[Solved] (Episode II - CAT-A) Ni hil too steep, no river too wide

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Ni hil too steep, no river too wide

Statin and Wishk sprinted through the forest, branches raking at their faces and tearing at their clothes. Wishk, one of the native avian species known as Rishii, knew she could probably escape faster by air, at least if she could make it to the canopy. That would leave Statin alone to face their pursuers, however, and she would only do that as a last resort. While it was imperative they got offworld the data they'd stolen on the blockade of her planet, she felt a responsibility to her carapace-covered companion - afterall, Statin had no responsibility to help her planet.

"Sprint, man. Just a little further and we should be able to lose them!"

The pair were being pursued by members of the Scions of Nihil, who had invaded the planet only days before. They had begun rounding up various groups of locals - the Rishii; pilgrims of the H'kig; pirate gangs that had made the planet their home - and shipping them offshore. Wishk has been quick to get word out to her old contact in the Nimbus network, Statin, who'd snuck planetside to help. Initially, they'd reconnoitered the poison gas tanks being used as a threat over the local populace, then they'd sliced into a Nihil database to extract details of its fleet. That had all been going well - until one of the pirates had betrayed them to the Nihil. Now, they were fleeing for their lives.

"I'm trying!" spat out Statin, dodging around a particularly thick, red-barked tree. He dodged again as a blaster bolt slammed into a branch a couple of feet behind him.

"Ha ha! We're getting closer," shouted one of the pursuers. "Stop running, little birdies and we'll let you live!" the voice cackled behind them. Another spray of blasterfire exploded branches around Statin and Whishk.

The pair burst out of the edge of the forest.

"Kriff!" shouted Statin skidding to a stop. In front of him the ground dropped away suddenly into crashing and violent waves. He and Wishk spun around, but it was too late - the two Nihil pursuers reached the forest clearing and raised aimed their blasters.

"Would you look what we've got here? A crab-man and his chicken girlfriend." The first Nihil to speak was heavily masked with only red eyes visible from his face. That was no doubt intended to intimidate, but it was the second Nihil that looked truly terrifying. Its metal helmet was spiked and jagged but left its face fully exposed. Its complexion was pallid and skin pock-marked; its teeth sharpened. It was the lack of eyes, though, that was most unsettling.

"More like little rats if you ask me," said the second Nihil. "Now drop the datacard and we'll only ship you offshore with the rest of the vermin here. Don't give us the datacard? We'll shoot you and still take it!"

Statin looked behind him to see pebbles dropping off the cliff edge. "Okay - nice and easy." He slowly, ever so slowly, moved his hand into his robe pockets and withdrew a small card, raising it high.

Suddenly two blaster bolts from on high struck the Nihil raiders dropping them to the ground.

"Damn it, what took you so long?" shouted Wishk angrily, shaking a feathered fist up into the trees. As Statin looked closely, he saw movement. Two Rishi, one a darker blue than Wishk and the other a deep red, waved blaster rifles from the canopy. 

"Just taking a wee nap, boys, but you looked like you had it under control," one responded with a laugh.

Statin took a moment to double over, hands on knees. "This isn't doing my blood pressure any good," he muttered. A little louder: "At least you can shoot straighter than Wishk," he complimented the Rishi sharpshooters. The pair glided to the ground and helped toss the two Nihil bodies over the cliff edge. 

"Well, Wishk, time to get you and this data out of here." Statin entered some commands into a wrist comm. 

~~~~

A short time later, a small blue sub surfaced just off the cliffs. A Gungan waved vigorously from the top hatch before tossing a rope ladder up to Statin. As he struggled to descend the swaying ladder, Wishk said farewell to her Rishi comrades and gracefully flew down to the sub.

"Need a hand?" she chuckled when Statin finally reached the submarine hatch.

"Bah," the Nimbus agent exclaimed, rolling his eyes in mock disgust. "More like a wing!" Together they descended into the sub as it sank into the ocean. Next stop - a hidden Nimbus shuttle that would get them offworld and reunite them with the Volunteer Third Fleet.  

Next up: Briefing aboard the Akul's Bite