You know, for a filthy, scum-infested eyesore the Blue Asteroid wasn’t too bad. I’d been in worse, that’s for sure. Yeah, the air was full of weird gray smoke. And the band only knew two songs. And the bartender couldn’t even mix a good whiskey on the rocks. And the floor was so sticky that the only dance people ever did was the tromp. But hey, it was nice.

Yaoksi and I walked in side by side, both of us gripping our blasters and ready to blow the other one into oblivion at any moment. I took a seat at a table that was just waiting for two good looking guys like us, and Yaoksi sat down across from me. I smiled a big toothy grin and raised my empty hands to show I wasn’t holding a weapon.

“Hey, barkeep!” I called out. “We’d like two of the best whiskeys on the planet. But since we’re here, we’ll take two of yours!”

There was a general roar from the rest of the crowd as the bartender muttered something under his breath and poured the vile liquid into what were hopefully somewhat clean glasses. I turned my head back to Yaoksi as the waitress moved towards the bar to grab our drinks.

Fact of the matter was, I didn't know him from Adam, and a part of me was still hopping mad that he even had come near me and my ship. Too many peeps had come near me and Devil today, serendipity be damned.

It was plain peculiar, that's a fact.

So I just acted casual, but kept one toe on the line and the other ready to run.

"Yeah, I don't know what was with those slimebags, but they're history. At least I hope."

I was interrupted as the bartender came schlumping over to plop a couple smudged glasses on the table in front of us; not my usual brew but hey, a freebie is a freebie.

I lifted the glass, took a swig. Set it back down and slouched a bit further. One hand reached up to toy idly with the sad, brown tendrils of a nearby hanging plant. My eyes followed my fingers... except for my peripheral vision, which still had Muscles planted firmly within it.

"Sooo..." I finally allowed, letting the crinkled vine crumble to the sticky floor, adding its own small effort to the effluvia there.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?

"In private?"

“Now,” I smiled, raising my glass, “salute.” I tossed the glass back and drained it, letting the cheap whiskey burn its way down to my gullet. It had plenty of company, it wouldn’t be lonely.

I relaxed a little and regarded Yaoksi with a smile.

“Pardon me, don’t mean to stare. I just can’t believe I’m sitting in the bar with the famous Yaoksi Joao that I’ve heard so much about… recently. Ya see, I’m just a poor honest businessman, making a living by hauling freight from system to system. I snag what most guys in my position would call a beautiful thing, only to all at once find it yanked from under my feet. To me it ain’t right to make a deal with someone like me, then pull it cuz someone came out of retirement.”

I waved at the bar to get a fresh round delivered.

Who famous, me?

C'mon pal, have you got your mag-flux all in a slush....

But whether what this guy thought of me was factual or not, the reality of the situation was that he clearly believed it to be so. This was rapidly turning into something of a sticky wicket; it would seem that Mr. Muscles thought I was muscling into his territory.

Or at least, just by being me, keeping him from muscling into that territory already staked out as mine. But whichever, it was something I could certainly put to my advantage.

I set my drink carefully on the table, resisting the urge to stomp on the critter whose appendage I had been toying with, and leaned across the table to level a steady look at Rico.

"I believe you've got me wrong, pal," I said slowly, keeping my voice all friendly.

"I'm the kind of guy who owns the club, so you see I can go inside when and how I want to.

“We’re both businessmen,” I began. “We’re both freight pilots looking to make an honest living. I also got a feeling we’re both willing to go a little beyond the honest part. Bottom line is I got a great deal goin’ on here, and you coming out of retirement is going to cost me big. But I got a nice score here, and I don’t wanna lose it.”

I could see him tense a little at that, so I soothed out my voice as best I could. Thing is, I got a rasp.

“That’s what it comes down to. You see, I found this animal gland business on my own, and it’s worth a lot to me, I don’t mind telling you. What I’m asking is for some support here, smuggler to smuggler. If it’s offered, turn it down. I’ll do something for you down the road, I’m good to my word.”

Before he could answer, another thought hit me.

“You know what else? You got a ship, I got a ship. You got contacts, I got contacts. We put ‘em together, who knows what we can do? I picked up a few legit runs, too, one of ‘em is running supplies to one of the SSD’s around the Big C. Got myself a writ to fly right up and dock with it, even. Payoff is big. How’d you like a piece of that action?”

Sitting in a comm station, Kia'ra decided to make another desperate attemptto contact Captain Yaoksi Joao regarding her cousin Nais'ralen's condition, this time hoping to recieve a reply directly rather than having to rely on her family to inform her of one. She dialed in the frequency her cousin had given to her, the one which had been left by the Captain when he left her cousin Nassy on Ryloth.

Captain Joao, she began, I am still hoping to speak to you concerning my cousin Nais'ralen's condition. If you have already replied to my query, I apologize, for I have not recieved it. At any rate, I am hoping to hear from you, and soon. The injuries to my cousin bewilder me...

...and I wish to understand them. She was a close friend and confidant, much more than simply a cousin. I will await your reply at this frequency.

This time it was something a touch wee stronger, Walkn'Fall...

I took a swig and smiled, deeming it prudent at the moment to keep to myself the little fact that this animal gland deal had already fallen into my lap. I dunno when my client was going to enlighten Mr. Muscles here, maybe never. Maybe they were just padding their bet that the stuff would get through.

I didn't know much about this guy, but I did know my own track record.

The job hadn't been given to me on the basis of my good looks, after all.

To Muscles I merely smiled, settling a touch more deeply in my chair, both hands carefully in sight but my blaster loose and easily obtainable upon my hip.

I took another, smaller drink.

"Since when do freight runners work as a team?" I asked him then, still all friendly and nice...

...figuring sure as there were space slugs in asteroids that he was still trying to muscle in on my territory, and probably thought that tossing me to the Impys would be the best way to buy it.

“Well,” I said, still smiling myself. “They don’t usually, but I’ve seen it done. Teams can be pretty lucrative, from what I hear. You see, they don’t give those writs to run supplies to the Coruscant blockade very often. The folks here saw what I can do, liked it, and gave me the contract. Look, I’m no fool, I know that dingle-nuts will want you working the gland route, you worked with him before and he trusts you. It’s a crock to pull out on a deal with me, though. What I’m offering is a trade, you share that smuggle route with me and I share the legit route with you. While one is running one way, the other is running back, we’ll always be in motion and can make more runs.”

I sipped my drink and grinned a crooked grin. I looked down at my empty glass, contemplated the merits of another round, then noticed the light on my comm was blinking. Someone left me a message.

“Come on, just think of it. Flying up next to a Super Star Destroyer, right into the loading bay, and having them PAY you for it? Doesn’t that give you just the slightest of goosebumps?”

I raised my hands over my head and pushed back my chair a little.

"Tell ya what," I said. "I need to go flush the ballast, you think about it a minute and I'll be right back."

I stood and walked to back of the bar, pulling out my comm. I stopped near the door of the privvy and checked the message, keeping my eyes on the main door. The goons on the dock got my ship loaded yesterday, a day ahead of schedule. If I would've known, I could've been there right now, probably just pulling into the docking bay of big ol' SSD. This day just kept getting better.

After a couple of short clicks, I walked back to the table and put on as much of a smile as I could muster.

My smile wavered; I still didn't trust the guy, not even as far as I could toss my granny's mashed yavi-plant. But, to be honest, on his side there was the little fact that (1) he was indeed returning to the table; and (2) he hadn't tried to blast or knife or poison me yet.

At least I thought he hadn't attempted the latter; I shot a quick glance to the remains of my Walkn'Fall (now half-drained by the simple act of pouring the rotgut under the table in Muscle's brief soiree to check his comm) and decided that even if he had, the stuff would neutralize the toughest neurotoxins known to the galaxy.

Yeah. It was that bad.

A smile undoubtedly as false as my own plopped itself across Muscle's face; he approached our table, still all nice and friendly, and reached for the back of his chair. I will admit, however, that I didn't have to put on the act as I considered further his offer of a double run; being invited to board an SSD was that coveted an improbability.

But, insidiously dangerous, no matter what they said, and highly suicidal to boot.

What was in it for me? I didn't need the run; the animal gland contract was but one of many I knew would come my way, once word got out that I was fully back into the swing of things. I had no one to support, no bills to pay, no strings attached. Devil-May-Care was fully operational, fully upgraded...

...but, come to think of it, missing something.

Bee.

Tell the truth, it still rankled that the little redhead had so blithely up and sent my one TIE off into an early demise in the heart of a Sun, saving the galaxy by thus destroying some weird something-or-other be damned. It was my TIE; at the time I hadn't said anything for sure as hell that would have made me look -- not to mention, feel -- like all kinds of cad.

But Devil just didn't seem right with one part of her missing. Wannabee was lonely....

And what did SSDs keep aboard them--?

I straightened, shifting as Rico regained his seat and slugged down his Walkn'Fall, letting my casual smile slowly return and then crook just a bit as he slammed his empty glass down on the table. I then let the smile planted on my face slide into something more appropriate to the conversation at hand.

"You know," I finally said. "These Impys are only expecting one ship:

"Yours.

"How am I supposed to join into this, ahh--- lucrative deal that you're talking about? You're that important to them that they're just gonna sit back and allow this to happen?"

I picked up my drink and took a careful sip; damn, but I hated that stuff.

Rico set his empty glass on the table and eyed Yaoksi, a genuine look on his face.

"Look, buddy; you're still not telling me how the Impys are gonna all of a sudden allow a new ship to go waltzing up to them -- especially when you're talking that the blockaded planet in question is Coruscant!"

I daggered a level look into his cool, green eyes, matching what I found within them like for like.

Then I sat back and letting out a little chuff of disgust, pushed the Walkn'Fall away from me. This with my left hand; my right one was still handily free to do--

A company???

--said "company" having a convenient "writ" to go waltzing up to SSDs busy blockading major core worlds. Like it was taking him that extra time to dream up a legit response, or one that (hopefully) would appear thus to me.

Or mybe it was that I just didn't like the tone of his voice.

Suddenly this deal just seemed sour as hell. If Bozo here had a "company," then sure as shootin' every damn ship he purportedly owned would be on some kind of list with the Impys: id numbers, flux signatures and all. Those guys just didn't go around handing out invites carte blanc for the universe in general to come dock with them, ya know.

And Fates only knew that so far -- knock on greel wood! -- Devil had yet to be put on any kind of list that I knew of.

Which was just the way I liked it.

I smiled, leaned back nice and easy in my chair. Cast a furtive look about us.

Good, most of the patrons had either left, or were else sitting far enough away from us that, should it come to this, any stray blaster fire might miss the majority. I hated brawls, especially ones in bars, as usually the victims were not the intended ones but rather the innocents.

"A company," I mused aloud, one forefinger idly doodling an abstract design on the tabletop.

"Sounds to me like you've got it pretty good pal; in fact, good enough that you really oughtn't to be troubling yourself about losing that animal gland deal. By comparison to what you've got going for you with this Imperial deal, its dust bunnies."

I paused a moment, my smile unwavering, every muscle still loose and ready. Then I leaned forward, pinning him with an even look.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass. I've got other things I was planning on doing."

Alone. Which -- again -- was just the way I liked it.

With that I nodded to him, pushed my half-filled glass further in his direction, and rose to my feet.

Too many potential deals going down the tubes if I lose this gland deal. This guy was either stubborn as hell, or as dimwitted as a pile of dung. Maybe I was using too big of words? I dunno, maybe I just fry his ass right here and now and be done.

I pushed back my chair and stood, still looking the other direction.

“You just don’t get it, do ya?” I asked the wall. I then turned to look at him.

“I don’t have a company, I just got me. These bozos landed this writ on me because I’m the one who do the job. But I guess you’re not into back scratching and all, eh? Damnation and hell-buiscuits, are you just daft or what? I coulda been hauling space dust all night and been at that SSD right now delivering that load of wea—“

It took a split second for my brain to register the blast. I saw the flash of light out of the corner of my eye, right before the shock took out the big window of the cantina. As the ball of flame made its way from the ship bay to us, I felt my legs go into motion without any word from my brain, and I sprawled myself out as I dove into Yaoksi, bringing us both the ground as the fire ripped through the bar.

It was over quickly, and the screams from outside came tearing into the now wide open cantina. I rolled over on my back, checked Yaoksi for life and saw he was just as disheveled as me. The fireball miraculously spared most of the inside of the bar, but the huge window was shattered all over the floor. Little pricks of pain shot through my hands and face, and I saw I was bleeding.

“Aw, crap,” I growled. “What the hell was that?”

I crawled to the open window and peered out. The interior of the bay was charred everywhere. People were running here and there, tending to those who had fallen or were standing in shock. In the center of the bay, right where my ship should have been, was a pile of twisted metal. That sinking feeling bore down full upon me, and pressed down further when I noticed how my ship was surrounded by a mangled mess of damaged ships, including that hunk of junk Yaoksi was trying to take off in earlier.

“Oh hell,” I said. I looked back to Yaoksi, who was pulling himself up off the floor.

At first I thought it was smoke, from fire, and that I was burning. Then my vision cleared, and I realized that rancid odor was coming from Muscles, who was standing off a ways from me, framed by an empty window and chaos, half looking at me and half looking out in the direction of the spaceport in which I had docked.

Hearing abruptly returned.

"--ll right?"

I shook my head and clambered to my feet, coughing and spitting general crap from my lungs. Then I turned bleary, watery eyes Rico's way, stared toward him, past him, beyond him, my heart at first jumping to my throat before plummetting to land somewhere around my toes.

Oh, HELL.

Now strength returned with a vengeance, propelling me to my feet, overwhelming any aches and pains that might be hiding due to the impact of the blast's periphery. I wavered just once, then firmed and moved quickly to where he stood, staring at me and then back out the blasted window.

I gave him a hard look before simply moving on by, coming to the zone of broken glass and scorched, overturned tables. A holo-emitter, once proudly proclaiming the name of this wonderful establishment to all those who would wish to be so advised, now hung forlornly from its wiring; it swayed in cadence with the rising moans and groans from the other patrons who were trying to shakily put their senses back on track again.

I paid them no heed. I could only stare outside.

"Oh, hell!"

I didn't say anything else but barrelled through the broken window, running to the spot where Devil had been sitting. People in various degrees of shock sat or lay around, or moved in a doll-like daze; I paid them no heed but hurried on, the universe tunneling until all I could see was my poor, poor ship.

Yeah, she was where she had been... sort of. Thank the gods who look out after fools such as me; she was skewed about, her port now occupying the place that her bow had just moments ago. Dark burned splotches marred her hull; I bit my lip in pain as I circled about her, seeing here and there her innards displayed outwards.

Oh, this was gonna take months to repair! I groaned to myself, coming to a dejected halt at her bow and going up to lay my hand against the smooth metal of her hull.

Suddenly, a strange little noise sounded. It wasn't much, but it was unexpected. My head jerked up with surprise at this tiny mote of life coming from Devil; it was like coming upon a drowned man, only to see his eyelids flicker. I followed the sound, coming to a rip in my poor ship big enough to allow me entry, and moved through her until I came to the bridge.

A quick glance about: at least this looked relatively unscathed. Maybe those repairs wouldn't take quite as long as I--

The sound bleeped again, and with a little jerk I realized it was coming from my communications console. Someone was trying to contact me.

Still somewhat dazed, I punched receive; and stood there, unbelieving, as Nassy's cousin's voice filled my ears.

I had to listen to it two more times until it fully registered.Oh hell, not now, not at a time like this...

Then a thought crossed my mind. I drew in a breath to fortify myself, and quickly opened a return link.

"This is Captain Joao on Devil-May-Care," --

Or what's left of her, anyway...

"--returning communication. Greetings; long time no hear. I would be happy to oblige and have a sit-down just for that purpose; unfortunately, my ship is, ahh-- being overhauled and I am unable to come to you.

"If this is of importance more dire than your communication would indicate, please come to me at Piriingisi--"

I followed this with my address, since it seemed I wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon.

"Captain Yaoksi Joao, out."

It was only then, as I hit send and sent the return comm winging on its ethereal way that the last words Muscles was saying to me crawled into the front of my brain and yelled for attention.

Wea-- it had to weapons that he was talking about; he was carrying weapons to the Impys....

Whoa, mother; now what in all the Universe was wrong with that picture?!? Since when did the Imperials need anybody running weapons to them?

Unless it was something they couldn't get or make themselves, as improbable as it would seem, considering that back in the day these were the guys who made the Death Star.

They seemed awfully trigger-happy that Muscles was off his schedule, too; any idiot with a slug's quantity of brain would have gone to them first and tried to recruit me second.

Unless they weren't responsible for the explosion.

A chill swelled up inside me, but I managed to hold it at bay with the equally strong rise of anger. It took over completely, propelled me from Devil, carried me back to the Blue Asteroid, through the broken window, through the wandering, wailing throng inside and right back up into Rico's ugly face.

My hand shot out and grabbed up a bunch of his shirt, and to my great satisfaction I felt that yes, I had actually managed to pull him up on his tippy-toes.

"You'd better start talking square with me, and start it NOW!" I seethed, tightening my grip and pulling his mug mere millimeters from my face.

His wonderful body odor and bad breath be damned.

Kiara sat up with a start, surprised at the noise of the comm unit indicating an incoming message. Quickly she hit the accept switch and Captain Joao's message streamed in. Her reply was immediate, and swift.
"I would like to speak with you soon, and personally. I will meet you in Priingsi in...

...three standard days, at the location you have indicated."

Sending the message off quickly, Ki'ara got to her feet and hurried out of the comm station, her mind set on getting off the planet and to her destination as soon as possible. And, while she didn't have the money to afford such a trip, she always could find other ways of getting on board...

I shook my head and pushed hard at the chest of the bozo who had me by the shirt. I broke away and stepped back a half step.

“Hey, back off!” I yelled. “You think I had somethin’ to do with this, then you’re dumber than I thought!”

I held my hands up, trying to calm us both down.

“Look, all I know is that I had a deal with some company here to deliver this load of warheads to the Impies. They checked me out, got me a writ, and I was set. I’m supposed to run about once a week, and I get paid bunches. Short hauls, you know? Priority loading, take-offs, all that. In fact, they got me loaded so early that if I woulda taken off on time then I really shoulda been pulling into the SSD weapon bay already…”

I stopped. Holy crap, did I just say what I think I said?

“Wait-- they thought I would’ve taken off when the cargo got loaded, they didn’t expect me hang around here… If that would’ve gone off inside a loaded-to-the-cupcakes weapons bay…”

My face must have turned white, because the look on old gruesome’s face went from “I’m gonna kill you” to something more like “ack!”.

Suddenly Muscles didn't seem quite as shady, as underhanded, as deceitful and raunchy as I had formerly thought.

Well, ok; so he's still just as raunchy....

But the rest of the not-so-nice adjectives I was mentally saddling him with suddenly grew degrees lighter--

You know, I think he's on the up and up about this; no one can fake that shocked a look like the one planted on his face. Nope; I've seen veteran holo-vid actors do much worse in that department.

Ok, so he maybe didn't have anything to do with the explosion, except for the little matter that it sprang from his ship.

His ship that he had docked here, all nice and tidy and legal and everything.

I blinked, my own ire lessening but the heat it left behind now lending itself to a touch of alarm.

"You know, pal," I finally began, reaching out a hand toward him. He stuck his chest out a touch, a touch of a glare in his eyes, but stayed put and let me clap a hand on his shoulder.

"I think we are going to be having some company real soon; now, I don't know if you're quite ready for all the legalese that's soon to show up here, Fates know I'm not. But then, I'm just an innocent bystander, y'know?"

I stopped for air, staring him straight in the eye. He didn't look mad or scared, but if anything his eyes widened a bit, then narrowed.

Guess my implications were sinking home...

"I know of a place-- another place; it's called the Azure Planetoid, and it's in a hotel not too far from here.

"I suggest we go have another sit-down over something tall and cool, maybe some nerf-steaks or something to take the edge off..."

Yeah, take the edge off. Right.

"But you and me, if we're gonna be anything close to being partners, we're gonna have to be up-front with each other, not to mention watch out for each others' backs."

Yeah. Backs.

I didn't wait for an answer. I knew that Sullustan investigators would soon be on the scene; yeah, they'd come hunting for Muscles, of that there was no doubt. And if he was smart, he'd go along with the gig and talk to them.

But what he was going to tell them, and what he was going to tell me were, sure as there's pod racers on Tattoine, two different animals.

A few years of quiet retirement had done my nerves little good, 'specialy with the company I thought would one day come-a-knockin'. So, to take my mind of things I'd taken a job at a local hanger: cleaning off the tools after the mechanics were done with their charges, cleaning the offices, a bit of cargo lifting here and there, simple stuff.

One could suppose it doesn't help your occupations management when a ship goes up right on the middle of the pad: bad for business, bad for personal reputation, and well, downright nasty with the investigators, and insurance claims and the like. With the sight of that ship going up, I saw my obscure extra two-hundred and fifty credits a week going up in smoke.

As I'd looked through the blasted windows of that bar, all I saw were little chared bills rather than pieces of scrap tumbling to the ground. Then again, this is what I get for not filling out the simple papers denoting "warning: volitle" on the customs for the ship that'd gone up.

Serves me right I guess.

After sittin' in stunned shock for a while, I noticed two gentlemen, one of whom I recognized as the owner of the ship that'd sunk my job, and the other one? Well sure as sure he was the joe who'd had those freaks runnin' around on his ship. Strange company people keep these days.

Well to me, down right scary, a jedi that close? I hadn't seen one of those in a good twenty or so years, and I'd hoped not to see one for another century after the last time. Well heck, a millenia wouldn't be to much to ask for either!

I continued watching the two gentlemen for a moment, obscurely of course, taking a sip of the gag-inducing local toxins that the place served. Then laid down a few crumpled cred-notes from my pocket, and slid of my stool to make my way outside.

I knew there was no point in going back to the docking bay, all I'd get were yells about those papers for the volitle stuff I'd loaded onto the mans ship. I supposed I could easily take a walk, seein' as sometimes business owners left little "help wanted" holo's on their shop windows and such.

But what really kept getting to me was the old soldiers sense, that tingle of long forgotten excitement back in the day. I supposed the explosion had brought it around, heck I'd seen a few of those in my time after all. I supposed I was due for a midlife crisis anyhow.

“Yeah, all right,” I said. “What the hell?”

It was about then I noticed a familiar face in the growing crowd. Well, familiar in the way that you can’t forget an ugly face. That man was so gruesome that when he was born, the doctor whacked his mother. That’s the kind of face that gives a rancor nightmares.

“Hey,” I said, looking past Yaoksi. “That guy was on the crew that was gonna load my ship! Can’t forget a face like that, no matter how hard you try. Let’s get him!”

I broke past Yaoksi and into a fast walk. I don’t know if the guy saw me coming or not, but I was up to him pretty fast regardless, finger pointing and eyes blaring.

“Hey, buddy!” I yelled to him. “What in the stinkin’ green trees of Endor did you guys load onto my ship?”

"Well sir, seeing as how you ordered the cargo, and had us load it, I'd say it was whatever volitle stuff you were carrying in it. I do note that you paid the crew an extra fourty credits to leave "volitle" off the roster. So seeing as how you've run most of the operation, I'd say whatever it is you're trying to hold me acccountable for is your fault, or the person you purchased that cargo from."

I paused, knowing what I had said was a bit bold given the circumstances. "But seeing as I'm not a man to get angry over being accused, shall we let this bygone be bygone?" I extended my un-synthed Cybernetic hand towards him, a sign of equality or forgiveness, however he might take it.

I couldn’t believe this! The deal of my life turns out to maybe be some kind of plot against the Empire, and I’m getting set up to take the fall. Worse yet, I was supposed be aboard that SSD when the ‘volatile’ crap went off!

Son of a buck must pay.

And this guy was my witness.

I looked at the robotic hand that was offered to me. The guy didn’t even have it wrapped in synthetic skin, for Paca’s sake! I guess it sorta went with the face, though. Time for Mr. Smooth to jump into action, I had just had to know for sure if it was the guys who hired me or someone else who tried to fry my favorite hide.

But then again I was no fool, if I was just to tell him what he looked like, heck, it'd be pretty easy to keep it in mind and dump me off where I was, none the better from last week.

"But then again, I mean what's the point? My jobs screwed from what I can see, budget wont have enough to pay me while they pay for repairs, lawyers, claims... I mean, I get a small retirement fund, but that was a good couple of credits that helped fit the bills comming my way each week." I fixed him with a frank look, which I didn't really care if it made me look a bit more gruesome.

I continued to walk down the street to the docking bay where it was pretty much a junkpile.

"Talk about an unlucky day."

I stared at the wreckage and watched as a man entered what was left of his ship and then minutes later exit it.

having nothing else to do and wanting to know how the explosino happened I followed the man to see if he knew anything about it.

I followed him to the "Blue Asteroid", where the window was blasted out. I watched him talk with another man, but didn't hear what there were saying. I then noticed the other man walked over to a third man and started to somewhat yelled at him.

It seemed the third man loaded something explosive onto the second man's ship and the second man wasn't happy.

I closed my eyes and reached out with the force and could feel the tension and I could also feel the apraoch of two speeders and sullustans getting out and rushing everywhere.

Ok, time to do something. I thought.No. keep your cool and watch.

I stayed where I was hidden in a dark corner watching the three men converse only catching bits of their conversation.

Truth of the matter was, I was doing my doggonest to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. The effort it took to do so was immense, so I just stood there, casting looks between Muscles and the latest goony-bird to add to my growing collection, wondering to myself just which one of the two was the ugliest.

Not to mention the least trustworthy.

Well... the latter was easy enough to determine, actually. I mean, I knew Muscles for, lemme think now, hours was it by now? Whereas Ugly Mug had just up and popped into my life moments before. So to speak.

Ok. So I didn't trust either of them. But chances are that one or the other held the best possibility of finding out who the heck to blame for my poor Devil's defacement...

I drew in a breath, let it out laden with unspoken meaning, and crossed my arms.

"Look, fellas," I began, now taking a step forward and, Fates preserve me, coming to a halt next to Muscles.

"Seems like standing right here in the middle of everything isn't very conducive to finding out what really happened here, let alone keeping a low and ahh-- honest profile, if you catch my drift.

"May I suggest a change of venue, until the port authorities can contact us about the -- unfortunate events that have transpired here?

"Events I'd really like to discuss with each other... purely as gentlemen, of course."

I let my eyes cut to Muscles, then slew back to Ugly. I couldn't help curling a nostril; the two of them made such lovely bookends....

“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s get the bleedin’ hole outa here. I know that place, and you’re right, we can talk there. It’s safe.”

I winked and headed for the broken window. As I passed the bar I tossed a coin onto the counter.

“Sorry about the mess,” I muttered. It just seemed appropriate somehow.

I stepped through the window frame and into the open port, checking to make sure the other two were following me. I ducked my head down and casually walked to the nearest tunnel entrance.

A few minutes later and we standing in front of the Azure Plantoid. The scene was more subdued here, away from the ruckus of the spaceport which is busy on a normal day. Add in a blown-up ship and it’s a little noisier.

I walked inside and spotted a table near the back. It wasn’t too hard, since only two other tables were occupied. One had an unconscious blue person lying face-down on an empty plate. The other was taken up by a couple of human-looking folks who had more than just idle chit-chat on their mind. They were pretty well grossed in each other, if you know what I mean. Hope they had a room for later.

I scooted a chair out and took a seat. The waitress, a pretty little thing, brought over three mugs. Wow, didn’t even have to ask.

"Gentlemen, I mean not to distract, but would it not be more advisable to track down the purpetrators of this crime against your two vessels?" I asked, my fingertips upon the rim of the mug.

But the expression in my eyes was anything but; I directed it at Muscles for a quick moment before letting the chair down softly and placing the tumbler on the tabletop just as quietly.

I turned to Ugly with a smile.

"That's just what we're doing, pal," I said with a flash of teeth toward him.

"You wanna tell us more about the guy who delivered that cargo to the bay and paid you to keep its contents all mum and tidy and nice?"

With that I cut another quick glance to Muscles, who was looking angrier by the minute. Suddenly there seemed to be a sparkling of truth about him after all.

"Yeah," I said in response to his earlier quip.

"It's a favorite place of mine."

With that I took hold of my tumbler again, and took a hefty swig from its contents.

"The man who paid me said he was your broker, a human passing off as an Umbaran by all appearances, the usual bald head, pale purple skin, crystal blue eyes and one of those nifty shadow-cloaks they find fashionable." I took a drink of the liquid and hid a look of distaste behind the mug, the liquid tasting as though it had gone through a bantha's urinary tract.

Why would the Impys go an try to blow themselves up? Unless someone else had infiltrated one of the SSDs or Coruscant itself and had stolen a seal, which would mean there was a rebellion out there somewhere I didn't know beans about.

Or... Ugly was as trustworthy as he was good-looking, and was making this up on the fly.

I cut a quick look over to Muscles, who seemed to have tensed up a bit himself. Then I turned back to Ugly, forcing myself to loosen up and lean more casually back in my seat.

"Thanks pal, that's all I ask," I said, smiling at him. Then my smile faded.

"But now, as to your earlier, ahh-- request, well... I just have to turn down your offer--"

I couldn't help grimacing at the use of the word.

"--of crewing with either my buddy here, or with me. Seems kinda on the moot side now anyway, doesn't it? I mean, between the two of us we maybe have half a ship; his is blown to smithereens, and mine is... well, gonna be in repairs for some time now."

A frown crossed my features; poor Devil's distress was really sinking in now, along with the realization that yeah, she probably was gonna be out of commission for months at the very least. Sullust wasn't known for it's repair facilities, I was gonna have to import someone I could trust to get the job done, and get it done right...

Giving myself a mental shake, I turned back to Ugly.

"So.. sorry about that, pal," I finished, and raising my mug gave him a little salute with it before downing half its contents in one fell swoop.

“An ISB seal?” I had to ask. “Well, I guess that just adds up then, don’t it? I mean, of course the people making weapons here and shipping them off to an SSD are gonna have an inspector or something giving final approval before the stuff gets hauled. What I can’t figure is how they managed to sabotage or replace the stuff once the guy with the seal did his final ‘here ya go’. Unless…”

OK, so I was a little slow that day. I mean, come one, my ship just got toasted, and I was meant to have been on board at the time.

“Unless the guy with the seal was in on it.”

Yeah, I got the “duh” looks from the two of them. I shrugged it off.

“Oh great, so either someone is posing as an Imperial security agent, or the agency itself is involved. Either way, I was supposed to be dead by now, so I got a feeling that ISB bimbo is gonna wanna see to it that I get that way real soon.”

I looked over to Ugly, making my words real clear.

“And I wouldn’t be too surprised if he wanted to cover up all his tracks, if you know what I mean. Never mind your job, if he knows that you are the one who can finger him, then your life ain’t worth a bowl of bantha dung either. And since none of us have a way off the planet right now, we seem to have problem.”

I leaned back in the seat and took my glass in hand.

"That is quite possibly so, but then where is it that you two hide? I could go back to my place for a bit but I'm sure he'd track me back to it pretty darn quick. We could hole up in a hotel or something, but I think the best bet would be to actually get off planet if we just intend to lay low for a bit."

Oh, this whole affair was quite suddenly taking a subtle turn for the worst, and if there's anything I've learned in all my gadding about the galaxy is that subtlety and I are strange bedfellows indeed...

Now my hand removed from the glass, my elbow propping itself on the table to allow that hand to then cup itself over my mouth. I studied both Muscles and Ugly a tad bit more carefully then, with greater scrutiny, paying particular care to their body language.

They were both screaming to the high heavens sad tales of assassination attempts and set-ups and lurking dangers and the loong, loooong arm of the Imperials and the degree in which both of them were immersed in all the above.

My eyes flicked from Ugly to Muscles and back to Ugly again. The index finger on the hand cupping my mouth lifted, pointed to him.

"Your life is gonna be worth bantha dung."

Then my glance cut to Muscles, followed shortly thereafter by the finger.

"And you've been set up as a fall guy for an apparent assassination attempt on the Impys..."

The words were not in any way accusatory. Just stating the facts, ma'am.

Both hands went carefully to the table top, there to lie flat-palmed as I pushed myself to my feet.

"Ahh-- it seems that I'm the only innocent bystander in all this, boys. Not to mention the only one with half a ship; my friend--"

Now I directed my full attention to Muscles.

"Seems like the offer you extended to me is as null and void as your ship; and you--"

I turned back to Ugly.

"--are most certainly not going to crew with me. I already have a crew..."

Surprise, surprise; shame ran a fast footrace through my body, starting in my head somewhere in the ol memory section and ending in my heart.

K'kihl. How could I have forgotten my ol' buddy K'kihl?

"It seems to me that you boys have more in common with each other than with me, so if you'll just excuse me I have to go see about repairing my ship..."

I got to my feet, drained the last of my drink, and tossed a few credi-coins to the passing waitress. Then giving the pair a smile and a nod, I departed the premises to retrace my steps back to the spaceport.

There I was met with a wild cacophony of apologetic Sullustan officials, who broke the terrible news about poor Devil while simultaneously waving signed docking waivers in my face. I just sighed, raised my hands, and with a little smooth talking managed to get myself permission to go to my ship.

Upon entering I made a beeline to the bridge, where I immediately fired up the com-panel and after a quick run-through of private frequencies, opened up a particular channel.

"Terrin Danner on Hornett, this is Captain Yaoksi Joao. Can I ask a little favor of you...?"

"Captain Joao, this is Captain Aaron Barnes," he started out. "It's good to hear from you, and I hope that all is well. Terrin is...

... not available..."

Aaron paused, cringing at his choice of words, "...but I would be glad to help you out. What is it that you need?"

"Ahh- er... " I garbled, then got myself under control. Ok, so Danner wasn't around; I remembered Barnes clearly. Since he was second to Danner, it stood to reason that he knew everything his boss did, which in turn led me to believe he would know all that I had done for the man back when...

Ok, back when you couldn't keep a thing from boarding your ship and ripping off his arm....

I tossed that away with a shudder. Maybe Barnes would be more forgiving of me than I had ever been about that horrible incident. Finally getting myself under control, I went on.

"Hey, well... sorry to hear that. When the ol' pirate does become available, tell him hi for me, right? Right.

"Anyway, I've been having a touch wee of a problem here on Sullust--"

Quickly I related all that had befallen me since running into the bookends and having my ship blown asunder.

"--and since I left K'kihl with you in Engineering -- how is the ol' cricket, anyway? -- I was hoping I could kinda bank on the help I'd given Mr. Danner--"

Another cringe.

"--and that you'd maybe send a repair crew here to give me a hand? Of course if all you could afford to send was K'kihl, that would be just fine and dandy."

Finishing with my coordinates and physical address in Piriingisi, I leaned into the mike and finalized with a single word.

"Over."

"I'll relate the news of your troubles to K'khil; he's one of our best engineers and has done some fine work onboard the Hornett. As for Terrin..."

Aaron trailed, the pang in his heart almost audible, "He died over a year ago. I'd tell you more...

...but I don't feel all that comfortable about telling you the details over a comm frequency."

Terrin Danner-- dead? What about that lil red-haired he was married to? Aww, that was just--

I shook myself. Time to mourn later; now I had my own problems to consider.

"Ahh-- I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Danner. Please accept my condolences."

An appropriate pause, then I continued.

"Thank you for your offer; I'm afraid my ship needs more than an, ahh-- overhaul; perhaps you could send some materiels so she could be refit?

"I-- I would like to talk with you over a drink sometime; hopefully after Devil is up and running I can stop by for some conversation."

Another brief pause--

"Tell K'kihl I'm looking forward to seeing him--" for of course the ol carapace would come running the moment he heard of my ship's distress.

"This is Captain Yaoksi Joao, out."

I sighed as I closed the link, then sat back in my chair and contemplated middle space for a bit.

Then I shut down all systems and left Devil, giving her hull a fond pat before I headed back out into the tunnels of Piriingisi.

I turned to Ugly and said “Wait here.” I threw my chair back and followed after Yuckster, then turned back to look at Ugly. “On second thought, come on.”

I didn’t wait to see if he was following. I stormed through the halls, thought I caught a glimpse of Yaoksi, but in the end I couldn’t find him. I was pissed as hell and getting worse by the minute. Finally I gave up.

I turned my collar up and kept my head down, and peeked into docking area at my ship. Sure enough, there were officials swarming it and taking all sorts of readings. Cripes, even the poor guy at the Asteriod was getting questioned. Ah hell, this was way bad. What the bleedin’ palm was I gonna do?

Then I saw him.

Sure enough, it was Yaoksi, just walking out of his ship like it was a day at the office. He seemed a little distressed, oh boo-hoo for him. I stood where I was in the tunnel, waiting. In a little bit he came walking in, right by me, not even a ‘how do you do’. All right, well, I was trying to not be seen, but still! I stepped behind him and coughed.

Yaoksi stopped and glanced back just in time to see the fist coming for him. I don’t know if he tried to duck or not, but I sure as hell hit him full in the jaw and sent him sprawling against the wall.

I walked over and helped him up, not so gently.

“That’s for walking away with my gland deal and strandin’ me on Sullust,” I said, feeling a little better. “I know my life ain’t worth crap here, but neither is yours if I implicate you in all this. Now I suggest we go somewhere again and work out a deal. Someplace nice, someplace quiet. Plus, I think we really can work something out together that’ll be to your profit.”

I had no idea what I was talking about, but I’m sure I’d think of something. I figured he was either gonna go for his blaster or go for my pitch, either way I’d be ready.

One minute I was strolling away from my poor, abused ship, heading off to my little apartment for a quiet drink alone in front of the holo-vid, when WHAMMY.

Here comes ol Muscles like a freighter from hell, and the next thing I knew I was down on my butt.

Then up again.

I shook the stars from my vision just in time to hear his finishing words to me... which, lucky for him, he just managed to squeak out like the rat he was before my own hand shot out and found a fistful of his collar, the other finding my blaster which in turn found a cozy little hidey hole under his jaw.

I yanked him up to the closest I could stand his breath, and shot dagger looks into his eyes.

"Look, partner," I steamed, giving his collar a meaningful jerk. And damned if the bore of my blaster didn't just up and plant itself just a little more snugly against his flesh.

"You can go right on ahead and implicate me all you want, you can implicate me until the rontos come home over the hill...

"...but sure as there's spice on Kessel it isn't gonna mean squat and you know it.

"I've been running a legt business here, and have the chits to prove it; the last thing I need is to get myself all tossed up in the salad with a couple of slime-oes whose lives aren't gonna be worth bantha fodder in the very near future.

"That is--"

Another jerk of his collar, this time hard enough to yank him up so we were literally touching noses.

"If it already isn't worth less than that right now."

I settled back then, tossing him from me as if he was yesterday's garbage. If he was expecting me to holster ol Bertha though, he had another thing coming.

"I've got a life of my own, pal; if it's any consolation to you when I'm finished with the animal gland deal -- assuming I have some kind of ship to complete the contract with, thank you oh so much! -- I'll tell the contractor that you can have it from now on.

"I've got other things to tend to; so, sorry to say it but...

"Sayonara, pal."

With that I holstered my blaster, turned my back on Muscles, and kept right on walking.

I put a hand on Rico's shoulder. "Lets just go back to my place, drink a cup of caf, and figure out what we're going to do, because sure as sure sitting here angry as all hellfire wont get us anywhere."

Though possibly in time it could get a shot in the back of the heads for both of us, especially if there's ISB on our tails. I grimaced at the thought and began to think of that old disuader under the bed back home...

But hey, I guess that’s what you get trying to make a deal with a smuggler. We’re all alike, whatever gets us ahead and screw the other guy. Yeah, all right, I can cope with that, I guess. Except now I’m stuck on Sullust without a ship, and the guy who said he had connections to get some repair work done just screwed the pooch and didn’t even buy it dinner.

Ah, cool off. Just let it go, the next time you see him you can kill him, but for now the Ugly mug is right. We got big problems, and we need to solve them.

But that was in the past, locked away.

And it would stay that way.

"Lets go." I said, immediately turning away from the hangar facilities, to begin strolling between the various avenues, back alleys and the like, making a few switch backs and zig-zags.

You could never be too careful after all.

After perhaps twenty minutes of walking I stopped before a plain black dura-steel door and thumbed the access pannel next to the door and stepped into a small stairwell that did switchbacks, upon each landing a small non-descript door sat with a number scratched into it's surface.

I led the fella up to my "pad", which was upon the fourth floor, and keyed in a small passcode, and stepped into the small two room apartment, at the far end the entrance to a dingy bathroom which he kept clean enough just enough to use.

"Home sweet home. I'll grab my stuff, tell the landlord he doesn't get anything else from me, and then we'll start hunting down the bastard."

I moved over to the small desk just across from the plain army cot and pulled out a few data-cards and a small box, pocketed them, then went to the cot and lifted it up, pulling out a long case, similar to "Ammo Drop Cylinders", and keyed in a long mechanical password that stretched the entire length.

It clicked open, and inside there was merely a long black "Suit-bag", like you got clothing back from a suit shop or the like, along with a long black sword-sheath, an ornate handle and leather grip at the top, set in with small jewels that had a faint glow from some internal power source, and a long pistol, perhaps three and a half decimeters in length with a silver casing.

Great now i'm stuck here even longer. Before me stood the remains of my way off this rock. I was across the space port when it happened working on a new overlay for a ship to earn some quick cash when the explosion hit and rolled the ship i was in. By the time I made it back to the freighter that was going to be my ticket out of here it was apperent that it was a total loss.

Bettter yet most of my credits was onboard, which wasn't a problem considering how easy it is for a slicer of my caliber to earn a little cred on sullust.

"Uhm...uh...sir?"

The bartender's wheezy voice, shaking with what seemed to be fear, registered in my pounding head.

Blinking balefully, I looked up from my mug of swill and over at the man. There was no doubt he was afraid. He was trembling, causing the ice in the glass he held to rattle, and sweat glistened in a sheen across his forehead. I nodded at him to show I was listening.

"Er...my most sincere apologies, sir, but...uhm...I have to ask you to leave."

My eyes must have narrowed in the annoyance I felt, because the bartender began trembling so badly he sloshed the muddy blue (Blue? Who drinks something light blue?) contents of the glass down his shirtfront. Nevertheless, he did continue.

"It's...ah...well, I'm afraid you're...d-d-disturbing the customers, you see."

As he spoke, I finally realized that there was no clamor of voices surrounding us as one usually finds in a bar. The place was dead silent, and I thought I knew why.

Turning on my stool, I found that every single occupant of this tiny little bar was silently staring at me. As I swiveled to face them, they shrank back, as though expecting me to lunge at them and tear their throats out.

Turning back the the bartender, who was sweating even more profusely, I gave a throaty, exasperated sigh, tossed a few credits on the table for the swill, and stood to leave.

Instantly, the small crowd parted before me as though I were some sort of ruler or dignitary, giving me a wide berth to the door. As I walked to it, my annoyance mounted at the expressions of fear on each face I passed. Whether out of annoyance or for amusement, I let loose with a feral snarl.

Every single person in the room stepped back so quickly you would have thought I were covered in mynock droppings. And there were more than a few short yelps or shrieks from the less courageous.

My annoyance mounting, I wrenched the door open, stepped through, and slammed it behind me with a loud clang that did nothing for my headache. Almost immediatly, I heard conversation break out behind the portal I had just closed. Snarling again, I set off down the street.

It had been happening for years now, the staring, the silence, the trembling fear in the voices of those few who spoke to me. They were treating me like I was some sort of wild beast, and I was fed up with it.

Had none of them ever seen a Wookiee before?

Well, no, actually. More than likely, none of them had. But Bacca's blade, all I'd wanted was one drink! They couldn't even let me have that. They didn't even give me a chance to explain myself.

Granted, they couldn't have understood me if I had spoke. Shyriiwook is incomprehensible to most.

But I would have appreciated the chance.

Continuing down the street (the stares still followed me), I eventually passed by the hanger. There was quite a commotion emerging from there, people shouting, running around, and shouting some more. A regular fiasco.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I strode into the hanger and was met with a disasterous scene. Many ships were completely blown apart, many more were only half-intact. Wreckage was strewn everywhere. It looked as though somebody had set off a crate full of thermal detonators in there.

As I walked around, surveying the devastation (which seemed to emanate from what must have once been a freighter ship but now was little more than a twisted hunk of durasteel), I took note of the number of ships with extensive damage.

It was quite a large amount.

From what I could tell, the owners of these ships were going to need an army of repairbeings.

It looked as though I might be able to find some work on this rock.

After surveying the scene for some time, I headed out of the hangar and in the direction of the local "hotspot," the Blue Asteroid. I guessed at least one or two of the pilots who had lost their ships would be in there right now, drowning their sorrows.

And I was sure at least one would have drank enough that he would even consider hiring a Wookiee to do his repair work.

After all, many of these people were well-traveled pilots. Some of them had to know that my people were not, despite our appearances, monsters.

“Those are some pretty nasty pieces of hardware. Who the hell are you? Sure as heck aren’t your every day run of the mill dock worker.”

I thought a second and shrugged. Didn’t matter, really.

"The best thing too do would to be too check the local custom office, see if any Umbarans have come by, or any officials. The trick is too look for something TOO convincing, like it's overdone, rather then underdone or normal."

I checked my blaster at my side and patted it for comfort, and followed Ugly out the door. I followed him – I don’t know why, but I did. He made a couple of stops, during which I stood around nonchalantly, and we were finally on our way into the main corridors. It was interesting to see this guy in action, I had a feeling he had a bigger story to tell.

We ended up outside the door of the customs office, staring at the big letters on the window. I didn’t much care for this place, since most of my business involved cargo that would normally bypass this office. But I did have a legit haul every now and then, and they did know me here…

“Wait,” I said. “They know me here, and they’ll know that it was my ship. I’ll be detained. Cripes, you better go in and check without me, I’ll go hang out by the Asteroid. Hopefully things have calmed down there for now.”

I ducked my head to look inconspicuous, and stared down the hallway. The customs office was just off the main corridor of the dock, which meant the Asteroid wasn’t too far. I rounded the corner and paused at the entrance to the dock. The scene had indeed settled, now the fire droids had departed, and the area was taped off with a bright yellow energy fence that went about 5 feet up and encircled my ship – well, what was left of it – and the four other ships that surrounded it. I shook my head and turned the corner to walk in the bar, thinking as I did so that they might be closed for repairs. I glanced over to my ship once more as I reached for the door.

I pulled the door open and turned my head back away from the ship, and stopped just short of a mountain of fur. I stood with my nose nearly buried in a matted sea of dark brown, my nostrils beginning to sting from the proximity. Normally I might think before I speak, but I’d had enough of this day.

Big help.

Without any pause, knowing time was of the essence, I locked the door as a precaution, and sat down at the small datapad, tapping in a standard access code, I quickly rifled through arrivals and their purposes.

I came across three Umbarans, and checked their story. One was here on holiday to their aunt, unlikely for the match.

The second was here for undisclosed business reasons. I almost laughed, the customs office never let them slide without a bribe. But imperials tended to go more stealthy then obvious bribes.

I selected the last file and looked it over, as the person was here too "take in the sights", specifically eight locations, and with even a specific flight booked out.

"Bingo." I whispered, copying the data just as I heard the door click with the sound of someone touching the lock. "I coulda sworn I left this thing open!" Came an exasperated voice from outside.

I glanced about the office, no where to hide unless you were a six year old anorexic girl. With a not a moment to lose, I closed the datapad, cramming the chip into my pocket, and grabbed a waste bin, going to the door and unlocking it.

Before me stood an irritable looking rodian, and by irritable, I meant more then half past ugly. "What'r you doin in my office?" He asked, putting a hand across the doorway to stop me from leaving.

With a quick crazed thought, I let out a string of Hutteese about getting the trash and not understanding basic. He snorted; "Stupid ignorants." He glared.

It was about this time when another more profitable venture came to me. Just then as someone entered the bar they almost ran strait into a massive wookie. Now normally this could have been survivable, but this wookie looked agitated, on edge. And the mans words only seemed to seal his fate.
“Hey!” He yelled. “Is this a bar or a shag carpet store? Get this hunk of hair out of my way, will ya?”

Seeing the potential in front of me I reached into my pockets and pulled out some credits still on hand and slaped them onto the bar tabe in front of me.

"I place 50 credits on the wookie?" I yelled.

I looked up where I thought this thing’s head might be, then kept going. Dang, but this thing was tall. OK, really tall. Probably strong enough to tear my arms off and beat me to death with ‘em, too. This day kept getting better.

“Hey! Is this a bar or a shag carpet store? Get this hunk of hair out of my way, will ya?”

Well. I had been about to growl a hasty apology. Now, what with the mood I was in, what I really wanted to do was feed him his own fingers.

However, some little niggling part of my brain, Common Sense, I believe, told me I wouldn't be helping things at all by rearranging this man's face.

As I stood there, trying to get my anger under control, one of the bar patrons, a ryn female, by the looks of it, slapped some credits down on the table and put them on me to pound this guy into blue goo. Or whatever color humans are when they get pulped.

The other patrons quickly followed suit, most of the cash going on my side of the table, and the man spoke again.

“Look, I’d say please if that would help. Right now I don’t really care. My day – along with my life and my ship – is ruined and I really need a drink. So either turn around and smash me to a pulp or get the hell out of my way!”

That explained his short temper. What with the explosion and all, it made sense that I wouldn't be the only one having a bad day.

Stepping swiftly to the side, I spoke in Shyriwook. (So he more-than-likely wouldn't understand me. Why not?)

"My apologies, sir. I had a lot on my mind."

I gestured for him to go in before me, then added,

"Sorry to hear about your ship, by the way."

If he by any chance understood my language, he'd respond. If not, perhaps I'd use sign language and try to get a job anyways.

Seeing not further reason to continue this venture i withdrew my 50 creds from the pot signaling that the fight was called off. This allowed me to observe who had what and it wasn't promising as the moment. judging from the lack of funds of the patrons I was going to be stuck here for a very long time the best I could do right now was to wait until someone approched me for something requiring my skills.

However, when I turned towards the bar, I found a waiter standing behind me, already asking which drink I wanted.

My confusion must have shown on my face, because the man pointed over to the little Ryn female who had slapped down the first bet on me to paste the guy who had run into me and said she had told him to give me a free drink.

Ordering a mug of a brew I had found partituclarly tasty, I considered the ryn girl for a moment, then started towards her.

After all, buying one a free drink is as good an invitation to talk as any.

Stopping in front of her, I inclined my head, both in greeting ,and because she was so small compared to me than I had to incline it to see her.

"Thanks for the drink," I growled in what I hoped was a friendly sort of tone.

Then, playing on my guess what she was fluent in Shyriwook, I continued.

"Its a pity I didn't know you understood my language back when you were placing bets on me. We could have made a nice amount of credits."

Ugly poked his face in and said he had the data. I still needed a drink, though, so I nodded, held up two fingers, and headed for the only empty table in view. Of course, it was right next to the flea factory and the little rat faced gal. Joy.

“All right,” I said, probably a little too loud as I was falling into my chair. “You got him. What do we do now, go wreak our bloody vengeance? A lot of good that’ll do, we’ll still be stuck here. Face it, my ship is toast, and you don’t even have one. The only one I know that’s even fixable belongs to Yaoksi, and I wouldn’t trust anyone on this planet to make repairs. Hell, he won’t have anything to do with us anyway.”

I rubbed my eyes, I was starting to feel pretty tired.

There, I thought to myself as I moved to put away the cleaning utensils I had been using.

Everything ship and shaplier; guests are gonna be coming...

Guests. Now that was a complete and total hoot, wasn't it? To think I could ever consider my ol' buddy K'kihl a guest, or anyone else from Eagle Enterprises.

Too bad about Captain Danner, though. I surely would have loved to sit down with him over a couple Whyvern's and have a big ol' chat...

I shook myself from my momentary reverie, closed the closet where I stashed the little cleaning stuff I owned. A smile came over my face at that; strange what a little pig-tailed gal can do to overcome a big, bad ol runner's aversion to house-cleaning...

Still smiling, I took another gander around. Yup, this place was as good as it was going to get. Clean enough for high inspection; ready for a lady.

I was ready.

I checked my chrono; it was early yet, and with Devil down for a bit I hadn't anything pressing on my plate. The thought of that Whyvern's was suddenly more and more appealing.

Time to go out and relax, pal, I told myself as, strapping my blaster back on my hip I left the premises, locking her up good and tight in my wake.

Lessee... there's that place in the hotel...

I frowned. That was where I left Muscles and Ugly to each other; no sense in getting back into that pretty kettle of fish.

Maybe the good ol' Blue Asteroid would be the prime choice; being close to the port I could maybe have a couple then stroll on over to see how tight the security was around what ships still lay around.

Mine included, and top of the list, of course.

Thoughts of K'kihl and the incoming repair crew and the shining image of Devil, good as new, mixed with a vague shadow consisting of sultry eyes, a sultrier voice and twining lekku, all kept my mind plenty occupied. Lost in thought as I was, I found myself at the little bar in no time, and without taking too much notice of anything in particular went on inside.

A hulking form loomed into my personal space, its fur sending me into a brief allergic sneezing fit.

"Sheesh pal, do something about that dandruff," I muttered as I moved away from the gigantic Wookiee, who was worbling something in his native tongue to someone his bulk hid from my view.

Damn furballs...

Taking another sip of my drink enjoying its rich taste. It wouldn't matter if what I shared with the wookie what I knew soon he like everyone else would figure it out as well.

"It was to determain who had credits and how much. Judging from the bets it would be a fair guess that most of the ships destroyed belonged to smugglers and they are currently low on creds."

Letting this settle on the wookies head I took a moment to enjoy another sip of my drink.

"Sheesh, pal. Do something about the dandruff."

My anger returned in a flash like an exploding TIE. By Bacca, I was sick of these cocky, smirking smugglers and their comments.

Restraining the urge to cram this person's foot down his throat, I turned to face him. Glaring down at him, I noticed he was sneezing furiously, like an allergic reaction, or something.

Well, wasn't that a pity.

Baring my teeth, I snarled at him.

"Keep your comments to yourself, human."

Sighing quietly, I turned back to the ryn girl.

"Sorry about that."

"Anyhow, it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Link," I said, inclining my head respectfully in greeting. "I am called Lowwarr."

"It appears we are both in the same position. I, too, am stuck on this planet until I can raise enough credits to buy a seat on a transport."

Taking a draft from my mug, I considered what she had said.

"You said you intended to "slice" your way off this planet. You are a hacker?"

Pausing a moment, I grinned and added, "Not a profession one usually goes about broadcasting to strangers in bars."

My curiosity then tugged me in a different direction, and I spoke again.

The question was retorical so I contined on before he could answer.

"First of all its not hacker, its slicer. Hacker sounds to primative. and second while I could slice my way off planet it offers little challenge for me and the trip is dull on standard transport."

I took another sip of my drink. This stuff is good i'll have to get the recipe from the chef.

"And its little secret that i'm a slicer half the smugglers in the galaxy know me and the other know me by reputation. so in here im relitively safe with all these smugglers around."

In the Void.

I blinked, a bright light over me, blinding me as I blinked.

I felt strange, somehow... empty. What happened? I wondered. I tried to move, and found I could not.

I tried to speak out, but found I could not either, as I felt...

Nothing.

There was no feeling around her face, nor anywhere else, save that blinding light above. Faintly I could hear sound, clicks, faint footsteps, obscurred beyond my vision.

I could hear faint vibrations as well, that sounded like the most muffled of voices. Suddenly, there was a click, and a covering that I realized had been creating the light and muffling the noise.

"So you're awake?" Came a female voice, middle aged by all estimates as I still could not move.

I tried to respond, to nod, to give any sign that I was alive, but I could not. "You can presently not move your limbs, but you can move your eyes. Blink once for yes and twice for no." The voice commanded.

I blinked once, and found that it was true. "Your name is Kirin Korsair." The voice asked.

I considered my answer, being a wanted individual. But then again, I had no choice. Blink.

"Good." There came a tapping as though of keying. "You were once in the employ of the Imperial Security Beareu?" I blinked again.

"You now have a bounty upon your head by their will?" Blink.

"Have you any will to rejoin them?" I blinked twice now, the dead truth in the air before me. I'd never go back, ever.

"Do you know where you are?" I blinked twice again. "Do you wish to know?" Yet again, I blinked. "Suffice to say, you will know soon."

With that, I heard the sliding of a chair, and footsteps moving away before that bright light and muffled sensation came again as the tube closed.

Hanging in space just above Sullust are several of Aelly's "acquisitions". Modified and refitted for her personal use it is only heard of by few smugglers and traders as something of a ghost ship.

Black Nebula is the flagship of the Black Sun as it is the largest ship as well as having given them a very lucrative business in that it travels into known hyperspace lanes and interdicts passage of select ships. It has two gravety well generators that pull ships out of hyperspace. At which point the weapons of Black Nebula along with the weapons of her Marauder Corvette escorts bare down on the trapped vessel to be boarded or captured and taken elsewhere.

On board the Black Nebula...

"I want to check on our operations here as well as check out the space ports. Run a listing of any possible ships departing or arriving that have cargo listings. You know what to look for."

"It will be done Mistress." came a response over the internal comms.

Heading to her private office she sat in her comfortable chair and swivelled it round so she could look out the view ports. Aelly loved looking at planets from orbit. Examining their beauty and variety. A feeling of power sifting through her as she imagines herself a powerful being ( which in her own rights she is) looking down on the unsuspecting beings below.Let's see what today brings us she thought to herself.

All I remembered was my voice, screaming out something before....

Pain.

Blistering pain that had felt like I was going to be torn apart and devoured by who knew what.

Then, nothing, just cold and quiet until here.

I could hear steps again, and watched as the tube slid away again. "We are about to transplant a device that will enable you to speak. You have been under constant operation for perhaps three to four weeks now, to repair the damage to your body."

The female voice intoned. "Please, do not panick now." I watched as a strange... shape of some sort was moved over my face, and slowly lowered.

I was fearful a I saw strange pointed nubs on the side of the thing that faced me, and nearly panicked as I felt it them seem to pierce my flesh.

There was a loud click, and suddenly a faint breeze seemed to pass through the device like a breath, and I let out a scream of pain, as that seemed to be all there was as this- thing was forcibly upon my face.

"Calm yourself." The voice said. "This is an improvement. You see, the damage upon your body had removed your lower jaw and hence your ability to vocalize, hence, this has the benefit of speech and now you have little need for filtration in air!"

However, I could not begin to tollerate, to understand why these people would do such things too me.

"Have you any memory of what happened too you?" The voice asked.

"No."

I replied. A split second later I nearly Panicked again. The voice had been cold, so much unlike her normal tone. Or was it? She tried to remember. No, her voice had always been cold and businesslike. Now it was just a forced reality that made her realize it.

"We found you aboard a pirate vessel that was trying to sneak through Sullustian customs. They had a registered eight beings, but had nine signs when we scanned them. Naturally we boarded them, and discovered their piracy and you. Your jaw had been "shot off", and it appeared that you have suffered mass projectile trauma, much of your torso, thighs, and arms were damaged. Selling off the ship, we did our best to replace damaged organs. Most of your torso was salvaged, though you have a mechanical respirator now. Also, I'm afraid we could not save your legs, nor your right arm. They are full replacements, though we can assure that they will feel completely normal."

I swollowed, and found that it hurt just slightly. "I am most sorry for your condition." The voice said. "You can move now... of course, we shall have to check your motor skills and the like."

I slowly lifted, and felt myself do so as though all was normal, safe for a strange emptiness. "There are just a few more details." The woman said, who I could now see to be a Sullustian with a datapad.

"First, you are in the Havens Ward at Star-Saver Hospital. You were brought here three weeks ago by a system patrol craft who told us what I have told you. Finally, we shall not tell the authorities of your identity, due to patient doctor privelege. However, as unethical as it is, we will have to ask you to leave soon." She paused, a look of sympathy upon her face.

"We have some things you can do to make scaring and such less evident, and can, well, give you dyes and contacts to try and hide your Identity. There is one last note..." She said, looking at her datapad and at me with the greatest expression of sadness one could ever have.

"Due to your... damages... you are now, unfertile. You cannot reproduce. I'm sorry." She bowed her head before rising to leave me to myself and give me privacy.

Once she was gone, I looked down over my body. With all the changes, as best I'm sure they had done, I was still not.... the same. My curves no longer were "true", and there was almost a distinct... genderlessness about my body and I'm sure with this thing upon my face, what I really was would come into question.

Turning back around to face her desk she activates her personal computer. Once it was booted up she began looking through a listing of space ports, wanted criminal posts, as well as trying to be more specific and searching through ships logs that tallied cargo and personnel.

One port popped up as saying no admitance due to a bombing investigation.

Her fingers danced over the keyboard as she looked at the roster of ships that had been destroyed or damaged as well as having each ships captains' name.

"Well, this is a spot of news. Explosion possibly originated from one of the ships cargo hold."

She read on...

"Ship was carrying weapons at the time of the incident."

Her head lifts up slightly but her eyes stay glued to the computer screen.

"Well, that's very unlucky for that individual. I wonder why that ship was destroyed?"

The tapping of her fingers on her desk became almost rhythmic as she pondered.

After only a couple minutes a smile cut across her face.

"I hope it wasn't anyone competing with me." she remarked sarcastically.

Her statement followed by a soft giggle.

"What else can I find here. Ahh a medical center."

She keys the comms button to her own medical bay.

"What's our status of medical supplies?"

A quick response returned her call.

"We have sufficient supplies at the moment but it could'nt hurt to have more. If nothing else they could be sold." The voice was male and human. A very smart man indeed. Having dealt with many races he could possibly be one of the most talented Dr's in the galaxy. At least that was Aelly's thinking.

"You have a point there Doctor. I'll get back with you on that."

The options of things to do seemed to continually unfold befor her almost like flowers tempting a bee.

Bon Foyagee, a young Bothan, watched the two humans enter and take seats at a table. Bon had been watching the activity in the hangar, dismayed by the destruction he saw. He had been jotting notes in a small book, attaching numbers to the numerous damages he logged. He recognized several pilots in the bar, including two whose ships were directly affected by the blast.

And one of them should not be alive right now.

Bon stood and walked nonchalantly to the table where the two humans sat. One was a burly younger man, the other a battle scarred relic. He took an empty chair from a table where a wookie sat and took a place between the two humans.

“So I said to myself,” he intruded, “’here’s a guy who can do his job and not mess it up.’ I said, ‘here’s a guy who can fly his ship right up to them and do it on time.’ It’s just the utter despondency and intrigue that forays such as this delving into the dark sublime bring about that make my head spin in serendipital splendor. You know what I mean?”

The blank stares from the pair of humans did not relay their meaning to the young Bothan.

“I mean, it’s simple. You give money, they take money. You give orders, they take orders. Money means following orders, right? Of course I’m right. Money is what people like them understand, you know? Of course you know, you’re not idiots. So why, I ask, did he not deliver the package on time?”

The last few words were emphasized with Bon’s fist as it pounded his forehead. His eyes widened and flew from Rico to Stern, back and forth, as he waited for a response.

What’d he say?

Delivering on time? What the--?

“What in the glorious name of hell are you spouting off about? Stern, you know this freak?”

Wookiiee. Ryn. And now a Bothan.

Good Grammie's Gophers, but there was enough fur in here to keep an entire herd of rancors warm all winter long..!

I shook my head, raising my hand to summon the waitress when I froze.

There, across the room--

Oh hell. What in all the Galaxy was Muscles and Ugly doing in here? I thought I left them at the Azure Planetoid...

I snorted, making eye contact, then ignoring them altogether as the cute little Sullustan waitress mooched up to take another drink order from me.

The Bothan’s eyes burned the question into Rico, but he did not wait for an answer. He took a glass of liquid from the tray of a passing waitress, and grabbed a small dish from the tray as she stopped to protest. He cut her off before she could speak.

“It’s like a glass, half empty or half full, right? Right! There they sit, in their towers, looking down on us and sweeping their changes over our ways of life. But what they don’t know, right, what they don’t see is this.”

He turned the dish upside down, spilling the small pill it contained to the floor. He held the dish up 6 inches from the glass.

“What they don’t see is the resistance. It’s the voice in the night that cries out at injustice. It’s the hand in the shadows that pays the dockmaster to forget a customs form. It’s the eyes that watch the pilot get drunk in the bar instead of making a delivery on time. It’s there, my friends, and it will win. Like this!”

He slammed the dish into the glass. Instead of breaking, it flew from his hand and spilled its contents all over the back of the wookie. Bon broke into a small laugh and ducked his head.

Just like Ricen.

No, not like Ricen, not even close, not even something I ever wanted to think about.

I heard Rico say something to me, heard my name faintly and turned to look at him. "Sounds like a raving lunatic who just had his first hit of Spice." I replied calmly, looking back to the Bothan.

"Am I right or am I right?" I asked, standing with a smile on my face. "Maybe we should take this fella outside for a dunk in a barrel of water to clear his head? Cold Grox as they say?"

Still with that curious smile, and not waiting for any confirmation from Rico, I stood and lifted the bothan from his seat, and proceeded to drag him from the premises, shove him into one of the many alcoves that dotted the city, just a few dozen feet from the B.A., and then proceeded to place my disuader somewhere around his abdomen.

"Care to explain yourself? Oh, and don't be diplomatic about it, diplomacy is the art of keeping people busy until you get the chance to run like hell." I smirked. "In my case, diplomacy is the art of people running away from me before I shoot them in the back."

Activating the comm link to the hangar bay.

"Prepare the shuttle for launch. I'm going down to the planet for awhile. Have a small squad wait for me on the shuttle. I'll be down there shortly."

"Aye Mistress." came the reply from the deck officer.

Before leaving her office room she gathers a few things for the trip. She then makes her way to the hangar bay to the awaiting shuttle and six man escort.

Once inside she instructs two of the escorts to begin launch proceedures and head down to Sullust. More precisely to the nearest spaceport tot he one that is currently under investigation.

With a low rumble the shuttle swoops down through the blackness of space to the spaceport.

After recieving docking instructions the shuttle sets down and the exit ramp lowers.

Four of the escorts exit the shuttle and stand two on each side of the ramp waiting for Aelly who follows behind them only moments later. The remaining two escorts stay with the shuttle as Aelly heads for the adjacent spaceport but she is blocked by the Sullustian officials who deny her entrance.

She spots the Blue Asteroid and decides to get something to drink and to see if anyone knows what happened tot he damaged port.

Enough is enough!

I slammed back the remainder of my drink, tossed a few coins on the the table and was rising to my feet when Ugly grabbed the Bothan by his scrawny little throat and hustled him outside. I could only imagine what he was doing to the little thing... for a moment, I thought about going to the Bothan's aide, 'cuz really, no one but no one deserves Ugly's attention given full bore.

Then I thought better of it. I had guests en route: my ol' buddy K'kihl, and a lady Twi'lek. No sense getting into any trouble; the last thing I needed was to have either one come bail me loose the moment they hit basalt on this godforsaken rock.

So I sat a moment longer, my attention momentarily diverted as a good-looking Faleen came waltzing in to join the growing crowd.

I sighed. Another. And of all places, here, the bar that got itself half blasted to smithereens when the ship went up in smoke.

No accounting for taste, right? I mean, you're here, aren't ya, Yaoksi ol pal...

A small sip of the ale and her senses are supprisingly content with the flavor from the drink.

Out of the corner of her eye she spots a man who was just recently accompanied by the now exited bothan and the man wh took him out.

As he makes his way to the door she steps out infront of him.

"Excuse me sir. I was wondering what happened to the space port out there? I was supposed to have a ship land here but it's been shut down."

No sense accidentally starting something you don't have the time or interest to finish, is there now Yaoksi ol' pal? I thought as I then stepped back, smiling as I gave the lady her personal space.

That smile flickered a bit, though, when her innocent question sunk into my head.

Sheesh, is that all these Faleen have? Hormones?

It was all I could do to keep from shaking my head at what seemed to be her obvious naivety. Instead, I gestured toward the blasted out windows of the Blue Asteroid, following through by raising that hand to wave in the general direction of the spaceport.

"There's, ahh, been some kind of explosion," I said in return.

The fact that she was asking such a question when the answer was so obvious sent a warning ripple up and down my spine. I started to depart, when from outside I heard a terrified sort of squeal emanating from what could only be the poor Bothan.

Great, I grumbled to myself as I struggled to keep the smile planted on my face.

He didn't go far; guess I'm, er... kinda stuck where I am, not to mention that standing here with this Faleen isn't going a long way toward remaining inconspicuous...

"I see that there was an explosion. What exploded? Where you here to see what happened?"

Her voice stayed smooth and soft. Electing not to use her pheramones to get a more specific answer out of him she continued to rely on just plain old conversation.

From out side a screech could be heard which sounded just like a bothan. Having had to interigate a few before in the past to get specific routes for a couple of cargo ships hauling some...pretties.

"I hope your ship wasn't in there when the explosion occured."

She commented trying to sound as sincere as possible.

Getting kind of familiar now, aren't ya, lady? I thought, and then stated as much.

My hand drifted a tad closer to my blaster.

"I suggest you go present the authorities with any questions you might have; they'd know more about this than I do."

Then, nodding my head and planting a firm image of Devil in my head--

For no greater love hath any man than his ship.

--I nodded politely, stepped to the side of her, and exited the premises altogether.

Sheesh, I couldn't help thinking as the squeals of the Bothan sounded louder in my ears.

I'd rather face a brace of Uglies and Muscles!

Of course I really didn't mean that. Spying a side tunnel I ducked that way, and now increasing my pace a bit until I came to a junction that, living here for the past year or so, I was well acquainted with. There I paused, listening.

No footsteps.

Good.

Breathing a little sigh of relief, I headed down a particular tunnel, by-passing spas and their attendant clubs, and soon had separated myself from anyone having anything remotely to do with the Blue Asteroid.

Coming out of one tunnel, I took a glance around, finding a familiar street which I followed, winding around the warren that was Piriingisi until at last I came to even more familiar territory.

Then he gets stopped by this dynamite lady… ok, maybe Faleen, but who cares? I could hear her asking about the explosion, and decided that maybe I should join in that conversation. I came up behind Yaoksi and was ready to gently slap him on the shoulder.

“Yaoksi, buddy!” I was about to say. But I never got the chance as he sidestepped the lady, said something about the authorities, and headed for the exit with the speed of a jawa at a droid sale.

I was left standing there, now facing the lady, with my hand extended in mid air. Well, never let it be said I don’t take advantage of situations when I can.

The mumbling and general noise subsided in the bar for a second, then resumed. Bon continued to call for help until he was thrown against a wall and had a weapon shoved in his gut.

Bon let out a shrill scream as Stern made his statements. Then he stopped, tensed, and looked around as if making sure no one was watching. He leaned in to Stern and spoke softly

Revolutionist. Rebel. Traitor.

"What do you mean would I join you? It's not possible- they-" but he couldn't find a way to say it, to believe it himself.

“Well, that was rude, now, “ I said. “Perhaps I can be of assistance. Captain Rico Riven at your service, ma’am.” he stated. Though she could see in his eyes his fascination with her.

"Nice to meet you Captain Rico Riven. My name is Aelly Ssyn."

Letting her name sink into his skull for a biref moment to see if he has any kind of negative reaction. She continues.

"I was supposed to have a ship land here but due to the apparent incident it had to be rerouted. So I thought I would come see what the problem was."

Her deep lavender eyes looking his facial features over. Then giving him a smile.

Kia'ra hugged the little trembling girl, trying to calm her, something deep within her relating to the feelings she displayed.

She hoped it wasn't so, but it sounded like...

"Come on," Kia'ra said, standing and taking the little girl's hand. "Why don't you let me see your Granda, and maybe I can..."

A blaring announcement over the pleasure yacht's intercom interrupted her words.

All passengers, we are glad to inform you that we are currently finishing procedures to land in the docking bay on the other side of Priingsi, as the one we were going to land in has had minor...

And it wasn't pretty.

My arms and legs looked normal. But they felt cold. So cold. They had all the appearance of flesh, but no, on the inside they were just machinery. This thing on my face? That was machinery too.

I knew after a bit more information my heart and lungs and my liver were operating on machinery, a large tract of my intestines were repaired as well.

There was however, they told me, a chance that one day I might have a full human body. If I could afford for a clone to be developed, apparently a brain transplant was quite possible.

This did give me a twinge of hope, but the cost of the proceedure was phenominal, if not unreachable.

Still, it was that I checked out of the ward, in black skin-suit, a small bag on my shoulder with a small emergency kit with basic supplies of living, clothes and a small cred-chit, a small temp cloak over my shoulders.

Before I had left, they had insisted upon making sure there was little traces of my old identity left, and had cropped my hair shorter, so it only reached about my neck, and dyed it a raven's black so that even now my gender was further questionable.

"Please excuse me for a moment Captain Rico."

She turns facing away from Rico and answers the coninual call.

"What is it?"

"Mistress there is a transport arriving in Priingsi." came the answer from the comm.

"Check the passenger list. See if there is anyone of importance aboard."

A brief moment passed by before a reply spat forth from the comm device.

"We've checked the list and found that there seem to be several passengers boarded as refugee's. Do you want us to have the port checked out Mistress?"

The question echoed in her mind as to whether it would be worth the effort.

"Yes get intouch with some of our contacts in that area and have them check things out. Get back to me if anything of interest is found."

"Yes Mistress."

Closing the device she turns back around with a smile on her face to Rico once more.

With a turned up open palm she jestures to a human, a rodian, a noghri and a clawdite.

"Now where was it you were trying to get to? If I may ask. Are you on a business trip or pleasure cruise through the stars?"

She sipped her ale again and smiled at Rico. Then she looks around the place once more. Noting the wookie and the ryn together. Though the ryn seemed to be wondering if the wookie was paying attention.

...and that his chest did not rise and fall in the least as a person's naturally would as they slept.

Oh, dear gods...

Kiara swallowed, and knelt once more to look Arien in the eyes. "I-I don't know exactly why your Granda will not wake up."

Okay, so it was a half-truth. She was pretty sure she knew why he wasn't waking up. But she really didn't know why.

"We'll get the doctor on board to look at your Granda...

...and if he needs to go somewhere else we're landing, and he can go for better care on the planet," she continued, trying to be reassuring. "Are you on board with anyone else, Arien?" Kiara queried.

The little girl shook her head no, so Kiara decided to act upon her suggestion herself. "Come, let's go get the doctor, quickly."

--------------

Only a few minutes later, as the final procedures for the landing of the pleasure yacht ended in Priingsi, the doctor aboard took a look at Arien's Granda...

...and confirmed Kiara's suspicions. Once more she found herself looking Arien in the eyes, and she wasn't certain but somehow felt the young girl already knew the truth. "Your Granda..." she started. "Will not be waking up."

The little one shook her head, disbelief evident. "I'm sorry sweetheart...

...perhaps there is someone on Sullust we can contact? Or someone else elsewhere?"

As the Oasis glided back into realspace near Sullust, Aaron couldn't help but run a scan to see just how active space travel was in the system. Quite honestly, the planet was pretty hopping...

...and after all, it was known for its hot springs. Frowning a bit at the thought, Aaron open the communit, requested clearance to land in Priingsi...

K'kihl was here, the ol Cricket! Was he ever going to be a sight for sore eyes... not to mention sore ship.

I hit the comm with the fleshy part of my fisted hand.

"Hey, this is Captain Joao here; so glad to hear you made it safely to Sullust! You'll probably be landing at the eastern edge; make sure you have your rebreathers with you since that's on the surface.

"I'll be meeting you shortly at the eastern gate; and hey, K'kihl ol buddy..."

I paused dramatically, smiling at the effect I was trying to make.

"I have a little surprise for ya. But you'll see it soon enough; Captain Yaoksi Joao, out."

...and ended up pulling out two rebreathers. He commed to the back of the ship to tell the crewmen to get rebreathers from the equipment in the back of the ship as well; no one comes to Sullust without such items unless they intend to go absolutely nowhere but beneath the surface.

The Oasis came to a gentle landing, and Aaron began cooling her engines. He turned to Kkhil, cocking a brow. "Perhaps we should leave all of our equipment here, and see what the Devil will need before we start pulling things out?" he suggested, getting to his feet and slapping the hatch release, placing the rebreather over his nose and mouth as he did so.

In a dither, am I. For how the time to spare, to Oasis to return, when needed am I and these tools?

The insectoid biped stood for a moment, quietly clacking his mandibles together, which was all a Verpine could do to show emotional disarray, having no cheeks upon which to chew. He turned his shining eyes upon Barnes, one appendage reaching out to accept the profferred rebreather, which he just stood holding a moment.

"Lungs not have I," he finally said, giving the device a little toss.

"Tougher than we appear, are we Verpine."

With that he strode swiftly to the aft of the vessel, scooping up materiels and devices and powertools and spec-sheets, as much as he could manage with his twin pairs of arms.

He then turned and followed Barnes out the hatch and onto the formidible surface of Sullust, the last thing that he grabbed being his beloved hydrospanner.

Just as he had suspected...

Then he turned back, looking at the perimeter of the docking area and spotting a man approaching, a grin on his face and what appeared to be a brand-spanking new hydrospanner in his hand.

She sipped her drink again as she looked him over.

"I'm sure you've had alot of excitement today and so you must have alot going through your mind."

"Look Lowwarr I am a busy Ryn I have some patience but you are testing it. I think you should find someone else to get a ride off this planet with."

With that I moved across the room to the bar itself and took a seat at the counter. From here I was able to hack myself into the holonet and leave a plain and simple message that most smugglers and underworld orginizations would be able to find. The message read "Link now taking job offers, Slicing, security breakins, ship and or cargo aquisition. Route responses to holonet account 132.67b.883 - 001.af0"

within moments the message would reach every smuggler, underworld orginization, or corperation. Most of these people had filters on the holonet to catch secret messages between rivals so sending a message like this proved her credentials as a slicer. The holonet account was also another credential as well. Anyone who would trace the account would soon discover that it would foward all the messages it recived through numerous companies, many legitimat before vanishing compleatly. After which the message was delivered to many different acounts Link could access with no suspition.

I spat the rebreather out and turned to welcome the pair more realistically.

"Aaron, thank you for coming," I began, now taking his hand into mine for a hearty handshake. "It is so good of you to come to my aide, I just don't trust anyone around here getting the job done as fast or professionally as you... and--

"K'kihl!" I beamed, turning to him then to wave the hydrospanner underneath his nose. He wavered fractionally, then exploded toward me.

"Mmph!" I grunted as, his obvious joy knowing no bounds, my Verpine buddy dropped his arms-load of materials and enveloped me in a bone-cracking embrace. And to be completely honest, I didn't know if the expression was due to seeing me again...

...or the hydrospanner.

Knowing K'kihl, it was probably the latter.

Oh gag. I hatred having to play nice, but she really was a looker, and I really did need a ship. It was either that or stay here and track down the stoop that set me up, and I didn’t really like guns.

“Maybe you and your goons—I mean, your escorts—would like another drink?”

She glanced to the mentioned lot and noticed they were playing drinking games. She snaps her fingers and they immediately look to her as she shakes her head in disapproval.

"I'm sorry to hear that you lost your ship. What kind was it if i may ask? Were you heading anywhere specific?"

"Consider coming to your aide a return for all the help you provided Terrin and Galen in times past," Aaron replied, his eyes defocusing in thought. "I know Terrin wouldn't have it any other way, and that he would have come himself if he were here."

For a fraction of a second a little cloud of gloom condensed over our heads, lowering there like a miniature thundercloud, trying to dampen our spirits. It would have worked, too, except for good ol' K'kihl. My insectoid buddy turned to me with a clack of his mandibles and a clatter of tools, waving four of his appendages in the air.

"To Devil-May-Care go we must, so to the damage assessment can I attend."

It wasn't even close to a suggestion.

An aura of pressing urgency emanated from the Verpine with enough force to totally dispel the cloud from over our heads. I gave him, and then both of them, a widening smile.

"I suppose we can go back to the Blue Asteroid; it's a little place right next to the docking tarmac where the girls are sooo--"

I stopped with a gulp.

"Anyway, we'll be able to see my ship from there, and perhaps if we're lucky we can get out to inspect her personally. The authorities have been crawling like granite-slugs, and to be honest I haven't had much luck getting back to check on her.

"How does that sound? Or would you rather just go to my place?"

...maybe the fact that I'm the owner..."
...ONE of the owners, a little voice corrected.

"...of Eagle Enterprises will help. So if you'll just lead us on, we'll see if we can get in."

At this suggestion, the Verpine started moving, indicating once more that there was no suggestion involved in the matter. Yaoksi shrugged and then nodded in a particular direction, taking the lead through the streets of Priingsi til they at last reached a docking bay that was still swarming with various authorities...

...and a bunch of blown away ships. Aaron's jaw dropped, and with effort he closed it as a security official hurried to stop them.

"Look, we just want to get in to take a look at my buddy's ship and see what repairs need to be made on her," Aaron explained to the personnel.

He began to shake his head. "We've got a serious situation here, and we've got to ascertain just who and what..."

Aaron smiled sympathetically, and broke in with, "You know, if we can get a look at his ship, maybe we can gain some insight from the damages. After all, I'm sure knowing just what might have caused the explosion here might give you some tips on how to proceed with your investigation...

...and my company does specialize in both building and restoring ships." Pausing at that, Aaron reached in his bocket, and the security personnel began backing away suspiciously, reaching for his blaster.

Aaron raised a hand to indicate he meant no harm, and pulled out his Eagle Enterprises business card for the officer to see.

That grabbed his interest.

"If you let us get to my buddy's ship right now, I'll let you know what I can ascertain. If it'll take more than just a look, I'll let you know and you can get back with me via the frequency indicated on my card."

The security personnel cocked his head, motioned for them to wait a moment, and went to discuss matters with another security officer, probably a supervisor. Aaron saw him nod, and the original officer returned.

"It's a deal," the security personnel replied. "Besides, there might be others here who would like repairs on their ships, and we don't want them believing they will be denied the right to get them."

Aaron nodded as the security officer motioned them on their way inside the docking bay. Aaron somehow knew authorities would still be keeping an eye on them, just in case. But at least they could get a look and get started on Yaoksi's ship.

It was K'kihl, homing in on my poor Devil like a sandcat homing in on a burrowing womprat.

I cast a look towards Barnes, shrugging a little, then hastened forward, coming to a stop in front of my ship. From the side we approached her the damage didn't seem too great; I knew that the brunt of the blast had impacted her on her starboard side.

From whence I heard a staccato beat as K'kihl worked his mandibles in anxiety and dismay.

Fending off my own dismay at the sight of my grounded angel, I turned to Aaron.

"Well--?" I started, stopping a moment to give him time to circumnavigate the ship himself. I walked along at his side in silence, letting the ship tell her own story in the tangle of circuits and wires and fuses which poked through the hull breaches here and there, until at last we came back to where we had started.

Sans K'kihl. That worthy was still standing where he had stopped, clattering his mandibles to himself.

He trailed, actually feeling sympapthy for Yaoksi plight. Damn, his poor ship...

"The boys could look her over, but I'm betting K'khil could give them a better run-through on what the ship needs since he knows her better. As for the time on this...

...ahhh...three weeks? Four? A couple of mouths..? I'm not certain."

Aaron paused, turning to K'khil and cocking a brow. The verpine was still clacking his mandibles in distress, but had begun shuffling through the equipment he had lugged along. "K'khil, what do you think?"

He used it at the moment to wave about for emphasis.

"Six weeks, repairs to effect," he clacked, turning to stare at them with his shining, multi-faceted eyes.

"Perhaps less, if of skill are those who with us have come. But ask I now--

"Where the materials to obtain will we? Who to pay; expensive this shall be, the breaches large are, and durasteel, not cheap it is.

"And-- where to repair? Shipyards has Sullust not, and much, much work to be done there is..."

He lowered his hydrospanner, cocking his head a bit to one side while he waited for a reply, even though every cell in his body literally itched to begin rerouting the computer circuits, which to be honest was about all he really could do at the moment, as skilled as he was.

He could, after all, do only so much with the raw material he was given.

...and I think we'd all prefer that. And please, allow me to help defray most of the costs for this...

...consider it payback long overdue, if you will. We're gonna have to get a ship big enough to get the Devil out of here though, and that might take a bit of bargaining with our buddies back there. But the guy did say they didn't want ot deny anyone the right to get ship fixed...

I blinked, beginning to fidget, just a little bit as my mind raced to come up with a good enough reason to not go anywhere near the place where I had appropriated my ship to begin with.

My home.

Gads; Mums and Pop would be furious if I came waltzing home now...

I blinked again, now working my mouth a little bit like an opee out of water. Aaron turned a calm look my way, obviously waiting.

K'kihl just clattered his mandibles again.

I brightened as a lightbulb flashed on over my head.

"Hey... could I impose on you to, ahh-- just take Devil yourself to--"

Another thought interrupted, waving warning flags right and left.

Yaoksi, even if you stayed behind, don't you think that ship would be recognized?

"--well, how about Kuat? I mean, she's got-- er, specifications; look, I know Jaemus is a good shipyard, and of the two you mentioned it's the better; but Kuat is really the best when it comes to hulls, right K'kihl? Right? Remember what you used to tell me about the work on hulls they do there?"

Mentally crossing my fingers in the hopes I didn't appear too obvious in my desire to keep my ship as far away from Jaemus as possible, I turned to Aaron for a reply.

For K'kihl, bless his lil' ol cricketty carapace, had already turned away from me, clattering his disgust with my transparency.

...but Jaemus shipyards tend to be better at overall repair. Besides, Kuat is way in the core...and we're in the outer rim. Not to mention that we'll just be renting out the space at the shipyards. Otherwise, my guys will be working on the ship. Unless, of course, you'd prefer it to be differently..."

Aaron trailed, his brow still raised, not quite sure how to address Yaoksi suddenly unglued behavior. "What do you have against Jaemus shipyards anyway? After all, it'll be much easier getting the Devil a space there over Sluis Van or Kuat."

Damn, damn, damn.

"Look, Aaron; you don't mind if I call you that, do you? Anyway, look-- let's just say that I've been to Jaemus, and I didn't leave there under the friendliest of circumstances."

I heaved a sigh, mentally seeing my repairs going up in smoke, leaving me stranded here on this hellhole of a planet with a beautiful but totally nonfunctional husk of a ship for company.

...and decided it'd be better not to push matters any further. If Yaoksi wanted to explain, he would. And if he didn't...

...well, okay. "Allright," Aaron replied, raising hands in surrender, "If you can get me somewhere a bit more private than this bustling tarmac, I can see what strings I might be able to pull to get the Devil into Sluis Van. And if you can get me a good bottle of Whyrene's Reserve to add to a quiet space...

...I just might even be able to get a ship in here to get the Devil out and to the shipyards for repair."

Bless the gods who look after such fools as I...

"Deal!" I answered brightly, speaking a touch overly loud to cover up K'kihl's disapproving clattering. I placed a comradely hand on Barnes' shoulder.

"C'mon, I've got a little place not far from here, and I just happen to keep it stocked with Whyrene's..."

Feeling tons lighter, I pulled Aaron along, leading him past the scowling and bustling security people who immediately ran over to make certain that whatever meagre evidence they had found concerning the explosion had not been disturbed by our little inspection.

A recalcitrant, protesting Verpine in tow, we departed the hangar, moving quickly through the maze of Piringiisi, and soon came to my little apartment. I led them inside, and went to pour a couple shots of Whyrene's for Aaron and me. K'kihl, I knew, never drank. He just went off to study the specs of Devil which he had somehow managed to obtain.

I indicated the 'phone, and handed Barnes his drink.

"Make yourself at home, please," I said, plopping myself down in my favorite chair and taking a long swig from my glass.

... EE had her own ships that acted in this function, going to various locales to pick up ships the company had been contracted to repair and/or build from either shipyards or planets. About a standard hour after Aaron began working on getting the Devil to Sluis Van, Aaron had a ship he knew he could get to Sullust.

So then it was down to the most difficult part of this whole ordeal: getting Sullustan authorities to let the cargo ship in. Contacting Sullustan docking authorities, Aaron worked up the best professional explanation for the arrival of the cargo ship.

Including incentives for the Sullustan authorities to choose to be more cooperative.

"This is Captain Aaron Barnes, owner of Eagle Enterprises. I am contracting for ship repairs for persons whose ships have been damaged in the explosion in the docking bay; I have already discussed the one contract I have already procured with personnel at that location and have been permitted to deal with my consumer's ship in return for any information I may incur in repairing this yacht. Because of the extent of the damage, I am having to bring in a large cargo ship to carry the yacht off Sullust and to the Sluis Van shipyards; I would be glad to accomadate any other persons seeking to have their ships repaired by carrying them out on this same cargo ship. I am hoping that this offer will allow the expense of this strange event to be somewhat lessened; I am willing to transport ships off-planet for a reasonable fee with your approval. Please contact me at this frequency..."

He paused, punching in a frequency and sending it to the authorities.

"And I will be with you shortly as to the time of the cargo ship's arrival, should this be approved. At any rate, the cargo ship will shortly be in transit. We only wait your permission for landing her. Captain Barnes, out."

Closing the connection at that, Aaron gave sigh of relief, heading back for his abandoned Whyrene's Reserve and drinking the remainder of it as he headed over to where Yaoksi still sat. Taking a seat in a nearby couch, Aaron sat back, cocking a brow Yaoksi way. "We're all set, provided Sullustan air traffic control lets the cargo ship in. Hopefully with the possibility of the cargo ship assisting others with damaged vehicles, it will be worth their while."

Aaron paused a moment at this, frowning. "I wonder what the hell is going on for an explosion like that to happen on Sullust, of all places. After all, I recall that the reason Terrin and Galen ever settled here was the fact that it was a good, out of the way hidey-hole for them."

Yaoksi ol pirate, you're gonna have to tell him. You can't just go tiptoeing around like this the entire time Devil is being repaired; there are too many loose ends, too many potential wild cannons...

Too many ways he could discover your background, and how would that make you look then?

I frowned to myself as I replaced the cap on the bottle, held that bottle a moment in my hands in apparent study.

Funny how that short time, first with Cella, then Terrin and then Nassy, and most particularly when I was being Daddy to little Thea, can change a guy. I hadn't run goods since--

I blinked in shock.

--since well over a couple years. Maybe more.

I thought of Rico, and the war bustling around my innards grew more intense.

Blast it all anyway!

I slammed the bottle down and turned back to Aaron, glasses in hand. Handing him his, I went to my comfy chair and sat down with a little sigh.

Before I could change my mind about it I burst into song: who I was, what I had done, how I had come to be "owner" of Devil-May-Care and what I did to maintain my life...

All the dark, illegitimate portions of my life flowed out of me like oil, and surprise surprise...

I was feeling better and better about myself as I went along.

Then I switched gears, explaining about Cella, Nassy, how I had met Terrin, how I had finally come to Sullust with Thea, how I had run a legitimate one-man shipping business from here, just squeaking by to make ends meet...

...and finally wound up with my brief "acquaintanceship" with Rico, and the unfortunate series of events which followed.

"So, there you have it," I finished, toying idly with my glass, wondering if Aaron was still going to come through for me or not.

"Guess you weren't aware my former partner-- and good friend--was a smuggler as well. Terrin ran and owned EE for several years with the smuggler and spotty past still in him...

...that is, until he brought Galen aboard the Hornett. I knew the day he turned so legit he was really in love with her," Aaron mused, pausing for a second, realizing how good it felt to have a buddy confide in him again, realizing how much he had really missed this sort of thing. "You know," he then continued with, "I came here looking for a break from all I was dealing with back on the Hornett, and maybe I didn't know just how much I really did need a break. Don't ever be embarassed about your past...

...I figure it's what we do in the here and now which is really important. Terrin was a smuggler with a good heart buried underneath...

...and he trusted you. Considering just how wary and suspicious he could be, that says alot concerning his belief that you had a good heart as well. And I know after all you did for them that you truly do. It's too bad you've all been broken apart the way you have. If I could just find Galen and the boys..."

Aaron trailed, frowning once more, taking another swig of the Whyrene's...

...and then breaking out with an explanation of his own regarding Galen's disappearance, followed by Jasyn and Matt's, of his sending Shawn Petrolu and the team off to find them on K'eel Doba...

...and of Terrin's all-too-untimely death.

“Well,” I said. “I used to have a nice freighter, with everything I own tied up in it.”

OK, well, maybe not everything. I mean, I did have that little place in the woods on whatever the hell planet I bought it on. But hey, close enough.

“That is, until I got a job to deliver some goods that turned out to be pretty damned volatile. Now if you ask me on a good day, I’d say it was an accident. But sister, this has been one heck of a bad day. You’re the brightest thing this day has seen.”

Hey, I wasn’t lying.

“But you see out there, that’s all that’s left of my ship, my business, and my life. Now I’m left with a huge payback on that ship, and insurance won’t even touch what I still owe. And the goons who wanted me to deliver that junk are gone with the wind. Aw, hell. You don’t wanna listen to my sob story.”

"So you just do random jobs, or you work for someone?"

So far he didn't seem to work for anyone but himself but you never know in the smuggling business.

"How much exactly do you owe on your mangled ship anyways? Sorry for being so nosey, but I might be able to help you out."

She looks him squarely in the eyes. Letting him become somewhat lost in her lavender eyes like someone without a map or navicomputer in a nebula.

This is not going well so far there where zero responces to my message. I'll have to find another way to get a job. Bored out of my mind i would listen in on the conversations around me none of which where interesting except the one between a female fallean and a human male. Mostly it was a polite exchange of words the human male explaining how his ship was destroyed in the explosion at the spaceport.

I was almost feeling sorry for him until he pointed out that his cargo had been the cause of the explosion. That idiot he almost killed me in that and costed me a good 8000 credits for the IFF mask that I was working on. Unable to contain my anger I walked over to him.

She watched the anger poor out of the Ryn as if someone had blasted a hole in a dam. Captian Rico seemed rather suprised as well to the interruption.

His eyes wide and his words jumbled from the conversation he and Aelly were just recently having.

Waiting for the Ryn to take a breathe aelly introduced herself.

Realising that she snapped at the pair and might be drawing unwanted attention Link took a moment to center her thoughts and replied in a more controlled voice.

"I've heard the name Link before. Link is supposed to be one of the greatest slicers in the galaxy. Are you this same person?"

For a moment she was actually supprised that if this truly was The Link she could possibly know who aelly truly was. Although Aelly has done aalot to keep her name ties to Black Sun very hush hush.

Galaxies greatest slicer I like the sound of that. Seeing an empty stool near the pair I sat down carefully as to not crush my tail. Thats the thing i hate about booths and chairs in places like these they where built for everyone but ryn's.

"I am sorry to hear of your misfortune. Where you employed for some reason or another before the mishap?"

At least i still have that program that could get me some credits fast.

The talents of this Link character seem to go beyond just slicing computers and datapads.

She tried to keep her voice low enough that only those close by could hear her. No need in attracting any unwanted attention afterall.

"Maybe I should have been more clear about the IFF. An IFF or Identify Friend or Foe is esientially a ships transponder. It constantly sends out a signal of the ships name, ship class, and position; its the device that lets you see other ships on your radar and other things. As for the IFF it is a military term, hardwired into a ships targeting computers is a set of IFF codes for ships it can't target without the proper overides, for instance a new republic star destroyer wouldn't be able to target a new republic transport without these overides."

Now this was the whole beuty of how to exploit the IFF.

"How an IFF mask works is it changes the information a transponder gives out, most smugglers and bounty hunters use them to change their ships name to avoid local security. Mine take it a step further, I managed to create an IFF mask that makes the ship to appear a diplomatic vessel for the new republic essentially allowing it to bypass most security and avoid scans by military vessels in new republic space, short of a blockade anyways."

Taking a brief pause to catch her breath Link continued.

She smiles and takes a sip of her drink.

What did it matter what she did it could get me away from this place and judging by the way she carries herself and the presence of her escorts the must be rich and have some connections.

"You're inquiry is justified. I know I wouldn't want to work for someone without knowing something about the person or the company."

She looked around a bit to see if anyone might be listening in who shouldn't be before continuing.

"I am in charge of Dark Star Industries. Our main focus is the trading and transportation of goods. Such as food, water, precious ores, but mostly ship components. But you know, the fact that you mentioned your special IFF mask, I just might have a use for such a device."

How many ships does she have that would even need this most corperations only needed two ships with IFF masks.

Aww hell, not that spunky lil gal...

I grimaced, remembering the hell she and Terrin had gone through while under my tender auspices. Now not only was he dead, but she and her pals were missing.

"Hell, Aaron," I shook my head.

"I-- I wish there was something I could do. I mean, dangitall but that little gal had enough troubles; to think that some of it finally caught up with her..."

I trailed, now jerking my head to stare Aaron straight in the eye.

The New Republic codes took me long enough to get imperials just have better security standards.

Naw, wait... it was that night back on Tattooine, when I made friends with a really drunk pilot who kept wanting to tell me some secret he had. Kept hinting about the rebirth of some mafia... and didn't he work for Dark Star? Lessee... yeah, and I think he turned up dead the next day, which is why I haven't been back to Tattooine for a while.

Now, lessee... Dark Star... a falleen... no, that couldn't be... Black Sun?

Black Sun?

She was associated with Black Sun?

No way, that's just too much of a leap. Don't jump to conclusions, old boy. Just take what you can get here and move on.

Well, this day just kept getting’ better and better. I wasn’t sure if she was getting to be more attractive or just plain scary. Well, maybe a little of both. You never know who you’ll run into when you’re in a blown-up spaceport.

Now, what the heck was I supposed to do? I possibly had knowledge that could set me up for life, if I could sell it to the right people. But just who were the right people? On the other hand, no matter who she was, this toots was rich up the wazoo, well connected, and well built. Or so she claimed... either way, she was still well built, and that's worth the risk all by itself.

And what was with this little piss-ant Link? Come strolling up to me like he was somebody and rain on my day? I don’t think so. I was thinking up the best way to pop him when a thought struck me.

I was supposed to be haulin’ weapons to the empire, crap that was meant to blow up by the time I was unloading into the ammo store. That SSD was meant to be toast, ripped apart from the inside. That could start some sort of trouble between the empire and those were – well, not with the empire. Now who could profit from that sort of conflict?

Well, for one, the empire. It would sure give them an excuse to crack down even more on those systems they were ‘wooing’. But who else? Maybe, oh, I don’t know, the galactic mafia?

And right snack here in front of me, telling me she might be able to help me out, was someone who could be associated with them. Well, that's a lot of 'coulds' and 'maybes', but damn she was good looking.

Hey, it’s like my good friend Rico Riven always says when the fires of hell are raging and the glory of all mercy has run to hide beneath the sheets, he looks that old devil straight in the eye and says ‘Hey, what the hell?’.

“So,” I said, somewhat surprising the lady that I was still there beside her. I hate to be forgotten about, but in this case I’d let it pass. “You were saying something about helping me out...”

After all, I may have been without a ship and cargo, but I still had a special writ that allowed me access to the internal bays of a certain SSD belonging to the empire. Now, let’s say I made a delivery, had some ship trouble that caused me to hole up there for a while… say, long enough for someone to gain access to a terminal?

Bon pointed upwards.

"Yes I have the means to help you out. How would you like to be employed once again?"

She watched his reactions as she proposed an offer similiar to the one she gave to Link.

“Well,” I said, “I was an honest businessman, of course, haulin’ cargo between worlds.”

“At least,” I continued, lowering my voice, “until we get into an area a little less… crowded, if you know what I mean.”

I looked around at the crowd, which seemed to be growing larger every minute. I tell ya, a place gets a good reputation and you can’t keep people out even by blowing the place up. No place like the Blue Asteroid, one of a kind joint.

Anyway, I didn’t see anyone I hadn’t either seen before or knew to be harmless, so lucky there. I turned back to the lady just in time to catch her eyes again.

Damn.

She was way too good looking to be for real. And I just had to know if she was telling the truth or not.

"Well, I have a room at the Emperors Palace Hotel. We could all go there if you'd like."

She looked to Link for a response of either agreement or denial.

Taking a quick servey of the room link saw no one that stood out to her as someone who was paying to much attention to them. Looking back at Aelly.

Hope it got his attention.

I kept walking and followed the entourage.

(( OOC -- OK, now Rico follows AELLY and LINK to "DARK STAR, BLACK SUN". THANK YOU))

...but I haven't heard a word from them. I haven't heard from Galen since she took off in Terrin's old lamby the Eagle; Matt and Jasyn took off in my lamby the Raptor following her out. Unless something strange happened, I'm certain they at least made it to the same place she was headed...

"If she was trying to bust into Coruscant, chances are good she's in prison there," I said with a nod of my head.

"Those Impys play for keeps, and as far as I know no one, and I do mean no one can get through those blockades they've been putting up all over the galaxy."

...but there had to be. Why else would she have been coming here with her Granda to begin with? And if someone was going to be looking for the kid, Kiara knew she'd better get her to a place where she could be found. And walking around with someone like Kiara was not the place to be found.

Stooping down to be on Arien's eye level once more, Kiara spoke to the little girl, who was clearly still frightened. "Look, I'm going to get you somewhere so that whoever is here for you will be able to find you...

...or so authorities might figure out where your parents or gaurdians are, OK?"

Standing back up, Kiara took the little girl by the hand and did just that, heading to the nearest authorities she could find and explaining the situation. "I just wanted to make sure she is taken care of," Kiara then added, "She said her name was Arien, and her Granda has just been declared...departed by the pleasure yacht medics."

Once certain that the authorities were properly taking care of Arien, Kiara headed on her way to the a commstation, recalling the frequency she had used for Captain Joao and dialing it into the unit she was now sitting in front of. "Captain Joao, this is Ki'ara Roch'ella. I have just arrived in Priingsi, and would like to know where the best place would be to meet you."

Sending the communication on its way, Kiara sat back and waited...

...thus the reason Galen decided she needed one to begin with. I'd like to think perhaps Galen got her kid, and moved off into some little hidey-hole with her...

I didn't know much of this Graysith, but I did remember being slammed head-over-hiney back when I was part and parcel of the very people we were now discussing. I hadn't met the lady, but I sure remember her handiwork.

Hell of a way to introduce one's self...

My free hand found itself rubbing my throat.

"Ahh... so you believe the last logical place the lil gal and her pals could possibly be is a.. a Sith world?"

I shook my head in disbelief. Damned if that didn't take all.

It was then that my 'phone pinged apologetically into the conversation. Giving Aaron a rather grim look I excused myself and went to answer it.

I played the incoming communication twice, just to make sure, then stood there a moment, my forehead leaning against the wall.

Months of solitude, and now not only are you blessed with two visitors, but they both show up on the same day.

After a little thought I opened a comm-link back.

"This is Captain Joao; if you don't mind a little dust and grit, I can meet you at the Blue Asteroid near the south landing docks. There's been a little... incident there, but it's closest to where I live."

I paused a moment, debating to myself.

Oh what the hell.

"There's a nice hotel nearby, the Emperor's Palace. I can put you up there a night or two.

"Let me know your intentions, thank you.

"Captain Joao, out."

Slapping the comm to send the message winging on it's way, I turned back to Aaron, bottle still in hand. Plopping myself back in my favorite seat, I leaned forward, setting the bottle down on a nearby table as I did so.

"Look," I offered, out of the blue, surprising myself.

"I've been dry-docked here for far too long. If I had Devil up and running, I'd offer you my assistance. I feel terribly awkward just sitting here doing nothing, after hearing what you've had to say, and especially after helping Captain Danner and his wife out in the past."

Yeah, like being the silver plate which held him, offering him up like a proverbial Boonta's Eve fowl...

I shook that off and sat back with a sigh, taking a good healthy slug of my drink, nearly draining it all in one gulp of remorse.

Frowning, Kiara pressed the send button after listening to all of Captain Joao's reply. "Honestly, I'm not certain what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go from here. My past is looking more than just a little bit ugly...

...and lately I'm finding myself very tired of it. I really would like to know what happened to my cousin...

...she meant alot to me. I will meet you at the Blue Asteriod in a standard hour, if that is acceptable..."

Now I raised my head in surprise.

"A ship?"

Ok, Yaoksi ol' pirate, now didn't that just sound stupid as hell. Of course a ship, didn't he just say that?!

"I mean-- a ship!"

I slammed my goblet on the table, trying to keep from looking too happy. I mean, this was a serious matter we were discussing, but here he was, my own personal knight in shining armor, come all this way to not only repair my own ship, but to offer me the use of one in the meanwhile.

All I had to do was make good on my own offer, which was soon to follow. I mean, I most certainly did not make the statement I had just to weasel transporation from him...

"You've got a deal. I would love to join forces and help you hunt for your friends; seems the least I can do seeing as how you've come all this way to help me like you have.

"However--"

I paused a moment, remembering Kiara.

"There's someone else who's come quite a distance to speak with me too; speaking of which, if you will excuse me a moment, I think that's her now..."

Rising I went to the 'phone, ran the comm, stopped a moment to ponder. I turned to Aaron.

"I'm to meet with her in an hour; it's about-- it's about Nassy..."

I trailed, my eyes growing dark with painful memories.

"Would you care to join me?"

It only seemed fair to ask, since after all we were both attacked on his ship.

...that is, supposing a Verpine with ship specs needs such a thing. At any rate, I'd be willing to wait it out. But then again, if you want someone along who knows a bit about this stuff, I'd be willing to come too.

"I'd welcome your company."

With that I returned to the 'phone, sent an affirmation winging on its way, and then turned back to Aaron.

"If we leave now we can get a good seat."

Aaron didn't seem to mind so, recapping the Whyrene's and setting it back where I kept it, I headed toward the door.

"Have fun storming the castle, ol' Cricket," I called over my shoulder, smiling at the dead silence which ensued.

Never bother a Verpine when he's reading.

Then we were out the door and en route to the Blue Asteroid, winding our way through the warren that was Piringiisi.

Hell, she thought, I hope he finds me, or I find him...

Without thought, I shoved the little furball into the alcove as far as I could, pressing myself too him as though trying to shield him from something.

A moment later, the entire wall next to which I had stood next too exploded into tiny chunks of stone, the attack upon us cutting up too 2 inches into the rock.

I cursed, and fumbled for my DIssuader, finally getting it out.

I poked my head around the corner, and ducked back as I saw that umbaran bastard shoot again with the Flechette, tearing more of the stone apart.

With a curse and a prayer, I came out and fired a burst of shots into the air, not caring but hoping that they hit him.

I grabbed Bon, and ran from the alcove down the street. At the sound of a third hiss, I threw Bon down with myself as the crowd in front of them practically disintegrated as millions of tiny blade fillaments tore into them, leaving naught but a red mist and small fragments of bodies where they had been.

Bastard imperials! I cursed as I pulled Bon up to start running again, just getting around a corner as the true impact of what had happened hit survivors and witnesses.

The screaming began....

An incredible boom tore through the air, echoing with terrible promise off the volcanic rock through which we sauntered. It was followed by a split second of utter silence...

Then all hell broke loose.

I paused like a gandy-rak in headlights, shooting a look of shock and concern Aaron's way.

"That sounded like it came from the Blue Asteroid--" I gulped in a low voice; then instinct took over. Before I knew what I was doing my feet were pounding pavement, blaster in hand, as I tore down the rock corridor we were in toward the intersection I could see just up ahead.

Then the screams began, giving wings to my feet.

I ran faster, when a dark shape came flying around the turn ahead, not looking where he was going because he was too busy looking behind him.

It was that, and the flechette launcher he was clutching, that sent the gears in my brain into overtime, and I suddenly knew what had happened.

Not why, mind you; that would come later. Just who.

I didn't give him any warning, but put down my head and tackled him. He was big and as ugly as are all Umbarans I've ever known, and his panting breath was about enough to send me sprawling away from him. But I just held on, gagging, and took him down.

"Aaron, a little help here, buddy!"

It wasn't long before I was joined by another set of stong hands. Together we wrenched the weapon from ol Ugly and managed to hold him pinned down until the authorities came.

Which, thank the gods of the universe, was in fairly short order.

Then it was the usual: name, why are you here, where do you live, what is your blood type and can you offer up your firstborn kind of thing... until at last, convinced we were innocent, they were satisfied. A passel of 'em took the Umbaran off to the clink, and I turned a worried look to Aaron.

"That still sounded like it came from the Blue Asteroid..."

With that I set off running again, rounding the corner and coming upon a scene from hell.

Injured sentients of all races were laying about in a variety of attitudes, surrounded by more blood than should ever be seen in a public thoroughfare. I shuddered, staring at the shattered wall of the facility, watching as med-droids hummed here and there, doing their business.

Pursing my lips, Aaron keeping right up with me, I just kept going, shouldering my way through the rubble and disarray and finally gaining entrance into the little bar.

There at the door I stopped, casting a look throughout the place, searching for the lady Twi'lek who I was supposed to meet.

Gods I hoped she was okay...

...and therefore was knocked completely out of her seat and to the ground with a pile of stone and rubble that caused her booth to crumble as well under its weight. For a long moment she was simply stunned, only somewhat aware that the stone was, at least for a few moments, flying over her in chunks to make contact with the ground and other various places. Then, for a strange and eerie moment, all was quiet...

...and the screams began. Though Kiara was befuddled, she was aware enough to realize that there was trouble, and that she appeared to be in some of it. Partially trapped under what once was the tabletop of her booth, Kiara began to flail and struggle, trying to free herself...

...when a pain shot up one of her two legs. The pain was searing enough that she screamed unconsciously, suddenly feeling totally helpless...

...and totally alone. "Help...please...!" she managed, the pain intensifying. "My leg..."

And she could say no more, the pain now taking her breath away.

Particularly when that voice is crying for help.

I shot a quick look around, my eyes finally settling upon the vision of a female Twi'lek trapped under the remains of the booth she had been sitting in. While the table itself wasn't that heavy, the chunks of duraplaster and cement from the destroyed wall that were sitting on top of the table were... and were doing a quite efficient job of holding her pinned to the floor. Even in that nanosecond that I found her she threw back her head again, her lekku twining about, a grimace of pain upon her face.

I wasted no more time, but moved quickly to her side.

"Easy there, I'm here to help, just lie still a moment and we'll get this thing off of you--

"Hey Aaron, I'm going to need some more muscle here, this stuff ain't like my grandmother's dumplings!"

With that I turned back to her, placed a comforting hand on her dirty shoulder.

"Just a few seconds more, Ms--"

I paused, considered; a lightbulb went on over my head, I cast a fast look around.

"Ms. Roch'ella?"

She recognized the voice.

"Yeah, it's me. I wish our first meeting could have been under better circumstances--"

My guilt-ridden apology was interrupted by Aaron. I looked down at Kiara's leg, nodded in grim agreement.

"Yeah, buddy," I agreed in a low voice, so she wouldn't overhear and get worried.

"And on top of it all, I think there's an infection setting in. She's getting hot."

I turned a worried gaze to Aaron, to see it mirrored there, plastered loud and clear across his own features.

"Let's get the rest of this stuff off of her, but be careful! Relieving the pressure suddenly can be just as painful as having it applied to begin with, and she might have some internal injuries."

Aaron merely set his lips into a grim line. Together then we slowly and carefully removed the remainder of the rubble that lay on her torso and upper extremities. I shifted my weight to run a light touch over her body, smiling in apology for the seeming intimacy. Then I went back on my haunches.

"While only a med-droid can let us know for certain, I don't think there's anything else wrong internally. Just the broken leg.

"Was there any pain inside of you anywhere that I touched you?"

I directed the last query to Kiara, needing this information for the med-droids. Speaking of--

"Aaron, I know there's a ton of injured outside, but why don't you go see if you can scrape up a droid. I don't want to move this lil lady until I'm certain it's safe to do so."

With that I turned back to Kiara, lightly brushing some grit and rubble from her dirty but otherwise attractive features, taking care not to touch her lekku.

She trailed, then continued with "But I'm not feeling so well. Why is it so cold in here?"

With no further word than this, Aaron got up and went outside, at first trying to find an unoccupied med droid. He had no luck at that, so he shielded his eyes and looked outward, hoping to find some sentient medics who might be overseeing the droids. After a few moments of searching the chaotic scene, Aaron finally found what he was looking for. Once he explained that a Twi'lek inside the Blue Asteroid had an infection setting in from a broken leg which was otherwise of no apparent concern, the medic nodded and agreed to take a look himself.

Aaron began to lead him back towards the Asteroid then heard a few booms and bangs somewhere in the distance. He paused a moment, frowning and looking at the medic. "I sure hope this sort of thing doesn't happen often here," he said darkly.

The medic simply returned the look. "No. And I hope that it doesn't start doing so," he replied.

Aaron nodded, leading the medic then the rest of the way in to where Kiara laid next to Yaoksi, her skin starting to pale a bit due to her fever. Yaoksi moved away in order for the medic to get a closer look...

I cocked an ear streetward, hearing the sounds of disorder seeming to grow louder. Which, unless the unknown perpetrator or perpetrators had an escalating weapon, meant that they were drawing closer.

"I really don't like this -- look, if the lady here is deemed fit to travel, what say we skedaddle out of here. I sure hate to leave Devil when all hell is breaking loose--"

I paused, torn between saving our skins and that of my beloved ship. I frowned then, a determined look coming into my eyes.

"And I'm not going to leave her."

I cast another look at Kiara; a fresh grimace was plastered on her paling face as the medic applied a hypospray of something to her shoulder.

"Look, I'm going to the dock and board her; ain't nobody nohow going to keep me from my ship. I'll be fine, I have food and weapons; don't worry about me.

"You-- you go on ahead and take the lady and K'kihl to a safe place; I'll contact you when all this brouhaha has settled down, and we can get back together on her repairs."

I moved to the door and took a peek out, then pulled back quickly.

"Damn, there's troopers out there!" I muttered, coming back to Aaron and pausing beside him.

As a little redhead of my past acquaintance used to always say,

“They’re here! It’s starting! Don’t you see man, the oppressors are here to.. to oppress! The troopers are running wild, the red guard will be kicking in baby’s teeth and soon the Tyrant himself will be walking among us! We need to get to the HQ, man, the HQ! It’s too late to be stupid, man, we’re up loony creek without a pod racer, man! Follow me, I’ll take you to HQ! The time for action is NOW MAN!”

...and like something really major is going on. I don't care to be here myself. I could take her somewhere to safely recover while you hang on your ship...

...but she did come to speak with you. And I suspect K'khil is the safetest of all of us right where he is. You think they are even going to let you in the spaceport to get to the Devil right now anyway?"

As Aaron finished his query, the medic rose from Kiara and approached them. "I gave her an antibiotic for the infection that will set in shortly. She will be feverish for a while longer, but the fever will break as soon as the meds take effect. Other than that she has a few cuts, some scraps...

...and a good broken right leg. I gave her a painkiller for that; she won't be feeling anything for a while. Are you planning to take her to a safe location while all this activity dies down...

But having just been shot at by a guy with a lethal crowd killer? I was willing to believe I could consume acid and walk through a force field if I could just survive.

Bit by bit the Sullustan authorities were augmented by more and more troops, who quickly set up a perimeter throughout the spaceport to make certain no more havoc was raised there.

The Major in charge of the ground troops frowned to see the amount of damage therein, grimaced at the number of ships either destroyed or maimed by what he thought to be due to the recent actions of Black Sun.

"Send troops out into the city!" he barked to a nearby Captain.

"Sullustan authorities are going to need all the assistance they can get, judging from the amount of damage I see here."

"Yessir!" came the crisp reply, and soon even more troops were spilling out into the warren of the underground city.

The Major turned to his other officers.

"Make certain no one comes or goes without proper identification and docking codes. We don't need anyone trying to loot or destroy any more of these personal ships."

"Yessir."

This order too was immediately carried out, until at long last a modicum of order returned to the spaceport.

That did not mean that it had returned to Piringiisi, however...

“Madness out here, man! Madness! Come on, man, the rebellion awaits!”

Bon ducked and slid into the opening, disappearing from view. A few seconds later his head popped back out, eyes wider than ever.

I wavered between logic and stupidity, and settled for proof. Sidling back to the door, I took another peep outside.

More troopers were swarming the rock warren we were in, directing citizens to depart the premises.

I scooted back inside.

"I-- I think you're right, pal," I admitted, albeit grudgingly.

"There's enough troops out there to sink a battlecruiser; I'm willing to bet that they've clamped down on the spaceport and nobody is going to be going anywhere soon until they're satisfied they've come up with some answers."

To what questions--? Ahh now, but that was the 74 Thousand Credit Question now, wasn't it?

I sighed in defeat, then glanced over at the Twi'lek. She didn't look so hot.

... and I already have that ship coming in to pick up the Devil. I've already agreed on letting the ship pick up some other ships for disgruntled tourists with damages...

...and the Sullustans like that. Keep the patrons happy. We just might be able to get out on the ship that's incoming, I think...

...and get to the Hornett. We can decide what to do from there, and perhaps get her some better medical care," Aaron said, nodding towards Kiara. "the Sullustans and Impys who are taking care of all the wounded are going to be busy for a while, after all...

I drew in a breath, mentally wiping my hands.

"Sounds good to me; let's go back to my place, tend to this lady a little, advise K'kihl as to what's happening, and you contact whoever it is you need to.

"Then, if the fates are with us, we all depart together--"

With my ship, damn skippy!

"--for Hornett."

With that I motioned for the med droid to follow, and stepped out into the rock corridor outside the blasted remains of Blue Asteroid.

We were of course approached by troopers, but they had only to take one look at the stricken lady with us, hear our words as we vowed and declared we were heading straight home, yessir, and they waved us on.

Soon we were right back where we started from, right down to a glass of Whyrene's in hand.

The med droid settled Kiara on my couch, covered her with a quilt, rapped out a few more general care orders, and left to go tend to the more seriously wounded.

"You know where the comm is, pal, and when you come back I'll have this waiting for you."

...but she was pretty sure, by the way she felt, that she'd been given a sedative to help with the pain. Her eyelids were getting so very heavy...

...but still she managed to direct a concerned indigo gaze Yaoksi way. "Please, tell me what happened to my cousin..."

...which meant letting Aaron, Yaoksi, Kiara, and possibly K'khil get into the spaceport, make certain the Devil was loaded on the proper ship, as well as make certain Aaron's ship the Oasis was loaded so that they could get away from Sullust and to the business of making sure her tourists were extremely happy again. The whole process really didn't take all that long since Aaron had already pulled strings before all the mess with the bombs going off...

I lifted my own glass in a toast, content to just sit and bask in the knowledge that 24 hours from now would find us in much, much better circumstances. I took a toasting drink, then set my glass down and approached the couch.

Kiara, who had mumbled something about Nassy, had faded into exhausted slumber.

I don't know how long I stood there, staring down at her quiet form but seeing another lady Twi'lek of my acquaintance. It felt like years, but it had to be just a few moments before I roused myself with a jerk. Then leaning down, I tucked the blanket in around her a bit more tightly, before backing off to go take my seat again.

"I'll go tell the ol' Cricket in a moment or two, but for now--"

“Yeah, man, rodents. Rats, lots and lots of rats. Rats everywhere, man, that’s the trick!”

Bon plopped into a chair and worked the controls in the arm.

“Sit man, sit! You gonna have a hard time standing if you ain’t sittin’!” He paused and thought about that, then burst into laughter. He touched a sigil on the chair control and a door slid shut over the entry tunnel. The wall in front of them slid open, revealing a window that peered down a long, dark tunnel.

Would the imperials pop out and go "Boo!"? Would the floor turn to acid and this furball would just laugh and giggle the whole burning stinking way? Ohwell, things couldn't get much crazier than this-

...and suddenly Kiara was seeing it back home, on her own world. The last image plastered in her mind when she awoke with a scream born of both horror and pain was that of Nassy's dear, pale face before the bombs destroyed it.

Kiara's eyes flew open, wide and full of terror; one word escaped her lips as she screamed.

"Nasrail'en...!"

She was sitting upright, the blanket I had just finished tucking around her held in trembling fingers that tried to bury it into her chin. Her face was pale and sweaty, her eyes wide and staring into nothing but whatever night terror she was in the process of escaping from.

I gulped at her cry, suddenly associating the pain her voice carried with my last memories of Nassy: another all-too pale form, silent and bleeding, laying in a medical unit on a monstrous ship, silently slipping off into a new brand of reality...

Shaking a bit myself I knelt by the couch, reached out and took a tentative hold of Kiara's shoulders.

Gave her a little, gentle shake.

"Hey, hey...!" I said in a low voice, trying to keep my own memories from flavoring the tone in which I spoke.

"It's ok, quiet now, it's a dream or something, you're ok, you're safe here.

"Hey, c'mon now, Kiara, wake up..."

Following through on his previous suggestion, Shawn paused in his tracks, keying a freqency into his wristcomm. Then he spoke into it.

...and worriedly...

...to Shawn's message. He frowned to himself, and keyed in a highly secure, encrypted frequency to the Hornett, inquiring about the level of success anyone had tracking either the Eagle or the Raptor.

"Sir," came the crisp reply, "We've been unable to track either ship at all. In fact, we don't even get their signals. It almost appears as though the ships have been destroyed."

Aaron's look darkened, and he thanked the officer, closing his connection to the Hornett.

Then he dialed Petrolu's frequency. "You won't be able to use any information on the tracking systems of either ship, unfortunately," he replied. "We have no trace on them. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to further assist you, however," Aaron commented, then closing the frequency and regaining his seat where he had been lounging before, his look dark.

"The sooner we get out of here, the better," he then said darkly, eyeing his chrono. "I have no trace on either the Eagle or the Raptor, which implies one of two things. The ships have been destroyed, crashed...

...or on a third possibility, someone has discovered and dismantled their tracking capabilities. Somehow I think I prefer the latter over the other alternatives...

"Now is not the time to talk of Nassy," I fumbled, struggling to keep the sudden tears her name evoked from springing into my eyes. Kiara sure as shooting didn't need to see that.

"I'll tell you everything I know as soon as you've rested up and gotten well."

Enough to handle it, an inner demon chortled into my ear, finishing that statement with a finality I didn't want to think about.

Giving her hand another pat, I returned to Aaron and plopped back into my seat. Drawing in a heavy breath, I reached for my glass.

"Well, what do you suggest, then?" I asked before I downed half my drink in one gulp.

Pausing at that, Aaron's eyes turned a bit vague as he considered something. "You know, we could also opt to take the Devil aboard the Hornett. K'khil has been working there, he has access to anything he would need to repair her. That way you can keep an eye on her...

Who were these people, and what kind of trouble had they gotten into?

"That sounds like a plan to me," I said, raising my glass on high. Aaron merely raised a brow in turn; I quirked my lips, then ventured onward.

"I mean, going to Hornett sounds like the best option you've mentioned yet. I agree; K'kihl would be in his element there, and Devil would be up and running in no time.

"Not to mention the fact that you have a great medical facility, should Kiara need it."

I shot her slumbering form a quick glance, the accompanying grin immediately sobering as immediately upon the heels of that statement came the haunting image of who had lain in that facility the last to my knowledge. And why...

I returned my gaze to Aaron.

"How soon can we get there? From what we heard outside, I'm not certain that I'm relishing the thought of hanging here too much longer; could get a little bit on the uncomfortable side, if you know what I mean.

"How long was it until your transport can get here?"

...and you probably have some things to pack and want to let the Cricket know we need his help.

Nodding at that with a bit of a grin, Yaoksi vacated his seat and headed back to no doubt let Khikhl know of their imminent departure and to pack whatever he needed. In the meantime, Aaron helped himself to another glass of Whyrene's, savoring the last few peaceful moments he while he could...

...for they certainly would not be at all peaceful again until they found themselves enroute to the Hornett

************************************

Luckily for all parties involved, the transport arrived right on time and landed with only a little bit of haggling with the authorities. Now, once she'd landed and Aaron had gotten to the business of getting his ship and the Devil loaded...

...all hell promptly broke loose. It appeared the Devil, along with all the ships involved in the explosion in that particular docking area, was being held as evidence. So removing that evidence for repair was last on the list of things the authorities wanted to deal with. They promised over and over again that the ship could be moved in a few days...

...but Aaron stuck to his guns. He'd already told the authorities the transport would be coming in, and what ships he needed to load on her prior to the transport's arrival. But then, nothing was ever cut and dry. As the Devil was finally loaded on the transport, the Oasis already on board, Aaron hoped Yaoksi would forgive him for promising to allow the authorities to keep a piece of the damaged rubble that was once part of the hull of the Devil.

And finally, after two hours of wheeling and dealing, the transport took to the skies, and they found themselves in the lap of luxury once more, which Aaron was quite thankful for. Kiara still seemed very spent from her ordeal, and gods knew after dealing with the authorities that he was quite ready for some R and R and some food himself. But first, he had a little bargaining to do with the transport's captain...

...who fortunately was much more agreeable than the authorities on the planet now below them. Their destination: the Hornett. ETA: One standard day.

(((OOC: Please follow Aaron, Yaoksi, Kiara, and K'khil to The Dream of Those that Wake in the Empire and New Republic Forums, thanks.)))

Bon flipped a switch on the small control panel, and a small screen showed a view of the dead end, fed from a holocam perched hidden above the alley. It showed a human male, slightly disheveled.

“Hey, hey! Someone all alone in the world of the oppressor! Someone coming to join our cause! Someone you know? Someone you don’t know? Either way is the same, man, either way is the same. If you vouch for him, then that’s all I need. You vouch for him, right?”

Bon flipped another switch and the door before the man outside opened. Bon laughed and turned to Stern.

“Shhh! Man oh man, you don’t use the ‘R’ word, not here not there not anywhere! If he heard you, you don’t know what he might think!”

He took his hand from Stern’s mouth and looked at him.

“You didn’t hear that, did you? Good. Right, now, the door has judged you good and worthy and righteous, man, so I bow to your superior intellitude and welcome you to the rebellion.”

He looked again to Stern.

“It’s OK if I say it, man, I’m the narrator.”

He looked back to Jebbua.

"what do you mean if he heard me I might not know what he thought?"

This bothan was really strange. Was I sure I made the right choice?

"That is exactly what I was going to call you, man! You look just like a Jebbua Jebbua Dahutt! But man, I tell, you, lack of time is like the tick that sucks the blood from us all, so to make things as short as possible for all involved, and make things not so wordy and extra long, I'll call you JJ."

Bon turned to the control panel once more.

"This spiffy dresser is Stern. He's a ruffian, man, but we need low life scum like him. They're the ones hurt the most by the oppressors, man! Just don't let him hit you."

He pressed a few buttons and touched a sigil. He turned to Jebbua and smiled.

"Hang on," he said. He pushed a final button and the small room seemed to fold up behind them. A wall pushed up through the floor behind Jebbua, and the wall in front sild down halfway to reveal a window. The view before them was a long tunnel, well lit and bristling with automated blasters perched along the wall. The floor trembled and room began to move down the tunnel, picking up speed quickly. A few seconds later the movement stopped, and the room rotated 90 degrees. The walls closed.

"We're here!" squealed Bon, turning from the controls. He pointed to the wall behind Jebbua, where a door was now opening. "Follow me, men!"

Bon marched with high steps past Jebbua and through the door. The room beyond was a large warehouse, the walls lined with boxes and crates, with a large open space in the center the held three old style X-wing fighters. ROughly a dozen men and women of differing races were working on the fighters or hauling boxes. A group of six men, armed with blaster rifles, lowered their weapons when Bon appeared.

Bon turned back to wait for the other two.

"Come on, man! So much time, so little to do! Or maybe that's the other way around... anyway, the oppression won't stop while you ponder, man!"

"Wow. How old are these things?" I asked going around it and looking at it. Then I looked at Bon.

"Wait. You don't plan to go out there do you?" I asked indacting the sky and further, space.

“Sure, man, sure!” he said. “They’re out there, man. They’re always out there, like the stars and the moons, man, they’re always out there! They’re big, and oppressing, and no-one knows what it’s like, man, to know that they’re out there doing it until they’ve done it to you!”

Bon looked Jebbua up and down.

“But what I want to know, man, are you ready to know the truth about the oppressors? It’s all fine and good and dandy and wonderful to have a big powerful brother watching over you and bringing it all in line, yeah. But what do you give up, man? What do you lose when you gain so much? That’s what I want to know, man! What did you gain when they brought their big ships to your home? What did you gain when they broke up the senate? What did you gain when they massacred the innocents to find the guilty? You listen to them, man, and some of them they may mean what they say, but like any big brother, man, there is a dark side. What do you when you find your big brother is a bully?”

Bon paused, his eyes focused on Jebbua.

“So, my man, what did you gain. And what did you lose?”

Yet- anyway.

"So, this is your "big ole rebellion" eh?" I asked, looking over the individuals there, along with the ships under their care.

"What did I lose? My best friend is halfway across the galaxy who knows where. Everytime I meet someone new they're either killed or taken away somehow. So, you tell me. What did I lose?" I fell silent and looked at Stern and then back to Bon.

“Right, man, right!” he called. “You lost it all, man, you lost it all!”

He danced a small circle, raising his right hand above his head and patting his tummy with his left. He stopped spinning and faced Stern.

“And you are both right, man, this is not enough, not enough! We need more ships, more guns, more troops, more brains… the one thing we got is money, man, money! Oppression takes funding, and so does being oppressed. We turn the funding around on ‘em, man, and live it up. But where do we get more ships? Where?”

Bon danced his dance one more time, this time stopping to face Jebbua.

“We gots to get the word out, man! We gots to let the oppressed know that they are not alone! We gots to get down with the brothers and sisters and those of no gender, man! We gots to find someone who can translate that!”

Bon pointed at a glass case sitting on a desk nearby.

"I think I might know some people who could help us. I haven't seen them in ages and who knows where I could find them. But the keyword might. I know they have no love for the Empire, but it doesn't mean they'll help us."

I looked to Stern.

“You have friends?” he said. “Man, you gotta tell me what that’s like, man! I’ve always wanted friends, man, but they just don’t grow on trees, you know? Well, unless you’re on the veggie planet, but hey, man, that’s another story.”

Bon walked over to the case and waved his wands in the air around it.

“This is it, man, this is the answer. Found months ago by a team in the fringes, man, looking for ways to fight the oppressors. Oh sure, you look at it and say ‘man, it’s just a box’ but I tell you, it’s more than just a box. It’s what’s in the box, man. It’s a book, man, a book. But it’s got words that nobody here knows, it’s got letters that defy geometry. It’s got pictures or things that would blow your mind. And it’s old old old, so old that olds doesn’t begin to describe it. But the pictures, man, those are the things. Ships, man, ships!”

Bon took a deep breath, holding it for dramatic pause.

“But it’s got something new, too, man. It’s got new sheets of paper in it, with hand written notes. It was found on a planet, man, way out there where nobody goes. And the damnest thing is, man, that the goofball who found this and brought it to me forgot to log where the heck he was, and then he got himself killed before we could help him remember. So here we got a book with pictures of far out ships, things that could fight the oppressors, man! And we got notes from someone who studied this crap, man. But we got no location, and we got no person to go with the notes, and the notes are all coded, man. All we got is the box it got found in, man, charred like from a ship dusting off.”

Bon walked back to the other two men.

“Yeah, so it’s like this guy had this box, but left that planet in such a hurry that he left that box behind, then blasted off in some old ship that really charred up that box. There’s a piece of ID tag left, but most of it is ruined, man. All we can make out is this:”

Bon grabbed a tablet from the desk next to him and drew out a very close representation of the ruined tag. On it he wrote the letters “DANTARE”.