536. Black Phoenix - Raezyr

Apparently the Desert Raiders didn't expect them to still be right on the other side of the door, as several rushed headlong around the corner at the far end of the corridor. Falka picked of the first two before they knew what was happening, and the rest began firing, as they tried to back up to the corner they had just rounded.

Their firing only gave Trychon and Raezyr the ammunition they needed to fell a few more before they were able to retreat to safety. They then began taking potshots from cover, which the two Sith easily deflected.

"Haley! You're done. Now!" Raezyr snarled.

"Just one more moment," Haley replied.

"We don't have one more moment," he said, exasperated. "They will now be content to keep us pinned until we're surrounded. We have to leave. NOW!"

"Got it!" the cyborg declared. "That way," she said pointing down the hall perpendicular to the one they were currently fighting in.

"Alright, go!" Raezyr ordered. "Trych, you and Falka take the lead, I'll catch up in a minute. I have a surprise for our friends who are sure to try and follow us."

Trychon didn't hesitate, but took off down the corridor Haley had indicated, with Falka and the cyborg close behind him. Raezyr covered them as they crossed the open area, deflecting bolts toward their attackers.

When the others were clear, Raezyr spun as if to follow, but stopped, and pressed up against the wall around the corner and just out of sight of the Raiders. Closing his eyes, he sensed the beings as they climbed out of their cover and began to pursue.

He split his concentration then, and felt with the Force along the ceiling, looking for weaknesses in the structure. Elation soared through him as he found what he was looking for among the rusted metal and stone. Now for the timing.

He felt the beings moving cautiously down the hall coming closer, and closer. As soon as they were in position, Raezyr spun back out into the hallway, eyes still closed behind his mask, and reached upwards with his hand, actualizing with motions what he willed the Dark Side to do for him.

Clenching his fist, he jerked his arm in a downward motion, and a large panel came loose from the ceiling above the Raiders, landing on top of one or two. Raezyr didn't take time to assess the damage caused, spinning back around the corner and trotting down the hall, but he knew they'd be a bit more careful now.

As he ran, trying to catch up with the fleeing figures several dozen meters ahead of him, he noticed a burning sensation in his shoulder. He looked down and noticed scorch marks on his armor and vaguely recalled the Raiders firing at him when he had appeared suddenly in the hallway. The wound beneath the armor wasn't bad, though, and he pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He'd had worse, but it was a reminder to be more careful next time.

He saw his companions duck around a corner ahead, and put on a burst of speed to catch up. As he neared the corner, he heard more blaster fire, and hastened his pace even more.

By the time he rounded the corner, Trychon and the others had already taken care of business, as there were several aliens and humans lying on the ground either dead or dying.

"Late to the party as usual, I see," Trych said, grinning at his half brother. "And wounded again, too," the older Sith added, clicking his tongue in mock dismay.

Raezyr wasn't in the mood. "Shut up, Trych. This isn't the time for jokes."

Trych cocked his head to the side. "Why so serious?" he asked with a grin.

Raezyr clenched his teeth beneath his helmet. "I swear by all that is holy, if I didn't need you to get out of here..." he let the threat trail off, realizing anything he could have said would have sounded stupid.

It was enough, though, and Trychon got the hint. "Okay. Haley says the only way out is up to the roof, and they've locked down the turbo lifts."

"That means they'll be waiting to ambush us on each level," Raezyr said, battle strategies already forming in his head. "How many levels above us?" he asked Haley.

"Fourteen. Fifteen if you count the roof itself."

They stood their silently for a moment, their hopes dropping. Finally Raezyr spoke up. "Four, five, maybe even six, we could handle, but we aren't going to be lucky enough to make it all the way. Not all of us," he said looking at the other three. Somehow they all knew it was true.

These weren't casually trained security troops. These were hardened mercenaries and bounty hunters, and going against wave after wave was going to take it's toll. Raezyr and Trychon knew they had the best chances to make it with the Force as their minion, but Falka, and certainly Haley had little to no chance.

"Maybe I can be of assistance?" a timid voice said.

The four spun around, weapons leveled to see who had spoken.