Sofila "Spicy" Douve Armis vs. High Inquisitor Hector Von Ricmore

It is immediately apparent when faced with the barren landscape of the storm-stricken of Eadu why it was this location that was chosen by the Galactic Empire to house a secret weapons research facility. Jagged, mountainous terrain stands tall, shrouded in a blue hue as constant rainstorms batter the landscape with wind and lightning.

As a result of the hazardous weather, Eadu appears to be nighttime no matter the planet's cycle, its cloud-cover countering any potential daylight. Visibility is difficult but not impossible, the southern hemisphere providing a home to village clusters capable of withstanding the harsh conditions.

Within this pockmarked landscape lies the Eadu Energy Conversion Laboratory, where the Death Star's superlaser was initially developed. The facility itself is built into the mountains with a free-standing platform playing host to the only landing pad providing access to the lab.

Based on the available data, this lab served as a kyber refinery in addition to its developmental role. Although it is marked as destroyed by the Rebel Alliance, it is rare that something is left utterly annihilated. There's always a chance that backup systems remain or at least part of something can be found that might lead to a new discovery.

Such opportunity is key to military and vagabond alike. For some it may lead to profit, for others it could be just the boost they need to attain supremacy. Your reasons for coming may be your own, but the end goal is the same as anyone else's. Pick the remains of the facility apart and escape the hazardous storm churning around you. Preferably with a discovery in tow.

Just don't let it slip through your fingers, or into the grasp of another.

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.”

The pulsing of blaster fire and hum of his lightsaber filled the serpentine ears of Hector Von Ricmore.

Well. That was one way to start a mission.

With the benefit of cover, he was afforded the time he needed to glance over at Sofila.

Her Mandalorian armor covered any sort of facial expression she had; but her body language was easy to read. Whatever trepidation she felt about the storm outside, their movement to an interior facility and the outbreak of a fight overwhelmed any fear she might have felt.

Instead she looked ready and eager to engage in the conflict. She practically bounced on the soles of her boots as she crept closer to the doorway.

She was about to charge.

”Sofila wait!” Hector called to his companion. Far too late. The armored Mirialan was already rushing through the door, nimbly weaving around blaster fire despite her armored carapace.

Not wanting to be left behind, the Serpent slithered in after her.

He witnessed his companion reach the apex of her charge. An orange energy shield blossomed to life on her left arm, absorbing the few blaster bolts which flew close enough to hit her armor. She slammed into a Collective cyborg shield first, lifting and hurling him through the air into a nearby terminal. Organic met metal with a loud crunch; the cyborg did not rise again.

Sofila’s left fist lashed out in a quick jab, crushing the windpipe of a soldier rushing towards her with a vibroblade. She pivoted around the collapsing woman and swept her companion to the ground with a powerful leg kick. She was on him as he hit the ground, pinning him in place with her left knee and delivering a series of brutal punches to the head of the Collective trooper.

That was all he had time to witness before the enemy was upon him.

”Jedi! Blast him!”

Red slammed against blue as he brought his lightsaber up to defend himself. The beam weapon slapped bolt after bolt aside.

Yellow eyes took in the room.

‘Less than twelve enemies. Mixture of scientists and soldiers. They weren’t expecting company,’ he thought to himself.

Sofila mowed through the soldiers with relative ease, her lack of self preservation as much a boon as it was a curse. With that in hand Hector moved to handle the scientists; one of whom began pointing an unknown device towards Sofila.

”No, we won’t be having any of that today.” Hector muttered as he gestured with his lower left arm. The device clattered harmlessly to the floor. The scientist leapt towards it, falling closer until his momentum stopped abruptly. He was then yanked into the air and began clawing at his throat.

An audible crunch echoed through the air, announcing the shattering of the soldier’s neck. His still body was thrown through the air, impacting the remaining scientists. They tumbled to the floor under the weight of the corpse thrown towards them.

That bought the serpent time. Time which he used to unfurl his lower arm and grasp the Slugthrower on his chest. Flipping the safety off the weapon, his finger pulled the trigger.

Pop pop pop pop pop pop pop!

The ballistic weapon spat slugs at an automatic rate, stitching across the chests of the struggling scientists. They fell and did not rise again.

Thumbing the safety back on, Hector glanced over at his ally. It appeared that Sofila had finished dealing with her enemies as well.

The Mirialan could spot the lecture coming a mile away ”It’s fine see? Look, it all worked out.”

“Well. I suppose you are right. I just worry when you run off like that,” He responded.

The Serpent slithered over to one of the few terminals which survived the fight intact.

“Sof, I need a few minutes to look into whatever The Collective is searching for here. And I doubt that is the last we will see of them today.”

“You got it boss,’ Sofila chirped. “They won’t make it past these guns!”

Hector chuckled. “I’m sure they won’t. Still, let me give you something to help.”

He withdrew his scattergun from his hip holster, placing it alongside several braces of shells.

“Your dossier lists familiarity with some slugthrower weapons. You won’t need to be very accurate with this one. Just fire a few blasts before you engage as usual.”

Was it irresponsible giving someone as energetic as Sofila a weapon that could hit a large area? Possibly. But her dossier had listed some familiarity with slugthrowers.

It would probably be fine; Hector hoped.