Nobodyman123

The Stars of Soot

"I think it would sink like lead, honestly." Max replied. "Anyone capable of making anything new or meaningful for the aerospace market has been let go. The layoffs will help his bottom line for a little while, but I give him six months to a year unless he can pull off a miracle. If he can't, then his only choice would be to sell the company." It was true, Hubert honestly didn't have long with the company. It was a damn shame to see it all fall apart like this, but it was completely out of his hands now.

Octavia was a skilled dancer, much better than Max. Still, talking about airships helped put his mind off of the fact that she was dancing circles around him.

"What about you? If your father's company dissolves, then what comes next? Are you planning to start your own company?" Max was very interested in Octavia's stake in all of this. She didn't own the company, but it was still her father's legacy. Maybe she was planning to continue where her father left off and she was looking to hire. If she had asked him, he probably would have said yes on the spot, regardless of money.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Adam shook his head as the walls of the space station began to creak from stress. Who or whatever this thing was, it was powerful. His thoughts had returned to the smuggling apartment on the Falcon. Was this the same being that he felt?

The door at the other end of the hallway opened, and a wall of pure blackness stepped forwards. He was tall, taller than any man that Adam had ever seen, with the only color eminanting off of him were from the electronic lights on his midsection and the gleaming red lightsaber in his hands. Adam ignited his own blue saber and held it up in a guard position. He wanted to run like hell, but deep down he knew that was pointless.

"What's this?" said the man in black with a deep, mechanized voice. He sounded genuinely surprised. "Where is your Master, child? Where is Obi-wan Kenobi?" Adam felt the inside of his mouth become dry and his words completely failed him.

"Nothing to say? Very well, then." The man said as he rushed forward, lightsaber raised.

The Stars of Soot

"You can certainly say that again." quipped Max. "I'd say he's about three months away from completely running PAS into the ground. He's decimated the hired hands and axed many of the engineers. I think he's more interested in having everyone agree with him rather than doing a decent job."

Max could see Hubert out of the corner of his eye, hobnobbing with a few of his favorite cronies. The young engineer attempted to take Octavia's hand and lead her to the dancefloor. "If we wish for a bit more privacy, then maybe I could offer you a dance." Maximillian wasn't a great dancer, but he was sure that he could fake it for long enough to finish his conversation with Octavia.

The Stars of Soot

Max was surprised to see young Octavia trying to mingle with him. He certainly knew of her, but the actual amount of words they had spoken to each other before tonight could have been counted on two hands. He knew that Gregory dotted on her, and that she shared her father's love of airships. He wondered how she could have become so pleasant while Hubert grew up to become a conniving bastard of the highest order.

"Starting tomorrow, I won't be working anywhere." he began. "Your brother has deemed it fit to let me go. I can only assume that he's invited me to this party to embarrass me further." He couldn't be mad at Octavia for her brother's doings, as he knew the siblings didn't exactly get along very well. Very few people could get along with Hubert Augustus Dorrsett, for that matter.

"I have considered maybe starting my own company, as I have a few designs that have potential. Failing that, I could start racing like dear Claudia. But what of you? What are you up to these days now that your brother runs the company?"

The Stars of Soot

For the third time that night, Maximillian wondered how much this insane party had cost. The band, the hors d'oeuvres, hell, even the punch must have cost the family a small fortune. Thankfully everything was free, so Max didn't feel too bad about helping himself to the spiked punch.

Max never felt comfortable around parties, or any social situation for that matter. The only reasoned he had been invited in the first place was because of his connections to the firm and his relation to Mr. Dorrsett. It felt strange not being here with his old friend, but it seemed rude to refuse the invitation. So, Maximilian Fischer, Airship Engineer and Pilot, dusted off his party suit and made himself presentable. As awkward as he was, he tried his best to enjoy himself. Who knows when he would get another chance.

After finishing his second glass of punch, Max noticed the heavy steps of Hubert Dorrsett coming up from behind him. He rolled his eyes and steeled himself for what was to come next.

"Fischer! I hope you are enjoying yourself." he said. His tone was polite, but Max and Hubert knew each other well enough to know what was really going on. Hubert had come to gloat.

"Yes, thank you. I was surprised to receive the invite, considering my position." Max said, putting his now empty glass on a nearby table.

"Come now, it's the least I can do. I couldn't think of a much better way to celebrating you leaving us." Hubert said.

Celebrating my termination, you mean. Thought Max. Hubert turned the company upside-down even before Gregory's funeral, and one of his first orders of business was to sack many of the engineers who had disagreed, crossed or otherwise annoyed Hubert. It was a long list, and it included Max. After that, Hubert decided to downsize the workforce. Hundreds of manufacturers and airship crew-members were now out of jobs. All for the sake of the bottom line.

"Look at it this way, Fischer." Hubert began. In the years that Max had known him, he couldn't recall a single time where Hubert referred to him by Max or even Mr. Fischer. "Think of it as an opportunity to start fresh. You're not shackled to my father's company anymore, so know you can spread your own wings and seize your destiny."

"Far away from PAS, I assume." Max said dryly. No matter how Hubert tried to spin it, he only saw this as a chance to get rid of a troublesome rival.

"Of course. Perhaps you can find work as a clerk? Or perhaps as a designer of tractors?" Hubert said, keeping obnoxiously chipper. It took nearly all of Max's willpower not to make Hubert eat the empty glass now on the table, but he wouldn't dare do something so shameful in Gregory's house. The man was more of a father to Max than his own father had been, and his work at PAS made him truly happy.

Thanks to Hubert, it was all lost. All of his other projects would be passed on to engineers more to Hubert's liking. Perhaps he could sell one of the designs he had been working on in his spare time? Project Vulcan showed promise, for as radical as it was.

"We shall see." said Max. "If you will excuse me." he quickly bowed and walked away from Hubert, trying his best not to let his anger show.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

"Right. Here goes nothing." Adam said as he wrapped his arm around Kijani as tight as he could. Satisfied that he wasn't going to drop her, he leapt forward. For a moment, Adam felt completely weightless as he soared through the air, princess under his arm. Even as the blaster bolts whizzed past, the young Jedi felt the durasteel ground hit his feet. He let go of the cord, and got a few feet before he realized he was still trying to carry the princess. "Sorry." he said as he let her go and continued running.

As the pair of them ran, Adam noticed the Stormtroopers and blaster shots begin to lessen. Are they really breaking off? Why stop chasing us now? After a moment of not seeing any more imperials, Adam slowed his run and tried to catch his breath.

"Do they know something we don't?" he asked no one in particular. Even as he spoke, he knew something had to be terribly wrong. Worst still, he had no idea if they were even remotely close to the Falcon. And where the hell was Obi-wan?

Then it hit him. The full power of the darkside was suddenly all around him. It was darker and more terrible than anything Adam felt before. He felt his breath begin to quicken as fear and adrenaline coursed through him. From the other side of the hall sounded a strange, mechanical noise that almost sounded like... breathing?

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Adam listened to Kijani while they ran, and found he couldn't bring himself to disagree. At least they had saved her father, so now all that needed to happen was to get back to the Falcon and get the hell out. Everything would be alright after that. That's what he told himself anyway.

Adam skidded to a halt in front of a massive, empty chasm. Looking down, it seemed to go on forever. "Why the hell would anyone built this?" he said incredulously. "What purpose could this possibly serve other than to kill your staff!?" Glancing at the other side of the chasm, he saw a door open and more blaster bolts fly towards them. He quickly raised his saber to deflect, and sent one bolt flying back.

The other, however, glanced off his blade and went into a nearby control panel. "I hope that's not the controls for the bridge..." he said to himself. Sure enough, it was. With a twenty foot gap in front of them and Stormtroopers behind, Adam was starting to run out of ideas.

"Does that belt have a grappling hook?" he asked Kijani, looking up at a large durasteel fixture. That thing looked heavy enough to support their weight.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

"Right." Adam said, tossing his blasters. The scummy water probably ruined the power packs, anyway, so there was no point in lugging them around. The young Jedi gripped his lightsaber but didn't ignite it. "Hopefully they've lost our trail for now. If we can hurry back to the ship before they realize where we are, we can get out, no problem."

As he spoke, Adam heard a soft sloshing noise from behind him. It was possible that there was something in the compactor with them. Not that he planned on sticking around long enough to find out.

Once Kijani opened the door, Adam rushed forward with his lightsaber drawn, hoping there weren't a platoon of troopers with blasters aimed right at the door. Instead, he nearly collided with a seven foot wall of smelly hair.

"What's the rush, kid?" said Han, equally surprised. Both were carrying Imperial blaster rifles. "Is that your dad?" Han nudged at Bail.

"Yea, but what the hell are you guys doing here? What happened to staying at the ship?" Adam asked. Chewbacca laughed while Han looked incredulous. "Don't look at me, Chewie talked me into it. But, hey, know that we've found eac-"

Before Han could finish his sentence, the corridor erupted in blaster fire. "There they are! Take them down!" said the metallic voicebox of a Stormtrooper's helmet. Adam batted a few of the bolts away as best as he could, but it wouldn't last. They had to get out of here.

"Split up! Meet up back at the ship!" yelled Han, grabbing the senator and pulling him down the hall. Adam hoped that he would be safe with Han and Chewie, but he couldn't think about that for now.

"Let's go, princess!" Adam said before running down the hall, leaving the Stormtroopers behind.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Bail Organa didn't need much encouragement. "You be right behind us!" he said before booking it to the garbage chute. Without thinking, he jumped right in.

After a short drop, the senator found himself nearly waist deep in sewage. This must be the refuse pit for the entire detention level. he thought to himself, just as he heard another splash from behind him. Expecting to see his daughter, he was greeted by the young man who was accompanying her.

"Sorry if it isn't glamorous, but we didn't exactly have a plan for this." the young man said as he tried in vain to wipe sewage off his imperial officer's jacket.

"It's fine. I'm just glad to be out." said Bail. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Right. We didn't have time for introductions. My name is Adam Skywalker." Adam said while sticking his hand out.

Just like that, a flood of memories came rushing back to Bail Organa. He remembered needing to leave his pregnant wife to travel to Polis Massa. He remembered Obi-wan cradling a newborn baby boy. He remembered learning that Padme had died giving birth.

So, this is the son of Anakin Skywalker. the senator thought to himself while shaking Adam's hand, just as another splash sounded. That must be Kijani.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Bail crushed her daughter in a massive bear hug, completely unable to believe his good fortune. His daughter, despite all the odds, was alive and here to rescue him. How did she get here? Did she find Obi-Wan? How were they getting out? And who was doing all the shooting down the hall?

"Right, tell me later." Bail said as he left the cell. A stray blaster-bolt whizzed past his head, and the senator ducked down low, pushing his daughter to do the same.

"Stay low, both of you." said a young blonde man with a blaster rifle in each hand, unloading them towards the elevators. Bail thought he recognized the man for a second, but he put it from his mind for now.

"Now that you've got me out, now where do we go?" asked Bail, scrambling for cover.

"Honestly, I don't think we excepted to get this far." said the young man, firing again at a stormtrooper out of cover. "We better think of something before they get the heavy weapons up here."