[V]19.1: The AquaDome II pt 1

"Quoppi!" 

Varyna knew her squadmate couldn't hear her, but she shouted anyway, tugging on his arm. He jolted at the movement, and turned to look at her.

"We need to move!" Varyna pulled the Nemarian off the couch and onto the glittering floor tiles just as a laser bolt shot over their heads.

Varyna looked up, grasping for her weapon that was no longer there. Blast. They must have known from the start. The Human guard was moving to block the door while the Nemarian guard was taking aim again. Quoppi trembled as he lay splatted on the floor, no intention of returning fire or taking cover. He was good at diplomacy, great at following orders, incredible at deduction... but terrible in action.

Blast it all!! Varyna looped one arm around her companion's waist, and shoved her other hand down his left boot. She had now gone way beyond 'too close' to her squadmate, but she didn't have time to feel awkward as she groped around his scaly ankle for the pistol hidden there. Once she finally found it, she fired a bolt at the Nemarian guard and pushed off the floor to a standing position, Quoppi in tow.

The Human guard was already in front of the door, gun raised. The two Nemarians on the couch had also produced pistols, and one of them was moving to join the Human while the other spread protectively in front of The Whale. From the back, the Nemarian guard prepared to take another shot.

Varyna gritted her teeth and shoved Quoppi behind the couch before diving there herself. Now only the Nemarian with a pistol and Human guard had them in view. A laser bolt blew past her head and into the couch, and she returned one of her own which fizzled uselessly against the door. Her gun was no use. They were close enough that the next shots wouldn't miss. 

With nothing else to do, she flipped around, pressing her feet against the sofa. Luckily, it was heavy enough that it didn't budge as she pushed against it and sent herself careening toward the enemies by the door. They sidestepped, and she slammed into the door. Ignoring the pain shooting through her knees and shoulders, she used the momentum from her crash to tackle the Human. She was able to easily throw him off balance, the one good thing about water, and tried to snatch his gun from his hands.

Unfortunately, the Human recovered quickly. He grabbed the wrist of her hand that was holding Quoppi's pistol and then turned, pulling her over his shoulder before she could latch onto his weapon. She flailed through the water, coming to a stop when her back thumped into the man's chest. He immediately hooked an elbow under her chin and pressed his blaster against her head.

This can't be how I die. Varyna squirmed as the thick arm closed tightly around her neck. She couldn't shrug him off, and she couldn't shoot him. The moment she raised her pistol, there'd be a laser bolt through her brain. Fortunately, she only had a moment to debate whether it was worth the risk of trying to pull her trigger first when something came barreling into the both of them, sending them sailing. Varyna spun in the water while the Human flailed his arms trying to stop himself. She didn't have a clear shot, but she fired the pistol anyway and managed to hit the man's shoulder. Red blood immediately began seeping out into the water. It started to turn brown as it mixed with green blood already coloring the water.

Wait, green blood? Varyna sunk to the floor and crouched down as the Human flew over her, clutching at his shoulder. When he was gone, she could see where the non-Human blood was coming from. Quoppi, still trembling, was holding a pistol while the Nemarian who had been guarding the door floated listlessly nearby.

The other Nemarians started to move. Quoppi and Varyna exchanged a single glance before each launching themselves toward the door. They had just swam into the hall and slammed the door shut behind them when a barrage of laser bolts erupted on the other side. As Varyna sat panting, her back against the door, she could hear the bolts fizzling against it from the inside.

Quoppi had slumped down against the opposite wall, his entire body shaking violently. But they didn't have time to relax. A quick scan of the hall revealed that Faren and the Nemarian in the blue suit were gone. There's no way Faren would have let himself get dragged away from that door unless it was life or death, so Varyna doubted he was just down at the bar having a drink. (Not that he could drink anything though his air converter anyway.)

Regardless of what was waiting for them, they had to get to the bottom floor to get out. And there was only one tube that led there. Varyna waved to Quoppi and paddled as fast as she could toward the tube. Quoppi joined her, a distant look in his eyes as he matched her pace. Varyna wished she still had a comm unit to yell at him to just go and get through the tube. 

They were only halfway there when laser bolts came chasing after them. Varyna turned to face them, keeping her feet stretched out in front and kicking wildly to keep propelling her to the tube. The Nemarian guard and Human guard were both on the chase. Even with his injured shoulder, the Human swam toward them at an alarming speed.

Varyna shot a few bolts at them, but none made contact with her targets. And they were gaining quickly. Just go, Quoppi! She mentally willed her partner to collect himself and get out of there. If he was going to hang back with her, he could at least use that pistol to help return fire. 

Just as another laser bolt blew past her ear, Varyna felt something latch onto the back of her wetsuit. And soon, she was speeding through the water. 

"Quoppi!" She grinned as she looked up to see the Nemarian swimming at full speed, towing her along. In a matter of seconds, they reached the tube and plunged toward the first floor. Quoppi continued dragging Varyna. Under any other circumstances, she would have punched him, but right now, she was grateful.

They left the Human guard far behind, but the Nemarian guard was still hot on their trail. Unfortunately for him, Varyna could now use both hands to steady her aim, and she landed a bolt right through his chest. His body floated at the top of the tube in swirls of green blood, growing smaller and smaller with each of Quoppi's powerful strokes.

When they finally reached the safety of the lounge, Quoppi released Varyna. She patted him on the back and mouthed 'good work!' as they headed toward the waterlock. 

Everything seemed like business as usual on the ground floor. Nemarians still sat around tables chatting with a crowd bobbing up and down on the dance floor. It made Varyna wonder, where was Faren? As they continued toward their goal, drawing a few glances from the table-sitters, Varyna tried to shake the anxiety that they had left their Squad Leader behind up there. 

What if he had been dragged into a different room and was still fighting his way out? Quoppi would have heard something. 

What if he was being held hostage? The best way we could help is by calling an extraction team, not busting in with two pistols and minimal fighting experience. 

What if he was already dead? … Don't think about it.

Varyna swallowed heavily. The waterlock was in sight now, and there was no sign of commotion behind them. They were almost there. Almost-

BEEEEEEP!!!!

An alarm loud enough Varyna could hear it blared throughout the room twice, and the colorful lights suddenly started flashing red. Thick shutters closed across all three waterlocks, blocking any escape. The Nemarians around them seemed mostly unbothered by the commotion. Given the black market dealings happening frequently at this place, the guests were probably used to this situation.