Hold for a moment, please.” Hector got out his K-177 Turrent Droid and started to set it up.
“Why are you setting up that?” Sofila was trying to make conversation to ignore the fact that it was storming.
“Just in case the Collective does come.”
“Can’t we just punch them in the face? You do have four arms!”
“I would rather use other means than punching. This will help us with crowd control.”
When the setup was done, the pair of them ventured further down the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory. Right before the door slid open, the Force warned him as he quickly grabbed Sofila and moved out of the way. Hail of blasters emitted.
“I think the Collective is already here,” Hector said as he got out of his lightsaber. There was a snap-hiss and Sofila nodded, adrenaline pumping. This was going to help her ignore the storms.
“It’s go time.”
