Chapter Text
Star Wars: The Old Republic
ASCENSION
It is a dark time for the REPUBLIC
After being defeated by the SITH
EMPIRE in the last war, they
struggle to rebuild. A decade
later, they are still fighting to
regain what was lost.
Now the Galaxy has settled into a
cold war, with both factions using
proxy wars and espionage to gain
the upper hand for when conflict
returns to the Galaxy.
In the midst of this turmoil, and
with cracks forming in the fragile
peace, engineer JAE DORAAN
and her Jedi companion seek out
DR. STEV MAKOW and the ancient
secrets she claims to have uncovered…
- -︱Prologue
3643 BBY
Kantel System
Of all of the systems Cindarkan traveled through, he always dreaded the space surrounding Tyed Kant. Gargantuan bands of dust and debris surrounded the entire system, orbiting in slow, shifting paths. It was impressive but made a straight jump through difficult to properly calculate. One slight error could have him colliding with a solid object or wall of small particles at lightspeed, vaporizing his ship instantly. He had heard of spacers pulling it off, cutting down the trip substantially, but better to be bored than dead. A necessary and monotonous evil of piloting the Commenor Run. Cruising slowly toward the next jump point with the sublight engines at a steady thrum, he watched the local star’s light sparkle as it reflected off distant patches of dust. A uniquely beautiful sight, had it not become so routine. Not as colorful as a nebula, it more resembled the tentacles of monster shrouded in darkness. He shuddered at the strange comparison. As soon as he cleared the last of it, it would be a smooth ride to Alderaan.
The Selkath stroked the cephalic lobes that made up the lower half of his face. Other species always said they looked like a giant ‘moustache,’ whatever that was. Tedium was the deadliest enemy for a long-haul spacer. At least this job was easy money. Manaan was the only source of kolto, and his people exported it to systems all over the Galaxy. Found deep in the oceanic planet’s waters, the liquid could be applied to wounds to increase the healing rate, and patients could even be immersed in it in special tanks for greater effect. Almost all standard medkits included it as a salve or injection. It allowed the Selkath people bargaining power and the ability to stay neutral between the Republic and the Empire. Politics, especially choosing sides, was a messy business. This gave them the best of both superpowers.
Standing, Cindarkan stretched with a long yawn. Still a few hours to go, and he needed a break. Setting the autopilot, he slipped out of the cockpit and out into the hall. Thick, boxy, and rectangular, the transport freighter was no high-end yacht, but it did its job well. Passing the bunk room with the other crew members sleeping soundly, he chuckled at the sound of his co-pilot’s surprisingly loud snore. Once they made the final jump to hyperspace, Cindarkan looked forward to joining them. It would also let him skip offloading, which was far too much time and bureaucracy.
Ahead, the path was hazy. A low hiss came from wall vents as he continued down the corridor. Clouds of water vapor sprayed gently from each, ebbing and flowing in waves. It left a glossy sheen on the bulkheads, snaking little rivers down to the deck. Misting vents were essential on Selkath vessels. As an aquatic species, they were far more comfortable when their skin was moist. Small drainage grooves under the floor collected the runoff and recycled it through a series of tubes and filters for the long journeys.
Unlocking the hatch to the starboard cargo hold, Cindarkan stepped inside. His large black eyes scanned the barrels of kolto in rows, stacked from floor to ceiling. Even with the ship’s artificial gravity, the crew had locked them down with clamps. One never knew when a solar storm or docking incident could end up damaging the delivery… or accidentally crush a crew member. Perhaps it was old habits, but he had made this trip to check every few hours. It kept the blood moving and ensured that he caught any issue that might be missed with the rest of the crew asleep. A few months back it had even caught him a flutterplume that had snuck aboard while the ramp was unattended. A beautiful creature, and he had quietly made a lockbox full of credits when he found a buyer on Manaan.
Stepping closer to the rounded plasteel barrels, it appeared everything was still locked in place. The center of the barrels were transparent, exposing the liquid inside to the overhead lights. Pools of glowing blue-green shimmered on the floor as he headed down the rows. It reminded him a bit of home, submerged beneath the sea. Homesickness was not a common feeling, as he loved traveling the Galaxy, but he considered taking an overdue vacation after this run.
Securing the cargo hatch on his way out, Cindarkan headed back to the cockpit. He was lucky that kolto was in such high demand, especially for the Alderaanians, who were fighting a civil war at the moment. Thank the stars for war, he thought grimly. Sliding back into the command seat, he flipped off the autopilot and did a quick status check. If the navicomputer was correct, they were almost through the final band.
A light began flashing urgently on a console nearby. Turning in his chair, he slid over and looked closer. It was a proximity alarm, detecting some sort of object ahead that could be in the ship’s path. Looking out into the endless void, there was nothing but the shifting shimmer of shapes from earlier. Sensor issues were not uncommon, but his crew was usually diligent about keeping up on maintenance issues. How strange. Tapping the light, he attempted to use the percussive method of fixing the problem.
Another glance outside changed his mind. A massive Imperial Dreadnought filled the viewport, silvery gray shining brightly amongst the stars. Where did that come from? They were a long way from home, and there was no way they had just dropped out of Hyperspace. Its surface shifted as he watched, rows of turrets spinning in his direction.
“Gods…” was all Cindarkan could manage. Lunging to activate shields, his hand never quite made it. The cockpit filled with a green light as he was disintegrated instantly. Massive bolts of plasma slammed into the transport’s hull, cutting through the thick durasteel without effort. It was over in mere moments, the attacker’s turbolasers falling silent again in unison.
Sparks flashed intermittently from the shattered hull, the last pockets of air and water vapor venting in small, white streams. From the remains of the hold, cracked and broken barrels that had not been burned up were leaking what was left of the kolto. Amorphous blobs of light green, trickling in long strands or tiny round orbs. Before long they had begun to freeze in the vacuum, turning into something more like glass.
As for the Imperial ship, it had already disappeared - yet another myth leaving only death in its wake.
01︱A Rocky Start
Worlport, Ord Mantell
A sprawling sea of round domes, elaborate facades, and obelisks surrounded by the now crumbling original city walls, Worlport sat along the Coral Coast. The capital city of Ord Mantell was a popular shadowport for those looking to do business with the Republic while staying somewhat anonymous. Unlike most planets that were human dominated, the city was inhabited by a diverse number of alien species and was viewed by offworlders as being highly cosmopolitan. Originally founded by as a trading post by Corellian settlers, the city was primarily known for its rotundas, colonnades, carved entablatures, and ornate spires. While the architecture of the city was meticulously crafted, the city was poorly planned, with streets proving increasingly chaotic the further from the center of the city one moved. As more and more neighborhoods sprung up, buildings went unnumbered or marked, making it extremely difficult to navigate or find a destination. The Slumbering Savrip was one of these places, known only to those who were looking for it.
“…That’s what always fascinated me though. That even before the Treaty of Coruscant, there seemed to be this shift over in the Empire. For over a thousand years on Dromund Kaas, the society's been built on this xenophobia and speciesism, unless you were pure Sith or human, of course. The pecking order was always there, with horrendous results on many of the worlds they conquered.”
“Your point being?” The Arcona’s celadon, almond-shaped eyes looked tired as he slouched back in his chair.
Stev Makow took a sip of her cold Alderaanian wine while tucking her blond hair back behind her ear. “What changed, Hemdil? A few years before the war ended, the Imps suddenly start changing their policy on allowing aliens in both government positions and even their coveted Sith order. Their decrees tried to make it sound like they were looking for patriots, but how can that be? It’s been what, fifteen or twenty years? And even with their restrictions, word still leaks out of purges, abuses, and tyranny. I just don’t get how non-humans can support living under that sort of oppression.”
“I think I need another drink before we continue this.” Pushing back, he stood and headed toward the bar.
It was dimly lit, but not quite the dingy dives Stev normally visited as of late. Her mind wandered a bit as she absentmindedly held her glass up and slightly off to the side, her fingers tracing the smooth edge of the cybernetic regulator behind her ear. At least this place did not smell like wet nerf. The drinks were good, even if the lounge singer’s Huttese was a bit off key. Actually, scratch that, it was growing on her a little.
“Hope I’m not interrupting.” The voice snapped her back, and she turned in her chair to look at the bearded man that stood smiling at her. Even though he currently dressed like an explorer in his light gray shirt, chest harness, supply pack, and durable pants, Stev could not see him in anything but his robes.
“Not quite my type, Ashnox. Even if he was, I need someone who can keep up with my philosophical discussions.” She drained the last of her drink and set a few credits on the table. “Ready to go? Seems like a good time to slip away.”
He nodded, and they headed for the door. “I thought you were headed to back to Corellia to teach.”
“Not quite.” She said, pulling a datapad out of her bag as they stepped into the sunlight. “Still living in my little place on Nar Shaddaa.”
“Remind me again why you decided to live in Hutt space?” Ashnox Blackstar looked over at her as they walked. “Between the underworld control, rampant crime, thick layer of grime on everything…”
Stev shot him a glare. “It’s got its own special character, and there’s a wonderful sense of anonymity.” She went back to tapping on the datapad as they passed a grouping of outdoor market stalls. “The Chancellor’s dubious business ties and the obvious corruption among Republic forces on planets like this aren’t exactly making me question my decision either.” The pair slowed to let a speeder pass before heading down an alley. “The university and I couldn’t quite reach an agreement on funding my research… So, I decided to finish my research on the Mandalorian Wars myself.”
“Please tell me we’re not going to Taris.”
She shook her head. “No, no. Nothing that drastic. Besides, I don’t think Jae would agree to go back.” She turned the datapad to show him. “Three hundred years ago, Neo-Crusaders attacked not far from here. During the battle, a lot of the holorecords were assumed lost during the fighting. According to our talkative friend in there, however, it seems they may have been moved during the chaos. It’s likely somewhere in this cave system near the beach, sheltered from both bombardment and prying eyes.”
Ashnox headed for the battered speeder with fading paint at the end of the alley. “The beach? Wish I had brought a change of clothes then.”
“You won’t be needing them.” The voice came from one of the doorways. Stev began to reach inside her maroon nerf-hide jacket but stopped when she saw a stocky Sullustan step out with his blaster pointed at them. “Good choice.” The newcomer put himself in front of the speeder in hopes of cutting off their escape.
“This isn’t where I parked my speeder!” Stev raised her hands to shoulder level, “We’ll just be going.”
“Can we help you?” Ashnox asked, in an attempt to diffuse the situation. He appeared alert but relaxed, shifting his weight slightly. “No need for violence.”
The Sullustan ignored him. “Dr. Makow, were you planning to leave town? It would be a pity if after The Exchange loaned the credits to search for this lost treasure, you weren’t willing to share.”
“The Exchange!? Seriously?” Ashnox hissed quietly.
“Minor detail.” She breathed.
“A little more than minor, Chief.”
The Exchange member’s jowls flapped as he spoke over them, “I assume you have all your research on that datapad, so we no longer require your services.” He raised the pistol, only to have it fly out of his hand. He looked around confused before realizing Ashnox now held it.
“Quality choice,” he noted, flipping it over and removing the power cell. “I assume this was expensive, and I’d hate to add to the tab.” Turning, Ashnox hurled the weapon onto a nearby rooftop. “Now, if you don’t mind…
“Jedi!” His eyes wide, the alien fumbled to pull his vibroknife free of its sheath. Ashnox extended his hand, blowing him off his feet and into the duracrete wall. His body collapsed in a heap, unconscious.
“Time to go!” Stev raced past her friend and hopped into the speeder. He followed close behind, activating his holocomm.
After a long moment a jade-skinned figure appeared in seated miniature as they pulled away. “Why am I worried that you’re calling?” Ashnox explained the situation. “I would have just shot him.”
“That’s not the Jedi way.”
“No, it’s the me way, and it stops them from coming after you again. How can I help?”
Stev piped up. “Any chance you could find somewhere to land near these coordinates?” She made a hard right and accelerated out of the city. “I have a feeling that my research window just got a lot shorter.”
The whine of the old speeder’s open throttle made her harder to hear. “I’ll be there.” Her voice changed pitch slightly, and it was clear she was talking to Ashnox. “Be careful.”
“Always.”
Ascension
On board the Ascension, Jae Doraan shut off the cockpit holoterminal and sighed. Never a dull moment, and she knew better than to expect a quiet afternoon when Stev and Ashnox were together. Realizing she was still holding a crumpled pair of pants, she tossed them on the co-pilot’s chair. Looks like cleaning will have to wait, which was frustrating. A messy ship, one of Ashnox’s hallmarks, ran counter to both a typical Jedi and her need for a clean space. Not that she could deny her droid-building project in the cargo hold was any tidier.
Running a hand through her hair, she started her pre-flight check, flipping switches and strapping into the pilot’s seat. A shudder and deep hum resonated through the ship as the Defender-class light-corvette’s thrusters powered up. Luckily docking controls were spotty at best, which meant there was no need to request departure clearance. Tugging back on the controls, the white and navy craft hovered up and clear of Morro spaceport.
The Defender-class corvette's interior was laid out in two decks and was originally intended as a mobile operations center for the members of the Jedi Order. Roughly in the shape of a triangular figure-eight, the frontal hull of the corvette was curved at an angle that deflected enemy laser fire easily, and two sets of twin laser cannons were situated at either end of the bow, while the corvette's bridge was located in the center between the ship's running lights. The rear of the ship sported the corvette's twin thrusters.
Jae had to admit she had not been a huge fan of the ship at first. It was not at sleek and sexy as many high-end civilian models and lacked the ruggedness of a military assault ship. Although most Jedi preferred the standard dull red and white Republic military paint job, Ashnox had insisted the blue would make them slightly more inconspicuous when operating outside the core worlds. Jae could not disagree with his logic but knew the ship would be far more ostentatious if she had chosen.
Keeping the ship in atmosphere, she skimmed over the mudflats and patchy grasslands that stretched to the horizon. In stark contrast, a mountain range jutted like a rancor’s teeth on one side, while the other led to rocky cliffs and the rolling waves of the ocean. The ship would easily beat the speeder to the objective, but it would give her time to scout the location.
She preferred it out here, away from the city. After Ashnox left to go meet Stev, Jae had decided to study up on the Holonet. She learned that Ord Mantell still primarily ran on fossil fuels, which made the shift between the smog of Worlport and clearer rural air even more noticeable. She noticed on the flight in that the planet lacked ice caps common on other temperate worlds, and now it made sense. The technology to make the shift to solar and wind power was used as far afield as the Far Outer Rim, but the Mantellians preferred to stick with what they knew. It was that attitude, combined with the endemic corruption, that made her write off looking into helping the planet more.
“...at least there’s no rakghouls.” she finished out loud, to no one in particular.
Coral Coast, Ord Mantell
As the speeder tore over the mostly barren open ground and further down the coast, Ashnox double checked both his gear and the supplies scattered behind his seat. “This is Tatooine all over again.”
“That was Twin Suns, not Exchange.” She corrected confidently. “Also, we’re not lost at night and dealing with feral womp rats.”
Ashnox shot her a look, “You’re not helping your case.”
“Maybe not, but we both know you love a good adventure.” She glanced up from the path at the two moons sitting large in the sky, one partially covered by pink clouds. “Besides, this planet is much more interesting outside of the casinos and pleasure houses of Worlport.”
He seemed to settle down some as he looked out at the view, only occasionally glancing about or fiddling with his bag. There was no evidence that the Exchange was tracking them, and the thug they left behind would want to tend to his bruises and retrieve his weapon before reporting in. Jae may have been correct that he could not pursue them if Ashnox had killed him, but he felt there was no need to escalate the situation more, especially when it might draw more ire from his bosses. He just hoped he had made the right call. A crack in the passenger side flexiglass caught his attention, and he broke the silence.
“Where did you find this speeder anyway?”
“Funny story, it was the only non-open cockpit at the rental lot. Why are there so many convertibles? It’s not like this is a desert planet. It rains, and I can’t imagine that would be an enjoyable ride when you’re sitting on squelchy seats.”
Ashnox laughed. “No idea. There are a shocking number of them around, now that you mention it. I guess I never thought of it like that.” He motioned to the crack and dingy control panel. “Looks like it’s seen better years.”
“Well, there is that whole Mantellian Separatist movement attacking cities and blowing up supplies. Really takes a bite out of the selection.”
“Fair point.”
“I was actually planning on a speeder bike. You know, wind in my hair, closer to the world. Very romantic idealism.” Her cerulean eyes flashed with excitement at the trip that could have been. “Then I realized the rain factor, and the fact that cargo room would be almost non-existent for anything I found.”
“Considering the distance, maybe an airspeeder would be a bit more prudent next time.” He smirked, “Or just waiting for Ascension.”
Stev cursed him in Huttese under her breath. “I’ll consider that next time I’m running from criminals in search of a historical goldmine.”
“You say that like it hasn’t become a habit of yours.” Ashnox laughed, stroking his dark beard. “Hand me your notes. I want to make sure I have the facts before we walk into whatever ancient Mandalorian traps lay hidden.”
Ascension
Setting down on what seemed like a solid patch of rock, Jae surveyed the horizon both visually and with the scanners to make sure the ship was safe. The area seemed desolate, with large waves pounding the cliffs and rare sandy patches. She hoped she had not misjudged how far the mudflats extended, or it was going to slow, sticky trudge to the cave entrance. One of the times she wished she made more time to actually finish that droid.
Making her way rearward, she grabbed her pre-packed bag off the shelf. The primary boarding ramp was located in the center of the corvette's lower hull and opened out beneath the ship's bridge. Hydraulics whirred and there was a hiss as the ship depressurized and the ramp descended. The air that rushed in was salty with the cool sea breeze and the sound of crashing waves in the distance. She double-checked that her hold-out blaster was securely holstered and out of sight before passing through the hatch. The Separatists never operated this close to the capital, but better to be prepared.
Setting out toward the cave approach, she used her tech bracer to secure the ship behind her and activate the proximity sensors. The path was barren and mostly flat, rising steadily toward the rocks. A good sign, Jae thought, that this may be what they were looking for. Large rocks or a steep climb would have made transporting so many records near impossible. She did not need an engineering degree to tell her that.
It took about ten minutes for her to make it to the wide entrance, dark and foreboding. No sound but the hollow echo of wind came from within. Slipping off to the side, she moved behind a boulder to stage and wait for the others. While she waited, she reopened a novel on her datapad and settled in.
Coral Coast
The speeder blew gravel up as it slid to a stop at the base of the hill, paused as Stev considered the incline, then started slowly up the narrow path.
“It's faster than walking.” Stev said, matter of factly.
“I didn't say anything.” Ashnox put his hands up in mock surrender.
“You think loudly.”
“Oh? Do those cybernetics give you telepathy too?”
“Just known you too long.” She gunned it over the last stretch, until they were just about even with the entrance. “Looks like we beat Jae here.”
“Not quite.” Ashnox replied, nodding toward the blaster-wielding Mirialan pressed against the rock for cover. He waved and saw her holster her weapon and disappear from sight. “I try not to get on her bad side. You think loudly too.”
Stev only laughed in response.
Stepping out and gathering their supplies, Jae walked over to the speeder. “Hey there. Glad to see you two didn't get killed on the way here. And Ash,” She pulled him in for a kiss, “let's try to avoid any more fights with criminal organizations for a while.”
“Hey, it was merely a disagreement.” He said, closing the door and moving away from the speeder, and just inside the entrance to the cave. “Besides, Stev was the one borrowing money from gangsters.”
“Eh, we’ll be fine.” Stev waved him off. “Probably can't come back to Ord Mantell anytime soon though…” She trailed off, “Anyway, who’s ready to go discover long buried history?”
“Let’s hope your information pans out.” His saber ignited with a sharp snap-hiss, its blade a brilliant yellow. The glow reflected off the rocks and allowed some visibility. Taking a few cautious steps forward, he scanned for any danger.
Jae’s chuckle from the entrance made him pause. “Don’t want to put a damper on your dramatic moment,” She pulled out a silver orb with small antenna on the bottom, “but this may be more useful.” The illumination probe took flight then, hovering toward him before its power kicked in. The result was intense light that seemed to expose every hidden corner.
“That works too.” He said, powering his saber back down.
Stev nodded her thanks to Jae before taking the lead. Drifting at a slow pace, the probe headed deeper into the cave. Only fifty meters in, the walls seemed to change from rough stone to carved designs on the walls and a weathered durasteel floor.
“Looks like we’re on the right track.” Stev grinned with excitement. Stepping through a half open blast door with patches of rust, she looked around. “We need to find a way to get the power back on in here.” The light from the probe showed consoles scattered around a large chamber, stalactites protruding menacingly from the ceiling. Substantial rectangular panels were set into each of the walls at regular intervals. Even though they were more than three centuries old, the design of the archive databanks had not changed at all.
“Spread out and see if we can find the generator.” Ashnox said, heading to the far end of the room.
“Looks like we weren’t the first ones here.” Jae called, motioning at two armored figures lying on the floor. One was clearly Rodian, its skull separated from its body. The other wore the distinctive helmet of a Neo-Crusader, a blaster still in hand, but had a large vibrosword embedded in their chestplate. Around them were scattered droid parts and debris.
“Well, that’s morbid.” Stev crouched down by the bodies, examining the armor. “They must have been searching for the same thing, but what would they care about local records?” She reached out and gingerly pulled the Mandalorian helmet off of the body. This one appeared formerly human underneath. The helmet itself was scratched, dented, and slightly rusty, but in fair condition, all points considered. “Maybe they thought it was secretive defense information?”
Jae had moved to another console and was working to remove a panel. “Think I found what we’re looking for.” Glancing inside, she revised her assessment. “This power cell is ancient, and we don’t have spares. We could always use the probe’s cell and pray that works.” She motioned to Ashnox, “Mind if I use your saber while I do this?”
He chuckled, “See? I knew it would come in handy.” Reigniting his blade, he stood over her while she retrieved and disassembled the probe. It only took a moment to remove the power cell, a cylinder-shaped object the gleamed dimly. Pulling herself up to her knees, Jae swapped them and flipped a couple switches on the adjacent console.
A deep thrum rumbled and became a higher pitched whir as the room burst to life in a rainbow of twinkling indicator and status lights. A few areas seemed to flicker after being dormant for so long before stabilizing. The overhead lights appeared to be boxy yellow lanterns, casting glowing cones on the floor. Jae smiled to herself for the spark of inspiration and placed the now inactive probe back in her bag.
“Now, how are we transporting these records?” Jae called over her shoulder.
Stev was turning the helmet over in her hands, looking for some indication of clan, when she heard a creaking, buzzing noise from behind her. Turning, she saw only the outline of a skeletal metal figure, a vertical red gleam from the middle of its oval face. It had jerkily raised a familiar looking vibrosword over its head, preparing to strike. She let out a cry of shock, preparing for the strike, when a crunching screech came from the droid. The rusting hip joint snapped, its leg falling away as it collapsed sideways to the floor.
Ashnox was across the room in a moment, his saber coming down on the droid’s torso. As it sparked its last, a cacophony of buzzing came from the corners, red lights flaring to life.
“Poodoo.” Stev breathed, reaching for her blaster.
Jae had dropped her bag and was already up and moving. Her first shot missed by inches, followed by two more purple bolts into the droid’s head. It crumpled in a heap, as another stumbled over it, only to be cut in half by Ashnox’s lightsaber. The chassis burned bright where the slash passed through. Stev focused her shots center of mass, slowing and eventually crippling a third.
Rushing toward the next guardian, Ashnox spun with his blade, severing its arms. It stopped shuffling forward, its programming attempting to adapt, when the Jedi force pushed it into the wall. The velocity shattered its body on impact. Pivoting back to help the others, he saw Jae kick the last of their attackers to the floor, before unloading into its head. Less than it had seemed at first, probably due to the surprise of their activation.
“Everyone ok?”
“I’m good.” Stev slumped back against the console.
Jae nodded quietly, scanning the room for any stragglers. “Looks like we’re clear.” No one spoke for a long moment as they listened for danger. She blew out a long breath. “Let me try that again. How are we getting this out of here?”
“There’s a crate-sized recorder in the speeder. We can use a spike to copy as much as it will carry. If we’re lucky, we can take most of it.”
“The Force has been with us so far.” Ashnox stated optimistically.
“Well, let’s get moving then.” Jae motioned toward the exit with her blaster.
Once they had retrieved the recorder and connected it to the main console, it was just a matter of patience. Stev had prioritized factual records over more personal files likes journals, while recognizing those could be just as insightful. The wait turned out to be mostly uneventful, save for when one dismantled droid twitched slightly and Jae shot it twice for good measure. A sudden cheerful ping startled everyone but seemed to brighten the mood considerably.
“Maybe I should put more faith in this whole force thing,” Stev tapped a few keys to end the connection, “because we just barely got everything.” She grabbed one end while Ashnox picked up the other, and they made their way back out to the speeder, and then onward to the ship. Darkness had fallen while they were sequestered away, but the moons left the landscape awash in a cool blue-white.
Pulling up just outside the Ascension, Jae disengaged the security and activated the boarding ramp controls while Stev and Ashnox headed for the cargo area. As the ramp descended, she pulled out her macrobinoculars to scan the horizon. The barren plains were mostly desolate, except for a group of dark shapes in the distance, a trail of dust growing behind them.
“We’ve got company.” Jae yelled, running toward the ship. “Move!” She tossed her bag haphazardly as she reached the bridge, throwing herself into the captain’s chair. Her fingers were a blur as she flipped switches and powered up all the systems. No time for a pre-flight check.
The recorder was awkward to carry, harder when trying to run with it. After the second stumble, Ashnox waved Stev forward. “Go!” He braced himself and reached his hand out.
“What about you?” She watched the box rise a few inches and skim over the ground. “Works for me!” Breaking into a run, she disappeared inside and helped guide the package to a secure place.
The distant objects had become a cluster of swoop bikes, their engines growling as they closed on their targets. A building roar quickly drowned them out as the thrusters kicked on, blowing flora and dirt off the cliffs. Releasing his grip on their objective, Ashnox sprinted through the hatch and smacked the controls behind him. As the ramp light began changing colors, Jae pulled back on the controls, hovering and moving over the sea. Opening up on the sub-light engines, the ship shot into the sky, its exhaust ports a bright light blue against the black.
Heading toward the co-pilot’s seat with Stev in tow, Ashnox confusedly picked up a pair of crumpled pants and set them to the side before strapping in. It only took a few minutes to clear the atmosphere and past the two Republic Thranta-class corvettes in orbit. Their hammerhead bows were distinctive, even at this distance. Jae had mainly busied herself with getting them off-planet, but now switched to plotting a course in the navicomputer.
“Well, that was a close one.” Stev commented from the seat behind them. “Disappointed I won’t get the deposit back on that rental.”
Jae kept her eyes on the console but seemed greatly amused. “I don’t speak for the Republic, but I’m sure that data will be worth something once we get back to Coruscant.” She turned in her seat. “Unless you’d prefer we drop you at Carrick Station? That seems to be the best place to book passage back to Hutt Space.”
Stev seemed to ponder this for a moment. “Coruscant will work perfectly, now that I think about it. The university has one of the best libraries in the Republic, much as I hate to admit it. It would give me a chance to start combing through all the data.” She reached her bag on the floor. “Plus, I can see if someone will polish this up for me.” She examined the Mandalorian helmet she had recovered with pride.
“A fitting souvenir.” Ashnox said, turning back to the console. “Maybe you can put it in that office of yours one day.”
“Perhaps.” She replied, “One thing at a time.”
“Making the jump in three, two...” Jae stated, reaching for the handle. The stars stretched and bent as the ship entered hyperspace and disappeared.