Star Wars: Second Rebellion

[Tysyacha]

STAR WARS: SECOND REBELLION

 

Forty-five years after the Battle of Yavin, in the aftermath of the catastrophic war with DARTH CAEDUS, the son of HAN and LEIA ORGANA SOLO, the Galactic Senate has voted to dissolve the Jedi Order. Its members no longer trust those who wield the Force, believing that in the end, there is no real difference between the Jedi and the Sith. Indeed, they say, one might very well become the other. Not only have the JEDI MASTERS, including Grand Master LUKE SKYWALKER and his sister, been barred from Coruscant for life, but they and the Knights have also been exiled to planets billions of light-years away from one another. The future seems bleak, without hope as the Senate continues to maintain its hard line.

 

Meanwhile, the remnants of CAEDUS' followers have turned on themselves and murdered one another, under the influence of the darkest will that the Force has ever known--or manipulated. Is this the end of the Sith? Far from it, for this new threat aims to either convert or slay the exiled Jedi, putting an end to their Second Rebellion once and for all...

 

THE REPORT was all over the holovids. Galactic Senator Doran Kinta, one of the primary three who were responsible for the dissolution of the Jedi Order, was now short one highly-knowledgeable assistant. Her ransom was set at five million credits, and if not paid in three days, the kidnappers would sell their hostage as a slave. Either that, or they would do something worse...

 

"Reputable sources tell us that Vtorym Rtasi, first assistant to Galactic Senator Doran Kinta, was abducted yesterday by unknown assailants. They have set a ransom for her at the sum of five million credits, which only a planetary monarch would have these days! Nevertheless, Senator Kinta has said that he does not, and will not, negotiate with terrorists. If not paid by three days from today, the abductors have threatened to kill Rtasi or sell her as a slave. No comment has been forthcoming from the head of the Galactic Senate, who has declined to be interviewed on camera. More details will be revealed as the case unfolds. For now, this is Sri'ya Taana, signing off."

 

Vtorym Rtasi herself never got to see this report until she awoke from a deep and painful half-consciousness aboard some type of a well-worn freighter. She sat up on the cot in the makeshift medbay, rubbing her eyes and feeling blood ooze from her right temple. How had she gotten aboard this ship? Around her were several plasteel cylinders and metal containers--the fools who had head-butted her with a disruptor carbine had not even had the decency to lock her anywhere else but in the cargo hold! Her vision swam with shapes and hazy imaginings--where was the ship in space, and how could she escape? Vtorym tried to undo the lock on the cargo hold door, to no avail. Her security skills were above average, but not high enough for it.

 

She heard two aliens talking--one a Twi'lek, the other a Rodian, most likely.

 

"What do we do with the Senator's second if we cannot collect the ransom?"

 

"We sell her, you pair of limp lekku," replied the Rodian. "If she will not fetch the price we have demanded for her release, then we kill her. Understand?"

 

"How? Shoot her? Throw her out the airlock? How boring and uninventive."

 

"Leave the inventiveness to me, Tho'lyr. I'll think of something soon enough."

 

Vtorym froze. She had to try and escape, but how? She could hear the hum of the hyperdrive nearby, so she assumed the vessel was in transit. Her head felt as if a thousand Gamorreans had had a turn pounding on it. She tried to stand, but the most she could do was raise herself into a sitting position. With her last efforts before she blacked out again, the Senator's assistant managed to scoot her cot over to one of the plasteel cylinders. Perhaps it contained food or water, but she was not yet strong enough to find out...

[Kyvios]

Draze Hodrren sat up on the cold metal chair sipping some ale in the Delaya cantina. It was all over the holovids about Galactic Senator Doran Kinta assistant being held for ransom. He sipped the ale slowly as he watched the vid with a small smile upon his face. The Galactic Senate was foolish to send the Jedi into exile, and maybe that was something they would learn slowly.

 

"well maybe this little incident will teach the senate something." he mumbled to himself the cool glass still pressed against his lips.

 

Draze stood up throwing some credits upon the counter paying his tab for the drinks and walked out of the cantina. He had a meeting with a Rodian about a ship for sale. After working with a smuggler ring after he was sent into exile Draze figured it was time to set out on his own. Whether or not he continued following the smugglers path still wasn't certain but he wasn't one to be to seriously picky.

 

He walked out of the Cantina feeling a cool breeze softly caress his skin waking his mind. He wished well for the Senators assistant, hoping maybe the spirit of the force may guide her.

[Admiral_Thrawn]

Kerlaya Honz silently contemplated recent event's, as she idly chucked a few loose credit's into the air. She was inside a small house, with a garage and personal hangar that she had purchased. Her estate was at the edge of a cliff-face, overlooking a broad sea. The hangar and garage were on a higher tier of the small plateau upon which her house was located, only a few moment's away if you were walking. She had a second tier of the R serie's still in her possession, which in her opinion was far more efficient than any of the new model's. The Droid chimed as it entered the room, alerting Kerlaya that her drink was ready.

 

She smiled at the Droid, patting it gently as she rose from her seat. Then suddenly a deep annoyance filled her eye's, as she sighed gently. The dark corner of the room suddenly lit up, as a explosion of plasma emerged directly toward's her in several salvo's. With no apparent effort she summoned her lightsaber from a nearby table to her palm, ignited it and excecuted three perfect wrist movement's to absorb the blast's. She then spoke in a gentle voice. "Go now, for your outmatched. Don't make me harm you."

 

The silent figure contemplated her word's then yelled abruptly in his alien language. She understood his speech, knowing the value of learning other language's. She passed him a chip worth two thousand credit's and muttered in a low pitch voice. "Your 'client' will be informed that you have cancelled your contract and how you 'disappeared' swiftly after." The alien seemingly absorbed this information, nodding thank's in her direction. He cocked his head slightly, then seemed to fade into the darkness itself. She flicked the lightsaber toward's the table, using the force to guide it to it's destination.

 

It landed perfectly in the center, facing skyward as it fell into place. She did not look back to see the result's, having twenty year's of experience reassuring her of success. That was the fifteenth assassination attempt this week and Kerlaya was sure it wouldn't be the last. She took a short stroll up the small rock-path, following it to the garage. The R2 unit followed her, seemingly content with simply following it's Master. She chuckled as she recognised the distinct chiming noise behind her and opened the door. R2 quickly buzzed past her, already recognising her intention's. As Kerlaya entered the R2 unit was already moving from various computer console's to another, quickly accessing a few file's, ensuring some protocol's. He then went over to a nearby corner and drew a white sheet off a nearby Humanoid contraption. The Droid was incomplete and of the millenia old HK Serie's. Originally programmed as Assassin Droid's, she intended to utilize this paticular one as a Assistant and companion, possibly bodyguard.

 

The Unit, or HK as she had took to calling him, was about to be programmed with a Combat Protocol, Kerlaya knowing full well that he would likely come face-to-face with an assassin sometime or other. Inside the garage was various other vehicle's, including a Speeder and three S-Bike's, all fully customized and regulary examined. Upstair's was the hangar, where Kerlaya had stored her Marauder Cruiser, along with other various ship's. Though a Jedi, Honz had learnt at a young age the value's of being self sufficient and had grown excellent at maintaining a steady cash flow, ensuring that in the need of crisis she would be prepared.

 

She had also purchased this estate at the age of nineteen, activating a lockdown and leaving R2 to attend to maintainence and other requirement's to sustain a household. Upon her return, she found it reasonably well maintained, save a few fault's here and there. With her arrival, however, they were quickly fixed and she set about living her life. Kerlaya had never once considered casting down her role as a Jedi, though the result was Bounty Hunter's by the bucketload. She found it entertaining sometime's and she had yet to harm any of them, save a paticulary vicious Tradoshan.

 

She shuddered at the memory of the creature's demise and sighed as she calmed her emotion's. The Hunter's death was his own fault and Kerlaya many'a time risked herself to prevent it, but she failed. The failure was not ultimately her's, as she emerged knowing that this paticular Bounty Hunter was foolish in his choice's. Kerlaya had no inner-conflict's as many Jedi did, for she knew that the Code was simple to follow so long as it was in your heart.

 

The stories of Vader's past had alerted her of the danger's and she took the information onboard well. She held nothing against the Senate for her Exile, knowing that they did what they thought was right and despite her own opinion's, that would not change. Kerlaya had become somewhat of a Local Hero to the population but she simply smiled at the gratitude, knowing that it was her Duty to cause such gesture's. Her contemplation's did not still her though, as she quickly finished programming the Droid. She closed the chest-panel, then activated the Droid using the force.

 

The Droid's eye's were yellow and it's plate's pure silver, a deep contrast to the original design. "Good morning Mistress Kerlaya! How has your day been so far?" She smiled at the Droid's quirky attitude, knowing how care-free a Droid's mind was. "It's been okay thank's. So HK, how do you feel?" The Droid gave a somewhat laughing response as it began to flex it's joint's. "Well well Mistress Kerlaya, it seem's I am the one who owe's thank's to you! I assume there has already been an attempt on your life hmm?" Kerlaya nodded, noting the emphasis on 'already'. "Feeling like testing that combat protocol huh?" She smiled again as she wiped the dust from HK's gleaming head-plate. The Droid tilted it's head back and spoke this time in a more peculiar tone. "Err . . . not at all Mistress . . . I just--" Kerlaya held up a hand to signal him to stop, as she fought back a grin.

 

The R2 unit quickly emerged from a nearby room, though Kerlaya had yet to note it's previous absence. She knew the HK Unit was jesting about his desire to fight, as she had noted he had a Jedi-like state of mind. She had programmed the Droid to develope it's own personality and she was most pleased with the result's, as she noted the Droid took pride in having his own nature. Kerlaya moved toward's the stairway, stopping halfway. "Well HK, I think your programming is finally finished so you can do whatever you feel like. If there are any problem's, just ask R2 for help." She gave the pair a smile as she reached the stairway and began her ascent to the hangar. Upon arriving she walked over to the far wall, quickly tapping command's into the console. The hangar door opened and she quickly moved to the edge. The door overlooked a large cliff, which dropped into a river.

 

Then another attacker emerged from hiding, leaping out at her with a vibro-blade in hand. This one, however, was a Droid, so she did not hold back. The Droid had followed her for sometime she imagined and likely noted that she had left her lightsaber at the house. Well . . . one of saber's. The attacker would not learn of his mistake. She put a foot back, lowering herself to the Droid's chest-plate and ignited a saber through it's chest. The Droid was hardly aware of her strike and proceeded forward to strike at her. Upon attempting to advance however, he found himself unable to do so. Looking down to his chest with his view-sensor, he attempted to discern the problem. It was only after that incident that he learned he had shut down. The chassis fell to the ground, limp and devoid of movement.

 

A Droid quickly emerged from a nearby compartment, rushing over to gather the part's for use. She quickly climbed into a Jedi Interceptor with yellow design's and cast a hand at a nearby Droid elevator. Within second's a T Series Astromech Droid emerged from the elevator, quickly making toward's the Fighter. After the Droid was secured in it's slot, she initiated a take off sequence. It climbed vertically for a few second's, then burst from the hangar at top speed's, moving to fast to see the hangar door's seal tight. She pulled the control's left, taking the ship into a series of roll's. Then she moved the control's up, still holding it left, which quickly brought the ship ninety degree's about. Then she rolled right twice, descending into a nearby valley, dominated by a river.

 

The ship darted between the rock's, a show of skill and excellent handling on the pilot's part. Kerlaya was not doing this simply for fun however, she did it to reach her destination by the most direct route. The river then reached a waterfall and Kerlaya mimicked the water's descent, dropping at amazing speed's and only pulling up at the last minute. She was greeted by more rock's, which were again easily avoided. The Droid chimed quickly and Kerlaya nodded, quickly pulling the control's to make the ship roll left.

 

The ship quickly climbed just over a hilltop, revealing a vast city below. Honz quickly manoeuvered the ship into position, preparing to land at the starport. The ship quickly ceased to move forward, instead descending rapidly in an orderly fashion. The cockpit burst open and the Droid was ejected, with Kerlaya quickly pulling her robe's around her as she examined the Droid. The sun's ray's loomed overhead, smothering the city in a blanket of heat. Kerlaya seemed unbothered by this, instead focused on her task.

 

Within minute's she and the Droid arrived at a local garage and Kerlaya retrieved a Speeder bike she stored their for traversing the city. She once agained thanked the owner for allowing her to store the bike, passing him a few credit's for a drink as she left. The Droid was left with the ship, it's security program's more than adequate for any would-be thieves. After zipping across the city at top speed's, Kerlaya quickly pulled the control's to bring the bike to a halt, directly outside the market square. She left the repulsorlift running, knowing she would only be a minute.

 

Trying to avoid too much attention, she pulled her hood over her head and let it settle across her golden hair. She held a palm flat over her eye's, allowing her to see more clearly, without interference of the sun's ray's. She located the part's she needed and bought them swiftly, tipping the stool owner for his kindness. She returned to the Speeder bike to find two local thug's standing over it, discussing where to 'store' it for the owner. She drew out her lightsaber and pulled down her hood, tapping one of the thug's on the back.

 

Both turned with a start and quickly realized their error. Both left without another word being said, though both did return their eye's more than once to the Speeder bike. She sighed, concerned about the number of thug's wandering about the city, taking what they wanted whenever they wanted. She cast a hand at the fading image of the thug's, hoping to restore some sense of moral values to the pair. She smiled in their direction, then returned to the garage. Upon arrival she noticed the owner was out, so she quietly deposited it and left a few credits on the seat.

 

The bike trip had only taken her about ten minute's, which was good time by her count. Upon her return to the fighter, she found a cloak figure, meditating next to it. She sat next to him, mimicking the stance. "So, what buisness does a Sith have on Dantooine?" The robed figure looked her in the eye's, the ferocious crimson orb's holding her gaze. "You." The figure replied blunty, but she picked up the message. She summoned the lightsaber from the cockpit, standing slowly and taking up a lightsaber ready stance.

 

The figure drew a lightsaber and upon ignition she recognised the blood-red blade. "Your move, Sith." The figure scowled, then unleashed a battle cry as he leapt at Kerlaya, bringing his blade down upon her's with full strength. She redirected the blow and took a step back, giving her more room to breath. She then utilized Soresu, preparing herself for his onslaught. The Sith again struck, but this time she did not give way. She knew that this opponent was different from her last encounter with the Sith and that this one was likely prepared.

 

She struck back with unparallelled speed, disarming her opponent and throwing him against a nearby pillar with the force. She pulled him forward, with him landing directly at her feet. The figure was rendered unconscious instantly, clearly taken-aback by the ferocity of his foe. Kerlaya felt no remorse for the figure, knowing that whatever person once inhabited that body, was no longer. He was simply a pawn of the Dark Side now.

 

Konz knelt down and held a palm over his head, seeing if there truly was any chance of redemption for this one. She shook her head as she learned of the result. The figure was left lying there as her ship cleared the starport, already up the waterfall. Then she felt a disturbance in the force. She quickly took the ship into space, tracing the source with her mind. She sent a short transmission to R2 and HK, informing them of the delay and that she had jettisoned the cargo to a nearby stash. Within second's she was in hyperspace and her fighter emerged directly above a damaged Freighter. She sensed three onboard. One was a Rodian and one a Twi'lek, whilst the last was a Human . . . a Human in pain. She landed aboard it, the small fighter just fitting on-top. Then, using the power of the force, she emerged from the cockpit unharmed by the vacuum of space, but she could not hold for long. She held herself to the Freighter, albeit barely and struggled into a nearby panel. Within the minute she had dropped into a corridor and was safe. She drew her hood over her head and brought the robe around her body. She then traced the suffering being's mind to the Cargo Hold, but found it shut tight.

 

But a Jedi was not that easily held. She drew her saber and rammed it into the door, attempting to burn her way through. An alarm sounded . . .

[CommanderQ]

Jornik "Scar" Keriz slammed his fist onto the table between him and his contractor.

 

"THE JOB WAS FIFTY-THOUSAND CREDITS!! You are not holding to your word, Gerut! I have done the job and more! You still refuse to pay me the proper price! Will you not cooperate?"

 

A middle-aged man sat on the other side of the table, he had a short beard, brown eyes, a bald head, and two large thugs gaurding him on the sides.

 

"No, Keriz. We do buisness my way. Or no way at all. You got that?"

 

This angered Keriz even more, but he let out a breath slowly and stood, grabbing the thirty-thousand credit chip on the table.

 

"Fine. That's okay with me."

 

He began walking out of the room, but quickly turned around, drawing his E-15 blaster rifle, firing a few rounds into the two thugs guarding Gerut.

 

The two fell down, quite dead, and Gerut stared at Keriz, horrified.

 

Keriz fired a shot that hit the bulkhead next to Gerut's head, making the hair of his beard singe with the closeness of the shot.

 

"Now, you are going to pay me fifty-thousand, adding up to eighty thousand with the money you jsut gave. Pay up, or I shoot a little more to the left."

 

Gerut's eyes were wide with fear. He immediatley began digging into his briefcase, quickly finding a 50,000 chip. He handed it to Keriz, who took it happily.

 

"Pleasure doing buisness with you, Gerut. You're lucky. If I had been someone else, you'd be dead. Don't short change the people who take your contracts. Ever."

 

Keriz walked out of the building into the hot, arid, air of Mos Espa, Tatooine. The streets were bustling, and Keriz had to dodge away from a landspeeder that was carrying two drunk Jawas, and Keriz had the feeling the speeder wasn't there's.

 

He chuckled to himself and kept walking towards the spaceport that was literally across the street.

 

He quickly got into his small, needle-like ship, The Penetrator, and he began revving the engines.

 

He then checked the holonews display on his main console, finding out that a certain Senator's assistant had been taken hostage, and was now in the space above Tatooine.

 

Keriz's smile widened, and he decided that there was still one more adventure to be had above Tatooine. His ship lifted up without problem, and he began the ascent towards his new objective.

[Tysyacha]

An alarm sounding aboard a freighter as old and clunky as the Captain's Adventure could only mean one of three things: a) another minor system was malfunctioning again, since slavers were typically good hunters but poor mechanics; b) a vital system had gone haywire, calling for a quick run to the escape pods; or c) someone was trying to break into and/or hijack the ship.

 

"Wake up, stupid bulb-eyes!" stammered the Twi'lek to the Rodian. "Someone has commandeered their way onto the ship, and from the sound of it, it sounds like they're trying to break their way into the cargo hold! Protect the merchandise!" The Rodian grabbed his sonic carbine and the Twi'lek his two stolen Ryyk blades. Tho'lyr had once worked for a corporation that enslaved Wookiees for heavy manual labor, and he had acquired the blades as a "present" from one of the "beasts" under his charge. In reality, Tho'lyr had disarmed Rorowyrr, and then proceeded to lacerate his entire body deeply so that he could not be mistaken for any one of his furry friends. Dashing toward the cargo hold, both the Twi'lek and his fellow were shocked to find...

 

"A Jedi?" Tho'lyr's lekku twitched. "I thought they were all in exile..."

 

"Shut up, you fool!" the Rodian spat quickly. He punched a wall terminal with quick motions of his stubby, scale-covered fingers. "This will activate the five 'loading droids' in the cargo bay and start their assassination protocol. They're not just good for carrying crates of illegal weaponry, you know. As soon as they're on, they'll circle around the slave with their flamethrowers and make sure the Jedi's fried if she even gets the door open! Attack!"

 

Vtorym woke to the sound of five enormous, hulking droids activating all around her. Each of them held an Aratech Series 6000 Molten Cannon, and she could smell the heat swirling in visible patterns right at her eye level.

 

"Do not move, organic," said one of them, "or termination will commence."

 

Vtorym sat still with fright, trying not to cry. Was this indeed the end for her?

[CommanderQ]

The Penetrator had arrived quickly at the damaged freightor's position.

 

Keriz surveyed it carefully, noticing that someone else had already boarded.

 

He'd been beaten to the punch on this one, no reward, but that didn't matter, Keriz loved a fight.

 

His ship was smaller than than the freighter, but it didn't mean he was at a disadvantage.

 

He activated a custom designed tractor beam, quickly harnessing the freighter and bringing it closer to Keriz. Now came the fun part.

 

He jumped out fo the cockpit, and changed quickly into a low-grav suit, he then walked into the airlock, and prepared for the ride.

[Tysyacha]

"What the--?!?" The Rodian swore and spat on the metal floor of the freighter. "Now I think there are TWO people trying to board our ship, so I highly suggest you run up to the cockpit and activate protocol K.I.L.L.--Kinetic Inertial Levitation Loop!" Tho'lyr nodded hastily and bolted toward the pilot's seat, momentarily relieved that no one was there yet. With his Rodian partner in the slave trade monitoring the wall console and the door to the cargo hold, and the 'loading droids' monitoring the 'merchandise',the Lethan Tho'lyr felt safe enough to push a few buttons and activate the protocol.

 

Unfortunately for everyone aboard the freighter, friends and foes, protocol K.I.L.L. would have been more aptly named "Protocol Make Everybody Dizzy, Lose Their Balance, and Throw Up." Tho'lyr was safely esconced in the pilot's chair, but as for the Rodian, it was all he could do to activate his lead gravity boots and hang on. Vtorym, for her part, was tossed around the cargo hold like a rag doll, and the droids shot flames into the air in random arcs, hitting anything and nothing in particular. To anyone out in space, they would have only seen a battered freighter twirling around rapidly and going absolutely nowhere...

[CommanderQ]

Keriz looked closely at the ship.

 

Is it just me...or is that ship spinning? He thought.

 

He suddenly realized what had happened. The idiot pilot on that ship had activated their K.I.L.L. Protocol. Nearly everyone who didn't buy it knew it was a scam, it didn't work. In fact, it was a scam that Keriz had helped make, and now, well, he wasn't that much richer because of it.

 

The ship was coming closer and closer as the tractor beam pulled in the spinning ship.

 

Finally, the freightor was close enough.

 

Keriz pressed the button that opened the airlock, and he flew out, activating his suit's jetpack. He rocketed toward the spinning ship, hoping that it wouldn't accidently crush him.

[Admiral_Thrawn]

Kerlaya broke through the door and found five Droid's spitting fire. She slashed at the nearest one, destroying it instantly. She recieved minor burn's from the second as she crushed it with the force. The third and fourth collided, due to a little influence on Kerlaya's part. The fifth spat fire at her robe, causing her to cast it aside. He jabbed at the Droid, destroying it. She ran forward and shielded the girl from the gravitational distortion, whispering in her ear that everything would be alright.

 

Kerlaya pulled two loose panel's away and used the force to secure the girl using a small bit of wire. "Pull that apart if you need to escape! For now just hold on . . . I'll deal with them." She let go of the girl reluctantly and turned away, stepping on her cloak as she left. Kerlaya ran to the bridge . . .

[Tysyacha]

...and Vtorym found herself unable to hold down her meager breakfast any longer.

 

She vomited unceremoniously onto the wall of the cargo hold, feeling herself swim in a sea of nausea as the ship continued to spin in place. What in space was going on? She had apparently been secured in two detached wall panels (how did they get detached? She remembered a calm voice, a soft touch, a lightsaber...lightsaber?!) As for the ship, it was none the worse for wear, except the metal cargo boxes had been melted into lumps of blackened scrap by the flamethrower droids. Please let me black out again, thought Vtorym, though no such luck came this time. She heard blaster shots outside the door to the cargo hold, presumably from one of her captors.

 

On the bridge, Tho'lyr brandished his cold weaponry, imbued with a solid cortosis weave. "To what do I owe the honor of this hijacking?" he asked, blood dripping at the corner of his mouth. "I am Tho'lyr, the titular Captain of Captain's Adventure. Unless you plan on being sliced to ribbons, I suggest you surrender immediately."

[CommanderQ]

Keriz attached himself to the side of the freighter, climbing slowly around it as he search for a weak point.

 

He took out a fusion cutter and immediatley found a deck window to the lower hull.

 

He figured that he would only have thirty seconds after 'opening' this window, before the bulkhead defense closed it. He'd have to move fast.

 

He felt nervous, something common for him right before the plunge into combat.

 

He took a long breath and relaxed. Then he activated the fusion cutter, burning through the thick window.

 

It came down in a matter of seconds. He immediatley jumped through it before everything began to get sucked into space, but shortly after Keriz jumped in, the bulkhead cut off the leak. Now, Keriz was inside his objective's ship, and still with the element of surprise. He took out his blaster rifle and began walking slowly out of the cargo hold.

[Tysyacha]

Please, dear Force...make the spinning stop...I'm going to be sick again...

 

First Assistant to Galactic Senator Doran Kinta was still sandwiched between the two metal panels of the freighter that had been severed from the wall of the cargo hold. A shadow flickered across her vision, tall and black, but she could not tell whether it was a male or a female. She decided that it was too tall to be the Rodian and too broad and bulky to be the Twi'lek. It didn't hold a lightsaber, either. Vtorym felt like cotton had been stuffed in her ears, as the noises of combat and alien cursing were muted and hazy. She decided to call out to the shadow, for this agony had to end.

 

"Have...have you come to rescue me?" Her voice came out in an uneasy quaver.

[Kyvios]

Draze walked slowly to the hanger bay on Delaya. The cool air he felt upon his skin was refreshing and invigorating. He walked with his eyes closed sensing that he was being followed. By what he wasn't sure, but he wasn't exactly going to pay them much attention. He figured if they were going to kill him then they were waiting for him to be in a more secure and less populated area, which wasn't going to happen. And if they were following him just to acquire information, then he hopped they enjoyed being quite bored. Draze kept his hands in his pockets and he raised his head from its normal eyes closed looking at the ground walk to eyes open looking straight ahead of him as he drew closer to the hanger bay.

 

He hoped that the Rodian he was suppose to meet was waiting for him. Draze didn't want to have to go looking for this little gray fellow again, last time it was way to much of a hassle for him. Draze had gotten word that a Rodian in one of the lower levels was looking to sell his ship with a protocol droid included. And apparently the fellow was selling it fairly cheaply. Rumors flew however as to why the ship was up for sale, but Draze made a habit not to listen to Rumors, or speculations more times then not they turned out to be false or inaccurate to some degree.

 

Draze was a straight forward person and if some one couldn't be straight forward with him then he didn't want anything further to do with them. Truth may hurt, but lying just gets you nothing in the long run. He walked threw the hanger bay reading the numbers of each door. When he reached Hanger Bay door number six a grin came across his face seeing the rodian standing there waiting nervously.

 

Draze slowly took one hand out of his pocket waving saying "Hey" as he approached the on edge rodain.

 

Draze sighed as the rodian spoke in its own language, not that he didn't understand him it was just an inconvenience for him to have to translate himself.

 

"well then lead the way" Draze said stretching out his arm signaling the Rodian to lead on.

 

He watch the little grey rodian punch in sum numbers on the computer pad and open the door. Draze slowly stepped into the hanger bay and saw in front of him a very nice ship. It was white with red stripes. Draze could tell that the ship was a YT-1930 series space vessel.

 

Draze listened as the Rodian was speaking to what sounded like two Twi'leks. And from the sounds of things the Rodian mentioned Draze to the two bounty hunters.

 

With a grin upon his face Draze raised his hands in the air and turned around slowly. One of the Twi'leks spoke mentioning that Draze was more valuable dead, but he specifiably said more valuable dead Jedi. He wasn't sure how his identity as a exiled Jedi got out but he wasn't really in the mood for caring. With a flick of his wrists he ripped the blaster rifles the bounty hunters were holding from they're grip and threw the weapons behind him.

 

"You know I really like this ship." he said to the Rodian "How much was it again? Thirty-thousand credits?"

 

One of the bounty hunter Twi'leks came charging at Draze with a long sword. Draze with the force grabbed his lightsaber from his bag and ignited it. The blade was a brillent blue color. As the bounty hunter drew closer Draze jumped in the air and landed on the Twi'leks shoulders. Draze made a tisk noise as he shoved the blade inbetween the twi'leks shoulder blades killing him instantly. As the body fell to the ground Draze jumped off and landed on the mental ground looking at the Rodian noticing that the other bounty hunter ran away in fear.

 

Draze extinguished his lightsaber and walked back over to his bag placing it back in and pulling out a box. He threw the little box to the scared stiff Rodian.

 

With a smile he said "That should cover it."

 

Draze walked up the loading ramp into the ship and headed towards the cockpit. Knowing staying around much longer would only cause him problems he sent the ship into space and activated the hyperdrive instantly. Was he was sure he was a good distance away he left hyperdrive only to find himself witnessing and interesting event. It appeared one ship had captured another with a tractor beam and the other ship was spinning out of control. Draze decided to keep a safe distance and just watch, he figured he could use this time for some relaxation.

[CommanderQ]

Keriz turned his head quickly to the woman's voice.

 

He noticed her, practically mashed in-between two large metal boards.

 

He brought a finger to his lips and gave a sign for a quiet.

 

He whispered,"Yes, my name is Jornik Keriz, and you must be the assistant to Senator....oh never mind. Wait for a moment, I will try to get you out of there."

 

Keriz approached slowly, his boots barely making a sound on the ships metal floor.

 

He looked down the hall a bit, noticing what looked to be a Jedi facing off against a Rodian. He turned back to the Senator's assistant.

 

He began to pry one of the boards away from her, making quick work of the weak metal. He then did the same with the other board, still moving quietly.

 

He then motioned for the girl to follow,"We do not have much time, can you stand?"

[Tysyacha]

"If you'll help me..." Vtorym put her hands in those of her mysterious rescuer, and he helped pull her to her feet. The Senator's assistant lurched uneasily, and she felt grateful for the pillar of strength nearby, that was made of flesh and blood. Suddenly, her vison began to swim again, and she mewled, "Perhaps it would be best if you'd carry me over your shoulder. I don't think I could do ladders at this..." She hacked, preparing to throw up again, but nothing came out of her mouth. The ship spun and spun, and she felt herself being lifted. Thank the Force, which I can't use!

[CommanderQ]

Keriz lifted the woman and placed her gently on his shoulder. He moved towards one of the nearby docking tubes, from there he could somehow navigate a way back to his ship.

 

But then an even brighter idea came to mind.

 

Escape pods.

 

He could control one of them into the hangar of his smaller ship.

 

Chances weren't the greatest, but that really didn't matter. He hoped that the Jedi over with the Rodian could handle herself, but she was providing a good distraction for the moment.

 

"If you are feeling dizzy, it might help to keep your eyes closed, looking around while spinning doesn't help much. We'll be back onto my ship not to long from now, and from there, your safety."

 

Keriz spotted one of the escape pod modules and moved quietly towards it.

[Tysyacha]

Vtorym felt herself relax, closing her eyes and letting her head droop limply. How in the whole kriffing galaxy had she gotten herself into this predicament? She supposed it was only a part of the job, getting taken captive by slavers and held as a potential hostage or potential corpse! That didn't mean, however, that she would take her situation lying down--no pun intended. She would find her boss as soon as possible and tell him what she thought of him! Either that, or she would stay with her rescuer for a time, recovering and planning her next move. She and Senator Kinta hadn't seen eye-to-eye lately.

 

It all started with that Mandalorian-loving son-of-a-schutta Darth Caedus. If it had not been for him and his foolish cadre of Sith followers, Kinta would not have seen his opportunity to make a power play in the Galactic Senate after the war two years ago. If Kinta would not have seen his opportunity, then the Jedi Order would not have been dissolved and its adherents sent into exile. If the Jedi Order had not been dissolved, then Vtorym's employer would have found himself stuck in the same position in which he'd always been--minor-league, which was the way Vtorym liked it. However, that was not the way things had turned out. It was Kinta, as a matter of fact, who had come up with the GAMMA Initiative in the first place.

 

GAMMA stood for Galactic Antiterrorism Measures, Mandates and Acts, and according to 99% of the galactic population, it was exactly what they all needed right now. Hundreds of millions had been suspected, millions had been detained, thousands had been put on trial as war criminals, and hundreds had been sent to the electric cages. The others had been either put to hard labor or condemned to exile, as the Jedi had been. All in the span of two years! As for Vtorym, she had cautioned Kinta to maintain his centrist position, but he would have none of it. He would not have her resignation, either, seeing as how she knew potent state and galactic secrets that could endanger lives.

 

What were that Rodian and Twi'lek idiot thinking, holding her for ransom and intending to sell her as a common slave? They didn't know whom they held...

[CommanderQ]

Keriz opened the door to the escape pod. He placed the woman carefully down on one of the seats of the pod. He made sure she was as comfortable as possible. Her eyes were closed, so he tried his best not to disturb her.

 

He closed the door and activated the pod, launching them into space. He took the controls and guided the ship carefully into the small holding hangar on his ship.

 

The pod docked perfectly into the small hangar, and it quickly pressurized, making it possible to walk outside. He opened the pod's door again, but paused. He looked at the girl again, making sure she was alright.

 

He put a hand on her shoulder and spoke in a calm voice.

 

"I don't know if you can hear me, but we've arrived on my ship, we are only a few hundred meters from the ship you were captive on. This is safe territory. Are you still dizzy? Any other wounds?"

 

Keriz, though quite rough by nature, could be quite caring at heart. He needed to make sure, though, that his guest was alright.

[Jedi_Man]

Sam'ker put on his armor. The blaster resistant material on the front was flexible enough for the possibilty of needing to use the Force. The blaster of choice was a design of his own. The Teklar Carbine had a black sheen to it, and the retractable stock was set at the right length.( its a star wars M4) Taylor Shan sat next to him, applying her leg plates. Their armor had a camouflage to it, and a stealth belt. Taylor kept her lightsaber in her sleeve, using it like a stilletto, a spring could push it out when needed. Which was, thankfully, never. Sam'ker kept his lightsaber in the same place, and he put a Westar-34 extensively modified pistol in his holster. He has a thing for Mandalorian tech. Fianlly they were ready for another day of Horrendously exciting... Guard duty.

" Don't worry, At least I get payed for it" Sam'ker muttered.

[Fredi]

Feri was on the cantina when he heard the news on the holo vids. He was interested on what it was been said, but he did felt that they got what they deserve for doing what they did to the jedi's. Feri finished watching the news and went back to his ship, Feri has been dedicating to live from a nice farm he has on Dantooine, it has been some time since he has not visited the farm and after a few months he has decided to return and check how everything is going on.

 

"Ahh, Dantooine, calm place and nice wather, perfect place for a jedi"- Feri said as he entered his ship.

[Kyvios]

Draze notice an escape pod launch from the spinning ship. He had to stop watching the ship or he was going to lose his lunch, and he didn't like the idea of getting his newly acquired ship all dirty so soon. He sat there watching the escape pod fly into the hanger bay of another ship. A grin formed across Draze's face, maybe this could be an opportunity to make some new friends.

 

"Now where is that button to send messages." he searched the council in front of him. So many buttons so little time he thought to himself. Then he spotted it, almost missed it. He laughed at himself slightly thinking if it had been a dangerous animal he'd be dead by now.

 

He pressed down the button sending a secure message to the ship the escape pod landed in.

 

"Uhh... Hello? This is..." he broke off thinking if there was a bounty on his head would giving his real name be a wise choice. He shrugged and again figured he had no reason to be ashamed if there was, at least he was popular "This is Draze Hodrren. Is everything alright?"

 

He could feel the excitment build up inside him. Either he could go on his way peacefully, or he was going to have one hell of a space fight on his hand. Draze had one thing going for him however. In all his years of studying in the Jedi Academy he had always been a quick study.

[Tysyacha]

Vtorym opened her eyes. "Yes, I'm all right...except for the terrible ache in my right temple..." She turned her head slightly to show Keriz the wound. It was dry and scabbing over, not lethal, but not quite a simple "bump on the head," either. "Thank you for getting me off of that stinking wreck of a ship, by the way. I thought that the slavers were mechanics that had come to the Senate garage to fix it, but I guess I thought wrong." She held out her hand. "Vtorym Rtasi, Senator Kinta's assistant."

[CommanderQ]

Keriz nodded as he listened. He then suddenly realized that his gas mask was still on, sometimes he would forget to take it off while entering his ship, it had become sort've a habit.

 

He quickly undid the seals on the mask and took it off, taking a breath of fresh air that ultimately relieved him after the mission.

 

He then took her hand and gave it a firm shake.

 

"I am glad to meet you, Vtorym. It was my pleasure to get you off, nothing like a little excitement, eh. Anyway, this makes me think, why would those slavers want to take you hostage, I think there is probably more to this then just a want to get rich."

 

He took out a medical kit as he spoke, quickly applying a small bacta package to Vtorym's minor wound. This situation did intrigue him quite a bit.

[Tysyacha]

Vtorym felt the healing solution sting a little on her wound, but she was glad for the antiseptic. There was no telling if being left on a dirty cot in the cargo hold of the Captain's Adventure had caused or would cause an infection. Slaves were never treated well in this galaxy, even in transport. As for why she herself was captured, Vtorym had three theories, all murky:

 

"First of all," she began, "the situation on Tatooine is becoming desperate. The rich, meaning the ones who have connections to the Galactic Senate or to Senate staff, are consuming all the water and resources on Anchorhead, leaving almost nothing for others. The poor, to keep warm at night, have taken to either kidnapping those who are poorer than they are or even sacrificing members of their own families as what are called semaxii-- living torches. Tatooine may be scorched by twin suns in the daytime, but when the suns set, temperatures can drop to great extremes below zero. You might think the poor would keep themselves warm with solar energy or electricity, but you have to pay for those on Tatooine. Such is life," she said.

 

"Another theory," suggested Vtorym, "is that the slavers were hirelings of one of Doran Kinta's many rivals. That's the theory I'm banking on for the present moment. Anyone who flies a starship, even one as decrepit and antiquated as the one I was on, has to have a decent amount of money already. My boss, one of the Cadre of Three, was one of the ones who demanded the dissolution of the Jedi Order. Many others are angry at Kinta for lesser things. I would not be surprised if the slavers were even thugs under a crime lord."

 

She smiled wryly. "Kinta is a hard-liner, but he sticks to the letter of the law. This brings me to my third theory, which is that the slavers had recently been released from prison, stolen their starship, and then kidnapped me after finding out my location through their connections on the 'inside'. Whatever their reasons, something tells me we haven't seen the last of those two, or their vessel. I suggest we--hold fast to one another, in case that happens."

[CommanderQ]

Keriz nodded to Vtorym, for some reason he couldn't stop looking at her, he hoped that it didn't seem awkard, though.

 

"Yeah, those theories sound rather sound. You are also right on the stick together point, by saving you, I think whoever the enemy is has probably targeted me as well. So, until I get you to the place you need to go, we stick together. Perhaps we'll figure out more of this predicament later."

 

The bacta application was finished and her wound was now covered with the antiseptic.

 

"Do you still feel any aches? Any other wounds?" Keriz heard the distant beeping of his comm on the bridge, someone was trying to make contact.