Lady Arya

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

After dinner and the briefing of their next heist, she found herself in the cockpit, everyone else seemed to go their separate ways, which was fine for her. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute and she needed space to think. There were questions that needed answering, more planning on their part. Two weeks was a tight window but she thought it was doable. She sat in front of the communication panel, hooking up her datapad to it. Her fingers ran across the keys, sending an encrypted message to her contact on Nar Shaddaa. A smile formed on her face, it had been awhile since she had been to the smuggler's moon but there were from happier times.

Her hands rubbed over her face, the waiting always seemed the longest. Would her contact still be there, listening? Waiting? They never failed her. Her datapad dinged as she reached out for it before she heard the commotion in the hallway. It sounded like something fell. Leaving her datapad on the panel, she pulled her blastor from its holster and stepped into the hallway. “What the kark?” It was only the slightest of looks but she could swear she saw another woman standing with Wrench before the little droid closed off the area.

Fel was out of his room in a mere moment, even though he had been in his own little world, going over the past (as he often did.) The noise brought him back to the present in a half heartbeat, and he met Aellyn running into the common area from the bridge, likewise seeing Wrench and – something – on the other side of the compartment hatch (which was never closed.)

“Wrench! What in the three suns…” He hammered on the hatch. (to Aellyn) “...who the karking frack was that?” He moved swiftly to the access panel and started running a bypass, but Wrench was too smart for that, having locked out the panel. He shook his head at Aellyn – no shot. “WRENCH!”

Aellyn followed in behind him, her blaster at the ready. “Appeared to be a stowaway because that definitely was not the kid or Jet.” She stood next to the pilot who seemed a bit frantic as he tried to access the panel. “Bet the droid has a plan, my worry is I think Jet and Zane are on the other side. Can we access comms to engineering?” She asked.

Fel had a split second of indignance – *stowaway? On this ship? No way…* but he swallowed that immediately. It was entirely possible. Hell, he had used some of those cavities for smuggling in the past. If someone was wily enough to get past them (on Abilene?) there was certainly room enough to stow away.

“I can do us one better…” he sprinted for the cockpit, and activated the ship-wide comms. Wrench couldn’t disable that – it was old-school hard-wired as a standalone system.The question was – what to say.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pilot sprint off toward the cockpit. She waited for a moment before taking off after him. Holstering the blaster for now, she saw him slide into the comm panel. Kark. She had forgotten her datapad, laying there in the open. She swiped it and quickly shoved it in her pocket. Watching him, she noticed he was going for the ship-wide comms. “ No. If it's a stowaway, your droid has them locked down. He would do the same to me if I threatened the ship. They are not going anywhere. Well, unless he dropped the ramp. I would see if you can only access the comms in other areas. Make sure the others are safe.” Aellyn also wondered if this was Abliene sending a final message to Fel. The two didn’t seem to get along all that well, in fact Abliene did want him dead.

Fel had to admit, quickly to himself, that he hadn’t even thought of that. He nodded appreciatively to Aellyn. “Great idea.” In the heat of things, he was going to speak ship-wide, directly to Wrench and this stowaway. In fact, he’d never done anything but ship-wide from this panel. It took him a moment to shut off the areas he didn’t want to speak to, leaving only the Starboard hold active, and dropped the volume by forty percent, to better ensure that only Jet (and the Kid, if he was in there too) could hear what he had to say.

“Jet? You there? What’s your situation? Wrench has locked me out from the common area… I can’t get in there without getting violent. Don’t worry, if you reply – only Aellyn and I will hear.”

---

Jet had been in the bay for longer than he would have liked, he often forgot what it was like to do work one-handed but, of course, working on his arm meant he had no other choice. A hydrospanner sat clenched between his teeth as he fished through a box of parts switching them in and out as he needed. A new plate here, a piston there. The hinges were in a majority good condition, thankfully, just needed debris cleared from their path. The bay had been quiet until then, just the hum of the lights, the rattle of tools, the soft clink of metal against metal. Steady, predictable. He could’ve had the job done in the next twenty minutes or so, if not for the sudden burst of chaos from the corridor just outside. He was sure the ship wasn’t in that bad condition that it would be falling apart.

He dropped the spanner onto the workbench and moved over to the door which.. Didn’t open. Strange. He jammed his hand against it and gave it a push, maybe it had got jammed on something but.. No. The mechanism wasn’t even trying. He pressed his ear to the door and picked up the muffled whine of whirls, beeps, and voices raised in confusion. One voice rose above the others - Fels. He stepped back and leaned against the bench behind him, shaking his head softly in amusement.

It was then that Fel’s voice crackled through the comms, the signal laced with static and quieter than usual. Jet’s first instinct was that something else had broken again, typical. But the weight in Fel’s tone pushed that thought aside pretty damn quickly.

“What’s my situation?” he muttered, jaw tight. “I’m locked in my karking workshop while it sounds like the ship’s turning inside out. What the hell’s going on out there?”

“Seems we got us a passenger on Abilene. Don’t rightly recall asking for one. Seems they’re havin’ a word with Wrench outside your door. Can’t get in. Tin-Man locked us out, or else the stow did, but I can’t see how. You locked out of your panel?”

Jet pressed a palm to the door panel and the lights responded. He wasn’t locked in like the others. “Panel’s on,” he said into the comm, voice low and even. “I’m going in. Leave the line open.”

He didn’t wait for confirmation. He keyed the override and the door unlocked with a low hiss, mechanisms whining as they slid apart. Jet stepped just past the frame and stopped there, leaning his shoulder into the edge of the doorway. His eyes moved slowly across the room. Wrench was off to the side and just behind him, the stowaway. Jet took her in with one long, quiet look. “You wanna tell me what the hell you’re doing on my ship?”

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

The rain fell hard as the citizens ran navigating their way into nearby shops and homes. Already drenched, she tucked herself underneath a nearby bridge. The echoes of the under levels surrounded her. She had gone too deep, too quickly. Wyler had warned her to not over step but she didn’t listen. That was her father coming out. Too stubborn for her own good. Thinking she could get away with it. Wrong. Her hand wiped away the water as she heard boots hitting the bridge above her. Troopers. Slowing her breathing, she closed her eyes, counting the seconds. Tick. Tock.

“Ryloth..Onderon..Rodia…Atollon…Castilon..” Her lips moved but no sound came. “Dantooine…Mapuzo…Raada…Hoth…Sorgan.”

The comms were static but enough for the bucket heads to get their orders. They moved on. Aellyn waited, listened before making her move.

The hum of Coruscant was a song she knew by heart. But tonight, that familiar tune was sour, a mournful lament for a life she was leaving behind. Panic set in her throat as she navigated those familiar under levels, the stench of synth-meat and despair thick in the air. Each shadow cast upon a wall threatened with a promise of capture, each distant footstep came across as a threat. Her heart pounded against her chest, a frantic beat urging her onward, toward the appointed rendezvous point. Her escape was planned but yet felt like a gamble. This was their world yet the thought of living under their rule was a fate worse than death. So she ran, fueled by hope, even if it meant venturing into a vast galaxy of unknowns.

---

Aellyn pulled off her coat, carefully folding it and placing it on the edge of the lower bunk she claimed as her own. The offloading was short, Jet had most of it done by the time she, the kid and the pilot joined. The bike she lent was placed back in the cargo hold where she had found it. Making a note to buy a better one if they had the time. As Jet and Fel made their quiet exchange, she stepped toward the kid.

Exhaling, she hoped the news she was about to give would be a welcomed one. “So my contact, the one that picked up the doc yesterday. I asked him to peek in on your brother on Lotho. Heard you call out to him while we left. I’m sorry we didn’t have the time to get him. I know how close you both must be….. “

Zane looked up from the crate he was offloading in the machine shop area as Aellyn said the words he had been keen on hearing ever since he’d had to leave home. When the thought finally registered, it was as if every synapse in his brain was suddenly firing. His feet carried him into the other cargo bay, his breathing quickened, he felt his heart beginning to race like crazy. Excitedly, he began asking her question after question, ”Wait…you mean Marcus? You sent him to look in on Marcus?! Did…did he need a description? What if he doesn’t know where to look? Did he say how soon he was gonna be able to go after him?”

Aellyn formed a soft smile. “Whoa kid, slow down. My contact has a way of..finding people. He will know where to look. Don’t worry.”

His eyes darted back and forth as he felt the room starting to spin around him, the thoughts in his mind going a million parsecs a second. Suddenly realizing how much he was tossing her way, the kid spat out just as excitedly, ”Wh-...hold up. I should…th-...thank you, Miss Aellyn! This means so kriffin’ much to me! I just–”

“Please..it’s just Aellyn. No need for formalities.” She paused for a moment. “...and You’re welcome..” She motioned for the kid to follow her as the headed toward the cargo hold to put the supplies away.

---

Fel watched as Jet departed, shedding his armor as he went (both literally and figuratively.) He was happy the spacer seemed to listen to him, or that he was able to come up with words that made sense to him. Jet had the ability to be just as stubborn as the pilot, and Fel was worried that if it hadn’t worked, his friend would have been in the engine room, working with a stump and a prayer. Stranger things had happened. But as it stood, Fel found his mind turned back quickly and sharply to their next mission. He wasn’t a mathematician (that was Wrench’s department.The old R2 was basically a rolling calc) but if they played the game well, and if he reached out to a few contacts that owed him a thing or two, hell – if he’d wanted to, he could’ve bought a new ship for his take. Several, even.

But Fel knew – at least in this case, there was no point in playing it close to the chest. He had to bring in the crew for their opinions, and they’d have to hire outside help on this one. They’d all be spending a long time mining spice if it went sideways, and even though he was content most of the time to play the boss, when they were potentially trading their lives for a score, he wasn’t so rigid in his convictions that he was willing to dictate every facet of this one. Especially since they were all skilled operators in their own way.

As the sun cast its shadow on the desolate rock, she found herself in the kitchen. Before plowing through the pile of scraps that morning, she had found a small vendor selling a batch of vegetables somehow the farmer had grown in the harsh land. Aellyn overpaid but the thought of having something other than chili, excited her. She washed and cleaned each vegetable before chopping them up and sliding into the pot of boiling water. Next, the meat, if she could call it that. She never asked what it was but figured it was the same cat that tried to eat Jet earlier. How ironic, she thought. The aroma started to fill the ship as she let the stew simmer.

Fel moved quietly into the galley, beside her. She glanced sideways to him, her brow raising concern. He stirred the pot, pointed to spices, even suggested some which she allowed. “Ugh.” Her inner voice was shouting. Aellyn watched him closely, trying to figure out how else he was going to ruin this meal. He dug deep into their dehydrated stores and produced actual garlic (how long had they been waiting for the right dish to use this, worth its weight in spice), hydrated it, and then spent time chopping and dicing it finely, sliding it into the stew. There were certain meals that just needed garlic, rare or not. And whether or not Aellyn knew it, Fel thought of this as a peace offering. He knew it was pretty thin, but it was a real gesture of friendship.

“Garlic?!?” She had enough. “Okay, stop…that’s good there.” She picked up a spoon, testing it. Kark. Maybe it was better. “Alright..time to eat. Before you decide it needs anything else.” Shooting Fel a look, she yelled out to the other crew that the meal was ready.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

The settlement gates loomed ahead, their metal frames catching the morning light. By now, the sun had risen high enough to warm the air, casting a golden glow across the patchwork of buildings and pathways inside. The gates stood open, unguarded, a quiet assurance that the newly restored emitter was doing its job. Jet dragged his boots over the threshold, pausing just past the entrance.

He threw his head back and inhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing just enough. The safety of the settlement wrapped around him like an old blanket. For the first time since he stepped off the UA, Jet allowed himself a moment to breathe. He hadn’t realised how much the trek, and the fight, had weighed on him until now.

Then, slowly, he began his shuffle deeper in. His steps were heavy and haphazard, each one kicking up small clouds of dust that clung to his old battered boots. The broken halves of his rifle hung heavy in his grip, their jagged edged glinting faintly in the mid-morning sun.

As he walked, but a few would turn their heads. Some of them shot him curious glances, their expressions a mixture of surprise and maybe even a touch of concern. While others looked at him with colder–disdain, perhaps, or even satisfaction. Their eyes seemed to say ‘Good. He deserves it.’ He ignored it, fixing his gaze forward.

The scent of oil and rust hit him first, carried on the faint breeze as he approached the scrapyard. The space opening up before him, filled with heaps of metal and machinery piled without a care, their edged silhouettes casting long, sharp shadows. He paused at the edge of the yard, his eyes scanning the expanse for what he might be carrying back, somehow, but his eyes spotted familiarity.

“No…a security module. Not a hyperdrive. “ Aellyn rounded a large pile of scraps as she stood on top of a medium sized cargo sled. The droid that was operating it seemed a bit questionable. The sled came to a sudden halt, which she immediately reached out, grabbing a hold of the nearest crate. “If I wasn’t needing your help, you would be part of the junk pile. Kriff.” Sighing, ignoring the droid's beeps and woos as she turned her head. She cracked a smile, seeing the familiar form standing just at the entrance.

“You have looked better…” She waved him over as she hopped off the sled. Dirt kicked up as she hit the ground. She noticed the torn jacket and dried blood. He must have been caught by one of the local animal life. “Found a few things, you can look them over and see what you think.”

He chuckled, it could have been the understatement of the year. “Yeah, I reckon I look worse than that hoverbike you came in on.” He walked over to the sled she had moments before been standing on, dropping his scrap-rifle onto its bed, near the side. He grabbed the side with his good hand and hoisted himself up, quickly looking over the scrap Aellyn had gathered so far. “Not a bad haul, all things considered..” he tucked his hand into his pocket retrieving the holopad with the requirements. “Not bad at all..” He murmured to himself.

“Thanks, trying to find a security module. The one on the ship is so ancient, a kid could hack it.” Her stare turned to the pieces of metal that was once a rifle. Must have been a really big animal, she thought. She turned around as Jet examined the contents already on the sled. Bending over, she picked up a piece of scrap, tossing it onto another nearby pile.

”Hmm, we might be able to turn something up but.. That’s not exactly my area.” He turned to the droid running the sled. ”We need some new injectors for the power plant, CEC YG-4210, You know where you got some of those?” The little guy swirled it’s head in a full circle, letting out a long whistle as he did when the sled jolted forward, Jet grabbing ahold of the rail beside him, dropping his holopad onto the deck as he did. ”Kriff!”

“Hey!“ Aellyn yelled, hopping on at the last moment as the sled jolted forward.

The sled sped along through the piles of scrap, narrowly avoiding colliding with the stacks, as Aellyn hung onto the side rails. “Kriffing, droid.” She muttered to herself. “This scrapyard isn’t much. We would have had better luck on Lotho. If we can’t find a module, then we leave it. This place has been salvaged enough and the people don’t have much by the looks of it.”

”Yeah, well.. that was the plan on Lotho but then.. Well, it didn’t exactly go to plan.” He spoke with a tinge of hesitance. Not wanting Aellyn to feel like he was blaming her, far from it, even. Her quick thinking actually managed to get them through Lotho with a modicum of ease, if you could call it that. No-one was killed, kriff, no was even hurt, but it was because of the change of plans that he never got the chance there to grab some parts they could use.

“Sorry for stepping in, ya know, changing plans and all. Especially with my contact. It wasn’t right to do that.” Aellyn finally admitting out loud that she screwed up.

Without any warning, the sled came to a stop. Despite holding onto the rail, his arm, now effectively a chuck of scrap weight dangling from his shoulder, managed to throw him off the front, landing on his back with a resounding thud.

Aellyn slid forward, one of the stacked crates falling on her. “Kark!” She shoved the crate to the side as she leaned forward, seeing the older mechanic on the ground. “You good?”

He coughed, wheezing slightly as he spoke, the air knocked out of him, “This is not my karking day,” he rolled over, propping himself against a nearby heap.

Aellyn hopped off the sled, bending over Jet. “Doesn’t seem like it. We can laugh about it later. Your arm is in bad shape. Tell me what you need, I’ll find it for you and let’s get you back to the ship.” She turned to the sled and picked up his holopad. “Alright, injectors… Hey droid…where are they?” She yelled out as the droid's metal dome, whirled around as it made several beeping sounds.

Jet pushed himself to his feet, ”I’m not out just yet,” he had been through worse and he wasn’t going to just let a few scratches, a winded chest, a crippled metal arm and a droid going through memory wipe avoidance stop him. He followed Aellyn over to where the Droid had indicated, finding three injectors. ”I guess that thing’s not completely lost it,” he mumbled to Aellyn, pointing to the injectors, ”We only need the two but we’ll take ‘em for a spare.” He looked back to the sled and waved to the droid, who moved over and picked up the injectors with the sled's magnetic clamps, and placed it with the rest of the junk they had secured, for the first time seeming to be able to do its job without any creativity, ”You good to head back? I’m just about done with this damn rock.”

“I couldn't agree more. I need a place with a bit more life and a decent cantina. She shrugged, watching Jet place the last of the scraps they needed. Once the cargo was secured, both her and Jet boarded the sled. This time prepared for the droid's lack of driving abilities. The sled had stopped outside the local cantina, just at the entrance to the settlement. The little hoverbike still sat there, surprisingly. She motioned for the sled to take off toward the UA. She quickly mounted the bike and took off after the sled. Maybe they would still have some luck and not run into the local wildlife, Jet had already had enough. As Aellyn caught up with the sled, he couldn’t help but snicker. He definitely thought the walk was better than the ride, despite the hazards that came with it.

Extraordinarily Boring Interest Check [F for M]

.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Aellyn stood between the dejarik table and the small kitchen, her hands resting on her hips. Her eyes scanned over the mess that had piled up. Used pots laid on the counter, the meal the captain had cooked the other night, resting on the stove eye. Chewing her bottom lip, she rolled up her sleeves, deciding to take her frustration out on some pots. No one seemed to bother her, the ship was mostly quiet. The sounds of light snoring coming out from the pilots bunk room, the kid had fallen asleep. A good bed will do that. Wrench beeping in the cockpit, along with Fel. Thoughts of whatever was on that disc crossed her mind but figured she better just stay low. Jet, quiet in his room. The towel brushed the last bit of crumbs from the counter as she was finally satisfied with how put together it finally looked. Wiping her brow with her arm, she folded the towel, placing it on the now clean counter.

Stepping back she examined her work before heading left, across from the bathroom to her claimed bunk. Pressing a button on the wall panel, the door hissed shut behind her. Aellyn fell onto the bottom bed, pulling off her boots and letting them hit the floor. She was too tired to put them away. Falling back against the bed, her eyes staring at the bed above her. Her hands resting on her stomach as sleep overcame her, her world turning black.

She didn’t know how long she slept but it felt good to have a proper sleep. She swung her legs over the side, slipping the boots back on. Aellyn sat for a moment, listening, she didn’t hear anyone else moving about. Grabbing her pistol, she strapped it around her leg and pulled on her jacket. Stepping into the main room, no one was up and around. Stepping around the corner to one of the cargo bays, she began to rummage until surprisingly she found a small hover bike. It was big enough for a child. Where did he get this, she wondered. Pulling it out, she pushed it towards the ramp. Pressing the button, the ramp hissed as it lowered itself. She was starting to push the bike down the ramp, noticing the little pesky droid come her way.

“Look, I’m not stealing it. Just borrowing it. Headed to the settlement. The big guy is coming later for supplies. Just…Just don’t leave me.” She pleaded but the droid responded that he would if he had his way.

Stepping foot on the dry grass, pushing the bike up next to her. She hoped this machine still had life to it. Hearing a growl, she turned her head, scanning the area around the UA. The pilot did mentioned some nasty wildlife. Not taking chances, she mounted the bike, which struggled but turned on. Aellyn pressed the accelerator and the little bike took off toward the settlement.

The ride was almost like being in a hover car back on Coruscant. The wind in her air, she enjoyed the moment of peace. The settlement was just that, scraps put together to barely survive. She had seen a few places like this in the outer rim, one sure doesn’t hear about this way of life on the core world. Settling her bike, near some others. She saw a few settlers starting their day.

Old Man didn’t come with you?”

Aellyn turned and saw Abilene standing near by. She shook her head. “No, just me. Do you have a place that I can get a hot meal? Maybe a drink?”

The old lady, nodded her head to follow her, in which she did. Together stepping into a building not too far from where they were. It may have been early but it seemed like the establishment was a place to gather for most of the settlers. They all didn’t have much, that she could tell. Abilene pointed to an empty table as she settled into a chair. From a woman who was ready for a shoot out, to being somewhat friendly, Aellyn kept her guard up. Abilene set two bowls down, as she joined.

“Do you know who you are flyin’ with?” The lady started on.

“I have my guesses.” Aellyn looked down at her bowl.

“I didn’t poison it. I’m not that cruel. Fel, maybe. ” She noticed.

Aellyn hesitated for a moment, then dived into the warm contents. If she was going to die, at least she was full. The two women both ate in silence until the bowls were empty.

“What are you here for, are you here to salvage for parts?” The old lady leaned back in her chair.

“Something like that. If I can, of course.” Aellyn wanting permission.

“Sure, I’ll show you the yard.I have to ask ya. Brave to defend a man you hardly know. You seem like a smart lady. How did you end up with this lot?” They both stood, heading out to the scrap yard.

“Just lucky, I guess.” Aellyn stuck her hands in her jacket pockets, keeping up her guard as she followed Abilene to the scraps.

Extraordinarily Boring Interest Check [F for M]

Bump

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Her heart was pounding in her chest, her pistol aiming true to her target. The last few seconds were a blur, seeing Jet run to Fel’s aid, she too reacted, standing in front of them, a human shield. Why? She hardly knew either one of them but in that moment, a single thought was the only thing on her mind. Out of everything, maybe this would be the saving grace. A peace that she had been searching for. Abilene had dismounted, her hand steady, her eyes locked on the old lady as the woman started to negotiate terms. A relief, her threat worked? Jet helping the pilot to his feet as Aellyn stepped to the side, holstering her weapon. The negotiating didn’t last long, it seemed Fel got what he wanted. No one died. At least, not yet. The day was still young.

As Abilene began to load, Aellyn turned her head, seeing the doc rise from his hiding place, making his way toward the pilot. The Chiss arrived at Fel’s side as the pilot leaned against Jet’s shoulder for support. The pilot caught the doctor’s arm before he had a chance to examine his wound. Aellyn scoffed observing the interaction. At least let him be useful before he leaves. Her stare caught Fel’s and the expression he gave, she knew it wasn’t good. The same one when she showed up with the Doc on Lotho. Plans change and it was the second time she had gone off script.

“Let it bleed, Doc. I’ll be alright.”

Vizst nodded, taking a step back from the pilot. His hands clasped behind his back.

“Aellyn, you copy?” A familiar voice echoed in her ear.

She turned her head toward the sky, breaking the stare as Fel turned his back to Abilene. “Yeah, land by the hill you demolished. I’ll meet you with the kolto and doc.”

The freighter, hovering above the UA, shifted to the left toward the clearing it had made moments ago. Those on the ground shielded their faces, the sand kicked up as the crafted landed smoothly on the desolate rock.

“I take it that’s your ride…” Fel offered the man his hand. “Go on, doctor. Go find some of that ‘peace’ I’ve been hearing about. Do some good while you’re out there in the ‘verse, y’hear?” He didn’t know the man all that well, but he’d kept his word, and maybe that was enough. There was no goodbye. No ‘see you soon.’ That wouldn’t have rang true.

Aellyn watched the final interaction, the Chiss nodding shaking the pilots hand before turning to her. They both walked together, taking the kolto and pushing it toward the other freighter. The landing ramp had just settled as the older man descended, stepping on the dry dirt. His arms crossed as he watched the two approach. By a distance, the man looked a lot like Jet but a closer look, any Imperial would know he was a clone. Much like Fel, Wyler didn’t seem too happy to see her or was that always his expression, she wondered.

I have a feeling this new ‘crew’ you have taken upon, didn’t know I was here. “ Wyler motioned over toward the UA.

“No.“ She answered back. Her contact gave her a look, the same one a father would give if they were disappointed.

“Name’s Wyler” The Trooper turned to Vizst, shaking hands, exchanging a few words. “Let’s get you settled, doc.” He turned to Aellyn. “Stay.”

Aellyn wished the doctor luck as the two men pushed the kolto up the loading ramp, disappearing into the ship. Her hands slipped into her jacket pockets, turning her head back to the UA, she felt a slight breeze against her cheek as thoughts whirled around in her head.

“Who are you mixed with now..” The clunk of boots hit the ramp as the Trooper came back down to her.

“Don’t know. Old Republic mechanic. He is solid. Some kid we picked up from the job on Lotho. Then there is the pilot. Lots of history with the Empire, turned Smuggler. Something isn’t quite right but I’ll figure it out.”   Aellyn kept her eyes on the UA.

“ Kid, don’t be meddling in others business. Out here…it will get you killed.”

“Yeah… I know.” She emphasized the last two words.

“Stay off the holonet, eventually someone will catch on. That job you did, it is all over it. Best to stay low. You know how to contact me if you truly need it.”

Aellyn looked back, seeing her friend make his way back up the ramp. “Oh! One more thing, the kid I mentioned before. He left a brother on Lotho. Marcus, I believe. Could you..” She gave the man a familiar look.

Wyler sighed. “ I’ll see what I can do but no promises.” Wyler gave a wave before hitting the button near the ramp. As it closed, she stepped back, smiling before turning on her heels, heading back toward the UA. Her jacket pressed against her back as the freighter lifted off the rock. It turned, hovering back over the UA, as she watched it make its way to the stars before jumping to hyperspace.

As Aellyn approached the crew, she saw Abilene’s getting back on to her horse, the crew must be finishing up. She didn’t bother approaching the others, instead she turned, walking up the ramp into the UA.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

The good part about having a space all to yourself was that fact no one would be asking questions. The pilot had left along with the larger guy, more than likely getting ready for their contacts. She, however, had a bit of time. Aellyn kicked her feet up on the co-pilot seat, her data pad plugged into the panel. Her fingers, moving quickly through the holonet. More news about senate hearings, resistance fighters in the outer rim but there it was like a neon sign on Nar Shadaa. An imperial star destroyer attacked, goods stolen. Her lips formed a smirk as she read through the file. Her first real hit toward her former employer. Good. Nothing pointing towards them exactly but no doubt the Empire will have all of them pegged by now. She would have to find more info later. As she relaxed, she heard the rummaging of the crew about the ship, hearing a few beeps and boops from the old astromech. She pulled her feet back, planting them on the ground. Hunched over, her fingers working quickly as a thought came to mind. Well, a few thoughts.

Zane was a nobody, coming from a junk planet no one cared for, hence why a top star destroyer was camped there. Nothing on the kid. Jet, as much as she could muster was as clean as they come. No record, at least that she could find. Though, the Empire did tag him as an Ex-Republican mechanic. Useful on a piece of junk freighter. She shrugged and carried on. The pilot was a different story. Plenty of history with the Empire. That was a given, no need to even tell her. He was a pilot for the Imperial Navy, which spoke volumes about his piloting skills. Moved through different squadrons. “How did you get into smuggling…” Aellyn whispered to herself as her eyes continued to read. There, at the end. Dishonorably discharged. “Kriff.” Her eyes skipped over lines, nothing. The file had been altered or encrypted. She needed to know. A sudden knock against the metal frame of the cockpit made her jump. Aellyn quickly unplugged as she turned her head toward the door, at least it was only the Doc.

Aellyn leaned back in her chair as the Chiss took a seat in the Pilot chair. He still had the Imperial uniform on. Putting her datapad away, her eyes looked over the man. He looked like his life was suddenly over. The same feeling she had when she left Coruscant. Wyler would take care of him, getting him to a safe world and put the kolto to good use. She explained everything. Her contact would come here, pick him up and the kolto, taking away from the Empire. A place he can make a difference. Aellyn apologized for forcing him into coming with them but the Chiss insisted that he had made his choice, in his own right. She nodded and smiled toward him, suggesting they should probably help the others. As they both stood, she turned toward the window, seeing a cloud of dust forming in the distance. Seeing as how there is nothing out here on this rock, makes sense the exchange would happen sooner than later. As the pair exited the cockpit, the droid rolled past, beeping about something. “Go ahead…grab the crate. If my contact comes, I got a feeling it won’t be good for this bunch and your extraction will be quick.”

Aellyn stepped into her so called room, grabbing her holster and pistol. She attached the holster to her, checked the weapon before she put it away. The kid was coming back up the ramp as the Chiss was just pulling the crate of kolto out of cargo. This was going to be fun to explain. She helped move the box along, down the ramp and onto the dry unforgiving rock. Where did the pilot find these places, she asked herself as she stepped onto the dry grass. Taking the landscape while watching the dust approach rapidly. The pilot put them in a strategic position. Though, nowhere to escape, they would have to shoot their way out if it came to that. Her data pad beeped as she pulled it out of her pocket.

Kriff. Her contact just dropped into orbit.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

The freighter hung suspended in the blackness of space. A silent beast, against the backdrop of a million distant stars. No sound, just the subtle hum of its internal systems and the loud snoring made by its lonely passenger. The silence continued only to be disturbed by the ship's comm system. Who in the galaxy would be contacting him? The old man pressed his bare feet to the cold metal, unbothered by it, as he made his way toward the comm panel. He flipped a few switches, seeing a very familiar redhead. He didn’t have time to deal with her mess. He should have left her stranded on Coruscant. The ex-agent was getting to be a problem, however, she had a knack for finding things. He let her spill about the heist, the story lined up on what he heard on the holonet about a star destroyer. What did she do? Maybe he had trained her a bit too much. Kolto?! Hard to pass on a whole crate plus a med tech to boot. The old trooper took a moment but eventually agreed to the extraction and the comm channel was cut.

Wyler leaned back into the chair and sighed. No telling where that girl ended up and how she got aboard that star destroyer. No matter, the girl could handle herself. She would have made a fine trooper back in the day, he thought to himself. He huffed, checked the internal systems and decided that he can use some grub.

---

Somehow, Aellyn managed to find herself in the cockpit. The pilot had just killed the comms and moved back over to his seat. Perfect. She slid into the seat next to comms. “Better keep us steady. I mean, don’t want us to die after we made it this far.” Aellyn grinned toward the pilot as she sat back, letting him do his thing. The planetoid came into view. Leaning forward to get a better look, the place wasn’t at all what she had pictured. Kark. She wasn’t sure what was worse, this bare minimum of a planet or the junk one. Holding on as the ship banked, then soon settling a few clicks away from the settlement. “That was better than the last one. I’m going to pry on the settlement a bit. ” Not at all what she was going to do. She plugged her datapad into the comm panel. This ship needed better security. Easily finding the coordinates, she sent an encrypted message out to her contact. She hoped he would be here in time before the captain made his drop.

Fel returned Aellyn’s smile. He genuinely liked piloting, and there was something special about a Corellian craft. Something forgiving about the way they moved that evoked the feel of a craft responding to in-atmo input. Some pilots hated that degree of inaccuracy. Fel revelled in it. The ship somehow felt as though it was moving more naturally. In atmo itself, was another matter. Most pilots felt that CEC freighters flew like cattle-cars in-atmo, but again, Fel loved it. The amount of feedback that every creak, every groan, every rattle and shake of the airframe told him what to expect, how to react. He let it guide him. Every control surface and response was dealt with lovingly, gently. And when they touched down, if anything the smile was even bigger. ”Sensors are all yours. Not sure how much they’ll be able to tell you ‘bout Abilene. They’re pretty low-tech. Just stay off the holonet, ok? I’d rather not pop up on anyone’s ident-tracker.”

Jet sidled into the cockpit, casually bracing himself hanging off the doorframe, allowing his weight to shift with the ship. A comforting, familiar feeling reminding him of the many years he had spent flying around from one battlefront to another, and from one base to another. He stared through the glass and watched as Fel did his thing. An ace pilot if he ever knew one, and he had known plenty.

“Got it…No Holo.” Aellyn pulled her datapad from the comm panel. She got what she wanted. Now for the wait game and hoped nothing else went wrong.

---

The trooper was explaining his last mission, something about a blockade and medicine when his comm panel lit up. He knew who and what it was. Pausing his briefing he read the coded message. Urgent? Wyler scoffed at the message.
“Something wrong Wyler?” A voice from the holo mentioned.
“No, Need to help a….friend. He held at the last word. Did he really think of her as that?
“Do you require assistance?”
“No…should be simple…I’ll send a message when I’m on my way to you. Wyler, out.” The trooper killed the comms. He then stood and slid into the pilot seat, punching the coordinates into the panel. The freighter jumped to hyperspace, heading toward Abilene and its unbeknown inhabitants.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

The door to the cabin slid closed, the sounds of the galley muffled as the captain started on dinner. She was curious what sort of meal was there to prepare out here in space. Leaning against the steel door she closed her eyes and sighed. The mission was over and for what it was worth, they made it out alive. They nabbed their prize and even snagged some kolto. Aellyn patted her pockets as she found her datapad, pulling it out. Settling onto the lower bunk, her fingers went to work. Opening an encrypted communication channel, she began her message. She hoped that her contact would change their plans and meet her at their new destination. As the communication was sent, the waiting game began, hoping it would come before they landed. The kid's voice could be heard in the galley along with the captains. A good sign, she thought. Too much time in one's head has an effect on a person. She removed the imperial uniform, folding it neatly. An action she had performed many times before. As she pulled on her boots, her datapad chimed. Quickly picking it up, a smile formed on her face.

Stepping into the main common room, the aroma of food hit her senses. Kriff, what was he making? Rubbing her nose, she turned toward the cockpit. Food would have to wait. As she entered, Wrench was in the middle of some routine checks as he acknowledged her presence. “Yeah..I know. I’m not allowed to be in here but I need the comm panel.” She eased into the co-pilot chair and plugged her datapad into it. “It’s important. You can tattle on me later…” Aellyn mentioned as Wrench poked her side just to aggravate her. Her fingers pressed and flipped a few switches, causing a hologram to appear in front of her. An Elderly man, built much like Jet, yet he had the familiar face that any Imperial would know.

“Sorry, Wyler, had to get a message to you. I got something for you…scored big.”

The clone trooper had an expressionless face, like most of the dealings she had with him. “Whatcha got, kid? I don’t have much time.”

Wrench beeped and poked her side. “Yea, just another minute, Wrench. Wyler, I got roped into a heist. We snagged some kolto and with any luck, I can get you a full crate. It can help that camp I told you about. The supplies can last a good bit and from what I heard on the holonet, it’s bad out there.” The trooper appeared to think about what he had just heard, his hand scratching his chin. She hoped that he would bite.

“And this med tech you mentioned?”

“He defected and he helped the crew secure the crate. He needs a new home and I figured if any place needs a doc, it’s the camp.” Aellyn gave a pleading look.

“Hard to pass on kolto these days…You got a deal kid. Send me a message when you arrive. Wyler out. “

The hologram clicked off as she removed her datapad from the console. “See Wrench…nothing to it.” She patted the droid's metal head as she stood up making her way to the galley.

Leaning against the hull of the interior, her arms crossed as she listened to Jet and Fel. She didn’t announce herself, she observed like she was used to. Watching, listening, those were two powerful things. Secrets were much more easily obtained that way. As the conversation turned toward Abilene, she was curious on how the drop off would happen. She had to at least see that off plus figure out how to get the doc and her crate to her own contact, without causing trouble.

“Agreed. The goods are hers, supposedly. Though, we risked our necks for it. I would make sure what she has promised is there before the exchange, like the big guy mentioned. Otherwise, no deal.” Aellyn shrugged. “Of course, there is also the kolto, which I want a crate. You can split the rest amongst the four of you. “

Fel looked to Jet, and back to Aellyn, his mood serene face and demeanor calm. ”As for the kolto, you deserve it. That was your score.”

She moved and settled in next to Fel, making herself at home for the time being. “Thanks, but credit goes to the doc…” She smiled over to the Chiss as he nodded back to her.

Fel shook his head, no. “Doc might’ve got us access to the kolto, but he did it so he could get out, get away. Not because he’s a saint, robbing the rich to give to the downsiders. We’re even on that score. No, you were the one that brought it to us. Score’s yours in my eyes.” He turned to face the doc. “No disrespect meant, doc. We all do what we gotta do.” swinging back to Aellyn “...question is, you got a place to fence a crate of kolto, and a way to get there?”

“You take care of your own drop, Doc and I will handle it…” Aellyn's smile was mischievous. Her hand wasn’t played yet.