The YV-650 Corellian Light Freighter, Songbird, dropped out of Hyperspace in the Hyphoria System.
The red Twi’lek in black leather, Captain Sera Wes, checked the sensors as she slowed the ship. Three Arquitens light cruisers drifted lifeless in the void not far from the Hyperspace Lane access.
She typed something into the console and cursed.
“Essa.” She called the BD3000 servant droid the flight deck of her ship.
“Yes mistress?” After a moment the purple and silver feminine humanoid droid shuffled in.
“What do you know about Hyphoria?” Sera looked back and asked the droid.
“It has a light Imperial presence. The system’s primary planet, Hyphoria Vex, is garden world for the nearby Pantix system.”
“Who is the primary authority on Hyphoria?”
“Technically the Empire rules the planet.” Essa responded.
“With a light Imperial presence someone else runs the planet.” Sera told her.
“I believe you may be referring to the Hyphoria Vex Cooperative. They seem to control the majority of the farms and port facilities across the planet. The Cooperative is under the leadership of the Grange.” Essa responded.
“Who controls the Grange?”
“Theoretically the Grange is a council of landowners chaired by the Grange Master who is elected by the councilors.”
“What do you mean theoretically? Who is the current Grange Master?”
“That is my current understanding of the organization. The current Grange Master is Dextin Frankle.” Essa made sure the question was answered properly the continued.
“Grange Master Frankle has controlled the council for approximately ten standard years. He was able to navigate the planet’s integration into the Empire.”
The Songbird flew close to one of the Arquitens. It bore republic colors.
Essa made a noise when they passed the body of an armored clone drifting near a massive hole in the side of the cruiser.
“Was Hyphoria a battleground during the war?” Sera circled the ship.
“No mistress. Hyphoria allied with the Republic and provided half of its calorie output to feed the Grand Army of the Republic.” The droid reported.
“Do you know the troop compliment?” Sera set the ship to dock with the derelict.
“The planet is largely autonomous. They maintain a local defense force made up of conscripted workers. The Imperial Garrison consists of one battalion of regular troopers and a detachment of Imperial Security Bureau personnel.” She answered.
“How many ISB agents?” Sera was a bit concerned.
“The standard compliment is four.” Essa responded.
“The system is patrolled by four Arquitens class cruisers crewed by the LDF troops and an Imperial navy liaison.”
Sera sealed her helmet and stepped through the airlock. She shined the light mounted on the left wrist of her space suit around the access point. She pointed her blaster with her right.
The light in the passageway flickered periodically as she floated through the micro gravity of the cruiser.
The area around the hole in the side was inaccessible. The doors hade been closed and sealed.
It took her several detours to find the bridge of the ship. The doors were partially open. The body of a man in an Imperial Uniform kept it from closing completely. Sera looked the body over and found that he had shot several times. The bridge crew consisted of three humans in simple olive drab uniforms with their names embroidered over their right breast pockets. All of them were dead, shot to death. One of them had a DC17 pistol in her hand.
Sera pushed a dead crew member aside and accessed the ship’s computer. She reviewed the footage of the battle on the bridge and pulled the memory core for future use.
“Mistress.” Essa’s voice came over the commlink in her helmet.
“Yes Essa?” She responded quickly.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your explorations but there seems to be a craft approaching us.”
“Thank you, Essa. If they attempt to contact us, be polite.”
“Yes mistress.”
Sera hurried to the flight deck with her helmet in her hand, still wearing her space suit.
“Transmit your codes.” Someone from the approaching ship called over the commlink.
“Standby.” Sera told the man.
The other ship was a cruiser slapped together from a bulk transport and the weapons looted from other, better armed warships.
The Songbird outclassed the makeshift warship in almost every way. There was no way she would be able to outfight it, but she could easily outmaneuver and outrun it.
“Your codes check out. Approach on vector seven two five.” The man responded.
“What happened to the ship?” Sera asked, hoping it wouldn’t be seen as hostile.
“A dispute aboard the ship. It is best not to ask any further questions.” The response came back.
“Deliver your cargo and leave.” The man told her and cut comms.
The approach to Hyphoria was crowded with various models of bulk freighter and orbital docking facilities. Heavy lift shuttles from the surface marked with the Hyphoria Vex Cooperative logo hauled containers filled with staple foods bound for worlds outside of the system.
She was challenged one more time as she entered orbit around the planet. It took several minutes for her to be given clearance to land at the Vex City star port.
Vex was a vast urban area with sprawling block buildings that reminded Sera of the hab blocs on Ryvan. The city was surrounded by towering storage structures with heavy lift craft attached near the tops. She counted twenty of the silos. Each had a number painted on the top.
In the center of the city was a vaguely conical spire made of steel and crystal. The sunlight refracted off of one of the surfaces, creating a rainbow spray of light. She assumed that was where the Grange ruled from.
The landing pad she had been assigned was near the central structure. As she debarked the ship she was greeted by a pale alien in dirty MVC coveralls.
“You lucky to get through.” They said. “Things not great here.”
How so?” Sera asked.
“Council scuffle.” Was the response then they directed the utility droids to connect the Songbird to external power.
“You need repairs?” The alien asked.
Sera shook her head.
The alien nodded then left the bay once the droids had competed their tasks.
There didn’t seem to be any indication of a civil war as she walked through the streets of Vex. The buildings she had seen on approach were mostly storehouses.
She carried a reinforced garment box under her arm. It was a garment that the Imperial Security Agent, Colonel Candia Knort had paid her to deliver.
She had watched Franka, a Twi’lek tailor place it in the case.
The port agent had grunted in annoyance when she asked directions but gave them anyway.
The address she had been provided was an upscale bar inhabited by off duty Imperial Officers in various states of sobriety.
As she walked in one of them tried to grope her. She quickly side stepped his grasp and he groaned. “Are you too good to serve the Empire?”
A couple of the others laughed. Sera ignored them. The handsy officer turned back to his drink. Sera made a note of his face and rank. As much as she wanted to teach him a lesson, the canteen wasn’t place for it.
The bartender was a bald human woman made of muscle. She watched Sera closely as the Twi’lek approached her.
“You got some courage coming into a place this.” Sera couldn’t tell if that was good or bad.
“I have a delivery for Varto Klay.” She kept it short and professional.
Someone turned to her. That ain’t a bomb, is it?” There was a bigger laugh than lieutenant handsy had received.
Sera ignored the comment.
The mountain behind the bar looked at her severely. “Is it?”
“Why would it be a bomb?” Sera asked the room.
Someone laughed. “Old Varto isn’t exactly popular here.”
“Look I was told to make this delivery and leave. This is the place I was told to meet Varto.”
Someone walked into the bar and the bartender looked up. The entire room came to attention as a human man walked through the door.
“Seems you can deliver it and go.” The woman behind the bar pointed at the swarthy man with deep brown hair.
He stood with his arms crossed looking around the room. It seems he carried considerable authority with the officers in the bar. He looked at Sera and indicated she should leave with him.
“Why are you here?” He demanded while they walked out of the building.
“Colonel Knort has a package for you.” Sera replied and showed him the box.
He sighed. “I have enough problems. I don’t need another one of her ridiculous requests.”
Sera’s lekku twitched, warning her of imminent danger. She noticed someone watching them from a corner just within her peripheral vision.
“Do you have a security detail shadowing you?” Sera asked him openly.
“No.” Concern crept into his voice. “Why do you ask?”
When she looked back at the corner the person was gone. “Because someone is tailing one of us.”
“It doesn’t help that you are a large red woman.” His tone was dismissive. “We had best get to my transport quickly before people get the wrong idea.”
As they approached the luxury speeder Sera’s lekku twitched again and she threw the officer to the ground. Something streaked over their heads and slammed into the speeder. It lurched then exploded. Sera felt heat of the ignition, since they were flat on the ground the shrapnel from the detonation had missed them.
In an instant she was on her feet with her blaster in her hand. She fired off a blaster round. Someone collapsed from around a corner.
“My uniform.” The Officer complained loudly. “You got it dirty.”
Sera turned to the Officer and noticed he hadn’t escaped the blast unscathed.
There was a small amount of blood staining the calf of his uniform. She could see a shard of metal had just gone through his uniform and just pierced the skin.
Before he could protest picked him up and threw him over shoulder then ran towards an open door.
“They weren’t lying when they said you are uncivilized brutes.” He said angrily. “You didn’t even have the decency to warn me.”
Varto squealed when he noticed the shrapnel in his leg.
Sera tried to keep herself from laughing at his overreaction.
“What have you done?” He demanded of her.
Sera ignored the question and searched the apartment they had ended up in for something to clean the man’s wound.
He stood, wobbled a bit then walked to the door. “I’m going to report this to high command.”
“I wouldn’t open that door Major Klay.” Sera suggested.
With an indignant harumph he did just that.
Sera watched as the two people in PDF uniforms pulled the trigger. She gave him a gentle force push so that he would stumble out of the way.
The blaster bolts barely missed him and struck the walls on the other side of the room.
Sera fired a couple of bolts off to force them to take cover, then ran to close the door.
“Seems as though they don’t like you.” Sera told him.
“Its you. They don’t like you.” He retorted.
She took the bottle of alcohol and a rag and forced Klay into his seat.
He looked up at her in fear. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She set the bottle and rag on the table and threw up her hands. “There is one way to find out who they are after. If I leave, they will either kill you or go after me.” She checked her blaster and stood next to the window to carefully looked out.
He panicked. “What if they kill me for being with you?”
“Why would they do that?” Sera asked as she found cover in the room.
“I.” He struggled to find a reason.
“You might want to take care of that wound.” Sera said from her hiding spot. “You wouldn’t want it to get infected.”
He complained loudly about everything for several minutes.
Sera stayed quiet, waiting to see what would happen next.
The assailants waited around ten minutes before they acted.
One of the mm kicked the door in and the other pointed a pistol at Varto.
The Imperial officer screamed in fear.
“Pathetic.” The woman pointing the pistol was taken down before she could pull the trigger. The second trooper fired in Sera’s direction several times.
Sera fired low and shot him in the leg. With a grunt the trooper collapsed. Again the Officer screamed.
Sera stood, took the blaster from the dead trooper and stepped on the other one’s gun wrist.
She pointed her blaster at the injured assailant. “Why are you trying to kill him?”
“Why are you trying to save that coward?” He tried force himself up.
Sera used a small amount pressure with the force to keep him pinned.
“It became my problem when you involved me.” Sera responded.
He laughed. “You would think that a Twi’lek would just let some arrogant Imp die.”
“That’s my business.” Sera kicked him in the temple hard.
She wasn’t sure if he was unconscious or dead. She didn’t really care.
She turned to Varto. “Come with me or don’t. If you chose not to, sign the invoice.”
She held a data pad.
“I think it might be in our best interest to stick together.” He stood up, then sat back down from the pain.
Sera pulled out the shrapnel and cleaned the wound. After wrapping some scrounged linen around his leg to stop the bleeding she looked out the window.
Varto picked up the second trooper’s pistol and looked it over.
Sera snatched it out of his hand.
“You don’t expect me to go out there unarmed, do you?” He complained.
“Yes. You are as much a danger to yourself as they are if you are armed.” Sera pulled the powerpack from the blaster squeezed the trigger twice to make sure there was no lingering charge then handed it back to him.
“You’re afraid I’m going to shoot you.” He thought he knew what was going on.
“I’m worried you are going to hit me while trying to shoot at anyone else.” Sera checked the dead trooper’s pistol then stuffed it in her pocket. She checked her own and holstered it.
His face filled with indignation. “I’ll have you know; I am an expert marksman.”
“Major, you wet your pants when your life was threatened.”
Varto looked down in embarrassment.
“Now, get up. We’re going.” Sera told him.
As they walked through the back streets Sera walked behind Varto. “Where is the garrison?”
“How should I know? That’s why I have a driver.” Varto’s voice was a bit whiney. “I’ll call for a speeder.” He reached for a commlink.
Sera slapped it out of his hand. “You want them to track you down?”
“What do you mean? Of course. The can pick me up and I can get cleaned up and changed.”
“What kind of weapons do the PDF carry?” Sera asked the increasingly frustrated major.
“Why do you keep asking me questions like that?”
Sera rolled her eyes.
“Are you trying to say something?” He realized she was making a point. He just couldn’t connect.
“The PDF uses surplus GAR weapons. Those troopers were armed with Imperial weapons.”
“Are you telling me that my own troops are trying to kill me?” His voice betrayed his disbelief.
“I’m not sure I blame them.” Sera said barely loud enough for him to hear.
“But that would be treason.” He wasn’t sure if he should be angry at Sera or whoever was trying to kill him.
“Do you have a place you can go that people don’t know about?” Sera leaned against the wall as she watched the Major rest. His injury was slowing him.
“There is a place I can go that should be safe for a while. But I don’t feel right letting an alien in.” He looked at Sera with a small amount disgust.
Sera chuckled. “I reckon you can make there by yourself.” She turned to walk away.
“Wait. I could make an exception. Just don’t touch anything.”
She sighed and started walking away.
“Where are you going?” He had no idea why she was abandoning him.
“I’m returning the package. Colonel Knort is going to be disappointed to learn that you died.” Sera was amused at the horror that crossed his face.
“Wait, are you going to kill me?” He was terrified.
“When I leave, you’ll be dead.” Sera leaned against the wall again fighting a smile.
It took him a minute to understand that the dirty Twi’lek was keeping him alive. He sat down on the ground and hugged his knees.
“I know someone who will keep us safe for a while.” He finally looked up.
It took several minutes for the HVC patrol LAAT to arrive.
The troops aboard the craft where wearing black clone trooper armor with the HVC logo on the right breast where rank would normally be. They jumped out and formed a security perimeter around the pair. One drew down on Sera covered her while she and Varto climbed into the transport.
The LAAT was already airborne by the time the doors were closed.
An older gray-haired man in business clothing leaned on a walking stick as he watched them from a seat in the back of the craft. He seemed annoyed. Sera wasn’t sure if it was her presence or having to rescue Varto.
It took a moment, but Sera noticed the resemblance between the two. No one spoke during the flight to the spire in the middle of Vex.
Varto spent the entire flight looking down in shame.
The room Sera had been left in had an amazing view of the city a surrounding region. The golden cereal crop spread out unbroken like a sea at sunset.
The man had ordered two corporate guards to stay in the room with Sera. He had told them to let her keep her weapons, but they were still cautious.
Sera waited for an hour before someone came to talk with her. The old man walked into the room leaning on his ornate cane.
“Is there a particular reason you chose to save my son?” His voice was strong but passive. She still wasn’t sure if he was annoyed by her, or his son.
“Colonel Knort has asked me to deliver a package to him.” She patted the small crate sitting on the floor next to her leg.
He sniffed a laugh. “What is it?”
“A dress.” Sera responded honestly.
“Curious.” The man scratched his chin. Sera couldn’t detect any hint of distaste in his voice.
Sera stood and approached as he approached her and offered a handshake.
“I am Dextin Frankle.” His grip was firm and professional.
“Captain Sera Wes.”
“I should thank you for saving my stepson’s life.” He said as he sat down next to her.
“He seems to have taken the Imperial indoctrination far to seriously. But it is useful to have a person on the inside of the Imperial Garrison.” Sera assumed that was the extent of the acknowledgment of his son’s xenophobia.
“May is see the contents of the case?” Dextin motioned to the crate.
“I’m afraid it is sealed so that only Varto can open it.” Sera told him.
He scratched his chin again. “Do you know anything about it?”
“It is quite a beautiful garment. She showed before she sealed the case. I assumed that it was purchased from Franka.”
“That is quite a purchase. His work is quite well sought after. Several of my colleagues have spoken highly of them. There is a rumor that the person who saved Moff Rivise was wearing one of his gowns.”
He leaned on his cane and stood. “I’m sure there is an interesting explanation for the dress. Please follow me.”
The door to the large office slid open to see a floor to ceiling window showing the city.
Varto had changed into civilian clothes and was sitting in a chair with his head hung low.
“Stand up.” Dextin ordered. “Your savior needs you to sign for the case.”
Sera laid it on the massive desk in the middle of the room.
Varto pulled himself to his feet and avoided looking in Sera’s direction. His limp was exaggerated as looked the crate over.
Dextin motioned for Sera to have a seat then sat behind the desk.
It took him a moment to figure out the lock. He cracked the lid a bit and sighed heavily.
Dextin put his hand on his chin and looked up at his stepson. “Let’s see this dress.”
“How did you know?” Varto seemed to be embarrassed.
Dextin looked over at Sera. “How I know is irrelevant. Why is an ISB Colonel sending you feminine garments?”
Varto looked accusingly at Sera.
“Captain Wes has nothing to do with this. She simply delivered the package.” Dextin scolded him.
“Why would she send and alien to do her dirty work?” His voice betrayed his distaste.
Dextin steepled his fingers. “Couriers aren’t obligated to save the recipients of their deliveries. You had best watch your tone.”
Sera watched passively as Dextin and Varto glared at each other.
“I may have done something regrettable on Sussik Van.” Varto’s face was red.
“Define regrettable.” Dextin suddenly became more attentive. “If the dress is yours, I don’t care.”
The older man thought for a moment. “Colonel Knort wouldn’t be so petty.”
He moved faster than Sera had expected and was holding his stepson’s collar in his fist. “You fowl little monster. You killed the owner of this dress.”
Varto hung his head again. “I.”
“Don’t make excuses.” Dextin let go and turned.
“But she was an alien.” He protested.
Dextin suddenly looked at Sera with a look of concern. His eyes settled on the blaster at her hip. He relaxed a bit when he realized Sera wasn’t going to shoot his stepson.
“Please excuse us, Captain Wes.” Dextin signed the invoice and showed Sera out.
Sera walked to the turbo lift and pushed the call button. As she waited for the lift car one of the armored guards ran to her. “Grange Master Frankle wishes you to return.”
Sera ignored the hateful look that Varto gave her as she walked in.
“Thank you again Captain Wes for saving my stepson.” Dextin did not seem happy to say the next words. “It is unlikely that he will be punished for his crime in the current climate. But Colonel Knort is resourceful, so no doubt she had ulterior motives for the gift. I was wondering if you might have some insight.”
Sera shook her head. “I didn’t ask any questions.”
“It is probably just as well.” Dextin seemed to understand.
Sera crossed her arms and looked at Varto. She wasn’t surprised to find that he was a murderer. She assumed it was an accident, but he didn’t seem to have any remorse for it.
The group heard the sound of blaster fire then the office doors slammed closed.
Varto’s face went pale at that moment.
“Someone activated the emergency security measures. It seems we are trapped in here until the attackers either breach the door or get tired and go away.” Dextin was calm. Varto was holding his stomach.
“Were you this scared when you murdered that woman?” Dextin asked his stepson with considerable sarcasm.
“I apologize for involving you in the situation, captain Wes. There is currently a coup going on. A few of my fellow Grangers have decided that my relationship with the Garrison Commander,” Dextin looked at his stepson. “Is detrimental to the continued success of HVC.”
“How many of your planetary defense forces carry Imperial issued weapons?” Sera asked as she set the blaster she had taken from the dead trooper on the desk.
Dextin scratched his chin. “Curious.
“I had assumed the pistol that Varto brought in had been issued to him.”
Sera stood passively.
“We can barely get enough funding to maintain the equipment left over from the war. No doubt to soften us up if the Empire decided we were to valuable a resource to continue out relative autonomy.”
“It looks they have already made that decision.” Sera suggested.
“An astute observation Captain. Though I hope it is just a hypothetical.” Dextin nodded.
With a severe look at Varto, Dextin asked his stepson. “What do you know about this?”
Varto seemed horrified at the idea he was somehow guilty. “I know nothing father. I have nothing to do with this.”
The door started glowing orange as someone on the other side was attempting to cut through it.
Dextin looked at his chronometer and sighed. “They are cutting awfully close.”
Sera had blaster in hand as the door collapsed.
One of the PDF uniform clad troopers managed to fire off a shot before having to take cover on the side of the door. Sera fired a couple of blasts from behind the desk.
Varto was doubled over vomiting next to her, and Dextin was letting out a deep sigh of disappointment.
Blaster rounds scorched the heavy desk several times before a transport crashed through the massive window. Half a dozen black clone armor clad troopers debarked from the patrol LAAT and with considerable discipline took down the assailants.
Two of them broke off and helped Dextin and Varto to their feet. Another covered Sera with a blaster.
“She is with us.” Dextin Ordered as they climbed abord the transport.
The craft was hovering when Sera was helped in by one of the troopers.
The sudden arrival of the troops was enough of a shock to the assailants that they took no casualties, while inflicting several on their opponents.
Dextin stood at the cockpit entrance giving the pilot orders.
As the craft backed out of the office the chin mounted blaster canons fired into the hallway and destroyed the desk and office.
With the side doors closed the LAAT picked up speed, zooming out of the city.
After a while Sera over at Varto, then Dextin.
“We are headed to a safehouse. From there we will take a shuttle to one of the orbital stations.” Dextin explained.
“Can you trust the people at those locations?” Sera asked.
Dextin chuckled. “I believe we can yes. But things seem to have taken a surprising turn. So I must take care.”
They travelled for around an hour before the craft descended.
The doors slid open and the six armored troopers jumped out to set a security perimeter.
A well-dressed human woman with her hair nearly shaved off to allow for the AJ^6 battlefield processor unit stood near the landing area waiting.
“Ah, Ms. Welch. Thank you for meeting me here.” Dextin climbed out of the transport with help from a trooper.
The cyborg woman approached the transport and fell in next to Dextin as they walked towards the large building near the landing area.
“This is Captain Wes,” He introduced Sera. “Please ensure she is taken care of as our guest. Oh and please provide any information you have on her.”
The woman nodded in affirmation.
A second woman ran from the building towards the group and called the two men’s names.
“I heard they attacked the Grange and that your office was destroyed.”
She gave Sera a look of confusion and concern.
“My dear Myra, this is Captain Wes. We have her to thank for the life of Varto.” Dextin showed no sign of the dislike of his stepson when he spoke.
She looked at Sera with a mix of unease and thankfulness.
Sera stood near the shuttle parked in the building with her arms crossed.
Dextin kissed Myra on the cheek and talked with the cyborg woman.
He looked at Sera with some amusement then back to Ms. Welch.
After several minutes more he approached Sera. “Captain Wes, can you fly this shuttle?”
Sera turned and looked the Eta class executive shuttle over. She had learned to pilot light spacecraft in ship much like this one.
“I am familiar with the controls.” She confirmed.
“Are you seriously going to trust that…” Varto paused for effect. “Alien, over your loyal troops?”
Myra seemed to agree with her son, though she didn’t have the same disdain in her face.
Dextin looked past his stepson to his wife. “The personnel who attacked the Grange were wearing PDF uniforms. Varto was ambushed by PDF troopers carrying Imperial Blasters. Captain Wes has assisted this family twice at the potential cost of her life.”
“She could be the one they are after. Or she could be the one leading them.” The Imperial Officer pointed out.
Sera rolled her eyes.
Dextin turned to his stepson. “You had better watch your words.” He stepped very close to the younger man. “You are skating on very thin ice. The Empire may not prosecute you, but there is a person in this building that would be very disappointed in you.”
A look of concern crossed Varto’s face.
He stepped back and looked at both Myra and Varto. “Now, if you are uncomfortable with Captain Wes piloting us to safety, you are free to stay here. The bunker is active, and my personal troops are ready to guard you.”
Dextin looked directly at his stepson. “Perhaps you should return to your post, and act like a commander. Instead of cowering here.”
Myra eyes widened as Dextin spoke. Sera could tell she rarely heard her husband speak that way to Varto.
Dextin noticed her expression. “I apologize my dear.”
She seemed placated. Or she understood why he made the comment.
Sera sat in the cockpit of the shuttle and went through the checks almost by muscle memory.
The Jedi who had been the piloting instructor, Master Hafver was patient, but firm. There were few better pilots in the order when she was being trained. None of them had the ability to connect with the Padawans the way he did.
The controls felt familiar and comfortable, like she had piloted the ship recently. The shuttle was older and likely sent to Hyphoria along with the clone armor and weapons to beef up their defense force.
The Pantix sector wasn’t a priority for the Empire. The Separatists had never attempted any large-scale invasion beyond Ryvan. Ryvan had been a breakaway system anyway, so the bulk of the CIS presence was there and rooted out relatively easily.
Dextin took a seat next to Sera in the cockpit and watched her pilot the shuttle out of the hanger and into the air.
He gave her the coordinates to their destination, and they sat quietly for a while.
After an hour he looked back in the cabin and then at Sera. “Did you know Master Shaheen?”
Sera’s stomach tightened a bit. “No.” Her answer short and curt.
“She was a consular Jedi before the war.” He seemed to be reminiscing.
“I was assigned to a mission as a Judicial Trooper. She and her apprentice were some of the most professional soldiers I had encountered.”
“I wasn’t aware that Jedi were soldiers.” Sera said, trying to hide her defensive tone.
“And yet they served as generals in the grand Army of the Republic.” Dextin countered.
“Anyway.” He paused. “We were traveling to Assis 7 in a craft similar to this one.” He watched Sera for a bit longer. “She carried herself much like you. You remind me a lot of her.”
“I’ve been told that the Jedi are all dead.” Sera suggested.
Dextin gave a short, loud laugh.
“It was that mission which gave me this.” He patted his leg and held up his cane.
“You must dislike the Jedi.” Sera suggested.
“On the contrary, Master Shaheen was the person who carried me to the shuttle for evacuation. She was already aboard the ship when we were attacked by one of the parties she had been there to negotiate with. I was hit in the leg, and two of my comrades were cut down.”
He leaned back and considered the past. “She picked me up and made sure the others were recovered before we lifted off.”
He sighed. “I tried instilling that loyalty in Varto. But it seems the Imperial Academy trained him to believe otherwise.”
Sera kept quiet.
They had passed the last of the transfer stations when her sensors identified several fighters. “Did you request an escort?”
Dextin looked at the sensors. “I did not.”
“It seems we are in disputed territory.” Ms. Welch stood in the door at the back of the cockpit.
Sera looked back at the enhanced woman. “Who are they?”
“I believe they are members of the PDF from the Passet region.” Her voice flat and emotionless, a common side effect of the AJ^6 system.
“Passet is the home of one of the Grangers who opposes Varto’s position and the Empire.” Dextin explained.
“Eta class shuttle, prepare to be escorted for search and seizure.” The voice that had welcomed her to the system came over the commlink.
Sera activated the commlink. “Acknowledged.” Then cut it off.
“We can easily outrun the cruiser. But the headhunters out class us.” She told them.
“We are an hour from the station at the current speed.” Dextin looked at his chronometer.
Sera looked up at Ms. Welch. “Can you calculate a short jump that will take us just past the station?”
“I am not an astromech droid.” The monotone delivery made Sera laugh to herself.
“What about the navicomputer?” Dextin wondered.
“The limiters on the etas only allow for longer jumps.” Sera answered.
Dextin switched places with Ms. Welch.
The headhunters closed the distance quickly and were close to flanking them.
Ms. Welch typed the coordinates into the navicomputer and the starfield turned to lines in the canopy of the lightly armed shuttle.
They were only in hyperspace for a second when they dropped out. The station was a few minutes away in the other direction.
Dextin put his hand on the cyborg’s shoulder. “Thank you, Ms. Welch.”
Frankle station had been visible since they came about, but now it loomed huge, filling the viewport of the shuttle.
The massive cylinder was three times the size of a star destroyer. There was an Arquitens cruiser docked at one end. The battle damage was visible as they passed by it.
As the shuttle landed troops in the black armor of the HVC surrounded it.
“Ms. Welch, please access their commlinks.” Requested.
She pulled a cable out of the AJ^6 unit and plugged into the console.
“Arrest him as soon as he debarks the shuttle.” Varto’s voice was clear.
“Yes, sir.” One of the troops responded. “What of the cyborg and Twi’lek?”
“I will take care of the cyborg. You can do whatever you want with the alien.” Came Varto’s response.
“Yes, sir.” The trooper acknowledged.
Dextin sighed.
The door between the cockpit and the shuttle’s cabin slid open and Dextin smiled at his stepson. “Loyalty is the only thing we have in this galaxy. If you give up that, you give up everything.” He patted Varto on the shoulder and opened the ramp.
As soon as the armored trooper stepped forward and pointed a blaster Dextin raised his hands. He looked back at Varto. The younger man had a smug smile on his face.
“Why did you do that?” Myra asked him. “Why are you having your father arrested?”
Varto ignored his mother and debarked the shuttle.
Once he was off the shuttle the remaining troops ran up the ramp to secure the shuttle.
Sera stood and put her hands on her head. Ms. Welch stood passively as they searched the pair. They took the Imperial blaster she had in her holster and patted her down. When they were satisfied, they escorted her out of the shuttle at gunpoint.
Sera smiled at a confused and angry Myra. Ms. Welch gave them no problems and followed the troopers.
When they reached the bottom of the ramp Varto looked at Sera with disgust. “I had hoped she would put up a fight.”
Varto stood in front of the forcefield that kept Sera and Ms. Welch confined. The cyborg’s SJ^6 unit had been removed and she sat, motionless on the ground.
“I should have them toss you out of an airlock.” He watched Sera closely.
She sat silently in a half lotus position with her eyes locked onto his. She could see the fascination in them. It wasn’t that she was some exotic trophy, it was different. She couldn’t quite place it without more time. She knew it made him uncomfortable. For now she would let him make his comments and threats.
She redirected her thoughts elsewhere. She wondered what Candia or Admiral Blaine would think of the young man. She imagined that Blaine would be critical of him. Candia, she thought, would be grudgingly impressed with his machinations.
“I bet you were wondering why I had the terrorists blow up my car.” He seemed quite proud of himself.
“You were looking to gather support from the Grange to seize power. Then I came along and made things difficult.” Sera explained to him.
He laughed. “You are astute for an alien.”
“So now you are the commander of the Imperial Garrison and have a portion of the Grange supporting you. Do you have a majority to get you appointed as the Grange Master?” Sera challenged him.
“I don’t need it if I eliminate the opposition.” He bragged.
“Using your Imperial Authority to do so under the pretense of civil unrest?” Sera concluded.
He gave her a smug look. “I could use someone like you. It’s a shame you are an alien.” With his hands behind his back he walked away.
Sera closed her eyes and mediated.
She wasn’t sure how long she spent in the cell before someone came to the cell. Two armored troopers stood in front of the cell and pointed blasters in the cell. A third stood holding the SJ^6 unit The force field dropped. The trooper holding Ms. Welch’s head interface stepped in and knelt down next to her. He locked onto the back of her head and stood. The lights on the side flashed several times. After a few seconds she opened her eyes and looked around.
“Good. Let’s go.” The trooper who had reinstalled the device told her.
“It will take me several minutes to come fully online. Please stand by.” The monotone voice droned.
The trooper huffed and crossed his arms.
They watched her for a while then started getting fidgety.
Within a second one of the troopers pointing his rifle dropped his rifle, grabbed his helmet and dropped to his knees.
Before the second one could react, Sera had the rifle and took down the other armed trooper. The third went down quickly.
The blaster had been set to stun. They would be out for long enough for the two women to escape.
“I am glad you were able to react to my diversion quickly.” Ms. Welch told Sera as the Twi’lek searched the troopers for security devices.
“I calculated a seventy-six-point four percent chance you would be able to react appropriately.” Ms. Welch’s monotone voice made it difficult to tell if the percentage was high or low.
“I’m glad you trusted me.” Sera quipped checked the second trooper’s blaster and handed it to the cyborg.
“They are already aware of our escape.” Ms. Welch reported.
“You’re patched into the station’s computer system?” Sera assumed.
“Correct.” Ms. Welch confirmed.
“How many troopers are on the station?” Sera asked.
“Approximately twenty-five troops in armor. The crew complement is five hundred.”
“Where is the Grange Master?” Sera asked.
“Master Klay is in the command center. Master Frankle is under guard in a suite on the habitat level.” The cyborg reported.
“Where is Myra?” Sera inquired.
“She is with the Grange Master in the suite.”
“Thank you, Ms. Welch. I’m very sorry to do this,” In a quick motion Sera snatched the SJ^6 from her head and caught the cyborg as she collapsed. After placing the head unit on the ground next to her Sera looked into the camera.
Then shot it.
Varto wasn’t sure if anyone had seen him flinch when she pulled the trigger, but he knew things weren’t going to go as planned. He did admire her for deducing the cyborg’s unwilling complicity. He took a deep breath and composed himself.
“Find out where she is going.”
The woman he ordered saluted and began typing on the console furiously.
Sera reasoned that the blasters were set to stun to keep the troopers from being killed by their own weapons when she took one.
She stood at a control console in one an auxiliary machinery room. The console controlled one of three stabilizing thruster systems. She tapped on the console and went over the readouts. After making a few adjustments she fired the thrusters. The whole station lurched hard.
“What are you doing?” Varto yelled through the commlink in the console.
Sera ignored him while she was changing the attitude controls.
“Whatever you are doing will fail.” He warned.
In the command center Varto was losing his cool. “Where is she? What is she doing? Get a handle on that console.”
The people around him were trying their best to get the situation under control.
The station lurched again and Varto almost lost his footing. One of the HVC uniformed people caught him and made sure he was stable before going back to work.
“I have isolated the console.” Someone called. “I’m sending you the video feed.”
Varto looked at the screen in front of him. The room was empty, but she had left the blaster rifle on the console.
Several of the crew were talking to each other. Varto was getting irritated. “What did she do?”
“Nothing we can’t compensate for sir?” Someone else chimed in.
“She is near the docking ring.” Someone called out.
“Why is she there?” He demanded.
There was the blare of a claxon somewhere in the room.
“Shut that thing off.” Varto screamed.
The room went silent for a second as everyone adjusted to the lower noise level.
“She’s in the Arquitens boarding area.” Somebody updated.
“Shield of Vex, this is the Grange Master.” Varto opened up a direct line to the cruiser attached to the station. “You have an escaped prisoner aboard your ship. Terminate the alien with extreme prejudice.” His voice was barely hiding his panic.
“Stand by Frankle.” Someone said from the commlink.
“I am ordering you to kill the intruder.” He demanded angrily.
“On who’s authority?” The person who spoke next was different.
“I am the Grange Master.” He yelled.
“This is Captain Stillwall, commander of the Shield of Vex. I am awaiting confirmation of you transfer of authority.” The new speaker was a woman who was able to project authority even over the commlink. Everything stopped. Varto looked around the command center.
“I am the commander of the Imperial Garrison. I order you to kill the intruder.” He yelled with an impotent fury.
“With all due respect, the PDF does currently fall under the influence of the Imperial Military. Once you provide the proof of power transfer we will comply.” The commlink cut out.
“Sir, the Shield of Vex is disengaging from the station.” A voice from somewhere in the room called.
“I didn’t authorize that.” Varto yelled. “Stop them.”
Captain Stillwall wasn’t sure how much she trusted the red Twi’lek woman who was causing trouble aboard the station. She claimed to have information on the loss of the sister ships of the defense fleet, including the computer core of Hyphoria’s Sword.
She intended to confirm the woman’s claims that the fleet that had destroyed them and damaged the Shield was under the control of the man who claimed to be the new Grange Master.
The Shield of Vex and her two sister ships had been sent to them from the newly reorganized Imperial Military to bolster their inadequate planetary defense force. Now two of them drifted dead in space, all hands lost.
The Shield had suffered a catastrophic failure of the weapon’s systems early in the battle and she made a jump to safety. The Sword and Hammer of Tallis had not been so lucky.
“Emergency separation in three… two… one…” The ship lurched as explosive bolts uncoupled the ship from the docking ring of the Frankle Station.
“We’re clear” One of the bridge crew members called out.
“Expect trouble.” Captain Stillwall warned everyone.
“Ma’am.” A man’s voice from the ship’s internal comm system spoke.
“What is it Farmer?”
“There is a problem with the hyperdrive.” The man answered. “Someone installed a remote limiting coupler on the drive power system.”
Captain Stillwall cursed under her breath. “Can you tell how recently it was installed?” The captain asked.
“It is integrated into the system. It was either installed before we took possession or during the repairs from the station.” Farmer answered.
“Can you override it?” the captain asked with some urgency.
“No, but I think I can jam the signal receiver temporarily.” Farmer replied.
“Do what you can.” The captain looked at Sera.
Sera shook her head and gave a quick shrug.
“Gunnery.” She spoke into the commlink again. “Check for limiters or overrides built into the system.”
“Yes ma’am.” A woman’s voice responded.
Varto climbed back to his feet after the Shield of Vex had shaken the station with its emergency departure. “Open a channel to the rebel fleet.”
The comms officer looked at him oddly.
Varto drew his pistol and pointed it at the gray-haired man. “Loyalty is the only thing you have. If you give that up, you lose everything.”
The comms officer complied.
“This is Rebel central. The Shield of Vex is on the move.” He thought for a moment. “Take it intact.”
Several ship’s captains responded.
Varto took a deep breath and calmed himself.
Sera watched the starfield expand for a few seconds then return to normal.
She could barely make out the shape of an Arquitens cruiser in the distance.
“How are doing on the override?” Captain Stillwall called to the gunnery control room.
“The Imperial codes are complex. Hassett is a good slicer, but we don’t have the software necessary to crack it quickly.”
“Thank you for the update. Let me know when you have it.” The captain’s voice was calm, but her face showed rage.
The Hammer of Tallis drifted lazily as the Shield approached the wreckage. The superstructure of the ship drifted nearby and the resulting hole in the dorsal portion of the ship exposed the passageways and compartments on the primary hull.
“Ma’am, multiple rebel ships have arrived.” The sensor officer reported. “Four of the converted freighters and a corvette.”
“Helm, calculate a jump to beyond Frankle station. When we arrive bring us about.
“Gunnery, ready the turbolasers. Once we arrive lock onto the station.” The captain gave a few more orders then turned to the window. She could see three of the cruisers.
Varto paced the command center. His anger was on full display as he ranted about having the captain Stillwall executed and killing Sera with his bare hands.
“Sir, the Shield is going to make a jump.” Varto ran to the station that reported it.
He smiled broadly. “That’s what they think.”
The readings changed and the tech sitting in front of him gasped.
“What does that mean?” Varto demanded.
“The ship…” Fear gripped the technician. “It jumped.”
Varto jumped back. “How did that happen?” His voice echoed throughout the room.
“Where did they go?” He shouted.
“They are in turbolaser range of the station.” The sensor tech responded with a bit of panic.
Varto smiled again.
“Frankle Station, this the Shield of Vex. Call of the rebel fleet or we will fire on the station.” Captain Stillwall’s voice came over the commlink.
Varto laughed loudly enough for the Shield to hear him.
“Target the docking ring.” He heard the captain say calmly.
Concern crept into Varto’s demeanor.
The station shook as the power burst of energy hit it.
Sera could hear the panic in Varto’s voice as he demanded the Shield stand down and surrender.
Three of the converted cruisers and the CR90 Corvette arrived to attack the Shield.
The captain remained calm and took a seat.
“Call them off or the next shots take out your powerplant.” She told Varto over the commlink.
“Why aren’t they sending fighters?” Sera asked.
“They likely want to take the Shield intact.” Captain Stillwall looked at Sera. “That’s probably what the CR90 is for.”
“We could let them board.” Sera suggested.
“I don’t have the crew to repel trained boarders.” She dismissed Sera’s suggestion.
“What is your plan for that eventuality?” Sera asked.
“Get boarded and take as many down as we can.” The captain answered honestly.
“You are outnumbered and outgunned. Surrender now and we can talk about your punishment.” Varto spoke finally. He tried to sound reasonable.
“Gunnery, target the CR90’s docking ring and fire.” The captain ordered. “Helm, take us back to the Hammer. Once we are there, fire on the cruiser as soon as you get a lock.
Sera heard the sound of the turret mounted turbolaser next to the bridge fire. The CR90 shuddered and the stars shifted.
The turbo lasers fired again the moment they arrived.
The cruiser took the hit broadsides, and a chain of explosions consumed the converted freighter.
“Rebel Six is destroyed sir.” One of the techs reported.
“How is that possible? The guns should be offline.” Varto was confused and angry.
“This is Rebel 1. The last shot damaged the port docking ring and our life support. We need permission to land on the station.” The commander of the CR90 called to Varto.
“You have two. I want that ship taken. The cruisers don’t have the ability to conduct boarding operations.” Varto hissed through his teeth. “If you don’t take it, I will personally see you executed.”
“Rebel Control. This is Rebel 2. These freighters weren’t designed to make multiple jumps. My hyperdrive may not be able to handle one more jump.”
“Rebel Three, Fire on Rebel Two.” Varto ordered. “See if you disobey me again.”
“This is Rebel two. We will comply. I just needed you to know the situation.”
“Does anyone else want to argue?” Varto yelled at the commlink.
Varto watched the three remaining cruisers disappear.
“Sir, Rebel four is reporting heavy damage to their hyperdrive.” A tech called out.
The CR90 and three remaining cruisers appeared near the Shield. One of the ships lurched and blistered from the inside out, then exploded.
Captain Stillwall looked at her sensor officer.
“The hyperdrive went critical.” One of the operators announced.
The Shield’s captain shook her head.
“The CR90 is trying to hail us.” The comms officer called out.
“Open the comms.”
“Shield of Vex, this is Rebel One. Your last shot hit our primary life support system. We are launching escape pods. I request that you not fire on them.” The commlink closed.
“Sensor officer, confirm the claim.” The captain ordered.
“It appears to be true. Oh two levels are critically low, and the temperature is dropping quickly.”
“Let the captain know they have safe passage.”
“We should pick them up.” Sera told her.
“I understand your concern for their safety.” The captain put her hand on Sera’s shoulder. “But there is still a possibility that it is a ruse.”
Sera nodded in understanding. She didn’t like it, but she understood.
The lights of the CR90 dimmed and blinked out as the CR90 powered down. Only the lights of the CR90s bridge remained illuminated.
The escape pods of the ship jettisoned very soon after the glow of the sub-light engines were finally extinguished.
“Gunnery, keep a lock on the cruisers as they recover the pods.” Captain Stillwall ordered.
“Rebel Three’s hyperdrive went critical. Rebel One has lost all life-support and the crew has been evacuated.” A technician announced from one of the consoles.
Varto had stopped listening. He was pacing the command center, chewing on his fingernails.
“Rebel Control, this is Rebel two.” Varto ignored the call from the cruiser.
“Go ahead Rebel Two.” Someone responded.
“Recovery is complete, our hyperdrive is offline, we will be returning to base.”
Varto began to hyperventilate. “Do not abandon this mission. Destroy the Shield of Vex. Launch your fighters. I want that ship destroyed.”
“Rebel Control, that Arquitens is not some slap dash pirate ship. We were able to defeat the Sword and Hammer due to external circumstances, those circumstances no longer apply. If I even show a hint of hostility towards that ship the guns they have locked on us will wipe us out before we can get a second fighter out of the bay.”
“I don’t care what your current condition is, destroy that ship.” Varto screamed.
The commlink cut out.
Captain Stillwall watched the two remaining cruisers disengage and come about. One of the converted freighters was slow and a massive blister marred the hull where the hard drive would be.
The other seemed to be in better shape, it hung back covering the escape of its sister.
Captain Stillwall let out an exhausted sigh and collapsed into her chair. She put her hand on her forehead and looked at Sera. “You are something else.”
The bridge was quiet for a long time. Only the mechanical sounds of the ship could be heard.
“We can get the Hyphoria’s Sword operational.” An engineer stood next to the captain and showed her a data pad. “Based on the data from the computer core we can use the spare parts from the Shield to get the powerplant and sub-light engines up. We might even be able to get the Starboard turbolaser online.”
“Good. Put together a boarding party to get the Sword up and running.”
The engineer saluted and walked away.
“I realize that you don’t fall under my command, but I would appreciate it if you went with them.”
Sera smiled. “Of course. I’m sure you will be glad to get me off your ship.”
The captain smiled. “Only the trouble you seem to attract.”
The Rho class shuttle settled cautiously in a hanger bay of Hyphoria’s Sword.
Sear was glad that she thought to restart the life support system before she had left the ship. It still had no gravity and the ship still had little breathable oxygen in the majority of the ship. But it was warm enough for her to move around without an environmental suit.
She took two of the technicians to the bridge and the three engineers went to the powerplant.
Sera did her best to assist the technicians with basic repairs. He training wasn’t exhaustive, she knew enough not to get electrocuted when replacing parts. The technicians seemed to appreciate that she was following instructions instead of ordering them around.
There was a moment of panic when the power cut out. A second later everything came back on.
“This is engineering. We have the primary powerplant back online.” Someone called over the internal commlink.
“You could have warned us.” Sera responded.
The engineer apologized.
While the technicians were busy repairing the sensors and bridge consoles Sera tried to unlock the ship’s weapon systems. The hyperdrive limiter was a physical component added to the power couplings, but the lock on the guns was code in the targeting system. The slicer who had disabled the Shield’s block provided her with information he had found while doing it. Sera’s understanding of the process was limited so it took her a bit to figure out. Once the code was isolated she could access the targeting system and tested it.
The lights on the bridge went gray for a second as the sub light engines drew a load while powering up.
“Shield, this is Sword. Our sub light engines are online. Starboard battery is operational. Long range comms are down but we do have tight beam line of sight communications. Active and Passive sensors are operational. Life support is active in engineering and the bridge.” The engineer reported to Captain Stillwall.
“Thank you Lieutenant. Set a course for Frankle Station. We have some unfinished business.”
The Rho class shuttle that had carried the crew to the Sword approached Frankle Station. Someone challenged her but she ignored the warnings.
She laughed when the she noticed no one had bothered to change the access codes for the hangar bay force fields.
The Rho landed next to the shuttle she had piloted from the planet.
The station security put up little resistance as she made her way to the habitat level of the station.
The two guards at the door of the suite Dextin and Myra had been kept in raised their hands and the left guard opened the door.
Varto was angry and terrified. Contact with his supporters in the Grange had been cut off. His executive officer in the Imperial Garrison had transmitted an encrypted message relieving him of duty. The new commander had been aware of his plans to seize control of the Grange and continue to act as commander of Imperial troops in Hyphoria but chose to remain out of the plot. He looked over the data pad again.
“In light of your failed attempt to seize control of the ruling body of Hyphoria I am relieving you of command. Your continued contact with known anti-Imperial rebels puts your loyalty to the Empire in question. The continued operations of the rebels puts Hyphoria’s ability to fulfill its obligations to the Pantix Sector and the Empire at risk.
“You may lodge a protest with sector command. Signed Admiral Adious Blaine, Commander of Pantix Sector Security.”
He sat in the darkened room and stared at the screen, hoping it would change. Everything he had worked towards was collapsing around him. The rebellion he had stoked against his father was falling apart. He even suspected the loyalty of his subordinates in the command center and the security he kept.
The commlink buzzed. “Sir, Both the Shield of Vex and Hyhoria’s Sword are underway. They have set a course for Frankle Station. We expect their arrival at three hours. What are your orders?”
Varto didn’t respond. The news only twisted his stomach more. He realized the only thing that could make things worse was the loss of his mother.
Light flooded the office as the door slid open.
“Why did you do it?” His mother’s voice hit him like a fist to the gut. It took every bit of his strength to keep the bile down. “He treated you like his own child. He did everything in his power to help you succeed.” She pulled a chair and sat nest to him. “Do you know the strings he had to pull to get you command of that garrison?” Her voice was a mix of anger, frustration, and disappointment.
“The saddest part of this whole affair is that you would have had all of this eventually anyway.” Dextin's voice was a hammer in his head. It drove his failure deeper into his psyche.
Varto was suddenly on his feet and he lunged at Dextin. “I had everything planned.” He yelled. Dextin side stepped the blow.
“But you had to bring that alien into this.” He swung again and found himself off balance.
Dextin hooked the back of his leg with his cane, precisely where ethe shrapnel had hit him and pulled his leg out from under him.
Varto fell to the floor.
He looked up at his mother. She refused to meet his look and turned her head.
“The Grange is calling for your head.” Dextin told him. “Even your coconspirators want you brought in for trial.” Dextin put the handle of his cane on his son’s chin.
“You can run away and hide, like a coward, or you can face the consequences of your failure.”
Dextin took Myra’s hand and walked out of the room. As the door slid closed, the darkness consumed the supine Varto.
“You have five minutes to decide your loyalties.” Dextin walked into the command center. The air of authority filled the room. “Those who side with my son will be summarily executed for treason. Those who surrender will
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