Nothing • Tech

20.Rol'eta Resol (66)

Posting this chapter a few hours early because I think I'm getting sick and I'm kind of scared of what might happen in the next few hours lol🤢

Tech had slowed his steps to walk with Malaina after noticing she was by herself.

He put his datapad away, allowing his neck to rest in the upright position. They were quiet for a while, only the chatter from the group ahead of them being the only voices heard.

    Hunter had paused in his steps, gazing out at the water that seeped through the rusted ship scraps. Malaina and Tech stopped to stand with him, looking out at the water curiously.

    "What is it?" Tech asked.

    Hunter turned to keep walking, glancing at the two of them. "Stay above the waterline."

    "I don't have any desire to swim anyway." Malaina commented, grimacing at the filthy, murky water. "Especially not in there."

    "I couldn't agree with you more." Tech nodded, continuing to walk beside her, their arms nearly brushing together from how close they were.

    And soon the group was inside the Jedi cruiser, navigating their way through the dark and rusty halls. Cords were strung across the ceiling, holes had been put in the walls and floors, grime coated pretty much everything.

    But it's perfectly fine to do brain surgery!

    "The last time I was aboard one of these it didn't end so well." Rex muttered, ducking under some cords that hung lower than others. Everyone else followed suit.

    "If the inhibitor chip isn't something you can control, how'd you get yours out?" Echo asked, following right alongside Rex. Malaina had noticed pretty early on that those two went back further than anyone else here.

    Except for maybe Malaina and Rex, but it doesn't count if you hardly remember him, right?

    "I had help." the Captain says simply, coming to a stop when he notices a very large gap between where they stood and the hall to the medical bay. The whole bridge had just rusted and broke away, leaving a pool of water thirty feet down. Rex shone his flashlight to Wrecker's left, revealing a thick yellow cable. The Captain told him to grab it.

    "How do we attach that to the other side?" Echo questioned.

    Malaina watched Rex turn to face her and she let out a sigh, holding out a hand. "Pass it over." She said tiredly. Wrecker placed the cable in her hand. Malaina tied the first end to a secure place on the side she currently stood on, then grabbed the other end.

    The group stood against the walls, out of her way. Malaina took a couple steps back, taking a deep breath before running, calling on the Force as she jumped, leaping across the large hole and landing on the other side.

    "That's why we keep her around." She hears Hunter say.

    Malaina scoffed, beginning to tie a secure knot to a sturdy place. "I feel so loved."

    Rex chuckled. "You haven't changed." The comment made the expression on her face sadden, wishing she could remember herself. It was unfair that Rex knew her better than she knew herself.

    Malaina sucked in a breath, tugging on the cord to check its stability. "Give it a go, troopers." She announced, crossing her arms over her chest.

    Rex was the guinea pig, grabbing the cord with both hands and wrapping his legs around it, beginning to scoot across the empty space between the hall and the medical bay. He made it across successfully, moving out of the way. Unfortunately, that meant that he stood next to Malaina.