Chapter Text
Karin jolted in her seat a little as her ship dropped out of hyperspace. Her astromech chirped helpfully.
“Looks like this is the place, Yoshiteru,” Karin said, eyeing the planet.
The ship slipped through the inky blackness of space, heading towards the planet in question.
“I would say that who we’re looking for won’t be here, but where better to hide than in the outer rim?” Karin joked, trying to kill the time.
Yoshiteru beeped frantically at her.
“You’re picking up hyperspace signatures? Where?” Karin asked desperately, fearing the worst.
She soon found out where, as her ship shook as a vessel left hyperspace nearly on top of her.
“Oh no,” Karin’s blood froze, “SITH DREADNAUGHT! YOSHITERU, GET US OUTTA HERE!”
Yoshiteru beeped frantically in reply, Karin nearly screamed in frustration.
“Alright then, we gotta get onto the planet then smart guy,” Karin snapped back evading the initial bouts of laser fire coming from the looming vessel.
Yoshiteru beeped back sarcastically.
“Oh, shut up and give me a hand already,” Karin gritted her teeth, pulling further evasive manoeuvres.
“What’s a Sith Dreadnaught doing here anyway? This place is a dirtball!”
Karin’s ship dodged from side-to-side to evade the incoming laser fire, shield absorbing the shots she failed to evade.
“Come on you lump of bolts, go faster already,” Karin complained under her breath, wincing as another laser shot shook the ship.
Yoshiteru beeped at her sarcastically again.
“I’d like to see you dodge point blank fire from a Sith Dreadnaught,” Karin snapped back, hefting her ship to dodge another incoming volley.
“Great, Interceptors now too,” Karin bemoaned, “Yoshiteru, gets the lasers ready.”
Laser fire barked from Karin’s vessel as the interceptors approached, downing a few but her ship shuddered from the fire of the others.
“Almost there…”
Karin’s ship shuddered again, blinking warning lights going off all around her. “Come on, just a little further…”
She loosed another laser volley, downing more interceptors. Her ship shuddered again, a particularly nasty from the Dreadnaught clipping the back of her ship.
Yoshiteru beeped desperately.
“Just a little longer buddy, just a little longer,” Karin reassured, desperately dodging incoming fire.
Karin made it into the planet’s upper atmosphere, and she breathed a short sigh of relief.
“We’re out of he-“
Karin’s ship shuddered violently, explosions going off behind her.
“Oh force,” Karin whispered.
Fuu looked up from where she had set up her freighter. She saw a bright spark, and faintly heard an explosion. It was getting bigger, and approaching fast. Fuu didn’t panic however, as it looked like it would impact nearby, instead of on top of her. She winced, hearing the impact go off nearby.
“Itsuki, get your medical supplies!” Fuu said, “Something just came down near us, and there might be survivors.”
“Got it!” Itsuki shouted back, before jogging down the freighter’s access ramp.
Fuu looked up at her sister, smiling in greeting. “It went down over here. Shouldn’t be too hard to find, probably made a mess as it came in.”
Itsuki nodded, and the pair set off in the direction of the crashed vessel.
“Holy cow,” Fuu said in shock, “A Jedi Corvette? Here?”
“It must have been something important,” Ituski noted, “Then again, we shouldn’t be too surprised. The Jedi act in mysterious ways after all.”
“I’m far more worried about what took it down,” Fuu admitted, “But we need to search for survivors first.”
Itsuki nodded in agreement, and the pair began to search for some sort of entry into the wreckage. The vessel was badly mangled, and wreckage was strewn all around the area, but the bridge area seemed mostly intact. Fuu looked around the bridge, before finding an entryway large for them to enter.
“Itsuki, over here,” Fuu shouted over, “We got a way in!”
Itsuki rushed in, and fell in behind Fuu as the pair entered the ship’s small bridge. They saw Karin slumped against her flight console, heavily wounded. Yoshiteru beeped aggressively at them.
“Calm down little guy, we’re here to help,” Fuu said innocently, raising her hands to show her non-aggression.
“My sister here is a medic; we’re going to help patch your Jedi up.”
Yoshiteru beeped in reluctant agreement, and Fuu sighed in relief.
“Things aren’t the best, but the Jedi’s alive at least,” Itsuki concluded, running over Karin with a medical scanner.
“I could patch her up a little better back at the ship.” Itsuki noted, “But there isn’t much I can do with what I have here.”
Fuu looked towards the astromech droid. “To patch your Jedi up we need to take her back to our ship. Feel free to tag along.”
Yoshiteru beeped in reluctant agreement.
“Need a hand?” Fuu asked, to which Itsuki nodded.
“She’s heavier than she looks,” Itsuki admitted.
Fuu chuckled. “She’s a Jedi. It’s probably all muscle.”
Yuna lowered her binoculars, letting out a slight sigh. She turned to face her companion behind her.
“A Jedi Corvette crashed down about a klick south-west of the city,” She informed them.
The cloaked figure nodded, looking deep in thought. “Did you get any visuals on the attackers?”
Yuna looked despondently at the figure. “Imperial Interceptors. We need to get out of here, Togo.”
Togo sighed heavily. “Damn, they must have finally tracked my ship. I highly doubt they are here for a rescue party.”
Yuna turned to stare straight into Togo’s eyes, fixing her with a steely gaze.
“I won’t let them lay a hand on you.”
Togo smiled softly, blushing slightly.
“Thank you…,” She whispered, before meeting Yuna’s gaze again.
“But even so, we need to find a way out of here. If that is a Dreadnaught those Interceptors were launched from, not even you would stand a chance.”
Yuna nodded, but didn’t lose her steely gaze. “We need to head into the city, secure transport off-world.”
Togo nodded in agreement. “You should try putting some less conspicuous clothes on over your armour first.”
Yuna giggled, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
“Thanks.”
Fuu sat in the cantina, nursing her drink. She was out snooping for a bit, while Itsuki took care of the Jedi back in their ship. She was playing the old game of finding out who shot that Jedi out of the sky. Fuu hated information gathering. She took a gulp of her drink, letting the music of the band wash over her for a bit. She looked up towards the entrance, and saw a pair of strange looking patrons entering. Well, to be fair there were stranger in the cantina. She was about to look down when she saw them pointing at her. She tensed up a little, resting her spare hand on her blaster just in case.
They walked over, and Fuu put up a calm and uncaring front.
“Are you the smuggler Fuu Inubozaki?” The cloaked one asked.
“Who’s asking?” Fuu replied nonchalantly.
“We would like to arrange travel off-world. For a price, of course,” The other added.
Fuu nodded, taking a sip of her drink. “How much are we talking here?”
“10,000,” The cloaked one stated, voice quiet enough for only Fuu to here.
“A piece,” The other added.
Fuu smirked. “I’m sure that could be arranged.”
“We must leave as soon as possible,” The cloaked one added.
Fuu waved it off. “At least let me finish my drink, will ya?”
There was a clatter by the entrance to the Cantina. Fuu looked up, and the pair she was speaking to looked towards the entrance as well.
“Imperial Shuttles approaching! The Sith are here!”
Panic broke out across the Cantina.
“We leave NOW,” The cloaked figure ordered.
“You’re not getting any complaints out of me.”
Karin’s eyelids fluttered open. Her vision slowly focused on the ceiling above her, and she heard the soft beeping of a medical droid. She tried to sit up, but a gentle pair of hands stopped her.
“You need to rest a bit,” The person said, “You were hurt badly by your ship crashing.”
“Where am I?” Karin asked in panic, “Who are you?”
“Please, calm yourself,” The person reassured, “I am Itsuki Inubozaki. You are on my sister’s ship, the Unexpected Hope.”
Karin raised an eyebrow at the name.
“When we first got her, we ran a lot of supply runs to Republic colonies on the Outer Rim,” Itsuki explained.
“We did a lot of getting people off of Imperial worlds and the like, too.”
Karin nodded, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are we off-world?” Karin asked.
“No. Sis is trying to find out information on who knocked you out of the sky in the city right now,” Itsuki replied, running through medical checks.
Karin tried to sit up again, but Itsuki stopped her.
“Hey, what’s the rush?” Itsuki asked.
“There is a Sith Dreadnaught above the planet,” Karin said fearfully. “We have to leave, now.”
Itsuki stopped in shock. “The Sith Empire? Here?”
Karin nodded frantically. “They must have found out about my mission.”
Itsuki grabbed her and stared her in the eyes. “You need to tell me who you are, and what your mission is, now.”
Karin paused for a moment.
“Look, if we’re going to help you get out of here, we need to know who you are,” Itsuki ordered.
“Jedi Knight Karin Miyoshi,” Karin said reluctantly, “I was sent here to investigate rumours of someone who had supposedly has a rather unique set of armour. And the possibility of her force sensitivity.”
Itsuki nodded, and heard the clanging of the access ramp and the sound of blaster fire.
“ITSUKI! FIRE UP THE ENGINES, WE HAVE TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!”
“GOT IT, FUU!”
“Don’t move from this bed,” Itsuki ordered.
Karin simply nodded.
Itsuki sprinted out of their makeshift medical bay, heading towards the cockpit. She sprinted past Fuu at the access ramp, who was currently engaged in a shoot-out.
“You two, get yourself into the gun turrets. We’re getting the hell out of here,” Fuu ordered, as she backed up the ramp.
Itsuki made it to the cockpit, going through the pre-flight set ups. She heard the access ramp close, and the thudding of Fuu’s boots as she joined Itsuki in the cockpit. They took off, blasters barely scratching the outer hull of the ship.
The ship flew off, leaving the planet behind as fast as possible.
“You two hear me fine?” Fuu said to her two impromptu turret gunners, receiving a pair of affirmatives in return.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve run the gauntlet on an Imperial Dreadnaught, but this is the first I’ve had to do it with them knowing I’m coming,” Fuu admitted.
“You two keep your eyes peeled, and expect a bumpy ride,” Fuu ordered.
Fuu steeled herself, telling Itsuki to make sure Karin was secure and ready for the evasive manoeuvres. Itsuki returned quickly.
“I hope you two are ready, because we’re going in,” Fuu said, smirking.
The ship accelerated sharply hurtling towards the Imperial Dreadnaught. It nimbly dodged the incoming laser volleys, jittering the passengers inside.
“Inubouzaki…,” Togo growled over her intercom, “What are you doing?”
“I know what I’m doing, just keep those fighters off of me,” Fuu snapped back, as the ship twisted and turned to avoid the incoming fire.
The interceptors approached, and the ship’s turret’s opened up. Volleys of laser fire barked from the freighter, as the turrets span to track the fighters. One of them spiralled into a fireball above the ship.
“Togo, I got one!” Yuna shouted cheerily, quickly making sure to retarget as more fighters approached.
“Well done Yuna,” Togo replied, as she took out one of the pursuing fighters herself.
The pair continued to make a mess of the incoming fighters, as Fuu smiled in the cockpit.
“Maybe I should keep you two around,” Fuu joked. “You’re certainly tearing those fighters to ribbons.”
Fuu levelled out the Unexpected Hope, flipping a few switches and inputting hyperspace coordinates.
“Hold on everyone!” Fuu shouted, dodging one last volley of laser fire.
A pair of concussion missiles launched from the front of the ship, and impacted a pair of heavy turrets on the underside of the Dreadnaught. As the Unexpected Hope cleared the explosions, everyone was jammed back into their seats as the vessel jumped into hyperspace, clearing the system.
Fuu breathed a sigh of relief, as cheers and congratulations were shared across the ship’s intercom. Itsuki patted her shoulder, as she stood up.
“I’m going to check on our resident Jedi,” Itsuki said, as Fuu stood to join her.
“I’ll join you, and bring along our two passengers as well,” Fuu said, “It’s time for introductions, I think.”
Itsuki nodded in agreement, heading off to check on Karin. Fuu followed her, and noticed her two passengers sharing a congratulatory hug. Fuu smiled.
“Alright lovebirds, follow me,” Fuu ordered, “It’s about time we all got introduced.”
The pair nodded, and followed behind Fuu. Itsuki was already over by Karin.
“Alright everyone, listen up. It’s time for a few introductions around here, especially since I prefer to know who the hell I’m ferrying.”
Before Fuu could begin her first introduction however, Karin interrupted her.
“You!” She shouted, pointing at Yuna, “You’re the one I’m looking for!”
Yuna looked confused, and Togo positioned herself defensively in front of the other girl. Karin simply stared at Togo for a solid minute.
“Wait a minute…You’re the bounty hunter Washio Sumi!” Karin said angrily, summoning her lightsabres to her.
Fuu pulled her blaster, and aimed it at Togo. Togo simply raised her hands defensively.
“She’s with me,” Yuna defended, “She was hired to capture but she couldn’t. So I gave her a new name, so she could live a new life away from the Sith.”
Fuu didn’t lower her blaster. Karin’s grip remained firmly on her sabres.
“Knight, if you wish to converse with me; no harm will come to Togo,” Yuna commanded, meeting Karin with a steely gaze.
Karin lowered her sabres reluctantly.
“This doesn’t mean I trust you,” Karin hissed at Togo.
Fuu kept her blaster trained on Togo. “That won’t buy me over.”
“Countless operations of mine nearly went belly up because of you. You’ve chased me halfway across the known galaxy in service of the Sith,” Fuu’s voice was dripping in venom.
“You’re gonna have to prove that you’ve changed for me to like you.”
Togo dropped her stance into a very peaceful one. “I will prove it to you. And maybe then, I will have freed myself of the Sith’s influence.”
Fuu merely grunted in annoyed agreement, before sighing.
“Well, I guess introductions are still in order,” Fuu said, “Fine. The name’s Fuu Inubozaki. I’m a top-notch smuggler, well known for running right under the Imperial’s noses all across the Rim.”
“I’m Itsuki Inubouzaki,” Itsuki continued, “I’m good at healing people, I guess.”
“She’s also the best damn co-pilot I could ever ask for,” Fuu joked.
“I am Karin Miyoshi, Knight of the Jedi Order,” Karin said, “…I am here to retrieve Yuna Yuki on by the order of the Jedi Council.”
Yuna looked shocked. “What would the Jedi Council want with me?”
“The Council has heard rumours of the one in the armour,” Karin explained, “They say she is force sensitive as well, and wonder why they never found you before.”
Yuna nodded. “I suppose my introduction is in order. My name is Yuna Yuki.”
She removed the clothes covering her armour. “This is the armour Karin was talking about. It can block lightsabre blows, emit energy fields at certain locations for combat, and comes with a personal deflector shield.”
Fuu, Itsuki, and Karin gasped in awe. “It is more amazing than the rumours told… No wonder the Sith were there…”
Yuna blushed a little in embarrassment, sheepishly kicking her feet across the floor. Fuu’s gaze hardened again as she looked at Togo.
“So Sumi,” She said venomously, “What’s your story?”
“…My name is Togo Mimori. I once went by the name of Washio Sumi,” Togo began, looking guiltily at the ground, “Feared bounty hunter, often in the employ of the Sith Empire. I earned a reputation as a ruthlessly efficient killer, and skilled hunter.”
“I had been on countless successful missions for my Sith employers. So they approached me once again; the promise of a large sum of credits for the capture of a unique individual. It was easy money in the grand scheme of things. I tracked her down, and landed on the planet. I observed her so as to set my trap.”
“But as I watched her, I saw something. She was the pure opposite of me. She wore a weapon more powerful than I ever had, but never once used it for her own gain. The more I watched her, the less I found myself capable of capturing. The time I had planned to capture her… I instead turned myself in, left myself in her mercy.”
“She gave me a new name… a new purpose. The chance of a new life, and with it, an escape from the evils of the Sith.”
“She gave the Light in your heart a chance…” Karin whispered, “Yes, I sense it now. There is much evil in you still, but yet you have a light in your heart that is beginning to grow fiercer.”
“Togo Mimori,” Karin said fiercely, “You may never be free of your past, but perhaps you may redeem yourself yet.”
Togo smiled. “Thank you.”
Fuu look mildly dissatisfied, grunting. She headed back towards the cockpit.
“We’re about to drop out of hyperspace, so you might want to make yourself comfortable with us,” She said, as they all headed to the cockpit.
The freighter shuddered as it dropped out of hyperspace.
“Well, since I was initially ferrying people away from Imperials,” Fuu started, “I thought, where better to hide than a den of criminality itself?”
“Welcome to Nar Shaddaa, folks.”
“Wait, Nar Shaddaa?” Karin said in shock, “I’m a Jedi, they’ll kill me!”
“It’ll be fine,” Fuu shrugged off, “Besides, I’m more worried about people recognising Sumi.”
Togo nodded. “Although very few people recognise me without my helmet on. It is a surprise the Jedi did.”
“Huh, I guess,” Fuu noted, as the ship silently approached the planet.
The Imperial Officer strode up the bridge of the Dreadnaught, as it recovered its battered fighter complement.
“Ma’am, the freighter carrying our missing bounty hunter, the target she was sent to retrieve, and the criminal smuggler Inubozaki managed to destroy two of our lower Turbolaser batteries before jumping to hyperspace.”
The figure nodded, pausing in thought. “Get in contact with our best infiltration team. They have a certain Hutt Moon to visit.”
“Right away Admiral,” The officer said, before bowing and striding off.
“So, Washio Sumi had failed as I had expected… This makes things very interesting…”