Sonic HotOR Ch.6

Chapter 6 - To the Lower City

"C'mon, Carth! Step it up!" Sonic said as he & Carth jogged through the Upper City North. "Sonic, I'm 38 years old." Carth explained, trying to catch his breath. "I'm not getting any younger & I'm nowhere near as energetic as you." "Oh, alright." Sonic grumbled, stopping to let Carth catch up, tapping his foot impatiently. "Sonic, you know I don't like this." Carth reminded. "Shouldn't we try & get to the Lower City? We still got a mission to complete." "Alright, fine." Sonic sighed, rolling his eyes. "Let's do things your way for once." Carth simply ignored Sonic's sarcastic reply as he & Sonic walked down the walkway away from the apartments.

"What's this planet comin' to, huh? hic" A voice stopped the two Republic fugitives. "Schlummies just walkin' around the Upper City!" Oh great. Drunks. Just what we need. Sonic sarcastically thought. "Shouldn't you go back to the Lower Cities where you belong, schlummie?" Another drunken man asked, hicupping. "Well this is rich." Carth sarcastically muttered. "Yeah, you heard what he said. These shtreets are for Upper City citizens." A third drunken man added, hicupping. "You better get outta the way if you know what's good for you!"

"Hey, guys, we can all be friends here." Sonic replied, relying on his "charming" smile. "Lemme buy you all a drink." "A drink? Hey, for a schlummie you ain't so bad!" One of the drunken men cheered. "C'mon, boy s, this schlummie's buyin' the next round! Woo-hoo-hoo!" "No way, forget it! No more drinksh!" Another drunken man refused. "We're late enough as it is!" "Uh-uh, yeah. I guess you're right. Maybe next time, schlummie. hic C'mon, fellas, let's go."

Once the group of drunken men stumbled past the two Republic fugitives, they proceeded to head past a crosswalk, before Sonic moved into a droid shop & tried to purchase two droids only to find out one wasn't for sale, returning to the droid shop after the droid he purchased broke down & got his money back, ignoring an anti-anthropomorphic supremacist's mongering, & tried to approach an elevator that would lead them to the Lower City until they were stopped by the Sith guard. "This elevator is off limits. Only Sith patrols & those with proper authorization are allowed into the lower City." The Sith guard announced. "It's obvious from the way you're dressed that you're not among the Sith patrols. So unless you have the authorization papers, you must move along!"

"Well where am I supposed to find these papers?" Sonic asked. "If you were supposed to have them, you'd know where to get them & if you'd know where to get them, you'd already have them. Now quit wasting my time &  move along!" The Sith guard explained. "Fine, I'm outta here." Sonic rolled his eyes. "Move along then!" The Sith guard demanded. "We're gonna need some kind of disguise if we're gonna get past this guy." Carth whispered to Sonic as they walked away. As they walked past the anti-anthropomorphic supremacist, Sonic remembered the Sith party he was invited to. "Hey, Carth, I think I got an idea where we can find some Sith uniforms." Sonic grinned, much to Carth's despair.

"Sonic, I don't like the idea of going to a Sith party." He reminded him. "What if they recognize us?" "Aw, relax." Sonic tried to calm Carth. "Sarna didn't seem to recognize me when she told me she was off-duty & invited me." "Yeah, we're just gonna walk in there & take their uniforms?" Carth sarcastically asked. "Well, if there's a party, there's going to be food, dancing, & last but not least: drinking." Sonic explained. "C'mon!" Sonic started running with Carth yet again struggling to catch up. "I hope your plan works, Sonic." Carth hoped. Upon entering the apartments, Sonic could hear the music booming all the way from the entrance & followed the sound until he peeked inside one of the rooms to see Sarna with some friends.

"Hey! You made it!" Sarna greeted, smiling upon seeing Sonic & Carth entering her apartment. "What? No chili dogs?" Sonic asked, appearing disappointed upon glancing at the food they had. "You have to try this Tarisian Ale, it's fantastic!" Sarna suggested. "We should've conquered this planet ages ago!" "Careful, Sarna." One of Sarna's friends stopped her. "That wine's got quite the kick. A couple more bottles & we'll all be passed out on the floor! "Who cares?" Sarna shook her head, protesting. "We're not on duty tomorrow! Let's live a little! C'mon, drink up!" Sarna offered Sonic a cup of Tarisian Ale but quickly refusing it, disgusted by the smell. "Your loss, then." Sarna said, giggling as she took a sip of the ale.

While Sarna & her friends were enjoying the Tarisian Ale, Sonic & Carth helped themselves to the food. When Sonic was halfway done with his snack, he turned around at the sound of a couple off-duty Sith soldiers passing out on the floor, intoxicated from the ale. Sarna followed, passing out in a fit of giggles before the rest followed with the last few bottles not even opened. "Well that was quick." Sonic stated, sounding surprised. "It's a good thing I don't drink. Please remind me never to start." "Done & done." Carth agreed with a quick nod.

"Now let's find those uniforms!" Sonic grinned, heading over to a backpack belonging to one of the off-duty Sith. "Hmm let's see....communicator, nope. Dunno what this is, don't care." Sonic muttered, tossing away the items. "Nope, not looking for a holojournal....Ah! Here we go!" Sonic announced, pulling out the helmet, then the torso, then the boots & gloves. "Sonic, aren't you gonna clean up the mess?" Carth asked. "Once they recover & see this mess...." "Carth, they're going to find out we took their uniform anyway." Sonic pointed out. "Point taken." Carth nodded. "We got what we came for. By the time they find out, we'll be long--." Sonic stated, heading out of the apartment but stopped when he saw a Sith guard outside. "Just move along! There's nothing to see here!" The Sith guard demanded. "Where did you hide those Sith uniforms?" Another Sith trooper inside demanded to a forest green walrus. "Did you sell them to the Tarisian underground? Start talking! I want answers!"

"Please! I'm only a visitor to Taris, trapped here by your quarantine!" The walrus pleaded. "I know nothing about the Tarisian underground or your missing uniforms!" "What's going on in there?" Sonic asked. "You're a little too curious for your own good, civilian! This doesn't concern you!" The Sith guard shushed Sonic. "I know all about Sith interrogations." Carth whispered to Sonic. "This isn't going to end well." "I'm getting sick of your lies, you ugly sack of blubber!" The Sith commander snapped at the walrus. "We got your ugly mug from a security tape from the base! Start talking before I splatter your slimy brains all over this room!!"

"Uh oh, I think the commander's losing his temper!" The Sith guard worringly muttered to himself. "I'm glad I'm out here; it took me an hour to clean the blood stains from my uniform after the last interrogation." "Why not stop the interrogation?" Sonic suggested. "He probably doesn't know anything." "Who said that? What's going on out there?" One of the Sith troopers asked. "Just stay out of this if you know what's good for you!" The Sith guard warned Sonic. "I won't let you kill a defenseless prisoner!" Sonic snapped.

"What was that? Did I hear you right?" The Sith guard asked. "Let us kill him? How can you stop us?!" "Time to teach this civilian the penalty for defying the Sith!" The commander suggested, raising his blaster rifle at the two Republic fugitives. Carth immediately pulled out his twin blaster pistols & shot down the Sith gu ard while Sonic revved up his Spin Dash. "Sonic, why don't you use your blaster rifle?!" Carth yelled while dodging the blaster fire. Sonic dashed right at the Sith trooper & knocked him down while aiming his Homing Attack at the commander. "Who needs guns when you got the fastest feet & the sharpest quills in the galaxy?" Sonic asked, boasting.

"Well you're gonna have to use your rifle eventually!" Carth reminded. "Guns aren't my thing." Sonic explained. "I know someone who has used them before but he realized he never needed them." "Who?" Carth asked, groaning. "That's not important." Sonic stated, not realizing the commander was recovering until Carth shot him. "Hey! Watch where you're firing that thing!!" Sonic snarled. "Thank you, guys." The walrus thanked the pair, getting them out of their argument. "The Sith would have killed me, of that I am certain. I don't know who you are, but it is clear you are no friend of the Sith."

"Well that's true." Sonic agreed. "They tried to kill us a few times. "There's an old saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend." The walrus said. "Like you, I hate the Sith. That's why I stole those Sith uniforms for the Hidden Beks." "Say what?" Sonic asked. "In the Lower City there are some who do not bow to the conquerors." The walrus answered. "Swoop gangs like the Hidden Beks are gathering resources to one day strike against the Sith oppressors. If you wish to strike another blow against the Sith you would be wise to journey to the Lower City & speak with Gadon Thek, the leader of the Hidden Beks."

"Can you take me to this Gadon?" Sonic asked. "Access to the Lower City is restricted." The walrus answered. "I have never actually met Gadon. My only dealings were with members of his Hidden Bek gang." "Figured." Sonic rolled his eyes. "I think we should go now." "As should I." The walrus agreed. "The Sith know my face now. I must find somewhere to hide on this world. Thank you once again, hedgehog." The walrus quickly ran out of the apartment while Sonic searched the bodies of the Sith troopers. "Let's see.....buncha junk along with a few blaster rifles." Carth wasted no time removing the uniform from one of the bodies. "What?" Carth asked. "You said it yourself: they're gonna find out eventually." "Yeah but--." Sonic protested but Carth stopped him. "We got the uniforms we need. Let's get going to the Lower City."

Sonic & Carth quickly ran out of the apartment with the uniforms in their packs. Sonic stopped to walk in one apartment & ran into a man named Largo who owed money to the crime lord Davik. Rather than attempting to take Largo's bribe & even attempting to kill Largo for the bounty, Sonic decided to give Largo the money he needed to pay off his debt, much to Carth's surprise. "Let's go change into the uniforms & head to the Lower City." Sonic suggested, changing into the uniform a few moments after Largo disappeared. "Let's hope this works."

Several minutes pass, Sonic & Carth slowly walk down the walkway, getting the usual glances the citizens give to the other Sith troopers. "Is there anything more boring than being out on patrol?" One of the Sith troopers asked to the disguised pair. "Ah, I shouldn't complain." Once Sonic & Carth approached the Sith guard at the elevator, the guard instantly lowered his rifle. "Another patrol heading down to the Lower City, eh?" The guard asked. "Well good luck....I heard it's pretty rough down there; there's a big swoop gang war going on, you know. You better watch yourselves; those gangs will take a shot at anyone, even us! It's too bad we don't have the manpower to just sweep those slums clean."

The Sith guard pushed a button & waved the pair to walk into the elevator. "That sure fooled him." Sonic chuckled just after the elevator door closed. "Yes indeed." Carth agreed. "You gotta remember, Sonic: the Lower City swoop gangs will shoot at us without giving a second thought." Sonic & Carth changed out of their Sith uniforms & back into their regular outfits, just when they feel the elevator slowing down to a stop. "Here we are: the Lower City." Carth announced, just when the elevator door opened.